A Study in Scarlet  By  cover art

A Study in Scarlet

By: Arthur Conan Doyle
Narrated by: Derek Jacobi

Publisher's summary

Originally named A Tangled Skein, this is the first Sherlock Holmes story. The real strength and the unique quality of the novel lies in the introduction of Holmes and Watson to each other - and those dark early scenes when a corpse is discovered in a derelict house in southeast London. The ultimate crusader against crime and criminals, Holmes' genius is revealed here for the very first time.
Public Domain (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

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What listeners say about A Study in Scarlet

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  • Overall
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The result of all our study in scarlet ...

"That's the result of all our study in scarlet: to get them a testimonial!"

I've long wanted to experience all of the Sherlock Holmes stories in publication order. When I found a set on Audible narrated by the wonderful British stage actor Derek Jacobi, I could not resist downloading the first two novellas: "A Study in Scarlet" and "The Sign of the Four." I very much enjoyed Jacobi's characterizations, especially of Holmes, Watson and the befuddled Scotland Yard inspectors, Gregson and Lestrade. (His American accents in the story's second half, however, were sometimes painfully awkward.)

"A Study in Scarlet" introduces the famous partnership of Dr. John Watson and Mr. Sherlock Holmes ("You have been in Afghanistan, I perceive") as well as the brilliant Holmes's methods of observation and deduction. In the first half of the tale, Holmes tracks down and apprehends a murderer bent on chilling revenge. The story's second half relates what happened decades before in Utah to set this determined man on his murderous path.

Although others have found the shift from Watson's first-person narration to the third-person flashback to be jarring, both narrative threads held my interest. The crime and its solution were put together cleverly and logically, although this is not a fair-play mystery readers can solve for themselves. The denouement was a bit too quick for my tastes; I don't believe Doyle left any loose threads dangling, but I would have appreciated a more fleshed-out ending to balance the long flashback detailing the killer's motive.

The best part of the story was glimpsing the beginning of the friendship between Holmes and Watson, which would soon captivate the reading public. This was a very enjoyable weekend listen, and I've already queued up "The Sign of the Four" for my next listen.

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6 people found this helpful

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Excellent as expected.

Where does A Study in Scarlet rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Upper level.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

I'd read the story a while ago.

What about Derek Jacobi’s performance did you like?

Everything. The man is talented.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I listen during my commute. There were times I sat in the driveway until a section ended, but I've read it before, so no, not all in one sitting.

Any additional comments?

Jacobi and Holmes. Perfect combination.

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What's not to love? Holmes and Jacobi!

I must have read this story a bunch of times - never listened to it before this. It was quite a joy with Derek Jacobi regaling me with his voice and craft.

There's a wonderful shift in "A Study in Scarlet" - one that transports you into another world and time and I had not remembered it as vividly from previous readings. The first part of the story is a pleasure in itself, as it gives you the Watson/Holmes friendship origin story - how they met, how Watson first learns about Holmes' many sleuthing talents. It's a story of murder and it unfolds as one expects from a Sherlock Holmes story ... but then the second part kicks in and suddenly, Holmes and Watson are out of the picture, gone.

Part two regales you with a marvelous tale set in pre-statehood Nevada and Utah, a time when the Mormons fled to find a home and eventually settled and built Salt Lake City. It's a powerful story about a man and a child, about being found and saved by the Mormons - about the Mormon way of life and the more sinister side of it all, with the infamous Destroying Angels, with Brigham Young himself showing up as threat personified, with a lovers' escape, murder and the the birth of revenge ... which then leads us back to London where it all comes together ... but, trust me, that part two really is quite wonderful in the way it is such a complete shift into another world.

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Great Listen!

What made the experience of listening to A Study in Scarlet the most enjoyable?

Derek Jacobi's voices and tone are superb.

What did you like best about this story?

The best part of this story is the story, of course. I love Conan Doyle.

What does Derek Jacobi bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The different voices and tones in his voice.

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Wonderful Narration

I've read the book and have listened to many enjoyable audio versions, but this is the first version to do justice to the American accents within the story.
a highly enjoyable listen!

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1 person found this helpful

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Good

It's a very good story, although the first half of the second part made me a little sleepy.
The perfomance of the narrator it's perfect.

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Love This Narrator!

Derek Jacobi is brilliant! His interpretation of Holmes & Watson is spot on. The characters come to life when he reads & you forget that it is just one person reading & not a diverse cast.

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Disappointing

I love Derek Jacobi, and I have always really enjoyed Sherlock Holmes mysteries, so I thought this was a no brainer for me. Wow, was I surprised when it turned into a dis on Mormonism. The LDS people were portrayed as being run by oppressive men who captured unwilling females and made them live polygamy. Although there were cults then and are today who do that, the Mormons never did. The religion is based on free agency, and were among the first to grant women rights that they had to fight for elsewhere. They stood by a woman's right to vote, for example, long before it was fashionable. If I had known, I would never have bought this book. It is so full of untruths that I wanted to cry. I would have stopped listening, but it was a short book, and I was interested to see how it ended. In truth, Conan Doyle used the setting of the Mormons to set up his mystery, that I understand, and from that standpoint, it was a well crafted novel. I just wish he would have been a little more thorough in his research of a noble people who have had their share of name-calling and misrepresentation.

As I mentioned, I love Derek Jacobi. He is probably my favorite male narrator. But even the great Shakespearean actor had a hard time slaughtering the English language to sound authentically American. It was good for a laugh, though, and maybe the best thing about the book.

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I was not expecting to like it

I had shied away from Sherlock Holmes novels thinking I wouldn’t enjoy them. This one was free, so I gave it a try. A lot of free audiobooks are not read well. Not only was this read very well, but I thoroughly enjoyed the story.

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amazing story and well narrated

absolutely fantastic story and Mr J does an incredible job reading it. Do yourself a favor and listen

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