There have been numerous Sherlock Holmes stories and pastiches set in both the classic (1890–1910, or thereabouts) and modern eras. A study in Crimson: Sherlock Holmes 1942 takes a different approach, with a setting inspired by the 1940s universal pictures film series starring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce.
As told by Robert J. Harris, someone calling himself “Crimson Jack” is recreating the murders of Jack the Ripper. The book beautifully sets the stage with a minor case that introduces us to a Sherlock Holmes who’s been taking up government work and a John Watson who’s volunteering at a medical facility to do his part for the war effort. They’re in their fifties, shaped by their service in the previous conflict (in which Watson was wounded, as their backstories have been updated in time).
In a world of blackouts and sandbagged buildings and missing young men who have gone off to war, Holmes and Watson hunt a serial killer. The immediate mystery takes place against larger political questions: about supporting a fading empire, maintaining public morale, and changing professions and roles.
That’s best seen with one of the new characters, Gail Preston, an American radio journalist. She’s brash, smart, and puts Watson quite off-balance. She plays “charming and eccentric” quite well, manipulating suspects into divulging information. then there’s commander Phil Rayner of military intelligence, sent to work with the group by Mycroft Holmes, and of course, old pal Inspector Lestrade.
The language nicely gives a historic flavor while still being immensely readable. The Holmes we see here is witty and a bit prickly. He tends to examine in disguise and keep his cards close, while Watson (our narrator) doggedly follows along where instructed. Harris does a good job keeping Watson baffled without descending into the idiocy that has been the public perception of Bruce’s portrayal.
I blush to admit that I haven’t actually seen those films (yet!), so I had some issue about how much I’d delight in this version (coupled with a feeling that Jack the Ripper is as overdone as Moriarty), but I was amazed at just how much I delighted in it! The characters work whenever you set them, I believe, but the wartime environment plays up the drama. I’m eager to see the films that inspired this novel, now, as well as much more in this series.
(This review originally appeared at the site belonging to I hear of Sherlock Everywhere, the premier Sherlock Holmes podcast.)
Share this:
Twitter
Facebook
Tumblr
Related Posts:
The adventure of the Plated Spoon and other Tales of Sherlock HolmesUnlike the other recent collection of Sherlock Holmes stories, The adventure of the Plated Spoon and other Tales of Sherlock Holmes relies mostly on reprints and curiosities, with just a few new tales. The book opens, after an introduction by editor Loren D. Estleman that emphasizes the continuing popularity of…
Sherlock Holmes and the Molly-Boy MurdersIn Sherlock Holmes and the Molly-Boy Murders, Margaret Walsh manages quite the feat: she combines the conventional feel of a classic Holmes pastiche with a modern sensibility when it concerns characters and motivations, enlivened with flashes of dry humor. someone is killing and mutilating young men who dress as…
Sherlock Holmes: playing the Game(I have begun evaluating Sherlock Holmes books for the site belonging to I hear of Sherlock Everywhere, the premier Sherlock Holmes podcast. This review originally appeared there.) Sherlockians know that “playing the game” implies considering Arthur Conan Doyle’s role as Dr. John Watson’s literary agent. Doyle couldn’t have been the…