As stated before, I am quite the Sherlock Holmes nut. So a
book exploring how Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the writer behind Sherlock Holmes,
once came to a man’s defense in court? Sign me up please.
Fox is telling a couple different stories here. First of
all, there’s the crime. A rich, paranoid woman is killed in her home. Only a
diamond brooch is found to be missing from her house. Who did it?
The man that the police arrest is Oscar Slater, a foreigner
and a Jew. Determined to pin the crime on him, they arrest him and put him on
trial. His voice is curiously absent from these proceedings, as he was advised
not to testify due to his accent and the fact that everyone in Victorian times
was racist. Who is he?
And then there’s Conan Doyle, already well-known for his
Holmes stories and for coming to the aid of other underdogs. Oh and his
obsession with spiritualism. That too. How did he get involved, and how did he
eventually clear Slater’s name?
The entire story is told, from the general prejudices in
Victorian times and societal norms, to the policeman who sacrificed his career
after expressing doubts about the investigation, to the falling out between
Conan Doyle and Slater after his release. Guesses are made as to who actually
committed the murder, including Conan Doyle’s, but no one was ever convicted.
I found this book to be a delight. The subject matter is
fascinating, as you rarely read about author’s lives since they are rarely this
interesting, and Fox’s writing style is clear and easy to read. She keeps you
turning pages up until the very end.
Honestly if you like mystery or history then this book is
kind of a no-brainer. Those already into Holmes definitely are, and seeing a
different side to his creator is incredible. Would highly recommend!
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