A Study in Scarlet
Arthur Conan Doyle
Contains spoilers for the entire book.
Discussion topics
Topic 01 of 08
First meeting
What are your first impressions of Holmes and Watson, and why do they work well together?
Keep the conversation going
- What did you make of Watson's list of Holmes's 'limits'?
- What does Watson need, coming back from Afghanistan?
There is no single right answer. Bring your own reading.
Discussion topics
What are your first impressions of Holmes and Watson, and why do they work well together?
Keep the conversation going
- What did you make of Watson's list of Holmes's 'limits'?
- What does Watson need, coming back from Afghanistan?
How does Holmes's method differ from that of Lestrade and Gregson?
Keep the conversation going
- Which of his deductions impressed you most?
- Does he ever seem arrogant?
What did you make of the word written in blood on the wall?
Keep the conversation going
- How did it mislead the police?
- What did it really mean?
How did you react to the sudden move to Utah in the second half?
Keep the conversation going
- Why do you think Doyle tells the backstory at such length?
- Did it change how you saw the crimes?
How did the story of John Ferrier and his adopted daughter Lucy affect you?
Keep the conversation going
- What does it show about the community they lived in?
- How do you respond to the novel's portrayal of the Mormons today?
Is Jefferson Hope a murderer, an avenger, or both?
Keep the conversation going
- Did you sympathise with him?
- What did you make of the two pills?
Does the novel let Hope's revenge stand as justice?
Keep the conversation going
- How does his fate before trial settle the question?
- Would a court have judged him fairly?
How did you feel about the police taking the credit at the end?
Keep the conversation going
- Why does Holmes not mind?
- Why does Watson decide to tell the story?
There is no single right answer. Bring your own reading.