Discussion Post: The Six Napoleons

[spacemutineer.livejournal.com]

Hello, hello everyone. It's discussion time again. How did you all find The Six Napoleons? As always, I've written up a few of my random thoughts and questions about the story. Please feel free to add your own!

- Lestrade! So much good Inspector Lestrade to love in SIXN. I adore the image of him just showing up from time to time to chat... and drop a few case hints. He lacks in detective skill here, getting hung up on the murder and missing the forest for the trees, but he makes up for it in heart. His words of praise and pride to Holmes are sweet. It takes a lot to affect Holmes through kindness.

- What do you think of Holmes' trick of misleading the press to his own benefit? It is ethical? May it give Holmes a negative public impression, getting things "wrong"? He doesn't care about either issue, of course.

- "It is of no consequence to us which is the correct solution." Holmes is singularly uninterested in how exactly Beppo came into possession of the pearl, either by stealing it from Pietro, working with him, or being a go-between. But while that fact may not matter to the private detective theorizing freely, it certainly matters to Lestrade, the police detective entrusted with enforcing the law, don't you think?

- SIXN is a great example of investigation rather than storytelling, making it fun to follow along as readers and track down clues ourselves. But Sherlock Holmes always has one important fact no one else is privy to (here the pearl's existence and its connection to the name Venucci), so we and Watson can never quite put the case together ourselves without him. He wouldn't have it any other way.

- One last thought: if Sherlock Holmes ever wants you to sign away your rights to something, DON'T! No matter what he's offering, turn down the deal. You're being conned out of your black pearl or blue carbuncle!

Comments

[hisietari.livejournal.com]

I think that by this stage, the author started to hide crucial facts from the reader because (or so I'd imagine) the audience was too good in solving the cases before Holmes does. At least that's the impression I had reading everything before. They're only tricky when bits and pieces stay unclear until the end.

Lestrade is really sweet here, I like the idea of him becoming a part of the Bakerstreet Club. However - sorry, I just can't imagine Scotland Yard being proud of Holmes. There's probably a dart board with his picture pinned on hidden in some cellar. *lol*

[tweedisgood.livejournal.com]

Oh, I don't know. As he says in The Naval Treaty , he often allows the Yard credit for cases he solves. I think they admire him, even if none of them would care to be his friend exactly.

BBC version, no doubt. ACD's is a bit more circumspect in his dealings with the cops.

[hisietari.livejournal.com]

He does, and I think that might hurt a few people there even more in their pride. I have forgotten where I read a certain remark, might have been in "Black Peter" or a much earlier story, about the Yard being much less in favour of him than gratitude should have allowed. Mmmmmm need to check my notes, I hope I wrote it down.

I think their relation is rather complex. It shows whenever Holmes seems to be clueless once in a while, and not just in the inspectors. That's why I think Lestrade's relationship to Holmes and Watson to be so remarkable, because he can swallow that pride most of the time and just see them as old pals. I might not be an expert, but I don't think that most people can do that.

Did you read the BBC's version of John's blog? The one where he had to delete the comments, but a full printout being rumoured to hang at SY's canteen wall, is my favourite part of the whole site. *lol*

[tweedisgood.livejournal.com]

Did you read the BBC's version of John's blog?

No, not really up to speed with all the BBC peripherals. Link?

[hisietari.livejournal.com]

johnwatsonblog[DOT]co[DOT]uk

[thesmallhobbit.livejournal.com]

I too like the idea of Lestrade dropping round for a chat and Holmes and Watson being pleased to see him. It says so much for their growing relationship. I think it is understandable that Lestrade would concentrate on the murder, which, as far as the police are concerned, would be the much higher priority. As you say for Holmes what matters is the puzzle rather than the proof.