The Adventure of the Norwood Builder
May. 27th, 2018 05:52 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
alafaye posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
sherlock60Happy Sunday. This week we are reading The Adventure of the Norwood Builder
A quick recap before we get to our discussion:
-Holmes bemoans cases of interest when a young lawyer entreats him for help
-A man in Norwood who works as a builder has been assumed dead when part of his home was burned, a body removed from it, and the study littered with blood
-The young lawyer is arrested and while Lestrade goes on his case, Holmes conducts his own, starting with the lawyer's family
-Though the father had gone out to get more information on the lawyer, the mother was too eager to tell how the builder had once been her paramour, but she turned him down for being a blackguard and he mutilated her photo, sending it to her on her wedding day. The home of the builder, however, reveals nothing
-Lacking further leads, however, Holmes returns to Baker street; Lestrade calls upon them and says the case was finally sealed when a fingerprint was found in the builder's home, in blood and matching the lawyer's
-Holmes, knowing better as the print had not been there before, creates a ruse of fire and surprises the builder out of his hiding spot. He had found himself in a bad spot with creditors and while he had been sending his money to a pseudo name to escape them by creating his own death, he decided to also get revenge upon his old flame by framing her son for the murder -- by a will naming the lawyer as the heir.
Discuss in the comments.
A quick recap before we get to our discussion:
-Holmes bemoans cases of interest when a young lawyer entreats him for help
-A man in Norwood who works as a builder has been assumed dead when part of his home was burned, a body removed from it, and the study littered with blood
-The young lawyer is arrested and while Lestrade goes on his case, Holmes conducts his own, starting with the lawyer's family
-Though the father had gone out to get more information on the lawyer, the mother was too eager to tell how the builder had once been her paramour, but she turned him down for being a blackguard and he mutilated her photo, sending it to her on her wedding day. The home of the builder, however, reveals nothing
-Lacking further leads, however, Holmes returns to Baker street; Lestrade calls upon them and says the case was finally sealed when a fingerprint was found in the builder's home, in blood and matching the lawyer's
-Holmes, knowing better as the print had not been there before, creates a ruse of fire and surprises the builder out of his hiding spot. He had found himself in a bad spot with creditors and while he had been sending his money to a pseudo name to escape them by creating his own death, he decided to also get revenge upon his old flame by framing her son for the murder -- by a will naming the lawyer as the heir.
Discuss in the comments.
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no subject
Date: 2018-05-31 01:28 am (UTC)- The whole beginning with Holmes complaining about the lack of Moriarty I find strange. He just got back from being separated from home and friends by that guy, why wish him back? Yah, you may be bored, but remember the cost? I was also thinking that Watson might find this whole Moriarty speech sort of bothersome and potentially hurtful.
- From a story telling standpoint, I guess it makes sense to frame the tale in that light just in case we forgot who Moriarty is. There are some comparisons to Holmes faking his death...
- Watson selling his practice, while I like it because I want the two of them back together, doesn't make much sense if he is being left behind like he is in this story. What does he do all day?
- I personally like this story since we are seeing lots of emotions (bored, excited, depressed, etc.) from Holmes.
no subject
Date: 2018-06-01 09:05 pm (UTC)I absolutely agree with you - whenever I read that bit, I rejoice that Moriarty is dead and H & W can have adventures without him lurking in the background. Playing the Game, the only thing I can up with is that it's perhaps a stiff upper lip way of dealing with trauma - Holmes talking in a lighthearted way about a man who caused so much damage to his life.
Watson selling his practice, while I like it because I want the two of them back together, doesn't make much sense if he is being left behind like he is in this story. What does he do all day?
To be fair, Watson does refer to the past months as being busy: Our months of partnership had not been so uneventful as he had stated, for I find, on looking over my notes, that this period includes the case of the papers of Ex-President Murillo, and also the shocking affair of the Dutch steamship Friesland, which so nearly cost us both our lives. And though Holmes doesn't take him along on the first part of the investigation, Watson does accompany him on the second day.
But you're right - if Watson isn't automatically accompanying Holmes on all his investigations, then what is he doing with the rest of his time? And what exactly is his financial and employment situation?
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Date: 2018-06-03 11:41 pm (UTC)-I rather think that Watson doesn't mind much having sold his practice. I doubt he would have if he wasn't interested in helping Holmes again and knew that it would not be completely without work or fulfillment.