Home Feed
Home
Search
Search
Add Review, Blurb, Quote
Add
Activity
Activity
Profile
Profile
The Men Who Were Sherlock Holmes
The Men Who Were Sherlock Holmes: A True-life Victorian Murder Mystery | Daniel Smith
4 posts | 2 read | 1 to read
In 1893, young army officer Cecil Hambrough was murdered at the sprawling Ardlamont estate in Scotland, unleashing one of the most gripping court cases Victorian Britain had ever known. Even more remarkably, the case brought together two pioneering forensic experts - Joseph Bell and Henry Littlejohn - two men upon whom Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes happened to be based. It is their involvement in the Ardlamont affair that reveals how the world's most famous detective came to be: the worlds of crime fiction and crime fact were about to collide spectacularly. In this extraordinary book, Daniel Smith outlines the key roles of the two men whose powers of deduction had so inspired Doyle and explores the real-world origins of Sherlock Holmes through the prism of a mystery as engrossing as any case the Great Detective ever tackled.
Amazon Indiebound Barnes and Noble WorldCat Goodreads LibraryThing
review
Blueroseis
post image
Mehso-so

'The Ardlamont Mystery' which was the original title given to this book describes more accurately the actual content. As a Victorian true life mystery and subsequent trial, it was very informative. However, filled out with some unesscesary trivialities which didn't relate to Ardlamont Ithe book became quite boring in places. The prominence given to Sherlock Holmes on the cover I expect, is to attract his fans who may be disappointed in this book

blurb
Blueroseis
post image

Some of the books that I intend toread over the coming weeks .

review
OutsmartYourShelf
post image
Pickpick

An informative book about the case that brought together Doctors Joseph Bell & Henry Littlejohn, along with colleague, Dr Patrick Heron Watson, who between them were the inspiration for Conan Doyle's 'Holmes & Watson'.

In 1893 on a Scottish estate called Ardlamont, twenty-year-old Cecil Hambrough was found dead from a gunshot wound to the head. The two men who were hunting with him at the time, 'mentor' Alfred Monson & Edward Scott (continued)

OutsmartYourShelf (aka Edward Sweeney), both claimed that Cecil had accidentally shot himself, but circumstantial evidence such as insurance claims & Monson's actions following the incident raised suspicion. A court case was held which used early pioneering forensic evidence & the testimony of the doctors above were used by the prosecution to try & prove their case. 6mo
OutsmartYourShelf What an intriguing case & characters in Bell & Littlejohn. The era of early forensic science & the technological advances of the Victorian era have always fascinated me & this is no exception. I felt the author did a great job of providing all the information about the case without it becoming too academically dry. 6mo
OutsmartYourShelf Well-researched & well-written, this is a must-read for anyone interested in either early forensics &/or the inspiration behind Sherlock Holmes. 4🌟

My thanks to #NetGalley & publishers, Michael O'Mara Limited, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

Full Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6424490749
Read 12th-18th May 2024

#ReadAway2024
@Andrew65 @DieAReader @GHABI4ROSES
6mo
DieAReader 🥳🥳🥳 6mo
dabbe Put this on the TBR! 🤩🤩🤩 6mo
30 likes1 stack add5 comments
blurb
Blueroseis
post image

#NoPlaceLikeHolmes This book has just been obtained by our County Library. It looks really interesting. I took a picture of the Great Detective while in Baker Street a few weeks ago.

24 likes1 stack add