feels VERY similar to A Study in Scarlet in terms of structure but improves on that one in almost every way. Holmes is actually out in the field, for one, doing fun detective shit, and we see a bit of the elaborate underworld network he's established. while the crime is still committed by an earnest man driven to revenge against someone who grievously wronged him and we get waaaaaay too bogged down in backstory, the exposition at least doesn't take up ½ of the book. in addition to the richer world and the cleaner plotting the central duo also feel more realized: Watson's dry humor and stalwart attitude and Holmes’ showmanship and prissiness come through. 

I suspect that Doyle’s short stories will be stronger because he'll be forced to cut all of the tedious melodramatic chaff he seems to love but we will see. 

scads of horrific period racism in this one, but remember just because other white authors may not write out their racism so explicitly, that doesn't mean it's not implicit in the text!