book review

The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire was one of the 12 Sherlock Holms stories in The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes collected from 1921 to 1927. It was first published in the January 1924 issues of The Strand Magazine in London and Hearst’s International Magazine in New York.

  Well structured, the story shows how Holmes solves a case from the view of Watson. First, Holmes receives a letter from his client, listens to the details and draws a conclusion, which he will not tell anybody else. Then he goes to where the case happened to confirm his speculation and finally he enjoys a good show telling others the truth, which gains him admiration.

  Set at the beginning of 20th century, the story is wonderful and splendid as any other Sherlock Holms adventure stories. One day, Holmes receives an odd letter which tells a terrible experience about how Mr. Robert Ferguson was convinced that his Peruvian wife, who is his second wife, has been sucking their baby son’s blood! By his first wife, Mr. Ferguson has a son of 15, Jack, who suffered an accident as a child and now cannot walk normally. The poor boy has been struck twice by his stepmother and since the woman was found out to be a vampire by her husband, she has locked herself in her room and never come out, only allowing her Peruvian maid to take her meals in.

  Mr. Ferguson comes to 221B Baker Street the next morning telling Holmes more details, which are enough for Holmes to deduce that what is going on. After they came to Mr. Ferguson’s house looking for evidence, Holmes finally verifies that the case has nothing to do with vampire.

In Mr. Ferguson’s house, Holmes examines the South American weapons displayed in the living room and talks with the children when a wired sick dog appears, which is lately confirmed as a tester. As a doctor, Watson tries to help Mrs. Ferguson with her disease, after talking with her Watson realizes that she is very rational and loves her baby. It comes out that Jack is the real culprit who is extremely jealous of his young brother and has been shooting poisoned darts to him.

  The truth is so heart-breaking that Mrs. Ferguson was unwilling to tell her husband, because she loves him so much and thinks she should not be the one to get him known the truth. Her behavior of sucking the baby’s neck can reasonably be explained as sucking the poison out, and it is self-evident that the wounds on the baby’s neck were not by her biting.

  The author, Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle (22 May 1859 - 7 July 1930) was a British novelist, short story writer, poet and physician who is known for his fictional stories about the detective Sherlock Holmes.

The book tells an exciting story with absorbing expression. I find it really fascinating and almost finish reading it without stop. What attracts me most is the fantastic plot and how the story develops. For example, when talking with Mr. Ferguson, Holmes keeps asking him about his 15-year-old son after knowing that he has one. That’s when Holmes starts to have a speculation and when the readers start to suspect the adolescent son. Besides, lots of details of the boy and the words of Mr. Ferguson imply that the boy may worth paying attention. Readers have the chance to think carefully and keep up with the book, thus unwilling to stop reading until end.

  All in all, the fascinating book--The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire is worth reading and I highly recommend it. May you bring yourself some fun and excitement on a cozy afternoon or a silent night.

Reference

1. The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire--Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press.

2. The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire, Wikipedia.

3. Arthur Conan Doyle, Wikipedia.

2016-05-06

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