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You Buy Bones: Sherlock Holmes and his London Through the Eyes of Scotland Yard by Marcia Wilson
johnbreeden's review against another edition
4.0
I like the idea of a Watson-centric story. In this case, perhaps it's more of a Lestrade story. In either case, it is definitely a decent trek into Holmes' world. I only hesitate on the way the story progressed. I feel that, with so much focus on each character's perspective, the mystery is a bit lost. There isn't much of Holmes' style of deduction. The mystery is finished almost as soon as it is started, focusing more on getting proof than finding the culprit. Otherwise, it is a good novel worth reading.
claudia_is_reading's review
5.0
Well, I was by less than half the book when I went searching for the author's page and see if there were more books by her, that should say you something :P
I simply fall in love with the story and yes, part of it is the fact that Watson has a large role in it, as he is the one who discovered the clues of the murder, but it was also because of the Scotland Yard's characters.
There are reflections about the differences between what Holmes, as a private citizen can do that Yarders can't, about how social differences sometimes affect their chance to investigate or pursue a crime, and about how sometimes is simply impossible to investigate something in particular when there are so many crimes happening all the time. Scotland Yard's politics, friendship and rivalry between the copers, all of it create a rich tapestry where the story grows.
There is not a lot of Sherlock Holmes in this book and yet, I did not miss him, I was too enthralled in the tale to do it; that's how good the story is.
This is a tale set early into Holmes and Watson acquaintance, just after [b:A Study in Scarlet|102868|A Study in Scarlet (Sherlock Holmes, #1)|Arthur Conan Doyle|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1519031842l/102868._SX50_.jpg|1997473] and it's fun to see the Yarders betting about how long would take for Watson to move out *laughs* But I also enjoyed being witness to their respect for the good doctor. I really liked Lestrade and Bradstreet in this story, their friendship is deep and rooted in respect and a shared thirst for justice. They become real persons, not a plot device to advance it or shone an even better light on Holmes' brilliance.
It's also fascinating to see this Watson; deeply troubled by his suspicions and his relationship with the suspect, haunted by the memories of war and still suffering from his wounds which aren't healing as well as he wished, but determined to get to the bottom of the matter.
The mystery itself is absorbing not because we are in search of the culprit but because we need to find proof of his horrific crimes. And in doing so, it submerges us into the less than palatable practices by some of the most respectable members of the medical profession and the world of the graverobbers.
Strong and powerful characterization, amazing writing, great plot, amazingly detailed setting and sense of place and time, what else could we ask from a story?
I liked the narration by Dominic Lopez but a little bit of editing to avoid repeated lines and long silences would have been nice.
I simply fall in love with the story and yes, part of it is the fact that Watson has a large role in it, as he is the one who discovered the clues of the murder, but it was also because of the Scotland Yard's characters.
There are reflections about the differences between what Holmes, as a private citizen can do that Yarders can't, about how social differences sometimes affect their chance to investigate or pursue a crime, and about how sometimes is simply impossible to investigate something in particular when there are so many crimes happening all the time. Scotland Yard's politics, friendship and rivalry between the copers, all of it create a rich tapestry where the story grows.
There is not a lot of Sherlock Holmes in this book and yet, I did not miss him, I was too enthralled in the tale to do it; that's how good the story is.
This is a tale set early into Holmes and Watson acquaintance, just after [b:A Study in Scarlet|102868|A Study in Scarlet (Sherlock Holmes, #1)|Arthur Conan Doyle|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1519031842l/102868._SX50_.jpg|1997473] and it's fun to see the Yarders betting about how long would take for Watson to move out *laughs* But I also enjoyed being witness to their respect for the good doctor. I really liked Lestrade and Bradstreet in this story, their friendship is deep and rooted in respect and a shared thirst for justice. They become real persons, not a plot device to advance it or shone an even better light on Holmes' brilliance.
It's also fascinating to see this Watson; deeply troubled by his suspicions and his relationship with the suspect, haunted by the memories of war and still suffering from his wounds which aren't healing as well as he wished, but determined to get to the bottom of the matter.
The mystery itself is absorbing not because we are in search of the culprit but because we need to find proof of his horrific crimes. And in doing so, it submerges us into the less than palatable practices by some of the most respectable members of the medical profession and the world of the graverobbers.
Strong and powerful characterization, amazing writing, great plot, amazingly detailed setting and sense of place and time, what else could we ask from a story?
I liked the narration by Dominic Lopez but a little bit of editing to avoid repeated lines and long silences would have been nice.
acrasie's review
4.0
I thought I had read everything by Marcia Wilson when it was available online many years ago but I've now realized that I had never completed this fascinating novella.
Marcia Wilson has the inordinate talent for research and description without pedantry. I feel as if I know more now about Victorian Era policing--it's quirks and differences from modern times, even from its past. Best of all, I don't feel like I know too much about Victorian Era policing. I don't feel overwhelmed with information.
And it's a really good story too. Grave robbery, murder, secret rooms, fire. What's not to like?
Marcia Wilson has the inordinate talent for research and description without pedantry. I feel as if I know more now about Victorian Era policing--it's quirks and differences from modern times, even from its past. Best of all, I don't feel like I know too much about Victorian Era policing. I don't feel overwhelmed with information.
And it's a really good story too. Grave robbery, murder, secret rooms, fire. What's not to like?
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