Sherlock Holmes and the Mystery of Boscombe Pool

Misaki Niikura

Author: Arthur Conan Doyle

Genre: Mystery

Date Started: 22^nd March

Date Finished: 23^rd March

The main characters: Dr. Watson, Sherlock Holmes, Patience Moran, Miss Turner, Mr. Charles McCarthy, Mr. James McCarthy, Lestrade and Mr. John Turner

It is set in June in England.

A rich man, Charles McCarthy, was dead. He died near the Boscombe Pool, hit on the head with something heavy. The policeman had taken Mr. James McCarthy who was Charles McCarthy’s son into custody, because, Patience Moran saw them by the lake. They were both shouting. James was very angry. The facts were clear. But Sherlock Holmes was not sure, so he worked to find the real murderer with Dr. Watson.

James said everything to a questioner. He wanted to shoot some birds at Boscombe Pool. He was by the pool, and he heard someone call ”Cooeel”. His father and he often used it. He hurried toward the pool and found his father. He met his father there, and began to talk and more angry words followed. James became angry and felt ready to hit him, but instead he decided to leave. He went back towards Hatherley Farm. After some time he heard a terrible scream, so he ran back to the pool. He found his father was dying.

Sherlock Holmes met Miss Turner who loved James. She wanted to know the facts, because she believed James was innocent. So she decided to ask Sherlock Holmes to come and find the facts.

Sherlock Holmes asked someone and went to the pool. And he found some clues. He found the real criminal. It was Mr. John Turner who was Miss Turner’s father. Mr. Charles McCarthy was pressing for his son to marry Mr. John Turner’s daughter. But John didn’t want his daughter to marry Charles’s son. So John killed Charles.

Sherlock Holmes didn’t talk to policeman about the real murderer. Because he just wanted to know the facts and John was seriously ill. The few facts which Holmes gave to the policeman were enough to free James. John lived for seven months more, but he died. James and Miss Turner would soon marry.

I had never read any of the Sherlock Holmes books before. It was a very interesting story. I could enjoy reading this story. I like that the story was concluded clearly, but I didn’t like that the speeches were long.

The English level was good. I could understand almost all the words. I want to read other stories about Sherlock Holmes. I recommend other people read this book.