vivdunstan (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
vivdunstan) wrote2025-11-05 02:36 pm
vivdunstan) wrote2025-11-05 02:36 pm
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Sherlock Holmes reread: Charles Augustus Milverton
Continuing my reread, and one that I do remember.
This is a rather sordid tale of a master blackmailer, who Holmes tries to outwit, but is ultimately outwitted by one of his victims, albeit with Holmes not taking any steps to reveal their identity to the authorities afterwards.
The opening of this story is, at least for me, plagued with many of the same problems as the Reichenbach Falls story. This time, rather than Moriarty, we hear at second hand from Holmes how horrible Milverton is and how appalling and numerous his crimes are, and how much he deserves to be caught, yet evades justice. This introduction absolutely breaks the general writing good practice of "show don't tell", which to be fair Holmes stories do a lot, with their opening flashbacks. But it's rarely done so blatantly and unsubtly as here.
The bulk of the story revolves around an attempt by Holmes and Watson to steal letters that Milverton is using to blackmail Holmes's client. This section feels very reminiscent of a lot of past Holmes stories. And it's rather miraculous to be honest that Holmes isn't caught by Milverton. But ultimately the latter does meet his fate.
I have seen a lot of TV versions of this - Jeremy Brett, Sherlock and Elementary. But only the middle one sticks in my mind, mainly down to the extremely creepy interaction between Magnussen (the name used here rather than Milverton) and one of his victims. I should rewatch this sometime, along with the other two.
This is a rather sordid tale of a master blackmailer, who Holmes tries to outwit, but is ultimately outwitted by one of his victims, albeit with Holmes not taking any steps to reveal their identity to the authorities afterwards.
The opening of this story is, at least for me, plagued with many of the same problems as the Reichenbach Falls story. This time, rather than Moriarty, we hear at second hand from Holmes how horrible Milverton is and how appalling and numerous his crimes are, and how much he deserves to be caught, yet evades justice. This introduction absolutely breaks the general writing good practice of "show don't tell", which to be fair Holmes stories do a lot, with their opening flashbacks. But it's rarely done so blatantly and unsubtly as here.
The bulk of the story revolves around an attempt by Holmes and Watson to steal letters that Milverton is using to blackmail Holmes's client. This section feels very reminiscent of a lot of past Holmes stories. And it's rather miraculous to be honest that Holmes isn't caught by Milverton. But ultimately the latter does meet his fate.
I have seen a lot of TV versions of this - Jeremy Brett, Sherlock and Elementary. But only the middle one sticks in my mind, mainly down to the extremely creepy interaction between Magnussen (the name used here rather than Milverton) and one of his victims. I should rewatch this sometime, along with the other two.
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