Keith Oatley, The Case of Emily V

The Case of Emily V

Keith Oatley

Pleasure Boat, Nov 2006, $18.00

ISBN: 1929355300

Few situations if ever have come to light like this one uncovered by the author that enables the reader to draw conclusions on the thought processes of two famous individuals from almost a century ago. Keith Oatley has found three manuscripts from the late nineteenth century on the same subject, but with differing perspectives that shed a light on Sherlock Holmes as the investigation has been written up by Dr. John Watson and a psychoanalysis case study conducted by Dr. Sigmund Freud in his own words. The third entry enables the audience to determine even further the truth is a journal written by their mutual subject Vienna classics teacher Emily V.

In 1904 Vienna Emily V cannot sleep due to evil dreams and who cannot eat due to delicious smells making her nauseous. She knows why as she killed Charles S. She has seen Professor Freud, the physician at the urgings of Sara and knows someone from England investigates. She ponders just telling everyone the truth that she suffers from guilt because she is guilty.

The Case Of Emily V rotates perspective between the title star, Watson's case description, and Freud's presentations and notes. The story line grips the reader from the start as a historiographic analysis of Freud and Holmes (in the sleuth's case through a Watson filter) makes their "meeting" genuine. The two celebrities stay in character throughout even when they learn they share the same case though one from a mental health viewpoint and the other from a homicide stance. Freud is arrogant as he pompously knows it all while Holmes is smug and moodily knows it all. Though the encounter has been written in The Seven-Per-Cent Solution, this is a more exhilarating novel as the audience becomes more enthralled with the minds of the characters.

Harriet Klausner