London.1910.Aprocessionofwell-attiredgentlemenandladiesareclearlyoutofplaceamongthestallsandpushcartsoftheWhitechapelDistrict.Asthegroupmakesitswaythroughthecrowdedstreets,thetourguidestopsnowandthentopointoutvariousplaceswherethemutilatedbodiesofthewomenhadbeenfound.Althoughthemurdersoccurredtwenty-twoyearsprior,themanleadingthegroupseemstoknoweverydetailandaspectofeachslaying.Ofthosethingshedoesnotknow,heoffersfreelyhisowninsightfulconjecture.Thisis,however,noaveragetourofbrutalacts.ItisacloselookatinfamousserialkillerJacktheRipper’strailofblood.AndthemanleadingthegroupisnoneotherthanSirArthurConanDoyle--famouscreatoroffictionalcharacterSherlockHolmes,theworld’sgreatestdetective.InTheStrangeCaseofDr.Doyle,welearnwhatdrawsonefamousEnglishmantoanotherinwaysthatareasfascinatingastheyareshocking.SirArthurConanDoyleactuallyledatourgrouptothesitesoftheWhitechapelMurdersintheyear1905.Whilewedonothaveanexistingdescriptionofthattour,authorsDanielFriedman,MD,andEugeneFriedman,MD,havemeticulouslypiecedtogetherDoyle’sownwordstocreatearivetingaccountofhispubliclystatedbeliefsoneachofthesehorrificmurders.AsDoyletakesthegrouponhistour,thereaderlearnsaboutthevictimsandthewayeachdied.TheauthorshavealsoincludednewpiecesofevidencetounderstandbetterthemurdererknowntohistoryonlyasJacktheRipper.InterspersedthroughoutthetouristheFriedmans’uniqueandwell-researchedaccountofthelifeoftheyoungConanDoyle,whichwasshroudedinmoremysterythananyofhisownworksoffiction.Theauthorshaveuncoveredfactsaboutwhichfew,ifany,Doylebiographershaveeverbeenaware.Doylewasabletoreinventhimselfsofullythroughhisownwritingsthatfewrecognizedthemoredisturbingelementsthatwerecutoutofhisownlifestory.WhatthesetwoauthorshaveuncoveredintheirinvestigationofJacktheRipperandSirArthurwillnodoubtsparkpassionanddebateamongSherlockianfansforyearstocome.TheStrangeCaseofDr.Doyleprovesonceagainthattruth--elementaryasitmaybe--isalwaysstrangerthanfiction.
