A Study in Charlotte

How does the novel’s title both accurately represent the book’s content and pay homage to Arthur Conan Doyle’s similarly titled work?

What are Charlotte’s greatest personal strengths? What are her greatest weaknesses? Does she tend to choose constructive or destructive ways to cope with life? Examine her coping mechanisms.

Several stories from the Sherlockian canon appear in the novel. Pick three and describe each original Conan Doyle story and how it’s interwoven into the book’s plot, citing examples from the text.

Bryony and Lucien each hold a grudge against Charlotte. Describe the vendetta each one harbors against her. How do they work together to plan their revenge? How do their agendas run contrary to one another?

Drugs and chemicals function to advance the plot. Pick three examples in which the story hinges on chemical compounds and examine what they add to the plot.

Give a character sketch of James. What does he like about himself? What does he dislike? How does his initial attitude toward Charlotte differ from her response to him? To what extent does he bring value to the sleuthing team?

The novel’s initial premise is that two fictional characters are real. Discuss how the story merges fiction and reality merge. Can this mixture be problematic? If so, how? Cite passages from the text to support your views.

Charlotte, James, and August all indulge in behavior that their families dislike. Give an example of an intrusive relative who interferes in the life of each character, citing examples from the text that exemplify this interference.