History Literature / AStudyInEmerald

** When they meet for the first time, they both mention some things the other might find annoying [[spoiler: the violin not being mentioned can be a clue that the other man is not Holmes (although the violin was only mentioned since Watson had issues with strong noises, while here the narrator is the one screaming at night), and the narrator not mentioning a dog is a clue that he's not Watson.]].

** When they meet for the first time, they both mentions some things the other might find annoying [[spoiler: the violin not being mentioned can be a clue that the other men is not Holmes (although the violin was only mentioned since Watson had issues with strong noises, while here the narrator is the one screaming at night), and the narrator not mentioning a dog is a clue that he's not Watson.]]
** The narrator remarks more than once how he used to be a good shot. [[spoiler: Watson wasn't bad, but wasn't that good. Moran, however, was known to be a marksman.]]

* RightUnderTheirNoses: The letter at the end declares that the killer and his accomplice are going on the run, causing Inspector Lestrade and his men to start stopping all trains and boats leaving the country. The detective, for his part, suspects that the two are ''actually'' going to hide in the notorious crime-ridden slum -- the Rookery of St. Giles merely a mile away where the police don't dare go except by the dozen. Because, if the roles were reversed, that's what he'd do.

* TheWomanWearingTheQueenlyMask: The graphic novel adaptation takes this trope ''literally'' by having the EldritchAbomination Queen Victoria wearing a mask [[YouCannotGraspTheTrueForm that hides her real face from her human subjects.]]

* DarkWorld: A parody version. An alternate 19-century Earth ruled by the Great Old Ones; it is implied that all sorts of Victorian horrors and abominations coexist peacefully with humans: SpringHeeledJack owns a shoe store, Dr. Jekyll sells a medicine which allows to "release the inner you", etc.

* AssholeVictim: The Bohemian prince turns out to be one. [[spoiler:According to Holmes, he was actually a SerialKiller and SerialRapist who abused his position to drive women insane and drain their lifeforce. Holmes and Watson lured him into a trap by claiming they had kidnapped a woman for him.]]

* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: Queen Victoria is this by the standard of the setting; she heals [[spoiler:Moran's arm without expecting anything in return, and thanks the pair for finding the prince's murderer even if said murderer is on the loose]]. But by the reader's standards she is still an Old One who will probably wipe out humanity, and she also seems to have no issue with the prince's hobby of raping, torturing and murdering young women.

* ShellShockedVeteran: The narrator mentions that he often has flashbacks to his time in the military and that he frequently screams in his sleep. Given that his tour of duty ended with an encounter with an EldritchAbomination, it's not hard to figure out why.

** The narrator refers to the "savages" of Afghanistan (both human and EldritchAbomination) who are unwilling to see the reasonableness of being ruled by their betters in London [[MyFriendsAndZoidberg or even Moscow]]. This might also be an allusion to [[UsefulNotes/SovietInvasionOfAfghanistan later events in our timeline]].

** Likewise, there's a similar nod to the text's disagreement about where on his body [[spoiler:Watson]] was injured in [[spoiler:Afghanistan]]. ''Literature/AStudyInScarlet'' placed it on his leg, later stories said his shoulder. In ''A Study In Emerald'' [[spoiler:Moran, i.e., the "fake" Watson, was wounded in his shoulder, while the real Watson was wounded in his leg]].

* AssholeVictim: The Bohemian prince turns out to be one. [[spoiler:According to Holmes, he was actually a SerialKiller and rapist who abused his position to drive women insane and drain their lifeforce. Holmes and Watson lured him into a trap by claiming they had kidnapped a woman for him.]]

[[caption-width-right:350:Cover for the 2018 graphic novel adaptation by Creator/DarkHorseComics]]

* RoyallyScrewedUp: Played for kind of dark humor in that the Queen's relatives seem to be the usual debauched and reckless sort that the human Victoria had (and probably many/most monarchs have), but it's taken UpToEleven, given what they are.

* YouDontLookLikeYou: In the comic, Albuquerque created unusual designs for the Baker Street duo. [[spoiler: It's a significant clue that this trope is being subverted, as Albuquerque actually uses much more faithful looks for the real Holmes and Watson. It is clear from the concept art that Albuquerque put some thought into creating ambiguous enough designs for Moriarty and Moran.]].

** We also see the consulting detective much harsher and more judgemental than in canon appearances, while the narrator isn't. [[spoiler: Another clue that the detective isn't Holmes, and the different attitude doesn't come merely from the darker atmosphere.]]

** The most [[RefugeInAudacity outrageous]], however, is while talking with Sherry Vernet, when they go by the aliases of "Henry Camberley" and "mister Sebastian". [[spoiler: The latter isn't a made-up name, the narrator’s name actually is Sebastian.]]
** In the comic adaptation, there's a (in hindsight blatant) clue due to the medium: [[spoiler: the Detective doesn't even look like Sherlock Holmes, as the latter is described in the books as having black hair, clean-shaven and pale. The Detective's different look could be artistic licence, but then Vernet shows up matching the classic Holmes look]].

** The detective muses that when a doctor who turns to crime always ranks among both the most brilliant and the most heinous of villains. In the original canon, Sherlock Holmes makes this observation about Dr. Roylott in "The Adventure of the Speckled Band". [[spoiler: In this universe, it's Dr. Watson.]]

Written in the style of a classic Holmes pastiche, this story (roughly following the plot of the first Holmes novel ''Literature/AStudyInScarlet'') finds [[TheWatson a British soldier invalided home]] after being injured in a war in Afghanistan. Through a mutual acquaintance he becomes flatmates with a [[GreatDetective brilliant if unorthodox consulting detective]]. One day they are called by Inspector Lestrade to assist with the investigate the gruesome murder of a member of the Royal Family. A member who is both far more and far less than human...

Written in the style of a classic Holmes pastiche, this story, (roughly following the plot of the first Holmes novel ''Literature/AStudyInScarlet''), finds [[TheWatson a British soldier invalided home]] after being injured in a war in Afghanistan. Through a mutual acquaintance he becomes flatmates with a [[GreatDetective brilliant if unorthodox consulting detective]]. One day they are called by Inspector Lestrade to assist with the investigate the gruesome murder of a member of the Royal Family. A member who is both far more and far less than human...

** [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spring-heeled_Jack Jack's Boots, Shoes, and Brogues]]. Putting the spring back in your heels is their specialty.

* DarkWorld: A parody version. An alternate 19-century Earth ruled by the Great Old Ones; it is implied that all sorts of Victorian horrors and abominations coexist peacefully with humans: Spring-heeled Jack owns a shoe store, Dr. Jekyll sells a medicine which allows to "release the inner you", etc.

* NobleTopEnforcer: Lestrade, the detective, the narrator and Prince Albert all seem like decent people.

* ObliviouslyEvil: [[spoiler: The protagonists and Lestrade don't realize they are enablers to tyranny.]]

* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: Queen Victoria proves to be this; she heals [[spoiler:Moran's arm without expecting anything in return, and thanks the pair for finding the prince's murderer even if said murderer is on the loose. Downplayed in that she is still an Old One who will probably wipe out humanity, and she also seems to have no issue with the prince's hobby of raping, torturing and murdering young women]].
* RefugeInAudacity: [[spoiler: The graphic novel adaptation has Holmes and Watson casually walking in London while Lestrade and his men rush pass them. Holmes gets bonus points for wearing his deerstalker and inverness cape.]]

* ScrewTheRulesImDoingWhatsRight: [[spoiler:This is why Holmes murdered the prince; this kind of tyranny they cannot abide]].

** [[spoiler:The latter of which makes perfect sense, seeing as the "hero" of the third play gained his status by beating a Christian priest to death with a crucifix. The Great Old Ones are not in the slightest friendly to the old religions.]]

* StaringDownCthulhu: The consulting detective, when he meets Victoria, doesn't seem at all intimidated.

* TomatoSurprise: [[spoiler:The protagonist is not Dr. Watson, and his companion is not Sherlock Holmes. They are actually Moran and Moriarty.]]

* WritingAroundTrademarks: The narrator refers to the detective as "my friend." This sort of thing is common in professionally published pastiches, as the legal status of the Holmes characters is turbulent. [[spoiler: It's actually because the narrator and his friend are NOT Watson and Holmes.]]

* YouDontLookLikeYou: In the comic, Albuquerque created unusual designs for the Baker Street duo. [[spoiler: It's a significant clue that this trope is being subverted, as Albuquerque actually uses much more faithful designs for the real Holmes and Watson]].

** Despite the fact that in this reality, the Old One have been ruling humanity for centuries, humanities scientific and technological progress wasn't changed in any way.

** In the comic adaptation, there's a blatant clue due to the medium: [[spoiler: the Detective doesn't even look like Sherlock Holmes, as the latter is described in the books as having black hair, clean-shaven and pale. The Detective's different look could be artistic licence, but then Vernet shows up matching the classic Holmes look.

* YouDontLookLikeYou: In the comic, Albuquerque created unusual designs for the Baker Street duo. [[spoiler: It's a significant clue that this trope is being subverted, as Albuquerque uses much more faithful designs for the real Holmes and Watson.

* {{Foreshadowing}}: There are a lot of clues about [[spoiler: the two main characters being actually Moriary and Moran]]:

* AlternateHistory: It's revealed in the first few paragraphs that [[EldritchAbomination Eldritch Abominations]] exist and are accepted fact in this version of UsefulNotes/VictorianBritain, and that's just the beginning.

** CulturedBadass

* BadDreams: The narrator warns his potential apartmentmate that he screams sometimes at night.