In December 1893, Sherlock Holmes-adoring Londoners eagerly opened their Strand magazines, anticipating the detective’s next adventure, only to find the unthinkable: his creator, Arthur Conan Doyle, had killed their hero off. London spiraled into mourning — crowds sported black armbands in grief — and railed against Conan Doyle as his assassin.
Then in 1901, just as abruptly as Conan Doyle had … Doyle had “murdered” Holmes in “The Final Problem,” he resurrected him. Though the writer kept detailed diaries of his days and work, Conan Doyle never explained this sudden change of heart. After his death, one of his journals from the interim period was discovered to be missing, and in the decades since, has never been found.
Or has it?
When literary researcher Harold White is inducted into the preeminent Sherlock Holmes enthusiast society, The Baker Street Irregulars, he never imagines he’s about to be thrust onto the hunt for the holy grail of Holmes-ophiles: the missing diary. But when the world’s leading Doylean scholar is found murdered in his hotel room, it is Harold — using wisdom and methods gleaned from countless detective stories — who takes up the search, both for the diary and for the killer.
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I’m not usually for books that switch perspectives but, Moore does it so seamlessly in The Sherlockian.
I admit, I enjoy Sherlock Holmes but, I don’t know much about Doyle. The perspective of Doyle and his adventures were very new to me and made the book fascinating and hard to put down.
For those who aren’t a fan of period mysteries, there is …
The Sherlockian opens with the latest Sherlock Holmes story appearing in Strand magazine and fans of the famed detective are in for a shock. Arthur Coyan Doyle has ended the life of his famed detective.
Jumping ahead more than a hundred years lawyer and fellow Baker Street Irregular member Harold White has arrived for the latest conference, at a …
Enjoyed reading. Cleaver story line and in line with other sherlockian stories.
This book ranks as a solid “okay”. There’s two stories going on, one historical with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and one modern day with a Sherlock enthusiast. The historical story was interesting and mostly believable, but the modern day story just seemed a little over the top. Still, a fun read, but a bit tedious at times.
I just could not get into this book. It left me cold.
Neat little book. Holmes fans will dig it!
Absolutely fascinating read! So entertaining and well written. I felt as though I was “along for the hunt.” Highly recommend!
Interesting mystery.
We follow a year in Arthur Conan Doyle’s life (1900 – 1901) as he tries to find the serial killer of suffragettes.
Simultaneously, we follow a member of the Sherlockians in 2010 as he and a reporter try to find the Doyle’s diary from 1900 – 1901 and also figure out who murdered the man who claimed to have it. The search is …
Dualing mysteries about the missing months of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and his missing diary from that time. Both were interesting, but I thought the ending was darker in tone than the rest of the novel had been.