Sherlockian

Reviewed by: Elizabeth Norton

Church: St. Anne’s Episcopal Church, 430 E. Nicolet St., Walled Lake, MI 48390

Introduction

Title: The Sherlockian

Author: Graham Moore

Publisher: Twelve Books/Hachette Book Group

Publication Date: 2010

Format: Hardcover Book

Length: 350 Pages

OVERVIEW

In 1900, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle has just killed off Sherlock Holmes in the short story “The Final Problem,” and the Great Detective’s many fans are outraged. After the arrival of a letter bomb in his mailbox, Conan Doyle goes to Scotland Yard for help and finds himself, along with his good friend Bram Stoker, embroiled in the murders of three young suffragists. Is it the work of a serial killer, and what is the connection to the attempts on his own life?

In 2010, scholar and Holmes enthusiast Harold White has just been inducted into the Baker Street Irregulars, one of the highest honors in all of Sherlockania. Harold and the other Irregulars are eagerly awaiting a presentation by Alex Cale, who claims to have found the lost diary of Arthur Conan Doyle, which explains Conan Doyle’s reasons for the Great Hiatus and for resurrecting Holmes. But the night before his presentation, Cale is murdered in his hotel room. Harold finds himself following a bizarre set of clues to the murder, crisscrossing the globe from New York to London to Switzerland, learning, along the way, that Cale had dark secrets of his own.

ASSESSMENT

Rating (1 to 5)

5 out of 5

Suggested Audience

Adults

Christian Impact

Although not strictly a Christian fiction book, this is a relatively gentle mystery with a strong theme of redemption and of following God’s plan no matter how bizarre it may seem. A fantastic read for all mystery lovers, especially those who enjoy Sherlock Holmes.

Other Notes

The paperback version of this book contains resources for using this title as a devotional/Bible study or book discussion. The author holds a degree in religious history from Columbia University.

Elizabeth Norton works as a teen librarian and is an avid reader and fan of all things Sherlock Holmes.

Interested in reviewing a book, movie, album, or other type of media for our website? We would love to hear from you! Find out more about how to submit media reviews.