Bibliography: Moore, Graham. (2010). The Sherlockian. New York: Grand Central Publishing. ISBN: 978-0446572590
Plot Summary: Sherlockian and minor researcher Harold White is thrilled to be inducted into the Baker Street Irregulars. And then a real-life murder mystery worthy of Holmes himself lands in his lap–a prominent Doyle scholar is dead after announcing he has found a long missing diary of Doyle. Harold and his encyclopedic knowledge of Holmes is on the case, criss crossing the Atlantic in hopes of finding the diary and the killer. Unless someone else gets there first…
Critical Analysis: I liked but did not love this book. I found the beginning at the convention to be wonderful, and the end with the solution and denouement also well done. I liked the character of Harold, but I thought the story dragged quite a bit in the middle. The character of Harold is quite endearing as are all the details from Holmes stories. I felt like there was too much of Harold and the female journalist and not enough else. The parallel story with Doyle and Bram Stoker held my interest a little more, I enjoyed the details of the Suffuragists and the writing and theater scenes of the time, but left me thinking what I really want is a mystery series featuring Stoker. That sounds like fun to me. I will most likely read the next in the series to see how it fares.
Review Excerpts: “Moore’s debut cleverly sets an accidental investigator on the track of an old document within the world of Sherlock Holmes buffs, though the results may please those with only a superficial knowledge of the great detective.”–Publisher’s Weekly
“The problem with Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes stories is that there aren’t enough of them. Fans try to fill the gap with spin-offs, some of which work better than others. This engaging riff on the familiar themes by first-novelist Moore is one of the best.”–Booklist
“…Moore does an excellent job of making his characters and settings feel real, using his thorough knowledge of the Holmes stories to good effect. Given the enduring popularity of Sherlock Holmes, this title is an excellent choice for public libraries and historical mystery fans…”–Library Journal
“While occasionally heavy-handed and coincidental, Moore’s fiction provides a shrewd take on the noted author and his legendary scion.”–Kirkus Reviews
Reviewed from public library copy. Amazon Affiliate: If you click from here to Amazon and buy something, I receive a percentage of the purchase price.
