Book 3.1: The Sherlockian

Author: Graham Moore
Dates read: July 5, 2011 - July 16, 2011 (12 days)
Pages: 346
Genre: Fiction, historical fiction, mystery

All right, diving in on attempt number 3. Not off to a fantastic start with a 12 day read, but as attempt number 2 showed, it could be worse. I picked this novel up because I’ve become increasingly interested in Sherlock Holmes over the years, and a book addressing a real life mystery about Arthur Conan Doyle sounded right up my alley.

This novel (based on many truths but obviously embellished for narrative effect) follows two mysteries simultaneously: a case Arthur Conan Doyle begins investigating in his actual life during the period in which he’d killed off his most famous character, Sherlock Holmes; and a present day hunt for the famously missing diary that Conan Doyle had kept during that period of his life. The modern day protagonist is a member of an elite society of Holmes experts known as the Sherlockians, and when one of their members claims to have found the diary but then turns up dead, the diary is missing once again and a Sherlockian takes it upon himself to solve the murder and find the diary. With a journalist in tow, he travels to London following cryptic clues in the hope of having a real Sherlockian adventure of his own.

This book delivers a two-for-one punch when it comes to mystery, because the crime Conan Doyle becomes embroiled in is just as interesting as the modern day search for his diary. I have to say, while I was initially more drawn in by the present day narrative because of the interest the book builds around the object of the diary, I eventually found myself most invested in Conan Doyle’s personal storyline. The struggle within himself regarding Holmes’s fame overshadowing his own despite him being the author is fascinating, and very sad. And while both mysteries come to a satisfactory close, it is the character development in Conan Doyle that stands out most at the conclusion. I actually found myself with tears in my eyes as I read the brief closing chapter. This book is also an interesting meditation on the nature of mystery itself in storytelling, from it’s basic properties to the function it serves for both author and reader. In all regards, I found the novel compelling from the first to the last page, and would definitely recommend it, especially to anyone with even a passing interest in Sherlock Holmes. There’s also an excellent afterword from the author delineating exactly which aspects are true and which have been embellished for narrative effect (you’ll be surprised how much is really true!), as well as a list of recommended sources if you want to learn more about the real occurrences that inspired the novel.