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The Sherlockian

3.59 of 5 stars 3.59 · rating details · 4,544 ratings · 1,002 reviews

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 abru...more

Hardcover, 350 pages

Published December 1st 2010 by Twelve (first published 2010)

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Aug 22, 2011 Sandy Tjan rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, ebook, mystery-thriller, holmesiana

THE ADVENTURE OF THE SHOELACE STRANGLER

For several months, preoccupied with my recent marriage and my taking over the practice in Kensington, I had not the opportunity to see my friend Mr. Sherlock Holmes. One winter evening, after spending a largely idle day at my desk, I decided to lock up the door early and visit my old comrade. I did not relish the notion of enduring a lonely night at home --- Mary had gone away to visit her parents --- and I had with me something that I knew would amuse him...more

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Dec 25, 2010 Kathy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery, sherlock-holmes, favorite-covers, highly-recommend, favorite-authors, favorites

When after finishing a book, including the author's notes at the end, you find yourself reading every little scrap of print left that you haven't yet read, then you know you just finished reading a fascinating book. The Christmas season was the appropriate time for reading this book because as a lover of historical fiction, mystery, and literature-related fiction, it was indeed an unexpected present from which I derived immense pleasure. I think Matthew Pearl, in his endorsement of the book, suc...more

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Mar 28, 2011 Hannah rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-reads, mysteries

I had heard some buzz about The Sherlockian, and after putting it on hold at my local library, I found that I was #37 on the wait list, so that got me further excited. Unfortunately, it was a disappointing read after all. There were some parts in both the past and present POV's that were mildly entertaining if you were a moderate to more serious fan of the Sherlock Holmes canon, but for the most part I thought the characters (especially Harold) were wooden and the plotlines for both time periods...more

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Jan 31, 2011 Sue rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Sue by: Susan

Shelves: historical-fiction, mystery, read-in-2011, library-book

I enjoyed this story split between the present day tale of a member of the Baker Street Irregulars on a quest to solve a crime and riddle worthy of the master and an historical tale of Arthur Conan Doyle at the turn of the 20th century as he deals with crime in his day. At first the alternating chapters felt a bit jarring but as I got immersed in the story, they felt more "right" and seemed to fit the overall intention of the novel.

I imagine the overall moral of both stories might be to be caref...more

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Jan 09, 2013 James Thane rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: crime-fiction

This is a cleverly done work of historical fiction in which Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of Sherlock Holmes, attempts to solve a series of murders at the turn of the Twentieth Century while at the same time a devoted Sherlockian named Harold White attempts to solve two baffling mysteries at the turn of the Twenty-First.

As the book opens, all of England and most of the English-speaking world is in mourning because Doyle has killed off Holmes, the world's most popular detective, so that Doyle c...more This is a cleverly done work of historical fiction in which Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of Sherlock Holmes, attempts to solve a series of murders at the turn of the Twentieth Century while at the same time a devoted Sherlockian named Harold White attempts to solve two baffling mysteries at the turn of the Twenty-First.

As the book opens, all of England and most of the English-speaking world is in mourning because Doyle has killed off Holmes, the world's most popular detective, so that Doyle can concentrate on more serious writing. After sending Holmes over the falls, Doyle is then drawn into the murder of a young woman who has been strangled and left in a bathtub in a house known for illicit sexual behavior. The police assume that the victim is a common prostitute and have little interest in attempting to solve the crime. Doyle believes that the police are wrong and doggedly pursues the case, believing he is on the trail of a serial killer.

One hundred and seventeen years later, Harold White is initiated into the Baker Street Irregulars, the most prestigious of the groups devoted to Sherlock Holmes. This happens at a special meeting of the group in which a long-running mystery relating to Arthur Conan Doyle is about to be resolved. Doyle faithfully kept a series of diaries, but one volume has long been missing and presumed lost.

For Sherlockians, this lost volume is the Holy Grail and now one of the formost authorities on Doyle and Holmes claims to have found the diary and is going to reveal its secrets at the meeting. But then the scholar, Alex Cale, turns up murdered and the diary has disappeared again. Harold White joins forces with a beautiful reporter in an effort to solve the murder and recover the diary.

What follows is a very entertaining book that alternates chapters between Doyle's search for the serial killer and Harold's efforts to solve his twin mysteries. There are a variety of cleverly-drawn scenes involving people like Doyle's friend, Bram Stoker, who frets that no one will ever remember his name or that of his own famous creation, a certain Count from Eastern Europe.

This book should certainly appeal to fans of Sherlock Holmes and they will doubtless get even more out of the book than will the casual reader who has not spent a lifetime immersed in the Holmes stories. But even the latter should find the book very entertaining.(less)

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Feb 24, 2011 Ryan rated it 3 of 5 stars

Graham Moore's The Sherlockian is good, but after a while, it just feels like historical fiction cheats. You don't have to invent a character -- just read an encyclopedia. And talk about easy marketing! "Have you heard of Sherlock Holmes? Read this."

Still, in spite of my cynical response to the premise of The Sherlockian, I have to admit that Moore has told a pretty clever story that should satisfy Sherlock Holmes enthusiasts.

Yes, enthusiasts. You could even call them obsessives.

They're out ther...more

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Jan 20, 2011 Celeste rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I am very confused. Isn't this "The Sherlockonian"? Sam description. Why different names to same book?

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Feb 20, 2013 Timothy Dalton rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Holmes fans

I found this book very entertaining. It was not necessarily the best book I have ever read, but I did enjoy the intrigue along the way. There were some cliche moments, but what book doesn't possess such Devils.

It revolves around a man named Harold White in the year 2010 and it centers on the famed author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in the 1890's and 1900's. What I would like to do if I ever get around to reading this one again is to read every other chapter of the book and after that is done, turn a...more

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Mar 19, 2012 Nesa Sivagnanam rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

For over a century, the secrets of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's missing diary have lain buried. Now all that's about to change ...

Victorian London: As the world mourns the demise of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's fictional detective Sherlock Holmes at the foot of the Reichenbach Falls, Conan Doyle has a new preoccupation, as a chance encounter sets him on the trail of a brutal killer targeting vulnerable suffragettes.

Together with Bram Stoker, he roams the dark streets of Victorian London searching for...more

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May 02, 2011 Adrien rated it 4 of 5 stars

Two good stories in this book - but what I really enjoyed, and what really made me want to read this book whenever I could was the type of language Moore uses and the imagery he invokes. Throughout the book, there's also a theme of moving from the romanticized Victorian era to the 20th century. At the very end of the book, two workmen finish putting electric bulbs in the streetlights on Baker Street.

'"Oi," said the taller workman. "That's it, then."
"I'd say so," replied the other.
"Lord, but it's...more

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Mar 18, 2012 Tomw rated it 4 of 5 stars

If you're a fan of Doyle, this book is for you. The author had access to many of Doye's letters and diary, as well as ms from Sherlockian Groups. It's a very clever read so far. This read did not disappoint. Some good references, too, at the end, for further reading.

The book was very satisfying, and heaped with references to Holmes and the stories. The dove-tail of Doyle's resurrection of Holmes ("The Hound of the Baskervilles") with the denoument of the novel is inspired. The author is able to...more

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Apr 20, 2013 Ms.pegasus rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: anyone who loves the Sherlock Holmes stories

Shelves: fiction, mystery

What hold does the figure of Sherlock Holmes have on generations of readers? Even the author had a love/hate relationship with his character, having killed him in “The Final Problem” (1893) only to resurrect him in 1901. At least that is the interpretation Graham Moore offers in this complex mystery with a psychological undertone.

Author Graham Moore explores that question obliquely through two interlocked stories. The year is 2010 and we are introduced to mild mannered Harold White, newly induct...more What hold does the figure of Sherlock Holmes have on generations of readers? Even the author had a love/hate relationship with his character, having killed him in “The Final Problem” (1893) only to resurrect him in 1901. At least that is the interpretation Graham Moore offers in this complex mystery with a psychological undertone.

Author Graham Moore explores that question obliquely through two interlocked stories. The year is 2010 and we are introduced to mild mannered Harold White, newly inducted Baker Street Irregular, and attendee at the Sherlockian festivities being held at the Algonquin Hotel in New York. Harold is just what we might expect – a bit shy, nervous in public, an obsessive reader, and successful at an uneventful job on the fringes of the publishing industry. Suddenly, he is drawn into a very Holmesian mystery. Renowned researcher Alex Cale, who claimed to have found Arthur Conan Doyle's missing diary after a lifetime of searching, is found dead in his hotel room. It is an opportunity for Harold to demonstrate a tenacity and vulnerability that compel the reader to care about him. In one sense, the reader and this character become one, so closely do we come to empathize with his pursuit of the case. What might have initially appeared to be a trekkie-like nerd becomes a very real and human character.

The second story covers the period of the missing diary, October through December of 1900. It opens, however, in 1893, with Arthur Conan Doyle rejoicing over having rid himself of the famed detective with the publication of “The Final Problem.” Like the Sherlockians, most readers will have marginalized the author in their minds. (The Sherlockians have gone so far as to pretend he was Holmes' literary agent in order to preserve the fiction that the detective was real). Details such as Doyle's unsuccessful political campaigns, his support for the Boer War, the tragic family deaths that darkened his later life, and his later belief in Spiritualism, pale in comparison to his literary creation. Once again, Moore is able to breathe life into this image. Doyle is drawn into the mystery of a young girl's murder in the precincts of Whitechapel when a package bomb is delivered to his residence. With his worldly friend Bram Stoker he uncovers clues just as Holmes might do. Stoker is the perfect foil for the stolid and conventional Doyle. He is gifted with a theatrical sensibility, unconventional imagination, and lively wit. When Doyle rants about his hatred for Holmes, Bram quips: “You're the one who tossed the poor sod off a cliff, ….Imagine how he feels about you?” Like Watson, Stoker is also a devoted and loyal friend.

The two stories alternate which heightens our suspense. Even when we know what's coming next, Moore makes us wait for it. From the time the small group including Harold enters Alex Cale's hotel room, we are given a slow view of the furnishings, the room's layout, the lighting, and the inevitable steadying of nerve before we come to the final object that meets Harold's gaze -- Alex Cale's corpse.

By beginning each chapter with a quote from one of the Sherlock Holmes stories, Moore evokes some of the pleasure of having first read the stories. Likewise, by maintaining a formal diction he evokes a sense of Victorian England. Other stories are recalled in the clues that emerge. A blood-scrawled word in Cale's hotel room echoes the scrawl in “A Study in Scarlet.” And, is it any accident that “The Sign of the Four” comes to mind when a tattoo on the dead girl's body becomes a significant clue?

Yet, Moore delves much deeper than this. Even at the outset, Henry experiences the kind of void Holmes felt between cases. At the moment of his induction into the Baker Street Irregulars, Harold recalls the aftermath of depression. “He had fantasized about this moment since he'd first dreamed of the Irregulars. And now it was over. He wondered what he would have to do next to have this feeling back. He wanted so much to hold on to his successes and not let them fade away into the dull clamor of normal life.” At some point we all both fantasize about and dread that jumping off point from the familiar to the unexplored. Far more comforting for us to let these characters act as our proxies.

Despite the fact that Harold is an American, we never sense that in the writing. One can imagine that this was a conscious choice -- a choice not to distract us from the Victorian ambience that enfolds both stories until we come to the denouement.

So, I return to my original question: What hold do the stories of Sherlock Holmes still have over us? Moore offers an appealing proposal. (view spoiler)

This is a charming book, and will tempt affectionados back to the original stories for a closer reading.(less)

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Mar 26, 2013 Jen rated it 4 of 5 stars

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...more

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Dec 27, 2012 Tara rated it 3 of 5 stars

The danger in writing a book with two parallel story lines is that the reader might find one story far less interesting than the other. This was certainly the case here for me, where I fairly quickly decided that I couldn't care less about the "present day" hero or his search for Doyle's missing diary... so I was restless and impatient whenever the story switched from the "flashback" story involving Arthur Conan Doyle himself to the contemporary story.

Still, I was ultimately unimpressed by the r...more

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Dec 16, 2012 Night rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A revisit to Sherlock Holmes world to me. This one is also based on true story.

There are 2 parallel mysteries taking places in 2 time era. One pursued by Doyle and Bram Stroker in the 18th century, after Doyle has 'killed' Sherlock Holmes and presumeably revived him. Another one, in the modern day, pursued by a Harold White who has joined the Baker Street Irregulars when a member announced that he had found the missing Doyle diaries and then murdered.

The alternate storytelling takes me some time...more A revisit to Sherlock Holmes world to me. This one is also based on true story.

There are 2 parallel mysteries taking places in 2 time era. One pursued by Doyle and Bram Stroker in the 18th century, after Doyle has 'killed' Sherlock Holmes and presumeably revived him. Another one, in the modern day, pursued by a Harold White who has joined the Baker Street Irregulars when a member announced that he had found the missing Doyle diaries and then murdered.

The alternate storytelling takes me some time to get used to. I don't like it but I guess it's the best way to blend these 2 mysteries?

Personally, I like the past mystery and everything there. It's not just a mystery. The writer tries to show the crossing-over to the new era when London will lose its foggy charm to modern electricity. There're some passages in this novel that I like--when Bram Stroker saying that we shouldn't bring Sherlock Holmes to light, or that people will always remember Dorian Gray--but not Oscar Wilde.

The modern mystery looks interesting to me at first. There's the missing diaries, and then murder--all elements to hook the reader. But we're talking about the modern die-hard Doyle fan club, or Sherlockians, here. The more Horold White follows the trail to new findings, I couldn't help wondering--'Where're the rest of Sherlockians?" Aren't they supposed to be all brilliant, eager detective waiting to solve the mystery? Here's the mystery, finally. Why I see only this rookie Irregular Horold White showing off. Where's the competiton? (Well, I can't buy it that Harold is the only one smart enough to figure out everything.)

I do feel that Harold White's mystery is the main mystery here. The past mystery is just what will lead you to the reason of missing diaries. So when Harold (almost) singlehandedly solves the mystery, it's just too convenient and implausible.

So, this book in conclusion: brilliant use of true story and characters, clever blend, many good passages, but the investigation & ending are a bit Hollywood for me.(less)

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Sep 09, 2012 Jennifer rated it 2 of 5 stars

Just not that good, alas. Apparently based on a true story. From what I know of the Baker Street Irregulars (in the interests of full disclosure, I am proud to be related to one), you don't bumble in by mistake based on a few journal articles about Holmes. You may wait for years for an invitation. So the sad sack narrator seemed implausible from the get-go. With the vast cast of colorful characters the Irregulars would afford, this novel focused on a handful of not terrifically interesting ones....more

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Aug 01, 2012 Kristen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: best-historical-fiction

A well-written, cleverly conceived and highly entertaining book with two mysteries for the price of one. Historical fiction, Victorian era, or Sherlock Holmes fans should enjoy this.

1893: Arthur Conan Doyle, sick to death of Sherlock Holmes and the way the fictional character seems to have taken over his entire life, gleefully kills the detective in a final installment of The Strand magazine. Despite an uproar from the public, from his publishers, and even from his own mother, Doyle refuses to e...more A well-written, cleverly conceived and highly entertaining book with two mysteries for the price of one. Historical fiction, Victorian era, or Sherlock Holmes fans should enjoy this.

1893: Arthur Conan Doyle, sick to death of Sherlock Holmes and the way the fictional character seems to have taken over his entire life, gleefully kills the detective in a final installment of The Strand magazine. Despite an uproar from the public, from his publishers, and even from his own mother, Doyle refuses to even discuss why he did it, nor will he consider any pleas to bring back Holmes in new stories. But then eight years later, and again without explanation, he DOES bring Holmes back. As a committed diarist, everyone assumed that the reasons behind the return of Holmes would be explained by the diary of that period of Doyle's life. But that diary was found to be missing, and was never found . . .?

2010: As the newest member of the Baker Street Irregulars, Harold White is thrilled to be attending the yearly Sherlockian convention. In particular this year, when, in addition to his induction to the society, the foremost Holmes scholar has announced that he has found the missing Doyle diary, and will present it at the convention. But when the man is found dead and the diary is not found, Harold decides to investigate. After all, with his wealth of knowledge about Holmes and his methods, surely it will be elementary to figure out what happened, and find the diary?

This is a double story, set along parallel times, one following Conan Doyle during the events taking place during the the period of the missing diary, and the present day investigations of somewhat geeky Harold as he tries to emulate his hero Holmes and solve the biggest mystery - in the Sherlockian world anyway! - of all time.

The author does an excellent job of keeping both stories moving along smartly and uses alternating chapters of past and present to keep the reader glued to the two stories. I didn't want to stop reading because every chapter paused the one story, but the next went straight on with the other story. Luckily this is a very fast and easy read.

The author also did a very good job at combining history with fiction, as the author's note at the end explains. The book really felt like it could have been what actually happened, and the use of real historical characters was done effectively, so if you are familiar with Conan Doyle's or Bram Stoker's lives [they both figure prominently in the past era storyline] you will recognize that the author knows them and presented them accurately and entertainingly.

You don't have to be a Holmes-a-phile to enjoy this book. Although the spectre of Holmes is hovering around in the background, the story - the past one anyway - is really much more focused on Conan Doyle's life and story. The past storyline does a good job of capturing and portraying the era Doyle lived in, and how things happen is enjoyable.

The present-day story as well is entertaining and exciting, with intriguing characters thrown into situations they are hardly equipped to deal with, particularly poor Harold. But he manfully dives in, determined to emulate the great Holmes and it is endearing to follow along as he stumbles and bumbles his way through trying to use logic to solve the mystery.

Overall a very enjoyable read, which combines murder, mystery, history and suspense in a clever and creative dual story. Highly recommended!(less)

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Jul 06, 2012 Cathryn Ferrara rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fic, mystery, favorites

Love love loved it. Two alternating stories play out and the mysteries intertwine as we watch Arthur Conan Doyle and Bram Stoker seek and mail bomber and murder in 1893 while present day recently admitted Sherlockian Harold White seeks to find Conan Doyle's missing diary pages and whom ever was will to kill to keep them from being found.

There are twists at every corner and logic tries to prevail but as Conan Doyle deals not only with the mystery afoot he must face a furious public having just s...more

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Jul 02, 2012 Adam rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I enjoyed reading this book, mostly because I am a fan of Sherlock Holmes. The plotline is an interesting one, and I am not giving too much away by stating the basics. Conan Doyle killed off Holmes in 1893, then suddenly began producing new stories in 1901, without any explanation of why he resurrected the character. In addition, Conan Doyle was a devoted diarist who kept copious records of his daily activities; however, a volume covering three months of Conan Doyle's life is missing. This volum...more I enjoyed reading this book, mostly because I am a fan of Sherlock Holmes. The plotline is an interesting one, and I am not giving too much away by stating the basics. Conan Doyle killed off Holmes in 1893, then suddenly began producing new stories in 1901, without any explanation of why he resurrected the character. In addition, Conan Doyle was a devoted diarist who kept copious records of his daily activities; however, a volume covering three months of Conan Doyle's life is missing. This volume records the events immediately preceding the resurrection of Sherlock Holmes. What happened during those months to convince Conan Doyle to resurrect a creation he so loathed? What happened to the diary? Why would someone kill to gain its secrets?

SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS

I liked the chapters covering Conan Doyle's investigations into who sent him the mail bomb and the murders of the suffragettes. Conan Doyle is a dynamic character, and Moore did a wonderful job fleshing him out. His thoughts, his interactions with people, and his observations provide insight into his life, and the social mores of Victorian England. The subsidiary characters, like Bram Stoke, provide a counterpoint to Conan Doyle, and emphasize that Conan Doyle is at heart a product of the Victorian era, as is his creation, Sherlock Holmes.

However, I felt that the characters from the modern period had less dimensions in comparison. Harold White, the protagonist, lives a sheltered life, and the investigation into Alex Cale's murder and the disappearance of the Conan Doyle diary provide great excitement for him. I liked that Harold struggled to look for clues in Alex Cale's crime scene, as he is not a detective by profession - it shows that he is a regular person, and he is out of his element. Unfortunately, this almost completely disappears in the next chapters - he knows exactly what to do, and he does it, and that inner struggle is more muted. His epiphanies happen very suddenly in the narrative, and he is always right. I would have liked to see Harold continue to show more vulnerability, and to make mistakes as he pushes further into what for him is a new world. Likewise, Sarah Lindsay (nee Conan Doyle) is a bit too on-the-ball. She also knows exactly what to do in each situation, although she knows more about the background story than she tells Harold. I felt like she could have been a more complex character, in how she worked with/against Harold's search for the diary. Plus, rereading the initial scene where Harold meets Sebastian Conan Doyle accompanied by Sarah, there's no subtext to indicate a prior relationship between Sebastian and Sarah - are you telling me that they got divorced, and there's absolutely no baggage that would affect how they talk to one another, even in front of Harold? It's a little far-fetched, in my opinion.

I enjoyed reading this book - it's a fun look at Sherlock Holmes and Conan Doyle, and it was an interesting mystery. However, some of the characterizations could have been tweaked to make it even better. I think we can expect more great works from Graham Moore in future.(less)

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Jun 30, 2012 Reno rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: People who like Sherlock Holmes

Shelves: 2011

Original posted January 23 2011 on my blog.

***

I really like the idea of Sherlock Holmes. After seeing the Robert Downey Jr. film, Moffat's Sherlock and reading Neil Gaiman's 'A Study in Emerald' I finally got around to reading A Study in Scarlet. I'm halfway through The Sign of Four right now. I've probably spent more time on Arthur Conan Doyle and Sherlock Holmes' Wikipedia pages than I have reading the actual books...Essentially, I like Holmes but I'm not one of those people who have read all...more Original posted January 23 2011 on my blog.

***

I really like the idea of Sherlock Holmes. After seeing the Robert Downey Jr. film, Moffat's Sherlock and reading Neil Gaiman's 'A Study in Emerald' I finally got around to reading A Study in Scarlet. I'm halfway through The Sign of Four right now. I've probably spent more time on Arthur Conan Doyle and Sherlock Holmes' Wikipedia pages than I have reading the actual books...Essentially, I like Holmes but I'm not one of those people who have read all the books and scorn adaptations. I like the characters and I like the community surrounding the books and I like all the analyzing of the stories and the real world facts and such. Just wanted to clarify that before I continue with my thoughts. I can't really speak to the accuracy or factuality of the story and I presume I would have enjoyed the book even more if I was more of a Sherlock fan, but I am enough of a fan to have enjoyed this story.

The Sherlockian tells two stories in alternating chapters. There is the story of what Arthur Conan Doyle was up to during the period for which his diaries are missing and the story of a new member of the Baker Street Irregulars trying to solve the mystery of a murder and the location of the missing diaries. I enjoyed both stories equally, which is something that doesn't happen often. They blended well with one another. Even if the characters and plot were sometimes dull or at least, not too exciting, the prose made up for it. Moore's prose is easy to read, smooth and flowing. I had fun reading this book. Even though it was a murder mystery, 'fun' is the adjective that keeps popping into my mind. Fun to read, easy to read, enjoyable to read. It was a murder mystery that someone like me, who normally despises murder mysteries, could enjoy. (Moore used the characters' first names! ;P) I could really appreciate the creativity that went into crafting this story, the explanations for what happened and why the diary went missing, etc.

As I just mentioned earlier, I enjoy reading about authors, how they lived and worked. I like the appeal of reading imagined stories about real people who lived such a long time ago. Reading about authors in a fictionalized novel makes them feel more real to me, oddly enough. You can hear various facts about someone like Conan Doyle but when you read a scene where he's chatting with Bram Stoker, I find it gives me a kind of magical feeling. The writing brings the old dead author to life, makes him feel like a real person. I like that a lot.

Overall, I enjoyed both the subject matter and the prose of this novel. I liked the connections to Sherlock Holmes and I liked that it focused on the author and not quite as much on the character. I would recommend this book if you have any interest in Sherlock Holmes, even if it is just a 'casual' interest as mine is currently. Interestingly, a lot of the story finds its roots in fact, especially the plot for the modern day story. There's a considerate afterword by the author that explains the fact from the fiction. Even if it was purely fiction, I would still recommend The Sherlockian. =)(less)

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Jun 04, 2012 Julia Hysell rated it 4 of 5 stars

Sure, I abandoned my race training, ignored my boyfriend, and pretended it was raining outside to do it, but I read this book in a 24-hour timespan. And, boy, was it a blast!

This work of historical fiction, which was released in the U.K. as The Holmes Affair, alternates between the present day and Victorian Era London. The reader meets her narrator Harold White on January 6, 2010, the birthdate of Arthur Conan Doyle. On this day, in the first chapter, White receives entrance into an a nerdy albe...more Sure, I abandoned my race training, ignored my boyfriend, and pretended it was raining outside to do it, but I read this book in a 24-hour timespan. And, boy, was it a blast!

This work of historical fiction, which was released in the U.K. as The Holmes Affair, alternates between the present day and Victorian Era London. The reader meets her narrator Harold White on January 6, 2010, the birthdate of Arthur Conan Doyle. On this day, in the first chapter, White receives entrance into an a nerdy albeit elite group called the Baker Street Irregulars, a society of scholars whose subject is the fictive character Sherlock Holmes (though they would argue amongst themselves about how "real" Holmes truly is). White is the youngest scholar ever brought into the fold and the reader soon learns why: his vast knowledge, his exceptional cunning and his deep passion for his subject. (For anyone whose ever met a body who refers to himself as, well, for example, a Joycian, a Poundian,or a Kerouacian, you might recognize the type.) Within the first twenty or so pages, a revered Irregulars member, Alex Cale, is found dead in his hotel room, a long lost diary of Conan Doyle's is suddenly assumed stolen, and with that, as Holmes might say, "the game's afoot."

Alternating with White's mystery-to-be-solved, the reader encounters Arthur Conan Doyle (before the "Sir") in December 1893 as he decides to commit murder - that is, he kills-off Sherlock Holmes, a character Conan Doyle has come to resent for upstaging his own creator, sending all of London into a tizzy of shock and mourning. His encounter with an old woman and her pocketbook is rather amusing.

Next, the reader meets Conan Doyle some seven years later, having enjoyed an existence in which the name "Holmes" is never uttered in his presence. That is, if you ignore the many publishing requests he receives in the mail with ever-growing figures of payment. But, it's not these mailings that ignites Conan Doyle's involvement in a mystery-to-be-solved; it's a poorly made bomb, postmarked and sent to his study. With that, Conan Doyle sets off to Scotland Yard, playing a bit of Holmes himself.

Graham Moore takes the reader into these worlds of mystery, masterfully recreating Conan Doyle's London - most pleasantly (and true to history, to boot) bringing in Bram Stoker as Conan Doyle's "Watson" - and filling this world with such rich literary and historical detail. Likewise, the present day plot-line is fraught with reverence for its subject, taking such pleasure in the details of so many of Conan Doyle's "Holmes" stories.

It's gripping. It's funny. it's got plot-twists and surprises. And, it certainly has inspired me to seek out the titles the narratives discuss. Furthermore, and I don't want to spoil it, the author's Afterward, adds a whole 'nother layer of intrigue to the story.

Lovers of mystery and historical fiction: Read. This. Book.(less)

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May 07, 2012 Robin Carter rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: thriller, crime

This book appealed because it was different from the usual time period that i read, also the timeslip element is something i enjoy, having read a few excellent ones written by Alex Scarrow.

So the plot: despite the title the story does not include Sherlock Holmes directly, but follows his creator Conan Doyle in one time period and a member of the Sherlockian society in the current time period both trying to solve different mysteries and murders.

The Author Graham Moore has done a really good job w...more

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Apr 10, 2012 Lauren rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction, thriller-horror-mystery

The Sherlockian, by Graham Moore, is a clever tale bouncing between 1900 and 2010. Both time periods carry mysteries that eventually intertwine with many clever twists along the way.
I don't know much about the true personalities or lives of Bram Stoker and Arthur Conan Doyle, but I definitely like them the way they are portrayed in this novel. Unfortunately, the good characterization given to these two does not carry over to Harold or Sarah. Harold especially is only a bit likable, and there i...more

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Mar 22, 2012 Jessi rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: appealing-characteristic-character, audiobook, biography, contemporary, historical, 2012

When Sir Arthur Conan Doyle died in 1930, some of his papers (letters, a diary, half-finished story) and went missing. For a long time, this was the so-called "Holy Grail" of Sherlock Holmes scholars.
In 2004, one Sherlockian, Green, claimed that he had found the papers, but that they had been stolen by a distant relative. Green and the relative began arguing and Green became increasingly paranoid that he was being followed and bugged. In March of that year, he was found dead in his garden, stra...more

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Jan 18, 2012 Ronald Roseborough rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: action-adventure, crime, mystery, sherlock-holmes

The world's love affair with Sherlock Holmes and his creator, Arthur Conan Doyle, continues unabated. With more motion pictures and television shows devoted to Holmes, we can only assume that even more readers will be drawn to the original stories as well as the myriad of offshoots penned by writers paying homage to the legend and his creator. The Sherlockian, by Graham Moore, is an excellent addition to the Holmes collection. Moore gives us a very detailed portrait of Arthur Conan Doyle at a cr...more

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Jan 05, 2012 George Anders rated it 3 of 5 stars

This is a fascinating near miss. Graham Moore sets himself a very ambitious task and nearly pulls it off. He's got two mysteries unfolding in alternating chapters. One is set in modern times and involves the puzzling murder of a Sherlock Holmes enthusiast who has found a long-missing diary written by Arthur Conan Doyle, the long-dead creator of the British detective. The other involves Doyle himself, caught up in solving a lurid British series of crimes in the 1890s.

The book bounces back and for...more

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Jan 03, 2012 Tony rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction-crime-detection

THE SHERLOCKIAN. (2011). Graham Moore. ****.
This is a very good first novel by a writer who did his research into the works of Conan Doyle and the literature surrounding his life. It’s an easy read that is written both in the style of Doyle and in the voice of the author in the present day. We are presented with a novel written with alternative chapters dealing with the present day and with the adventures of Doyle during three months in 1900. Our present day story tells of the murder of a Sherl...more

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Dec 16, 2011 Mocha rated it 5 of 5 stars

I was, and am, completely in love with this book - from the moment I saw the title to the very last page. There are moments where you will laugh, moments where you will feel like crying, moments of astounding revelation that you never would have believed could have come simply from a few words on a page. Despite having a beautiful plot and setting (the lost diary of Conan Doyle, now, that was an interesting storyline), the peeks into the past were by far the best part. Seeing Graham Moore's depi...more

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Nov 11, 2011 Peter rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-2011

This book is terrible. The alternating chapters tell a story of Arthur Conan Doyle investigating a murder in 1900, and a modern-day Holmes fan searching for Doyle's missing diary. The story elements of the mystery are, I suppose, OK. But you're too distracted by the fact that this author can't write. It is one clunky sentence after another-- particularly in the Doyle section. Whole paragraphs sound like thinly rewritten encyclopedia entries: "Did you know that on a trip to blah blah, I once got...more

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Oct 20, 2011 Sandra rated it 3 of 5 stars

The Sherlockian

By Graham Moore

I’ll be honest, I stop reading Sherlock Holmes fan fiction about ten years ago.
I met Mr. Holmes when I was 13, that was a long, long, long time ago. I met him in his native London. It was my first trip there. I admire him and I still do.
I want everyone to know as I write this review that I am a woman. And as a woman, I am proud that Mr. Holmes has remained a bachelor. Knowing that Mr. Holmes is a bachelor does not bother me. No, I don’t believe he is a homosexual...more The Sherlockian

By Graham Moore

I’ll be honest, I stop reading Sherlock Holmes fan fiction about ten years ago.
I met Mr. Holmes when I was 13, that was a long, long, long time ago. I met him in his native London. It was my first trip there. I admire him and I still do.
I want everyone to know as I write this review that I am a woman. And as a woman, I am proud that Mr. Holmes has remained a bachelor. Knowing that Mr. Holmes is a bachelor does not bother me. No, I don’t believe he is a homosexual and no I don’t hate homosexuals. What I’m trying to say is that I s why I stopped reading Sherlock Holmes fan fiction. Nobody can stand that the man simply wasn’t interested in being in love on whatever side of the fence our imaginations take us.
The Sherlockian was a gift.
I was prepared for the worst.
Eureka – the thing had nothing to do with Mr. Holmes’s love life. However it had everything to do with a young Sherlockian and Mr. A Conan Doyle.
Joy!
I was having so much fun, I really was. We would jump back and forth from present day to the turn of the 20th century and have so much fun.
Then murder ended up suicide. Can I be frank? That’s a cheat. Come on!
Okay, okay, I still loved the characters and I loved being around Dr. Doyle and Mr. Stoker. Yeah! The Mr. Bram Stoker. Serious business going on too and following the clues was great fun.
Yet and yet. I was disappointed at times. Conan Doyle’s side of the story was great it really was but the 21st century disappoints. I guess that is just the way we are as a society, disappointing. The love affair was predictable (though Sarah’s ex husband was a little mind blower) and I knew the fate of the diary before it happened, I just knew.
So would I recommend the book – yes to a non-aficionado of Sherlock Holmes I would. As a matter of fact it is near the perfect book for those looking to be introduced to Holmes.
Be sure and read the authors run down between fact and fiction at the very end. Fantastic.

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About Graham Moore

Graham Moore is a twenty-eight-year-old graduate of Columbia University, where he received his degree in religious history. He grew up in Chicago, which was very cold, and then moved to New York, which was not really as cold, even though people who live there strangely pretend that it is.

He now lives in the not-at-all-cold Los Angeles, despite being the sort of person who thought he would never, e...more

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Books by Graham Moore

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Quotes from The Holmes Affair

“Look, I get it. I’m a white, heterosexual man. It’s really easy for me to say, ‘Oh, wow, wasn’t the nineteenth century terrific?’ But try this. Imagine the scene: It’s pouring rain against a thick window. Outside, on Baker Street, the light from the gas lamps is so weak that it barely reaches the pavement. A fog swirls in the air, and the gas gives it a pale yellow glow. Mystery brews in every darkened corner, in every darkened room. And a man steps out into that dim, foggy world, and he can tell you the story of your life by the cut of your shirtsleeves. He can shine a light into the dimness, with only his intellect and his tobacco smoke to help him. Now. Tell me that’s not awfully romantic?” — 11 people liked it

“[On writing more Sherlock Holmes stories.] ‘I don’t care whether you do or not,’ said Bram. ‘But you will, eventually. He’s yours, till death do you part. Did you really think he was dead and gone when you wrote “The Final Problem”? I don’t think you did. I think you always knew he’d be back. But whenever you take up your pen and continue, heed my advice. Don’t bring him here. Don’t bring Sherlock Holmes into the electric light. Leave him in the mysterious and romantic flicker of the gas lamp. He won’t stand next to this, do you see? The glare would melt him away. He was more the man of our time than Oscar was. Or than we were. Leave him where he belongs, in the last days of our bygone century. Because in a hundred years, no one will care about me. Or you. Or Oscar. We stopped caring about Oscar years ago, and we were his bloody *friends.* No, what they’ll remember are the stories. They’ll remember Holmes. And Watson. And Dorian Gray.” — 11 people liked it

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