Adventures and Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes FROM THE PUBLISHER
From "A Scandal in Bohemia," in which Sherlock Holmes is famously outwitted by a woman, the captivating Irene Adler, to "The Five Orange Pips," in which the master detective is pitted against the Ku Klux Klan, to "The Final Problem," in which Holmes and his archenemy, Professor Moriarty, face each other in a showdown at the Reichenbach Falls, the stories that appear in The Adventures and Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes bear witness to the flowering of author Arthur Conan Doyle's genius. "The plain fact," the celebrated mystery writer Vincent Starrett asserted, "is that Sherlock Holmes is still a more commanding figure in the world than most of the warriors and statesmen in whose present existence we are invited to believe."
FROM THE CRITICS
Children's Literature - Katie Schooler
"Elementary, my dear Watson," remains the infamous line of the famous detective Sherlock Holmes. Though in Doyle's collection of mysteries Sherlock never actually says those words, he does solve even the trickiest cases without fail. Sherlock Holmes is a rather private yet intriguing character. Typically, a mysterious employer in need of information or with some problem will hire him. For example, in "A Case of Identity," Miss Mary Sutherland employs Holmes' legendary skill to explain a great mystery. It appears that her clandestine marriage with a near stranger has ended most abruptly, and her parents have quite absurd reactions! As in all his stories, Holmes' extraordinarily acute attention to detail (because of Doyle's medical training) leaves the reader dumbfounded, yet captivated. Miss Sutherland's mystery turns into a surprising case, not of "Whodunnit?" but of "Whowasit?" As usual, Sherlock is brilliant, according to the firsthand testimony of his accomplice, Watson. Against all reasonable probability, he pieces together fragments of clues that invariably lead to a breathtaking conclusion. Reading one mystery only entices one to read more! Each of Holmes' mysteries have elements appealing to young adult readers: scandal, suspense, and a good pace. They can serve as excellent leisure reading or as options for required class books. Though Holmes was not Doyle's favorite character, his popularity has made him the most well-known for over 100 years, and it will keep his tales on shelves in the future. 2001 (orig. 1892), Penguin Classics, and Ages 12 up.
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