Sherlockian by Graham Moore

I wondered if the time shift between the 1890s and the present would present a challenge in both keeping my interest and following transition in the story. I was needlessly worried as the story flowed smoothly and had no difficulty keeping people “time straight”.  We all have our favorite characters and get frustrated when their creator kills them off or fails to produce another installation in a timely manner.  What would happen if Mitch Rapp or Gabriel Allon ceased to exist?  This is exactly the problem followers of A Conan Doyle’s writings had to deal with when, frustrated and probably jealous of the attention Sherlock Holmes was getting at the expense of his creator, Doyle kills Holmes!

Fast forward to 2010. A convention of individuals who are intrigued with Sherlock Holmes convenes. One member has announced he has found the lost diary of Doyle which mysteriously disappeared in the late 1890s. The member is found dead and the newest initiate into the Sherlockian club is left trying to solve the mystery.  What ensues is a fast paced look at the mystery surrounding the disappearance of a diary written by Arthur Conan Doyle and the death of the person who claims to have found the same diary a hundred years later.

The novel keeps the interest of the reader in ways previous ones switching from time to time have failed to do. It seems like the story is one and not two separate accounts, or mysteries.  I appreciate the way Moore has enabled the reader to switch back and forth without ruining any of the continuity of the story or the mystery within.  While many shifts and twists help maintain interest in the book, the reader is not left out in the cold.  Clues are provided, intrigue abounds and a conclusion is provided that leaves the reader wondering but fulfilled.

I personally believe the book gives some insight into the lives of both Doyle and the 21^st Century sleuths.  Doyle was a known addict. How did that impact his ability to create and maintain the character of Holmes?  Was the addiction the source of his jealousy of Holmes? The role of Harold is the modern day Watson. He does a great job with it and even manages to overcome a bit of his own naivety. Is this good or bad?

What will Harold do after the mystery has been solved? We know how he reacted to the “solving” in the book but how would he react after he is back home and thinking things over?  Does he keep the girlfriend?  Does he go back to being a Holmes nerd wearing the hat to hide his insecurities?  I must say the book gave more than I expected and I am happy it did!