#5. The Sherlockian by Graham Moore

In January 2010, Harold White, "a freelance literary researcher" who helps defend Hollywood studios against claims of copyright infringement, is inducted into the pre-eminent Sherlockian society, the Baker Street Irregulars, at their annual New York City dinner. During the festivities, scholar Alex Cale plans to present a long-lost diary penned by Arthur Conan Doyle that he's discovered, but someone strangles Cale before he can do so. Doyle's great-grandson hires White to solve the murder and trace the diary, which is missing from Cale's hotel room. Chapters alternate between White's amateur sleuthing in Europe and Doyle's own account of his search for a serial killer, aided by Dracula creator Bram Stoker. -- From Publishers Weekly 

I feel I should start off by saying I'm a huge Sherlock Holmes fan. I've read quite a few of his "penny dreadfuls" and the detective himself is my second favorite fictional person ever. All that having been said, I loved this book!

I don't know how many other books Moore has penned, but I think this may have been his first, and I'm quite impressed by it. The writing style itself is easy to get used to, and the characters are very likeable. As was stated above, the story is told in a Julie&Julia style, alternating between Arthur Conan Doyle himself, and Harold White, a modern day Sherlockian. It is mostly fiction, but it was interesting to learn what bits were actually true... I had no idea Conan Doyle assisted Scotland Yard in any cases, or that he may have been the one to locate Agatha Christie when she went on her little disappearing spell.

The story is predictable in spots and keeps you guessing in others, as well as frustrates you as it yo-yo's back and forth between story lines... but it's a fun story with great characters and troubling plot twists. I found it to be quite an enjoyable read.

It does tend to be on the dark side, however. What starts out as a lighthearted mystery becomes something far more sinister, and even though it isn't real, it gets under your skin. Not so much the Harold White storyline - though that one does get frustrating - but the Conan Doyle storyline gets dark. Very dark. To the point where you almost wish you never found out what happened... which I'm guessing is the point of the story: seeking is the goal, the search is the reward. But once you find what you're looking for, it may not be what you wanted.

An interesting read for Sherlock Holmes fans, an engaging mystery for people who just like to read... I recommend it to anyone who is looking for a few pages to turn, but be warned: it is not for the feint of heart.