Sherlock: The Essential Arthur Conan Doyle Adventures

Gatiss and Moffat, the cocreators of the hit BBC series Sherlock, have selected their 19 favorite Sherlock Holmes stories for this tie-in collection, ranging from the two early novels, A Study in Scarlet and The Sign of Four, to the late tales “The Adventure of the Devil’s Foot” and “The Adventure of the Dying Detective.” The editors supply no general introduction, only brief introductions to each story (“One of Doyle’s dips into gothic horror. Cornwall, madness, Darkest Africa, love, revenge. Lovely”). Of course, there are plenty of Sherlock Holmes collections available, but this one stands out thanks to its jacket depicting actors Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman in their respective roles as Holmes and Watson. The volume is obviously targeted at the many, mostly young fans of the TV show who may have never read Conan Doyle’s original texts. It will have fulfilled its purpose admirably if it succeeds in introducing a new generation to one of the world’s greatest authors of popular fiction. (Oct.)