This is an engaging and thoroughly readable collection by Ashley D Polasek, an academic who has specialized in the study of the Holmes canon and media representations. The stories themselves are perennial and almost certainly familiar to anyone picking up this book. What's fresh and really delightful are the author's interesting and -accessible- comments and background for the stories, their history, and the media depictions which they inspired. The author writes well and entertainingly and manages to avoid the pedagogy and convoluted prose which are the hallmark of all too many general reader books written by very specialized academics.
I really enjoyed this book. I would recommend it unreservedly for fans of Holmes, the films & TV appearances, and mystery lovers as well. She refers to a number of lesser known but worthy spin offs in print and film which will give the reader more Holmesian goodness to hunt down. This would make a great book club or buddy read (one story with commentary per meeting? Yes, please!).
The book is richly annotated and full of photographs and illustrations. This is a lovingly and respectfully written book. Five stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
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