Sherlock: The Casebook by Guy Adams

Publisher: BBC Books

Format: Hardback

Published: 25^th October 2012

Number of Pages: 160

Book: Bought

Genre: TV-Movie-Tie-In, Mystery, Crime, Murder Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Non-Fiction, Adult

Recommended Age: 12+

Contains: Violence, Murder, Mindblowing Deductive Skills, Some Alcohol/Drug References

Author's Site: Guy Adams

“I’m a consulting detective.  The only one in the world.  I invented the job.”

Don’t buy this book.  The author has transformed what should have been a series of lectures into a gross and tasteless entertainment.

The science of deduction is a branch of human achievement requiring serious analysis and yet here I find it lavishly illustrated, disfigured with humour and infested with gossip.  Apparently, this kind of sensationalism is required to engage the interest of the reading public, but it is  rather like working an office romance into a paper on quantum physics.  Only an idiot would be impressed.  Help yourself.

“We solve crimes.  I blog about it, and he forgets his pants.”

This books is my humble attempt to shine a light on the work of the best and wisest I have ever

known.  He has, I think it is safe to say, elevated the science of deduction into an art form.

Having been at his side during some of his most remarkable cases, it has fallen to me to bring his achievements to the attention of the wider public.   He is, quite simply, the Mozart of criminal investigation.

I would say more, but I am flattered and delighted to say that Sherlock Holmes himself has agreed to write a piece for the cover.

                                                                   Review:

"You're keeping A SCRAPBOOK.

Only old ladies and pre-pubescent girls keep scrapbooks, John."

"It's not a scrapbook, Sherlock.  I'm collecting papers relevant to the cases.  It helps me remember the details.  And it was locked away in my desk drawer."

"The lock on your desk drawer was insulting me with its pretences at security.  

IT'S A SCRAPBOOK..."

Holy Crab, this book was awesome!!  I absolutely love the original Sherlock Holmes books; adore the Sherlock Holmes movies (y’know, the new ones, with Robert Downey Jr and Jude Law) and totally freaking LOVE BBC’s Sherlock.  So how, how, how was I meant to just leave Sherlock: The Casebook on the shelves in Waterstones?!  I just wasn’t.  That’s how. 

To a total Holmes addict such as me (I’ve got a post of Hounds of the Baskervilles on my wall – it’s the whole book, written in a way that shows a picture!  It’s awesome!), this book was perfection.  It may have focused on the TV series (my fave Sherlock adaptation ever, btw), but there was loads of non-Sherlock info in here too.  Like did you know that Arthur Conan Doyle absolutely hated writing the Sherlock Holmes books?  All he wanted was to write this big 'serious' novel, and all everyone wanted was for him to write about Holmes and Watson!  Ha!  That one made me laugh no end.  And the non-Sherlock info didn’t end there, and got more fascinating as you got in.  I loved learning about how Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss came up with the show idea, and all the characters and everything.  Oh, I just loved it all!  But to find the other stuff out, you’re just gonna have to read this…

But onto the Sherlock stuff now!  I adore the show.  Obviously.  And my God, this Sherlock stuff was just awesome!  It was laid out like a scrapbook, showing detailed info on all of the cases Sherlock and John have done.  It's written by John and was utterly fascinating.  And then there were the post-its Sherlock had stuck all over the place, offering snide comments and random remarks.  And then there was the banter between the two of them, which is so true to the show and had me cracking up.  Oh, I just loved it!  I loved it so, so much.  It was just so much fun and, despite what Sherlock may say, was utterly fascinating.  

I will admit now that this whole review has been the ramblings of a crazy fan girl.  But that's only because I am a crazy fan girl.  I am totally, 100% Sherlocked.  Sherlock Holmes is just so legendary.  It's the first crime novel I ever read and fell totally in love with.  Holmes is the reason I love shows like CSI and Criminal Minds and The Mentalist.  I just love how he's so, so smart that he's not really human.  He's amazing, incredible, beyond description.  His mind... oh, how I'd love to be in his mind, at least for a little while.   Though afterwards, I would probably be quite pleased to be back inside my own "vacant" little mind.

So yes: whatever kind of Sherlock Holmes fan you are, this book is definitely for you.  If you love Sherlock, read this to get even more into the show, to find out things you didn't know before.  If you aren't, read this and I promise you that you are going to be 100% Sherlocked too.  And if, like me, you're going crazy waiting for the next series - why is Autumn so flipping far away?! - then this is the perfect gift to tide you over 'til then.  It's a fun read that you can gobble up in one sitting (like me) or dip in and out of.  

Sherlock Rules! :D

Star Rating:
5 Out of 5

Read this book if you liked:

Sherlock TV Series

Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle

Challenges It's Taking Part In:

100 Books in a Year Reading Challenge 2013 (Hosted by Book ChickCity)

Happy Reading

Megan