This book was a very easy choice for me. But trust me. Had it been six months ago it wouldn’t have even crossed my mind to be a contender among my favorite books of 2022.
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle.
While this is a very classic story, I had always considered it one of those old books that has been rebooted repeatedly for the last century and a half but is really a story that needs to finally just give up and die.
And then in November 2021, my brother found a copy of one of the movie adaptations of the book at a used bookstore and decided to bring it home. Well, I liked the actor in it, but otherwise assumed that it would be a waste of time.
Long story short, I watched the movie, found a spark of interest in the eccentric character, and found myself curious if Doyle’s stories themselves held the same flare of originality and interest.
A month later I inherited a beautifully bound copy of a collection of Sherlock Holmes mysteries from my grandpa.
I read through the collection and quickly grew to enjoy the witty tales and cleverly written mysteries. And, despite the dark topic of murder, what I couldn’t help but notice through each and every story were the consistent themes, mostly displayed by Watson (who I believe is the real hero, by the way,) such as loyalty, genuine care for others, and humility when it comes to Holmes’ constant spotlight moments in each crime.
While I wouldn’t suggest these stories to young children, I would definitely recommend them to teens and older. They are stories with a fun and interesting plot that keeps readers’ attention, along with a classic feel that I didn’t know I had been desiring to read until after I’d read it.
I hope that if you aren’t already a Sherlock Holmes fan, that you will pick up a copy and give it a spin. It just might pique your interest…
You can find The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes here.