FIVE Books for a Fan of Sherlock Holmes

I have a student who enjoys reading Sherlock Holmes mysteries. I’ve already suggested Agatha Christie’s The Murder of Roger Ackroyd to her, but here’s a list of my favorite cozies with a Holmesian twist. Some even include Holmes or Arthur Conan Doyle as one of the characters.

1. The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins – the first and greatest English detective novel! It’s a classic story and a wonderful English mystery involving the murderous history of a spectacular jewel.

2. The Beekeeper’s Apprentice by Laure R. King – This is one of my all-time favorite mysteries. Sherlock Holmes takes on a young, female apprentice: Mary Russell. (No Sherlock Holmes fan should miss this!)

3. Old Bones by Aaron Elkins – The protagonist, Gideon Oliver, is often called “the Skeleton detective,” since he has with an incredible talent for analyzing bones. The ending is perhaps the most satisfying resolutions that I’ve ever read.

4. The Patient’s Eyes: The Dark Beginning of Sherlock Holmes by David Pirie In this novel, Arthur Conan Doyle writes as the Watsonian narrator relating the exploits of Dr. Joseph Bell, his real-life mentor and model for the fictional detective. (Again, no fan of Sherlock Holmes should miss this atmospheric mystery.)

5. A Test of Wills by Charles Todd – Having just returned from France after World War I with a medal of honor and serious shell shock, Inspector Ian Rutledge struggles to settle back into his duties at Scotland Yard. However, he is called to investigate a suspicious death in Warwickshire, which will bring back disturbing memories of the war.

Enjoy Dorothea!

10 Mysteries & Thrillers I’m Looking Forward to Reading in the New Year

Look for reviews of these books in the coming year.

1. BLOOD HOLLOW by William Kent Krueger
2. IMMORAL by Brian Freeman
3. SPEAK OF THE DEVIL by Richard Hawke
4. A KILLING FROST by Michael A. Black
5. WHEN ONE MAN DIES by Dan White
6. THE BLADE ITSELF by Marcus Sakey
7. MR. CLARINET by Nick Stone
8. LOST ECHOES by Joe R. Lansdale
9. THE WATCHMAN by Robert Crais
10. JAR CITY by Arnaldur Indridason

The FIVE Best Books I Read all Year

I’m a paperback reader. Call me cheap if you want, but I actually the feel of a paperback in my hand when I read. Obviously I didn’t read any books from 2007 this year. However, I’ve read some excellent mysteries from recent years. Here is my list of the five best books I read this year:

Gone, Baby, Gone by Dennis Lehane (1998)

Dissolution by C.J. Sansom (2003)

Rain Fall by Barry Eisler (2002)

Tonight I Said Goodbye by Michael Koryta (2004)

Voodoo River by Robert Crais (1995)

Some other great books that didn’t make the list:

When the Sacred Gin Mill Closes by Lawrence Block (1986)
Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane (2003)
Little Girl Lost by Richard Aleas (2004)
One Shot by Lee Child (2005)
Two-Minute Rule by Robert Crias (2006)