BBC has recently announced the fourth season of the hit show Sherlock, a TV series that has become enormously popular on both sides of the Atlantic. It is a rendition of the classic mystery stories written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle set in modern-day London. This summer, I read all of the original works and it really helped me better understand the series and the original Sherlock Holmes character. If you are a Sherlock fan, you should consider reading these five adventures.
1. A Study In Scarlet
The very first Sherlock Holmes book ever published. You might recognize the title as it sounds like the first Sherlock episode, "A Study In Pink." The original story narrates how Dr. John Watson discovered Sherlock Holmes and the ensuing murders that they investigate. Doyle divided the book into two parts; the first tells us about Dr. Watson and Sherlock solving the case, the second recounts the back story of the criminal and why he committed the murders. The episode and the book mirror each other closely but with some significant differences, of course. Because it takes place both in the American West and Victorian London, it was an unusually global story.
2. The Case Of Identity
Listed under "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes," this story is a particular favorite because Sir Arthur Conan Doyle chose to combine mystery with clever wit. Here, Sherlock investigates the odd disappearance of a noblewoman's fiancee without ever leaving his Baker Street apartment. He discovers that the perpetrator was the woman's stepfather and then proceeds to severely reprimand him and whip him with a wooden switch! I laughed myself silly reading it.
3. A Scandal in Bohemia
Like the Sherlock episode "A Scandal in Belgravia," we see Sherlock Holmes fall in love with a woman, which happens only once in both TV show and books. Here, the normally emotionless detective acts more like a human being as opposed to the severe deduction robot he seems to be. Showing that Sherlock is capable of human emotion and has some understanding of human nature makes you love the protagonist all the more. On an unrelated note, it is the only story in "The Adventures" that is divided into chapters, making it easy if you want to read it in little portions.
4. The Five Orange Pips
Here is another mystery which combines British culture with American history. It involves an American living in an old manor house outside London. One day, he receives an envelope that contains five dried orange seeds, or pips, and a piece of paper with the letters "KKK" on it. A few days later, he is found dead. Sherlock and Dr. Watson deduce that the five pips were a threat of some kind. I thought the most interesting part was the duo learning how the American Klu Klux Klan was involved in this crime, a very fitting idea given the times we now live in.
5. The Final Problem
Here, we finally meet the infamous Professor Moriarty, Sherlock's number one nemesis. Oddly enough, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle placed it at the very end of the fourth book, "The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes." Moriarty plays a prominent role throughout the TV series, however. It reads like most of the other stories, except that the ending is tragic; Moriarty beats Sherlock. Something similar to this happens in the show as well. But fear not; both series continue on from here.
