I love art almost as much as I love reading, so it is not a surprise that I wanted to read The Art of Sherlock Holmes. The book is certainly a unique experience for lovers of the great detective.  In between the short stories about Holmes are wonderful reproductions of paintings done by well known artists from Florida. Each artist has offered their own unique vision of one of the short stories in the book.  The stories and art are combined into a fabulous tribute to Holmes and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The concept for the book was conceived by Phil Growick, who is himself a notable Holmes author.

The short stories are terrific reads that stay true to Doyle and his famous character.  Sometimes you just want a fun mystery to read and don’t have a lot of time. This is the perfect book.  From a mystery about Holmes at age 11, in which he gets the answer right but reveals much about the participants which in turns affects their lives, to the intellectual tease of Holmes asking what is two plus two, to the Ghost from Christmas past, the stories are true to their beginnings.  The language is as it was in 1800’s. The settings and the actions are all as if Doyle had written them himself and thus totally enjoyable.

The art is vivid and varied.  From contemporary to figurative to cartoonish, the art also stays true to the characters and their stories.  My favorite piece is the tattooed boy; by Anthony Hernandez. The tattoos depict every imaginable link to Holmes; the pipe, the hat, the chemistry set, even the word elementary.  

For anyone who is a fan of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle this is truly a gift of the finest order.