The answer is elementary

So this week was far easier, mainly because I'd read most of this book last week! A great head start if ever there was one. It was much needed. This week has been manic and frankly I'm relieved to see the start of the school holidays!

So what did I indulge in? The answer is a case of simple deduction. Which famous fictional sleuth has been responsible for over 25,000 Holmes-related productions and products* (by the way the clue is in the name)? Why, it is none other than the legendary Sherlock Holmes.

Originally written in a serialised format for the Strand Magazine in 1887; the no nonsense, slightly off centred, sociopathic Sherlock was an instant hit. Adored by thousands of readers almost as much as his more human fictional counterpart John Watson. The stories have had an influence on most modern detective stories to date not the least of which was one Hercule Poirot.

Of course, the adaptations have been many. One of my favourites being 'Without a Clue' - an underrated gem of an 80's film starring Ben Kingsley and Michael Caine where Sherlock is a half wit actor playing a role created by Watson, the real genius.

 Another being the hugely popular recent Sherlock series created by Steven Moffatt and Mark Gattis. This series puts the action in the modern day and features incredible performances from Martin Freeman, Benedict Cumberbatch and Andrew Scott.

Even the address that he was supposed to live at - 221b Baker Street - didn't exist until popularity with the general public forced council members to create a space for it on the street itself. Imagine that, a whole address created because of the fame of one single character.
So the book I've been reading contains a series of short stories that have been collected together in one 'short story book' format.

Cases include 'The Adventure of the Speckled Band' (quite possibly my favourite one), 'The Musgrave Ritual' and 'Silver Blaze'. Each story is between 25 and 40 pages long, which is ideal when you want to read something quick and fairly easy to get through. The language hasn't been totally changed, which can often happen with updates and newer adaptations. This allows for a beautifully rich variety of vocabulary.
In my mind it would be ideal for children aged 9 and over who are looking for something stimulating and challenging, there's no real content that would bother them (it's not graphic or gross) but they'd need to be fluent readers with a good grasp of language.
At an overall length of around 290 pages (this including the excellent introduction and additional supporting activities at the end) it was actually a fairly easy and very enjoyable read.
Right, now I'm off to go and find me deerstalker!

Book 42 of my 52 book list and my book of short stories.

*quote taken from Wikipedia.

Title: The Extraordinary Cases of Sherlock Holmes.
Author: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
Published: *this edition 1988*
Pages: 290
Suitable for: fluent readers aged 9 and up who need a challenge.
Interesting words: sinister, tremor, distorted, elaborate.