Two Hundred and Twenty One Baker's Street Review

I must admit, upon reading this collection, my only dose of Sherlock Holmes came from the BBC’s excellent contemporary adaptation starring Benedict Cumberbatch. Though having never read any of Sir Arthur Doyle’s classic novels, through the TV series I immediately understood the formula of a typical Holmes plot and therefore was able to read this collection without feeling too out of my depth.

Over the years, many writers who grew up reading Doyle’s work have been inspired to write their own Holmes adventures, with varying degrees of success. Two Hundred and Twenty-One Baker Street is perhaps the most inventive collection of Holmes short stories in a while.

Many of the fourteen short stories stick to the formula of a Holmes story; a crime is committed, Holmes and Watson are on the case, and they must string the clues together in order to unveil the perpetrator. What makes these stories both wacky and unique is how the writers have taken these characters from the Victorian setting, reinvented them and casting them into different time periods and settings.

Whether placing them in the year 2031 or way back to the Great Depression, or portraying Holmes as a Wizard or a New York Detective known as Sanford Haus, this is quality fanfiction. There are stories that also cleverly play around with gender, but you must the read the collection to know what I mean.

Personally, while the writers of the individual stories have undoubtedly done themselves proud, I believe the true hero of this collection is the editor David Thomas Moore. Not only does he clearly have a knack for choosing the most talented writers, but he also knew the direction he wanted the collection to take. As he stated that by ‘taking him out of Doyle’s time – Doyle’s world – allows you to showcase the real Holmes, to audiences that might never find him otherwise.’ Through his choice of writers, the collection boasts a variety of Holmes with some being witty and others demonstrating more complexities as opposed to the arrogance and pompousness we immediately associate with the character.

However, while I enjoyed the uniqueness of the collection, many Doyle enthusiasts may feel both baffled and dissatisfied with some of the plots. While inventive, they are very much in their own individual style. Some stories are dark and gory, while two in particular go far into the world of fantasy and science fiction that may not be to the tastes of fans who enjoy the Victorian and detective atmosphere of Doyle’s stories.

While it’s bound to divide Holmes fans, no one can deny the cleverness of this collection and as a casual fan, it has inspired me to read the original Doyle novels. Therefore I believe that it is a perfect introduction for anyone who has ever been interested in reading any Sherlock Holmes.

9/10