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Best 2017 Sherlock Holmes Books, Movies, DVDs, & More
By Randall Stock, November 2, 2017 (History)
Sherlock Holmes is more popular than ever, which means there are lots of new books, movies, and Sherlockiana. The reviews and recommendations below can help you focus on the best ones from 2017. If you're just getting started with Holmes, see the Top 10 Choices for New Fans. This site also reviews newer Sherlockian items to consider.
New in 2017: Top Holmes Items
| Category | # of Items |
|---|---|
| 2017 Holmes Fiction | 5 |
| 2017 Holmes DVDs, Movies, and Related | 3 |
| 2017 Books About Holmes & Conan Doyle | 4 |
Newer Recommended Sherlockiana and the Best Holmes books, DVDs, & Blu-Ray from other years
Best 2017 Sherlock Holmes Books – Fiction
The year's best fictional Holmes books published in 2017. Listed in order by author, see also About the Choices and E-books.
Prices as of November 2017; subject to change.
Warlock Holmes: The Hell-Hound of the Baskervilles by G.S. Denning
Denning's second volume of Warlock Holmes stories continues to mix comedy and the supernatural into quirky and clever revisions of Conan Doyle's original tales. Its four short stories, including "The Solitary Tricyclist," provide absurdist and humorous re-imaginings. The final tale, a novella, offers more of a straight supernatural version of The Hound, with the humor concentrated in the opening section. Start with the first volume A Study in Brimstone. It establishes characters and context for the second book and is a bit stronger overall, but both books provide a fun and unusual spin on the Canon. ($14.95 SRP; Amazon US listing $11.61)
The Whole Art of Detection by Lyndsay Faye
Lyndsay Faye captures the Holmes-Watson relationship better than any writer since Conan Doyle, and truly brings the characters to life. This collection of 15 short stories includes two new stories, and most of the others appeared in magazines and will be new to most readers. Her plots are reasonably plausible and spring from references to untold tales in the Canon. The stories tend to have fewer deductions and puzzles than Conan Doyle's, but the characters ring true and the collection quality overall is very good indeed. And don't miss Dust and Shadow, her outstanding debut novel matching Holmes and the Ripper. ($25.00 SRP; Amazon US listing $19.13)
The MX Book of New Sherlock Holmes Stories Part V by David Marcum (ed.)
Unlike the first four volumes in this ongoing anthology, Part V is focused on "Christmas Adventures." The tales remain straight Holmes pastiches with the traditional characters and time period, but they all take place around the holiday season and many involve the elements of Christmas. That naturally invites more sentimentality and less hard crime than usual. Because of that, you may want to sample the book over time rather than read it straight through. While there might be fewer standout stories than in the earlier volumes, the average quality remains good. ($28.00 SRP; Amazon US listing $27.93)
The Riddle of Foxwood Grange by Denis O. Smith
For Holmes stories that truly embody Conan Doyle's style, you must read Denis O. Smith. His tales sound and feel authentic, with believable deductions and plots and the real voice of Dr. Watson. After publishing some fine short stories and novellas, he decided to write his first Holmes novel. It opens strongly with lots of satisfying deductions. There is a pretty good puzzle in the story, but the plot and particularly the ending seem a bit forced. While some of his short stories are better, this novel remains a clear step above most pastiches. ($14.95 SRP; Amazon US listing $14.95)
Baker Street Irregulars by Michael A. Ventrella and Jonathan Maberry (eds.)
Thirteen authors provide thirteen alternative visions of Holmes, including the detective as a vampire, an alien, and a college freshman girl. While similar in concept to Echoes of Sherlock Holmes and its predecessors, many of these stories involve some elements of science fiction or the supernatural. Half the tales are pretty good, a few are middling, and a couple are just bad. Overall there is enough interesting material to make it worthwhile, especially if you enjoy SF/horror. But if you're not sure about reading non-traditional pastiches, first try those earlier "inspired by Holmes" anthologies. ($16.99 SRP; Amazon US listing $16.55)
See also the current Year's Best Holmes fiction and the Best Holmes fiction from other years for more excellent choices.
Best 2017 Sherlock Holmes DVDs, Blu-ray Movies, and Related
The year's best DVDs, Blu-ray Discs, videos, movie-related and audio items released in 2017. See also About the Choices.
Prices as of November 2017; subject to change.
Elementary: The Fifth Season Starring Jonny Lee Miller (DVD)
Season five of Elementary continued the twisty plots of prior years that, combined with fine acting, set it apart from other network TV. The highlights this season included a two-part episode with Kitty Winter and another where Watson is taken hostage in order to force Sherlock to solve a crime in 18 hours. An extended subplot with Shinwell Johnson adds character development for Holmes and Watson, but is darker and less satisfying than story arcs from prior years. The 6 DVD set includes 50 minutes of extras, with about half being quite interesting. While prior years included creative adaptations of original Holmes tales, a bonus for Holmes fans, season five remains top-notch TV. ($49.99 SRP; Amazon US listing $22.23)
Sherlock: Season Four Starring Benedict Cumberbatch (DVD / Blu-ray)
While the BBC's Sherlock remains a treat, the series has weakened as its creators move their characters more into fantasy and further from the spirt of Conan Doyle's tales. To their credit, season four's second episode gets closer to their earlier formula that balanced style with substance. Lazy plotting in the first episode was somewhat redeemed by resolving the ludicrous story arc involving the ninja Mary Watson. The finale owes more to James Bond than Holmes, but has points of interest. All three episodes have the fine production values and distinctive visual flair that help make the series special. The nearly two hours of extras include a superb 21-minute featurette "From Script to Screen" that is a must-see for fans. ($25.98 SRP; Amazon US listing $20.97 DVD, $24.99 Blu-ray)
The Lost World (1925) Starring Wallace Beery (Blu-ray)
Best-known as a special-effects precursor to King Kong, the 1925 silent version of The Lost World used Willis O'Brien's then cutting-edge effects to bring dinosaurs to life in the first film adaptation of Conan Doyle's classic adventure story. This 2017 Blu-ray, with 10 minutes of newly discovered footage, offers the most complete and highest quality version of the film ever. It costs more than other versions, but is well worth it if you don't already own the movie on DVD or are a silent-film enthusiast. The Blu-ray Includes a new full-orchestral score, 40 minutes of extras, audio commentary, and an illustrated booklet. ($39.95 SRP; Amazon US listing $34.99)
See also the current Year's Best Holmes DVDs & movies and the Best Holmes movies from other years for more excellent choices.
Best 2017 Books About Holmes & Conan Doyle
The year's best books about Holmes or Conan Doyle published in 2017. Listed in order by author, see also About the Choices and E-books.
Prices as of November 2017; subject to change.
Dancing to Death by Ray Betzner and David F. Morrill (eds.)
Conan Doyle chose "The Dancing Men" as his third-best Holmes story, and it remains one of the most memorable. This manuscript facsimile reproduces the pages in grayscale and at a somewhat reduced size, with a transcription and detailed notes facing each page. A full description and history of the manuscript includes the origin of the cipher and of the story's title. Other essays explore the tale in depth, with more about ciphers, the connections to Dallas and to the lawless city of Chicago, solving a murder through sound, and much more. ($39.95 SRP; not on Amazon; see BSI website)
From Holmes to Sherlock by Mattias Boström
Heralded by Michael Dirda as "the best account of Baker Street mania ever written," Boström's important and entertaining book should be read by all Holmes fans. It explores the evolution of the Holmes phenomenon and fandom through 2015. Especially valuable for coverage of Sherlockian events after 1930, it also brings to light previously unreported material from the Richard Lancelyn Green Collection. Somewhat like Carr's biography of Conan Doyle, Boström uses a novelistic style with a "you are there" feel that makes the book fun to read but occasionally limits its usefulness as a reference work. It does, however, include source citations and an index, and thus provides a starting point for further research. ($28.00 SRP; Amazon US listing $19.27)
The Adventure of the Creeping Man (manuscript facsimile) intro. by Neil McCaw
As McCaw notes in his introduction, reading a Holmes manuscript "somehow feels different" to reading the published text. His annotations enhance this experience by exploring how Conan Doyle's changes affected the story and the Canon. McCaw's writing is scholarly and well-sourced yet eminently readable. Excellent photos of the manuscript pages appear in color and at nearly full size. That high production quality is unfortunately somewhat offset by a too-small typeface for the introduction and transcription. While more could be written about the manuscript, this facsimile deserves a spot in your collection. (£50 SRP including shipping from the UK; not on Amazon; see Portsmouth website)
Arthur and Sherlock by Michael Sims
Michael Sims combines biography and literary history in this examination of Conan Doyle's early life and the influences that led to the Holmes stories. New Sherlockians will find much of interest, as it draws from the essential sources on Conan Doyle, including A Life In Letters and Lycett's biography, as well as several specialized biographical books. Excellent source citations allow readers to assess the claims and investigate further. While long-time Doyleans have probably encountered most of the Conan Doyle information before, Sims adds details of literary history that will be new to many, and his approachable writing style makes for an enjoyable book. ($27.00 SRP; Amazon US listing $14.85)
See also the current Year's Best Books About Holmes & Doyle and the Best Books About Holmes & Doyle from other years for more fine choices.
This site first published its "Best of Year" reviews and recommendations in 2009. See the current Year's Best Sherlock Holmes books and movies and the Other Years' Best Sherlock Holmes books and DVDs. People just getting started with Holmes should see the best choices for new Sherlockians.
This page's 2017 list was first posted on November 2, 2017.
About Kindle and Other E-books
A Kindle version of most of these books is available, but I don't list the e-book or its price unless it's hard to find on Amazon. Typically the Kindle Edition will be listed in the Formats box to the right of a book's cover photo.
When a book is available in both print and e-text, I review the print edition.
Return to Holmes Fiction or to Books About Holmes & Doyle.
My choices are based on 30+ years of reading and collecting Sherlockiana. I'm a member of the Baker Street Irregulars, have written numerous Sherlockian articles, and have spoken about Conan Doyle rarities for conferences at Harvard and the University of Minnesota.
I limited the number of items in order to make this list easier and faster for people to use. Items released near the end of 2017 may not be on this list, so be sure to check my 2018 recommendations as well. And see these details on my selection process and criteria.
In most cases I've given both the U.S. suggested retail price (SRP) and the price at Amazon as of November 2017; those prices are of course subject to change.
The 10 Best Gifts for New Sherlock Holmes Fans
The Current Year's Best Sherlock Holmes books and DVDs / Blu-ray
Best Sherlock Holmes books and DVDs / Blu-ray from prior years
The 10 Best Basil Rathbone Sherlock Holmes Movies and DVDs
The Best Sherlock Holmes Stories
The Top 10 Quotes from the Sherlock Holmes stories
Other Top 10 Lists for Sherlock Holmes and Conan Doyle
Vers. 2.1bx-RN Original work
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Randall Stock. All Rights Reserved.