221b baker street – The Caffeinated Reader

Blurb:

The Art of Sherlock Holmes-USA Edition 1 is truly unique. While there have been literally hundreds of Holmes pastiches written before our first volume, The Art of Sherlock Homes-West Palm Beach, there had never been a volume where Holmes short stories were interpreted by such accomplished artists.

In this first USA edition, thirteen world-class artists who live and create in the United States have each had a story assigned to them – specifically dependent on the particular talent of each artist. Whether the interpretations be from the forms of surrealist, contemporary, realist, digital, minimalist, symbolism, or an amalgam of various forms, each piece of art created is unique, hypnotic, mesmerizing and unforgettable. Each created specifically to express the essence of each incredible Holmes story.

The thirteen stories herein range from the impossibly baffling (except for Holmes) to the humorous, paranormal, or simply intellectually intricate. You’re presented with murder, theft, treason, betrayal, love, loss and greed. All the ingredients to make delicious Holmes meals of mystery. But please remember, art is in the eye of the beholder. So we hope you’ll appreciate each creation for what it is: an inimitable interpretation of a truly unique Holmes story.

For those of you who get lost in abstract art, our abstract artists have provided an explanation of what their art means in relation to the story they’ve interpreted.

The Art of Sherlock Holmes books are curated by Phil Growick, himself a renowned Holmes author.

Book Information:

Pages

208

Publisher

MX Publishing (24 October 2019)

ISBN (hardcover – standard edition)

9781787054714

ISBN (hardcover – special edition)

0781787054707

Purchase Links

Amazon US | MX Site | Amazon UK

My Review

Another great collaboration of artists and authors in a common goal to share in a love of Sherlock Holmes. Once more I loved every single art piece used in association with the stories. They breathe color and life into the world of Holmes, and I enjoyed the stories as well. There were a few rather amusing stories, some involving the Circus, but at the heart of every story there was Watson and Holmes. [Or in one case or two, mostly Watson, and who can say that isn’t appropriate given his loyal chronicling of our masterful sleuth?]

It’s a quick read in the best of ways, 13 stories that while done by 13 different authors flow seamlessly together, taking you from one adventure to the next.

At the start of each story there is the art, and it is a wonderful tool to put you in the right mood/mindset for the story about to be unfurled.

I was impressed how many authors, yet again as I reviewed the last ‘Art of Sherlock’ book, were able to capture the true heart of Doyle’s writing. Watson is most faithfully written in each of the stories, as is Holmes, and I was rather glad that the authors achieved this while giving us new adventures of the duo.

There were a couple of stories that had me in the end giving this 3.5 rather than a full 4 cups of coffee, but the majority of the stories were brilliant and without fault, there were just a couple of nuances in two of the stories that I was rather distracted by. On the whole though I would definitely recommend this to any fan of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. But I also did have such a deep affection for other of the stories, especially ‘Circus Belle.’

The art was hands down the best part and I could go through and flip through those pictures all day they’re just so much fun to look at and vary so much in style.

Thank you to Caroline and MX Publishing for a chance to read this in exchange for my honest review as part of the blog tour.

The Art

18.ACD_The_Art_of_Sherlock_Poster-Series_USA-Edition_720x

About Phil Growick

Phil Growick ran one of the world’s leading executive search firms in the advertising industry. Phil’s network in the creative world is unparalleled which is perfect for artist acquisition. Now living in West Palm, Phil is heavily involved in the local art community and as a two-time Sherlock Holmes novelist came up with the concept of combining two of his passions – art and Holmes.

“You’re presented with murder, theft, treason, betrayal, love, loss and greed. All the ingredients to make a delicious Holmes meal of mystery: inimitable interpretations of truly unique Holmes stories.”

Author Links

Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

About MX Publishing

MX is the world’s largest Sherlock Holmes publisher. The MX Book of New Sherlock Holmes Stories is the world’s largest new Sherlock stories collection with twelve bestselling volumes in the last four years – with three more volumes due in May 2019. Over 100 authors have taken part in the anthology including NY Times best sellers Lee Child, Jonathan Kellerman, Lyndsay Faye and Bonnie MacBird.

The collection raises money for the Stepping Stones School ( a school for children with learning disabilities) at Undershaw, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s former home which carries the Estate’s Conan Doyle Seal. The collection has overwhelming support from leading Sherlockians worldwide. MX are in a perfect position to bring the best in Holmes fiction and the Sherlock fan base to the project.

MX’ other project is the Happy Life Children’s Home in Nairobi, Kenya. Twinned with Stepping Stones, Happy Life has saved the lives of over 600 abandoned babies in the last two decades. The project has expanded to include a school and paediatric hospital.