The Science of Sherlock: The Forensic Facts Behind the Fiction

by Mark Brake

An essential read for the legions of Sherlockians about the globe.
 
Sherlock Holmes is the world’s greatest-ever consulting detective. The huge popularity of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s fictional creation, and his sixty stories, made Sherlock one of the most famous characters of Victorian London.
 
All evidence suggests Sherlock’s fan adoration has lasted almost one and a half centuries through many adaptations. There is Sherlock fan fiction in China, Sherlock manga in Japan, and tribute pop songs in Korea. Guinness World Records awarded Sherlock Holmes the title of most portrayed literary human character in film and television thanks to the popular Sherlock Holmes movies starring Robert Downey Jr., series like Elementary starring Lucy Liu, Sherlock starring Benedict Cumberbatch, and so many more.

Sherlock’s enduring appeal shows that his detective talents are as compelling today as they were in the days of Conan Doyle. The Science of Sherlock gives you an in-depth look at the science behind the cases Sherlock cracked in those Ripper streets of old.

Genres: Nonfiction

251 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 7, 2023

Reviews

[M Samuell · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sherlock Holmes - A BBC Love Story.

I have been a Baker Street Irregular at heart for most of my life. Sherlock Holmes has and continues to be one of the most well-worn collections on my shelf and among my greatest fictional loves. If anything about the great detective or his creator comes across my path, you had better believe that it will not go unread.

As such, I always choose to be generous when these non-fiction works present information that I am already familiar with. After all, sometimes the less common factoids can be presented in new and thought provoking ways. I was disappointed, however, when The Science of Sherlock had very little 'science' in it. If anything, it read more like a lightly researched anthropological study of the character and his lasting impact on modern adaptations. If I may come right out and say it: it felt by-and-large like a love letter to Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss, the infamous creators of BBC's Sherlock.

Not only did I not learn anything new, but I found myself inundated with unimportant dates and facts interspersed with attempts at 'dad joke' humor interwoven throughout. It was difficult at times to tell if the information was being presented factually or objectively. This was made exceptionally difficult by the overgeneralized blanket statements about the series and its fans.

Ultimately, while easy to read and at times entertaining, this book did not broaden my understanding of the Sherlock Holmes canon and will not find its way into my personal library.

[Thank you to NetGalley and Skyhorse Pubishing for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.]

[Elisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a huge fan of the world’s most famous consulting detective, and an avid reader of non-fiction books about science, this volume was a treat. The author sets Sir Arthur’s life and his Holmes stories in their historical, political, artistic, and especially scientific context. Conan Doyle was ahead of his time and came up with forensic techniques that are still used today, before they were officially adopted or even invented by real detectives. There are many dialogues and passages from the books and the TV show Sherlock, which illustrate what Mark Brake is trying to say better than any exposition. The style is conversational and approachable and, except for a few paragraphs that were more technical, I understood everything. There is math, physics, chemistry, ballistics, astronomy and all the technical aspects that helped Sherlock solve his crimes and revolutionized crime fiction. This is a great book for anyone interested in forensic science, or in Mr. Holmes.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, #NetGalley/#Skyhorse Publishing!

[Kristin Scearce · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a lifelong fan of Sherlock Holmes, I greatly enjoyed this book and finding out more about the consulting detective. It's a comprehensive explanation of all things Sherlock and how he operates, and it's a deep dive into the various scientific aspects of his investigative techniques, especially, which could get a little overwhelming for the average person (I had to step away a few times for this reason). However, there's a ton of information that just about anyone would find interesting, and it's all organized in a way that carries you through the various original stories and the adaptations. (I especially liked seeing the four different base influences for Sherlock and how Doyle wove them all together to create this awe-inspiring character who's still fascinating audiences to this day.)

Would definitely recommend to any Sherlock fan as well as anyone who wants to learn more about the real science involved in the stories.

4 stars

*I received an advanced reader copy from NetGalley and am leaving this review voluntarily. All thoughts and comments contained within are my own.*

[Kelsey Rhodes · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25/5 stars! I have been a fan of Sherlock Holmes since I was 8 years old. I loved diving into his stories and learning how he deduced the results. When I stumbled upon this book as an adult, I was excited to learn about the science behind said deductions. I found this to be a very enjoyable read and I learned so much. It was a captivating read for any Sherlock Holmes nerd. My only criticism would be that general readers without any science background may find some of the material hard to understand.

I received an advance review copy for free through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

[Simone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you, Netgalley and the publisher, for an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion!

When I saw the name Sherlock in combination with forensic facts, I got excited! Modern adaptations of our old friend Sherlock have been a hit or miss for me. I either liked them or hated them, both movie and book adaptations. The BBC show with Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman is by far my all-time favorite tv show adaptation. My favorite actors to portray Sherlock are Benedict Cumberbatch and Jeremy Brett. These two embody Sherlock for me. So I always had a smile on my face when the BBC show and its producers were mentioned--which I have to say happened quite often and it didn't bother me at all.

Overall, this was a book that was well-organized, with puns and references to the Conan Doyle Sherlock work that made sense and gave it a nice touch. The only reason I give this only 4 stars is that the beginning of the book was extremely drawn out. I think that's why it took me a little longer to finish the book.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is the ideal book for any Sherlock or literary enthusiast. The author goes into great depth exploring Sherlock Holmes and the cultural impacts on Author Conan Doyle's iconic character. While a little dry at times, this book was incredibly fascinating and put into context a character that is arguably one of the most known literary icons in the world. Anyone who loves literary detectives, history, and analysis should read this book.

[Annarella · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read if you love Sherlock Holmes' stories as it talks about the historical and scientific facts.
Informative, well researched, and entertained.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

[Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I accessed a digital review copy of this book from the publisher

[Jin · Rating 3 out of 5]

--English Version---
Note:I received a digital review copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

~Plot~
Sherlock Holmes is the world’s greatest-ever consulting detective. The huge popularity of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s fictional creation, and his sixty stories, made Sherlock one of the most famous characters of Victorian London. All evidence suggests Sherlock’s fan adoration has lasted almost one and a half centuries through many adaptations. There is Sherlock fan fiction in China, Sherlock manga in Japan, and tribute pop songs in Korea. Guinness World Records awarded Sherlock Holmes the title of most portrayed literary human character in film and television thanks to the popular Sherlock Holmes movies starring Robert Downey Jr., series like Elementary starring Lucy Liu, Sherlock starring Benedict Cumberbatch, and so many more.

~Review~
This book provides a historical, political, artistic, and especially scientific context for Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's life and his Holmes stories. Doyle was ahead of his time and develop forensic techniques that are still used today before they were used by real detectives.
The style is conversational and approachable, except for a few paragraphs that general readers without any science background may find hard to understand.

~Other Information~
Author: Mark Brake
Publisher: Skyhorse Publishing
Page Count: 240 pages

~Rating~
Overall Rating:★★★

~Link~
Buy on Amazon


---Italian Version---
Nota:Ho ricevuto una copia gratuita da NetGalley in cambio di una recensione onesta.

~Trama~
Sherlock Holmes è il più grande consulente investigativo del mondo. L'enorme popolarità della creazione immaginaria di Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, e le sue sessanta storie, hanno reso Sherlock uno dei personaggi più famosi della Londra vittoriana. Tutte le prove suggeriscono che l'adorazione dei fan di Sherlock è durata quasi un secolo e mezzo attraverso molti adattamenti. Ci sono fan fiction di Sherlock in Cina, manga di Sherlock in Giappone e canzoni pop tributo in Corea. Il Guinness World Records ha assegnato a Sherlock Holmes il titolo di personaggio umano letterario più rappresentato nel cinema e in televisione grazie ai famosi film di Sherlock Holmes con Robert Downey Jr., serie come Elementary con Lucy Liu, Sherlock con Benedict Cumberbatch e molti altri.

~Recensione~
Questo libro fornisce un contesto storico, politico, artistico e soprattutto scientifico per la vita di Sir Arthur Conan Doyle e le sue storie di Holmes. Doyle era in anticipo sui tempi e sviluppò tecniche forensi che sono ancora utilizzate oggi prima che fossero utilizzate dai veri detective. Lo stile è colloquiale e accessibile, ad eccezione di alcuni paragrafi che i lettori generici senza alcuna formazione scientifica potrebbero trovare difficili da comprendere.

~Altre informazioni~
Autore: Mark Brake
Editore: Skyhorse Publishing
Numero Pagine: 240 pagine

~Valutazione~
Voto:★★★

~Link utili~
Compra su Amazon(in inglese)

[Juliana Mueller · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5 stars

This book is a great read for anybody wanting to read more into the science behind Sherlock. This book explains the 4 influences behind the character that is Sherlock which was interesting to read about. It also dives into the political, cultural, artistic, and historical impacts of Sherlock. Some of the more in-depth portions around the investigative techniques can be a little much for the average person, but it was the part I found most interesting. The book is dry and gets repetitive at times. Overall, it was interesting, and I would recommend this to any Sherlock fan.

*I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*