(3) YA With Lucien Moriarty behind bars and a pre-college Oxford program ahead of them, Charlotte Holmes and Jamie Watson (descendants of Sherlock and Dr. Watson, respectively) can finally focus on their complicated relationship. Their latest case--theater "accidents" and a missing drama student--doesn't get the spotlight here; instead, Charlotte's inner life does, as she narrates all but the epilogue in this riveting series finale.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger

(3) YA A year after the events of The Last of August, Jamie Watson is back at boarding school playing rugby, dating a girl, and getting decent grades--all while mourning August's death and his own "not-relationship" with Charlotte Holmes. Meanwhile, a vengeful Charlotte hunts for Lucien Moriarty. Charlotte gets equal time narrating here, deepening her characterization, and a late-in-the-game reunion makes for a dramatic climax.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger

(3) 4-6 Lock and Key series. The modern middle-school reimagining of the famed Sherlock Holmes–James Moriarty rivalry continues. Young Sherlock's expulsion from Baskerville Academy leaves James's sister, Moria, without anyone to help solve a series of mysterious deaths--or explain the change in her brother's behavior. Fans of the series (and budding Sherlock Holmes aficionados) will delight in the ample suspense and excitement of this third installment.

Reviewer: Grace Enriquez

(3) YA Winter break finds Jamie Watson visiting classmate Charlotte Holmes's family's estate in England. A mysterious disappearance and suspiciously sudden illness in Charlotte's family force Holmes and Watson on the case, which takes them to Berlin, Prague, and the underground world of art forgery. Page-turning action, danger, and emotional trauma are balanced with dark humor, wit, and romance.

Reviewer: Grace Enriquez

(4) 4-6 Diminutive Shelby Holmes and her sidekick, narrator John Watson (The Great Shelby Holmes), return for a mystery that pits them against Shelby's nemesis, Moira Hardy. Continuing her contemporary-Harlem-set reimagining of the classic detectives, Eulburg makes intriguing use of deductive reasoning and disguises. However, the small stakes of the neighborhood mystery seem best suited to early-elementary readers, who may not be ready for such a lengthy read.

Reviewer: Amy Seto Forrester

(3) 4-6 Lock and Key series. Following The Initiation, twelve-year-old Moria Moriarty returns as narrator of her brother James's partnership with his Baskerville Academy roommate, Sherlock Holmes. The trio investigates the death of Mr. Moriarty and uncovers rival criminal organizations, all while juggling new romantic interests. With clever references to Doyle's originals, genre fans should enjoy this modern-day Boston-based reimagining of the rise of Holmes's arch-nemesis.

Reviewer: Grace Enriquez

(4) YA Lock & Mori series. In book two (Mind Games), Mori(arty) was deceived by the woman who promised to rescue Mori's brothers from their abusive home. Now, jeopardizing her relationship with her beloved (Sher)Lock, Mori vows vengeance on those who have wronged her. Despite an uneven plot, Mori's believable transformation--a descent from teen crime-solver to ruthless villain and Sherlock Holmes's nemesis--carries this third installment.

Reviewer: Grace Enriquez

(3) YA Connecticut boarding-school students Charlotte Holmes and James Watson, descendants of Sherlock and Dr. Watson, are framed for a murder that's staged with clues straight out of their ancestors' "Speckled Band" case. The teens navigate their own muddled relationship while racing to find the real killer. Complex characters and a dark, twisty-turny plot (involving drugs, rape, revenge, and Moriartys) make for an above-average Holmes-Watson reboot.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Erwin Madrid. The day eleven-year-old army brat John Watson moves to Harlem he meets Shelby Holmes, a pint-sized modern-day Sherlock who uses deductive reasoning to solve neighborhood crimes, such as a dognapping. Readers who stick with the somewhat drawn-out plot will enjoy the references to the classic detective duo and the mystery's reveal. Pleasant spot illustrations reflect the diversity of the neighborhood characters.

Reviewer: Amy Seto Forrester

(3) YA Set in a gritty, unnamed English city, this murder-mystery (first in a projected series) posits a modern-day Sherlock Holmes: a brilliant but chronically underachieving biracial teen named Garvie Smith. He teams up with a reluctant Inspector Singh to solve the murder of Garvie's ex-girlfriend. The suspenseful pacing and tantalizing accumulation of clues will keep readers turning pages; the identity of the killer comes as a surprise.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano

(4) 4-6 Lock and Key series. This Boston-based Sherlock Holmes/James Moriarty origin story from the point-of-view of James's sister, Moria, places the boys as boarding school roommates. When the three join forces to recover the Moriartys' stolen heirloom Bible, they uncover a school-wide conspiracy. It's a suspenseful if over-elaborate mystery with characters who, while difficult to reconcile with their more intriguing adult versions, will still appeal to genre fans.

Reviewer: Grace Enriquez

(3) YA Lock & Mori series. Despite the arrest of her serial-killer father, modern-day-London teen Mori(arty)'s troubles persist: her father's police friends remain loyal to him, and new evidence frames her for the Regent's Park murders. (Sher)Lock is her steady supporter and love interest but also a hindrance to her quest for justice. This suspenseful second book offers a surprise twist and a deeper exploration of Mori's dark side.

Reviewer: Grace Enriquez

(2) 1-3 Illustrated by Paul Galdone. These amiable books for independent readers star Basil, the "Sherlock Holmes of the Mouse World." The master detective is introduced in Baker Street, where he solves a kidnapping mystery. In Cave of Cats, Basil travels to "the Orient" to help the Maharajah of Bengistan and solve an archeological mystery. Galdone's black-and-white illustrations add humor to the parodies. Review covers these titles: The Great Mouse Detective: Basil and the Cave of Cats and The Great Mouse Detective: Basil of Baker Street.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn | Horn Book Magazine Issue: April, 1972

(2) 1-3 Illustrated by Paul Galdone. These amiable books for independent readers star Basil, the "Sherlock Holmes of the Mouse World." The master detective is introduced in Baker Street, where he solves a kidnapping mystery. In Cave of Cats, Basil travels to "the Orient" to help the Maharajah of Bengistan and solve an archeological mystery. Galdone's black-and-white illustrations add humor to the parodies. Review covers these titles: The Great Mouse Detective: Basil and the Cave of Cats and The Great Mouse Detective: Basil of Baker Street.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn | Horn Book Magazine Issue: August, 1958

(4) 4-6 Sherlock, Lupin & Me series. Illustrated by Iacopo Bruno. It's spring of 1871 when Irene, Sherlock, and Lupin team up for their fourth case. This time, they're all in France, where Irene's mother is recovering from an illness. Narrator Irene is still as gutsy as ever, but the convoluted plot--featuring map fragments, a nefarious Grand Master, a sacred relic, and French politics--may leave some young American readers scratching their heads.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger

(3) YA Illustrated by Gris Grimly. With spindly lines; whimsical, off-kilter perspective; and a playful balance of dark and light, Grimly's ink drawings and watercolor plates give a comic gothic vibe to Doyle's unabridged tale of murder, Mormons, and revenge. Sherlock Holmes, in Grimly's art, is long, lean, and angular while Watson is his portly foil. It's a brilliant, if non-canonical, visual study in contrasts.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger

(3) YA Sherlock Holmes: The Legend Begins series. The riveting series continues with teenage Sherlock Holmes, abducted in the previous installment, now headed to China. In Shanghai, he is thrust into solving deadly puzzles with international implications, including inexplicable poisonous snake bites on different victims, hidden messages, and a plot to detonate an American warship. A gripping and gratifying fifth volume for fans of the iconic sleuth.

Reviewer: Grace Enriquez

(3) YA Sherlock Holmes: The Legend Begins series. Upon docking in Ireland after high-seas adventures, adolescent Sherlock Holmes's brother, Mycroft, persuades him to journey to a coastal castle to investigate the veracity of a spiritualist's "gift." Soon, Sherlock is also unraveling secrets of the castle servants' fears, rumors of a menacing "Dark Beast," and, of course, murder. A gratifying sixth volume for fans of the iconic sleuth.

Reviewer: Grace Enriquez

(3) YA Sherlock Holmes and a female Moriarty are reimagined as modern teenagers in friendly competition to solve local homicides. Despite their contest, Mori and Lock fall for each other. When Mori's investigation connects her recently deceased mother to murders, her withdrawal from Lock puts both teens in danger. A fast-paced mystery with intriguing characters--whose legendary enmity still seems possible--makes this an enjoyable read.

Reviewer: Grace Enriquez

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Iacopo Bruno. A dead body washed ashore would pique anyone's curiosity, especially that of future famous detective Sherlock Holmes and his new friends. Narrated by a twelve-year old Irene Adler ("the first and only girlfriend of Sherlock Holmes"), a seaside romp ensues with the deductive reasoning expected by Sherlock fans. Adler's voice works nicely as a conceit, but plot runs a bit thin.

Reviewer: Andrea Curtis