This book was extremely interesting as a fan of Sherlock Holmes. At times I did feel like some point got quite repetitive or unnecessary, but in general it is an interesting insight into the live and times of Sherlock.

"The Life and Times of Sherlock Holmes" is a collection of 24 short essays on the historical context of things mentioned in Sherlock Holmes stories. Each essay was inspired by a comment or incident in a Sherlock Holmes story, and we're told where the essay topic is mentioned. We're given a brief history or background information on the topic. The footnotes show that most of the information was found online, so you could look up much of this information for yourself if so motivated. Overall, this is an interesting and informative read.

Topics covered include types of hats, the binomial theorem, astronomy, plumber's smoke rockets and indoor plumbing, Ku Klux Klan, makeup, whaling industry, insurance policies, Bohemia, lunatic asylums, Russia, spices, hormone therapy (specifically with testosterone), suicide, crowns, spies, wax figures, Australia, counterfeiting, newspapers, domestic violence, Vaseline, blackmail, automata. Also included is an essay reprinted from 2028 on the character Sarah Cushing.

This was a fast, fun exploration of various people, events, items and more related to the great detective. I found the discussions of wax figures and automata delightful, and the information on domestic abuse and how Holmes handled it insightful. There's even information on Poe’s inspiration for his detective.

The author sites a wealth of primary and secondary sources and thoughtfully includes the URLs for two videos on automatons. I particularly enjoyed the detailed historical context for features common to multiple stories, such as Russians, Australians, WWI, and counterfeiters. All of the material on crimes and the law was helpful.

Rounded up to 4 stars for the pleasure of new discoveries about the world of Sherlock Holmes.

Highly recommended for fans of Sherlock Holmes.

Thank you to Books Go Social and the author for the eARC via NetGalley for consideration. These opinions are solely my own.

The Life and Times of Sherlock Holmes, Volume 5 by Liese Sherwood-Fabre is a collection of vignettes explaining things in Sherlock Holmes Victorian life. No need to read it all at once as most are only 4-5 pages long. If you care to know about the Victorian sewer system or plumbing, origin of the Klu Klux Klan and burning of crosses, or indeed, some Holmes, himself, this is the tome for you. Filled with interesting tidbits and a good story or two. I recommend it to Holmes fans or collectors of trivia.

I was invited to read The Life and Times of Sherlock Holmes, Volume 5 by BooksGoSocial. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #BooksGoSocial #LieseSherwoodFabre #TheLifeAndTimesOfSherlockHolmes

I have always been someone who wondered what my life would be like if I had lived in a different time period. It's just fascinating to me to think about what I'd be like as a person if I lived under completely different laws, customs, social etiquettes, lack of technology, medicine, etc. So while this book touches on Sherlock Holmes, I enjoyed it for other reasons. I loved reading about the culture at the time, what was allowed, what people believed in this time period, what their lives were like. The book did this wonderfully!

This book is a delicious little snack to be dipped in and out of. The author must have a grasshopper mind as she seizes up a small detail contained within a Sherlockian work and expands upon it.
Some of the treasures covered are the origin of the term ‘blackmail’, and where our word for ‘curry’ comes from. There is fascinating explanation of how insurance ‘underwriting’ came to so known, and an introduction to the evolution of the tabloid press.
If historical trivia based on fascinating facts is your thing, then look no further – especially if you are a fan of the life, times, and adventures of Sherlock Holmes.

Liese Sherwood-Fabre does it again in this essay series, it had that feel that I was looking for and enjoyed getting back to this series. I enjoyed this as a Sherlock Holmes fan and glad it continued.

These are fun, fascinating, bite-sized pieces to learn more about the background of the Sherlock Holmes stories. Before reading, please note that the essays do contain spoilers for Sherlock stories. There is no particular organization to the chapters, so they can be read in any order; each essay retains its focus on a historical topic and its relation to a particular Sherlock story (or multiple stories). My only complaint is that some of the citations at the end of each chapter are incomplete. Fans of Sherlock Holmes and history buffs will enjoy this short collection, the fifth in a series. I give it 4.5 stars rounded up to 5!

Thank you to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for the free eARC. I post this review with my honest opinions.

A thoroughly enjoyable companion piece for any fan of Sherlock Holmes. The highlight is the analysis of the story of the three sisters, but the whole book is fascinating and provides interesting insights to supplement the reader’s understanding of the life and times of Sherlock Holmes. Added to his, comprehensive and relevant references offer the opportunity to explore still further.