The Sherlock Holmes Handbook

The Sherlock Holmes Handbook by Ransom Riggs is a decent work. Of course, it’s not going to turn you into the great detective or anything, but it’s good as a quick overview of Sherlockian principles and history. At times it reads like a listicle of the canon, especially in sections where the author lays out steps to faking your own death or something like that. (Most of the advice is only applicable in the Victorian era anyways.) But it gives some good background on Holmes and what the time period he lived in was like (for example, there’s a list of common guns that he would have encountered). And it’s very short, so if you’re looking for a quick overview of Sherlock’s life and times, this would be perfect!