A Classic Mystery

Okay, so the 21st of June was the last day of school, so I'm officially in 8th grade! Yay! And congratulations to all the graduates of 2015, high school or not. (But I digress.) My English teacher assigned summer reading assignments for all of us. Having projects to do over the summer is not really the best thing you want to do, although reading is fun. So, I have to finish a study guide on The Hound of the Baskervilles.

So, some of you readers may be thinking now, "Classics?? They are boooring." However, this Sherlock Holmes book really threw me off guard. It was the best mystery story I've read in a long time. There is a right amount of suspense and spookiness mixed in that keeps your eyes glued to the page.

The original cover published in 1902

The plot is centered around an age-old story/curse that has been passed down along the Baskerville family. I can only tell you so much without spoiling the book! So, I guess you will just have to find out for yourself what happens. Basically, Holmes and his sidekick/ assistant Watson go to Devonshire to investigate the murder of Sir Charles Baskerville. The next in line has already arrived at the estate, only to be threatened with an anonymous note and the theft of one of his boots. 

So basically, I learned that the word "classic" does not necessarily mean a very long, boring book that you are forced to read. Classics can be extremely interesting and fun to read. So next time you see a Sherlock Holmes book, do not walk by it, even if you don't like mysteries! Pick it up and read one chapter. YOU WILL BE HOOKED. If you enjoy reading this short story, you can buy the other stories in big volumes in bookstores such as Barnes and Noble. I've burned my way through the first book and I'm working on the second.

Another post is coming up! You can see that my blogging skills have sort of improved(at least in my opinion).

PS If you enjoyed The Hound of the Baskervilles, I also recommend A Story in Scarlet. It's about a murder mystery, but Sherlock Holmes' deduction skills make the plot line very interesting!

PPS And Oh. My. Goodness. The new TV series Sherlock is sooooo GOOD!!! I recommend them, but some of them may be more on the PG-13 side.