James P Reynolds

• The Final Solution
• Michael Chabon
• Harper Collins, U.S.A. 2004

This novella came out one year earlier in a slightly different form in the Paris Review. In this story, Sherlock Holmes comes out of retirement to work on one last case.

Reviews were mixed, but reviewers seem to be focused on comparing this book to Chabon’s Pulitzer Prize winning masterpiece The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay — apples and oranges.

At less than 150 pages, this is a compelling one day read, in my opinion. Chabon, after all, is a master at adopting different genres, in this case the detective novel.

This is a true first edition of The Final Solution — a signed, limited, specially-bound edition which I ordered directly from the publisher. It is in fine/fine condition. Normally, having a ‘signed first edition’ sticker, like this book does, would lower the dust jacket condition to near fine. But in the case of this book, all the limited edition copies from the publisher came with these stickers, so the condition remains fine. Often removing stickers like these can damage the jacket, and besides, the stickers lends provenance to the signature.

All that being said, these signed and limited true first editions are inexpensive, running between $40 and $70 today on AbeBooks. Signed later printings or copies with condition issues can be found for as low as $20.