I received an ARC from NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books. All opinions are my own, and I'm voluntarily leaving a review.

Genre: Mystery, Historical Mystery, Suspense
Age: Middle-Grade (7-12 years old)

THE IMPROBABLE TALES OF BASKERVILLE HALL is a prime example of what I love about middle-grade books. There's danger, intrigue, exciting moments, friendship, plain mean kids, and so much fun!

I think kids will love this because it clips along at a fast pace.

Watch out for:

Explosions
Ants
Paintings
Secret Societies
Strangers in the woods
Eggs
CLUES!!!

Arthur Conan Doyle is our main character—he's grown up poor with a father who hasn't been providing for the family because he suffers from depression.
Other characters like Irene are quirky. Pockets is a delight. And I'll just say there are more that tickled me.

Arthur solves crimes in a Sherlockian fashion, clued into details. I love how he uses this ability multiple times.

There are also some illustrations that are amazing! I don't know who the illustrator is yet, but I want to see more books they've worked on. I will update when I learn more. The back of the book includes some photos from the time period!

The ending was a surprise! There's no way a kid will see it coming, but they will LOVE it! There are also Easter eggs for adults who lover Sherlock Holmes. Do yourself a favor and read it before handing it off to the kiddos.

Seriously, this is such a fun mystery but it's more with friendship, loyalty, betrayal, and secrets.

I highly recommend this book!

Happy (sleuthing) reading!

I am a lifelong Sherlock Holmes fan and this book grabbed my attention. This story follows a young Arthur Conan Doyle whose family is part of the not so rich crowd. When a stranger witnesses first hand the talent for deduction that Arthur has he soon receives an unexpected invite, and fully paid, term at the Baskerville Hall. Now he has the chance to learn and to help his family out of poverty. With his friends he has made at the school he sets out to solve a crime and mystery that has put him at the center of attention. When he finally gets to meet the man, Professor Sherlock Holmes, he finds his greatest mentor and sees what his future can hold. This was a great adventure for me. It had all the feel of a Holmes mystery but with the innocence of childhood. I loved the writing and the attention to details. The strong characters make you feel part of the story as you too try to find the truth. I can’t wait to have more adventures with Arthur and his friends.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me review this book. This was a fun read! I loved that the main character is named Arthur Conan Doyle. This book had twists and turns that kept you guessing until the end!

From the very beginning, I appreciated this book. I am a fan of Sherlock Holmes and I loved the idea that the author behind the great detective would be similar. I found the approach of being in the Holmes world but from the perspective a child to be fantastic. It was a fun book with not only mysteries to solve but very real concerns of children-family, friends, and the future. Even though this is taking place in the Victorian era, concerns about family finances and loyalty to friends is still very relevant to children of this generation. The future, is something that I think all people wonder about if not in the same way as the main character. As for the mysteries, while I enjoyed making predictions during the novel I was still surprised by the ending. I absolutely look forward to this being a series!

In all honesty, it did take me a while to finish reading this book. When I was reading it, I was sucked into the story, but when I put it down I didn't feel the urge to pick it right back up again. However, I felt like the book had a good pace, and I still really admire the references to Sherlock Holmes.

** “It is an important thing to remember, as you start your studies here at Baskerville Hall. The mind is more powerful than we know. The only limitations it has are the ones we set on it.” **

Ali Standish delivers a delightful young Sherlock Holmes meets Harry Potter story with “The Improbable Tales of Baskerville Hall,” a tale about a young Arthur Conan Doyle, who in real life eventually pens the Sherlock Holmes stories.

Due to his powers of observation and quick thinking, Doyle is invited to attend the prestigious and secretive Baskerville Hall school. There he meets a quirky gang of new friends who attempt to figure out just what mysterious dealings are going on at the school — break ins, attempted thefts and odd threats.

Using each of their unique skills, can they figure out what’s going on at Baskerville Hall?

Standish does a great job of developing really fun and zany characters, all while creating an equally fun plot filled with mystery, intrigue and unimaginable moments. She also reminds us of the power of friendship; the importance of observation; and to use mind over matter while staying calm and observing the situation to solve the problem.

Readers of all ages and fans of series like Harry Potter and Trenton Lee Stewart’s “Mysterious Benedict Society” will love “The Improbable Tales of Baskerville Hall,” which is due out Sept. 12.

Five stars out of five.

HarperCollins provided this complimentary copy through NetGalley for my honest, unbiased review.

A really interesting premise, and as a Sherlock Holmes fan it was cool to see these new manifestations of the characters with their classic traits. However. the book didn't hold my interest past the first couple of chapters; it felt slow and drawn out. It also felt very much like Harry Potter, with Moriarty as Draco Malfoy? Probably would recommend to patrons interested in Sherlock, or anyone looking for a steampunk vibe.

Thank you to #NetGalley and HarperCollins Children’s Books for allowing me to read a digital ARC of The Improbable Tales of Baskerville Hall by Ali Standish. This middle grade book will be out in September 2023. All opinions are my own.

I really enjoy spins on classics, so I was excited when I read the synopsis for this book. It is a fun and engaging middle grade novel. I love the mysterious school with an eclectic staff and student body. There is also a secret society, a dinosaur egg, and knight. It’s a thrilling adventure with just the right amount of wit. It’s a solid middle grade book and start to a series.

I loved this book!!!! This felt very much like Percy Jackson meets Enola Holmes. Younger readers will fall in love with Baskerville Hall and all the characters who are so fun in their own ways.

A much needed respite.

I’ve always loved YA mysteries and Sherlock is, of course, a favorite so it was with great excitement that I pounced on the opportunity to read The Improbable Tales of Baskerville Hall Book.

Can I just say… Wonderful?!

This was a fun, engaging children’s mystery that will be great to share with readers, and listeners, of all ages. Sort of a mashup of Harry Potter, Artemis Fowl and Percy Jackson with the fun Sherlock vibe. While it is a mystery and there’s a sinister plot afoot it remains a fun light labyrinth.

I can’t wait for more!!

A fun thrilling fictive tale about young Arthur Conan Doyle at a school for the gifted. A perfect read for kids 8-12 years who love adventure, and for any adult who can't get enough of Sherlock Holmes. A must read new series!

"From the critically acclaimed author of Yonder and The Ethan I Was Before, Ali Standish, comes a thrilling middle grade tale featuring hair-raising adventures, new friendships, secret societies, and the mind behind one of the greatest detectives of all time: Sherlock Holmes.

When young Arthur Conan Doyle is offered a spot at Baskerville Hall, a secret school for extraordinarily gifted children, he is elated at being chosen - and being given a chance to turn his family's fortunes around. There, Arthur makes quick friends with Irene Eagle, a girl who boldly strides into action, and Jimmie Moriarty, a boy whose brilliance rivals Arthur's own. Together, they discover that their new school is a peculiar place, home to leaning towers and unexplained explosions, prowling wolves and extinct birds.

Arthur quickly makes enemies, too - deadly foes who wants him expelled...or worse. When Arthur and his friends are invited into a powerful secret society called the Clover, they must pass three challenging tests to be accepted. But along the way, Arthur uncovers a mystery that will lead to grand adventure...and even greater danger."

Yeah, I'm all about Sherlock Holmes pastiches for a younger audience.

I found this book to be an interesting blend of historical fiction, science fiction, and mystery. I think both children and adults will like different elements of this story. For adults, they will be familiar with the many references to Sherlock Holmes and characters, including Doyle, Sherlock, Watson, and Moriarty. For children, they'll love experiencing this time period through the eyes of these characters as children. They'll like the mystery aspect, the early inventions, and how important friendship and loyalty are. I'm excited to read future books in the series and introduce this book to my students this year. Thank you, NetGalley for this advanced digital copy.

I had high hopes for this book, but sadly I did not enjoy it.

The beginning of the book truly set Arthur up as an intelligent and gifted individual. I had hoped that this would carry through into a mystery the likes of Sherlock Holmes. It also was the most exciting part of the book for me.
After that though? The book lost it's appeal.

Instead of an interesting mystery this book turned into a retelling of Harry potter: A boarding school with quirky professors and friends, School houses, and secret society's etc. etc. etc.

I believe the author did a good job writing this,but it just wasn't for me.

I received a free E-ARC from Netgalley and HarperCollins Children's books, HarperCollins for my honest review.

Tales of Baskerville Hall Book 1 by Ali Standish is a great read. Students will love the twits and turns within the plot. Arthur is lovable and loyal through the whole book. I also loved how this book models strong positive friendships, and acceptance of everyone’s excentricités. I think this book is a great introduction to the Sherlock story lines. Hoping to see book 2 sooner rather than later!

i really really enjoyed this book a lot more than i thought i would! it was so fun and enjoyable to read. the author really hit the nail on the head with everything they talked about. it was so fascinating!!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins Children's Books for giving me an advanced copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own!

DNF at 15%. I wanted to like this book. I love a good MG adventure, especially one with a diverse cast of characters. I actually requested it because I'm hoping to write one of my own one day. But I got to chapter 8 and had to let it go. The writing was too fast and melodramatic to me. Even more frustrating is that I like high emotions and melodrama but those moments are just cut too short and we're rushed off to the next thing. I didn't feel like I had a moment to breathe and absorb.


At 15% of the book, I have no idea who Arthur is as a character other than he's observant and he loves his family. I had no real attachments to him or what happened to him. Which is a shame because there's great potential here.


TW: Brief child endangerment.

This book was a fun, quick read for me. I love anything related to Sherlock Holmes, and the way this story begins to weave in Arthur Conan Doyle, Sherlock, Watson, Moriarty, and all of these familiar names and locations is fun and exciting. I think that's what makes this a fun read for both children and adults alike. Kids will enjoy the mystery, the friendship, the suspense, and the way that it hearkens back to some of the same elements as the world of Harry Potter and Hogwarts, with a mysterious residential school, a headmaster who recruits students in unexpected ways, and strange and unexplained things happening all over the place. Adults will enjoy the nods to the original Sherlock Holmes, and if you're anything like me, you will eagerly await additional books in the series to see what happens between Doyle, Moriarty, and the rest of the gang! I love a good mystery and period pieces, and this checks both of those boxes, along with the nostalgia of Sherlock Holmes woven throughout. I also appreciate that we meet these characters as children, seeing how their station in life does not necessarily define their future successes, and how loyalty and friendship are things valued above all else. This book is something that will appeal to a wide audience, and I can't wait for more about these characters!

I love Sherlock Holmes so I had high hopes for this book. Also, I am always on the lookout for a book about a child with special powers going to boarding school! There is a lot in this book that is reminiscent of Harry Potter, but instead of magic we have Victorian steampunk and the power of deduction. We follow Arthur Conan Doyle, as a child, going to a special boarding school, making friends, and going on different adventures. One fun thing is all the Easter eggs in the book, which only a Sherlock fan will get. I’m assuming most kids won’t get the references, so I can only assume they are included for adults. However, I had trouble relating to the characters since they felt sort of stereotyped and I was expecting more mysteries in the plot. I just sort of felt lukewarm about the plot and had to force myself to read it. However, I can imagine children could overlook these weaknesses and enjoy it, and I have a feeling book 2 will be even better now that the foundation has been laid for this series.

I love a good mystery. I love Sherlock Holmes. I love good deductive reasoning. I do not love this book. I like the beginning when we get the set up of Arthur's character as someone with a rare gift of logic, almost like a fortune teller. The woman with the pram scene is a perfect example of this, and it successfully sets the book up as one that's going places.

Unfortunately, it doesn't go places. Arthur is offered admission to a boarding school for kids with exceptional gifts. He accepts, and from then on there's a Harry Potterish fantasy element that is distinctly NOT Sherlock Holmes. Arthur finds his friend group, explores different academic "houses," eats his meals in an impressive dining hall, gets invited to join a secret society, discovers a room hiding a mystery, steals an important object, finds a cave labyrinth beneath the school, goes after a villain, etc. etc. If this doesn't scream Harry Potter, I don't know what does. It's not that Harry Potter knock-offs should be outlawed, it's just that when you're expecting Doyle's classic investigative style to be front and center, and it's not, there's bound to be disappointment.

I'm a sucker for a great YA mystery and this was phenomenal! I highly enjoyed it! It was great having your favorite Sherlock Holmes characters with a twist all at the same boarding school. I would recommend this to young mystery readers everywhere!