A fascinating collection of investigative journalism about real-life mysteries, baffling crimes, and eclectic curiosities by the bestselling author of The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon.

Many of the collection's best essays deal with criminal cases. The book's title comes from the piece "Mysterious Circumstances," where Grann investigates the suspicious death of one of the world's leading Sherlock Holmes scholars, while in "True Crime," a Polish police detective attempts to prove the guilt of a writer who included very specific details about a grisly killing in his novel. One of the most successful essays, and the most puzzling, is "The Chameleon," about a French con artist whose signature scam is impersonating teenage boys. However, when he attempts to pass himself off as a missing teen from rural Texas, he soon suspects that he may have conned himself into the wrong family.

Other essays in the collection cover a diverse range of topics: scientists who devote their lives to capturing the giant squid; Sandhogs, the urban miners responsible for New York City's underground infrastructure; the unlikely rise of the mob in Youngstown, Ohio; and the curiously long career of Baseball Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson.

The Devil and Sherlock Holmes is a terrific summer read, perfect for the plane, the beach, or the car (check out the e-audiobook, narrated by acclaimed voice actor Mark Deakins, too). Entirely engrossing with something for everyone - suspense, intrigue, curiosities and wonders.