h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

In my opinion the main reason Sherlock Holmes continues to delight gerneration after generation is becuase he was the first of his kind, in many ways extremely forward thinking and unbelievably intelligent compared to everyone he met (save his Brother) but also a typicial Victorian very patriotic and extremely right wing. Not only that but Sherlock Holmes offers a valuable insight into the minds of the people who lived through one of the most significant times in British history.

I think it's really helped by the fact that so many great actors have he helped to make the book more 'accesible'-that and the fact that although the stories may twist and turn, they still come back to fact-they don't just spring the solution on people without explanation.