When I was little, my father used to read us Sherlock Holmes stories before we went to sleep. While my brother took the opportunity to doze off in his corner of the bed, the rest of us would listen intently to my father. I remember the large leather sofa he would sit on, holding the book with one arm as the dancing flames from the fireplace reflected on his black-framed glasses. I also recall the rise and fall of his voice as the suspense built past its breaking point. Finally, the long-awaited logical solution would arrive, and I would nod my head—just like Dr. Watson—and think, 'Of course, what he's saying now is so simple.' I also remember the smell of the pipe my father occasionally smoked, a mix of earthy and fruity scents that seeped into the leather sofa. Naturally, his pipe was always slightly bent, just like Holmes's. I also remember the way my father would close the book after reading, its thick pages sticking together between its crimson covers as he would say, 'That's enough for tonight.' Regardless of how much we pleaded or the sad looks on our faces, we would eventually give in and go up to our beds upstairs.

• Publisher: Dar Kalimat for Publishing and Distribution
• Author: Doaa Alian
• ISBN: 9789996692871
• Number of Pages: 359
• Year of Publication: 2016
• Cover Type: Paperback