Thank you all so far - now that all you experts tried hard, it seems to me my own research was not that bad, but that at the moment there simply IS no such unread fanfic around.

I'll survive, Two Coffees... isn't that bad, after all  In case of extreme boredom I'll try The Iceman...

Okay I'm going over my history of fics read on my AO3 account so I thought I'd pop a few recs in for you all...

Skeleton Key
Sherlock Holmes is anything but predictable; a fact that John has grown used to over the year they have known each other. However, nothing could prepare him for his reaction to Sherlock's mysterious decision to pierce his tongue. (Eventual John/Sherlock)

Ten Days
Warnings: This one is extremely dark for John - includes rape and torture.
Sherlock Holmes has been dead for forty months, and John is at last beginning to live his life again. But just when he is beginning to believe that he might be happy, his world crashes back down around him.

John is named a missing person. Someone is pointing DI Lestrade in the wrong direction. And as the days pass, his situation only grows more dire. It seems like the disappearance of his best friend is the only thing that can bring Sherlock Holmes back from the dead.

We Go Anywhere But To The Ground
Warnings: Post TRF; Suicidal Ideation; Suicide Attempt
Every second that ticks by is a reminder of the deafening quiet Sherlock has left behind. John feels his soul slip out of his fingertips, inch by inch, with every passing day.

At some point, he stops trying to hold on.

And Stand There At The Edge of My Affection
"You've written love letters," Sherlock asserted.
This one is a cute little one-shot where Sherlock seeks John's advice on how to write a love letter.

The Sign of the Four
A year and a half post-Reichenbach, a damaged Sherlock Holmes returns to Baker Street. But everything's changed, leaving the friendship between Sherlock and John tense and uncertain.

While struggling to adjust, Sherlock, John, and Mary Morstan find themselves on a case involving betrayal, deception, and tests of friendship. But will it make their bonds stronger or tear them apart? And will it matter if Sherlock's demons pull him under first? An incredibly angst-filled adaptation of the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle novel. Essentially designed as a theoretical 'next episode' of the show.

I read this one ages ago but I think I ended up reading it twice. I enjoye it but I couldn't tell ou why now

The Best of TImes
Struggling to cope with life after Reichenbach, John is gravely injured during a vicious, apparently motiveless street attack. Convalescing, on Mycroft’s invitation, at the Holmes family seat, John encounters someone entirely unexpected and uncovers an intriguing seventeen year-old mystery. Things hot up as John finds himself battling to work out the solution before James Moriarty’s legacy catches up with him – and also rekindling a love affair that was never really given the chance to blossom.

This one is a bit of a mind-feck; unanticipated (well, partially anticipated if I'm being honest) twist.

Filthy/Gorgeous
Even if this was legal, even if there was nothing technically wrong with what he was doing he knew that if he were caught, or if he were seen by someone he knew, or if he were found out in any way the shame would never, ever die. What would his regiment say? What would his family say? What would anyone say if they discovered that John was currently in a cab on the way to pick up a male prostitute for the evening?

This one is a WIP; AU; not 100% sure about it yet given the whole WIP-status but it's fairly well written.

Okay - I think that'll do you for now

Never!

If all else fails, do what I do and run a search on AO3 sorted by hits or kudos - that shows you the most popular stories.

I've read most of the first 4-5 pages of results though!

Fortunately you can also sort by other tags - like angst, or fluff, or casefic etc

I'm tempted to start a new thread where people can post what kinds of fics they're looking for so I can go out and find them lol. I'm running out of inspiration on what to search for!

I had plans for this evening! I had work to do!
But then I thought I could just have one look at one of the stories from the new list ...
Now the evening is nearly over and - what were my plans again?

SusiGo wrote:

Harriet wrote:

"And Stand There At The Edge of My Affection"
Cute indeed, thanks for this one

From me, too, I loved this one. 

 
It was so cute.
And it even provides ideas for more stories - I mean, what if he had really asked Mycroft?

He must be extremely desperate to ask Mycroft although it could be fun. The love letter would probably sound like a governmental report on the Korean elections. 

Wholocked wrote:

Here's one I've been meaning to rec for ages - so long in fact I can't remember what it was about it that made me certain I should rec it! Just have to go with it I guess.

The Iceman Cometh
An intriguing puzzle tempts Sherlock to accept Victor Trevor's invitation to the French Riviera, but all is not what it seems. Frustrated by the case and increasingly concerned about an absent John, Sherlock uncovers far more than he was meant to and is forced to become a fugitive, pursued by those on both sides of the law, as he fights for his freedom and the lives of all those around him.

 

 
I have to agree. Just finished this one, its excellent!

I've found a type of fic I quite enjoy when Sherlock's voice is well written - fics where John is trying to keep something from Sherlock and Sherlock is desperate to figure out what it is.

Anyone got any recs? Don't care what the secret is!

That is part 4 of Two Coffees... , a very nice one - in fact, the one I'm reading at the moment.