Between Family, Sherlock Holmes and the Three Winter Terrors, and The Beast in View

 

Last year, Ashley reminded me of the Between series that I'd started a couple of years ago but missed the next books as they were published.  I didn't even realize I'd read the first book until I started reading it!  (Do you ever do that?  Forget the title and then read the first paragraph and realize you've read the book?)  

Anyway, thanks to Ashley, I re-read the first book (and enjoyed it again) and zoomed through until I was caught up to book 7.  Waited for book 8.  Then waited for book 9!  

The Between books are ridiculous and fun!  I like urban fantasy and love the characters and the absurdity of the Between books--each one is outlandish, suspenseful, comical, and addictive to those who love urban fantasy.  

Between Family (#9) continues the suspense and the Heirling Trials begin.  Morgana is forced into a decision that ultimately, I don't think she regrets as it is a matter of survival, not only for her, but for her friends. Pet's "emotional support" Korean vampire is still locked out of the house.  The house is, of course, sentient.  Is Pet an heirling or not?  And there is Athelas.  

I was thinking throughout that this was the final book and was preparing myself for the conclusion--but no, there is one more!  While I hate for the series to conclude because it has been so much fun, I can't wait for #10.

If you are interested in this series, start with the first book.  Between Jobs will set you on the journey, introduce the main characters and the mystery, and make you laugh and wonder.  

Read in Oct.  Kindle Unlimited.  Paranormal/Urban Fantasy.  Print length:  213 pages.

The Three Winter Terrors are three entertaining linked stories.  

From Description:

1889. The First Terror.
At a boys’ prep school in the Kent marshes, a pupil is found drowned in a pond. Could this be the fulfillment of a witch’s curse from four hundred years earlier?

1890. The Second Terror.
A wealthy man dies of a heart attack at his London townhouse. Was he really frightened to death by ghosts?

1894. The Third Terror.
A body is discovered at a Surrey country manor, hideously ravaged. Is the culprit a cannibal, as the evidence suggests?

I rarely miss a Sherlock Holmes pastiche and enjoyed this one.

Read in Oct.  

NetGalley/Titan Books.  Sherlock Holmes.  Oct. 12, 2021.  Print length: 320 pages

Helen Clarvoe, a thirty-year-old woman, lives in a second-rate hotel despite having inherited her father's money and investments.  Estranged from her mother and brother, Helen has few acquaintances and lives a quiet reclusive life. When she receives a phone call that claims to predict her unpleasant future, she is unnerved and frightened.

She contacts Paul Blackshear, her father's investment counselor for help.  Although he agrees to help despite his reluctance, Blackshear becomes quite involved in his investigation as the situation becomes curiouser.  

Beast in View, published in 1955, has the feel of the time period in setting and characters.  It won the Edgar for best mystery of the year in 1956, beating out The Talented Mr. Ripley, and is also named one of the Top One Hundred Mystery Novels of All Time by the Mystery Writers of America.  

The writing feels dated to the 1950's in culture and style.  A suspenseful, psychological novel, Beast in View connects to something I would mention, but it would definitely give the plot away.  

Margaret Millar's husband Kenneth Millar wrote under the pseudonym Ross MacDonald, and the couple are considered among the best of their generation's mystery writers.

I can't say I loved Beast in View as the style and setting are not my favorites, but the psychological aspect is impressive, especially for the 1950's.   Millar kept the twist away for most of the book.  I may look for another of Millar's books to see if they grow on me, this has certainly happened before.  

Soho Syndicate

Psychological Suspense.  1955, 2015.  Print length:  186 pages.

The Adventure of the Peculiar Protocols by Nicholas Meyer and The Fixer: The Naked Man by Jill Amy Rosenblatt

Fake news is nothing new, and Nicholas Meyer uses a genuine 1905 case that illustrates the appalling consequences of a plagiarized document that is published as genuine.  

I read Meyer's The Seven Per Cent Solution years ago, and I still tend to choose books linked to Sherlock Holmes.  As in this case, many of these books have the premise of rediscovered writings by Dr. Watson.

Although based on true events, there are some unnecessary liberties taken pertaining to real people that bothered me.  The descriptions of Holmes differ as well.

I wish I'd liked it better.

Read in May.  Blog review scheduled for Oct. 1.

NetGalley/St. Martin's Press/Minotaur
Sherlock Holmes/Historical Fiction.  Oct. 15, 2019.  Print length:  246 pages

A novella introducing Katerina Mills, college student, who has worked for a lawyer and is now doing temp jobs to help with her expenses.  Katerina gets a call from one of her ex-boss's clients and finds herself in a room with a naked man pacing erratically, an unconscious woman in his bed, and a termagant wife due to arrive shortly.

Katerina's successful extraction of the woman, sending her home to her husband before either spouse becomes aware of the affair, leads to an offer she finds hard to refuse:  fixing problems for the rich and powerful.  Kat needs the money and reluctantly accepts the offer.

I like the premise, but there were a number of things that I found less appealing.  The next book, which is full length, is on my list.  I'll make up my mind about the series after reading the next entry. :)

NetGalley
Suspense.  2015.  Print length:  349 pages.

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I've been busy with Halloween projects.  I seem to have paint or glue on my hands all the time now because my favorite decorations are for fall and/or Halloween.  :)

The bottles have been fun.

I love playing with tiny skeletons--this one went in a cone.

Interesting Bookish Articles

The Best Recent Crime Novels--review roundup  The only one I've read is The Stranger Diaries by Elly Griffiths, which kept me uncertain the entire time.  I didn't  know whodunnit until the end.  Suspense and great literary allusions and an eerie Gothic vibe throughout.  

9 Ways of Looking at Sherlock.    Beyond helping us feel better about our own status as outsiders, Sherlock is also a figure that brings the whole mystery community together. Conan Doyle’s work has been appreciated by generations of crime and mystery fans, in a variety of ways specific to those generations and universal to fans through time. We decided, as the year draws to a close, to gather a variety of these interpretations of Sherlock together, to showcase the vast breadth of Sherlockian fandom. 

As a fan of any good Sherlock pastiche and of several of the authors of the various essays, I'm all over these.    :)

 Adding to the Espionage Canon.  Recommended fiction and nonfiction for the espionage genre.  I read and enjoyed Leo Marks' Between Silk and Cyanide:  A Codemaker's War, 1941-1945  several years ago and recently saw a reference to Marks in a biography of the SOE agent Odette Sansom.  Leo Marks' father owned 84 Charing Cross Road, the bookshop made famous by Helene Hanff.  

A Scandal in Battersea by Mercedes Lackey

I read the first in Mercedes Lackey's Elemental Masters series over ten years ago, and at the time, I intended to read more.  The only other one I've read is The Wizard of London, but I enjoyed both books and don't know why I never followed through with the entire series.

I didn't even realize A Scandal in Battersea was part of the Elemental Masters series, but as soon as I started reading, the familiarity of certain elements was evident.  

There are wizards, psychics, mediums, hobs, and spirits, and a school for young children with magical abilities.    Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson and his wife Mary also play important roles, along with Lord Alderscroft, Master of the White Lodge.

The previous books in the series take a fairy tale as a starting point, but the association is very loose and transferred to the Victorian era.  A Scandal in Battersea makes a slight departure into a folklore figure. 

A vague and powerful evil begins inserting itself into the world, but as young women begin disappearing, the threat increases and London itself could be utterly devastated.  Psychic Nan Killian and Medium Sarah Lyon-White are enlisted by Dr. Watson and Mary to examine a young woman who had herself committed to an asylum for disturbing visions of murders.  Her latest vision is of London in ruins.  The initial question is whether the visions are delusions or evidence of clairvoyant abilities.

Whatever this ancient evil is "..it will take the combined forces of Magic, Psychic Powers, and the worlds greatest detective to stop the darkness before it can conquer all."

It would be an advantage to have read more of the books in this series.  Although the books I read years ago let me recognize a few things, I would like to know more of the background of characters like Nan and Sarah and about some of their previous adventures.  

NetGalley/Berkley Publishing

Fantasy/Supernatural.  Oct. 17, 2017.  Print length:  320 pages.

The Lady Sherlock Series by Sherry Thomas

I love a good Sherlock Holmes pastiche, and I don't know how many I've read.  Some are very good, some are serious, some are amusing, (and some are pretty bad), but all present different views of Homes and Watson.  

I read the Lady Sherlock series out of order because I received the second in the series (A Conspiracy in Belgravia)  from NetGalley,  and read it first.  Initially, I was not sure I'd like it.  Some books in a series work great as stand-alones, but this one was one of those that left me confused at the beginning because there was obviously so much important background that I didn't know about.  In any case, as I continued to read, I became absorbed in the plot and developed a fondness for the characters.

When I finished A Conspiracy in Belgravia, I immediately ordered A Study in Scarlet Women, the first book.  I needed that background!  The reviews are in chronological order, not the order in which I read them.

Book 1

A Study in Scarlett Women.  Charlotte Holmes is brilliant.  She is also a fallen woman.  Deliberately so--although things did not turn out as she planned.  

When her father reneged on his promise to pay for her education, Charlotte decides that losing her reputation would put her out of the marriage market and carefully chooses a man to aid her in her quest.  Her plan to keep this quiet and use it to pressure her parents goes awry, the scandal is public knowledge immediately.  Oops.

Charlotte is intelligent, observant, and logical.  However, her life has been limited to the safe and secure strictures of society, and she is unprepared for the difficulties she is about to face as a social pariah with no practical skills.

There are a number of things that bothered me about both books, but for some reason the characters kept me absorbed.  Charlotte is never the typical heroine (she seems to fall somewhere on the Asperger's scale).  Mrs. Watson charmed me.  The two form the consulting detective business and solve some murders.  And I had fun.  :)

Purchased.  

Historical Mystery/Sherlock Holmes.  2016.  Print version:  323 pages.

Book 2

Sherlock Holmes, Consulting Detective (or Charlotte Holmes and Mrs. Watson) is in demand for all manner of mysteries from  mundane household puzzles to murder.  

One of the main problems with A Conspiracy in Belgravia is that it begins as if you had just finished a previous chapter.   It took me a while to decide whether I wanted to keep reading because so much seemed missing.

Fortunately, I did and enjoyed the adventures of this female Holmes and Watson (and other assorted characters) so much that I ordered and read the first one the same day. Yea for Kindles and ebooks and immediate gratification.

Moriarty has been mentioned, but has not yet appeared. Nevertheless, the Criminal Mastermind's sinister influence lurks in the shadows.

Read in June; blog post scheduled for Aug. 17

NetGalley/Berkley Pub.

Historical Mystery/Sherlock Holmes.  Sept. 5, 2017.  Print length:  336 pages.

Two Mysteries

Sherlock Holmes and the Tangled Skein by David Stuart Davies is another Sherlock pastiche.  Some of these are great; some not so much.  This one falls somewhere in between. 

I simply couldn't resist the Dracula element.  Holmes vs Dracula drew me in, and Davies does a decent job with it.

A quick and enjoyable read, but not my favorite in the realm of Holmes and Watson.  

NetGalley/Endeavor Press

Mystery/Supernatural.  2007; 2016.  Print length:  192 pages.

Prime Evil by Maynard Sims is the second in a series featuring DCI Jack Callum and set in the 1950's, although I haven't read the first one.  Jack Callum is a likable protagonist, a devoted husband and father, and an honest and dedicated policeman.

Perhaps most interesting (aside from the murder mystery) is the insight into the 1950's: the advent of television, the treatment of women (who stepped up during the war years and who are once again relegated to subordinate roles), the changes in families and in traditions.  In a world that cannot imagine being without modern technology, cell phones, internet, and global television opportunities, the post-war years would be difficult to imagine.

Jack Callum resists some of the changes and approves others.  

Maynard Sims is the name adopted by Len Maynard and Mick Sims.  They met when they were eleven and later established a writing career together.  The two men cover a wide variety of genres:  crime fiction, thrillers, supernatural crime (Department 18 series), supernatural novels, and erotic romance (under a pseudonym)!  The Department 18 series might be good for the RIP Challenge.

NetGalley/Joffrey Books

Crime/Police Procedural.  March 2016.  Print length:  232 pages.

Mrs. Hudson and the Spirits' Curse by Martin Davies

Mrs. Hudson and the Spirits' Curse was originally published in 2002.  If  "Mrs. Hudson" doesn't immediately bring to mind Sherlock Holmes' landlady, the clever cover makes the association clear.  

What I liked:  Mrs. Hudson and Flotsam are vividly presented and likable; the inclusion of characters with which I was familiar and new, interesting characters; and plenty of tongue-in-cheek remarks discreetly poking fun at both the canonical Holmes and at itself as a pastiche.

Mrs. Hudson, in this version, is much more than the retiring housekeeper of the canon.  She has a past.  No, no, not that kind of past.  Mrs. Hudson has a reputation for having solved a number of crimes and tricksy situations for past employers who owe her a debt of gratitude.  Her effective methods and contacts  saved the lives and reputations of some powerful individuals who stand ready to give aid when needed.

Her observations are as skillful as those of Holmes, but her areas of expertise differ.  

"Look at it like this, sir."  Mrs. Hudson was now engaged in rooting out and discarding an extravagant selection of unrelated comestibles.  "When we have discarded the inedible, what remains, however unlikely, will have to be dinner." 

Mrs. Hudson's knowledge of how kitchens and households run is far superior to that of Holmes, and her ability to see past the obvious and to separate the wheat from the chaff in the most common sense manner make her a formidable opponent to wrong-doers.

"Very simple, Mr. Holmes," returned Mrs. Hudson steadily.  "One should never overlook the alimentary."

When the orphaned Flotsam is fortunate enough to come within Mrs. Hudson's sphere of influence, she finds safety, mentoring, and an unusual education in social norms, practicalities, and divergent thinking.  

Holmes is eccentric and arrogant, but gentler and more flexible in this version.  He becomes the foil to Mrs. Hudson's astute, but modest personality.  As much as I love Mrs. H. and Flotsam, I was a little uncomfortable with the roles of Holmes and Watson.  I did not mind Holmes being more human, but--he was wrong about several things.  His detailed and accurate observations often led to incorrect conclusions.  

That is my only real quibble with the novel because I loved Mrs. H., Flotsam, the other characters, and the entire entertaining adventure.

One character who interested me was A.J. Raffles, who played a minor role.  I Googled him and discovered that he was a fictional character created by E.W. Hornung, Doyle's brother-in-law (he married Doyle's sister).  "According to the Strand Magazine, these stories made Raffles "the second most popular fictional character of the time," behind Sherlock Holmes.^[1]"

The next installment of this series is Mrs. Hudson and the Malabar Rose.  It is now on my wish list.

NetGalley/Canelo

Mystery/Holmes Pastiche.  2002/2015.  Print version: 235 pages. 

Moriarty by Anthony Horowitz

Moriarty

I love Sherlock Holmes pastiches and have read many, including Horowitz's The House of Silk.    While many loved House, it was kind of meh for me.   It involved me enough to want to finish, and yet didn't spark any real concern for the characters or deep interest in the plot.  

In Horowitz's most recent novel, he asks the question: What if Moriarty had survived the Reichenbach Falls?  After all, Sherlock Holmes did.  In Horowitz's version, the story is narrated by Frederick Chase, an American Pinkerton agent. Chase arrives at the Falls and meets Athelney Jones, the Scotland Yard Inspector.  Chase informs Jones that he believes an American crime boss had arranged to meet Moriarty and combine their resources.  (And Devereux, the American, is supposed to be even more evil than Moriarty.)

Jones and Chase pursue this possibility, working together to find Devereux.  Plenty of people die some gruesome deaths as the evil Devereux attempts his takeover of Moriarty's criminal machine.

Athelney Jones, who in the original stories by Doyle is a bit of a bumbler, has a different character in Horowitz's version.  He is upright and sincere and his been working diligently to improve his skills by studying Holmes' methods.

Why didn't this appeal to me?  Well, some of the plot did,  yet something was lacking, something kept me from becoming completely immersed in the novel.  The choppy style?  The sense of being deliberately misdirected?  The twist that was not altogether unexpected and felt too manipulative?

Some other Holmes' pastiches that I've liked better:

The Revenge of Moriarty and The Return of Moriarty by John Gardner -- Gardner is one of the best at this kind of thing.  I need to read more of his work on Holmes.

Death on a Pale Horse by Donald Thomas -- Captain Moran is the villain with Holmes and Watson in pursuit.

The Revenant of Thraxton Hall:  The Paranormal Casebooks of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle by Vaughn Entwhistle -- not too serious, but fun!

Library Copy.

Mystery/Sherlock Holmes.  2014.  304 pages.

The Revenant of Thraxton Hall: The Paranormal Casebooks of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle by Vaughn Entwistle

The Revenant of Thraxton Hall is another Sherlock Holmes derivative, but instead of focusing on Sherlock himself, Entwistle features Arthur Conan Doyle and Oscar Wilde as his protagonists and paranormal investigators.  Hard to resist!

Of course, I enjoyed The Revenant of Thraxton Hall and can add it to a long list of take-offs on Sherlock Holmes --with the added amusement of Oscar Wilde and his one-liners.  

Both of these men were, in real life, fascinating characters with a wide circle of friends that were also something of literary oddballs.  

When Doyle killed Holmes in The Final Problem, his reading public was outraged and circulation of The Strand where his stories were serialized fell drastically.  Whether or not Doyle was tired of Sherlock Holmes, whether or not the stories are great literature, really does not matter.  Holmes seized the public's interest then and now.

The story takes place shortly after The Final Problem was published, and his reading public is justifiably (or not) very angry.  Hope Thraxton, an attractive young medium, foresees her own murder and asks Conan Doyle for help.  At first, he turns her down, but his curiosity won't allow him to forget her request.  Eventually, he and Wilde agree to attend a meeting of The Society for Psychical Research in the remote manor house of the medium.

I could nitpick, there are plenty of areas for a little nitpicking, but the truth is that I was and am perfectly willing to let them go because I enjoyed the book.  Oscar Wilde is my favorite character, and it would be difficult to exaggerate the man, his eccentricities, or his wit.

Speaking of intriguing oddballs, I love this biographical information on Vaughn Entwistle.  I'm certainly looking forward to more from the Paranormal Casebooks!

Read in Dec., 2013

NetGalley/St. Martin's Press

Historical Mystery/Paranormal.  March 25, 2014.  Print version:  336 pages.

A Study in Ashes by Emma Jane Holloway

I thought this was going to be a trilogy, but A Study in Ashes leaves the door open for more.  I suspect the focus will be different, perhaps on the repercussions concerning Tobias Roth and Alice.

A Study in Silk introduced Evelina Cooper, niece of Sherlock Holmes and practitioner of magic.  Reviewed here.

A Study in Darkness is certainly a darker book and continues the adventures of Evelina, Nick, Imogen, and Tobias.  Reviewed here.

A Study in Ashes finally resolves The Baskerville Affair.

What I liked:  the interesting take on Holmes' The Hound of the Baskervilles; the school teacher's character development; the introduction of the sinister Moriarty.

On the other hand, I had some serious reservations with this last book.

As this series continued, it did get darker and more sinister, but the darkness was not necessarily an improvement as it was too unremitting--too much about the evil characters and not enough about the good ones.  The light touch in A Study in Silk was a pleasure that worked with the good vs evil theme and shouldn't have been abandoned so completely.  

--The Magnus arc was unnecessary and so rushed that it served more as distraction than resolution within the major story line.

--The steampunk elements overcame the narrative in the very lengthy section about the war. 

--In my opinion, the Imogen plot shouldn't have happened.  She deserved a larger role based on the first novel, but not this role.

The end was followed by another section that felt like the end...and so on.

I really enjoyed the first book, but felt let down by this one.

NetGalley/Random House/Del Rey Spectra

Steampunk/Paranormal.  Dec. 31, 2013.  Print version:  352 pages.

A Study in Darkness by Emma Jane Holloway

A Study in Darkness:  
Book Two in the Baskerville Affair

I thoroughly enjoyed A Study in Silks by Holloway and was pleased to have the opportunity to read more about Evelina Cooper, niece of Sherlock and Mycroft Holmes and her adventures.  

I enjoyed this one as well, but in my review of Silks, I mentioned I'd like more of Imogene and Bucky, secondary characters who added greatly to the first novel.  Unfortunately, there was much less of these two characters in Darkness.  

The title is appropriate; there is less humor in this second installment.  The focus is more exclusive on Emma and on Nick.  Emma is caught in a compromising situation that leads to forced compliance to the steam baron known as the Gold King and leading her to an area of London full of crime and poverty. 

Nick has taken to air piracy, with some sympathy for the rebel contingent.  Tobias is unhappily engaged to the Gold King's daughter.  Both men are still in love with Emma.  Magnus and his automatons have a place in one of several conspiracies.  Sherlock and Mycroft have plans of their own.

This second version loses some of its appeal with a more serious tone, but is still a fun steam-punk mystery/thriller.

NetGalley/Random House, Del Rey Spectra

Steampunk/Mystery.  Oct. 29, 2013.  Print version:  544 pages.

A Study in Silks by Emma Jane Holloway

A Study in Silks   

  A fun combination of steampunk and murder mystery.  Evelina Cooper is the niece of Sherlock Holmes, and she possesses a talent that could mean her death-- she can animate mechanical objects.  Victorian England, in this alternate history, is ruled by Steam Barons who are influential, callous, and greedy and whose goal is to consolidate their already immense power by any means necessary.  Magic is a threat to their control, and "witches" are condemned to death.

When a housemaid is murdered, Evelina notes a magical signature and finds herself wanting to solve the murder and protect Imogene, her best friend.

Some sections are a little slow, but overall the book reads quickly.  Sherlock Holmes plays a relatively small role, but his influence on methods of detection helps guide Evelina's  investigation.

A little romance--Evelina is courted by two suitors, both handsome, but with completely different backgrounds.  Strangely, the secondary romance of Imogene and Bucky is much more entertaining.  These two secondary characters, turned out to be my favorites for several reasons.

A Study in Silks is the author's debut novel, and while she does wrap up the mystery of the housemaid's murder in the conclusion, she also leaves room for more in this series.

A light and entertaining read.

NetGalley/Random House, Del Ray Spectra.

Mystery/Historical Fiction.  Sept. 24, 2013.  Print Version:  560 pages. ISBN-10: 0345537181

The Dark Water by David Pirie

The Dark Water:  The Strange Beginnings of Sherlock Holmes  is Pirie's third novel in his series featuring A.C. Doyle and Dr. Joseph Bell, Doyles' inspiration for Sherlock Holmes.  Originally published in 2006, the novel is being republished this month.

Dr. Bell and Doyle (Holmes and Watson) have a complex relationship, and Pirie uses fact and fiction as he describes the cases the duo pursue.

The villain in this piece is Dr. Thomas Neill Cream, the real-life murderer known as the Lambeth Poisoner and also a nominee for the role of Jack the Ripper (although that doesn't seem to be a real possibility).

The real Thomas Neill Cream did qualify as a surgeon in Edinburgh, and Pirie uses his presence there to connect him to both Dr. Bell and Doyle in a previous novel.  Using factual information along with artistic license, Pirie uses Cream's return from the U.S. (where Cream did, indeed, commit several murders) to take revenge on Doyle and gain funds to continue his dissolute and murderous lifestyle.

                                                             
The narrative spends too much time with Doyle, too little time with Dr. Bell.  If Dr. Bell is the Holmes figure, he really deserves more attention.  Some gruesome scenes that don't even match the m.o. of the real Dr. Cream seem included for effect, and the plot is held together by effort rather than logic.

Fine for a little escapism, but not the best of Sherlockian novels.  One of my favorites of the Holmes pastiche novels is by John Gardner, The Revenge of Moriarty, a recent Net Galley read.  On a totally different level, but quite fun, are Laurie R. King's novels featuring Holmes and Mary Russell.

From Net Galley/Open Road Int. Media/Pegasus Classics.

Mystery.  May 7, 2013. (orig. publ. 2006).  Print version:  320 pages.
ISBN-10: 1933648112

Death on a Pale Horse by Donald Thomas

Death on a Pale Horse:  Sherlock Holmes on Her Majesty's Secret Service  will be released on March 6.  Another Sherlock Holmes pastiche, the novel kept me glued to the pages (so to speak, it was an ebook), and I enjoyed it as much as the earlier pastiche by John Gardner featuring Moriarty.

I wasn't aware of Thomas' previous novels about Holmes, but he has also written The Execution of Sherlock Holmes, Sherlock Holmes and the King's Evil, and Sherlock Holmes and the Ghosts of Bly, and more.

Thomas is a prolific writer in both fiction and nonfiction: "His biography of Robert Browning was short-listed for the Whitbread Award and he received The Gregory Award from T. S. Eliot personally for his poetry collection Points of Contact."  from the Amazon page

Holmes and Watson, with Mycroft's aid, are determined to keep the evil
Colonel Moran from creating chaos and war across Europe.  Intent on revenge, Moran has staged a massacre of a British force by Zulu tribesmen,  the murder of the heir to the French throne, forged dispatches to heads of state, and other events geared to cause death and destruction.  Initially, no one knows that one man has engineered these disasters, but Holmes, Watson, and Mycroft set their sights on Moran and pursue him with a vengeance.

From Net Galley and Open Road Media, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and am glad to have discovered another "new to me" author.

Mystery.  2012.   print version 400 pages.  ISBN-10: 1605983942

The Revenge of Moriarty by John Gardner

The Revenge of Moriarty (a republication of Gardner's 1981 novel, back in print after 40 years) this offering from Net Galley was a genuine pleasure.  I love Gardner's Grendel, the Beowulf myth from Grendel's pov, and always used it when I taught Beowulf.

Years ago, I read The Return of Moriarty by Gardner, but it has been so long that all I can remember are Inspector Crow and his wife (aside from Moriarty and Sherlock Holmes).  I will have to seek this one out again as it precedes The Revenge.

If you are a fan of the Sherlock Holmes stories (and/or of all of the succeeding pastiche versions by modern authors), you will find The Revenge of Moriarty a joy.

In this novel, we have Moriarty's version of his relationship with Holmes and of his criminal enterprises.  The villain gains depth as Gardner presents his side of events and his planned revenge, but Gardner never permits Moriarty to become a sympathetic character.

:)   Drawn from Moriarty's coded journals, much of the narrative presents the cunning plans of the arch-nemesis of Sherlock Holmes.  Gardner also includes information gained from descendants of one of Moriarty's henchman and from one of Inspector Crow's descendants.  The tongue-in-cheek introduction by Gardner makes the source of the materials clear.

Altogether a fascinating narrative that makes great use of what Holmes (or Watson) has said about Professor Moriarty, and when the accounts differ, there is an explanation.

Highly  recommended for fans of Sherlock!

Garment of Shadows by Laurie R. King

Garment of Shadows features Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes and is scheduled for release in September.

I'm happy to say that I did, indeed, enjoy Garment of Shadows which takes place right after Pirate King (which did not keep my interest).  In fact, Mary disappears from a Pirate King film location and reappears in Morocco.  She awakens in a strange room with no idea of who she is or how she got there.  Ever-resourceful,  Mary acts on instinct when soldiers arrive at the building and makes good her escape.  Since she doesn't know who she is or how she was injured, she isn't sure where to go to find the answers, but she discovers several interesting talents the she possesses (picking locks, etc.), and she acquires a young ally as she moves through the twisting streets and alleyways of Morocco.

Meanwhile, Holmes, unaware that Mary is missing from the film crew of the Pirate King, is visiting a friend and distant cousin in Morocco and learning about the threats of war, about the Rif revolt, Spain's use of poison gas against the Rif , massacres on both sides, and other internal and political difficulties of the 1920's in Morocco.   The historical facts are especially interesting to me as I didn't know much about the politics of this region, but the facts are seamlessly blended with the fiction.

This was a typical Russell and Holmes--fast-paced, good historical information, tightly plotted, old friends, and interesting new characters.  A fun read and a relief after the disappoint of the previous novel.

If you like this series, look for it in September.

This was from Netgalley, and I read it on my Kindle.

---
Oh, and we've discussed at different times all of the analogues and pastiches of  concerning Holmes and Watson, books, television series, and films, and recently  I discovered a blog by Dr. Watson which is interesting.  This post lists some recent and yet to be released books, audio books,  and some upcoming Sherlock films.

Fiction.  Historical Mystery.  2012.  print version- 288 pages.  Random House.

The Sherlockian by Graham Moore

The Sherlockian, told in alternating chapters, begins with Arthur Conan Doyle's frustration with the character he created in Sherlock Holmes; he wanted to be remembered for more than his detective's fictional adventures and resented the fact that many people believed Holmes to be real.  Killing off Holmes aroused genuine anger among his readers, and as we know, he eventually brought his character back to life.

In the current day chapters, Sherlockian Harold White is inducted into The Baker Street Irregulars, and finds himself trying to solve the murder of one of its members and recover a missing diary of Conan Doyle's.

Moving back and forth, we find Doyle and his friend Bram Stoker pursuing a serial killer in London, and Harold White pursuing a murderer and the diary.  I usually like parallel stories, but there is a skill in moving between alternating chapters that seemed lacking here.  Each little segment left me a bit frustrated.

Truthfully, neither story truly pulled me in.  I liked Bram Stoker's character much more than Doyle's and found Harold White annoying as often as not.      

Initially, I found the book amusing and thought I'd like it a lot.  As I continued reading, however, I found myself bothered by several things (including chapter transitions, or lack thereof).  A good premise, but somehow the novel never lived up to my expectations.

I don't regret reading it, by any means, I just hoped to like it better.   Years ago, I read The 7 Percent Solution which I liked, and I always enjoy Laurie King's Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes series.  Sherlock Holmes continues to intrigue me, whether through Doyle's original stories or the many take-offs.

Other reviews here:  Linus's Blanket, The Written World,  Literary Corner Cafe...

Fiction.  Mystery/Historical Fiction.  2010.  350 pages.

The Baker Street Letters

Robertson, Michael.  The Baker Street Letters.

I've enjoyed a lot of Sherlock Holme's take-offs, so the title interested me.  Reggie Heath, a London solicitor, leases office space at 221B Baker Street only to discover that written into the lease is the obligation to manage and respond (by form letter) to all correspondence addressed to Sherlock Holmes.

Reggie's brother Nigel, in charge of this chore,  comes across some recent letters relating to a letter written 20 years earlier from an eight-year-old girl.  A theft, a murder, and Nigel's unplanned flight to Los Angeles, all lead to Reggie's following his brother to find out what is going on.

This novel is the first in a planned series, but has a way to go before being able to sufficiently capture faithful readers.  An interesting premise, but ... the mystery has several scenes that feel repetitious and is average in characterization and narrative.

Will I try the next one?  Yes, many series take some time to warm up, and I'm hoping that will be the case here.

Fiction.  Mystery.  2009.  277 pages.

The Language of Bees

King, Laurie R. The Language of Bees.

I always enjoy the Mary Russell/ Sherlock Holmes series. After a long period of time away from England, Mary and Holmes return home to a small mystery about the disappearance of a hive of bees. This mystery is followed by a much more pressing one when Holmes' son Damian Adler (ah, yes, remember Irene?) arrives seeking help in locating his missing wife and child.

This is only Mary's second meeting with Damian, a bohemian and talented surrealist painter, and the fact that the first was when he was accused of murder, doesn't ease her mind. His past and his paintings are disturbing, and Mary remains somewhat skeptical about the man Damian has become.

The entire Holmes clan becomes involved in the search for the missing mother and child. Holmes, Mary, and Mycroft each have a niche to fill and each works in different avenues toward the same goal. Things become darker with the realization that a religious cult is involved and that several deaths at ancient monuments seem to be linked.

As usual, an entertaining adventure, although I found the amount of time spent on the plane ride a distraction that slowed down the plot at a point the action should have been moving more quickly. Another quibble is the lack of conclusion. I'm not unhappy to have the prospect of continued characters and/or issues that are not fully resolved, but the conclusion seemed abrupt and a bit of a cliff hanger.

Other reviews: A Striped Armchair and Books & Other Thoughts.

Fiction. Mystery, Historical fiction. 2009. 433 pages.