THE BLACK COUNTRY

TITLE: THE BLACK COUNTRY

AUTHOR: ALEX GRECIAN

Pages: 416

Date: 15/10/2013

Grade: 4+

Details: no. 2 The Murder Squad

            Received from Penguin

            Through Nudge

Own

The year is 1890 and three people have gone missing from Blackhampton, a miner’s village in the Midlands. Inspector Walter Day and Sergeant Hammersmith from London’s Crime Squad are sent to the remote village to investigate the disappearances and are given only two days to solve the mystery.

Once the two investigators arrive in Blackhampton they find a closed and rather hostile community. The local policeman may have asked for their assistance but even he seems reluctant to share information or offer real assistance.

As Day and Hammersmith start their search for the missing adults and their young son they are amazed that even the child’s siblings seem uncurious about what has happened and are determined not to tell them anything useful.

And while Day and his companion are unaware of it, the missing locals are not the only problem they are facing. There are other dangers out and about. There is the mysterious guest sharing the guesthouse they’re staying in as well as somebody hiding in the woods who seems to have an agenda of his own.

As the spring weather reverts to snow storms, even the village itself seems to conspire against our investigators as it subsides deeper and deeper into the mine shafts underneath it. The odds are stacked against Day and Hammersmith and solving the mysteries may be the least of their problems as staying alive suddenly becomes an issue.

The Black Country is a very appropriate title for this book. Not only does Blackhampton sound like a dark place, it is literally dark due to the mining activity there and the smokestacks that are constantly spewing smoke. But there is more; the locals are hostile, uncooperative, superstitious, and appear to be going out of their way to make the investigation as difficult as possible. In fact, the whole story, including the solution to the various mysteries, is dark. There is some relief to all the darkness in the form of the interactions between Day and Hammersmith, a short visit from Day’s wife and the arrival of Dr. Kingsley and his kind but slow-witted assistant, but the overall tone of this story is as gloomy as the title suggests.

That is not to say this isn’t a good book. This is in fact a very well plotted mystery and a fascinating read. I’m very impressed with the way in which Alex Grecian managed to tie three, apparently completely unrelated, story threads together in what was a gripping finale. I am fascinated with the time in which these books are set. The police force in London has been reformed after the debacle that was the investigation into Jack the Ripper, resulting in the new Murder Squad which Day and Hammersmith are part of. Forensic science is slowly emerging as Dr. Kingsley uses new and unconventional techniques to find answers to some of the questions the investigation gives rise to. Combined with an intriguing story, all these aspects serve to give the reader a book that is almost impossible to put down.

This is a book that will be appreciated by any reader who enjoys a good mystery, a fascinating historical novel, a true page-turner or all of the aforementioned.

DEATH OF THE DEMON

TITLE: DEATH OF THE DEMON

AUTHOR: ANNE HOLT

Pages: 262

Date: 07/09/2013

Grade: 4

Details: no. 3 Hanne Wilhelmsen

           Received from Corvus

           Through Nudge

Own

Olav is a twelve year old boy with issues. He is very overweight - a fact emphasised by the fact that he’s built like a pear - and has had problems interacting with other people almost from the moment he was born. Because his mother was both unequal to the challenge he presented and unsuccessful in finding the assistance they so badly needed, Olav is being placed in an orphanage, under the care of child-services. From the moment Olav arrives, Agnes Vestavik, the orphanage’s director knows he is going to cause trouble. Olav doesn’t seem to be angry about his situation so much as hate it, and anybody associated with it.

When Agnes is found murdered at her desk late one evening, Olav has disappeared from the home without a trace. Hanne Wilhelmsen, recently promoted to superintendent in the Oslo police, is given the case, be it with only minimal manpower. Initially Hanne and her team are completely in the dark. There don’t appear to be any motives for this murder and it seems unlikely that the missing Olav killed the director. No matter how big, strong and angry the boy may be, nobody can quite see him as a twelve year old murderer.

As the investigation continues, motives for this crime seem to be popping up everywhere. It seems that most people connected with Agnes have a reason to lie to the police about their relationship with the woman. As suspects come and go, the chances that the crime will actually be solved seem to be getting smaller by the day. While Hanne Wilhelmsen is known for her almost infallible instincts when it comes to solving crime it seems that this is one case where they may let her down completely.

I love these mysteries. This is the fourth Hanne Wilhelmsen mystery I have read and each and every one of them has been a joy. Anne Holt plots a good mystery and presents it in such a way that the reader gets drawn into the story and the characters more with every page. She also strikes an almost perfect balance between the investigation and the private lives of the recurring characters in her books. With every book in this series we get to know Hanne Wilhelmsen a little bit better and see how she slowly learns to stop panicking about her relationship with Cecilie and her fear that others may find out about it.

It is more than just her private life keeping Hanne on her toes in this book though. Having only just been promoted to the more administrative than investigative position of superintendent, the investigator has a hard time finding the right balance between leading her team and being actively involved in the investigation.

I really liked the premise of this book. The obvious solution to the murder mystery in this story is so horrible that the reader can’t help being relieved when the evidence leads the investigators in different directions. The story strongly reminds me of an Agatha Christie mystery. There is a very limited cast of suspects, none of whom, initially at least, appear to have a clear motive for the murder. I liked the way in which the investigation slowly uncovered the various motives that did exist and the desperate and silly ways in which those close to Agnes tried to hide existing issues between them and the victim. Presented in this way, the investigation keeps the reader on their toes and never sure what to expect next.

Having said all of that, I have to admit that this was probably my least favourite Hanne Wilhelmsen mystery so far. I wasn’t too happy with the almost endless amounts of points of view I was presented with, especially since there were a few that, while interesting, didn’t seem to add a lot to the actual unravelling of the mystery. I also wasn’t entirely happy with the ending of this book, although I can’t say anything else about that without spoiling the story.

Despite those two reservations though, I have to say that it is a delight to read a well plotted mystery with properly developed characters and a story-line that provides more than just murder and mayhem. Anne Holt uses her mysteries to give her readers an insight into people and the society they live in without ever trying to get a certain message or agenda across. Her stories will make you think about more than just “who done it” and for that reason alone I will continue reading this series for as long as there are new titles available.

SHERLOCK HOLMES: THE STUFF OF NIGHTMARES

TITLE: SHERLOCK HOLMES: THE STUFF OF NIGHTMARES

AUTHOR: JAMES LOVEGROVE

Pages: 294

Date: 03/09/2013

Grade: 4

Details: A Sherlock Holmes mystery

            Received from Titan Books

            Through Nudge

Own

When Dr. Watson returns to London by train he finds himself caught up in a bombing at Waterloo station. After giving what attention he can to those injured in the attack he wastes no time in getting to 221B Baker Street and his friend Sherlock Holmes.

This is the third in a series of bombings which hold London and its inhabitants in a scary hold, with theories about the bombers and their reasons getting more hysterical by the day.

But the bombings are not the only strange phenomena in London at the time. A strange creature, about eight feet tall, with enormous strength and a scary arsenal of weapons has taken on London’s underworld. He interrupts misdeeds and incapacitates the villains although he never kills his opponents. Only known by the name Baron Cauchemar, many consider this man a myth, yet Sherlock Holmes is convinced that the Baron may be the key that will lead to unlocking the identity of those behind the bombings. And although both his brother, Mycroft and Dr. Watson have their doubts, he is determined to conduct his investigation along those lines.

What follows is an investigation that will bring our two heroes face to face with pure evil. Confronting mortal danger more than once Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson have not only men’s evil to contend with, but also technological advances beyond their wildest imaginations. With the future of the British Empire at stake, Holmes and Watson have to embrace an unlikely ally if there are going to prevent disaster.

I have to say that I’m greatly enjoying this series of newly written Sherlock Holmes adventures. While the stories in this series are close enough to the originals to keep fans of Arthur Conan Doyle happy, they also provide us with story lines that go beyond what he might have been able to conceive of in his days.

The Stuff of Nightmares is an intriguing, well plotted and fast paced mystery, just as you would expect from a Sherlock Holmes story. What makes this book that little bit more special is the fact that it also contains elements that strongly remind me of Steam-Punk. It was fun to see Watson immediately think of the supernatural whenever he encounters something he doesn’t understand while Holmes, even when he has no better idea what exactly he is dealing with than his partner does, insists that there has to be a logical explanation.

Apart from the steam-punkish elements, this is exactly what you would expect from a Sherlock Holmes story. We are given a dire threat, no obvious clues, quite a bit of misdirection and Holmes talking in riddles, just as he would in one of the traditional stories. We encounter familiar names from the Sherlock Holmes stories: the Baker Street Irregulars, Professor Moriarty, Mycroft Holmes, Inspector Lestrade, they all make an appearance and live up to their established reputation. While Sherlock Holmes purists may well find one or more things to object to in this book, I found great pleasure in the non-traditional elements of this story.

James Lovegrove is an established and successful author of Science Fiction books and his writing experience shines through in this book. The story is smooth, the plot well developed and the mystery intriguing enough to keep the reader guessing until the author, or Sherlock Holmes, is ready to enlighten them. The author’s background is clear though when you read the technological descriptions in this book; the machines and contraptions are described in such detail that it is easy to visualise them.

Overall I would call this a very welcome addition to the Sherlock Holmes stories that we know and love. Filled with danger, action and mystery, this is a book that is hard to put down once started. If Mr. Lovegrove ever decides to write another Sherlock Holmes story I will definitely read it.

HIDDEN

TITLE: HIDDEN

AUTHOR: CASEY HILL

Pages: 424

Date: 28/07/2013

Grade: 4+

Details: No. 3 Reilly Steel

Library

The Blurb:

A Fallen Angel. A Devil on the Loose.

When a young girl is discovered dead on an isolated Irish country road, it seems at first glance to be a simple hit and run. Then the cops see the tattoo on her back - a pair of beautifully wrought angel wings that lend the victim a sense of ethereal innocence. Forensic investigator Reilly Steel is soon on the scene and her highly tuned sixth sense tells her there is more to this case than a straightforward murder.

But with almost zero evidence and no way to trace the girl's origin, Reilly and the police are at a loss. Then the angel tattoo is traced to other children - both dead and alive - who are similarly marked, and Reilly starts to suspect they have all been abducted by the same person. But why? And will Reilly get to the bottom of the mystery and uncover what links these children together before tragedy strikes again?

This is the third book featuring Reilly Steel, our Quantico-trained forensic investigator working in Dublin, and, just like its two prequels, it provides us with a fascinating and bone-chilling mystery, a realistic and fascinating investigation and convincing conclusion. But, while the mystery and the work involved in solving form the main story line, there is more to these books. We get exactly enough story about the characters, their personal lives and the interactions between them to get a real feel for them without it ever taking away from the page-turning force of the story. And it is not just through what we are told about them that we get to know the main characters in these books better; Casey Hill shows us what our characters are really like through scenes that are at times wonderful and inspired. Chris’s time with the young, silent boy, for example, gave the reader a better idea of who he actually is and Reilly Steel the opportunity to see him through different eyes.

As far as the mystery in this book is concerned all I can say is that it was fascinating. I don’t want to give anything away but I do want to mention that the revelations at the end of the book took me completely by surprise. I do love it when an author brings me a credible conclusion I didn’t see coming at all. And boy did I get one (or should I say two) of those in this book.

What I really liked in this book is that the story is more layered than you often see in mysteries and thrillers. During my very first class when I started studying law the professor told us that anybody who was under the delusion that law and justice where synonyms was in for a nasty surprise. To see that sentiment echoed in this book made the story that much more realistic for me. Sometimes doing the right thing leads to outcomes that are far from ideal; that doesn’t mean you stop doing the right thing, as this story shows in an inspired and very thrilling way.

While this book, or the mystery it contains, can easily be read and enjoyed in and of itself, I would encourage anybody to read the first two Reilly Steel titles first. The mystery in this book may be a new one, the development of the characters is a story that continues through the subsequent books. Do yourself a favour and read “Taboo” and “Torn” first (and in that order) before picking up “Hidden”. Trust me; you will thank me for it.

As with the two previous titles, the writing team that is Casey Hill (Melissa Hill and her husband Kevin) has given us a thrilling, well-plotted, fast-paced and intriguing mystery in a well written story peopled by fascinating characters. I can only hope that Reilly Steel and her colleagues will continue their investigations for a long time to come.

TAKEN

TITLE: TAKEN

AUTHOR: ROBERT CRAIS

Pages: 341

Date: 01/07/2013

Grade: 4.5

Details: no. 13 Elvis Cole / no. 4 Joe Pike

Library

The blurb:

“When Nita Morales hires Elvis Cole to find her missing adult daughter, she isn’t afraid, even though she’s gotten a phone call asking for ransom. She knows it’s a fake, that her daughter is off with the guy Nita will only call "that boy," and that they need money: "Even smart girls do stupid things when they think a boy loves them."

But Nita is wrong. The girl and her boyfriend have been taken by bajadores – bandits who prey on other bandits, border professionals who prey not only on innocent victims, but on each other. They steal drugs, guns, and people – buying and selling victims like commodities, and killing the ones they can’t get a price for.

Elvis Cole and Joe Pike find the spot where they were taken. There are tire tracks, bullet casings, and bloodstains. They know things look as bad as possible. But they are wrong, too. It is about to get worse. Going undercover to find the two young people and buy them back, Cole himself is taken, and now it is up to Joe Pike to retrace Cole’s steps, burning through the hard and murderous world of human traffickers to find his friend.

But he may already be too late...”

I love Robert Crais’ books. I’ve read all the Elvis Cole and Joe Pike books so far and can’t get enough of them. These two characters are as wonderful as they are unique. With Elvis - the world's greatest detective - Cole's silly jokes and quirky sense of humour and Joe’s silent and thoughtful efficiency we have two heroes who are as unlike each other as possible yet are the best of friends with a perfect understanding of each other and a loyalty that would make them do anything for each other. Many a married couple would envy this level of commitment.

And this is a tense thriller. Young Krista Morales and Jack Berman find themselves in terrible danger when they are captured by bajadores and discover that in order to stay alive their families will have to pay ransom money for them. They are scared from the moment they are taken and become terrified when they discover what happens to those who don’t have families who can pay.

Elvis Cole’s investigation starts of smoothly enough. There are clues to be followed and people to be investigated. It isn’t long though before he realizes that he is up against something much bigger than he imagined. The two young people are in terrible danger and Cole has no idea exactly where they are being kept. What he does know is that he is dealing with ruthless gangsters. Not only those he’s trying to find are on the wrong side of the law; the same is true for those who want him to succeed.

The plan Elvis and Joe had to find Krista and Jack was good. It wasn’t full-proof though and by the time Joe realizes he has lost Cole he has to start almost from scratch in order to find his friend and partner. With no way of knowing whether or not his friend or the two youngsters are still alive Pike and a colleague have to mount an intricate operation in order to try and liberate the captives. Always provided they will get there on time.

This was another great thriller by Mr. Crais. The plot is believable enough to give you the creeps and keep the tension high. And the writing is as smooth as it always is. Having said that, there were two things I was less happy with. I wasn’t too impressed with the point of view switching between a seemingly endless amount of characters and I also didn’t like the way in which the story went backwards and forwards in time. Overall though these were minor irritations and didn’t stop me from racing through this book, turning the pages at a frantic pace while trying to find out what would happen next. And, with a high on adrenaline finale, this book is everything you would expect from a thriller by Robert Crais.

BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO THIRST

TITLE: BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO THIRST

AUTHOR: ANNE HOLT

Pages: 211

Date: 29/03/2013

Grade: 4.5

Details: no. 2 Hanne Wilhemsen

             Received from Corvus books

             Through Nudge

Own

It is May and Oslo finds itself in the middle of an unseasonal heat-wave when Detective Hanne Wilhelmsen finds herself facing a disturbing scene. The abandoned shed is covered in blood, too much of it to have come from one single victim. But of such a victim there is no sign. All that can be seen are the copious amounts of blood and an eight-digit number painted on the wall with some of the blood. It is a Saturday night. Exactly a week later, Hanne is facing a similar scene. The location may be different but all the other details are exactly the same; too much blood and a – different – eight-digit number on the wall. But without a victim, the police have no idea what exactly they are investigating here.

A week later, again on a Saturday, a young student is violently raped. Although she has seen her attacker and can picture him perfectly in her mind she is unable to provide the police with a clear description of the man. And with cases piling up, and rapes being almost impossible to prove and prosecute Hanne and her team are not making any progress in finding the muscular rapist.

Then a body is found. And a link is established between the bloody numbers, the foreign woman and asylum seekers without connections. Someone is targeting these lonely and defenceless women. And a woman just like those who have already been killed is living in the same building as the student who was raped and she has gone missing.

Meanwhile the student and her father, having lost patience with the police and their lack of progress, decide to take the investigation into their own hands. Suddenly everybody is facing a race against time as the hot weather at last breaks.

Anne Holt does not write cosy stories. What she does write is realistic, well plotted and thrilling mysteries. Her detectives work in the real world where there is not enough time in the day to give every case the attention it needs. Her investigators make mistakes and find themselves scrambling to make up for them. Her characters are far from perfect but all the more real and recognisable for it.

I like the way in which the story is presented to the reader. We’re given enough information to keep up with the investigators or even be ahead of them at times but not so much that it spoils the mystery. The thoughts and emotions of the characters all come across as real; the behaviour of the rape victim is completely plausible as are the feelings of powerlessness her father experiences. The frustration and fatigue the investigators experience as a result of lack of man power and a growing mountain of unsolved cases is probably more realistic than we would want to acknowledge. It all makes for a powerful and thought-provoking read.

I also like the way in which these stories are written. This book was easy to read and very hard to put down. I like the balance between the investigations and the private lives of the characters in these books. The story and the investigation in it progress at a steady pace, with the character’s private details adding to the story rather than distracting from it.

There are times when it is obvious that we are reading a translated work, but not in an irritating way. In fact, on occasion this gives us wonderful expressions such as:

“It was so early not even the devil had managed to put on his shoes.”

And that in turn gives us a real sense that we are in a ‘different’ country, with a different language.

As with most Scandinavian mysteries I’ve read, this book provides a social commentary as well as an investigation. In this case the issues dealt with are rape and asylum seekers and neither of these come out of the book smelling of roses. Unfortunately that won’t come as a surprise to any reader, whether they are from a Scandinavian country or anywhere else in the world. These issues, however, are presented as fact and neither preached about or excused.

Anne Holt has given her readers a short but thrilling mystery that will keep them engrossed and make them think; she is very good at what she does.

THE BEAUTIFUL MYSTERY

TITLE: THE BEAUTIFUL MYSTERY

AUTHOR: LOUISE PENNY

Pages: 373

Date: 11/03/2013

Grade: 5

Details: no. 8 Chief Inspector Armand Gamache

Library

“They (Gregorian chants) had such a profound effect on those who sang and heard them that the ancient chants became known as “the beautiful mystery”.”

For hundreds of years the monastery of Saint-Gilbert-Entre-Les-Loups in northern Québec has been a refuge for a forgotten and thought extinct group of monks. Their existence became known when they released a collection of Gregorian chants of such extraordinary beauty that they captivated the world. But even after their songs became famous the brothers in the community managed to maintain both their isolated existence and their vows of silence. All of that changes when one of them, the prior and choirmaster, is murdered.

Chief Inspector Armand Gamache travels to the secluded monastery with his trusted side-kick Jean-Guy Beauvoir and together they enter a world where songs are far more than something to enjoy listening to. Here music is a way of life, a form of prayer and the most meaningful thing in the brothers’ lives. But now the music that once united the order has become the source of strive and opposing opinions, leaving one man upset enough to commit the ultimate crime. It is up to the two investigators to uncover what caused the division in the order and who committed the murder.

But the monastery isn’t the only community under threat. The ongoing problem in Sûreté du Québec follows Gamache and Beauvoir to the remote monastery in the form of Superintendent Francoeur. And it appears that this time his efforts to undermine Gamache and divide his team may be successful.

Anybody who reads my reviews regularly knows I’m a huge fan of Louise Penny and her Chief Inspector Armand Gamache. Her mysteries are always well plotted and beautifully written while her main character is the sort of person you would like to be your friend. Gamache is a compassionate soul with a huge sense of justice and great loyalty to those who are close to him, both loved ones and colleagues. He isn’t however a saint. He, like all of us, has weaknesses and strengths which make him all the more likeable as a character.

As always in Louise Penny’s books the setting is as much a character as the various humans are. When I started the book and realised that it isn’t set in Three Pines and doesn’t feature any of the inhabitants of that village I was afraid the story would end up disappointing me. I’m very relieved that I’m able to state that I was anything but disappointed. I wasn’t very far into the story before the monastery and the brothers who live there became as real to me as the regular characters in the previous titles are. Just as I’m able to vividly picture Three Pines and those who live there I found myself seeing the monastery and the brothers. And, much to my surprise, I could almost hear the chants described and understand the spell they weave.

This is the 8^th title featuring Armand Gamache and although I would certainly advice anybody to read all of these books – simply because every single one of them is wonderful – it isn’t necessary to have read the previous titles in order to enjoy this one.  There are some ongoing story-lines and references to earlier events but they are integrated in the story in such a way that they don’t interfere with the mystery in this book.

I really enjoyed coming across a Monty Python reference, especially since it was so very unexpected; it is true though, “No one does” expect the inquisition.

If I had to make one complaint about this book it would concern the ending. Although the mystery is solved in a very satisfactory way, the story does end on a bit of a cliff-hanger. I find myself more eager then ever to get my hands on the next book in this series to see how that particular story-line will develop and can only hope that it will be in a positive way.

This is a book for anyone who enjoys a well plotted mystery, featuring interesting characters, a fascinating subject and written in the most beautiful language.

CELEBRITY IN DEATH

TITLE: CELEBRITY IN DEATH

AUTHOR: J.D. ROBB

Pages: 389

Date: 02/06/2012

Grade: 5-

Details: # 34 Eve Dallas & Roarke

Library

The murders she routinely investigates rarely scare Eve Dallas. They anger her and spur her on, but facing brutal killers doesn’t make her nervous.

When she has to attend a Hollywood dinner party during the shooting of a movie about her most famous case though , Eve would rather be anywhere else. Not only does she not like the social occasion, she finds it very disconcerting to be in the same room with people who look exactly like her and those closest to her as well as her husband and friends, the originals. But Eve copes and it appears that she has safely made it through the night when the body of the obnoxious actress playing Peabody is found face down in a roof-top pool.

Interviewing all the dinner guests soon proves that everybody present had good reasons to dislike or hate the actress, but doesn’t point towards one particular suspect.

With the media breathing down her neck while she’s dealing with Hollywood actors who are very skilled at pretending, Eve isn’t sure how she’ll ever get to the truth.

Then a private investigator is murdered and lots of potential evidence turns up missing and Eve realises that she’s facing one very cold and very sophisticated murderer; a murderer who may have been killing without detection for a long time; a killer who has made a habit out of literally getting away with murder; a murderer who will get away with it again unless Eve can outsmart him.

After 34 instalments I’m still delighted every time I get my hands on a new Eve Dallas book. I continue to take huge pleasure in the characters in these books. The interaction between Roarke and Eve is, as ever, delightful, the friendship, despite their differences, between Eve and Peabody never fails to put a smile on my face and Eve’s slow but steady progress towards “normal” social interactions remains fascinating.

This book is maybe a little less steamy, as far as the intimacy between Roarke and Eve is concerned, then most of the previous books and although I did miss the excitement, it did make sense in the setting of the story and given the events in the previous book (New York to Dallas).

Robb opted this time for an almost classic mystery format. The murder during the house-party is as close to a locked room mystery as you can get, and the fact that this limited the amount of possible suspects considerably makes it more fun for the reader to try and figure out what might be going on. Having said that, I didn’t have a clue who the murderer was until that fact was revealed.

I sometimes wonder if there will ever come a moment when I will have read my fill of books by Robb (and/or Roberts). As things stand at the moment though, I can’t see that happening. The way Robb/Roberts writes her stories and her characters never fails to bring me huge fun, and will hopefully do just that for as long as she continues to write her books.

THE HOUSE OF SILK

TITLE: THE HOUSE OF SILK

AUTHOR: ANTHONY HOROWITZ

Pages: 294

Date: 14/05/2012

Grade: 4.5

Details: A Sherlock Holmes Story

Library

Dr. Watson is staying with Sherlock Holmes for a while when a visitor is admitted to their rooms. The obviously distraught gentleman tells them a tale of dramatic events in Boston that have followed him home to threaten his life in Wimbledon. Intrigued Holmes agrees to investigate only to have his apparent solving of the case lead to the disappearance and subsequent murder of a teenage boy who was a recent new recruit to Holmes' team of street-urchin assistants. The only clue the two men have is an obscure reference to The House of Silk.

Neither Holmes nor Watson is able to make sense of the reference, and inquiries with Holmes’ brother Mycroft only lead to the pair being warned of the case in the strongest terms.

Not one to be scared of, the warning achieves little other than to make Holmes more determined to discover what is being kept so secret; a decision which will see him in prison as well as in mortal danger.

Holmes and Watson find themselves up against an evil with the power to prevent any inquiries, an evil worse than anything they have come up against before and an evil that will do anything to stop those standing in its way.

This new Sherlock Holmes mystery is very much written in the style of Conan Doyle’s originals. Holmes is his infuriating and uninformative self, with Watson as his loyal but not too bright friend and assistant.

The descriptions of London in 1890, and especially those of the poorer parts of the city, are clear and fascinating and firmly put the story in its context.

The mystery is well plotted although the story is not one I could imagine the original author coming up with.

There was one part of the mystery that I had figured out fairly early on. I was definitely ahead of our Dr. Watson in that case, although it is of course impossible to know when exactly Holmes came to his conclusion.

On the other hand I had completely missed the clues relating to the second part of the mystery. I would love to say more about this, and explain exactly what I mean but I’m afraid I can’t do that without including possible spoilers. Part of the pleasure in reading this book was the fact that the final twist managed to take me more or less completely by surprise, and I wouldn’t want to deprive others of that treat.

I’d say that anyone who enjoys the original Sherlock Holmes stories will also enjoy this book, as would most other mystery lovers.

This is a well paced story that keeps you guessing even when you think you have the answers, and therefore a good read.