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Sherlock Holmes, the Missing Years #2
Sherlock Holmes, The Missing Years: Timbuktu by Vasudev Murthy
An Italian scholar seeks Sherlock Holmes's help with an ancient parchment linked to a terrifying secret guarded by Marco Polo and Ibn Batuta. Holmes fakes his death and, with Watson, travels undercover to Venice and then the Sahara. Pursued by Moriarty, they face murder, intrigue, and surprises in Timbuktu.
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First published January 5, 2016
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About the author
Vasudev Murthy
11 books39 followersI write on music, humour, management, crime and yoga.
I have been published by Bloomsbury, HarperCollins, Jaico, Editora Vestigio (Brazil) Poisoned Pen Press, Sage, Rupa, LiFi, Gamesman (Korea) and Kokushu (Japan).
You are welcome to write to me at v m u r t h y @ h o t m a i l . c o m
I have been published by Bloomsbury, HarperCollins, Jaico, Editora Vestigio (Brazil) Poisoned Pen Press, Sage, Rupa, LiFi, Gamesman (Korea) and Kokushu (Japan).
You are welcome to write to me at v m u r t h y @ h o t m a i l . c o m
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
December 24, 2015
Timbuktu... Sherlock Holmes is my all-time favorite fictional detective so I had very high hopes for this book. Unfortunately though, it did not live up to my expectations. I've read all of Doyle's Sherlock Holmes works and a lot of pastiches so I like to think I have a pretty good understanding of Holmes character and this book did not do him justice at all. I never got the feel for the true Holmes character. It was a pretty bad imitation. The speech, the mannerisms, etc. were completely off I thought. The book was also very slow and very boring! From the beginning, it was just one info dump after another. It took me a while and several tries to trudge through it.
*I received this ARC from NetGalley & Poisoned Pen Press in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
*I received this ARC from NetGalley & Poisoned Pen Press in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
February 28, 2016
Fans of Sherlock Holmes cannot get enough, and this is an excellent pastiche -- with a very similar tone to the original stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
This is an "alternate" narrative, taking place between Sherlock's purported death in "The Final Problem" and his much-anticipated reappearance in "The Adventure of the Empty House."
Here, he gets involved in somewhat occult Arabian matters, with an eye to the lore and the goal of possible eternal life. High stakes! In pursuing this quest he meets all kinds of people from various nationalities and walks of life, and that's pretty interesting stuff.
I do have to say, though -- when looking at the situation, Holmes was NOT actually intended to get the goodies, and his opponents were. He cheated. Thugs or not, the other side pretty much had the right of it...
...except when you consider that they were tools of MORIARTY! Who, with his miraculous ability to make correct calls based on no data whatsoever, looks to me more like a paranoid fantasy on Sherlock's part than anyone plausible.
I admit I am not a dedicated Sherlock fan. However, this is a fun book, and I think it did keep the tone of the Doyle's original tales. My husband -- a more devoted Sherlock fan -- really liked Vasudev Murthy's previous Missing Years: Japan novel, and is looking forward to reading this one.
I received this book in exchange for writing an honest review.
This is an "alternate" narrative, taking place between Sherlock's purported death in "The Final Problem" and his much-anticipated reappearance in "The Adventure of the Empty House."
Here, he gets involved in somewhat occult Arabian matters, with an eye to the lore and the goal of possible eternal life. High stakes! In pursuing this quest he meets all kinds of people from various nationalities and walks of life, and that's pretty interesting stuff.
I do have to say, though -- when looking at the situation, Holmes was NOT actually intended to get the goodies, and his opponents were. He cheated. Thugs or not, the other side pretty much had the right of it...
...except when you consider that they were tools of MORIARTY! Who, with his miraculous ability to make correct calls based on no data whatsoever, looks to me more like a paranoid fantasy on Sherlock's part than anyone plausible.
I admit I am not a dedicated Sherlock fan. However, this is a fun book, and I think it did keep the tone of the Doyle's original tales. My husband -- a more devoted Sherlock fan -- really liked Vasudev Murthy's previous Missing Years: Japan novel, and is looking forward to reading this one.
I received this book in exchange for writing an honest review.
January 9, 2016
A little less than a year ago, I read the first of Vasudev Murthy’s “Missing Years” novels featuring Sherlock Holmes and, of course, his companion Dr. Watson. I enjoyed that read, and I’m glad to say that Holmes and Watson are back again, this time visiting Venice before traveling the Sahara Desert.
The prize they’re searching for is of unimaginable value: the missing half of a parchment that originated with Marco Polo and that contains the secret to eternal life. Later the parchment (one half of it, anyway) was associated with the great Moroccan explorer, Ibn Battuta. Of course Holmes and Watson aren’t the only ones seeking the parchment: the last surviving descent of Ibn Battuta himself seeks it—as does Holmes’ nemesis Moriarty. Meanwhile, the “great game” is afoot with both Britain and France struggling for power in Morocco.
Holmes shows his usual respect for and quick adoption of different languages and cultures, learning first to speak Arabic and then the language of the Tauregs, a tribal people living in the Sahara who worship the long ago female founder of their society and who serve as his guides in the desert. At other times, Holmes poses as an accountant-priest, sent to Morocco by the Vatican.
One of the pleasures of this book is the multiple voices in which it’s narrated. We hear not only from Holmes and Watson, but also from Battuta’s descendant and Marco Polo himself (by way of a previously unknown travelogue). At first the changes in narrator felt unsettling, but the further I read, the more I enjoyed them. Not only did they allow Murthy to present readers with multiple perspectives, each of the different voices was distinct, reflecting a personality as well as relating events.
I’m waiting for volume three now, and hoping it won’t take longer than another year for it to appear. I’m eager to see where Holmes and Watson—and Murthy—will take me next.
The prize they’re searching for is of unimaginable value: the missing half of a parchment that originated with Marco Polo and that contains the secret to eternal life. Later the parchment (one half of it, anyway) was associated with the great Moroccan explorer, Ibn Battuta. Of course Holmes and Watson aren’t the only ones seeking the parchment: the last surviving descent of Ibn Battuta himself seeks it—as does Holmes’ nemesis Moriarty. Meanwhile, the “great game” is afoot with both Britain and France struggling for power in Morocco.
Holmes shows his usual respect for and quick adoption of different languages and cultures, learning first to speak Arabic and then the language of the Tauregs, a tribal people living in the Sahara who worship the long ago female founder of their society and who serve as his guides in the desert. At other times, Holmes poses as an accountant-priest, sent to Morocco by the Vatican.
One of the pleasures of this book is the multiple voices in which it’s narrated. We hear not only from Holmes and Watson, but also from Battuta’s descendant and Marco Polo himself (by way of a previously unknown travelogue). At first the changes in narrator felt unsettling, but the further I read, the more I enjoyed them. Not only did they allow Murthy to present readers with multiple perspectives, each of the different voices was distinct, reflecting a personality as well as relating events.
I’m waiting for volume three now, and hoping it won’t take longer than another year for it to appear. I’m eager to see where Holmes and Watson—and Murthy—will take me next.
August 2, 2015
I will begin with the disclaimer that I am Assistant to the Publisher at Poisoned Pen Press. Having said that, please know that I have been a passionate fan of Sherlock Holmes for far longer, and am thrilled and proud to be a part of bringing this second book in the Sherlock Holmes, The Missing Years series to the world. As with the first book in the series (Sherlock Holmes, The Missing Years: Japan), this well-imagined adventure has something for everyone: history, mystery, music, poetry, travels to exotic lands--and the beautiful, lyrical prose of Vasudev Murthy.
While the mystery itself is enough to recommend the book highly, it is Mr. Murthy's rich cultural references and remarkably immersive settings that set his stories apart. In addition, he is a master of the personal letter, by which device he provides thoughtful glimpses into the motivations and emotions of other characters, past and present. His attention to detail is that of a poet, and of course his inimitable humor shines throughout.
Trust me when I say that you will feel as though you have traveled the desert with Holmes and Watson, with all of its inherent glory--and misery! What a gift, to be transported not just to another place, but also another time, when the journey itself was the story, and not just a means to an end. Mr. Murthy's writing evokes a lost, more elegant era while dealing with existential questions that are timeless. This, I feel, is his greatest contribution to the pastiche.
While the mystery itself is enough to recommend the book highly, it is Mr. Murthy's rich cultural references and remarkably immersive settings that set his stories apart. In addition, he is a master of the personal letter, by which device he provides thoughtful glimpses into the motivations and emotions of other characters, past and present. His attention to detail is that of a poet, and of course his inimitable humor shines throughout.
Trust me when I say that you will feel as though you have traveled the desert with Holmes and Watson, with all of its inherent glory--and misery! What a gift, to be transported not just to another place, but also another time, when the journey itself was the story, and not just a means to an end. Mr. Murthy's writing evokes a lost, more elegant era while dealing with existential questions that are timeless. This, I feel, is his greatest contribution to the pastiche.
December 2, 2015
An intriguing fictional account of Sherlock Holmes' adventures after his , possibly staged, fight with Moriarty at the Reichenbach Falls and disappearance.
He seems to have been having great adventures all over North Africa.
Vasudev Murthy's writing conjures images of an Africa long gone.
A great addition to my Sherlock Holmes bookshelf.
I was given a digital copy of this book by the publisher Poisoned Pen Press, via Netgalley in return for an honest unbiased review.
He seems to have been having great adventures all over North Africa.
Vasudev Murthy's writing conjures images of an Africa long gone.
A great addition to my Sherlock Holmes bookshelf.
I was given a digital copy of this book by the publisher Poisoned Pen Press, via Netgalley in return for an honest unbiased review.
September 10, 2015
Not your normal Sherlock Holmes mystery, it's even better. No fan of Sherlock Holmes should miss this one! The author does a wonderful job of making you feel like your in the adventure with Holmes and Dr. Watson. A must read.
February 16, 2016
Loved the book. Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson and the code for immortality, do they find it? Perhaps they do, since their stories live on.
November 12, 2022
This is the 2nd book in the Sherlock Holmes series which explores the missing years between 1891 when he supposedly died in a duel with Professor Moriarty at the Reichenbach falls and 1894 when he resurrected back in London. The 1st book traced a path where Sherlock Holmes travels to Japan and in this book, he embarks on a journey in Africa- Tangier-Timbuktu-Khartoum to discover an ancient secret related to Marco Polo and Ibn Battuta.
The premise is an extremely interesting one with a combination of history, mystery and adventure with Holmes and Watson- like ‘The Da Vinci code’. The result is again a middling one similar to Book one- interesting in parts, and stagnant in others.
The narrative takes an unusual path to recount the story- from Watson, Holmes, to other characters in the book. It creates inconsistency without tangible benefit to the story. The logic of telling the story partly from a third party and then through the eyes of Watson has its benefits of providing a more rounded narrative and bringing different threads together, but it doesn’t work in the book and in fact the narrative achieves a far smoother trajectory in 2nd half of the book when Watson depicts the extraordinary events.
The mystery itself is interesting although the cinematic liberties are fairly taken even considering the extraordinary talent of Sherlock Holmes, especially in his disguises and integrating with different cultures and languages. The author has tried to bring elements of Dan Brown in bringing an ancient mystery to the fore with as mentioned partial success. The journey across the desert is absorbing and captures the travails well. The author has done good amount of research on the African sojourn and the customs of the people and this is reflected. However Dr.Watson’s character as in previous book seems the closest match and you often related to many of his observations. The climax is decent although your imagination will be stretched to accommodate the happenings.
The 2nd book follows the path of the 1st book and has similar strengths and weaknesses. If the author chooses to write another in the series, would highly suggest a smoother narrative and less self-indulgence to make the series one of the best in the pastiche format.
The premise is an extremely interesting one with a combination of history, mystery and adventure with Holmes and Watson- like ‘The Da Vinci code’. The result is again a middling one similar to Book one- interesting in parts, and stagnant in others.
The narrative takes an unusual path to recount the story- from Watson, Holmes, to other characters in the book. It creates inconsistency without tangible benefit to the story. The logic of telling the story partly from a third party and then through the eyes of Watson has its benefits of providing a more rounded narrative and bringing different threads together, but it doesn’t work in the book and in fact the narrative achieves a far smoother trajectory in 2nd half of the book when Watson depicts the extraordinary events.
The mystery itself is interesting although the cinematic liberties are fairly taken even considering the extraordinary talent of Sherlock Holmes, especially in his disguises and integrating with different cultures and languages. The author has tried to bring elements of Dan Brown in bringing an ancient mystery to the fore with as mentioned partial success. The journey across the desert is absorbing and captures the travails well. The author has done good amount of research on the African sojourn and the customs of the people and this is reflected. However Dr.Watson’s character as in previous book seems the closest match and you often related to many of his observations. The climax is decent although your imagination will be stretched to accommodate the happenings.
The 2nd book follows the path of the 1st book and has similar strengths and weaknesses. If the author chooses to write another in the series, would highly suggest a smoother narrative and less self-indulgence to make the series one of the best in the pastiche format.
June 18, 2023
This book caught my eye at my local library and I thought I'd give it a whirl. The exotic settings were great, but I had to pause when modern day names and conventions appeared in the story. The book reads a bit like fan fiction and there is a lot of breaking the fourth wall. I did not expect the surprise twist near the end, and did indeed find it ridiculous, as the author states when he breaks the fourth wall. Overall, I did not find this book terribly satisfying, as some of the deductions were clearly explained and there were a lot of mini stories sprinkled through it that made no sense. I also had trouble where there was so much dialog in things that would have been letters or journal entries. These things just made the story less realistic and less in the style of ACD. Overall, I think the setting and the history bits in the book were great, but as a Sherlock Holmes style mystery, it sort of fell flat for me.
March 17, 2024
Absolute worth my time. I remember picking it up from college library shelf and reading it every second just to complete within one week. Skipping my studies were worth it because this book itself has aspects of history that are interesting to read. Can be confusing to readers who slept during history class, but slowly everything will start making sense.
February 12, 2016
*** 3 out of 5 Stars
Review by: Mark Palm
Not Quite Elementary
In the wide world of books there will always be bodice-ripping romances, hard-boiled private eyes, and legal thrillers. As of late we have had no small amount of sexy vampires, werewolves, teenage dystopias and schools of wizardry. It also seems that we will have some iteration of Sherlock Holmes, not only on screens both big and small, but most importantly for us, in books.
Through the years I have read books both good and bad, about the characters created by Arthur Conan Doyle (and even about the author himself) and every possible variation about their relatives and friends, in the past, the future, and various other worlds, but the latest I am going to tell you about is one of the more traditional; it’s Sherlock Holmes, the Missing Years: Timbuktu by Vasudev Murthy.
As the title suggests Mr. Murthy’s novel is a straight-up pastiche using the most traditional elements of Doyle’s original stories. This book tells the story of the years after Holmes was presumed dead after battling his arch-enemy Professor Moriarty, the Napoleon of Crime, when both apparently plunged to their deaths at the Reichenbach Falls. After that incident, in 1891, Holmes was unseen until 1894, although the entire time there were rumors of sighting of the detective in the Far East, America, and even with the Dalai Lama in Nepal.
This story starts before the infamous encounter at the Reichenbach Falls, when a an Italian scholar visits 221 Baker Street and tells the detective a tale about an ancient parchment, written by Marco Polo, taken from a rubbing from an even older artifact found in the libraries of Kublai Khan. This parchment is half of a document that Polo, and another traveler, the famed Moroccan Ibn Batuta, both took dramatic steps to hide. Now a secret organization, The Brotherhood of the Letter, who may have ties with Moriarty, are searching for the document as well. The chase is on.
The set-up for this story works well, but the execution falls a bit flat. The details and the background of the story are top-notch, and delivered smoothly, and Mr. Murthy manages a few subtle digs at the racial and cultural tropes of the era, but the plot drags a bit and lacks in urgency. Mr. Murthy clearly knows his history, and his Canon, but the novel seems more like an old-fashioned adventure of the type that H. Rider Haggard did so well, with Holmes, Watson and Moriarty plugged in. There are a large and various amount of viewpoints used in the book, and they add a bit to the multi-cultural flavor of the book, but they are somewhat muddled, and I had to backtrack more than once to make sure who was narrating.
Our main characters, Holmes and Watson have been done so often that it is a tall task to bring something new to the table, and here Mr. Murthy does a solid job, but the prickly idiosyncrasies of Holes are missing, and the Great detective comes across as a smart capable man, but he never really comes to life. The plot is tight, and had its share of twists and turns, and in the latter sections of the book action picked up a bit, but it was not quite enough to raise this book to the next level. Sherlock Holmes, the Missing Years:Timbuktu is a stable pastiche, with some moments of suspense, but it never manages to make you forget the originals.
Full reviews available at: http:/www.thebookendfamily.weebly.com
Review by: Mark Palm
Not Quite Elementary
In the wide world of books there will always be bodice-ripping romances, hard-boiled private eyes, and legal thrillers. As of late we have had no small amount of sexy vampires, werewolves, teenage dystopias and schools of wizardry. It also seems that we will have some iteration of Sherlock Holmes, not only on screens both big and small, but most importantly for us, in books.
Through the years I have read books both good and bad, about the characters created by Arthur Conan Doyle (and even about the author himself) and every possible variation about their relatives and friends, in the past, the future, and various other worlds, but the latest I am going to tell you about is one of the more traditional; it’s Sherlock Holmes, the Missing Years: Timbuktu by Vasudev Murthy.
As the title suggests Mr. Murthy’s novel is a straight-up pastiche using the most traditional elements of Doyle’s original stories. This book tells the story of the years after Holmes was presumed dead after battling his arch-enemy Professor Moriarty, the Napoleon of Crime, when both apparently plunged to their deaths at the Reichenbach Falls. After that incident, in 1891, Holmes was unseen until 1894, although the entire time there were rumors of sighting of the detective in the Far East, America, and even with the Dalai Lama in Nepal.
This story starts before the infamous encounter at the Reichenbach Falls, when a an Italian scholar visits 221 Baker Street and tells the detective a tale about an ancient parchment, written by Marco Polo, taken from a rubbing from an even older artifact found in the libraries of Kublai Khan. This parchment is half of a document that Polo, and another traveler, the famed Moroccan Ibn Batuta, both took dramatic steps to hide. Now a secret organization, The Brotherhood of the Letter, who may have ties with Moriarty, are searching for the document as well. The chase is on.
The set-up for this story works well, but the execution falls a bit flat. The details and the background of the story are top-notch, and delivered smoothly, and Mr. Murthy manages a few subtle digs at the racial and cultural tropes of the era, but the plot drags a bit and lacks in urgency. Mr. Murthy clearly knows his history, and his Canon, but the novel seems more like an old-fashioned adventure of the type that H. Rider Haggard did so well, with Holmes, Watson and Moriarty plugged in. There are a large and various amount of viewpoints used in the book, and they add a bit to the multi-cultural flavor of the book, but they are somewhat muddled, and I had to backtrack more than once to make sure who was narrating.
Our main characters, Holmes and Watson have been done so often that it is a tall task to bring something new to the table, and here Mr. Murthy does a solid job, but the prickly idiosyncrasies of Holes are missing, and the Great detective comes across as a smart capable man, but he never really comes to life. The plot is tight, and had its share of twists and turns, and in the latter sections of the book action picked up a bit, but it was not quite enough to raise this book to the next level. Sherlock Holmes, the Missing Years:Timbuktu is a stable pastiche, with some moments of suspense, but it never manages to make you forget the originals.
Full reviews available at: http:/www.thebookendfamily.weebly.com
July 25, 2017
When the eminent Sherlock Holmes in an altercation with his nemesis Moriarty plunged to his death at Reichenbach Falls in 1891, the world was changed forever. It was changed again when Holmes resurfaced, alive and well, in 1894, as he continued to solve cases that left New Scotland Yard baffled. But what happened during those three “missing” years?
Vasudev Murthy tells of one chapter in Holmes’s life in Sherlock Holmes, The Missing Years: Tumbuktu, as recounted by his close and trusted friend, Dr. Watson. This is the story of a most unique document created long ago that was purported to possess strange and monumental powers. Marco Polo supposedly made a rubbing of a brass disc found in the libraries of Kublai Khan.
But the document was divided in half centuries ago to protect those from the information it contained. Holmes now has half of this document secreted in his possession and seeks to discover where the remaining half is and put this riddle to rest.
While this novel doesn’t feel exactly like a work penned by Arthur Conan Doyle, it is nevertheless and fun and adventurous story taking the reader across the globe and back through time on a journey they won’t soon forget.
Originally written on March 1, 2016 ©Alex C. Telander.
For more reviews, check out the BookBanter site.
Vasudev Murthy tells of one chapter in Holmes’s life in Sherlock Holmes, The Missing Years: Tumbuktu, as recounted by his close and trusted friend, Dr. Watson. This is the story of a most unique document created long ago that was purported to possess strange and monumental powers. Marco Polo supposedly made a rubbing of a brass disc found in the libraries of Kublai Khan.
But the document was divided in half centuries ago to protect those from the information it contained. Holmes now has half of this document secreted in his possession and seeks to discover where the remaining half is and put this riddle to rest.
While this novel doesn’t feel exactly like a work penned by Arthur Conan Doyle, it is nevertheless and fun and adventurous story taking the reader across the globe and back through time on a journey they won’t soon forget.
Originally written on March 1, 2016 ©Alex C. Telander.
For more reviews, check out the BookBanter site.
August 23, 2015
Murthy has taken on a considerable challenge. Recreating beloved fictional characters (Holmes, Watson and Moriarty)is no mean feat and I applaud the author's imagination in setting his stories with Sherlock in far-away places.
This book presents a wonderful series of imagined "adventure travels" in the late 19th Century. Holmes and Watson are both spirited and intrepid adventurers but I found the plot plodding at times and bogged down by arcane references.
The pace of the book was as slow as the pace of Holmes' travel by camel across the Sahara to Timbuktu. Days and days and days without anything happening. The mood was slow and thoughtful and the entertainment (for me) came in Holmes' facility to learn Polish in several weeks or become completely conversational in Arab dialects in a month or two. He travelled with his violin and soon mastered the eerie and haunting folk tunes of his native guides. That was fun to read about!
Murthy has to be commended for not re-paving the streets of Victorian London and taking Sherlock and Watson into unchartered territory. I loved the spirit of the adventure, but didn't totally enjoy reading the book.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Netgalley in return for an honest review.
This book presents a wonderful series of imagined "adventure travels" in the late 19th Century. Holmes and Watson are both spirited and intrepid adventurers but I found the plot plodding at times and bogged down by arcane references.
The pace of the book was as slow as the pace of Holmes' travel by camel across the Sahara to Timbuktu. Days and days and days without anything happening. The mood was slow and thoughtful and the entertainment (for me) came in Holmes' facility to learn Polish in several weeks or become completely conversational in Arab dialects in a month or two. He travelled with his violin and soon mastered the eerie and haunting folk tunes of his native guides. That was fun to read about!
Murthy has to be commended for not re-paving the streets of Victorian London and taking Sherlock and Watson into unchartered territory. I loved the spirit of the adventure, but didn't totally enjoy reading the book.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Netgalley in return for an honest review.
June 18, 2016
Detailed Review on Life as Freya
I was given this book in exchange for an honest review.
A good book but only for die hard Sherlock Holmes fans who have the time to do some intense reading. Deeply researched and well written, this book is heavy and requires time and attention.
The book I received was a hardcover and I must say I was impressed by the print quality of the book.
A pastiche of the years when Holmes was missing, in this version Holmes goes to Timbuktu. The people, places, time and situation are described in so much detail that it’s clear the author spent good time studying his subject.
The story follows mostly a linear path with subplots being a part of the main narrative rather than separate entities. It is structured well but it’s complex and you have to pay full attention to the book.
Pick it up at your own peril, for this is heavy and you’ve been warned. :)
I was given this book in exchange for an honest review.
A good book but only for die hard Sherlock Holmes fans who have the time to do some intense reading. Deeply researched and well written, this book is heavy and requires time and attention.
The book I received was a hardcover and I must say I was impressed by the print quality of the book.
A pastiche of the years when Holmes was missing, in this version Holmes goes to Timbuktu. The people, places, time and situation are described in so much detail that it’s clear the author spent good time studying his subject.
The story follows mostly a linear path with subplots being a part of the main narrative rather than separate entities. It is structured well but it’s complex and you have to pay full attention to the book.
Pick it up at your own peril, for this is heavy and you’ve been warned. :)
January 5, 2016
Another interesting dive into the Sherlock Holmes pool - although this one didn't completely do it for me. One, and this is no fault of the author, my ecopy was a bit wonky and a few pages here and there were missing so some of the action was lost. Second, I think this is more of a travelogue of Saharan Africa as viewed through a Victorian lens than a Holmes mystery, really. The asides to the reader explaining why these digressions are cool doesn't really help the argument - it just made me a bit frustrated with the pace. Third, the resolution of the mystery was disappointing; there are quite a few threads that are tossed aside or cleared up in a cursory sentence or two. In all, a good read for the Holmes completist, but not a must.
I received an ecopy from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received an ecopy from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
April 1, 2016
Interesting plot upset by too many tangents. Holmes and Watson drift from established characters and story ends up more than a little like an Indiana Jones story.
Read
May 27, 2016I really enjoyed this book and didn't want it to end! It certainly provides you with a great panorama of places and people.
July 1, 2016
Enjoyable read, caught some of the spirit of the original.
September 13, 2016
A jolly good ripping yarn. Plenty of 'solidification of specification' to help you believe this was a real account by the good Dr Watson of yore.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews