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A Question of Time
"I ask for your pardon. Even now, I hesitate to put pen to paper. During my years chronicling the many amazing adventures of Sherlock Holmes, I have never doubted their veracity. But this time, were it not for the results of my own feeble efforts at detection, I would wholly attribute the events described as phantasms of a fevered dream suffered by Holmes or one of his more elaborate jests.
Flipping through my notes from that day leaves me perplexed. Was any of it real? That is for you, the reader, to decide." - J. Watson
On concluding a long day of house calls, Dr. Watson receives an urgent summons to attend his friend, Sherlock Holmes. He arrives at 221B Baker Street to find Holmes in a state of deep shock and wearing scorched clothing that reeks of excrement. Fearing his friend may have been exposed to a virulent contagion, Watson must race against time to retrace Holmes' movements and discover the source of his debility, a race that leads him to a cesspit amid the ruins of a fire-gutted warehouse, and a mysterious unburned area amid the charred timbers.
Back in his apartment, a convalescing Holmes unravels the mystery by relating his encounter in the riverside warehouse with a time traveler, who recounts his amazing exploits in the world's far future. After promising to contact Holmes in two years, the Time Traveler attempts to return to his own time, but his time machine malfunctions, resulting in a fire that eliminates all evidence of his existence. Dazed and in deep shock, Holmes manages to escape the flames and make his way back to his lodgings.
While Holmes' recounting of the Time Traveler's adventures at first astonish and excite Watson, the stream of strange eventsthe Eloi, the Morlocks, the Palace of Green Porcelain, world-wide cataclysms, and a far-flung future devoid of human lifemake him doubt the story.
With the lack of physical evidence and only Holmes' account of what transpired, Watsonhounded by demons from his own troubled pastmust determine if Holmes met an actual time traveler, or if the related events are a fabrication of Holmes' fevered imagination.
A Question of Time pays homage to three great Victorian characters of literary Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes and Dr. James Watson-with a sly aside to a nefarious criminal-and the Time Traveler of H.G. Wells' The Time Machine.
Flipping through my notes from that day leaves me perplexed. Was any of it real? That is for you, the reader, to decide." - J. Watson
On concluding a long day of house calls, Dr. Watson receives an urgent summons to attend his friend, Sherlock Holmes. He arrives at 221B Baker Street to find Holmes in a state of deep shock and wearing scorched clothing that reeks of excrement. Fearing his friend may have been exposed to a virulent contagion, Watson must race against time to retrace Holmes' movements and discover the source of his debility, a race that leads him to a cesspit amid the ruins of a fire-gutted warehouse, and a mysterious unburned area amid the charred timbers.
Back in his apartment, a convalescing Holmes unravels the mystery by relating his encounter in the riverside warehouse with a time traveler, who recounts his amazing exploits in the world's far future. After promising to contact Holmes in two years, the Time Traveler attempts to return to his own time, but his time machine malfunctions, resulting in a fire that eliminates all evidence of his existence. Dazed and in deep shock, Holmes manages to escape the flames and make his way back to his lodgings.
While Holmes' recounting of the Time Traveler's adventures at first astonish and excite Watson, the stream of strange eventsthe Eloi, the Morlocks, the Palace of Green Porcelain, world-wide cataclysms, and a far-flung future devoid of human lifemake him doubt the story.
With the lack of physical evidence and only Holmes' account of what transpired, Watsonhounded by demons from his own troubled pastmust determine if Holmes met an actual time traveler, or if the related events are a fabrication of Holmes' fevered imagination.
A Question of Time pays homage to three great Victorian characters of literary Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes and Dr. James Watson-with a sly aside to a nefarious criminal-and the Time Traveler of H.G. Wells' The Time Machine.
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First published June 7, 2023
18 people want to read
About the author
Glenn Searfoss
11 books3 followers Engaging storytelling transports the reader to a different time/place/viewpoint and encourages their exploration of a subject.
A professional writer of 28+ years, Glenn Searfoss has authored numerous technical manuals (bills must be paid), as well as books in the arenas of computer science, natural history, science fiction, and mythology.
Glenn lives with his wife and two boxer dogs in a turn-of-the-century, brick farm house in Colorado, USA. When not busy making a living, he reads classic and not-so-classic literature and does research for new book projects.
A professional writer of 28+ years, Glenn Searfoss has authored numerous technical manuals (bills must be paid), as well as books in the arenas of computer science, natural history, science fiction, and mythology.
Glenn lives with his wife and two boxer dogs in a turn-of-the-century, brick farm house in Colorado, USA. When not busy making a living, he reads classic and not-so-classic literature and does research for new book projects.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
June 8, 2023
Author Glenn Searfoss has cleverly and engagingly re-imagined Sherlock Holmes in a new case in his latest release “A Question of Time“. In this book, he takes the readers back to the London of 1800s to 221B Baker Street where Holmes is in a state of shock. The tale he tells his friend Dr. Watson is so fantastic that the good doctor is unable to decide if it is a product of Holmes’ imagination or an extraordinary reality.
"I ask for your pardon. Even now, I hesitate to put pen to paper. During my years chronicling the many amazing adventures of Sherlock Holmes, I have never doubted their veracity. But this time, were it not for the results of my own feeble efforts at detection, I would wholly attribute the events described as phantasms of a fevered dream suffered by Holmes or one of his more elaborate jests. Flipping through my notes from that day leaves me perplexed. Was any of it real? That is for you, the reader, to decide. You see, it was raining that night…"
With opening lines like this, this book hooked me right from the start and kept me on my toes until the very end!
The author has not only beautifully captured the essence of the character but also managed to make him his own. So, I was easily invested in this new Sherlock’s trials and tribulations. And eagerly followed him on this exciting journey to solve this mind boggling mystery.
Then the introduction of the time traveler is another stellar addition to this story. The author seamlessly incorporated the concept of time travel in this engrossing mystery. And every character including the villain is multi-layered and you will effortlessly relate to them.
With a daring, and risky attempt at incorporating scifi and fantasy into a historical mystery involving an already famous character, the author took a chance that could very easily flop. But I am so happy that the end result is an engaging, thrilling, and captivating mystery that kept me on my toes throughout.
All in all, Sherlock Holmes: A Question of Time by Glenn Searfoss is an edge-of-your-seat interesting mystery that brilliantly re-imagines our favourite “Consulting Detective”. The author beautifully uses H G Wells’ time travelling concept from his classic novel “The Time Machine” in this book to bring a mystery that is unique, exciting, emotionally relatable, and absolutely memorable. So, Njkinny recommends this must read book that is definitely one of my Top Reads of 2023.
Read the complete Book Review by Njkinny and more behind-the-scenes fun facts about this book on Njkinny's Blog.
September 3, 2023
*sigh* I'm going to take this down a peg. Or several...
Objectively speaking, this is not a bad book. It is engagingly written, both the style and the structure are charmingly old-school. In fact, the narrative (a story within a story within a story) reminded me strongly of Frankenstein: The 1818 Text, which made my decadent heart positively thrive.
It's just... not a great Holmesiana. *sigh* Even the pastiches that eschew the traditional way and cross over into different genres absolutely can do Holmes justice (one example above all - The Cthulhu Casebooks from James Lovegrove), or still be a compelling story on its own (I'm going to forever rave about Alan Vanneman's Giant Rat of Sumatra - which is simultaneously one of the worst Holmesiana I've ever read and at the same time one of the most intriguing Victorianesque mystery...) - A Question of Time is, to my great sadness, neither. Hence the 2-star rating.
That to say, I've enjoyed several aspects of this book a lot. The first part - Watson's narrative - is the most engaging, IMHO. That is the part that feels like a genuine Holmesiana, if a bit heavy on the description. Even the bits of it that slipped into Holmes' narrative later are beautifully atmospheric. And while certain tidbits eschewed my notion of the canonical timeline (was that intentional?) and a lot of my headcanons, it was still pleasantly enjoyable. Watson's wounds clearly bothering him is not often emphasised enough. His investigation and successful tracking of Holmes' previous movements were very satisfying.
On the other hand, the time-traveller's story - while fascinating in itself - absconded with the majority of the book, or so it felt to me. Which was not what I was looking for. It was intriguing and imaginative, but I just couldn't bring myself to care. Even the final revelation of his possible identity was not as shocking - there were subtle tells woven through Holmes' narrative, so my brain just latched on to that option as a high possibility.
Overall - I had high expectations and thus was left rather disappointed.
Objectively speaking, this is not a bad book. It is engagingly written, both the style and the structure are charmingly old-school. In fact, the narrative (a story within a story within a story) reminded me strongly of Frankenstein: The 1818 Text, which made my decadent heart positively thrive.
It's just... not a great Holmesiana. *sigh* Even the pastiches that eschew the traditional way and cross over into different genres absolutely can do Holmes justice (one example above all - The Cthulhu Casebooks from James Lovegrove), or still be a compelling story on its own (I'm going to forever rave about Alan Vanneman's Giant Rat of Sumatra - which is simultaneously one of the worst Holmesiana I've ever read and at the same time one of the most intriguing Victorianesque mystery...) - A Question of Time is, to my great sadness, neither. Hence the 2-star rating.
That to say, I've enjoyed several aspects of this book a lot. The first part - Watson's narrative - is the most engaging, IMHO. That is the part that feels like a genuine Holmesiana, if a bit heavy on the description. Even the bits of it that slipped into Holmes' narrative later are beautifully atmospheric. And while certain tidbits eschewed my notion of the canonical timeline (was that intentional?) and a lot of my headcanons, it was still pleasantly enjoyable. Watson's wounds clearly bothering him is not often emphasised enough. His investigation and successful tracking of Holmes' previous movements were very satisfying.
On the other hand, the time-traveller's story - while fascinating in itself - absconded with the majority of the book, or so it felt to me. Which was not what I was looking for. It was intriguing and imaginative, but I just couldn't bring myself to care. Even the final revelation of his possible identity was not as shocking - there were subtle tells woven through Holmes' narrative, so my brain just latched on to that option as a high possibility.
Overall - I had high expectations and thus was left rather disappointed.
April 20, 2023
Glenn Searfoss’s novel, A Question of Time, presents a captivating and innovative interpretation of the renowned character of Sherlock Holmes. The plot is an enthralling mystery that commences with Dr. John Watson receiving a desperate plea for assistance from a street urchin named Bobby. Upon arriving at 221b Baker Street, Watson discovers a traumatized maid and a seemingly unresponsive Sherlock, who claims to be in a state of profound shock. In an attempt to revive his colleague, Watson retraces Sherlock’s steps, which leads to discovering a vast, unblemished circle in a burnt-down warehouse. As Sherlock awakens from his state of shock, he recounts a fantastical tale involving a time traveler who triggered the conflagration and the enigmatic circle.
The classic sleuth, Sherlock Holmes, is legendary and a favorite among mystery aficionados. Recently, there has been a trend in the literary world where authors have reimagined these timeless characters. A fresh and innovative approach to the most famous detective in history is always welcome, and Searfoss delivers precisely that with this new interpretation. I found the change in Sherlock Holmes’s character, particularly when he slips into a catatonic state for days on end, living in his filth, to be a refreshing alteration. The author’s use of old-fashioned English-style writing was a delightful surprise and felt authentic. Furthermore, the novel presents a compelling and unique storyline that cleverly merges the fantasy and science fiction elements of H.G. Wells’s works with the logical reasoning that characterizes the Sherlock Holmes franchise. Searfoss has deftly crafted an original and captivating narrative that builds upon both writers’ works, resulting in an intriguing and exceptional read.
Overall, A Question of Time is an exciting and refreshing take on the iconic character of Sherlock Holmes. Searfoss skillfully weaves together elements of different genres to produce a new and original story that will enthrall and captivate readers.
The classic sleuth, Sherlock Holmes, is legendary and a favorite among mystery aficionados. Recently, there has been a trend in the literary world where authors have reimagined these timeless characters. A fresh and innovative approach to the most famous detective in history is always welcome, and Searfoss delivers precisely that with this new interpretation. I found the change in Sherlock Holmes’s character, particularly when he slips into a catatonic state for days on end, living in his filth, to be a refreshing alteration. The author’s use of old-fashioned English-style writing was a delightful surprise and felt authentic. Furthermore, the novel presents a compelling and unique storyline that cleverly merges the fantasy and science fiction elements of H.G. Wells’s works with the logical reasoning that characterizes the Sherlock Holmes franchise. Searfoss has deftly crafted an original and captivating narrative that builds upon both writers’ works, resulting in an intriguing and exceptional read.
Overall, A Question of Time is an exciting and refreshing take on the iconic character of Sherlock Holmes. Searfoss skillfully weaves together elements of different genres to produce a new and original story that will enthrall and captivate readers.
May 18, 2023
The Review
This was a brilliant and captivating read. The author does an incredible job of meshing the worlds of H.G. Wells and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in a way that feels both natural and engaging. The blend of sci-fi with mystery and detective YA suspense stories not only captured the magic and wonder that the books The Time Machine and Sherlock Holmes were known for, but highlighted the Victorian era mindset and settings in a natural way.
The character development and mystery were two great elements in the story. The introduction of the time traveler and the keen eye and investigative work of Sherlock Holmes felt spot on to the iconic portrayal of these characters, while the breakdown of the investigation and the always-questioning mind of Holmes and Watson made for some thrilling adventure storytelling. Yet it was Watson as the narrator of the story that made this book so compelling. Through a great sense of world-building, the author shows Watson’s small-scale life that receives the shock to the system he needed, after personal loss and haunted memories come to life for him and force him to confront his pain head-on throughout the book.
The Verdict
Memorable, action-packed, and entertaining, author Glenn Searfoss’s “Sherlock Holmes: A Question of Time” is a must-read YA sci-fi meets mystery novel. The twists and turns in the narrative and the shocking developments and emotional ties the reader forms to the cast of characters, as well as the iconic settings and atmosphere the author manages to capture from these two distinct literary worlds, made this a compelling and masterful fusion and retelling of two great literary titan-level novels.
This was a brilliant and captivating read. The author does an incredible job of meshing the worlds of H.G. Wells and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in a way that feels both natural and engaging. The blend of sci-fi with mystery and detective YA suspense stories not only captured the magic and wonder that the books The Time Machine and Sherlock Holmes were known for, but highlighted the Victorian era mindset and settings in a natural way.
The character development and mystery were two great elements in the story. The introduction of the time traveler and the keen eye and investigative work of Sherlock Holmes felt spot on to the iconic portrayal of these characters, while the breakdown of the investigation and the always-questioning mind of Holmes and Watson made for some thrilling adventure storytelling. Yet it was Watson as the narrator of the story that made this book so compelling. Through a great sense of world-building, the author shows Watson’s small-scale life that receives the shock to the system he needed, after personal loss and haunted memories come to life for him and force him to confront his pain head-on throughout the book.
The Verdict
Memorable, action-packed, and entertaining, author Glenn Searfoss’s “Sherlock Holmes: A Question of Time” is a must-read YA sci-fi meets mystery novel. The twists and turns in the narrative and the shocking developments and emotional ties the reader forms to the cast of characters, as well as the iconic settings and atmosphere the author manages to capture from these two distinct literary worlds, made this a compelling and masterful fusion and retelling of two great literary titan-level novels.
June 26, 2023
The Wishing Shelf Book Awards
24th June 2023
TITLE: Sherlock Holmes, A Question of Time
AUTHOR: Glenn Searfoss
Star Rating: 5
CATCHY QUOTE
‘A cleverly plotted mix of H.G. Wells and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle; Mr. Searfoss did the two authors proud.” The Wishing Shelf
REVIEW
I must say this is a very enjoyable Sherlock mystery with elements of HG Wells’ The Time Machine. Written by an author who knows how to pull the reader into olden day London, the story is written from the POV of Watson, who must determine if Sherlock did indeed meet with a time traveller, or he is simply a figment of the great detective’s fevered mind.
I know there are number of Sherlock books out there, many of them terrible, a few of them very good indeed. Thankfully, this novel falls into the latter group. The author works hard from the first page to write in such a way as to pay homage to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. He's also excellent at character development, particularly of Watson who I felt I really got to know in this cleverly plotted mystery. In fact, it is Watson's demons from the past that catapults this novel from good to excellent.
All in all, I'm very happy to recommend this suspense-filled, historical novel to anybody who enjoys a solidly plotted mystery. Or, indeed, anybody who's a fan of the late Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. They’ll love getting into the mind of Watson, and the clever way Mr. Searfoss has blended the works of two wonderful authors.
A ‘Wishing Shelf’ Book Review
www.thewsa.co.uk
24th June 2023
TITLE: Sherlock Holmes, A Question of Time
AUTHOR: Glenn Searfoss
Star Rating: 5
CATCHY QUOTE
‘A cleverly plotted mix of H.G. Wells and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle; Mr. Searfoss did the two authors proud.” The Wishing Shelf
REVIEW
I must say this is a very enjoyable Sherlock mystery with elements of HG Wells’ The Time Machine. Written by an author who knows how to pull the reader into olden day London, the story is written from the POV of Watson, who must determine if Sherlock did indeed meet with a time traveller, or he is simply a figment of the great detective’s fevered mind.
I know there are number of Sherlock books out there, many of them terrible, a few of them very good indeed. Thankfully, this novel falls into the latter group. The author works hard from the first page to write in such a way as to pay homage to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. He's also excellent at character development, particularly of Watson who I felt I really got to know in this cleverly plotted mystery. In fact, it is Watson's demons from the past that catapults this novel from good to excellent.
All in all, I'm very happy to recommend this suspense-filled, historical novel to anybody who enjoys a solidly plotted mystery. Or, indeed, anybody who's a fan of the late Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. They’ll love getting into the mind of Watson, and the clever way Mr. Searfoss has blended the works of two wonderful authors.
A ‘Wishing Shelf’ Book Review
www.thewsa.co.uk
December 18, 2023
I was given a copy of the book by MX Publishing to review.
"Sherlock Holmes: A Question of Time" is a delightful mash-up of Sherlock Holmes and H. G. Wells's "The Time Machine".
John Watson is called to 221B Baker Street late on a dreadful evening to find Sherlock Holmes covered in filth and deep in shock. Holmes's tale of a mysterious time traveller has Watson hunting down where Holmes went and what he actually saw. Is this a dreadful jest and prank against Watson, or is it something more sinister?
The book is well written and extremely entertaining. It will not appeal to those who like their Holmes tales to be in the traditional mould. However, those who enjoy Holmes with a twist, or interacting with other Victorian literary characters will find much to love in this book.
Highly recommended.
"Sherlock Holmes: A Question of Time" is a delightful mash-up of Sherlock Holmes and H. G. Wells's "The Time Machine".
John Watson is called to 221B Baker Street late on a dreadful evening to find Sherlock Holmes covered in filth and deep in shock. Holmes's tale of a mysterious time traveller has Watson hunting down where Holmes went and what he actually saw. Is this a dreadful jest and prank against Watson, or is it something more sinister?
The book is well written and extremely entertaining. It will not appeal to those who like their Holmes tales to be in the traditional mould. However, those who enjoy Holmes with a twist, or interacting with other Victorian literary characters will find much to love in this book.
Highly recommended.
September 10, 2023
nice story
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews