The Strange Return of Sherlock Holmes
by Barry Grant
This volume is one of the latest books to cash in on the long-standing fascination with the legendary British sleuth, this time bringing Holmes into the modern era through a bit of a science fictional trick. The story is narrated by James Wilson, a recently retired journalist - a war coorespondent who's looking to settle into the small English town of Hay-on-Wye. Looking for lodgings, Wilson is connected (through a mutual acquaintance) with the eccentric Cedric Coombes, a man looking to share the expenses of a lodging, as he pursues a variety of odd research projects, primarily focused on pop culture and history of the the past 90 years. When Coombes is called in to consult on a local murder, Wilson accompanies him and slowly begins to realize that his roommate may very well be the legendary Sherlock Holmes. Coombes admits this and, interspersed with their contemporary murder investigation(s), shares with Wilson the tale of how he came to be "preserved" and brought back to existence in the 21st century. This is a fun, though slow-paced, read, and the characterizations are excellent. The mystery is pretty obvious, and a heavy-handed political editorializing to the conclusion may prove to be rather jarring for many readers. However, if you're a fan of classic Holmes, and don't mind a few twists, this is worth a try! -- recommended by Scott C. - Bennett Martin Public Library
Have you read this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?
New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide web site. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually over the course of the entire month.
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