Before Sherlock Holmes became the world’s greatest consulting detective, murder followed the arrival of unexpected guests to the Holmes family estate.Shortly after one of his Uncle Ernest’s old acquaintances joins Sherlock and the extended Holmes family for the holidays, a dead man is found in the barn. This marks the beginning of the disruptions of the family Christmas celebrations. Sherlock’s … Sherlock’s young cousin reports hearing footsteps outside the nursery, the family learns that their guests are not who they appear, and Mycroft suddenly falls head-over-heels in love. Are there more murders to come, or will Sherlock prevent them by determine how a body materialized in the barn?
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1867 Thirteen year old Sherlock Holmes’ life at Underbyrne is at first disrupted by guests of his Uncle Ernest, and then a discovery of a body in the stables. Are these guests what they seem, is there any connection to the body, will there be more attacks. Sherlock investigates with help from various members of the family.
An entertaining and well-written historical mystery with its cast of likeable and well described characters, which can easily be read as a standalone story. A good addition to the series
I thoroughly enjoyed Liese Sherwood-Fabre’s first book in the young Sherlock series and was thrilled to have the chance to read book two. If you like historical mysteries, be sure to check out this series!
The story starts with a kick–literally. Sherlock and his unconventional mother are taking baritsu lessons from Mr. Moto. (If you’ve read Conan-Doyle’s original books, you may remember Sherlock uses baritsu to defend himself against Moriarty at Reichenbach Falls.) When his young cousin distracts Sherlock, Mr. Moto sweeps him off his feet with a swift leg across his ankles. Then he teaches him a valuable lesson: never turn your back on an opponent. This will prove to be an important point as the mystery progresses.
Once the principle players are in place and a man is found dead on the Holmes’ property, momentum builds. Characters from eccentric Uncle Earnest’s past arrives, dredging up old emotions and loyalties. Mycroft behaves in a decidedly un-Mycroft-ish manner, bewildering his young brother. Additionally, Sherlock’s delicate aunt and young cousin are visiting. The adults often relegate Sherlock to babysitting little Trevor, much to the older boy’s annoyance.
(Trevor may annoy Sherlock but he’s probably more like him than Sherlock would care to imagine. I rather liked the young boy. He’s a chatterbox and surprisingly observant. I’d like to see him appear in future series titles.)
Events swirl just outside of Sherlock’s grasp. He’s hampered by age and station from pursuing the truth that beckons to him. He can’t help but pursue it. This is a compelling portrait of a young man, still finding himself and finding more questions than answers, like most adolescents do. But he has the added burden of wondering what his high status means for life as an adult.
Sherlock struggles with his friendship with Constance, the daughter of his father’s steward’s assistant and their social inferior. Given their different educations, statuses, and futures, it is natural that their friendship will be awkward at times. It will need to change as time progresses.
Sherlock sees her as his first friend outside his family, and it’s rough on him. But it’s heartbreaking to see Constance struggle, too, especially as she is still grieving the loss of her mother. Sherwood-Fabre does a great job making the boundaries between the various social statuses clear to the modern reader.
Sherlock is becoming aware of the areas where he lacks knowledge, such as attunement to others’ emotions. Now he’s contemplating how to remedy these weaknesses, probably through some logical, vigorous course of study. Sherwood-Fabre does a great job foreshadowing the adult Sherlock: he’s learning the value of detached, dispassionate observation, especially at times when emotions distract others.
In many ways, it’s the Holmes family who solves the mystery together. Some families have “family game night” or “family movie night”; the Holmes have “family find-the-killer night.” (Not that they call it that.) Somehow it works, and it’s great training for young Sherlock.
The Adventure of the Murdered Gypsy is most likely to appeal to Sherlock fans and historical mystery readers. It’s a satisfying, absorbing book.
Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.
The second book in this series about Sherlock Holmes as a boy is just as good as the first was. I can’t wait to read the next one!
A delightful second installment of Liese Sherwood-Fabre’s popular mystery series featuring young Sherlock Holmes, or “Sherry,” as his mother calls him.
Three months after he solved his first murder, Sherlock is still recuperating at home, which is stuffed with welcome and less welcome holiday guests. A return to Eton looms after Christmas, but for now, Sherlock is perfecting his baritsu – the misspelled martial art that Conan Doyle made famous in “The Adventure of the Empty House”; practicing Yuletide carols with Constance, an admirable, resourceful village girl; and enduring the attentions of his visiting six-year-old cousin, who is bored but surprisingly perceptive.
Then things take a darker turn. There’s a dead man in the barn; there are footsteps outside the nursery; and even more startling, Mycroft seems to be in love. The constable predictably reaches the wrong conclusion, so it will be up to the Holmes family – sometimes together, sometimes at odds – to solve the mystery.
I really enjoyed this book. The author excels at setting and characterization. The reader is immediately transported to the Holmes estate -upstairs, downstairs, the nursery, the barn. Most of the characters are distinctly drawn, if sometimes reflective of the era’s ethnic stereotypes. In particular, Sherlock’s character deepens and develops in this book, as he grapples with his maturing feelings for Constance and the barriers that class, gender roles, and distance will place before them. We may even see the beginnings of the Holmes narrative dynamic. As much as Sherlock initially resists his younger cousin’s adulation, he soon realizes how much he enjoys explaining his deductions to an appreciative audience.
This plot was not as much to my personal taste as that of the first book, but it may be just the thing for readers who enjoy the claustrophobic pressure of country house mysteries and the fluid identities of spy stories.
Perfect for Sherlock aficionados or anyone who enjoys historical fiction or a good coming of age story. Recommended.
Many thanks to the author for the ARC in exchange for the honest review.
Three months have passed since Sherlock Holmes was brought home from school. Guests are at Underbryne have joined them for the Christmas season. Among them is Mr. Moto, a baritsu instructor who is teaching Sherlock and his mother. Soon after acquaintances of Sherlock’s uncle arrive, a man is found dead in the barn. He is dressed as a gypsy, but is this a disguise? Will there be more death or will Sherlock find the murderer?
I am no stranger to tales of Sherlock Holmes as a boy. Off hand,I can think of at least two series that I really enjoyed reading. There are several things I’ve liked in this series. I find it interesting in this version that young Sherlock gets his curiosity and intelligence from his mother. She encourages his skills, helps him reason on what he learns, and is a character worthy of her own book. I especially like that she learns new skills with him.
So we have the intellectual influence from Mrs. Holmes, and on the other side we have Mr. Holmes, who encourages his son to control himself. Thirteen-year-old Sherlock is openly upset over events, uncertain about what his life holds, and he lets his emotions show. The accurate portrayal of Victorian social norms seemed spot-on, and I appreciated the accuracy.
That said, this doesn’t feel like a thirteen-year-old boy’s story. In fact, I forgot his age while I was reading, guessed him to be about fifteen, and was surprised when I came back to write my review to learn his real age. I also wasn’t overly fond of how Mycroft was portrayed. A superior older brother I could understand, but not one who is intentionally cruel. It just didn’t sit right.
I’m a little on the fence about Constance. Her character is interesting, and I like the friendship between her and Sherlock. However, the story seems to hint at Irene Adler, that perhaps this is her origin story as well. I’m not sure how I feel about this being the start of the woman who outsmarted Holmes.
Overall, it is an entertaining take on how the world’s greatest detective could have been as a teenager. I would recommend this to readers looking for a historical mystery starring a young Sherlock Holmes.
I received a free copy through NetGalley, and all opinions expressed are my own.