“Suspenseful and entertaining, with many twists and turns….This is one of the best Sherlock Holmes series since Laurie R. King’s Mary Russell books.”–Historical Novel Society USA Today bestselling author Leonard Goldberg returns with another puzzling case for the daughter of Sherlock Holmes to unravel in this exciting mystery, The Art of Deception, sure to be enjoyed by fans of Sherlock … to be enjoyed by fans of Sherlock Holmes as well as Laurie R. King and Charles Finch.
In the west end of London, an apparently crazed individual is on the loose, breaking into art galleries and private homes to slash valuable paintings of women. Despite Scotland Yard’s best efforts, the criminal remains at large and continues on his destructive path.
When Joanna and the Watsons are called in to solve the mystery, they soon discover that although the canvases have been slashed, their backings remain pristine, with no cuts or scratches. The criminal, it seems, is no mere vandal–he’s searching for something hidden behind the portraits.
Suspicion soon falls on two skilled art restorers who previously worked at the gallery where all the vandalized art was purchased. When Joanna finds the body of one in a bricked off fireplace at the gallery, the other is left as the prime suspect. But then he’s discovered dead as well. Luckily, Joanna has a plan for ensnaring the criminal once and for all. But it must not fail, or more paintings–and lives–will be lost.
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The Art of Deception by Leonard Goldberg is a mystery being solved by Joanna, the daughter of Sherlock Holmes and Irene Adler; her husband, John Hudson, Jr; and her father-in-law, John Hudson. It is very Sherlockian with Joanna, especially being every bit as observant and intuitive as her father, with the Hudsons lending their won expertise when necessary. It is about a person who is breaking in and vandalizing great works of at. At first it appears to be simple vandalism, but soon it becomes apparent that the vandal has a purpose beyond destruction. It is up to the trio to determine that purpose and thereby catch the criminal. Of course, they do, with absolutely amazing results.
I am a huge Sherlock fan and have read many series that purport to be continuations of the original, though a wife, or a child. This is one of the better. It is too easy for an author to simply use the name Sherlock Holmes to solve a typical mystery, without those special touches. Goldberg adheres to the things, which made Holmes special, especially his powers of observation and his ability to compile disparate, and seemingly unrelated, clues to solve the mystery. Joanna is not nearly as odd as her father. She has a son, whom she loves, and she has a life, with Hudson, Jr. She lives beyond her ability to solve crimes. She is also an astute reader of personalities beyond the physical things she can observe. The Art of Deception is a wonderful book. Very satisfying. I recommend it.
I received a free ARC of The Art of Deception from Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions and interpretations contained herein are solely my own. #netgalley #theartofdeception
I honestly think this is the first book I have ever read about Sherlock Holmes. I can’t remember reading one at least. I have a little bit of mixed feelings about this book. And for the most part I think it’s because of Joanna. It’s not her whole character, it’s the times she comes across as a know it all. But to be fair I haven’t read the other books in the series. So maybe because I don’t have the back story that is why she comes off like that to me. Other than that, I found the book interesting. It was an easy read. Its was easy staying interested in the story line. The way that the characters go about solving the crime is interesting in its self. Happy reading everyone!
Here we are with the fourth book in this wonderful historical series. It’s just days before Christmas 1916 and there is a crime to be solved by the investigating trio of Joanna – daughter of the great man, Sherlock Holmes, a widow now married to John Watson, Jr.with Watson Senior as the third member of the group. They make a formidable team with Joanna taking the lead. Lestrade pays them a visit with a puzzle in need of a solution – uncover the identity of a man who is breaking into upper crust homes and posh art galleries to slash paintings of women. The vandalism is very precise and all of the attacks turn out to have a connection to the gallery of Hawke and Evans. If the villain isn’t caught soon the damage to the gallery’s bottom line could put them out of business. All Lestrade has is an old worn and smelly scarf as a clue, having been left at the crime scene. Not to worry, Joanna is her father’s daughter and the scarf holds more than enough information for the investigating to begin.
From the high end art galleries and talk of Old Masters to the world of Wormwood Scrubs prison and lockpicks, the days before Christmas are busy, indeed for Joanna and the Watsons. Add to the mix, Joanna’s son is brought home to London when his school suffers an outbreak of cholera, the disease that killed Joanna’s first husband and now threatens her beloved son.
I enjoy historical mysteries and am a fan of Sherlock Holmes so this series was quick to earn its place on my must be read list. The clues to the puzzle are doled out bit by bit, the setting is perfect and the pace fits the period. Joanna is the female version of Sherlock and I love watching the way her mind works. Some might say she’s a know it all and arrogant, etc. but then, so was her father. Spending time in 1916 with Joanna and the Watsons is always reading time well spent for this reader. I’m looking forward to reading about their next investigation.
My thanks to the publisher, Minotaur and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy inn exchange for my honest review.
I adore Sherlock Holmes. I heard about the Daughter of Sherlock Holmes series by Leonard Goldberg as a suggestion when I clicked on the cover. Goldberg does a fabulous job with a nod to the famous detective and including Watson as an elder consultant on the case. The mystery flows well and reminds me a lot of Holmes’ style of solving a case. I love watching Joanna solve the mystery and her train of thoughts as she works through and explains the cases to those around her. The mystery was different and held enough why and who done it to capture my mystery loving mind. I really enjoy the clean mystery aspect, so I can recommend the story to even little fans who love a good mystery. I really hope there are going to be more novels in this series.
I received a complimentary copy of The Art of Deception by Leonard Goldberg from the publishing company, but the opinions stated are all my own.
Fourth in the series of Joanna Blalock -Watkins books. The author imagines Joanna to be the daughter of Sherlock Holmes and Irene Adler. Joanna is married to Dr. Watson’s son, who is also a doctor. Young Dr. Watson narrates the book. The story stands alone, although it may be helpful to have read the prior books in order to understand the relationships among the characters.
In this installment, Joanna and her son, Johnny, unravel a complex and violent scheme in search of a long-lost masterpiece. I enjoyed the evocative settings, the obvious warmth among the Watson family members, the rich descriptions of the artworks, and the exciting conclusion. A scene of an exhumation is particularly effective, a grisly and detailed demonstration of the author’s medical expertise that also helps to advance the plot. The book does take some time to ramp up, diverted with a subplot about Johnny’s cholera and a tendency to repeat information for the benefit of characters who were not in the previous scene.
I am looking forward to the next book.
Many thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.