This is a review of the
Kindle version.
I have read the complete Sherlock Holmes Canon (56 short stories and 4 novels) and have watched different adaptations.
Coming to the book in question, this is an excellent effort by Anthony Horowitz. Not having read any of the author's previous works, I was not sure if the author would do justice to Arthur Conan Doyle's beloved creation. Having read the book, I whole-heartedly recommend the book to any Holmes fan/fan of the thriller genre.
I have read the complete Sherlock Holmes Canon (56 short stories and 4 novels) and have watched different adaptations.
Coming to the book in question, this is an excellent effort by Anthony Horowitz. Not having read any of the author's previous works, I was not sure if the author would do justice to Arthur Conan Doyle's beloved creation. Having read the book, I whole-heartedly recommend the book to any Holmes fan/fan of the thriller genre.
 |
| Anthony Horowitz, the author of 'The House of Silk' |
Horowitz
captures the essence of Doyle's books, which are the foggy streets of London
and the classic relationship between Holmes and Watson. Horowitz nails both of
these to near perfection and delivers (what to this reviewer is) one of the
best Sherlock Holmes pastiches.
The story starts with an arts store owner paying a visit to 221 B Baker Street. As Holmes investigates the case, he finds himself (and Watson) involved in a dangerous game with a bunch of antagonists, hell-bent on keeping their criminal enterprise alive and kicking. The novel has 2 plots that come together for a stunner of a climax that is truly Vintage Sherlock Holmes.
Click on the link below to buy the book:
Besides Mycroft, couple more characters make their cameos. I will leave it to the reader to discover these, but rest assured, one of these cameos will knock any Holmesian's socks off.
What I liked best about the book: The settings, the atmosphere, the Holmes-Watson dynamics and the climax!
The story starts with an arts store owner paying a visit to 221 B Baker Street. As Holmes investigates the case, he finds himself (and Watson) involved in a dangerous game with a bunch of antagonists, hell-bent on keeping their criminal enterprise alive and kicking. The novel has 2 plots that come together for a stunner of a climax that is truly Vintage Sherlock Holmes.
Click on the link below to buy the book:
Besides Mycroft, couple more characters make their cameos. I will leave it to the reader to discover these, but rest assured, one of these cameos will knock any Holmesian's socks off.
What I liked best about the book: The settings, the atmosphere, the Holmes-Watson dynamics and the climax!
What could have been done better: The book lags little bit in the middle, despite a good start. But the killer climax offsets the lagging middle though.
I am eagerly looking to the (hopefully inevitable) sequel/next Holmes pastiche from Horowitz.
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Hi, many thanks for stopping by Pen and Paper. Great review, a newcomer to both Horowitz and Sherlock Holmes, I enjoyed reading your thoughts on this.
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome Petty :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for your lovely comments!
Horowitz is successful in capturing this highly unusual and nuanced relationship relationship between the two men. Earlier authors, most notably Nicholas Meyer who wrote the "Seven per Cent Solution" in 1974, have also had success in writing modern day Holmes books, but it's only "The House of Silk" that captures the essence of complex and somewhat eccentric bond between Watson and Holmes. Any modern day story line which involves a middle aged physician who leaves his wife unattended their country home for months at a time, to move into the boarding house room of his middle aged detective friend to fight crime, would be a novel that is eligible for the Christian Coalition's banned book list in these modern times. That's not to say that Doyle ever gave so much as hint that there was a homosexual element to the Watson/Holmes relationship. What was an authentic platonic relationship between two men in Victorian England is now capable of raising eyebrows in these sexually liberated modern times.
ReplyDelete'Seven per Cent Solution" is on my to read list.
DeleteYes, times have definitely changed since Sir Doyle wrote the canon...
I may have to check this out. I normally don't like pastiches (the "Death Cloud" book only lowered my opinion of them) but this one sounds interesting. Thanks for letting me know about this book!
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome, Lauren.
DeleteHorowitz has crafted a superb pastiche that captures the essence of Sir Doyle's canon, has couple of nice cameos and a stunner of a climax.
I have this to read, as a massive Sherlock fan I thought it looked interesting. I haven't read anything by this author before either but i'm hopeful.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by my blog. :D
You are welcome, Becky!
DeleteHi, thanks for visiting my blog. Wondering if you understand my review since it is written in Indonesia :)
ReplyDeletethanks anyway. The House of Silk is the first Sherlock Holmes' I ever read, and now I'm reading Memoir of Sherlock Holmes.
Happy to know that The House of Silk got you hooked to reading the rest of the Holmes canon :)
DeleteI may have to check this one out. I love Sherlock!
ReplyDeleteThanks Melissa for stopping by.
DeleteYour review is excellent. Thanks for visiting my blog.
ReplyDeleteThanks Kim!
DeleteThanks for visiting my blog and leaving a link to a book and author I've never heard of (always appreciated). What I love about SH is his relationship with Watson, so once I've finished all the original books it's good to know I'll have a place to turn. Excellent review.
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome FBT.
DeleteThanks for leaving a reply on my blog. I absolutely love Sherlock and Watson especially the new BBC show. I have not read all those stories but have them in my possession. It's pretty daunting. Nice review (:
ReplyDeleteWelcome Adriana. I would recommend the Russian version with Vasily Livanov as Sherlock Holmes.
DeleteHey B2B! Just finished H of S and enjoyed it hugely. Will be posting my review on the blog of delights later this week!
ReplyDeleteGreat to hear that you enjoyed the book too GK!
DeleteI look forward to your review.