Val Andrews (1926–2006)

The game is afoot once again when Holmes and Watson take on the Egyptian Hall Adventure. They receive a visit one evening from a famous conjurer, currently playing at the Egyptian Hall theater. It seems that one of his tricks went awry .... a titled woman's ring was given to him to use in a trick whereby the conjurer would smash it up, then reproduce it a couple of minutes later attached to a nosegay. But in this case, the ring did not magically reappear and the woman's not really happy show more about it. So enter Holmes and Watson, off to the Egyptian Hall theater. As they're watching the conjuror's performance, the show is interrupted, the conjuror goes off the stage, and soon there's a call for a doctor in the house. I won't say any more about the plot.

I'm a big fan of Sherlock Holmes pastiches; some are better than others and yet none match the quality of the original stories. So I do not judge the pastiches against the originals ... that would just be wrong. This one is much better than many I've read, as far as the story goes.

I'd recommend it to people who enjoy these kinds of stories, or to those who have read the originals and want something a little different. It's a very small book, but the story will keep you entertained. show less

This Christmas Sherlock Holmes spin off novella did not really convince me. While the portrayal of Holmes and Watson was reasonably authentic, there was something slightly off key about it in places, especially in the case of Holmes, that I cannot quite put my finger on. The premise was suitably intriguing: a client comes to Sherlock Holmes with what seems like a trivial issue: he has been invited by a near stranger to keep Christmas at his manor house and to bring as many friends as he show more wishes for a long stay into the new year and wonders at his host's motives - needless to say Holmes and Watson accompany him to find out. Of course, all is not as it seems and it is no spontaneous gesture of kindness. The host's true motives form a reasonable plot, though his means of achieving them rather far-fetched. This resolution is reached just over half way through the story, with the remainder taken up by sub-plots that combine to give a happy Christmas ending (though it takes until the following Christmas to reach its full resolution). There was an air of unreality about the whole thing. (Plus for true Holmes fans like me there is a problem with the dates as this story supposedly takes place over the course of a year in the early 1890s, but Holmes was missing for three years from 1891-94 during the "Great Hiatus" following his struggle with Professor Moriarty at the Reichenbach Falls; that said, Conan Doyle himself was not consistent over dates either). show less

The story in a nutshell, without spoilers: The Secret Seven is the name of a group of non-religious monastics who live together in an old priory as a means of having some peace and quiet and getting away from the troubles of the world. It seems, however, that all is not blissful -- the founder of the group comes to 221 B with a puzzle: two of the seven died mysteriously after receiving strange letters. The leader fears for a third man's safety, as he has just received his letter. Before the show more seven completely disappear, the leader (Culthorpe) asks for Holmes and Watson's help -- and they oblige by becoming members of the group, seemingly replacing the two who have already died. Once tehy arrive, some very strange events happen that require Holmes & Watson to solve the case quickly...before someone else is murdered.

Not too bad...I wouldn't compare it to the originals by Conan Doyle, but it's a pretty good read on its own. It won't take long (it comes in at just over 120 pages) to read, and is a pleasant way to spend a couple of hours. Fans of SH pastiches will enjoy this one; if you're thinking about trying a pastiche, this wouldn't be a bad one with which to do so. show less

This spin-off Sherlock Holmes novel sees the detective and Dr Watson coming out of retirement in 1921 to help Charlie Chaplin find his mother who, suffering from intermittent poor mental health, has disappeared from her carers. But there is more to this than meets the eye. Holmes of course tracks her down (can't give plot details due to spoilers), so that her famous son can ensure she is properly looked after for the rest of her life. A decent read, I enjoyed this more than the author's show more Sherlock Holmes and the Yule-Tide Mystery that I read a few Christmases ago. show less