Book Review: Holmes Entangled by Gordon McAlpine

“Occam’s razor does not always slice straight. The universe is a labyrinth.”

I do NOT know how Gordon McAlpine does it, but he has the most incredible imagination and a phenomenal gift at translating that imagination into narratives that blend reality and fiction, melding the two to create a perfect agglomeration that entertains and makes you think at the same time… I recently reviewed Woman with a Blue Pencil, and thought that it was a brilliant story about characters and writers and the nature of reality. Then I picked up Holmes Entangled. This time, McAlpine has one-upped himself – addressing not only the mental interplay between authors and creations, but adding in a layer that considers what happens when the two interact off the written page as well. The result: in a word, brilliant.

I am a huge fan of Sherlockian tales. I enjoyed the Conan Doyle originals, and have enjoyed a number of the modern reimaginings as well. McAlpine’s tale is a glorious addition to that canon. He manages to write fantastically entertaining novels full of snark and wit that not only tell great and original stories but also manage to work in clever, thought-provoking, surprisingly deep questions about reality. And not only does he manage to make those two seemingly disparate elements fit, he does so in seamless and sly ways that sneak up on you and work their way into your brain for consideration as soon as you close the book. It’s a phenomenal combination – a truly high-level literary tale that is also a page-turner. I don’t know how he does it, but hope to hell he keeps doing it for years to come!

My review copy was generously provided by the good people at Seventh Street Books. They have a FANTASTIC catalog in addition to McAlpine – if you’re not familiar, check them out!