2024 Reading Challenge

2024 Reading Challenge
Jill Elizabeth has read 1 book toward her goal of 285 books.
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2023 Reading Challenge

2023 Reading Challenge
Jill Elizabeth has read 5 books toward her goal of 265 books.
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Book Review: Sherlock Holmes and the Singular Affair by M.K. Wiseman

I’m a big fan of Sherlock Holmes, in both the original Conan Doyle stories and the reimaginings and “further adventures” told by contemporary authors. The characters are so evocative and the ritual of deduction is so compelling that I am continually drawn to the tales. Not all are what I consider true to the canonical writings, but M.K. Wiseman has done a really lovely job crafting a story that falls comfortably within the parameters of the originals while still feeling fresh and new (even though it harkens back to a reference by The Great Man himself).

In Sherlock Holmes and the Singular Affair, Wiseman’s second visit to Holmes’ world, we find a pre-Baker Street, pre-Watson detective – and he’s both familiar and not without those two requisite elements in his world. The story is presented by Holmes (without Watson, who else would dare put words in his mouth?) and reads exactly as you’d expect a Holmes-told tale to read. It’s entertaining, wry, and clever and the end, with its allusions to a return to the more comfortable Sherlockian world revolving around the interplay of Baker Street/Mrs. Hudson and the Holmes-Watson dynamic, is a fun lead-in to further adventures.

Wiseman does a fine job remaining true to the myriad expectations surrounding the world’s most famous consulting detective while still presenting a novel tale. Her writing is evocative and Holmes’ voice is authentic. I thoroughly enjoyed it and am looking forward to continued adventures in Sherlock’s London! 

Thanks to the author for my obligation-free review copy. She was also kind enough to provide a copy of her first-in-series, which sees Holmes tackle the Ripper. It’s a much darker, grimmer tale (obviously) but the writing is equally strong and guaranteed to keep you up at night with its particular take on the Whitechapel murders…

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