Customer Reviews

The Holmes And Watson Mysterious Events And Objects Consortium: The Case Of The Witch's Talisman

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Kevin is best friends with a girl named Ginny and because of this friendship finds himself being bullied by one of his classmates, Daniel and his buddies. Kevin doesn't really care too much what the other boys think of his friendship with Ginny. After all he has more fun hanging out with her than playing sports which is just isn't good at. Also, Kevin and Ginny always seem to find odd mysteries to solve. That is how their club The Holmes and Watson Mysterious Events and Objects Consortium began.

This summer Kevin and Ginny did what they did ever summer . . . explore Sharper's Woods, but little did they know they would find themselves in one of the biggest mysterious of their lives. From disappearing animals to Daniel and his buddies being turned into zombies or worst, having their life forces sucked out. The only clue Kevin and Ginny have is an odd looking round metal object. But could this have anything to do with what's going on? Kevin and Ginny aren't sure. They did find the strange round metal object some time ago. Kevin and Ginny notice the strange object does seem to shine more than it use to and that it seems to have a draw they never noticed before.

Elmore Hammes has done a wonderful job bring mystery and suspense to a story about two friends learning to over come changes, bullying, and just growing up in general. Children will delight in learning that boys and girls can be friends, some times we get bullied because others wish they could be more like us, and that sometimes strange object are better left alone.

Kevin Williams and Ginny Davis are the best of friends. They hang out all the time and their favorite activity is sitting in their clubhouse and discussing the adventures of The Holmes and Watson Mysterious Events and Object Consortium, a club with only two members. They also explore Sharper's Woods and they have found many interesting things in the woods and the creek that runs through it.
Unknown to them, an object they discovered in the water is a powerful talisman that a local witch, formerly known as The Witch of Heitzenberg, has been searching for. Many years before, the witch had been rendered dormant in a battle with a powerful wizard named Gavin. Unfortunately, Gavin was forced into the spirit world and the witch is regaining her power. She gathers sustenance by taking the spirits of animals and people and she senses the local presence of the talisman.
This launches Kevin and Ginny into a great adventure, as they are joined by Mrs. Crabapple, a gypsy woman who is in contact with the spirit of Gavin, but Mrs. Crabapple has very little in the way of magical powers. Gavin's spirit can do nothing to aid in the coming battle with the witch. As their adventure unravels, Kevin and Ginny begin to feel the stirrings of emotions, as they are close to the age where ones thoughts start down the boyfriend/girlfriend path.
This is a children's adventure that combines intelligent children, best friends and a bit of the occult. While the occult aspects are necessary to the story, a great deal revolves around the friends of our youth, when the world was a magical place and somehow we grow out of it and away from those friends. Despite the brief period of terror, the adventures of Kevin and Ginny are a typical fantasy as every child wants to experience real magic at least once.

As a kid, I was totally hooked on The Three Investigators mysteries, and that has left me with a life-long love for books about young mystery solvers. That is what attracted me to this book - but there's more than a great mystery at the heart of Elmore Hammes' story, for The Holmes and Watson Mysterious Events and Objects Consortium is as much about childhood as it is sleuthing. Best friends Kevin and Ginny stand at the cusp of adolescence, but with their natural childhood curiosity still perfectly intact. Emulating the veritable Holmes and Watson, they are ever on the lookout for mysterious events or objects. This particular summertime adventure begins with a dead squirrel, which doesn't seem all that unusual, even after it disappears while they are off hunting a box to bury it in; soon thereafter, though, the kids come across a dead rabbit, and it essentially disappears under their very noses as they carry it off for a burial in nearby Sharper's Woods. That's when they know something weird is definitely going on.

What the kids do not realize is that they are about to find themselves in between an ancient witch and the talisman that holds the key to her powers, and that's not a good place to be. Kevin has had to deal with some bullying from the other kids and has even been compelled to run for his life from his neighbor Daniel's large dog, but that's nothing compared to a vindictive old bat whose evil is just waking up from a centuries-long sleep. And the threat is not limited to Kevin and Ginny, either, for Daniel and some of his friends become pawns in the witch's dangerous game. Fortunately, our two young heroes in training have some helpful reference materials on hand in their clubhouse and the assistance of an old gypsy woman intent on keeping the witch from regaining her powers. Events - and the witch - conspire to give the reader one hootenanny of an ending, which is heavy on the action and suspense.

This is certainly an interesting and worthwhile read for youngsters - and a book that parents can enjoy sharing with their children, as well. I enjoyed reading it just for myself, and my childhood days are long behind me now. Yes, it does have a witch in it, so I suppose a few loons out there might object to it, but the novel reinforces a number of positive, important lessons. Every youngster (heck, even every adult) should be as naturally curious as these youngsters are about the world around them. Kevin and Ginny also offer a great example of the meaning and value of true friendship, while the author goes on to show that there is some good in just about everyone (except the witch, of course). In this fictional world, even bullies and their victims can become friends. With books like this on the market, it's hard to see how any child can claim that reading is not fun.

I smiled as I clicked "yes" to the amazon question, "Are you over 13," since I felt 11 or 12 again when I was reading Elmore Hammes' enchanting tale. I was swept up immediately into the adventures of Kevin and Ginny in Sharper's Woods. Hammes writes well, with fully-fleshed out characters, realistic dialogue, and finely honed perception of the inner lives of his young characters. His descriptions of their small hometown, Kanapolis, and their loving parents and a kind elderly neighbor, Mrs. Crabtree, as well as a caring doctor and other townspeople, evoke an idyllic background for these bright and curious children.

It slowly becomes clear to Ginny and Kevin that they are encountering ancient evil, and must summon up resources of wit and pluck to overcome a powerful witch's spell. Things do get dicey, but in the end, all is well.

Any younger reader is sure to find this book an exciting, satisfying read. Highly recommended.

I usually don't read books written for adolescents and wasn't quite sure what to expect from THE CASE OF THE WITCH'S TALISMAN. I do have to say that it was interesting and enjoyable even if the name would be more than most adolescents could understand and would be a bit confusing.

The story features Kevin and Ginny who are best friends and are going through the tumultuous adolescent times. They love to search out new things and figure out mysteries. When they begin to experience things disappearing they want to get to the bottom of it and they want an explanation. These aren't ordinary things that are lost, these are animals. First a squirrel is dead on a sidewalk and when they look again, Rocky (aren't all squirrel's named Rocky?) has vanished. Next a rabbit dies in the backyard of an old gypsy lady, Mrs. Crabapple. Kevin and Ginny decide to bury it in the woods near their home, place it in a box and head out. After walking to a secluded spot, they discover the box is empty and the rabbit is gone. We later find out that a witch has come to regain possession of her talisman which holds power. While she's searching for the talisman she must deplete living things of their energy so she can continue on her journey.

The concept of a witch killing things for their power might be a bit much for some young readers. It is done without blood and gore - one animal that was subjected to this was a large, mean dog. When his power was taken by the witch he just fell over similar to him going to sleep. When the witch turns this power on humans it's a bit disconcerting. However, even with the appearance of an easy death, it's the concept that might not be for young readers and only for those a bit older.

The story set-up dragged but once the witch was introduced it moved along at a great pace and kept my interest. The relationship between Ginny and Kevin was sweet and fun. The bullying depicted gave a glimpse at how some kids can judge others on appearance only without getting to know the real person. It was interesting to see the difference when the bullies actually got to know Kevin who was a nerd. One of my favorite scenes was when Kevin beat one of the bullies in a free-throw shoot out. The remark from Kevin about free-throws being "simple physics" had me chuckle - I'm sure Shaquille O'Neill wishes he had taken a physics class or two in high school!

On the downside, some of the vocabulary between Ginny and Kevin seemed a bit much for twelve-year olds. For instance, I'm not sure how many twelve-year olds actually know the identity of Holmes and Watson, much less the colloquialisms used between them. Also some of the dialogue when they are in the woods or in the clubhouse are more advanced than I've seen with this age group, even with the more intelligent students I've encountered and taught.

Other than these minor things, this story was interesting and fun. It will have the readers trying to puzzle out what the talisman is and how Kevin and Ginny can win against the witch. Elmore Hammes has done well with this book.

Elmore Hammes, The Holmes and Watson Mysterious Events and Objects Consortium: The Case of the Witch's Talisman (Kanapolis Fog Publishing Emporium, 2007)

Usually, when I start out to write a review, I have some sort of pithy first line in mind. (Oh, come now, don't tell me you've never noticed. In all honesty, I find it almost as annoying as you probably do.) I've been trying to come up with a first line, pithy or no, for this review, and I can't. I can't find the right angle of approach, the proper hole in the dike, the chink in the armor, the foothold in Everest, whatever the kids are calling it there days-- I simply don't know how to review this book. I'm hoping that if I keep typing, it'll come to me, so bear with me, folks.

Kevin and Ginny are youngsters who fancy themselves detectives (they are the Holmes and Watson etc. of the title). As is to be expected, they mostly deal with small-time stuff, until they day they find a dead squirrel, go back to the house to get a box in which to bury it, return to the scene of the squirrel's demise, and find it missing save a small patch of fur. Not long after, the same thing happens to a nearby rabbit. This is a mystery worth investigating, it is.

My biggest problem with reviewing this book is that I can't put my finger on the exact problems it has. I know it has problems, but I can't offer a "hey, if you do X, Y, and Z, these problems will be fixed". I can do that with some of them, though. The book has the usual POD problems with the occasional typo and some comma misuse, though not nearly as much as some other books I've read recently, and these are easily fixed with a grammar primer and some time. But other problems-- the one that sticks out most now that I've finished the book is the awkwardness of the book's flashbacks-- are not so easily solved. I guess it's just something you eventually learn. (I again rush to add that this isn't the only book I've read this year to have this problem; it's not even the only book I'm reading right now to have this problem. So I'm more forgiving of it than I might otherwise be.) As well, there's just a pervasive amateur-ness, which isn't a word but will suffice for the nonce, to the writing style. It's not necessarily a bad thing, but it does make it easy to see why, if the book was, in fact, shopped to agents, it got rejected.

All that said, the underlying story is fun, and one you're used to the language and the rather jarring structural problems, the pages turn pretty quickly. I assume from the title that this book is planned as the first in a series dealing with the Holmes and Watson etc.; one of the great things about today's POD-book culture is that you can follow the progress of a promising novelist and see how he improves over the years. I'll be interested to see how Hammes' books improve as this series continues. ** ½

Twelve-year-olds, Ginny Davis and Kevin Williams, are best friends and have been for many years. They hang out together in the summer and after school during the rest of the year. Kevin is a bit bookish, the son of a physics professor. Ginny is both bright and attractive with an active imagination. Together they form the Holmes & Watson Mysterious Events & Objects Consortium, a two-person club that meets in Kevin's tree house and tries to discover answers to questions that may present themselves as they go about their rather ordinary small-town lives.

At the opening of the book, the object they are dealing with is an apparently dead squirrel on the sidewalk between their houses. They decide to bury it, but it disappears while they search for a box. Where did it go? The same thing happens to a dead rabbit they find later that day. Then Ginny's cat disappears. What is going on?

In the clubhouse, they keep a journal to record their thoughts on these sorts of problems. They also have a collection of items they have picked up while doing investigations: snakeskins, rocks, and an odd metal thing they found in the local stream one day.

Elmore Hammes created this story for his nieces and nephews-and he did a great job. The book takes two ordinary kids and involves them in a situation worthy of Harry Potter and yet they and their friends act and react like real kids.

Besides the problems of disappearing dead animals, Kevin has to deal with hassling from a group of more athletically inclined classmates-particularly Daniel, his next-door neighbor. Kevin and Ginny are also becoming aware of special feelings for each other that they hope won't get in the way of being best friends.

I really enjoyed the book and I think it would appeal to many middle-school readers. It is suggested for 10-14 but I think down to age 8 would also greatly enjoy it.

Armchair Interviews says: Fun book for young readers.

I almost never start out a review by recommending someone else's review, but I have to break with tradition. C. McCallister's review of this book is quite good. Indeed, I was a little intimidated by how good it is. While I hope you read my review, his provides an excellent perspective.

Kevin Williams and Ginny Davis are typical kids. They are unusual in that they are best friends, have a clubhouse, collect unusual artifacts, particularly during their frequent journeys to Sharper's Woods, and enjoy pretending to be Dr. Watson and Sherlock Holmes.

This story begins with a mystery. The pair finds a dead squirrel, only to lose it. Soon a dead rabbit appears, and then disappears. The mystery intrigues the children, but they are determined to use reason to ferret out the cause of the disappearances. Unbeknownst to the children, someone else is involved in the disappearances, and that someone seeks one of the children's artifacts!

The story slows somewhat as Hammes develops the plot. We learn a lot about Kevin and Ginny as they encounter local bullies and spend time with each other in the woods. We learn that Kevin and Ginny are quite intelligent, which is important information for readers of this book, as I will explain shortly. We also learn a lot about the witch that seeks the talisman the children possess and the extent of her powers. The information that Hammes provides is necessary for the fast-paced action at the end of the book. I must also admit that while the pace of the story slowed, I was captivated by how methodical the children were in their investigations.

The real action happens when the witch finally gets on the scent of the talisman. Enemies will soon become bigger enemies and then friends. Friends will be in danger. People we take for granted, most especially an elderly lady that many children know but barely give a thought to, will play important roles as the witch attacks.

I enjoyed several things about this book. First, Kevin and Ginny have a very interesting relationship. It seems that most stories for children in the suggested age range of 9 - 12 rarely portray friendship between a boy and a girl of similar age. The only books I can immediately recall are Diane Duane's Wizard books. I also enjoyed pair's hobbies, which included scientific discovery, analysis and a fascination with Sherlock Holmes. I discovered Sherlock Holmes when I was about ten years old and I loved the stories. This book would have been a treat then, and it is a treat for me even now.

I most especially enjoyed the intelligence of Ginny and Kevin. These two are probably not geniuses, but they are clearly above average in intelligence. They will probably soon be considered geeks or nerds, will get good grades in high school, and go on to a science degree of some type. Unfortunately, far too few contemporary books realistically describe children with these characteristics. If you have an intelligent child in the age range of 9 to 13 years old, I recommend this book as good reading material for them.

This book also has a pretty good scare factor for children in the recommended age range. I think I might have lain awake at night after reading this book wondering what the noise outside the window was. Thus there is a warning as well as a recommendation. If your child seems frightened by scary stories, then they are probably not quite ready for this book.

I have only one discomfort with this book, but a small one. There are several ways to handle simultaneous events. Hammes goes into the past without warning to bring other characters up-to-date. The first time he made the time switch I was momentarily disconcerted. After it happened several times I was prepared, but it took some getting used to.

I liked this book. The book deals with the timeless issues of being a twelve-year-old child, including dealing with bullies, adolescent attraction and the spirit of adventure and wonder that the world brings to children Ginny and Kevin's age. This book deals with these issues by speaking with children on their level, not above or below. I always appreciated authors who seemed to know how I thought and felt as a child, and I think Hammes does a very good job of that. I particularly enjoyed the heart of the story and the intelligence of the protagonists. The witch was suitably scary, but without excessive blood, gore and violence. The children were remarkably perceptive and intelligent, but realistically so.

This story is likely to appeal to a relatively narrow audience. I suspect that some children nine or ten years old will enjoy this book, but the best audience will be girls and boys eleven, twelve and possibly thirteen years old. I also suspect that this story will appeal most to children who like mysteries, fantasy, and stories involving logic and reason; in general, children with above average intelligence. I recommend this book highly for the audience I described.

This review is based on a copy of the book provided to me by the author.

Enjoy!

In this absolutely delightful read we meet two young friends who will immediately capture your heart. Kevin, who describes himself as a Geek, and his best friend Ginny. This adventurous twosome are the only members of The Holmes and Watson Mysterious Events and Objects Consortium club. The pair love to collect things of interest that they mainly find in Sharper's Woods, like that strange metal object which seemed to have no purpose, or does it? When animals on their block appear to die and their bodies mysteriously disappear, the two plunge headlong into an investigation . However, they never realized the danger they are in, nor the evil presence of a witch that is slowly closing in on them, and who will stop at nothing until she receives what she came for. Scary!
I really liked this book; it has all the elements of a great mystery read and more. The characters are well developed, the story engaging, the locals very descriptive, and the ending superb. The author draws you immediately into the life's of Kevin and Ginny, from their home life to their outside life; also giving you privy to their personal thought life, this made them personal, touchable and real. I believe Mr.Hammes did a great job allowing Kevin and Ginny freedom to solve the mystery alone, yet still added the authority figure of an adult, which to me will show children that adults have wisdom that can help them in situations.
I have found in other books in this genre that some authors totally negate any adult intervention, which to me can leave children uneasy and thinking they have to solve on their own problems they may entail, when they really might need some adult intervention or experience. In this work Mr. Hammes allowed his characters to use the wisdom given to them by an adult and their own knowledge and courage to overcome the foe and save the day. Great mix! Great read! Recommended.

(Poetic form: Limerick)

I'm thinking it's quite apropos
To be warned how this story will go
Two children once found
Lying dead on the ground
A squirrel, that vanished - just so!

The children had started a club
Where the boy and the girl were the hub
He's Watson, she's Holmes
As in Conan Doyle's tomes
And the squirrel? Well now, there's the rub

It gave them particular pleasure
To store items they'd found, as their treasure
Inanimate things
Like some concentric rings
Which they'd register, display and measure

There once was a wicked old witch
With a heart that was blacker than pitch
Once banished for good
Now she's back in the `hood
Thanks to an inopportune glitch

Just one of her horrible habits
Is capturing small furry rabbits
Or a dog and a cat
And small creatures like that
Which she keeps in the place she inhabits

Now the reason for all her misdeeds
Is something they've got, that she needs
The source of her power
Draws closer each hour
Let's hope that she never succeeds

You'll be pleased at the way this transcends
All the currently popular trends
It lays the foundation
For imagination
You should read it to see how it ends



Amanda Richards, September 17, 2007