The uncharacteristically nervous great detective tackles the case of the tobacco millionaire and the Glastonbury Fragments, one of the most bizarre investigations of Holmes' and Watson's long partnership. In the spring of 1895, Colonel John Vincent Harman, an American inventor of an ingenious camera, was the object of anonymous threats to leave Britain, escalating to the abduction of his son, Jay. Behind this criminal activity, Holmes detected the hand of Drew, his old enemy, Professor Moriarty's lieutenant, an ex-Scotland Yard detective and worshipper of Demeter, the goddess of fertility. Drew suspected that Harman's stereoscope could uncover the mystery of a perverse religious cult, a priceless treasure which, if possessed, Moriarty believes, would give him power over the whole world.
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"A fast-moving, intelligent pastiche. . . a good story in a style close to Doyle's . . .strongly recommend this book ..." -- The Strand
About the Author
Barrie Roberts has worked as a criminal lawyer for over twenty years. He is also the author of a series of popular Sherlock Holmes pastiches and books on true crime and the paranormal
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Oh my god it's another lost Watson story!,
By ralph williams (Bradford, UK) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Sherlock Holmes and Devil's Grail (A&B Crime) (Paperback)
Dr. Watson must have rented 221A Baker Street just to hold all the manuscripts never published in his own lifetime. But Sherlock Holmes and the Devil's Grail is a lot better than most.The story itself brings together a number of previously used plot lines; a remenant of Moriarty's gang; a mysterious artifact called the Devil's Grail hidden amongst the stone circles of England and Wales; clues hidden in the Abbey at Glastonbury. However what makes this well worth a read is the fresh and entertaining way all these elements are brought together with one of the more credible attempts at creating the feel of a Conan Doyle original. Well recommended.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Best Holmes/Watson pastiche I've read in ages!,
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This review is from: Sherlock Holmes and Devil's Grail (A&B Crime) (Paperback)
Crackling adventure from the first chapter, with an authentic ring to the Holmes and Watson relationship, character details and dialogue, this pastiche suceeds where many have failed - both as exciting entertainment for anyone loving a good mystery/thriller, and for Holmsian purists - in presenting an authentically brilliant series of deductions. Holmes delights and surprises us here just as Conan Doyle wrote .... what terrific fun!!!!!! Great blend of action and deductive brilliance - with Doyle's sense of theatricality faithfully reproduced. This author really understands Doyle'e unique talents and is a credit to his mentor. Strongly recommended for purists and mystery buffs alike! More, more, Mr. Roberts!
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Tolerable But Not Exceptional,
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This review is from: Sherlock Holmes and Devil's Grail (A&B Crime) (Paperback)
As Holmes pastiches go, this particular book isn't too bad. But neither is it very gripping. It's just sort of...there. Out of the dozen or so installments that I've read in the continuing non-Doyle adventures of the Great Detective, this little outing does little to distinguish itself.We get no real insight into the Holmesian character, and certainly none into the often-overlooked Watson. (In truth, a lot of the recent pastiches use this duo only as an excuse to introduce other historical or fictional characters that the author is far more interested in investigating.) The antagonists are singularly bland, and the supporting cast is not altogether memorable. The key cryptographic puzzle is rather intricate, though, so much so that several diagrams are required in order for the reader to make any sense of the whole thing. It's fairly clever. However, the denouement is just ludicrous and the fulfillment of Holmes' plan requires that everyone involved should unwittingly act out their part by undertaking the most irrational actions. The whole climax feels forced. My biggest complaint? The villains are threatening Holmes' client from the moment he sets foot in England and wish to prevent him from going to a certain place, when, in fact, they have no evidence that he ever intends to go there, nor that anything he might do would in the slightest way be disadvantageous to them. In fact, as it all turns out, the bad guys have no way of solving a riddle without his assistance in the first place, so they would've been better advised to have duped him into acting on their behalf. But perhaps I quibble. In any case, it's a quick read for those who absolutely must have a Holmes fix, and the notes at the end of the book are not without interest.
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