Customer Reviews

Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Alliance

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

 

 

I really have to say that I was disapointed with this book. The writing became longwinded and boring, and the story just seemed to drag on and on. Of Millett's four stories, this plot was by far the worst--the whole thing was based on the sexual preferences of two men.

The other big problem I have with the Secret Alliance is that it doesn't really involve Holmes at all. The main character is clearly Shadwell Rafferty, which is not exactly what I was expecting. The long portions taken from Watson's diary were added so Millett could call it a Holmes story. The writing from Watson's diary is extremly boring and hard to read, since little of it actually involves the story.

Disappointing. Sherlock Holmes basically disappears from the book - except for the stupid diary form that is practically unreadable - and Shadwell Rafferty does not take the stage. The narration might as well be from a newspaper - no humor, no real way to identify with the characters. He has no alternate narrator to take the place of Watson, and that reduces his usually wonderful book plots to dust.

How Sherlock Holmes' name can be used in the title with good faith is outside my understanding. I've read all of Millett's "Holmes" books, and this story is not only the most tedious, the most uninspiring and the least exciting, it is also the most non-Holmes mystery. We really only experience his presence toward the end of the novel, and then it is still only a shell of the Holmes we've seen from Millett in the past.
Shadwell Rafferty is a respectable character, but he is no Holmes. Please, next time just give us a real title like "Shadwell Rafferty and the Englishmen." At least that would be fair warning.

The true secret alliance is between the publisher and the author, as they attempt to con and bamboozle the innocent public into thinking that this is a "Sherlock Holmes" story. It is not. Not even close. Oh, sure, we're given some badly written "diary entries" by Watson, but those are filled with Holmes and Watson pining for Minnesota. Funny how Conan Doyle missed Holmes' deep love for the Midwest.

The bulk of the novel is taken up with Millet's own creation, Shadwell Rafferty. Tragically, if this were a "Shadwell Rafferty" book, it wouldn't be all that bad. Rafferty is an interesting enough fellow, and the narrative voice used for him is light, but gets the job done. But, then, "Shadwell Rafferty and the Secret Alliance" wouldn't sell books, would it?

I enjoyed "The Red Demon;" I enjoyed "The Ice Palace Murders" much less. I didn't enjoy "The Secret Alliance." I'm a Sherlock Holmes fan, not Shadwell Rafferty, and Millett seems to have become infatuated with his own character to the detriment of involving Holmes. If one is going to write Sherlock Holmes stories, then he needs to write Holmes stories, not give him a secondary role to one's own creation. Millett also seems to be increasingly enamoured with his own knowledge of Twin Cities history, and this sometimes gets in the way. We want Holmes, Mr. Millett, not Rafferty, and if you are going to give a leading role to your own creation, then don't try to allure a readership with mostly false claims about a Sherlock Holmes mystery.

Larry Millett's fourth book is easily the weakest in the series. Holmes and Watson barely make cameo appearances, it's all the annoyingly stereotyped Shadwell Rafferty. The far-left politics don't help either. Millett needs to either research other settings for Holmes and Watson or just give Rafferty his own series so those who can't stand him can avoid him. Having Holmes visit Minnesota once was a stretch, four times is ridiculous.

My sis turned me on to the author, unfortunately this is the first of his books that I've read (only halfway so far, and will probably not finish it.) Now, I'm not sure if I will try any of his others... can I give this zero stars?
Obviously my biggest complaint is the same as most other reviewers, the utter lack of Holmes and the horrible way that the diary pages are written. Utterly disappointing.

I've now read all five of Larry Millett's Sherlock Holmes mysteries. I've enjoyed all of them. I rate "and the Secret Alliance" as number two right behind "Ice Palace Murders" which is my favorite of Millett's Sherlock Holmes series. Millett introduced Shadwell Rafferty in another book and he has become the main character in this one. He's almost as good as Sherlock. This is a great read for any Sherlock fan.

Yes, some critics here are right in claiming that Sherlock and the good doctor do not really play a decisive role in this very entertaining historical yarn! Still the local characters and their detection skills are a nice added feature! We have some troublesome anarchists, saloon proprietors, mill magnates, a gay attorney with sympathies for the little guy, a colorful mayor who can outmaneuver about anyone, and rough and tumble Pinkertons woven in and out with Watson's notes on the situation. A gruesome naked body is hanging from the tree of an aging flour mill owner's rundown property. The sleuths and their companions must determine not only whodunnit, but also who exactly was the dead man, and who was he loyal to. More than enough action and humor here, not to mention interesting historical footnotes on the the origins and history of the Twin City area..The game may take a while to get afoot, but this tale is easily worth a few yours of your valuable time!

Bring us more Shadwell Rafferty and George Washington Thomas. This dynamic duo has captured my imagination. I found myself torn between reading the footnotes and reading the story. I finally gave up and read all the footnotes through from beginning to end, even when I didn't know what they related to in the story. The history in this book is fascinating and I admire Millett's ability to turn his in-depth factual knowledge of the Twin Cities into a highly entertaining and deftly plotted mystery. There are surprising twists that I never saw coming, thorough characterizations, and--pleasingly--the emotional quality of the characters shines through without the restraints of Holmes' and Watson's prescripted personalities. Their minor involvement felt just right--enough to thread this book in with the series, but also enough to bring in the worldly knowledge that Rafferty wouldn't have. Highly entertaining. Millett has found the perfect heroes for the Gilded Age. Please give us more!