Sherlock Holmes and the Queen of Diamonds
Steve Hayes and David Whitehead

Robert Hale
29 February 2012 /ISBN-13: 9780709094784
Historical Mystery / 1880s / London
Amazon US - UK

Reviewed by Rachel A Hyde

When villains hold up Countess Elaina Montague's carriage one night, she thinks robbery and rape are inevitable, but then fellow American Thomas Howard rescues her. He tells her about his missing brother and how he has come to Britain to find him, and she tells him about her friend Sherlock Holmes. Surely this is a way to repay the favor, but Howard is not favorably impressed by what he sees as Holmes' nosiness. Why has Sherlock been frequenting the music halls, and who is stealing jewels from London's society ladies?

The game's afoot! Nobody actually says that in this book, which also manages not to involve Moriarty either, which is refreshing! The two authors have previously been associated with the Western genre and it shows, the result being a nice melding of western and Holmes story and set entirely in London. I would personally have preferred more mystery, as everything in this book is either laid before the reader or is easy to guess, two elements always missing from Conan Doyle's own work. Instead you can expect a fast-paced and intriguing tale with plenty of action and a good feel for the seamy side of Victorian London. It is always good to see what authors come up with to add to the Holmes canon, and this manages to be a bit different.