| Sherlock
Holmes is satisfied with his verdict in a simple case, when
things take a turn for the strange. Lady Damury might have
stolen the ruby to frame her husband, but now she is dead.
Could there be a connection to a man seen acting oddly?
This author has written a number of Sherlock Holmes novels
featuring characters from other contemporary writers such
as the Phantom of the Opera and the White Worm. Now he introduces
to silent film villain Dr Caligari, whose evil plans have
taken him from Prague to London in search of committing crime
by proxy. This is not a plot spoiler as we know this; anybody
expecting the usual whodunit will be surprised. Mr Davies
has written instead a departure from the norm, where we follow
Caligari’s criminal activities and watch Holmes tracking
him down. I personally prefer the usual format, but this author
has a way of sucking the reader in and not letting go, which
is why I enjoy his books. This is a fast-paced, atmospheric
tale that brings Caligari to lurid, Grand Guignol-style life
as he perfects his dastardly hypnotic skills. Holmes and Watson
are well portrayed and get put through their I might like
a whodunit best, but anybody who comes up with something fresh
and does it well makes for a pleasant change.
Reviews
of other titles in this series
The
Improbable Prisoner
The
Haunting of Torre Abbey
The
Counterfeit Detective
The
Instrument of Death
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