Sherlock Holmes and the Mysterious Friend of Oscar Wilde

Author Russell Brown is not the first to speculate on the sexual orientation of Holmes, Watson and others in the Conan Doyle stories. While there is nothing explicit in the stories about Holmes having much of a love life (his admiration for 'the' woman notwithstanding), Watson did have many marriages. It is not unusual for modern writers and modern scholars to 'read between the lines' when trying to discern something like 'the love that dares not speak its name', which, by this very definition, means it is not going to be made explicit. Russell Brown takes the tactic of combining fact with fiction, drawing upon the real life persona and proclivities of Oscar Wilde, a fellow Victorian/Edwardian figure, and draws Holmes into mysteries that at first Holmes resists, but eventually acquieses to. Much of Wilde's lines here are adapted from or taken directly from his own work; much of the Holmesian character is derivative of Conan Doyle, but perhaps with a bit more intention in driving the author's point about tolerance and acceptance, something that takes Holmes some time to reach. As one can see from reviews, this is a book that many people either love or hate; this probably turns on their attitudes toward the subject matter of sexual orientation than on the work itself, and this is thus a fair indication - if this is a topic that disturbs you, don't get this book. If it is a topic in which you have interest, this might be of interest to you. If, however, you are looking for Holmes-related material (I collect such things, the good, bad and ugly), this is a minor offering in such literature. It is worth reading, but is not groundbreaking, and would be a second or third tier extra-canonical story. Were it possible, I would grant this three-and-one-half stars, but I am generally inclined to round up.

This book is one of the most amusing I have read in a while. Many clever Wilde quotations are worked into the dialogue. It honestly isn't much of a mystery novel, but it is great fun to read if you have the right sense of humour. If you are a fan of both Sherlock Holmes and Oscar Wilde, this may be the book for you.Warning: Do not read this book if you "dislike" homosexuals or if you are looking for a straight (if you'll pardon my pun) mystery. You will not enjoy it.