Sherlock Holmes and the Red Demon

It is a historical fact that on September 1, 1894 a tremendous forest fire destroyed the town of Hinckley, Minnesota, killing over 400 people. The fire was so intense, that it can be described as a firestorm, a fire so powerful that the updrafts are capable of sucking people into the fire. As a consequence of the destruction, a forest fire monitoring program was begun in the United States. That event serves as the backdrop for this tale featuring the great fictional detective Sherlock Holmes. A railroad baron named James J. Hill sends an agent from northern Minnesota to Baker Street in England to hire Holmes to come to Minnesota and bring an arsonist to justice. The agent succeeds in convincing Holmes to take the case, so he and his companion, Dr John Watson, journey to Minnesota. Upon arriving, they read a note sent by the arsonist, which was signed using the name Red Demon. This starts the case full throttle, where the search for the Red Demon forces Holmes and Watson to encounter a wide assortment of frontier characters. They interview and interact with a corrupt Sheriff, the local madam and some of her best girls, rough-hewn lumberjacks, townspeople and the people who run the railroad. Holmes is his usual persistent self, doing battle with those who would kill for gain and Watson is as loyal and at times as bumbling as ever. Holmes and Watson experience the great fire and emerge unscathed and victorious over their very dangerous enemy. The author has created the appropriate mix of the history of the region as well as the style of the original stories of Sherlock Holmes. While there are a few times where you can recognize style differences and realize that this story was written nearly a century after the originals, they are not very numerous. It kept my attention from the first page to the last. If you are a fan of mysteries, especially the style used to describe the escapades of Sherlock Holmes, then I strongly recommend that you read this book.

Larry Millet has captured the Arthur Conan Doyle style and has integrated a very believable story that is congruent with the history and geography of the Hinkley Minnesota fire. The character development is superb. Unlike many mysteries, This one can be solved by the clues given in the text. I hope Mr Millet will write more Sherlock Holmes novels.

This is a must read for fans of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. Holmes solves a satisfying mystery in the northwoods of Minnesota in one of the best Sherlock Holmes stories that I have ever read including the originals. The background setting is accurately painted by the first-time novelist, and the book is very well written. All of the elements that make Doyle's characters so popular can be found in the novel as well. There are a cast of interesting characters that can puzzle a reader as to who the red demon is. I guessed who the villian was......

Larry Millett has succeeded in convincing this reader that Sherlock Holmes indeed came to the United States to solve yet another mystery. Minnesota is an unlikely choice for a Holmes mystery but Millett's time line fits in the history of Mr. Holmes. All is tied in to the history of the Forestry industry, railroads and the state of Minnesota. The reader is introduced to several interesting characters most of which become suspects themselves. You are kept guessing to the very end when the Red Demon is actually revealed. Even the most ardent Holmes fan will be challenged and entertained with this story

I grew up in a small town about 20 miles from Hinckley, MN, so stories of the Hinckley Fire have been a part of my life ever since I can remember. I am also a major Sherlock Holmes fan, and I was very glad to see this book come out. Historically, the book is very accurate and well researched, but the real appeal of the book was Holmes. A whole different side of him appears in this book that I found very refreshing and very interesting. All in all, this book combines my favorite literary character with a story I'm highly familiar with, and I give it a 10+