The Disappearance of Sherlock Holmes: A Mystery Featuring Shadwell Rafferty

I enjoyed the earlier books in this series and this one was especially good. Same day I received it, I read far into the night and finished it the following morning. I like these books because I'm a lifelong Sherlock Holmes fan and this one featured Holmes from the beginning in an absorbing story in which he was impersonated, traveled from England, to NYC and and then to Chicago and even was involved in a bit of a romance. Rafferty and other characters from previous books made appearances in an auxillary capacity, which suits me fine. Mr. Millett's ability to capture the voice of Watson (as created by Doyle) is the most appealing aspect of this tale.

Probably the best of Larry Millet's stories (and the others have been good!) I really loved it when Mary finally got hers! That female Moriarty really deserved what she got! However, I suspect that Millet will resurect her in his next novel. Ah, well, she'll join a long list of villans that have returned from the dead including Moriarty himself, Fu Manchu, The Joker, etc. Four resounding Sherlock stars! Larry Millet, you go, bro! Quoth the Raven...

In 1900 London the great Sherlock Holmes receives a message written in code that leads the detective to deduce that murdering mobster Abe Slaney survived his harrowing escape from prison rather than drowned as reported. Having barely stopped Abe before, Holmes knows the rematch will prove even more difficult and he also thinks someone else is playing him and his sidekick Watson like puppets on a strings.Elsie Cubitt has vanished after withdrawing 5,000 pounds from her bank and Slaney is the most likely culprit. Holmes starts his quest by visiting a spiritualist, a confidant of Elsie. However, soon after Holmes leaves, the spiritualist vanishes too. The trail turns murky when a Holmes impersonator seems to be just in front of the London duo, leaving behind fallacious clues to throw Sherlock off and crime victims wanting retribution. The dynamic duo journeys to New York City where Homes also vanishes, leaving Watson and bartender buddy Shadwell Rafferty in Chicago in search of the great sleuth and Elsie.Though a solid homage to Doyle and Holmes, THE DISAPPEARANCE OF SHERLOCK HOLMES never quite grips the audience as one would expect with Holmes missing and apparently a prisoner of a devious enemy. Instead, the reader sees an insightful look at the late Victorian era on both sides of the Atlantic and the ho hum of another case as related by Watson. Though the candid insight by Elsie, Holmes, and others adds depth, this tribute is more for the Baker Street crowd revering along with Larry Millet one of the notables.Harriet Klausner

I thoroughly enjoyed this fourth novel by Sherlock writer and Minnesota native, Larry Millett. I was disappointed that it wasn't set in Minnesota (I'm from Minnesota...ya sure you betcha!) and missed all the interesting facts about St.Paul, Minneapolis, and other Minnesota cities. However, I really liked the plot, which has Watson doing some detecting work (or trying to) in the absence of Holmes. I liked that there was a tangled web of deceit and that the reader was kept guessing who the true mastermind behind the crime was and why they had it in for Holmes. I hope that Millett keeps writing Holmes mysteries because I'd love to read one involving Professor Moriarty. Millett has done for me what I think he hoped his books would do, he has made me want to read the original series by Arthur Conan Doyle. Bravo!

I found this book to be a non stop action adventure outing that served the Great Detective just fine, thank you. Rather than stodgy and dull retelling of the 'locked room' mysteries that populate the shelves nowdays, Millett's latest effort moves effortlessly through a maze of troubles for Holmes and Watson, beginning in England and ending in America. True, there is not a lot of detecting in this one but I liked the reverse angle of the plot - namely, Holmes is the pursued 'criminial' through most of this. There are some controversial elements some won't like (Holmes having a girlfriend, for example) but Elsie Cubitt is a resourceful and brave woman on her own, qualities I think would win Holmes over. (And for the purists, Sherlock Holmes is as uncomfortable as one would expect him to be with a woman he truly cares for.) Shadwell Rafferty is back again, but this time he does not take over the book, thank goodness. As always, the characters of Holmes and Watson are handled well and faithfully by Millett. In short, I enjoyed that touch of 'Indiana Jones'(Holmes wears it well) in this book and I highly recommend it.