Sherlock Holmes and the Rosetta Stone Mystery (The Early Casebook of Sherlock Holmes 1)

by Linda Stratmann

Edition: ARC, 2021

Synopsis: Before Dr Watson, there was Mr Stamford…

London, 1876

Mr Stamford meets Sherlock Holmes while studying at St Bartholomew’s Medical College in London. With his intense stare and unorthodox methods of doing things, Holmes has already gained a reputation as an eccentric but brilliant man.

When suspected intruders are sighted at the British Museum, Holmes is called upon to give his opinion of what happened. But before he can come to any conclusions, something horrifying happens – one of the great treasures of the world, the priceless Rosetta Stone, is stolen from the museum.

The thieves have left a note demanding a ransom. And if it is not fulfilled they threaten to cast the Stone into the ocean so it can never be found again.

With the police on the wrong track, it is down to Holmes to solve the complex case. And when the burglary case turns into a murder investigation, it becomes a race against time before more victims are killed.

Young Mr. Sherlock Holmes has developed a reputation around St Bartholomew’s Medical College in London as being unorthodox in the subjects he pursues. Mr. Mike Stamford is intrigued by Mr. Holmes, but it isn’t until a fellow student approaches them about the mysterious strangers his uncle has seen at the British museum that they are really thrown together. The Rosetta Stone is under threat. Can a young Sherlock Holmes solve the crime when the police are puzzled?

I enjoyed this one a lot! I’ve read stories about Sherlock Holmes as a boy, so I was intrigued by the idea of him as a young man. I also liked that we have Mike Stamford as our “Watson” of the story. It is presented in a way that makes it plausible to fit in with the details left by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

The author does a fantastic job of recreating Holmes as a young man who is still learning. The mystery presented of the Rosetta Stone just vanishing from the museum, was well thought out. If I had to name something that didn’t sit quite right, it is the references to the person of a mathematical disposition who is the shadowy puppet master as it were. It just didn’t feel quite right.

Overall, it is a fantastic story and I would definitely recommend it to fans of Holmes looking for an adventure. I received a free copy through NetGalley and all opinions expressed are my own.