Sherlock Holmes and the Theatre of Death (Adventures of Sherlock Holmes) by Val Andrews

Sherlock Holmes #11

by Val Andrews

On the evening of 9th May 1911 a fire broke out backstage at the Empire Theatre, Edinburgh. The Great Lafayette, a spectacular illusionist and eight of his performers were consumed by the flames and as death shrouded the theatre, so a pall of mystery also surrounded the horrible events. Sherlock Holmes was called in to investigate what soon turns out to be yet another baffling mystery. Who and what had started the fire? This is one of Holmes's most riveting mysteries and the reader will be transported to a magical world in which Holmes not only reveals all the true facts concerning the death of Lafayette but discovers what almost seems to be another world frozen in time. Yet another well constructed Sherlock Holmes mystery.

Genres: Mystery

Paperback

First published December 1, 1997

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Val Andrews was a music hall artist, ventriloquist and writer.
Andrews was born in Hove, Sussex, England a few hours after Valentine's Day, hence his name. Son of an architect, he was introduced to magic by his father. Andrews was a prolific writer on magic, having published over 1000 books and booklets from 1952. He also authored Sherlock Holmes pastiches and Houdini's novels. He lived for a number of years in Brighton, then in London (from 1943 onwards) where he joined the London Society of Magicians.

Reviews

[Outlander · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another satisfying tale from Val Andrews weaving Sherlock Holmes and Dr John H Watson into the very real events of the 1911 fire that ended 11 lives (including The Great Lafayette, illusionist extraordinaire) and caused the complete destruction of the Empire Theatre, Edinburgh. A nice touch using a photograph of the theatre in it's glory days on the cover. It was a cinema, bingo hall and then a night club in my youth, now it's the very prestigious Festival Theatre.

[P. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Typical of Andrew's Holmes series, the seminal event in ToD spawns a chain of events that move the story along in a cohesive, often unexpected manner. It makes for a more interesting read than a plot beaten to death to make length.

[Bonnie Dale Keck · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kindle Unlimited One of several Sherlock Holmes stories by an assorted group of authors, wanted to go through them all. Liked it, just didn't love it, sort of the right style and all but....

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

1911. Watson and Holmes's fishing holiday is interrupted because of the death of The Great Lafagette aka Sigmund Neuberger. But his solicitor does not believe that the body identified as his due to a fire in the theatre which killed nine other people is actually him.
An enjoyable Holmes mystery

[Dale · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sherlock Holmes and the Theatre of Death by Val Andrews

The Great Lafayette, real name Sigmund Neuberger, was a magician and illusionist appearing at the Empire Theatre, Edinburgh, Scotland. There has been a tragic fire in which many of the performers, including The Great Lafayette perished. His solicitors are having problems with the settling of his estate as he was a secretive man when it came to finances and his diamond rings were not on his corpse.

Holmes and Watson are in Perthshire, Scotland. Watson is enjoying the trout streams, and Holmes is relaxing by staying on the bank and enjoying the countryside.

They are interrupted by a man in a rowboat, bringing a passenger to find Sherlock Holmes. Septimus Greyshot of the firm, Luckens, Wild, Luckens and Greyshot, solicitors; is in charge of the estate of the unfortunate magician. He fears that the body found is not that of the Great Lafayette.

This mystery is full of twists and surprises and just when you think it couldn’t take another twist, Val Andrews finds a way. The case is straightforward and rather easy to read. But the surprises are most certainly there!

The only thing that I did not like was that the story ends abruptly, as if one had fallen from a cliff. I give the story four stars.

Quoth the Raven…

[Darlene Cypser · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sherlock Holmes pastiche... plotting a bit cumbersome. Holmes & Watson so-so.