The Quallsford Inheritance

by Doris Ettlinger Dj Art (Illustrator), Doris Ettlinger Dj Art (Illustrator)

A clean, unmarked and unclipped copy.

Genres: Mystery

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1986

Reviews

[Adelais · Rating 3 out of 5]

Непоганий пастіш про Холмса на виїзді у сільську місцину, де все готичне і сталося вбивство. Доктора Ватсона тут немає, замість нього юний ученик з Irregulars; Холмс звично для пастішів набагато менше дедукує, а все більше скрадається. Але все закінчилося добре.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent historic fiction that captured the feel of the era. Biggle has modernized the tone in comparison to reading Doyle's stories about Sherlock Holmes but he does a very good job of depicting the era and classes. The special touch was the female protagonist. She was very well drawn as were the inherent prejudices against a woman's ability to plan or work effectively. Repeatedly Sherlock's apprentice Edward Porter relates in his reports the attitudes and actions of the village people in regard to the Quallsford siblings Emmeline and her murdered brother Edmund.
Yes there is another person relating the tale because Watson has become a staid family man who cannot go haring off when the game is afoot. Instead Sherlock has taken one of the Baker Street Irregulars as an apprentice detective and pass on his skills. Porter even shows his and Watson's rivalry by carping about Watson's never mentioning the work he Porter contributed to past cases. However he would not sink so low as to leave Watson out.

[Joe Santoro · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was quite interesting reading a version of Holmes that is so very different from the 'high functioning sociopath' that is popular right now. Biggle's Holmes is kind, gentle, and practically fatherly to his 'Watson'... former Baker Street Irregular made apprentice Edward Porter Jones.

He downplays the natural magic of Holmes' detective skills in favor of simply knowing what leg work to do and doing it, and having an amazing network of contacts.

As is usually the case when writers come up with their own Watson, the actual Watson is not involved in the case.. he makes a cameo at 221 Baker St., and gets the usual short shrift (though not as bad as some).

The story itself was decent, but not a great mystery.. I had it figured out pretty early on, and was a bit disappointed that I there was no cool twist to mislead me. I enjoyed reading it, but it didn' leave me wanting more of Edward Porter Jones or Mr. Biggle's version of Holmes.

[robyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

A very respectable pastiche. Lacking a little in verve, but there's a solid plot, a feeling of the period, good characterization all-round, and Holmes is recognizably himself, despite the fact that the narrator is a new character, a young apprentice. Normally I hate to see new characters introduced into a well-established canon, but it was well done in this case.

This is an impressive first effort; I'm a little sorry he didn't do a Solar Pons and build a series of these.