The Adventure of the Time Machine: A Sherlock Holmes and Lucy James Mystery

Sherlock Holmes and Lucy James Mystery #16

by Anna Elliott, Charles Veley

Time Travel, Twists, and a Terrifying Trap for Sherlock and Lucy!

October 1902: Dr. Watson receives a puzzling invitation from H.G. Wells, leading him to a man who claims to be a time traveler from ancient Rome. The traveler insists Watson help him rewrite history—but when Watson refuses, the man vanishes in a blinding flash of light, leaving behind a shocking mystery.

Meanwhile, Sherlock Holmes is tracking a stolen submarine when murder strikes, and the clues grow stranger by the minute. Even H.G. Wells finds himself accused of the crime. With the body count rising, it’s clear this is no ordinary case. A killer with the power to alter history must be stopped before catastrophe unfolds.

As the past and future collide, Holmes, Watson, Lucy, and the entire Baker Street team must unravel the truth behind the time traveler. Can they outwit a criminal who seems unstoppable, or will this be their final adventure?

READERS LOVE THE SHERLOCK AND LUCY

“A spellbinding story where mystery meets science fiction!”“This series just keeps getting better—unputdownable!”The Adventure of the Time Machine is a thrilling Victorian action adventure mystery with a futuristic twist, perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, Deanna Raybourn, and Sherlock Holmes adventures.

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Genres: Mystery, Cozy, Fiction

267 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 15, 2024

About the author

Anna Elliott is an author of historical fiction and fantasy. She enjoys stories about strong women, and loves exploring the multitude of ways women can find their unique strengths. She was delighted to lend a hand with the Sherlock & Lucy series, and thrilled to continue a new spin-off series featuring Becky and Flynn. Her first series, the Twilight of Avalon trilogy, is a retelling of the Trystan & Isolde legend. She wrote her second series, The Pride & Prejudice Chronicles , chiefly to satisfy her own curiosity about what might have happened to Elizabeth Bennet, Mr. Darcy, and all the other wonderful cast of characters after the official end of Jane Austen’s classic work.

WEBSITE: http://sherlockandlucy.com
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/sherlockand...
FACEBOOK READER GROUP: https://www.facebook.com/groups/77782...
AMAZON: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Anna-El...

Anna lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and five children.

Reviews

[William · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entertaining Holmes listening 🎶🔰

This kindle e-book novel is from my Kindle Unlimited account book 36 of 36

More to come?

Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson are involved in two cases. It turns out that they are linked together. This is a great Holmes mystery with all of the characters.

I would recommend this series and authors to readers of British 🏰👑 mystery novels and fans of Sherlock Holmes novels 👍🔰. 2024👒😤

[Claudia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great adventure with disappearing submarines, dead bodies at H.G. Wells' state and a mysterious 'time-traveller' dressed as an old-times Roman *g*.

I must say that it's always lovely to see Becky again as a child. She's so resourceful and determined *smiles happily* And having Inspector Lestrade so annoyed at her smart remarks is a welcomed bonus *laughs*

The POV shifts between the characters, as they are all investigating different avenues to find who's responsible for the stolen submarine and how it relates to Mr H.G. Wells' strange visitor and his alleged time machine. This allows us to spend equal time with all of them which is IMHO, always a good thing.

And it also makes for an entertaining read with great pacing and enticing. The historical details are fascinating as they usually are in this series and I'd recommend not to skip the historical notes at the end, they are worth your time.

Another brilliant addition to the series, fully recommended.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

1902 Dr. Watson is invited to Dover and the home of H.G. Wells to meet a man proclaiming that he has travelled through time from ancient Rome. After he disappears a body of a female is discovered and Wells arrested. The Baker Street team investigate but there is also the problem of the disappearance of a submarine to content with.
An entertaining and well-written historical mystery with its group of likeable and varied characters. Another good addition to this enjoyable series.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Jim Rickard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book

I really enjoyed this book. It was a good plot and a historical character showed up and what I read about that character was the same way he was portrayed on Murdock Mysteries on Acorn TV. Hope she writes another book in this series

[Barbara A · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great fun!

I really enjoyed this! I had just finished several “heavy” mystery-suspense books that were unexpected dull, given the authors, so this was exactly what I needed. This starred the usual cast of characters and a few new ones. The action and suspense were well-plotted and entertaining. While it lowered my opinion of H.G. Wells a bit, it was a nice wrinkle to add to the Sherlock Holmes and Lucy James series. Very imaginative. Thanks for the fun!

[Madelon · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE ADVENTURE OF THE TIME MACHINE unites two well-known individuals — Sherlock Holmes (fictional character) and H. G. Wells — giving us a crime and science fiction mash-up done effortlessly. We come to find out that Dr. Watson knows Wells and Wells has a mystery to solve. It is apparent from the first page that the two would best be called acquaintances rather than friends. Dr. Watson is enticed to visit Radnor Cliffs in anticipation of a possible publishing windfall. But why would H. G. ask him to bring his Webley?

The historical time period for THE ADVENTURE OF THE TIME MACHINE is after the Boer War, circa 1902. It was a time of rivalry between England and Germany that included vying for naval superiority, colonial competition, and diplomatic alliances among other things. This was a time for espionage, both state-sponsored and commercial. Stealing the plans for a submarine is both a national and commercial issue; stealing the submarine is a national security issue — and a call to action. Juxtaposed are the real submarine and the fictional time machine.

Precise pacing is deftly accomplished by the team of Elliott and Veley through the multiple point-of-view chapters. Each character tells his or her own part in the story from their own perspective. I like to think that Sherlock, Watson, and Flynn are the work of Charles Veley, while Lucy and Becky are penned by Anna Elliott. Perhaps that is sexist of me, but the male and female characters speak the way we expect historical figures to speak. Victorian Londoners were known for binary thinking, unlike today.

I have followed Sherlock and Lucy since the first book in the series. When Lucy met and ultimately married Jack Kelly, his young sister Becky became an integral part of the story. When Becky met Holmes' Irregular Flynn, it was a match made in mischief. Both were and still are intelligent children with a keen sense of adventure with a modicum of common sense. THE ADVENTURE OF THE TIME MACHINE sees a new maturity in both. They still manage to get themselves into trouble but with more thought and somewhat less impulsiveness. I'm seeing a move toward Anna Elliott's 'The Becky and Flynn Mystery Series' which tells of their adventures in WWI. As much as we might consider Sherlock Holmes a Victorian figure, Arthur Conan Doyle's later works do take place in the twentieth century.

THE ADVENTURE OF THE TIME MACHINE will appeal to fans of both Sherlock Holmes and H. G. Wells. As always, do read the Historical Notes at the end.

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holmes and H.G.Wells

These stories never fail to intrigue and entertain this reader. I am curious about the personal life of H.G.Wells after reading this book!

[Beverly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a highly suspenseful, intense, and intriguing story . Imagine H G Well and a time machine in the same sentence. I'm awestruck!! False leads, betrayal, and deceit tried to keep this dynamic group from stopping home grown terrorists in the U.K. and their diabolic plans. I love when they confront the terrorist. Their surprise and shock made me laugh. Did they think they were the only ones with a brain and tenacity. Not a chance! What a busy story that kept me turning pages and crossing fingers for the good guys!!

[Jim Purcell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of moving parts prolong this book. Other than that, it supports the canon and expands the series nicely.

[Lisa Jensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my top five favs in the Sherlock and Lucy series.
Dr Watson and H G Wells have a possible time travelling puzzle to solve. The Baker Street team investigates after a body is found on Wells’ estate.
The tension ramps up as Holmes also investigates a missing submarine. The story grips you as the outcome of both investigations could threaten the peace.
Likable characters, great writing and a historical thread! Excellent read.

[Marcin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another case the Baker Street team must solve has quite interestingly premise, featuring supposed time traveler, his time machine and a stolen submarine.
Fast paced, enjoyable installment of the series has all elements familiar for long-time fans like multiple person narrative.
I had only complain that main mystery regarding "time machine" isn't have enough fleshed out.

I requested, received and read Advanced Read Copy ebook.

[Christa Saccullo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Serious teamwork

It is at the turn if the century and whispers of war are becoming rumblings, then real threats. So much so a visitor from the past has appeared to warn them of what is coming...

I really enjoyed this one. Holmes and the gang have become a well oiled machine to tackling mysteries.

Christa

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who doesn’t like a good mystery?! This new book in the Sherlock and Lucy series is a great book. Add a Time Machine and H. G. Wells and it’s even better. It’s fast paced and intriguing and you won’t be sorry you read it. Thanks NetGalley for the advance copy.

[Christine H Willard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book! Intriguing storylines that keep going and going! The pace is nonstop and well worth reading. This book is one of their
best, if not THE best book they've written! Thank you so much!

[Bill Cross · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good news! The father-daughter writing team of Charles Veley and Anna Elliot are back with another tale of the father-daughter team of Sherlock Holmes and Lucy James – "The Adventure of the Time Machine."

The premise for the series is simple. In his younger days, Sherlock Holmes had a brief dalliance with an attractive young actress. Unbeknownst to him, she became pregnant and gave birth to their daughter, Lucy. Lucy spends her formative years at an exclusive boarding school in the United States. Reaching adulthood, her own career as an actress brings her to London where she meets Sherlock, discovers that he is her father, and subsequently leaves the theater for a career helping him solve crimes. Along the way, she falls in love with and marries a policeman turned Scotland Yard operative, Jack Kelly, and more or less becomes a surrogate mother to Jack’s much younger sister, Becky.

Of course, Watson is still very much a part of the team as is a young member of Holmes’ Baker Street Irregulars named Flynn.

Their latest adventure is not really a “whodunnit,” although a dead body does turn up quite early in the narrative. Instead, this is more of a thriller with Sherlock and company out to thwart an anti-government plot that somehow involves author H. G. Wells and a man dressed as a Roman centurion who claims to be in possession of a time machine.

As a regular reader of this series, I found the change from mystery to thriller to be refreshing and very well-handled. The plot is also a bit more intricate than some of the previous installments. Veley and Elliot have a writing style that emulates Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s and makes for a fast and thoroughly enjoyable read.

While the action shifts between various members of our investigating team, going from Watson’s point of view to Lucy’s and then to an omniscient third-party narrator when focusing on Flynn or Becky, this tale doesn’t always shift focus with every new chapter. Instead, we often stay with one character for several chapters before moving on to see how others are progressing with the case.

Kudos also go to the authors for presenting a story where each member of the main cast gets an equal share of the storyline. Many of the more recent outings have found Lucy James and especially her husband Jack taking a diminished role in the proceedings. It was nice to see them both getting much more to do this time.

If you’re new to the series, I would recommend starting with some of their earlier offerings for two reasons. One, this will allow you to become more familiar with the main characters and their relationship to each other. Two, most of the Sherlock and Lucy books are real mysteries. This one is a bit of a change of pace, so it won’t give you a feel for the rest of the series.

But if you’ve been with Sherlock and Lucy from the beginning, then I highly recommend this latest adventure. It has plenty of action and more than a few plot twists to keep you entertained.

I must also mention that The Adventure of the Time Machine has the very best last line of any book in the series!

[MJ Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

What do a time traveler and stolen submarine have in common?

Neither can hide from Sherlock, Lucy, and the rest of the Baker Street team of investigators for long. Of course, it's not nearly as simple as that sounds! There are plenty of false leads and outright lies to contend with. But even the smartest criminals (and most aren't that smart) are no match for Sherlock & Lucy or even Becky & Finn, who most people tend to seriously underestimate (that's always fun to see!).

I just love this series and watching each person unravel particular threads of the mystery, often in quite ingenious ways. Then those threads all come together and converge on the solution. And as usual, that convergence was rather surprising. It also came with it's own challenges for how to stop impending disaster.

Adding in real historical people (in this case H.G. Wells) to a storyline that's right up their alley (time machine!) makes the whole thing even more compelling and fun.

As you can probably guess, I very much enjoyed this latest installment of Sherlock & Lucy's mysteries. It was hard to put down, and I always looked forward to getting back to it and seeing where the next lead would lead. As satisfying as it always is to see them wrap up the mystery and get the bad guy, it's also disappointing to have to leave some of my favorite characters behind yet again. But I also get to look forward to their next case!

I received a free advanced reader copy of this book from the authors and this is my voluntary review.

[Douglas Finton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I must admit, even as a long-time fan of this series, that they had me immediately at “Time Machine”. Could it be that Sherlock & Lucy would encounter H.G. Wells?
It could.
And what results is an absolutely riveting mystery/thriller, as our heroes race the clock to avert a major political and physical disaster for Britain.
Highly recommended to fans of this series, Holmes fans in general, and, may I say, fans of both the Time Machine novel and the 1960 movie. (Why the movie? Let us just say, without spoilers, that there’s a delicious Easter-egg for cognoscenti embedded in a clue . . .).

[Big Fat Hairy Man · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sherlock and Lucy are at it again. This time, however, they need the whole team and some others to help with this adventure. There's murder, espionage, a missing sub, and a "The Time Machine"'s author himself, H. G. Wells. This is a very entertaining mystery thriller with plenty of suspects, twists and turns, and red herrings to keep the reader engaged till the end. Looking forward to their next adventure.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Avis Witter · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a great fan of this series of books and yet this story did not grab me as much as the others. I can’t put my finger on why. The characters are always great and the historical aspects have been well researched. It was clever to involve H. G. Wells in the storyline. I did get a little confused at a couple of points as my interest waned. Nevertheless I look forward to the next in series and further adventures.

[Michael R. Zuelke · Rating 5 out of 5]

As usual Time Machine did not disappoint. As with the other books in this series Elliott has written a fast-paced page turner with every character - Sherlock, Watson, Jack, Lucy, Flynn and Becky taking turns amplifying the twists and turns of the plot. It is a case of HOW will the villain be overcome rather than who that villain is. One note for further stories emerged: Who is The Bishop - the nameless one behind the crime? I just bet he will be in a future story. Stay tuned for more!

[NelleRenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I especially like the historical information at the end of the storyline. The different points of view is sometimes hard for me to read but I do think it is welcomed here as they characters are all trying to solve a piece of the puzzle. It definitely has enough action with murder, disappearing submarines, and a time traveler. It is a good addition to the series.

[Melvyn Homer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not just another Sherlock Holmes story, but a great one. H G Wells story woven into a Sherlock mystery. Holmes aided by his daughter, the ever present Lestrade and his legion of helpers confound the enemy and save the day. A great adventure and a great read.

[A.J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series, which keeps getting better and better with each new adventure. It's everything I love about Sherlock Holmes, plus fresh new characters and fascinating new plots. I have read and enjoyed every book in this series, and look forward to more.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Time travel, stolen submarines, murder and mayhem! Another fantastic adventure for Sherlock, Lucy and co. Great read, exciting, intriguing, cleverly crafted as always. I love the character assassination of H.G. Wells and look forward to more amazing reads from Charles and Anna!

[Stacie G · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great read! Sherlock Holmes is just my hero and always has been. I love the reading style and it was an easy to understand read.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Betsy C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clever and exciting

After 35 great stories, you might think they would become stale or predictable. Nope, this is another great story with plenty of surprises and clever deductions. Sad they are completed, but so glad we have Becky and Flynn books to continue the tales.

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing story. Dr Watson meets a man claiming to be from 1902, should he even believe that. Exciting as always, impossible to not love everything about it. Will he discover the truth.

[Christopher Cannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love these books and am sad I am at the end of it. I am onto the Becky and Flynn series and Homefront Sleuths!

[Mike Kanner · Rating 3 out of 5]

As always, these are a nice escape.

HG Wells makes a cameo appearance because most of this is about thwarting a personal vendetta. There are some red herrings, but it all comes back.

There is the usual cast of characters. Unfortunately, if this is your first book in the series, none of the back stories are included, which is good if you have been following the series.