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Mrs. Hudson #7
Mrs Hudson and the Capricorn Incident
It is spring in Baker Street, and London is preparing itself for the wedding of the year. It will be an international spectacle in which the young and popular Count Rudolph Absberg, a political exile from his native land, will take the hand of the beautiful and accomplished Princess Sophia Kubinova. A lot depends on the marriage, for it is hoped that the union will ensure the security and independence of their homeland.
When the princess subsequently disappears in dramatic circumstances, members of the British establishment are quick to call on Mr Sherlock Holmes. He, in turn, needs the gifts of long-standing housekeeper Mrs Hudson and her able assistant, housemaid Flotsam, to solve this puzzling case on which rests the fate of nations.
The continuation of the intricately crafted Holmes & Hudson series is a treat for fans of the great detective's original cases while they offer an inspired take on the rest of the famous Baker Street household.
When the princess subsequently disappears in dramatic circumstances, members of the British establishment are quick to call on Mr Sherlock Holmes. He, in turn, needs the gifts of long-standing housekeeper Mrs Hudson and her able assistant, housemaid Flotsam, to solve this puzzling case on which rests the fate of nations.
The continuation of the intricately crafted Holmes & Hudson series is a treat for fans of the great detective's original cases while they offer an inspired take on the rest of the famous Baker Street household.
304 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 20, 2025
About the author
Martin Davies
52 books93 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Martin Davies is a British author. He has written four novels about Sherlock Holmes' housekeeper and four other novels, including one about Joseph Banks and the Mysterious Bird of Ulieta, entitled The Conjuror's Bird, all of which have been published.
Martin Davies grew up in North West England. All his writing is done in cafes, on buses or on tube trains, and an aversion to laptops means that he always works in longhand. He has travelled widely, including in the Middle East and India, and substantial parts of THE UNICORN ROAD were written while travelling through Sicily. He works as a consultant in the broadcasting industry.
Martin Davies is a British author. He has written four novels about Sherlock Holmes' housekeeper and four other novels, including one about Joseph Banks and the Mysterious Bird of Ulieta, entitled The Conjuror's Bird, all of which have been published.
Martin Davies grew up in North West England. All his writing is done in cafes, on buses or on tube trains, and an aversion to laptops means that he always works in longhand. He has travelled widely, including in the Middle East and India, and substantial parts of THE UNICORN ROAD were written while travelling through Sicily. He works as a consultant in the broadcasting industry.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
January 15, 2025
Waaaay back in 2015, I read the fist book in this series by Martin Davies, Mrs. Hudson and the Spirits' Curse. I enjoyed it, but wasn't sure whether it was a series I'd want to put on my BOLO list. Having read the seventh (the second I've read) volume in the series, I can say that I will definitely be on the lookout for more.
What I like about this series is that it's a bit gentle (cozy, even), but the minds of the characters in it—at least Mrs. Hudson; her assistant, the maid Flotsam; and Holmes himself—are very sharp. As a reader, I enjoyed trying to keep pace with them. Holmes really does take a back seat here. He is, of course, off detecting and digging up clues, but readers are getting this story via Flotsam's memories—and for Flotsam, Mrs. Hudson is a remarkable knower-of-things-unknown-to-most and Mrs. Hudson also has devoted friends and acquaintances at every level of society.
In this volume there's a risk of an international conflict if the wedding of the heir to the throne of Capricorn doesn't marry a particular princess by a particular date. Then both the heir and the princess disappear, creating panic among diplomats. At the same time, a seemingly omniscient blackmailer is is draining the coffers of Londoners from social levels both high and, well not low, but definitely mid-level.
If you're looking for a mystery novel with characters you'll enjoy spending time with that offers puzzles requiring a good bit of work, you'll be delighted with Mrs. Hudson and the Capricorn Incident.
I received a free electronic review copy of this book from the publlsher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.
What I like about this series is that it's a bit gentle (cozy, even), but the minds of the characters in it—at least Mrs. Hudson; her assistant, the maid Flotsam; and Holmes himself—are very sharp. As a reader, I enjoyed trying to keep pace with them. Holmes really does take a back seat here. He is, of course, off detecting and digging up clues, but readers are getting this story via Flotsam's memories—and for Flotsam, Mrs. Hudson is a remarkable knower-of-things-unknown-to-most and Mrs. Hudson also has devoted friends and acquaintances at every level of society.
In this volume there's a risk of an international conflict if the wedding of the heir to the throne of Capricorn doesn't marry a particular princess by a particular date. Then both the heir and the princess disappear, creating panic among diplomats. At the same time, a seemingly omniscient blackmailer is is draining the coffers of Londoners from social levels both high and, well not low, but definitely mid-level.
If you're looking for a mystery novel with characters you'll enjoy spending time with that offers puzzles requiring a good bit of work, you'll be delighted with Mrs. Hudson and the Capricorn Incident.
I received a free electronic review copy of this book from the publlsher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.
February 20, 2025
Sherlock and his hardy crew solve the case!
Along with Flotsam, I (your humble reader) agonized about what to write to Scraggs, Flotsam’s special friend, who’d years earlier had rescued her from the gutter, and placed her in the care of Mrs Hudson in the household of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. Here, as a maid, she’d learnt to read and write, and proved to be a an asset in assisting with investigations.
Scraggs (gone from barrow boy to part owner of a London store) has gone to Manchester for business meetings and and a look at some of the latest developments.
Flotsam was always was able to put it off writing to Scraggs because something more demanded her attention. (A lot of guilt follows, swept away by the latest emergencies) Holmes has been bored but now several situations come to his attention, including a request from Queen Victoria. All hands to the deck, naturally including Mrs Hudson and Flotsam.
Throughout this time we see that Holmes is the distant architect of situations, but it’s Mrs Hudson who knows everything and everyone from a lowly market boy to a Lord. All pay heed when Mrs Hudson makes a request.
Flotsam joins Mrs Hudson’s endeavors. There’s missing royalty from some Balkan country, and a conman taking people’s money, somehow all mixed up together.
A convoluted yet wonderful plot expands all over the place.
(BTW, the bike ride was an hilarious high point for me!)
An excellent companion to the ever expanding Holmsian trope!
An Allison & Busby invitation ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
Along with Flotsam, I (your humble reader) agonized about what to write to Scraggs, Flotsam’s special friend, who’d years earlier had rescued her from the gutter, and placed her in the care of Mrs Hudson in the household of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. Here, as a maid, she’d learnt to read and write, and proved to be a an asset in assisting with investigations.
Scraggs (gone from barrow boy to part owner of a London store) has gone to Manchester for business meetings and and a look at some of the latest developments.
Flotsam was always was able to put it off writing to Scraggs because something more demanded her attention. (A lot of guilt follows, swept away by the latest emergencies) Holmes has been bored but now several situations come to his attention, including a request from Queen Victoria. All hands to the deck, naturally including Mrs Hudson and Flotsam.
Throughout this time we see that Holmes is the distant architect of situations, but it’s Mrs Hudson who knows everything and everyone from a lowly market boy to a Lord. All pay heed when Mrs Hudson makes a request.
Flotsam joins Mrs Hudson’s endeavors. There’s missing royalty from some Balkan country, and a conman taking people’s money, somehow all mixed up together.
A convoluted yet wonderful plot expands all over the place.
(BTW, the bike ride was an hilarious high point for me!)
An excellent companion to the ever expanding Holmsian trope!
An Allison & Busby invitation ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
March 7, 2025
Mrs Hudson and the Capricorn Incident is the seventh book in the author’s series featuring the redoubtable Mrs Hudson and her illustrious employer. I haven’t read any of the previous books but that certainly didn’t affect my enjoyment of this one although that does mean I’ve missed out on the back story of some of the characters, especially housemaid Flotsam. As a fan of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes, I enjoyed the little nods to the original stories such as the references to bizarre previous cases – the Brabham Hall poultry affair, the case of the Brazilian opera singer, the string of pearls and the trained marmoset – and Holmes’ bravura observations about newly arrived visitors to 221B Baker Street.
It turns out Mrs Hudson is almost the equal of her employer when it comes to observation and the solving of conundrums. But while Sherlock Holmes is often dashing about the country with Dr Watson in his wake, Mrs Hudson is calmly seated at the kitchen table using her vast network of contacts to put two and two together. She has a willing and able pupil in Flotsam who is the narrator of the story and also does a lot of the running around.
Whilst the troubles of the House of Capricorn, rulers of the Grand Duch of Rosenau, involving a turn of events that could cause an international incident, is the main focus of Sherlock Holmes’ attention – by Royal command, no less – Mrs Hudson and Flotsam investigate a number of cases of blackmail which share a common modus operandi. And one name keeps cropping up but who is the individual behind it?
Their investigations take them back and forth across London, from the houses of the wealthy to dingy alleyways. Flotsam mingles with members of high society and theatrical stars of the day but also street urchins and market traders. That doesn’t mean, however, that Flotsam escapes the household chores that Mrs Hudson sets her. Those stair rods won’t dip themselves after all. However at the back of Flotsam’s mind is the absence of her friend Scraggs, who’s humble beginnings in life were similar to her own. But could he be something more than a friend? (There is a delightfully tender scene at the end of the book.)
Look out for all the features of a classic detective story – clever disguises, mysterious escapes from locked rooms, last minute dashes, dangerous encounters and basketfuls of red herrings.
Mrs Hudson and the Capricorn Incident is a delightfully entertaining historical mystery that captures the essence of Conan Doyle’s characters and the ingenious nature of Sherlock Holmes’s methods but doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s the perfect escapist read that will leave you alternately scratching your head and chuckling at the gentle humour.
It turns out Mrs Hudson is almost the equal of her employer when it comes to observation and the solving of conundrums. But while Sherlock Holmes is often dashing about the country with Dr Watson in his wake, Mrs Hudson is calmly seated at the kitchen table using her vast network of contacts to put two and two together. She has a willing and able pupil in Flotsam who is the narrator of the story and also does a lot of the running around.
Whilst the troubles of the House of Capricorn, rulers of the Grand Duch of Rosenau, involving a turn of events that could cause an international incident, is the main focus of Sherlock Holmes’ attention – by Royal command, no less – Mrs Hudson and Flotsam investigate a number of cases of blackmail which share a common modus operandi. And one name keeps cropping up but who is the individual behind it?
Their investigations take them back and forth across London, from the houses of the wealthy to dingy alleyways. Flotsam mingles with members of high society and theatrical stars of the day but also street urchins and market traders. That doesn’t mean, however, that Flotsam escapes the household chores that Mrs Hudson sets her. Those stair rods won’t dip themselves after all. However at the back of Flotsam’s mind is the absence of her friend Scraggs, who’s humble beginnings in life were similar to her own. But could he be something more than a friend? (There is a delightfully tender scene at the end of the book.)
Look out for all the features of a classic detective story – clever disguises, mysterious escapes from locked rooms, last minute dashes, dangerous encounters and basketfuls of red herrings.
Mrs Hudson and the Capricorn Incident is a delightfully entertaining historical mystery that captures the essence of Conan Doyle’s characters and the ingenious nature of Sherlock Holmes’s methods but doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s the perfect escapist read that will leave you alternately scratching your head and chuckling at the gentle humour.
January 6, 2025
A fun book 7 in this creative series featuring Sherlock Holmes' housekeeper, Mrs. Hudson, and her exceedingly smart housemaid assistant, Flotsam, as sleuths more capable than Sherlock himself. Always love to see gutsy female characters succeed in traditional male endeavors. Can be read solo but Holmes' fans, especially, will want to devour the whole series.
July 20, 2025
Nice and cosy.
February 2, 2026
Another great Mrs Hudson story!
Really enjoy reading these books. Great characters with a little bit of Sherlock and Watson thrown in. Love that the focus is Mrs Hudson and Flotsom helping solve the mystery with Sherlock Holmes as a background character. Well written and so descriptive that I am there in every story. Looking forward to the next one.
Really enjoy reading these books. Great characters with a little bit of Sherlock and Watson thrown in. Love that the focus is Mrs Hudson and Flotsom helping solve the mystery with Sherlock Holmes as a background character. Well written and so descriptive that I am there in every story. Looking forward to the next one.
April 8, 2025
The canonical 56 short stories and four novellas featuring Sherlock Holmes have left so-called 'continuation' authors with plenty of subordinate characters to draw on. Dr Watson, inspector Lestrade, Moriarty and brother Mycroft have each been the central character in novels. I suppose it was only a matter of time before Mrs Hudson took centre stage. Martin Davies took up the challenge in 2002 with Mrs Hudson and the Spirit's Curse, but here, events are narrated by a girl called Flotsam, who recalls events rather in the way that the good Doctor reminisces about the cases his old friend solved.
Flottie was an orphan girl, saved from a life of degradation by the kindness of Mrs Hudson, but is now a very bright young woman who has seeks education where and whenever she can find it. She is now highly literate and socially adept (but still working downstairs).The story unfolds through her eyes and ears. The substantive plot centres on Rosenau, a tiny Duchy in the Balkans, squeezed between the competing demands of the ailing Ottoman empire, Austria-Hungary and fervent Serbian nationalists. It's survival depends on an impending marriage between Count Rudolph and Princess Sophie who, hopefully will provide a legitimate heir, ensuring the Duchy's survival. Rosenau is, of course, fictional, but the Balkan powder keg was, at the turn of the century, frighteningly real. Everything goes awry when, first, the Count goes missing while on a European skiing trip and, second, when the princess is abducted from a London residence.
Reviewers and critics are perfectly entitled to question the validity of the still-vibrant Sherlock Holmes industry. Why, over a century after the last Conan Doyle tale was published, are we still seeing (and here, choose your own description) continuations, homages, pastiches and re-imaginings of crime fiction’s most celebrated character? The answer is simple - because people buy the books or borrow them from the library. Conan Doyle tired of his man, and tried to end it all, in the hope that readers would be drawn towards his other novels, like Micah Clarke or the Brigadier Gerard series. He was forced to relent. As a former prime minister said, “You can’t buck the market.” She was correct, and it must be assumed that two decades after the first novel in the series, people still buy these books and, for publishers, that is it and all about it.
Is this book any good? Yes, of course. Conan Doyle planted a seed which has grown into the mother of all beanstalks, and the Sherlock Holmes phenomenon is as busy as it ever was. Martin Davies reconnects us to a world which is endlessly appealing: chaste bachelors of independent means, a strictly ordered society, a London unsullied by antisemitic mobs, a railway system that ran with clockwork precision, handwritten letters delivered several times daily, a world that challenged the chant of Macbeth’s witches, ‘fair is foul and foul is fair’. This moral ambiguity has no place in the world of Mrs Hudson or Flottie. The tone of the book? Light of heart in some ways, with a certain amount of comedy. Here, a caricature aristocratic old gent opines on marriage:
"Wedding, for goodness sake? Weddings are ten a penny. When I was a lad, a man got married in the morning, introduced his wife to his mistress at lunchtime, and was at the races in the afternoon. And so long as he honored his debts, no one thought the worse of him."
The humour reminded me very much the very underrated series of Inspector Lestrade novels by MJ Trow. As in those novels. this author provides some good jokes: A famous actress confides in Flottie.
"The important thing is to remember that your skirts are your enemy and speed is your friend. Which is quite the opposite of how we usually think about things, isn't it?"
She is talking about the new enthusiasm among young women for cycling.
I have made this point before, but it is worth repeating. The canonical Holmes short stories were just that - short. Conan Doyle could take one problem, and allow his man to solve it in just a few pages. Even the four novels were brief. Short stories don’t sell these days and the concept of novels serialised in print and paper magazines is dead and buried, therefore modern Holmes emulators have to spin out the narrative to the regulation 300-400 pages. So, there has to be subplots and other investigations going on, and this almost always means that the narrative tends to drift. So it is here, with the Rosenau crisis sharing the pages with the search for someone called Maltravers, a serial swindler. Martin Davies handles this dilemma as well as anyone else, and presents us with an entertaining tale that is well worth a few hours of anyone’s time. There were occasional longeurs, but the last few pages were rather wonderful. Mrs Hudson and the Capricorn Incident is published by Allison & Busby and is available now.
Flottie was an orphan girl, saved from a life of degradation by the kindness of Mrs Hudson, but is now a very bright young woman who has seeks education where and whenever she can find it. She is now highly literate and socially adept (but still working downstairs).The story unfolds through her eyes and ears. The substantive plot centres on Rosenau, a tiny Duchy in the Balkans, squeezed between the competing demands of the ailing Ottoman empire, Austria-Hungary and fervent Serbian nationalists. It's survival depends on an impending marriage between Count Rudolph and Princess Sophie who, hopefully will provide a legitimate heir, ensuring the Duchy's survival. Rosenau is, of course, fictional, but the Balkan powder keg was, at the turn of the century, frighteningly real. Everything goes awry when, first, the Count goes missing while on a European skiing trip and, second, when the princess is abducted from a London residence.
Reviewers and critics are perfectly entitled to question the validity of the still-vibrant Sherlock Holmes industry. Why, over a century after the last Conan Doyle tale was published, are we still seeing (and here, choose your own description) continuations, homages, pastiches and re-imaginings of crime fiction’s most celebrated character? The answer is simple - because people buy the books or borrow them from the library. Conan Doyle tired of his man, and tried to end it all, in the hope that readers would be drawn towards his other novels, like Micah Clarke or the Brigadier Gerard series. He was forced to relent. As a former prime minister said, “You can’t buck the market.” She was correct, and it must be assumed that two decades after the first novel in the series, people still buy these books and, for publishers, that is it and all about it.
Is this book any good? Yes, of course. Conan Doyle planted a seed which has grown into the mother of all beanstalks, and the Sherlock Holmes phenomenon is as busy as it ever was. Martin Davies reconnects us to a world which is endlessly appealing: chaste bachelors of independent means, a strictly ordered society, a London unsullied by antisemitic mobs, a railway system that ran with clockwork precision, handwritten letters delivered several times daily, a world that challenged the chant of Macbeth’s witches, ‘fair is foul and foul is fair’. This moral ambiguity has no place in the world of Mrs Hudson or Flottie. The tone of the book? Light of heart in some ways, with a certain amount of comedy. Here, a caricature aristocratic old gent opines on marriage:
"Wedding, for goodness sake? Weddings are ten a penny. When I was a lad, a man got married in the morning, introduced his wife to his mistress at lunchtime, and was at the races in the afternoon. And so long as he honored his debts, no one thought the worse of him."
The humour reminded me very much the very underrated series of Inspector Lestrade novels by MJ Trow. As in those novels. this author provides some good jokes: A famous actress confides in Flottie.
"The important thing is to remember that your skirts are your enemy and speed is your friend. Which is quite the opposite of how we usually think about things, isn't it?"
She is talking about the new enthusiasm among young women for cycling.
I have made this point before, but it is worth repeating. The canonical Holmes short stories were just that - short. Conan Doyle could take one problem, and allow his man to solve it in just a few pages. Even the four novels were brief. Short stories don’t sell these days and the concept of novels serialised in print and paper magazines is dead and buried, therefore modern Holmes emulators have to spin out the narrative to the regulation 300-400 pages. So, there has to be subplots and other investigations going on, and this almost always means that the narrative tends to drift. So it is here, with the Rosenau crisis sharing the pages with the search for someone called Maltravers, a serial swindler. Martin Davies handles this dilemma as well as anyone else, and presents us with an entertaining tale that is well worth a few hours of anyone’s time. There were occasional longeurs, but the last few pages were rather wonderful. Mrs Hudson and the Capricorn Incident is published by Allison & Busby and is available now.
February 28, 2025
I was kindly sent a review copy of this book by Allison & Busby via NetGalley for which my thanks.
While I usually don’t pick up spin-offs and continuations of books and characters which I’ve read and enjoyed, when I read the description of this one, I was a little intrigued—a series where not only Sherlock Holmes is doing the investigating but also his housekeeper Mrs Hudson, with a far more active role than just housekeeper, as she is in the main series. But it isn’t just Mrs Hudson who plays an active role, but also another character, a young housemaid and Mrs Hudson’s protégé, Flotsham from whose perspective the story is told (and who is the narrator in fact), and it is she and Mrs Hudson who take on the more central parts while most of Holmes’ work takes place off-screen.
In Mrs Hudson and the Capricorn Incident (2025), amidst preparations for a ‘fairy-tale wedding’ to take place in England, between Count Rudolph Absberg, heir to the house of Capricorn, ruling in Rosneau (a Ruritanian kingdom) and the Princess Sophia Kubinova, Holmes is approached by the multiply titled General Septimus Ocatvian Nuno Pellinsky, adjutant general to the family when the bridegroom to be goes missing. The impending marriage isn’t looked upon favourably by different political groups each of whom want Rosneau to be part of their faction and General Pellinsky fears Rudolph has been targeted. Before long, Sophia too goes missing, possibly abducted. As Holmes and Watson begin their investigations, they find they need Flotsam’s help. While Holmes and Watson get deeper into their inquiries and Holmes is pulled away from London, it is Mrs Hudson and Flotsam who tease out other threads and clues in London. Alongside, they also stumble upon another mystery, with more than one person being targeted by a conman and defrauded of large sums.
Mrs Hudson and the Capricorn Incident is the seventh entry in the series but the first one I’ve read, but I didn’t have much trouble following along. With bits and pieces of Flotsam’s backstory woven in, we get a reasonable sense of the hardships she’s faced in the past and her new life under Mrs Hudson’s guidance where she may be kitchen maid but is also being educated and trained, serving as assistant detective in effect. (Though I think reading a few of the earlier books in the series would have helped make the details clearer since the book doesn’t go back to every little aspect.) I thought the author did a good job showing how Holmes might legitimately involve Flotsam in his investigations while not compromising on his intelligence, by and large. The author has also captured the atmosphere of the Holmes mysteries well and one does feel one has stepped into that world—not identical but enough to come across as authentic.
Flotsam is a young girl (a teen) who is intelligent and picks up on clues easily which makes Holmes value her talents and rely on her though she isn’t perhaps as clever as he (and at times even she herself) may have thought. Matters of the heart too occupy her mind, and in these she is the more typical teen agonizing over things and making presumptions and assumptions she clearly needn’t. But in generally, she is a fairly likeable character.
I loved how Mrs Hudson combines and balances her (and Flottie’s) housekeeping duties with investigations and visits (including for Flottie’s training/education) and how they easily switch between one and the other, getting both done. Mrs Hudson is also widely acquainted with and has helped several people including from the higher echelons of society and these connections serve her well in unravelling the mystery threads they are faced with.
The book weaves in several real-life characters and places with the fictional ones, and the author’s note at the end of the book details these. Historical fiction which includes actual incidents and characters is something I enjoy very much and this was the case here too.
This was an entertaining and fun cosy which I enjoyed very much, and I’d love to explore more of the series sometime.
While I usually don’t pick up spin-offs and continuations of books and characters which I’ve read and enjoyed, when I read the description of this one, I was a little intrigued—a series where not only Sherlock Holmes is doing the investigating but also his housekeeper Mrs Hudson, with a far more active role than just housekeeper, as she is in the main series. But it isn’t just Mrs Hudson who plays an active role, but also another character, a young housemaid and Mrs Hudson’s protégé, Flotsham from whose perspective the story is told (and who is the narrator in fact), and it is she and Mrs Hudson who take on the more central parts while most of Holmes’ work takes place off-screen.
In Mrs Hudson and the Capricorn Incident (2025), amidst preparations for a ‘fairy-tale wedding’ to take place in England, between Count Rudolph Absberg, heir to the house of Capricorn, ruling in Rosneau (a Ruritanian kingdom) and the Princess Sophia Kubinova, Holmes is approached by the multiply titled General Septimus Ocatvian Nuno Pellinsky, adjutant general to the family when the bridegroom to be goes missing. The impending marriage isn’t looked upon favourably by different political groups each of whom want Rosneau to be part of their faction and General Pellinsky fears Rudolph has been targeted. Before long, Sophia too goes missing, possibly abducted. As Holmes and Watson begin their investigations, they find they need Flotsam’s help. While Holmes and Watson get deeper into their inquiries and Holmes is pulled away from London, it is Mrs Hudson and Flotsam who tease out other threads and clues in London. Alongside, they also stumble upon another mystery, with more than one person being targeted by a conman and defrauded of large sums.
Mrs Hudson and the Capricorn Incident is the seventh entry in the series but the first one I’ve read, but I didn’t have much trouble following along. With bits and pieces of Flotsam’s backstory woven in, we get a reasonable sense of the hardships she’s faced in the past and her new life under Mrs Hudson’s guidance where she may be kitchen maid but is also being educated and trained, serving as assistant detective in effect. (Though I think reading a few of the earlier books in the series would have helped make the details clearer since the book doesn’t go back to every little aspect.) I thought the author did a good job showing how Holmes might legitimately involve Flotsam in his investigations while not compromising on his intelligence, by and large. The author has also captured the atmosphere of the Holmes mysteries well and one does feel one has stepped into that world—not identical but enough to come across as authentic.
Flotsam is a young girl (a teen) who is intelligent and picks up on clues easily which makes Holmes value her talents and rely on her though she isn’t perhaps as clever as he (and at times even she herself) may have thought. Matters of the heart too occupy her mind, and in these she is the more typical teen agonizing over things and making presumptions and assumptions she clearly needn’t. But in generally, she is a fairly likeable character.
I loved how Mrs Hudson combines and balances her (and Flottie’s) housekeeping duties with investigations and visits (including for Flottie’s training/education) and how they easily switch between one and the other, getting both done. Mrs Hudson is also widely acquainted with and has helped several people including from the higher echelons of society and these connections serve her well in unravelling the mystery threads they are faced with.
The book weaves in several real-life characters and places with the fictional ones, and the author’s note at the end of the book details these. Historical fiction which includes actual incidents and characters is something I enjoy very much and this was the case here too.
This was an entertaining and fun cosy which I enjoyed very much, and I’d love to explore more of the series sometime.
March 10, 2025
Martin Davies returns with the seventh installment in his Holmes and Hudson mystery series, Mrs. Hudson and the Capricorn Incident, offering readers another delightful and intricately woven historical mystery. As a fresh take on the Sherlock Holmes universe, this novel shifts the spotlight onto Mrs. Hudson, the ever-efficient housekeeper of 221B Baker Street, and her young apprentice, Flotsam. Narrated from Flotsam’s perspective, the novel gives a unique and immersive insight into their world of deduction and intrigue.
Set against the backdrop of an impending royal wedding with political stakes, the story unfolds when Count Rudolph Absberg, heir to the House of Capricorn in the Grand Duchy of Rosenau, mysteriously vanishes. Soon after, his betrothed, Princess Sophia Kubinova, also disappears, throwing diplomatic relations into chaos. While Holmes and Watson embark on their own investigation, it is Mrs. Hudson and Flotsam who take the lead in unraveling a parallel mystery—one involving a cunning blackmailer and a web of deceit that spreads across London’s social strata.
One of the novel’s great strengths lies in its meticulous attention to historical detail, seamlessly blending real-life figures and locations with its fictional narrative. Davies masterfully captures the atmosphere of Victorian London, from the grand halls of aristocracy to the bustling streets and shadowy alleyways. The world feels authentic yet refreshingly different from the typical Holmesian tales, thanks to Mrs. Hudson’s vast network of informants and her strategic, methodical approach to problem-solving.
Mrs. Hudson, as depicted by Davies, is an astute observer and an intuitive thinker, proving herself to be nearly as formidable as Holmes himself. Unlike the famed detective’s energetic dashes across the country, she prefers the quiet contemplation of a kitchen table, piecing together clues with a quiet confidence. Flotsam, her bright and eager protégé, adds an element of youthful energy and occasional romantic turmoil, particularly as she wrestles with her feelings for her absent friend, Scraggs. The dynamic between Mrs. Hudson and Flotsam is both charming and compelling, as the younger woman learns to balance domestic duties with the thrills and dangers of detective work.
Davies weaves in classic detective story tropes—ingenious disguises, last-minute escapes, locked-room puzzles, and cleverly placed red herrings—all while infusing the novel with a gentle wit and humor. Fans of Conan Doyle’s original stories will appreciate the subtle nods to past Holmesian adventures, such as bizarre past cases and Holmes’ trademark deductions upon a visitor’s arrival.
While the novel can be enjoyed as a standalone, newcomers to the series may find themselves intrigued enough to explore earlier installments, particularly to gain a deeper understanding of Flotsam’s backstory. However, Davies provides just enough context for new readers to follow along without difficulty.
If there is one minor critique, it is that the novel introduces a plethora of secondary characters, which may require careful reading to keep track of all the moving parts. Additionally, some readers might feel that Holmes and Watson are somewhat sidelined in favor of Mrs. Hudson and Flotsam. However, this is hardly a drawback, as the duo prove more than capable of carrying the narrative.
Mrs. Hudson and the Capricorn Incident is a thoroughly enjoyable historical mystery that combines intrigue, humor, and sharp detective work. It is a testament to Davies’ skill that he manages to pay homage to the Sherlock Holmes canon while carving out a distinctive space for Mrs. Hudson and Flotsam. Fans of cosy crime fiction and Sherlockian tales alike will find much to love in this engaging and clever novel.
Set against the backdrop of an impending royal wedding with political stakes, the story unfolds when Count Rudolph Absberg, heir to the House of Capricorn in the Grand Duchy of Rosenau, mysteriously vanishes. Soon after, his betrothed, Princess Sophia Kubinova, also disappears, throwing diplomatic relations into chaos. While Holmes and Watson embark on their own investigation, it is Mrs. Hudson and Flotsam who take the lead in unraveling a parallel mystery—one involving a cunning blackmailer and a web of deceit that spreads across London’s social strata.
One of the novel’s great strengths lies in its meticulous attention to historical detail, seamlessly blending real-life figures and locations with its fictional narrative. Davies masterfully captures the atmosphere of Victorian London, from the grand halls of aristocracy to the bustling streets and shadowy alleyways. The world feels authentic yet refreshingly different from the typical Holmesian tales, thanks to Mrs. Hudson’s vast network of informants and her strategic, methodical approach to problem-solving.
Mrs. Hudson, as depicted by Davies, is an astute observer and an intuitive thinker, proving herself to be nearly as formidable as Holmes himself. Unlike the famed detective’s energetic dashes across the country, she prefers the quiet contemplation of a kitchen table, piecing together clues with a quiet confidence. Flotsam, her bright and eager protégé, adds an element of youthful energy and occasional romantic turmoil, particularly as she wrestles with her feelings for her absent friend, Scraggs. The dynamic between Mrs. Hudson and Flotsam is both charming and compelling, as the younger woman learns to balance domestic duties with the thrills and dangers of detective work.
Davies weaves in classic detective story tropes—ingenious disguises, last-minute escapes, locked-room puzzles, and cleverly placed red herrings—all while infusing the novel with a gentle wit and humor. Fans of Conan Doyle’s original stories will appreciate the subtle nods to past Holmesian adventures, such as bizarre past cases and Holmes’ trademark deductions upon a visitor’s arrival.
While the novel can be enjoyed as a standalone, newcomers to the series may find themselves intrigued enough to explore earlier installments, particularly to gain a deeper understanding of Flotsam’s backstory. However, Davies provides just enough context for new readers to follow along without difficulty.
If there is one minor critique, it is that the novel introduces a plethora of secondary characters, which may require careful reading to keep track of all the moving parts. Additionally, some readers might feel that Holmes and Watson are somewhat sidelined in favor of Mrs. Hudson and Flotsam. However, this is hardly a drawback, as the duo prove more than capable of carrying the narrative.
Mrs. Hudson and the Capricorn Incident is a thoroughly enjoyable historical mystery that combines intrigue, humor, and sharp detective work. It is a testament to Davies’ skill that he manages to pay homage to the Sherlock Holmes canon while carving out a distinctive space for Mrs. Hudson and Flotsam. Fans of cosy crime fiction and Sherlockian tales alike will find much to love in this engaging and clever novel.
December 13, 2024
Martin Davies’s Mrs Hudson and the Capricorn Incident is billed as Book 7 of his Holmes and Hudson series. However, we really don’t see a lot of Holmes…. I’m delighted to say! The undoubted star of this book is Flotsam, the young housemaid who assists Mrs Hudson. Holmes has recognised Flotsam’s intellect (which, as Dr Watson himself happily acknowledges, is far above Watson’s) and is happy to involve her in his various cases. Mrs Hudson is also extremely astute, as well as having an immense network of useful contacts.
The book is immense fun, poking fun at Conan Doyle’s habit of referring to previous cases and far-fetched scenarios that he never turned into stories, such as the way Madame Emma St Aubert fooled the New York police by leaving her six Siamese cats behind in the care of a one-armed Irish butler. Those readers with a little Latin might want to think about the full names of General Pellinsky and the Archduke – I suspect Davies really enjoyed slipping in some of these jokes.
However, don’t be fooled by these tongue-in-cheek quips. The plot centres around the disappearance of Count Rudolf, heir to the Grand Duchy of Rosenau, and his fiancée, Princess Sophia. There is also another strand following the blackmails carried out by someone known as Colonel Maltravers, although it is suspected that this could be an alias. Although some aspects of the narration may playfully spoof Conan Doyle, the plot is very skilfully handled, bringing the strands together with an erudite denouement. I can smugly state that, in my younger days, I’d read several eighteenth century novels such as Tom Jones, so I was a little ahead of Flotsam – but only a little. We see how Holmes’s comments that we initially read as a parody, such as “one of the search parties […] will discover in a rural location and around twelve yards from the track, a pair of discarded boots in very good condition” are based upon a breathtakingly rapid realisation of what happened. Flotsam is in jeopardy and, although she narrates the story and so we know she must end up OK, the author does a very good job of nudging us towards the edge of our seat. This is a very well-written mystery that happens to have some entertaining moments; it is emphatically not just a spoof of Conan Doyle.
There is fun; there is suspense; there is a touch of romance; and we get a touching glimpse, with Olga Nethersole and Kate Field, of true love. I’m sorry I hadn’t read the earlier books in eth series, but I shall remedy that as soon as I can…
#MrsHudsonandtheCapricornIncident #NetGalley
The book is immense fun, poking fun at Conan Doyle’s habit of referring to previous cases and far-fetched scenarios that he never turned into stories, such as the way Madame Emma St Aubert fooled the New York police by leaving her six Siamese cats behind in the care of a one-armed Irish butler. Those readers with a little Latin might want to think about the full names of General Pellinsky and the Archduke – I suspect Davies really enjoyed slipping in some of these jokes.
However, don’t be fooled by these tongue-in-cheek quips. The plot centres around the disappearance of Count Rudolf, heir to the Grand Duchy of Rosenau, and his fiancée, Princess Sophia. There is also another strand following the blackmails carried out by someone known as Colonel Maltravers, although it is suspected that this could be an alias. Although some aspects of the narration may playfully spoof Conan Doyle, the plot is very skilfully handled, bringing the strands together with an erudite denouement. I can smugly state that, in my younger days, I’d read several eighteenth century novels such as Tom Jones, so I was a little ahead of Flotsam – but only a little. We see how Holmes’s comments that we initially read as a parody, such as “one of the search parties […] will discover in a rural location and around twelve yards from the track, a pair of discarded boots in very good condition” are based upon a breathtakingly rapid realisation of what happened. Flotsam is in jeopardy and, although she narrates the story and so we know she must end up OK, the author does a very good job of nudging us towards the edge of our seat. This is a very well-written mystery that happens to have some entertaining moments; it is emphatically not just a spoof of Conan Doyle.
There is fun; there is suspense; there is a touch of romance; and we get a touching glimpse, with Olga Nethersole and Kate Field, of true love. I’m sorry I hadn’t read the earlier books in eth series, but I shall remedy that as soon as I can…
#MrsHudsonandtheCapricornIncident #NetGalley
January 18, 2025
There are so many different takes and resurrections of Sherlock Holmes in print and on TV, so I wasn’t surprised to see yet another author doing something similar. Some have changed the gender of Holmes, some the period he was in, while some make Dr. Watson the brain behind the detective work, pushing Holmes into the shadows. What makes this one different is the oft hidden, forgotten character takes the center stage and solves the crime, with Holmes floating in and out of the scenes.
Martin Davies’s Mrs. Hudson is still the housekeeper of Holmes & Watson, but that is where the similarity ends. Mrs. Hudson is portrayed as a highly intelligent, observant, sharp woman with a penchant for cleaning and for solving mysteries. She leads an active life, making raspberry jams and liaising with hawkers and street urchins to gather intelligence. The book is written in first POV of Flotsam, who is the Watson to Mrs. Hudson. I wonder why Davies chose this character as the narrator, but deviate from the original Holmes series and make Mrs. Hudson herself the narrator.
Without spoiling the story, the book deals with multiple incidents which Holmes is approached to solve. What seem like disconnected incidents turn out to be tightly woven together. Mrs. Hudson connects the dots, relying on her intelligence and her network of hotel cleaning staff and men from her past.
Why I like to read mystery books is to play a detective temporarily and try to solve it before it is actually revealed in the book. For this to happen, the author should sprinkle enough clues or at least not hide clues from the reader. Another reason is of course to understand how the detective actually solves it and what clues I missed. But when the mystery gets solved or conclusions are drawn somehow, without an explanation about how, I feel let down. And this is what happened with this book. The ending of the book is so hurried and frenzied, I was left high and dry, scratching my head, wondering how the well conclusions were made.
In an attempt to make Mrs. Hudson shine, Holmes and Watson characters get sidetracked, which is reasonable but they still deserve a stronger portrayal and more page-time than what they get in this book.
I haven’t read the earlier books in this series, but going by the reviews, these seem to be good. I will pick one of these up to give this another chance.
Martin Davies’s Mrs. Hudson is still the housekeeper of Holmes & Watson, but that is where the similarity ends. Mrs. Hudson is portrayed as a highly intelligent, observant, sharp woman with a penchant for cleaning and for solving mysteries. She leads an active life, making raspberry jams and liaising with hawkers and street urchins to gather intelligence. The book is written in first POV of Flotsam, who is the Watson to Mrs. Hudson. I wonder why Davies chose this character as the narrator, but deviate from the original Holmes series and make Mrs. Hudson herself the narrator.
Without spoiling the story, the book deals with multiple incidents which Holmes is approached to solve. What seem like disconnected incidents turn out to be tightly woven together. Mrs. Hudson connects the dots, relying on her intelligence and her network of hotel cleaning staff and men from her past.
Why I like to read mystery books is to play a detective temporarily and try to solve it before it is actually revealed in the book. For this to happen, the author should sprinkle enough clues or at least not hide clues from the reader. Another reason is of course to understand how the detective actually solves it and what clues I missed. But when the mystery gets solved or conclusions are drawn somehow, without an explanation about how, I feel let down. And this is what happened with this book. The ending of the book is so hurried and frenzied, I was left high and dry, scratching my head, wondering how the well conclusions were made.
In an attempt to make Mrs. Hudson shine, Holmes and Watson characters get sidetracked, which is reasonable but they still deserve a stronger portrayal and more page-time than what they get in this book.
I haven’t read the earlier books in this series, but going by the reviews, these seem to be good. I will pick one of these up to give this another chance.
February 23, 2025
An intricately plotted mystery that contains a wealth of historical detail, but by no means slows down the narrative.
Mr. Sherlock Holmes is not the only clever person at 221B Baker Street in the 1900’s. There is Mrs. Hudson the redoubtable housekeeper and cook, who also gathers facts, analyses events and follows the same train of thoughts as her employer.
The narrator is Flotsam, a housemaid with a difference. Taken in as a child, she has not only found a home and employment, but has benefited from a rich and varied education in French, Latin, Mathematics and History, and even now is becoming acquainted with the world of Science, for without these skills, she would be destined to remain “ below stairs”, Mr Holmes believes that a “ quick mind is more important than a good birth.”
London is going to see the “Wedding of the Season”, when Prince Rudolph of the House of Capricorn marries Princess Sophie, a diplomatic marriage to maintain a fragile political truce back home. However, all is thrown into confusion when the bridegroom goes missing. Then, Princess Sophie disappears, and………… the game is afoot! ( Sorry, couldn’t resist!)
Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson are relegated to a back seat as they are sent around the country chasing the disappearance of a woman off a train, and the many varied sub plots that arise in this entertaining story. The two ladies are not fazed by Actresses, blackmail, and an incident concerning a bicycle, the latter being a real laugh out loud moment! Absolutely brilliant!
There are clues laid down for the keen armchair detective. I did guess the relevance of the lady on the train, but failed to pick up the other clues.
There are likeable characters, and subverted expectations of love in this novel, very modern indeed. Some characters are based upon real life people and events, which is quite thrilling.
Although this is number 7, in this new to me series, it read perfectly well as a standalone story. I will certainly attempt to read the previous books and look out for new ones in this “ Cosy Crime” series.
A four star read. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers, Allison and Busby for my ARC, freely given in exchange for my honest review. I have left reviews to Goodreads and Amazon UK.
Mr. Sherlock Holmes is not the only clever person at 221B Baker Street in the 1900’s. There is Mrs. Hudson the redoubtable housekeeper and cook, who also gathers facts, analyses events and follows the same train of thoughts as her employer.
The narrator is Flotsam, a housemaid with a difference. Taken in as a child, she has not only found a home and employment, but has benefited from a rich and varied education in French, Latin, Mathematics and History, and even now is becoming acquainted with the world of Science, for without these skills, she would be destined to remain “ below stairs”, Mr Holmes believes that a “ quick mind is more important than a good birth.”
London is going to see the “Wedding of the Season”, when Prince Rudolph of the House of Capricorn marries Princess Sophie, a diplomatic marriage to maintain a fragile political truce back home. However, all is thrown into confusion when the bridegroom goes missing. Then, Princess Sophie disappears, and………… the game is afoot! ( Sorry, couldn’t resist!)
Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson are relegated to a back seat as they are sent around the country chasing the disappearance of a woman off a train, and the many varied sub plots that arise in this entertaining story. The two ladies are not fazed by Actresses, blackmail, and an incident concerning a bicycle, the latter being a real laugh out loud moment! Absolutely brilliant!
There are clues laid down for the keen armchair detective. I did guess the relevance of the lady on the train, but failed to pick up the other clues.
There are likeable characters, and subverted expectations of love in this novel, very modern indeed. Some characters are based upon real life people and events, which is quite thrilling.
Although this is number 7, in this new to me series, it read perfectly well as a standalone story. I will certainly attempt to read the previous books and look out for new ones in this “ Cosy Crime” series.
A four star read. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers, Allison and Busby for my ARC, freely given in exchange for my honest review. I have left reviews to Goodreads and Amazon UK.
December 18, 2024
Flotsam is lost material washed up on a beach, but it is also applied to destitute people washed up in the gutter. One such person, rescued from one such gutter, is now housemaid to Sherlock Holmes and so assistant to Mrs Hudson. Her given name is possibly unknown, but the name she goes by is Miss Flotsam, or just Flotsam, or Flottie. She is late teens and possessed of an intellect which rivals that of Holmes, who recognises her talent and trusts her investigative skills; as does Mrs Hudson, who is herself an astute observer of humanity and possessor of great analytical skill. When three different crimes happen, two involving the apparently separate kidnappings of two members of the Archducal House of Capricorn, and one involving a possible swindler, it is clear that Holmes must be involved with the first two leaving the third with Watson; which in practice means leaving them with Flotsam and Mrs Hudson. In fact Holmes before he sets off, more or less commands Watson to take direction from Flottie. As the various threads are followed, Flotsam becomes embroiled in all the incidents, leading her into London’s theatrical world and the unsavoury and dangerous streets behind the glittering facades of the theatres and Music Halls.
Sherlock Holmes is a hard act to follow, but the books describing his cases are fairly formulaic. This book adheres quite closely to Conan Doyle’s style without straying into parody. Although it is the 7th in the Holmes and Hudson series, it works as a standalone (although the rare reader unfamiliar with Holmes might be puzzled). The main character here is Flotsam, an interesting and enterprising young woman, in the role not only of protagonist but also of narrator. The three plots are suitably twisty, although not particular difficult to resolve, and quite a lot of it depends on coincidence, and on Mrs Hudson’s acquaintance with numerous people of the highest and lowest orders. It is an easy and enjoyable cosy crime story, perfect within that sub-genre.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.
Sherlock Holmes is a hard act to follow, but the books describing his cases are fairly formulaic. This book adheres quite closely to Conan Doyle’s style without straying into parody. Although it is the 7th in the Holmes and Hudson series, it works as a standalone (although the rare reader unfamiliar with Holmes might be puzzled). The main character here is Flotsam, an interesting and enterprising young woman, in the role not only of protagonist but also of narrator. The three plots are suitably twisty, although not particular difficult to resolve, and quite a lot of it depends on coincidence, and on Mrs Hudson’s acquaintance with numerous people of the highest and lowest orders. It is an easy and enjoyable cosy crime story, perfect within that sub-genre.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.
February 20, 2025
*ARC given via NetGalley*
I've loved that book! A great example of what a "cosy with standards" is.
The writing is superb, the plot is smart, and the characters take life. British humor comes as a much-appreciated bonus. You can see the author had a good time writing this and that there's great knowledge and respect for the tradition given to us all by the great Agatha. Here and there, the book actually reminds me of "Curtain: Poirot's last case."
Royals disappear, putting Europe's security in jeopardy, someone vanishes from a train, a nasty individual is at work behind the curtains, actresses meet upper-class Ladies, and lovers are torn apart: the action is non-stop. And in the middle of all these high stakes: Flotsam, the maid, and a very cunning Mrs Watson. A joy, really.
The whole thing is very cleverly built on a daring premise where we follow Flotsam, Sherlock's maid, and, in a lesser way, Mrs. Hudson while they investigate the cases. It's a Sherlock Holmes tale with women as main POVs, even the posh ones that lead the way are women. And they mean business, with some nice thoughts about what it was like at this time for women to decide what their lives were going to be.
I had a great time and finally found a cosy these days where the plot matters as much as the characters and setting! Readers wanting their fair share of Holmes and Dr. Watson won't be disappointed as they still come and go.
I would just say there may be too many secondary characters going on at some point, but the author does a great job of reminding us who is who. I also think the book's title isn't really accurate, but I understand the branding needed to put Mrs. Watson up there. But yes, it means the start of the book can be a bit confusing until you understand that Flotsam is the main POV.
I'm here hoping Flotsam and Mrs. Watson will return for some new adventures. I could read ten of these!
I've loved that book! A great example of what a "cosy with standards" is.
The writing is superb, the plot is smart, and the characters take life. British humor comes as a much-appreciated bonus. You can see the author had a good time writing this and that there's great knowledge and respect for the tradition given to us all by the great Agatha. Here and there, the book actually reminds me of "Curtain: Poirot's last case."
Royals disappear, putting Europe's security in jeopardy, someone vanishes from a train, a nasty individual is at work behind the curtains, actresses meet upper-class Ladies, and lovers are torn apart: the action is non-stop. And in the middle of all these high stakes: Flotsam, the maid, and a very cunning Mrs Watson. A joy, really.
The whole thing is very cleverly built on a daring premise where we follow Flotsam, Sherlock's maid, and, in a lesser way, Mrs. Hudson while they investigate the cases. It's a Sherlock Holmes tale with women as main POVs, even the posh ones that lead the way are women. And they mean business, with some nice thoughts about what it was like at this time for women to decide what their lives were going to be.
I had a great time and finally found a cosy these days where the plot matters as much as the characters and setting! Readers wanting their fair share of Holmes and Dr. Watson won't be disappointed as they still come and go.
I would just say there may be too many secondary characters going on at some point, but the author does a great job of reminding us who is who. I also think the book's title isn't really accurate, but I understand the branding needed to put Mrs. Watson up there. But yes, it means the start of the book can be a bit confusing until you understand that Flotsam is the main POV.
I'm here hoping Flotsam and Mrs. Watson will return for some new adventures. I could read ten of these!
June 29, 2025
Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.
Mrs Hudson and the Capricorn Incident is the seventh book in the cozy English mystery series by Martin Davies. Released 4th Nov 2021 by Alison & Busby, it's 320 pages and is available in hardcover and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references. Paperback due out from the same publisher in 3rd quarter 2025.
This is on the surface a nice tie-in series starring the redoubtable Mrs. Hudson (of 221B Baker St. fame), and featuring lots of nice Holmes and Watson cameos. As always, this installment also features Mrs. Hudson's assistant Flotsam who has blossomed into a capable, honourable, intelligent, and fearless protagonist in her own right.
There are several disparate plot threads - Eastern European nobles, blackmail plots, rigid social class divisions - and they all twine ever more tightly together to reach a satisfying climax and denouement. The author weaves fictional characters and events so skillfully around real historical characters that it's not always easy to figure out where fact shades into fiction.
Despite being the 7th book in the series, it works perfectly well as a standalone, and readers will have no trouble keeping up with the plot. Although it's not canonical Conan Doyle, it really is a worthy homage.
Four stars. This would be a good choice for public library acquisition as well as for fans of historical British cozies. It would also make a good choice for bookclub discussion or a buddy-read for online cozy enthusiasts.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
Mrs Hudson and the Capricorn Incident is the seventh book in the cozy English mystery series by Martin Davies. Released 4th Nov 2021 by Alison & Busby, it's 320 pages and is available in hardcover and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references. Paperback due out from the same publisher in 3rd quarter 2025.
This is on the surface a nice tie-in series starring the redoubtable Mrs. Hudson (of 221B Baker St. fame), and featuring lots of nice Holmes and Watson cameos. As always, this installment also features Mrs. Hudson's assistant Flotsam who has blossomed into a capable, honourable, intelligent, and fearless protagonist in her own right.
There are several disparate plot threads - Eastern European nobles, blackmail plots, rigid social class divisions - and they all twine ever more tightly together to reach a satisfying climax and denouement. The author weaves fictional characters and events so skillfully around real historical characters that it's not always easy to figure out where fact shades into fiction.
Despite being the 7th book in the series, it works perfectly well as a standalone, and readers will have no trouble keeping up with the plot. Although it's not canonical Conan Doyle, it really is a worthy homage.
Four stars. This would be a good choice for public library acquisition as well as for fans of historical British cozies. It would also make a good choice for bookclub discussion or a buddy-read for online cozy enthusiasts.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
February 20, 2025
🔍 Mrs Hudson and the Capricorn Incident – The Real Brains of Baker Street? 🕵️♀️
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4 delightfully mysterious stars!)
Sherlock Holmes may get all the glory, but let’s be real, Mrs. Hudson has been running Baker Street since day one.And I am all for it!
In Mrs Hudson and the Capricorn Incident, she’s not just tidying up after the great detective, she’s solving a case that could alter the fate of nations.
What this book promises:
-A Royal Wedding with High Stakes – Count Rudolph Absberg & Princess Sophia Kubinova’s union is supposed to bring peace to their homeland.
-A Vanishing Act – When the princess mysteriously disappears, the British elite call on Sherlock Holmes.
-Enter Mrs Hudson (and her sharp-witted maid, Flotsam!) – Because let’s be honest, Holmes wouldn’t survive without them.
What follows is a classic Sherlockian adventure, but with a fresh and witty female perspective that shines a light on the women who really keep Baker Street running. I absolutely loved this twist and would love to read more!
Why You Should Read It:
-A Fun, Clever Twist on Classic Holmes Mysteries – If you love the Baker Street world but crave something new, Mrs. Hudson’s perspective is gold.
-Sharp-Witted & Full of Heart – Mrs. Hudson and Flotsam make an unbeatable duo—solving mysteries while dodging society’s expectations.
-Perfect for Fans of Sherlock Holmes & Cozy Historical Mysteries – Think Enola Holmes meets Agatha Christie, with a dash of Downton Abbey charm.
Now besties, you may ask, is this a Case Worth Solving?
YES! Mrs Hudson and the Capricorn Incident is a delightful, witty, and charming mystery that proves Mrs. Hudson is so much more than just a housekeeper. If you love classic Holmesian adventures with a feminist twist, this one’s for you!
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4 delightfully mysterious stars!)
Sherlock Holmes may get all the glory, but let’s be real, Mrs. Hudson has been running Baker Street since day one.And I am all for it!
In Mrs Hudson and the Capricorn Incident, she’s not just tidying up after the great detective, she’s solving a case that could alter the fate of nations.
What this book promises:
-A Royal Wedding with High Stakes – Count Rudolph Absberg & Princess Sophia Kubinova’s union is supposed to bring peace to their homeland.
-A Vanishing Act – When the princess mysteriously disappears, the British elite call on Sherlock Holmes.
-Enter Mrs Hudson (and her sharp-witted maid, Flotsam!) – Because let’s be honest, Holmes wouldn’t survive without them.
What follows is a classic Sherlockian adventure, but with a fresh and witty female perspective that shines a light on the women who really keep Baker Street running. I absolutely loved this twist and would love to read more!
Why You Should Read It:
-A Fun, Clever Twist on Classic Holmes Mysteries – If you love the Baker Street world but crave something new, Mrs. Hudson’s perspective is gold.
-Sharp-Witted & Full of Heart – Mrs. Hudson and Flotsam make an unbeatable duo—solving mysteries while dodging society’s expectations.
-Perfect for Fans of Sherlock Holmes & Cozy Historical Mysteries – Think Enola Holmes meets Agatha Christie, with a dash of Downton Abbey charm.
Now besties, you may ask, is this a Case Worth Solving?
YES! Mrs Hudson and the Capricorn Incident is a delightful, witty, and charming mystery that proves Mrs. Hudson is so much more than just a housekeeper. If you love classic Holmesian adventures with a feminist twist, this one’s for you!
February 3, 2025
Book 7 of the Holmes & Hudson Series and whilst I was unaware of this series, so this was my first read, it read well as a standalone. In fact I really enjoyed it, a lot. The usual suspects are here - Sherlock Holmes, Dr Watson and Mrs Hudson and they are joined by housemaid Flotsam ‘Flottie’. I did think this was a rather unlikely name but she is a great character. Holmes and Watson do rather take a back seat this time as Mrs Hudson and Flotsam run their own investigation, at Holmes request and on their own behalf. Told from the POV of Flossie this is a well written and well plotted novel.
Briefly, it’s 1901 and a royal marriage is to take place, in England, between Count Rudolph and Princess Sophia in an attempt to ensure the safety of a small but strategically important European principality. But when both of them go missing Holmes is asked to help. Meanwhile Mrs Hudson and Flottie are looking into the mysterious Colonel Maltravers who has been blackmailing a friend of theirs.
I love this Mrs Hudson, she is a clever and resourceful woman with friends at all levels of society, she also loves to clean, make jam and generally look after people! Flottie has been trained well and is just as intelligent and has learned much from Mrs Hudson and Holmes. I liked the writing which does have a taste of Conan Doyle in style. There are plenty of red herrings to fool even the best of detectives, and I loved how the various events came together so seamlessly. A very entertaining cosy mystery. 4.5⭐️
Briefly, it’s 1901 and a royal marriage is to take place, in England, between Count Rudolph and Princess Sophia in an attempt to ensure the safety of a small but strategically important European principality. But when both of them go missing Holmes is asked to help. Meanwhile Mrs Hudson and Flottie are looking into the mysterious Colonel Maltravers who has been blackmailing a friend of theirs.
I love this Mrs Hudson, she is a clever and resourceful woman with friends at all levels of society, she also loves to clean, make jam and generally look after people! Flottie has been trained well and is just as intelligent and has learned much from Mrs Hudson and Holmes. I liked the writing which does have a taste of Conan Doyle in style. There are plenty of red herrings to fool even the best of detectives, and I loved how the various events came together so seamlessly. A very entertaining cosy mystery. 4.5⭐️
February 21, 2025
Mrs Hudson and the Capricorn Incident is the seventh book in the Mrs Hudson series by Martin Davies. The books are set in the world of Sherlock Holmes.
In this latest outing, the groom-to-be of Princess Sophia Kubinova, one Count Rudolph Absberg, the heir to the Grand Duchy of Rosenau, has gone missing, and the wedding day has been moved forward. To avoid any political upset, Sherlock Holmes is approached to find Count Rudolph, but he is less than convinced that he is anything more than enjoying himself somewhere before the big day. That is, until Princess Sophia vanishes too. Now, all hands are on deck, including Mrs Hudson and housemaid Flotsam.
This is the first book from the Mrs Hudson series that I have read, but this didn’t hinder my understanding or enjoyment. I love the Sherlock Holmes novels by Arthur Conan Doyle, and this book certainly came across as authentic and in the right tone to sit alongside the original works.
The story is told from the POV of housemaid Flotsam, who has all the makings of becoming an accomplished detective in her own right. She was eagle-eyed and very intelligent, especially for someone in such a lowly job back in the late 1800s.
I loved the setting, the characters, the various storylines, and the humour that ran through them. Mrs Hudson and the Capricorn Incident intrigued me, and I couldn’t wait to step foot back in time every time I picked it up. I was entertained from the first page, and this won’t be the last book from this series that I read.
In this latest outing, the groom-to-be of Princess Sophia Kubinova, one Count Rudolph Absberg, the heir to the Grand Duchy of Rosenau, has gone missing, and the wedding day has been moved forward. To avoid any political upset, Sherlock Holmes is approached to find Count Rudolph, but he is less than convinced that he is anything more than enjoying himself somewhere before the big day. That is, until Princess Sophia vanishes too. Now, all hands are on deck, including Mrs Hudson and housemaid Flotsam.
This is the first book from the Mrs Hudson series that I have read, but this didn’t hinder my understanding or enjoyment. I love the Sherlock Holmes novels by Arthur Conan Doyle, and this book certainly came across as authentic and in the right tone to sit alongside the original works.
The story is told from the POV of housemaid Flotsam, who has all the makings of becoming an accomplished detective in her own right. She was eagle-eyed and very intelligent, especially for someone in such a lowly job back in the late 1800s.
I loved the setting, the characters, the various storylines, and the humour that ran through them. Mrs Hudson and the Capricorn Incident intrigued me, and I couldn’t wait to step foot back in time every time I picked it up. I was entertained from the first page, and this won’t be the last book from this series that I read.
February 22, 2025
This was a really fun read in the Sherlock Holmes cannon, although he takes a supporting cast part and two women are at the forefront. In this book, his maidservant is the forefront character, Flotsam. Mrs. Hudson takes a front seat too but not quite as prominent as Flotsam.
There are two separate crimes being investigated. A certain person pretending to be a colonel is swindling well to do Brits out of significant sums of money (especially given the time period) and it is to their embarrassment so they are not reporting it. The second and separate, while not really a crime, is finding a bridegroom and his betrothed, who have both disappeared prior to their arranged nuptials to save their tiny country (the titular House of Capricorn). Holmes goes off on a wild goose chase and it is his house staff who do a fair amount of investigating and the pieces start coming together.
I thought the plot was well constructed and I really enjoyed the storyline. My one complaint was when I thought things could be considered neat and tidy, the book kept going and I really hate that because it felt too long.
This is my second book in the Mrs. Hudson series and I am eager to read the first five and whatever else the author decides to publish in the future. A nice addition to the Sherlock stories of Doyle but definitely not quite the same caliber.
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.
There are two separate crimes being investigated. A certain person pretending to be a colonel is swindling well to do Brits out of significant sums of money (especially given the time period) and it is to their embarrassment so they are not reporting it. The second and separate, while not really a crime, is finding a bridegroom and his betrothed, who have both disappeared prior to their arranged nuptials to save their tiny country (the titular House of Capricorn). Holmes goes off on a wild goose chase and it is his house staff who do a fair amount of investigating and the pieces start coming together.
I thought the plot was well constructed and I really enjoyed the storyline. My one complaint was when I thought things could be considered neat and tidy, the book kept going and I really hate that because it felt too long.
This is my second book in the Mrs. Hudson series and I am eager to read the first five and whatever else the author decides to publish in the future. A nice addition to the Sherlock stories of Doyle but definitely not quite the same caliber.
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.
February 22, 2025
Mrs Hudson and the Capricorn Incident by Martin Davies is another in the series featuring Sherlock Holmes housekeeper, Mrs. Hudson. Another major character is Flotsam, a house maid rescued from the streets and proving to be a huge help. Less prominent in the story is Dr Watson and seen rarely is the great man himself. It all begins with an odd telegram and a visit from a man who leaves his topcoat and never returns for it. There are big mysteries and small ones and the two appear to meet in the middle. Flotsam is the most oft-seen character and she is a delight. A well-written version of one of Holmes irregulars, she is capable of taking in much information but not having the maturity and experience to put much of it together. But, she is learning. And she is a definite assist to Mrs. Hudson, who has absorbed much of Holmes’ methodology.
Flotsam is a delightful girl, the only character really fleshed out as we are so familiar with the others. She is easily awed, but just as easily set adrift. Mrs. Hudson is the voice of reason and Dr Watson is just not there, yet. It is a delightful story with a happy ending and some interesting characters along the way.
I was invited to read Mrs Hudson and the Capricorn Incident by Allyson & Busby. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #AllysonAndBusby #MartinDavies #MrsHudsonAndTheCapricornIncident
Flotsam is a delightful girl, the only character really fleshed out as we are so familiar with the others. She is easily awed, but just as easily set adrift. Mrs. Hudson is the voice of reason and Dr Watson is just not there, yet. It is a delightful story with a happy ending and some interesting characters along the way.
I was invited to read Mrs Hudson and the Capricorn Incident by Allyson & Busby. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #AllysonAndBusby #MartinDavies #MrsHudsonAndTheCapricornIncident
February 2, 2025
Martin Davies does it again with the seventh in his Holmes and Hudson mystery series. What a delight to be whisked away to another world and get caught up in a missing royalty case with Balkan and Bohemian connections, politics and shenanigans. But what clinched it for me is the motley crew of characters, especially those of Mrs. Hudson and the homeless girl she took under her tutelage, Flotsam. Flottie is a quick learner, observant, keen listener, inately clever and and trained in many mental and physical skills. The two make an excellent team along with Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson.
Holmes and Watson are between cases and growing restless. Finally, thankfully (!) a princess goes missing and their client is sufficiently interesting to grab their attention. Red herrings and twists abound. The writing is refreshing and does remind me of Doyle in ways, yet I like the author's personal takes and perspectives. For rabid Sherlock Holmes fans like myself that may sound almost outrageous but I enjoyed it for what it is. The historical bits drew me in, too.
My sincere thank you to Allison & Busby and NetGalley for providing me with an early digital copy of this entrancing novel.
Holmes and Watson are between cases and growing restless. Finally, thankfully (!) a princess goes missing and their client is sufficiently interesting to grab their attention. Red herrings and twists abound. The writing is refreshing and does remind me of Doyle in ways, yet I like the author's personal takes and perspectives. For rabid Sherlock Holmes fans like myself that may sound almost outrageous but I enjoyed it for what it is. The historical bits drew me in, too.
My sincere thank you to Allison & Busby and NetGalley for providing me with an early digital copy of this entrancing novel.
February 6, 2025
A Sherlock Holmes mystery, Mrs Hudson and the Capricorn Incident (2025) by Martin Davies is a reimagining of the 221B Baker Street sleuthing case participants. Sherlock’s housekeeper, Mrs Hudson and Flottie, the housemaid, are central figures in solving the Capricorn Incident. A lethargic Holmes and Watson are recovering from their last case, when the Suffolk police approach them to investigate the vanishing of a woman, without a trace. Meanwhile, a regal London wedding is put in jeopardy, when the bride and then later, the groom disappear, potentially having international repercussions. Flottie and Mrs Hudson play major roles in investigating the missing bride-to-be and together with some assistance from Dr Watson, end up solving the mystery, much to Sherlock’s approval. A useful addition to the Holmesian tales and a truly enjoyable gentle crime read with a four star rating. As always, the opinions herein are totally my own and freely given. With thanks to Allison & Busby and the author, for an uncorrected advanced review copy for review purposes.
February 13, 2025
An enjoyable romp through Victorian London.
Perhaps its no surprise that this is a good book, it is the 7th in the series by now, and the author has gotten used to the voices of all the characters. It is more confident of its own identity, rather than relying too heavily on the Sherlock canon - indeed, Sherlock is absent for most of the book, sent away on other work and so both he and Mrs Hudson are able to shine and show their smarts, without it being at the expense of the other.
Flottie of course is the star of this book, her voice is more established, more focused. She is a main character worth caring about, and the recurring characters are also a delight - I do hope Miss Peters gets her happy ending, I love her.
I also enjoyed the historical figures scattered throughout the story. I'll be keeping an eye out for the other Mrs Hudson titles.
~Thank you to NetGallery for the ARC in return for an honest review.~
Perhaps its no surprise that this is a good book, it is the 7th in the series by now, and the author has gotten used to the voices of all the characters. It is more confident of its own identity, rather than relying too heavily on the Sherlock canon - indeed, Sherlock is absent for most of the book, sent away on other work and so both he and Mrs Hudson are able to shine and show their smarts, without it being at the expense of the other.
Flottie of course is the star of this book, her voice is more established, more focused. She is a main character worth caring about, and the recurring characters are also a delight - I do hope Miss Peters gets her happy ending, I love her.
I also enjoyed the historical figures scattered throughout the story. I'll be keeping an eye out for the other Mrs Hudson titles.
~Thank you to NetGallery for the ARC in return for an honest review.~
February 24, 2025
Entertaining Holmesian mysteries on mysteries
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From 221B Baker Street, Flotsam—or Flottie—Holmes’s maid ventures out on his behalf, but with detection skills and hard-won knowledge of her own. A missing bridegroom and a missing bride, a spate of rich grandees fleeced of their money, music hall lovelies in midnight trysts: a thoroughly entertaining foray into Holmes-adjacent mysteries, where he plays a cameo in the gentle adventures of Flottie, eighteen years old and being groomed by Mrs Hudson as more than a maid of all work.
A cosy mystery wrapped the usual Holmesian flights of deduction, this is all about the Young People: Flottie the maid; one of her tutors the Honourable Rupert Spencer; their chaperone Miss Hetty Petter; and others. Full of Victorian detail and very visual shenanigans, this is worth a Sunday afternoon read, tea at hand.
Three and a half stars, rounded up to four.
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From 221B Baker Street, Flotsam—or Flottie—Holmes’s maid ventures out on his behalf, but with detection skills and hard-won knowledge of her own. A missing bridegroom and a missing bride, a spate of rich grandees fleeced of their money, music hall lovelies in midnight trysts: a thoroughly entertaining foray into Holmes-adjacent mysteries, where he plays a cameo in the gentle adventures of Flottie, eighteen years old and being groomed by Mrs Hudson as more than a maid of all work.
A cosy mystery wrapped the usual Holmesian flights of deduction, this is all about the Young People: Flottie the maid; one of her tutors the Honourable Rupert Spencer; their chaperone Miss Hetty Petter; and others. Full of Victorian detail and very visual shenanigans, this is worth a Sunday afternoon read, tea at hand.
Three and a half stars, rounded up to four.
February 6, 2025
Anyone who is or has been a fan of anything pertaining to those characters who lives at 221B Baker Street both above & below stairs will enjoy this Book as they follow the various colourful characters trying to solve a mystery. #NetGalley, #GoodReads, #FB, #Instagram, #Amazon.co.uk, #
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. I have recommended this Book to various friends here in the UK & also Over Seas too.
, #, #. I have recommended this Book to various friends here in the UK & also Over Seas too.
February 22, 2025
Mrs Hudson and the Capricorn Incident is the seventh book in the Mrs Hudson series, all of which are set in the world of Sherlock Holmes.
I must admit, I haven't read any of the previous books, but I didn't find that to be an issue, as this, for me, can be read as a standalone. However, I'll certainly be going back and starting from the beginning with book one.
This story is told from the point of view of Flotsam, the Homes household maid, who assisists Mrs Hudson ( the housekeeper ) in her investigations.
This time, their investigations centre around the mysterious disappearance of a Princess, just before her marriage to a Count.
Can Mrs Hudson and Flotsam solve the mystery? Be sure to pick your copy up to find out.
So all in all, an intricately crafted read, and a real step back in time to the late 1800's.
It's entertaining, humerous and clever.
4 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 's from me.
I must admit, I haven't read any of the previous books, but I didn't find that to be an issue, as this, for me, can be read as a standalone. However, I'll certainly be going back and starting from the beginning with book one.
This story is told from the point of view of Flotsam, the Homes household maid, who assisists Mrs Hudson ( the housekeeper ) in her investigations.
This time, their investigations centre around the mysterious disappearance of a Princess, just before her marriage to a Count.
Can Mrs Hudson and Flotsam solve the mystery? Be sure to pick your copy up to find out.
So all in all, an intricately crafted read, and a real step back in time to the late 1800's.
It's entertaining, humerous and clever.
4 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 's from me.
January 9, 2025
I was disappointed that it wasn't TTS enabled (the robot and I usually manage 50/50) so I will have to find earlier books in the series to fully appreciate book 7.
I did enjoy the parts that I was able to read and thought it a good bit of fun from an unusual perspective.
I requested and received a temporary uncorrected digital galley from Allison & Busby Books via NetGalley. Pub Date Feb 20, 2025
#MrsHudsonAndTheCapricornIncident by Martin Davies #HolmesAndHudsonBk7 @AllisonAndBusby @goodreads @bookbub @Kobo @librarythingofficial #MysteryThriller @barnesandnoble @waterstones **** Review @booksamillion @bookshop_org #Suspense @bookshop_org_uk #Housekeeper #BakerStreet #Mystery #Detective
I did enjoy the parts that I was able to read and thought it a good bit of fun from an unusual perspective.
I requested and received a temporary uncorrected digital galley from Allison & Busby Books via NetGalley. Pub Date Feb 20, 2025
#MrsHudsonAndTheCapricornIncident by Martin Davies #HolmesAndHudsonBk7 @AllisonAndBusby @goodreads @bookbub @Kobo @librarythingofficial #MysteryThriller @barnesandnoble @waterstones **** Review @booksamillion @bookshop_org #Suspense @bookshop_org_uk #Housekeeper #BakerStreet #Mystery #Detective
February 16, 2025
This story is told from the point of view of the housemaid, Flotsam, in the Holmes’ household. Flotsam is no ordinary maid, she has been given a comprehensive education ( which is still ongoing) as dictated by the housekeeper, Mrs Hudson. Mrs, Hudson is no ordinary person and has a finger in many pies. She always seems to know what is going on and seems a step ahead of everyone else. There are a number of investigations taking place and one in particular seems quite complex. I really enjoyed this book, I worked out some aspects but certainly not all. I did like that the maid had a major part in this story, not something that is usual. I hadn’t read any previous books but this didn’t hinder my enjoyment. I will look out for more in the future. I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
December 22, 2024
What if Baker Street’s most gifted resident wasn’t called Sherlock Holmes?
This is the premise for a mystery series based around Sherlock Holmes' housekeeper / landlady, Mrs Hudson, as the primary investigator. This particular tome is number seven in the series, which I wasn't fully cognisant of at the time of reading, so my comments are based solely on this tome.
Not a fan - Mrs Hudson was not to my mind, central to the storyline at all, it is more based around the housemaid, Flotsam, who is also our narrator. Maybe I should I read the first books, as I was certainly not invested in this one.
This is the premise for a mystery series based around Sherlock Holmes' housekeeper / landlady, Mrs Hudson, as the primary investigator. This particular tome is number seven in the series, which I wasn't fully cognisant of at the time of reading, so my comments are based solely on this tome.
Not a fan - Mrs Hudson was not to my mind, central to the storyline at all, it is more based around the housemaid, Flotsam, who is also our narrator. Maybe I should I read the first books, as I was certainly not invested in this one.
December 8, 2024
This novel (as well as the whole series) will definitely appeal to Sherlock Holmes! The cases are really closely based on the original cases investigated by Holmes. For me, that was the problem as I read the original books. However, the writing reflects particularly well Sherlock's characters London city. The essential difference is the narrator: here Flotsam is telling the story, the maid of the house. Entertaining novel!
I received a digital copy of this novel from NetGalley and I have voluntarily written an honest review.
I received a digital copy of this novel from NetGalley and I have voluntarily written an honest review.
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