The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Murder at Sorrow's Crown

The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes #22

by Steven Savile, Robert Greenberger

It is July 1881, and a frantic mother comes to 221B Baker Street, begging Sherlock Holmes to find her son. A naval officer posted to HMS Dido, he was part of the Naval Brigade that joined the Natal Field Force to fight the Boers. But he did not return with his men, and is being denounced as a deserter.

So begins a twisting tale of assassination, diamond mines and military cover-ups. Can Holmes and Watson uncover the truth, a truth that threatens the very fabric of the British Empire?

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Thriller, Historical Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Fiction, Victorian

320 pages, Paperback

First published September 13, 2016

About the author

Steven Savile (born October 12, 1969, in Newcastle, England) is a British fantasy, horror and thriller writer, and editor living in Sala, Sweden.

Under the Ronan Frost penname (inspired by the hero of his bestselling novel, Silver) he has also written the action thriller White Peak, and as Matt Langley was a finalist for the People's Book Prize.

Reviews

[Keith DeCandido · Rating 4 out of 5]

Caveat: both authors are friends and colleagues of mine. That doesn't alter how impressed I am with how well they've at once captured the feel of a Conan Doyle story while still having a modern sensibility, particularly in the portrayal of John Watson, whose medical and military background prove useful in the unfolding of the story. It's a good mystery, with facts slowly unfolding and new revelations flowing naturally from our heroes' investigations. Holmes and Watson sound very much like themselves -- my usual acid test is whether or not I can hear Jeremy Brett and David Burke as Holmes and Watson, respectively, and I totally could here.

My only complaints would be occasional bits of awkwardness in the writing style, a lack of engagement with the actual villains of the piece, who barely make cameos in the story, and the fact that the phrase "Sorrow Crown" doesn't even show up until nearly the end, which is frustrating from it being in the title and all.

But these are minor complaints in an overall fantastic Holmes story that is a worthy addition to the never-ending oeuvre of the great detective.

[Blodeuedd Finland · Rating 3 out of 5]

You know what, I have actually never read a book about Sherlock Holmes. Ok one, but let us not count the monster one. There might have been another mashup too.

I imagine you know about Sherlock Holmes, if not, then you are kind of living under a rock. I am not gonna explain him. He is eccentric, to say the least.

And then there is Watson, and they do compliment each other so well.

This mystery is about a mother wanting answers. And they dig deep and it gets complicated. There is the Boer war, political intrigues and conspiracies. All while trying to find out what happened to a soldier...

I enjoyed the book. It was light, there was a good mystery and Holmes and Watson is quite the pair.

[Bev · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's summer in 1881 just at the end of the Boer War and early in the association between Holmes and Watson. Funds are low and Watson sets up a parade of potential clients for Holmes in an effort to provide a case that will help fill the coffers*, but it's an unplanned visitor who brings the great detective a puzzle worthy of his skills. Mrs. Hermione Wynter is frantic. Her son Norbert, a lieutenant in the Royal Navy did not return with his ship, the Dido, when it was recalled from South Africa. When she tried to get answers from the Admiralty, she was first given the run-around and then was told that he was missing, presumed dead. And then, finally, told that this was just a polite cover up for the fact that he was a deserter. She doesn't know what happened to her son. But one thing she knows--he's no deserter. And she wants Sherlock Holmes to find out what really happened and why the officials don't want to tell her about it.

On the face of it, it doesn't seem to Watson that this will be of any more interest to Holmes than any of the cases they heard earlier in the day. But something about the way the naval officials have evaded Mrs. Wynter's pleas for information attracts his attention. And when they retrace the frantic mother's steps, they run into the same stonewalling, though Holmes is adept enough at questioning to glean a bit more information. Soon they are engaging trained assassins from India and following a trail that stretches from South Africa to Newcastle and from a lost battle of the Boer War to the halls of Parliament. The game is afoot and it involves much more than just the disappearance of a single naval officer.

Overall, this is an excellent and enjoyable Holmes pastiche. For the most, it captures the flavor of Doyle's works and provides an interesting mystery for Holmes to pursue, though some of the writing seems a bit too modern and it does jar a bit for Watson to call Holmes "Sherlock." It is nice to see a bit more of the early years when Holmes and Watson are just getting used to one another and I appreciated the authors bringing the Irregulars into the story. It was a shame that Doyle did not use them more than he did and it was great fun to see Holmes interacting with Wiggins. The other very nice point was their portrayal of Watson. It has always seemed to me that Watson gets short shrift--a medical man should be more astute than he is often portrayed. Savile & Greenberger manage to make Watson an intelligent assistant to Holmes while still keeping him in the "Watson" role, highlighting that Holmes is the more brilliant of the two. There are medical connections to the story and Watson is allowed his moments to shine as researcher and also making observations that Holmes couldn't (because of a lack of certain medical knowledge). Holmes still puts all the pieces together, but Watson is able to provide some of the pertinent pieces.

The most substantial (though not overwhelming) quibble I have is with the "connection" to Disraeli (to explain would be a spoiler). I don't quite agree that the case has been made in that quarter. I see how that supposed connection advances certain portions of the plot and narrative--but I just don't see that the connection has been proved. It's more a case that Holmes says it's there and then receives confirmation (of a sort) in the denouement and therefore it is so. Otherwise, a highly enjoyable read. ★★★★

First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting portions of review. Thanks.

[Fred Hughes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great story from the Consulting Detective. It starts with trying to ascertain what happened to a sailor who never returned from a mission and eventually leads all the way to the top of the government.

Holmes definitly gets a physical and mental workout on this case as he has to fend off multiple attempts on his life, while trying to string together disparate information into a cohesive solution.

A rockem sockem adventure.

HIGHLY recommended

[WhatShouldIRead · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was just an OK read for me. I found it an uneven read - some parts were very good while others seemed to drag on quite a bit. This story also involves hints of the Boer War, diamond mining in South Africa and land speculation, none of which I have any interest in and which and seemed to overshadow why Holmes and Watson were investigating though in the end it was somewhat related. (Does that make sense?)

Dr. Watson seemed to take more of an active part in this mystery than others I've read while Holmes did his Holmes thing and disappeared without explanation.

Some famous - or infamous, however you personally perceive them - were mentioned in the story. And also Holmes' street urchins had an active part as well.

But the resolution to the murder wasn't able to be explained to the client because of security reasons. I thought that was pretty unfortunate since that was the whole point of the initial investigation in the first place.

Anyway, some people may really like this story. For me it was OK - glad I read it but was really glad I finished it.

[Margaret]

Did not finish.

When Watson starts referring to Holmes as 'Sherlock' I get a bit angsty.

But when I start coming across terminology cock ups that could have been avoided with a little research, well, that's throw the book across the room time.

[Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first pastiche I've encountered wherein Holmes and Watson are at the beginning of their partnership and their friendship -- the story kicks off three months after they met, which I found an intriguing premise. While I wouldn't have minded if the writers had played just a little bit more with the idea of Holmes and Watson still adjusting to each other (they're already quite comfortably familiar with one another, really), I did appreciate such touches as the pair finding themselves short of funds (Holmes hasn't made quite the name for himself just yet) and Holmes's propensity for action sequences (indeed, there's at least three crackerjack fights that we get firsthand accounts of).

The mystery required a few too many leaps from deduction into pure supposition for me, and the pacing drug a bit due to the intensely political plotline being put forth. There is a _lot_ of time spent going through documents and diaries -- which, granted, may be a more realistic approach to how one would actually solve a real-life mystery, but which I admit left me wanting more time spent with our duo in the field rather than the Library office. (And I say that as a Librarian!) But the characterization was fairly spot-on; I wanted a bit more Action!Watson, but I did appreciate Watson at least getting some chance to flex his investigatory muscles. (I also wanted a bit more Compassionate!Holmes, but they didn't go too far into the other direction, so I was mostly content.) I liked that Holmes was a force without being portrayed as invincible, and the appearances of the Baker Street Irregulars were a treat indeed.

It wasn't entirely for me plot-wise, but I enjoyed most of the time I spent with Holmes and Watson, so three stars seems just about right.

[Lyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

ByMiss Lyn
on September 15, 2016Format: Kindle Edition|Verified Purchase
I love Sherlock Holmes stories and Mr. Greenberger and Mr. Savile have truly captured the wit and meticulous wisdom of Holmes and Watson.
They kept me reading far into the night following the tale of the lost son of Mrs Wynter. Danger and mystery follow our sleuths and lead them to very unexpected conclusions.
This is a brilliant book and well worth settling down for a great read.

[David · Rating 2 out of 5]

Holmes and Watson investigate the disappearance of a sailor who had something to do with Disraeli and the Boers and India and zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.......

[Phil Giunta · Rating 4 out of 5]

In London during the summer of 1881, and still early in their now legendary partnership, Doctor Watson schedules a number of appointments for bored, brilliant detective Sherlock Holmes, who has been unable as of late to find a case worthy of his considerable talents. After the string of potential clients are turned away one by one, an unscheduled caller arrives—bringing with her an intriguing case, naturally.

Hermione Frances Sara Wynter, an elderly widow, has been unable to obtain a satisfactory answer from the Admiralty as to the whereabouts of her son, Lieutenant Norbert Wynter. Norbert was due home one month previous aboard the HMS Dido after fighting in the war against the Boers in South Africa.

However, all of Mrs. Wynter's initial inquiries to the Admiralty went unanswered until finally, they revealed that Norbert had been classified as missing in action and a deserter. His mother, of course, refused to believe such an outlandish accusation.

Holmes accepts the case and, together with Watson, sets forth to interrogate, beleaguer, and otherwise annoy the Admiralty into providing information on Lieutenant Wynter. Soon, it becomes clear that something is amiss, especially since Wynter was listed as missing in action in February, yet continued to receive a paycheck until July.

When Holmes and Watson are attacked on the street by men sent by someone at the Admiralty, the detective is certain that a government cover-up is at play and, as Holmes is often quoted as saying, "The game is afoot!"

An investigation into the missing officer leads Holmes and Watson to a web of conspiracy that involves the death of former Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli, the now defunct East India Company, and much more.

Savile and Greenberger deftly capture the characters and relationship of Holmes and Watson in a plot that was well-conceived and unfurled at a perfect pace. I was pleased to see the inclusion of Holmes's "street Arabs," aka The Baker Street Irregulars, as well as Scotland Yard Inspector Gregson over the more famous Lestrade, the latter making only a cameo appearance. I have absolutely nothing against Lestrade, of course, but I appreciate the nod being given to the more minor recurring Gregson.

[Dale · Rating 5 out of 5]

What could be behind the death of a soldier that warrants a conspiracy?

A lady shows up at Baker Street asking Holmes for help in finding out the truth about her son. He was part of the Boer War in South Africa, and her majesty’s government lists him as MIA. She has been told that they are listing him as a deserter, something that neither she nor anyone who knew the lad will accept…

Somehow all of this ties in with the death of Benjamin Disraeli…

When Holmes and Watson begin to investigate, they are attacked again and again. Some of their attackers are trained assassins from India. Holmes and Watson are waylaid both together and on their own.

The premise of this novel is that it records a truth that the government and the crown want to be buried. It could not have been published at the time, and in fact, Watson is warned in no uncertain terms not to publish, and his notes are confiscated by Whitehall…

The story is written in two parts. The first gives detail as the case developed. This part was taken away by a very serious agent who works for Mycroft. The second is written six months to a year after the case was finalized. Watson refuses to change the names of persons involved or to sugarcoat the alarming facts. He says the world needs to know the truth, and that by the time this case will be allowed to be published it will no longer matter.

This is a very dark case. The Boer War saw many British soldiers killed. There were battles where Britain found themselves on the losing side. This story deals with matters of national defense and raises questions about the death of Benjamin Disraeli. The question really is: What if?

I give the book four stars…

Quoth the Raven…

[Trent Dixson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book. I liked that it started quickly and was always moving. I was always curious about what was going to happen next. I even thought that reading about the characters reading was entertaining.
I liked that the story started with Sherlock Holmes starting an investigation into a sailor who was reported for running away during a battle. I was on the edge of my seat when someone tries to kill Sherlock. I was curious as things started to escalate to the point of murder. In the end, I liked how everything was wrapped up with the criminals being arrested.
I liked the part in the story where Sherlock says "You are here, Mr. Haldaine because we now have evidence to prove you were a part of a criminal conspiracy-"(Savile and Greenberger 272). I liked it because it was the start of the part where the answer to everything is revealed.
I thought that the author's message was to not cut corners. I realized no matter how well you do it, you can always get caught and it is almost always more effort than it's worth. I saw that the criminals were almost done with their plan but in the end they lost everything.
I would recommend this book. I thought that it had a nice structure. Overall I rated this book a 4/5 because I liked it a lot but I could see why someone would not like it.

[Vicky · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. Of course, no one writes them like Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. However, the authors, Steven Saville and Robert Greenberger, did a really excellent job. The mystery was detailed and had a lot of adventure.
I only had a couple of disagreements with the authors. One: They wrote that Sherlock would forget any details he thought extraneous. According to my reading of the original stories, Sherlock never forgot anything. The second thing was that Dr. Watson seemed to have his service revolver on his person most of the time. In this book it is only mentioned once. Third: Conan Doyle never implied that Holmes and Watson financial problems and struggled to pay the rent.
Aside from those things, I really enjoyed the book. I would recommend it to other Sherlock and Watson fans.

[MH · Rating 3 out of 5]

A missing persons case turns into a vast geopolitical conspiracy in this enjoyable, if ridiculous, Sherlock Holmes adventure. The novel moves well and I like their self-aware Watson, but Holmes' brilliant detective work is really just a series of wild surmises and amazing coincidences - this isn't a Holmes who never guesses, it's one who guesses constantly and has them all immediately confirmed by overheard conversations or newspaper articles. I thought it was a fun, eye-rolling time-waster - I imagine Sherlockians will like it much less, and those who just want to see Holmes mix it up with exotic assassins will like it more.

[Ellie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was readable but overall meh. The book's second worst offence was the plot being constantly interrupted by Holmes and Watson having to go to the library / records office / etc. to consult a million documents, which was incredibly boring actually. But the worst offence was Watson (and a couple of other characters) calling Holmes "Sherlock", which is both out of character and against Victorian custom. In fact, the whole thing was written in an annoyingly modern style that made it seem more like a very average fanfiction than a publishable ACD pastiche.

[Kieran McAndrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

A mother's plea to Sherlock Holmes to prove her son did not desert his post on the 'HMS Dido' exposes a secret which reaches to the very centre of Whitehall as Holmes risks it all to uncover a conspiracy which stalks the corridors of power.

Savile and Greenberger have written a sparkling entry in the wider 'Sherlock Holmes' mythos which evokes the early days of the great detective with consummate skill and a respect for the source material.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Doctor Watson and Sherlock Holmes have been roommates for a very short while and are doing their best to make ends meet. This is in the days before Watson's tomes have made Sherlock famous. An older woman comes to them asking them to please find out what happened to her son, a sailor who disappeared during the Boer War. The authorities have branded him a traitor, and she is eager to clear his name.

There is, of course, more to the story. The disappearance of a sailor leads to intrigue, cover-ups and a connection to the death of former PM Disraeli. Watson and Holmes are both waylaid frequently throughout the course of the story and subjected to physical beat downs. Someone somewhere thinks they are getting too close to... something.

I found it amusing that there are vague references to Mycroft throughout the book while hiding the fact that Holmes has a 'connection' that he won't talk about.

As far as Holmes pastiches go, this was very entertaining. There were a few instances that didn't ring true with the original, but overall it was an entertaining read.

[Valerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Superior to most of the non-ACD Holmes tales, in my opinion. The pacing, deliberation, & tone felt much like the original stories, while avoiding ACD's habit of wandering off into tangents. This made a good leisurely read, not too gripping & suspenseful, but consistent, with a nice attention to detail but not too much you needed to keep track of. Well done.

[Jack · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story by a keen writer. This tale is informed more than most by the colonial arrangements that were rapidly unraveling around the globe. Afghanistan, India, South Africa, all woven together by greed, government and murder.

[Kathy Heare Watts · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Sherlock Holmes tale of intrigue.

I won a copy of this book during a Goodreads giveaway. I am under no obligation to leave a review or rating and do so voluntarily. So that others may also enjoy this book, I am paying it forward by donating it to my local library.

[Tiina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sherlock Holmes brought back to life through the words of Dr John Watson, and by two contemporary authors. The feel of the book was authentic enough and there were a few twists of the tale. Enjoyable!

[Jens · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read for Sherlock fans. While there were a few points I felt the authors were trying too hard to push certain Sherlockian tropes, they mostly stayed true to the classic characters. The mystery told consisted of historically accurate conflicts and the routes taken to crack the case were realistic. Everything combined for a good book.

[Calvin Daniels · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was simply a crackin' good Holmesian tale. Highly recommended. This is as good as the sub-genre gets.

[Patricia · Rating 2 out of 5]

by page 17 there are already 6 Holmesian inaccuracies. WTF?

[Michelle Fidler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this. It was exciting at times. I'd read more Sherlock books by the authors. I collect these books - Sherlock Holmes and also the ones in this series and by the publisher.

[Lari · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good adventure, well characterised, would read again. Also surprisingly educational, covering the Boer War, grading diamonds, effects of castor bean oil, and more.

[Alena · Rating 4 out of 5]

you get confusion

you get confusion

everyone gets confusion

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

i was confused but i think that’s just bc i’m stupid and it’s too complex for me!

[Fraser Merricks · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting adventure which will test any true Sherlock fans detective skills and knowledge. a tragic tale filled with deceit and murder (Obviously).

[Patrick Hayes · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable read from a novel released to the public only because it has been declassified by the government.

The case starts small, with the search for how a young naval officer died, and mushrooms into a plot that involves three continents and the death of a world renowned character. I enjoy stories that begin modestly and then grow to gargantuan levels.

Savile and Greenberger have captured the voices of the all the characters well and the settings bring the time period to life vividly.

The only reason this does not receive a fifth star is the entrance of an unnamed character into the mix. I'm hoping that both authors return to Baker Street and have this character have more dealings with Holmes and Watson.