The Three Locks

A Sherlock Holmes Adventure #4

by Bonnie MacBird

A heatwave melts London as Holmes and Watson are called to action in this new Sherlock Holmes adventure by Bonnie MacBird, author of "one of the best Sherlock Holmes novels of recent memory." In the West End, a renowned Italian escape artist dies spectacularly on stage during a performance – immolated in a gleaming copper cauldron of his wife's design. In Cambridge, the runaway daughter of a famous don is found drowned, her long blonde hair tangled in the Jesus Lock on the River Cam. And in Baker Street, a mysterious locksmith exacts an unusual price to open a small silver box sent to Watson. From the glow of London's theatre district to the buzzing Cavendish Laboratory in Cambridge where physicists explore the edges of the new science of electricity, Holmes and Watson race between the two cities to solve the murders, encountering prevaricating prestidigitators, philandering physicists and murderous mentalists, all the while unlocking secrets which may be best left undisclosed. And one, in particular, is very close to home.

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Audiobook, Historical, Crime, Detective

432 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2021

About the author

Bonnie MacBird has been a screenwriter (TRON), studio executive (Universal) producer (three Emmys), a playwright and a classically trained actor. She taught writing at UCLA Extension's Writers' Program, and is a regular speaker on writing, creativity, and Sherlock Holmes.

She has five Sherlock Holmes novels, out now: ART IN THE BLOOD (2015), UNQUIET SPIRITS (2017) and THE DEVIL'S DUE (2019), THE THREE LOCKS (2020) and WHAT CHILD IS THIS? (2021). A sixth is in work. All are for HarperCollins

MacBird lives in Los Angeles and London

Reviews

[Paromjit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bonnie MacBird gives us another delightful entry in her Victorian historical series featuring Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson, set in the sweltering London and Cambridge of 1887. There are many who have resurrected the genius detective, but MacBird's remarkable attention to detail, and skilful characterisations of the famous duo and their relationship, makes this series a real favourite. The theme of locks, three locks to be precise, drive this addition. The first lock is a personal affair for the 35 year old Watson, an ex-military doctor, burdened with a traumatic family history that still haunts him, his mother and sister, Rose, both died by drowning when he was young. He receives a mysterious package from an apologetic Aunt Elspeth Carnachan that he has never been aware of, his mother had instructed her to give it to him when he reached 21 years of age.

Watson is furious that Elspeth had forgotten all about it until now, what is even more intriguing is that it has a complex lock that defeats almost all locksmiths. This poses the question as to what could be so important that his mother had taken such unusual levels of protection to ensure the safety and secrecy of the contents? It is going to take the input of Holmes and his extensive knowledge of locksmiths in London for Watson to become acquainted with deeply buried family truths. The strikingly unforgettable Mrs Ilaria Bolleri, comes to Sherlock to get him to uncover the truth of the conflict between her husband, the Italian escape artist, The Great Borelli, and her old beau, a magician and mindreader. A lovelorn Catholic Deacon from Cambridge, Peregrine Buttons, who wants Holmes to find the beautiful missing Odelia Wyndham, a clever if casually cruel woman, with a number of suitors.

The Great Borelli is horrifically burned in front of an audience in a multiple locked bathysphere named The Cauldron of Death, and Odelia is discovered murdered at the Jesus Lock on the River Cam. Could there possibly be a connection between the two events? In these most twisted and complicated of cases involving strong passions, Holmes is determined to see truth and justice served despite the numerous obstacles that stand in his path, ably assisted by the faithful Watson. This is a terrific read, wonderfully entertaining and engaging, that will appeal to the many fans of Conan Doyle's famous detective and all those who love Victorian historical crime fiction. Many thanks to HarperCollins UK for an ARC.

[Ceecee · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s September 1887 and Dr Watson is sweltering in the heat of an Indian Summer. He receives a strange small box his mother entrusted many years ago to a lady who claims she is his aunt. The box is impossible to open. Meanwhile, Holmes is as ever learning new (if not bizarre!) skills which link to the Barelli stage act and later to a consultation concerning, yes, locks! The final lock is Jesus Lock in Cambridge where a doll is found floating in the water belonging to Odelia Wyndham which seems to be a warning of some kind .....

This is the fourth in this really good series which is written so cleverly in the style and spirit of the original Conan Doyle books. The author captures the lead characters perfectly with the long suffering Mrs Hudson putting up with a great deal! There’s a lot going on in this one with parallel investigations which works really well. I really like the magic show element especially as this was a very popular form of entertainment in Victorian times. Of course, Holmes brings his own marvellously individual and observant eye to the proceedings. The storytelling is lively, colourful and atmospheric, it’s amusing in places especially the repartee between Holmes and Watson. The late Victorian era is depicted extremely well and I like how it includes a couple of female characters who, though very unpleasant, show the beginning of the trend of ‘bold women’ who want freedom and independence from the restraints of society’s expectations. There is quite a plethora of unpleasant, rude, imperious and arrogant characters but they do provide for interesting storytelling.

So, we have locks, magic acts, trickery, illusion, science and one independent woman who has an abundance of ardent suitors, murder and mayhem, a large suspect pool, mistaken identity, set ups and self preservation. The busy and intriguing plot takes us from London to Cambridge where the intrepid and suspicious pair try to sift through the professional and personal jealousies, volatile temperaments and arrogance, cast their beady eyes over macabre warnings to try to solve intriguing puzzles. It leads to some dramatic and colourful scenes and inevitably given his incisiveness , Holmes succeeds in unlocking all in a surprising conclusion.

Overall, another intriguing and worthy addition to the Bonnie MacBird Holmes and Watson series.

With thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins, Harper Fiction for the arc in return for an honest review.

[Bill · Rating 5 out of 5]

The fourth Sherlock Holmes adventure from lifelong Conan Doyle fan Bonnie MacBird is rip roaring fun from start to finish.
Holmes & Watson have not just one, but three mysteries to solve taking them from London to Cambridge. The pace is relentlessly fast & the dialogue positively sparkles.
Bonnnie MacBird has a great affection for Arthur Conan Doyle's creations. She pulls off the amazing feat of treating them with great respect & at the same time making them her own. That's an incredible thing to achieve.
I have read many books in my life, but I have to say that I found the ending of this novel incredibly moving. It's rare I feel this emotional about any book these days. I can also say, hand on heart, that The Three Locks has my favourite ending to any Sherlock Holmes story I have ever read. I'll even go as far as to say it's the best ending of any story I have ever read by anyone. Incredible.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

1887 Dr John Watson has inherited a box from his mother which no-one seems to be able to open.
But Holmes has two cases, one involving a magician, the Great Borelli, and the other the possible disappearance of 18 year old Miss Odelia Wyndham. But soon there is a death. Accident or murder.
Holmes and Watson investigate.
An entertaining and well-written Holmes mystery

[Cherie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like the author's humor and management of the characters and details to A. C. Doyle's cannon.
I cannot wait to read the next one!

[Nicola Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a huge lover of the Sherlock Holmes stories and adore the Arthur Conan Doyle’s originals, and I do love when new Holmes and Watson’s stories are written (when done well). They can either be fantastic or a bit of a flop I find, depending on how well the author portrays the characters and story, and this one was most definitely fantastic. I loved it! This was the perfect example of a new Holmes story done well!

I got into the story straight away, with a mystery from the get go to get your teeth into. It had all the feels of the original stories and I loved how both Sherlock and John were written. I’ll never tire of Sherlocks shenanigans and there were many here! Some so so funny and so true to character. I loved the humour and all the Sherlock-isms in this book.

It was definitely an addicting story and I couldn’t put it down. The interactions between Holmes and Watson were great to read and the development of the story as it unravelled had me intrigued.

There were several cases running alongside each other in this story however I didn’t find them hard to follow or get mixed up or confused at any point, which can easily happen with more than one case on the go! I love how each one concluded and the outcome and deductions Sherlock deduced was as amazing and clever as ever.

I could read a million of these stories. It was a very entertaining book and one that any a Sherlock Holmes fan will enjoy. I definitely did!

I was lucky enough to read this with thanks to the author and publishers on NetGalley to give an honest review.

[Robert Blumenthal · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is apparently the fourth in a series of an updated Sherlock Holmes series. This is actually the prequel to the other three, so it seemed a good place to start. And I have to say, I enjoyed it from start to finish. It is a book I found very easy to read. It was an intricate but easy to follow plot involving two seemingly unrelated cases. A beautiful and exotic wife of a magician comes to Holmes for she fears for her husband's safety. A former suitor of hers had an accident while performing a magic trick and lost the tip of one of his fingers. She fears that he blames her husband for this. And later a young deacon visits Holmes for he fears for the safety of a beautiful but feisty young woman whom he has befriended. And so, as they say, the game is afoot.

The language and depictions of the characters are very well done. This author certainly understands the Sherlock Holmes stories and continues the legacy in fine literary fashion. The plot moves along swimmingly and I was totally absorbed and read through the more than 400 pages quickly. I found no significant plot holes or anything untoward in the writing and was very entertained by the reading of it.

[Connie · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are three stories interwoven within The Three Locks. A young runaway daughter, an escape artist who spectacularly dies on stage - immolated in a copper cauldron, and a small silver box containing a secret.
This is the 4th Sherlock Holmes adventure by Bonnie MacBird and like the others is fabulous. I thought I'd worked out who the killer was, then was thrown off the scent for a chapter or two, but in the end I was absolutely correct.
Written in the ACD style, I highly recommend these books. 🔍🎻

[Lauren Stoolfire · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Three Locks (A Sherlock Holmes Adventure #4) by Bonnie MacBird hit all the right notes for me and may be (along with the second and third installments of this series) one of my favorite reads of 2021 so far. Bonnie MacBird does a marvelous job of bringing Holmes, Watson, and their world to life. Her style feels quite authentic to Arthur Conan Doyle's original characters while still keeping her take fresh. This series just keeps getting better and better. I'm so happy to see that there's going to be a fifth installment called The Serpent Under. I can't wait to get my hands on it. If you're a fan of Jeremy Brett and Robert Downey Jr. as Holmes and David Burke and Jude Law as Watson with just a dash of Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman, I have a feeling you'll get a kick out of this series.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoy this series and I generally enjoyed this book. The author’s pastiche is well-written and appropriately reverential. That said, there are some bonkers ridiculous plot twists in this one that I’d like to point out.

Lots of spoilers follow…

Throughout the book, starting with the doll with the broken arm (that was never explained fully IIRC), Holmes is convinced that Dillie is in mortal danger. He seems certain that he has missed something with her case. But, here’s the thing: he hasn’t. She was never in danger! Leo & Deacon both loved her and would never have harmed her. The rich kid was marrying her for political reasons, but seemed to generally like her. Her sister spied on her for fun (and because she was nuts). Her dad was an abusive a-hole but this was not a direct threat.

If Lamb — who was barely described other than a few gay digs — hadn’t stumbled into the deacon’s room during that very narrow window that one night, everything would’ve worked out fine. So what did Holmes & Watson do? Aside from solve a murder of opportunity and passion that was mostly unrelated to the story, not much. All that preamble? Meant absolutely nothing towards the conclusion. In the end, all of this equated to a big let-down in terms of Holmes doing Holmsey things to get his man.

Beyond that, let’s talk about Dillie’s sister. She seemed at first like a harmless oddball… and was never described much beyond that… until, all of a sudden, she’s firing arrows blindly into an open window, apparently with murderous intent! Where the heck did that come from??? THEN, her parents put her in an asylum. THEN, she escapes! THEN, she just happens to be at the church, in disguise, when Buttons & Holmes go in the water, and thinks, I’m gonna kill these two other guys! Why? What? Huh? THEN, after all that, we find out that this person — who attempted to murder 3 people in cold blood and escaped from an asylum all in the same day — lives happily ever after because she ran off with the gardener!!! And Watson seems to think this is totally fine. What? Huh? How does that make the slightest bit of sense?!?

Then there’s the other plot line. The magician. Maybe not quite as absurd but still some big plot holes.

So Borelli — a successful stage musician who thinks he’s God’s gift to the stage — decides to kill his rival, frame his wife, and FAKE HIS OWN DEATH? Huh? Why would he do that? It seems far more likely that the whole endeavor was set up by his wife, yet Holmes buys her flimsy story without question. THEN, once he realizes later that Dario did not run off with the Opera singer, thus confirming the wife did in fact kill Dario — along with at least two other people — his reaction is essentially, “Women: can’t live with ‘em, pass the beer nuts.” Like, this woman is a serial killer! But, hey, not my problem?

(I did appreciate the subtle way he got her to leave the scientists alone.)

Regarding the third (first?) lock, the locksmith was perhaps the most compelling character in all of this, so it was disappointing that we saw so little of him.

One last thing, perhaps somewhat pedantic, but still worth noting for completists. Holmes refers to the final act of a magical trick as “The Prestige.” AFAIK this term was invented by British writer Christopher Priest, for his novel of the same name, that was later made into a movie by Christopher Nolan. It’s not something actual magicians say (at least it was not in Holmes’ era.)

Ok, that was fun. But, still, this was a decent read. I’m not in a hurry for the next one, but I’ll probably give it a shot when it comes across my desk.

[C.P. Lesley]

Sherlock Holmes is one of the rare literary characters who has achieved a kind of cultural immortality. As Bonnie MacBird notes in this interview, display an image of a deerstalker hat and a pipe almost anywhere in the world, and people can identify the great detective without a second thought. So is it any wonder that an entire industry is devoted to expanding the Conan Doyle canon?

Not all these attempts succeed, but MacBird’s novels are a gem. The Three Locks, fourth in her series and set in 1887, opens with a mysterious package delivered to Dr. John Watson. London is in the midst of a heat wave, Watson’s friend Holmes has withdrawn in one of his periodic funks, and the package offers the rather disgruntled doctor a welcome distraction. Its appeal increases when Watson discovers that it contains an engraved silver box sent by his father’s half-sister, an aunt he didn’t know he had, and represents his mother’s last gift to him. But as he struggles to unlock the box, Holmes appears, warning of danger.

Watson’s drive to prove Holmes wrong (he rejects his friend’s suggestion that the aunt’s letter may be a forgery and the lock designed to cause harm) must compete with the demands of two other cases. The wife of an escape artist requests help in protecting her husband from an angry rival, her former lover—a case that becomes more urgent when the escape artist’s most dramatic stunt goes awry, leading to murder. Then the rebellious daughter of a Cambridge don goes missing, to the great distress of the local deacon who has unwisely fallen in love with her.

Holmes initially dismisses the second case, although he takes a personal interest in the first. But when a doll made to resemble the young woman is found in the Jesus Lock on the Cam River, with a broken arm and an illegible threat written in purple ink on its cloth chest, the hunt is on, for both the don’s daughter and the person who wishes her harm. In time, it becomes clear that the two cases are connected—and that Holmes must defeat not only a cunning villain but the over-zealous local police.

Interview with the author at New Books in Historical Fiction.

[Sara (thebookwebb) · Rating 5 out of 5]

The year is 1887 and an Indian Summer broils London and Cambridge. A mysterious impregnable box arrives for Watson, locked and with a secret from his past. Then a famous escape artist/conjurer fails to unlock his “cauldron” and burns to a crisp during a performance at Wilton’s Music Hall. And in Cambridge, three suitors including a priest, an aristocrat and a young physicist vie for the love of a spiteful beauty, who vanishes after her lookalike doll is found dismembered in the Jesus Lock on the River Cam. The cases convolve as Holmes and Watson tangle with clergy, police, academics and scheming siblings, risking life and limb to solve the murders and to keep the innocent from the gallows.

Having never read a Sherlock Holmes novel before I was not sure what to expect from this book, however from the first page I knew I was going to love it. The writing is fantastic with incredible attention to detail and evocative descriptive writing. The story is engaging, with lots of tension and twists and a sprinkling of humour. The cast of characters is brilliant, and I loved the interaction between Holmes and Watson. I will definitely be looking to read the other books in this series in the near future.

This was a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Sabra Shay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once again Bonnie Macbird captures the voice of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle with such precision as to enable true Sherlock fans to continue enjoying his fantastic escapades long after the original author has passed. Not only does Ms. MacBird maintain the characters and mannerisms of Sherlock and Watson, her use of period specific references and vernacular are natural and never feel forced or staged.
This particular novel wove another exciting adventure for the famous duo and left me guessing about “who dunnit” nearly to the end. At the same time, Ms. MacBird gives the Sherlock fan a morsel of insight into what Watson’s family history may have been - feeding the fans’ love of mystery, while simultaneously making the characters feel all the more real.
This series, and certainly this novel, sale a must read for any Sherlock fan.

[Sarah-Hope · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've enjoyed Bonnie MacBird's Holmes novels from the beginning, but The Three Locks takes what was already a satisfying series up a notch. The plot is woven from multiple mysteries that entwine with and echo one another. Watson comes more fully into his own. Readers meet an engaging ensemble cast, most based in the community of Victorian-era magicians. What I particularly love about MacBird's take on Holmes and Watson is the humor she can inject into the novels without undercutting the tension of the mysteries. If you appreciate new takes on the Holmes canon, I'm confident you'll find this title rewarding reading. I received a free electronic copy of this title for review purposes; the opinions are my own.

[Rachael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sherlock Holmes is an iconic literary detective. Here, Bonnie MacBird gets her chance to put her spin on the character in a new story. I wasn't aware that this was the fourth book in a series but I can confirm this stands alone and you don't have to have read the previous books for this. It fits well within the Conan Doyle canon even if I did think a few characteristics were akin to more modern adaptations. Holmes and Watson had three mysteries to solve within these pages and while each were good, maybe it would have been better to focus on them separately?

[Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the first of MacBird's series that I've read and I'll definitely have to read the rest. As others have noted, the style stays true to Conan Doyle's original stories but mixes in fresh characterizations and plots. Two (...or three) concurrent mysteries keep the novel moving along. I particularly enjoyed the many historical details that give you a true sense of the era and settings. A very entertaining read!

[Femke · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favorite so far! I’m not a crime/detective reader and have to admit that I read Sherlock Holmes more for the characters than the murder mysteries (they’re all the same to me honestly) but I have to say, this time I was quite intrigued by the cases in this story. Macbird manages to stay close to the original Sherlock Holmes stories, but with a little more drama added to it and I’m not mad about it… 👀

[Manos (hoarding books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Of all the writers who continue the adventures of Holmes and Watson, Bonnie MacBird is a personal favourite.

She respects their backstory, keeps a quick pace throughout the book and always the last pages keep you on edge. Also witty, humourous and in this case heartbreaking.

I was always hesitant towards stories about heroes that should be left alone, since the expectations are high, standards have to be met and there is little room for writers to shine. Readers are a most demanding when someone messes with classic symbols of literature.

Bonnie dares to do so, and she does it well.

[Lynn Horton · Rating 4 out of 5]

MacBird continues to be one of today's best Sherlockian writers (IMO). She mimics Conan Doyle's tempo, language, and pacing while catching the idiosyncrasies of both Watson and Holmes. She does a delightful job with Mrs. Hudson as well.

The Three Locks is well written, and a very pleasant evening read. The story is complex enough to be true to the genre, but not so intricate that it's a struggle to remember everything. Although the more "human" of the characters in the original series, MacBird brings out more of Watson's past in The Three Locks, and I enjoyed the backstory.

Recommended.

[Rubin Carpenter · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always look forward to Bonnie Mcbird's Sherlock Holmes series and This Sherlock had quite a premise Three interlocking stories about locks
a personal back story of Watson's Mother,
the world of Magicians and love gone wrong this story had great fleshed out characters
Bonnie Mcbird's Sherlock has a depth, an element to her stories that most lack a truly authentic feel and with the abundance of Sherlock stories that flood Today's market that is quite an accomplishment
Bravo Madam Bravo

[Preetam Chatterjee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beginning ‘The Three Locks’ on Ashtami night and finishing it on the soft, glowing morning of Nabami creates a strange emotional diptych—half drenched in the fierce, smoky power of the goddess, half washed in the first quiet of her impending departure.

Bonnie MacBird’s fourth Holmes novel thrives in that exact emotional spectrum: fire on one side, shadow on the other, and a metaphysical grey zone in between where truth hangs like an undecided verdict.

The book, read across these two festival thresholds, becomes a kind of ritual journey—beginning with intensity, ending with clarity, and carrying a pulse that matches the festival’s own shifting rhythms.

On Ashtami night, everything feels heightened. The air thick with dhunuchi smoke, dhaak beats ricocheting in the lungs, the city moving like a creature possessed. And into that atmosphere you open ‘The Three Locks’—a novel that begins with a sense of impending rupture.

Even before the plot unfolds, you feel a quiet wrongness humming beneath the prose. Holmes is restless, Watson perceptive yet unsettled, and London seems to hold its breath.

The book thrives on threes—three mysteries, three emotional centres, three metaphorical “locks”—and reading that trinity on the night of the goddess’s fiercest form feels almost ceremonial.

MacBird structures ‘The Three Locks’ with a satisfying elegance. Three separate but thematically resonant narrative strands unfold: a mysterious locked box delivered under cryptic circumstances, a young Italian magician whose life seems to be unravelling, and a fiery death that suggests foul play.

But the magic is not in the puzzles themselves—it’s in how these strands echo one another. Locks, illusions, secrets, transformations. Everything feels part of a larger pattern. On Ashtami night, with the city shimmering in gold and marigold, the illusionary elements of the story feel heightened, as though the book itself is performing a magic trick: distract with one hand, reveal with the other.

Holmes, in this installment, is a fascinating blend of aloof brilliance and tightly contained emotion. He moves with the precision of ritual, like a priest executing steps he’s done a thousand times but still finds meaning in.

There’s a particular sharpness to him here, a sense of being stretched thin. MacBird doesn’t make him fragile—she makes him brittle. There’s a difference. Fragile things break quietly; brittle things shatter with sound. In the festival’s Ashtami energy—loud, wild, intoxicating—you read Holmes’s inner tension not as fragility but as a vibrating edge.

Watson remains the soul of the narrative, but here he shows more introspection than usual. There’s a subtle melancholy to him, a sense that he’s watching Holmes more closely, feeling the weight of time.

On Nabami morning, when the city feels slightly softer, slightly sadder, it’s Watson’s voice that resonates—his sincerity, his fatigue, his unwavering loyalty, his growing awareness that Holmes pays emotional prices no one else can see. His narration, in this novel, reads like the first sunlight of Nabami—warm, contemplative, a little bruised.

Thematically, ‘The Three Locks’ is all about concealment—what people hide, why they hide it, and what happens when the locked parts of a life insist on being opened.

The locks in MacBird’s story are literal, metaphorical, and psychological. Everyone carries a sealed compartment—Holmes, Watson, the victims, the suspects, even London itself. And during Durga Puja, when the city is all about spectacle and revelation, reading a story of hidden selves feels paradoxical and perfect. Ashtami night is for the dramatic exterior; Nabami morning is the beginning of introspection. The book rides that wave beautifully.

One of the standout threads involves the young magician. Without detailing plot, his storyline brings a fresh emotional texture to the novel—youthful ambition, vulnerability, and illusions both performed and lived.

On Ashtami, his theatrics feel aligned with the festival’s grandeur. By Nabami morning, his quiet, painful truths hit harder. You begin to see him not as a character caught in a plot, but as a fragile flame flickering against forces too large for him to name. His arc becomes, in a way, the emotional lock you most want to open.

MacBird’s writing in this novel is elegant, moody, and more philosophical than before. The prose often pauses at the right moments, letting the emotional undercurrents breathe.

She builds suspense not through jump-scares or shock reveals, but through controlled escalation—the sense that something is tightening, turning, about to click into place.

Reading that on Ashtami night, with the festival at its most feverish, you feel the novel’s tension humming in your veins. Finishing it on Nabami morning, with the light softer and the city quieter, you feel that final “click” as a kind of release.

One of the novel’s quieter triumphs is its portrayal of Holmes’s relationship with vulnerability. He doesn’t crumble—he compartmentalizes. He doesn’t confess—he displaces. He doesn’t break—he recalibrates.

And Watson sees all of it. There’s one moment—no spoilers—where Holmes’s emotional guard flickers for a heartbeat, and Watson witnesses it with tenderness that never becomes mawkish. That moment, read in the gentle melancholy of a Nabami morning, lands with surprising force.

The locked box thread is particularly intoxicating—not for its contents (which we won’t reveal) but for the psychological warfare it represents. Holmes vs. the unknown, Holmes vs. temptation, Holmes vs. his own self-control.

Boxes always mean more than boxes in detective fiction; they become metaphors for boundaries, for forbidden truths, for the places where one refuses to look.

Reading that on Ashtami night feels like touching the surface of something dangerous. Opening it on Nabami morning feels like letting the last of the night’s shadows dissolve.

MacBird ties the three mysteries together not through neat plot symmetry but through emotional resonance. Each thread asks:

1) ‘‘What do people fear most?’’
2) ‘‘What do they hide?’’
3) ‘‘What happens when a lock opens too soon—or too late?’’

Ashtami is the day of power unleashed; Nabami is when that power steadies and reflects. The book mirrors that. On Ashtami, the narrative feels fiery. On Nabami morning, it feels like the ash that settles after the flame—revealing shape, pattern, and meaning.

By the time the novel ends, you feel as though you’ve travelled with Holmes and Watson from spectacle to truth, from noise to clarity, and from smoke to sunlight.

And in that journey, ‘The Three Locks’ becomes more than a mystery—it becomes a meditation on secrecy, identity, the fragile magic of human connection, and the locks we carry inside us long after the case is closed.


Recommended.

[Aoine Ni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank You to NetGally and Harper Collins UK for allowing me to read this book.


This is the fourth book in Bonnie MacBird's Sherlock Holmes Adventures series. Set in London 1887 during An Indian summer, Dr Watson receives a box that had been given to a person who claimed to be his aunt. The box is lock and seems to be impossible to open. Holmes in the mean time is doing his typical Holmes stuff like secret experiments and learning new skills. Soon clients start arriving with intriguing cases sending Watson and Holmes to two very different cases that seem Perplexing to Watson and the local police but off course it doesn't take Holmes long to see what is going on.

The author uses Victorian Society to show us how men had so much control over the women in the lives, foe example Madam Borelli designs all of her husbands illusions bet he takes all the credit for them and often abuses he for his faults. It is also shown how a young girl is nothing without a man and the lengths one must go to to like their own life.

As a fan of Conan Doyle's famous detective and Victorian London in general, I really enjoyed this book.I thought the touches of how Holmes treat the women in this book refreshing and so like him. The twists and turns of the two cases and the bumbling police make it feel a continuance of Conan Doyle's work.

I highly recommend the series and they can also be read as stand alone's

[Marlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

I lost count of the total number of locks in this story early on, but I’m absolutely certain there were considerably more than three such items, particularly as more than one escape artist festooned himself with several at a time. Including Sherlock Holmes.

But the first lock in this story is certainly the most poignant, not because it’s a trick lock – although it absolutely is – but because the key to it is locked in Dr. John Watson’s mind or memory. The fancy, filigreed, metal box arrives as a very late delivery from Watson’s equally late mother. The woman is 20 years dead, the box was supposed to have been delivered 10 years earlier, and Watson isn’t certain how he feels about what might be inside other than frustrated as it was not accompanied by its key and more than one locksmith has already thrown up their hands at the thing.

As this story opens, Watson is likewise frustrated with, or certainly in even less charity than usual, with Holmes’ rather high-handed treatment of him as well as his incessant showing-off of his gifts of observation by both observing and remarking upon things that Watson would rather not hear about. Such as the fact that Watson is frequently short in the pocket because he gambles more than he can afford to lose. And that perhaps he’s picked up a pound or three of excess avoirdupois that he can’t afford to gain.

No one enjoys being reminded of their own shortcomings – particularly when that reminder comes from someone who can’t seem to resist crowing about it more than a bit even as they refuse to acknowledge their own.

The cases that find Holmes and Watson as they are somewhat on the outs with each other present the pair with plenty of opportunities to disagree while there are several rather puzzling games afoot.

They are called to Cambridge by a nervous young clergyman who fears for the life of one of his parishioners. That said parishioner is young, beautiful and wealthy, and that she is dangling her possible affections in the path of not one or two but THREE young men – including the clergyman – makes this seem like the sort of melodrama that Holmes usually steers far away from.

They are also visited by a dynamic and vibrant woman of the stage – not the theatre stage but the magical stage. Madame Ilaria Borelli sees herself as an angel who takes promising stage magicians on as projects, provides them with career-making trick devices and effects – and then leaves them behind when they start believing that their new-found success is all their own doing. Her motives for calling on Holmes are obscured – as if by the smoke and mirrors of her profession – but he can’t resist this mystery any more than he can the conundrum in Cambridge.

That these two parallel mysteries, both involving provocative women who seem to lie like they breathe, and both involving locks of vastly different types, coalesce into one deadly mess is just what we expect from this pair. Two of the three locks in this case turn out to be deadly. But one heals a bit of Watson’s long-held heartbreak and guilt. All of which seems fitting for Holmes and Watson, as they put the lock on two murders and solve one of the great locked puzzles of Watson’s life.

Escape Rating A-: When I began reading this series back in November, that first book, Art in the Blood, had been buried deeply in the virtually towering TBR pile for nearly a decade. I was looking for a comfort read. As I always find Sherlock Holmes stories comforting, and I’d just finished something Holmes-like and was in search of yet more comfort, I remembered this series and as the saying goes, “Bob’s your uncle”. That I have now finished this Sherlock Holmes Adventure series – at least until the next book appears – in just six months says something about how much I’ve enjoyed the whole thing. Which I absolutely have.

Part of the fun of this series is that the portrayals of these well-known characters owe every bit as much to the screen portrayals of Holmes and Watson over the past 40 or so years (since Jeremy Brett on Masterpiece Theatre) as they do to the original canon. Many readers have claimed that this particular version owes more to the Robert Downey Jr/Guy Ritchie Sherlock Holmes movies than it does any other. Certainly, Watson and Holmes’ byplay in this particular entry in this particular series feels like it’s more from those movies than some of the other variations as they are more impatient with each other than is usually seen.

But what makes this particular series different from the others is the way that this author dives a bit more into their respective pasts. While the lock that opens this story is a piece of Watson’s past that we haven’t seen before, the overall series shows us a Holmes who is and has always been aware that he is a bit different from the norms of his time – and not just because he’s a genius. And that awareness gives him a sympathy with others who are similarly affected that we definitely see in this story.

Both Ilaria Borelli and Odelia Wyndham are women who refuse to fit into the boxes that Victorian society would imprison them in – and that’s why Holmes takes up their cases. He is particularly sympathetic to Odelia Wyndham, a bird in a gilded cage trying to break free by whatever means are available to her – and he fears from the very beginning that her thrashing within that cage is going to get her killed. Which it does, ensnared in Jesus Lock on the River Cam.

These are both the types of cases that the canon Holmes wouldn’t have touched. That he does here gives the reader a glimpse into the mind of a man who refuses to admit that he’s being driven by his heart and it adds new dimensions to a character we thought we knew.

If you like twisty mysteries, if you enjoy Sherlock Holmes stories, or if you’re looking for a new take on something familiar, this Sherlock Holmes Adventure series is delightful. So delightful, in fact, that I’m a bit sad that I’m caught up because now I’ll have to wait and see whether or not it continues with my fingers crossed in hope.

Originally published at Reading Reality

[Craig Buck · Rating 5 out of 5]

For lovers of "the canon," that is, Sherlockiana, there is no one better than Bonnie MacBird, and this latest outing does not disappoint. She nails Watson's voice, the spirit of Holmes, and the Victorian atmosphere both as an artist and a craftsperson. The characters are wildly inventive and The Three Locks is a splendid read, filled with delightful twists, turns, and turns of phrase. Highly recommend.

I was sent this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am an avid fan of Sherlock Holmes and his many adventures with Watson. I am fascinated with the inner workings of his mind and the quick ability he applies to observing and more-so, comprehending a scene or person within a matter of seconds. I am always intrigued to read new adventures of the dynamic duo by other writers and see how they approach such a daunting task.

As is customary with a Sherlock Holmes adventure, the reader is greeted by Dr. John Watson who is famous for not only accompanying Holmes on his cases but also retelling their accounts to the public. The year is 1887 and the reader finds themselves sweating profusely as a heatwave in September melts London. There is no time to waste as Holmes and Watson quickly find themselves on not just one new case, but three. Madame Borelli the wife of Dario, a widely acclaimed escape artist comes to Holmes with a severed human finger in fear that her husband’s life is in danger. Just as Holmes begins to investigate the case, Deacon Buttons, a man of the cloth has traveled from Cambridge and is in desperate need of Holmes’ skills. He fears for the life Odelia Ann Wyndham, the daughter of a famous don. And on this very same morning Watson receives a mystical locked box that contains a secret from his past that has been kept hidden from him for years.

MacBird applies all the essential ingredients that conjure a classic Holmes story. There is the mystery and suspense as you attempt to follow the bread crumbs in hopes of solving the crime yourself. But alas this is Holmes we are dealing with and it is a matter of observing what others often overlook, looking for the finer details that will lead us to the culprit. There are also plenty of red herrings thrown in that will misdirect you into thinking you have it all sussed. That’s the beauty of a Holmes story, just when you think you’ve worked it out the carpet is suddenly pulled out from under you and TA-DA you’re back to square one.

The relationship between Holmes and Watson is always a interesting one to read. Apart from the exciting new cases that approach them, their relationship and camaraderie is what makes reading a Sherlock Holmes story such a captivating, surreal experience. Both characters are highly intelligent and educated in their fields and require the other’s skills more than they care to admit. As is classic with Holmes he is often perceived as cold and unemotional, always being ahead of Watson and surprising him with his conclusions. Holmes sees Watson as blank page meaning he is free to accompany him on cases. It is one of the things that he treasures about him. Watson admires Holmes’ vast knowledge that is always expanding and how he is able to see what others can not. However I felt MacBird allowed at times to show a small vulnerability in Holmes with his relationship to Watson. It is only shown for mere seconds but you are reminded that Holmes is a human with emotions, ones he keeps locked up and hidden along with his personal history. I also enjoyed diving into Watson’s past and learning about his childhood. It was an unexpected twist that sent chills down my spine.

The contrast with the scorching heatwave and dash to solve the cases entwined beautifully together. I could feel the sweat dripping off the page as my heart pounded in my chest for answers. It was intense and I found myself downing ice cold lemonade after lemonade to keep hydrated.

I give A Sherlock Holmes Adventure The Three Locks By Bonnie MacBird a Four out of Five paw rating.

I was on tenterhooks as the pair raced between cases in an attempt to save more than one life. There are plenty of twists and turns that keep you on the edge of your seat. It’s addictive reading, I was hooked and couldn’t put it down until I knew everything!

MacBird respected the original source material which these two legends are built upon but also added her own twist and brought a new refreshing adventure that would easily slot beside the classics.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are many variations on the theme of Sherlock Holmes, but there are several reasons why this prequel to Macbird’s series is a great read. It manages to convey the complexity of the original Conan Doyle’s books and the stunning ability of the great consulting detective to work out what is really going on. It reflects the narrator’s, Dr Watson’s, valuable contribution to cases even when he is exasperated by Holmes’ behaviour and more than a little bewildered by events. For me the really interesting thing is the attitude to women, from Mrs Hudson who is far more likely to rebuke Holmes than in other versions, to the women that the men encounter, who have far more agency than being “women in peril”. This book precedes other three Sherlock Holmes Adventures that Macbird has written, so no previous acquaintance with the series is required, though on the basis of this book I will certainly be looking for the others. The action is fast paced, and does not get slowed by descriptions of the setting and other non- plot diversions, though Macbird is obviously fully immersed in the world of train timetables and other details of life in 1887. I particularly enjoyed the descriptions of Cambridge at the time, and especially the power of the University and the social differences between students. I really enjoyed this book and was very pleased to have the opportunity to read and review it.
The book begins with the setting of the scene in a hot London, despite the fact that it is late September. Holmes is in a distant mood, seemingly embroiled in some case which does not require Watson’s input. So when he returns and insists that Watson put down a strange box that has just arrived for the doctor, Watson is not pleased. So indignant is he that he leaves Holmes to his own devices for ten days and joins friends in Bath. In his absence the detective has been getting up to new tricks, literally learning to emulate a stage magician and escapologist, new talents that will prove useful. When the formidable Madame Ilaria Borelli turns up she proves to be a volatile person who has skills and complicated tales of passion, injuries and danger which leads to Holmes and Watson learning far more than is perhaps safe. A visit from an anxious young man from Cambridge heralds a whole new field of investigation in which a young woman is at the centre of a range of attachments. Neither investigation will leave either investigator unmarked as they search for the truth among trickery, archery and sundry other dangers.
This book flows quite quickly from scene to scene, as the two men move from stage to college grounds, science laboratory to a dangerous riverside. As soon as I got used to the pace of this novel I found it compelling, as every possible permutation of guilt and innocence, motive and opportunity is tested. As Watson tries to keep up with Holmes, marvelling at his powers of physical endurance as well as his retentive and active brain, I found that each clue and even throwaway comment is part of the overall plotting which is very satisfying. The characters, including those of even minor importance, are well drawn and consistent, including a handcuff wielding policeman. I recommend this lively novel to both Sherlock devotees who will enjoy a version set in the original time frame, and those who are newer to the Holmes story as this book gently introduces two popular heroes.

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first of the titular “three locks” in this book appears in the form of a mysterious box sent to Dr. John Watson by an aunt of whom he had previously been unaware. It had been his mother's and she had requested that it be given to him on his 21st birthday, now years in the past. The trick lock on the box, however, renders its secret inaccessible for the present. Secondly, his colleague and friend Sherlock Holmes is approached by the wife of an Italian escape artist, The Great Borelli, who begs him to discover the truth behind a feud between her husband and another magician. Borelli comes close to death that same night when Holmes and Watson attend his show and one of his acts goes horribly wrong.

Finally, Peregrine Buttons, a young Catholic deacon, asks Holmes to discover the whereabouts of a missing young woman, the strong-willed Odilie (Dillie) Wyndham, who has disappeared from her father’s home in Cambridge. The “lock” in this case is the Jesus Lock on the River Cam, which will play a crucial part in the story later on.

How are these mysteries connected, if indeed they are? Holmes skillfully juggles the two cases, in both of which lives are at stake and in both of which, if loss of life can be considered failure, he fails despite his best efforts, but, as in many of the original stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, he succeeds to the extent that some justice is achieved. The final mystery, that of the locked box, is also solved at the end, giving us some knowledge of events in Watson’s past and how they have affected his subsequent life.

The Three Locks is the fourth in a series of Sherlock Holmes pastiches by Ms. MacBird, but the first I have read. However, I did not feel lost or confused in any way, which may be a benefit of reading a book, even out of order, that is set in a much larger fictional world. At first, I didn’t care for the somewhat testy - even rude - way in which the relationship between Holmes and Watson is presented, although there is some comedy in it, but eventually I felt that the author hit her stride. I will certainly seek out the other books in the series in the hope that they are as enjoyable as this one was.

I received a copy of The Three Locks for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is the summer of 1887 and London is in the grips of a stifling heat wave when Watson receive a mysterious and long delayed package from his deceased mother. It is a beautifully engraved silver box with a lock so complex that not even the best locksmith can open it without the original key. The mystery of this box is not solved until the end and the story provides a look into the childhood of Dr. Watson and to his character. This is first of the three locks in the title of the fourth book in author Bonnie MacBird’s marvelous Sherlock Holmes series. The second lock arrives with the fiery and beautiful Ilaria Borelli, the wife of Italian escape artist The Great Borelli, who demands Holmes help in settling a feud between her husband and her former beau, another magician and mind reader. This leads Holmes and Watson to the London stages where the Great Borelli performs his Houdini like magic act. While still involved in this investigation Holmes is also approached by a young Catholic Deacon who requests Holmes help in finding one of his parishioners, Dillie Wyndham, a young woman who has gone missing. The deacon had found a childhood doll of hers floating in the Jesus Lock of the River Cam at Cambridge University. This is the third lock of the story. The doll is disfigured, and it is feared that this indicates that Dillie will come to harm. This leads Holmes and Watson to the famous university where they find her family strangely unsympathetic to the missing girl. Dillie is a strong-willed and impetuous young woman who has two fiancés fighting over her, and a jealous sister. This provides plenty of suspects who might want to do her harm. The author does an excellent job of portraying the time period and capturing the feel of the Conan-Doyle characters and stories. The interplay between Holmes and Watson is well done and often amusing. I really enjoyed the behind the scenes look into the world of magic, as well as the look into the unusual and competitive world of Cambridge University. Anyone who enjoys Sherlock Holmes tales or Victorian mysteries will enjoy this book. I received an advance copy of The Three Locks for free from the publisher Harper Collins via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Darius Ostrowski · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The Three Locks” by Bonnie MacBird takes us to London during the sweltering summer of 1887, specifically to 221B Baker Street, the residence of Sherlock Holmes and his associate Dr. John Watson. As referred to in the title, there are three stories interwoven in this book, each of them features a lock of one sort or another.

A stage magician’s wife comes to Holmes to ask him to look into a rivalry between her husband and her ex, both magicians, that’s spinning out of control. Madame Borelli invites Holmes to the performance, where her husband barely escapes with his life. As Holmes investigates this rivalry, another stage accident (featuring a hidden lock) turns this into a case of murder.

A deacon from Cambridge provides us with the second mystery – one of his parishioners, a young lady with whom he is obviously infatuated with, has disappeared. Holmes and Watson travel to Cambridge only to be rebuffed by the family, it seems that Odilie “Dillie” Wyndham has disappeared before and indeed will disappear again before the story is over. Being pursued by three suitors, Dillie plays a dangerous game, one that results in a murder featuring the Jesus Lock on the River Cam.

The third lock is a personal one for John Watson – a puzzle box from his long-dead mother is delivered many decades later than planned. Holmes and Watson need to find a locksmith that could open the box without destroying the contents. What could have Watson’s mother sent him two days before her death?

I have not read Arthur Conan Doyle’s stories in several decades, but it seems that Ms. MacBird does a fantastic job of being faithful to the canon, making Victorian England come alive. She focuses on the relationship between Holmes and Watson, which was always a critical part of the stories, while also providing loads of action and suspense. I have not read the three previous Sherlock books Ms. MacBird has written, but they are going on my to-read list.

I requested and received a free advanced electronic copy from Harper 360 / Collins Crime Club via NetGalley. Thank you!

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Three Locks by Bonnie MacBird is a Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson novel. To my way of thinking, MacBird is one of the better Holmes' novels working today. The story was good with two mysteries and only a very brief overlap, with a small personal one as well, just to keep the story moving. Dr. Watson had just returned from Bath after a well-earned ten-day holiday to discover Holmes hanging upside down trussed up in a straitjacket, attempting to free himself. He had seen a Magician do it and was now challenging himself. What was required was that he dislocates a shoulder to accomplish his task, which he did and landed on his feet. After a thorough scolding by Watson, Holmes demonstrated that he could put it back in his socket by himself. Shortly after, the wife of the magician arrived to request help from the great Holmes. It seems the rivalry between her husband and he former lover, another magician, was getting out of hand. Well, so she thought at the time, but it got so much worse. Shortly a young deacon from Cambridge also made an appearance with concerns about a young parishioner. Much to do. Much to do.

Homes is most like himself in these books as his drug habit is front and center, as his reliance on his friendship with Watson. He isn't able to keep crimes from happening, sadly, but he is able to solve them once they have happened. The mysteries are intense but easily solvable for a mind like Holmes'. He is quick to action, often bearing the police to the witness or suspect, or even the crime. It is supremely enjoyable to watch him work as he searches for clues and parses whose he finds. Watson is often clueless as to Holmes' though process but is available to lend his expertise where it is required. Very satisfying dose of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson. I recommend it.

I was invited to read a free ARC of The Three Locks by Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. #netgalley #thethreelocks