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The Merchant of Menace
Reluctantly, Sherlock Holmes agrees to assist Inspector Lestrade who is being hounded by an obnoxious nobleman whose jewel-encrusted dagger has gone missing. However, what Holmes initially believes to be a simple theft turns out instead to be his first encounter with a master criminal, who is as ruthless as he is brilliant, and whom Watson dubs "The Merchant of Menace." Soon Holmes finds himself matching wits with a man who will steal anything - if the price is right. Moreover, this thief will go to any lengths, including blackmail and murder, to achieve his desired goal. As Holmes comes to understand his adversary, he also begins to realize he can only react to the Merchant because he has no idea where this criminal mastermind will strike next. All Holmes knows for certain is the Merchant seems to specialize in priceless, one-of-a-kind articles. Will that be enough information for the Great Detective to outwit his foe? From the British Museum to the Louvre to Blenheim Palace, Holmes finds himself in a deadly game of cat-and-mouse. Set against the backdrop of early Edwardian England, the Great Detective and his Boswell encounter an array of luminaries from the Duke and Duchess of Marlborough to a young Winston Churchill. For fans of Conan Doyle's immortal detective, the game is always afoot. However, this time around Holmes must try to bring to justice a villain who might well be the next Napoleon of Crime.
260 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 10, 2019
6 people are currently reading
3 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
March 27, 2020
I rather enjoyed this Sherlock Holmes and Watson mystery. The author captured the essence of both main characters very well. I loved the detail in the story line and characters. I listened to it on Audible and while I often have a hard time listening to people reading out loud, I didn't struggle at all with this story. It kept me captivated throughout. I'll definitely be looking for more of his work.
March 15, 2020
The Merchant of Menace by Richard T. Ryan, is the first Sherlock Holmes story that I have read. Having always been intrigued by the original character created by one Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, that has been the feature of so many books, and films, I one day wanted to read about the infamous character in all his original glory. The Merchant of Menace is an exceptional book and a worthy substitute for the original.
The Merchant of Menace is told from the perspective of Holmes' companion, Dr Watson who gives us an account of the day to day goings on in their 'never a dull moment' life and career. Along the way we learn about many thefts that have occurred that turn out to be part of a much greater scheme of the one dubbed 'The Merchant of Menace'. Holmes almost meets his match when it comes to this mysterious criminal.
The author has certainly done his research with this book, and never misses a step when it comes to the history of this time. The characters are well developed and the author has captured their personalities and quirks perfectly. Their world is portrayed beautifully and you almost feel like you could be there. The author certainly knows how to tell the most intriguing story. Full of humour, mystery, and historical references, this book is the perfect read for fans of Sherlock Holmes.
The Merchant of Menace is told from the perspective of Holmes' companion, Dr Watson who gives us an account of the day to day goings on in their 'never a dull moment' life and career. Along the way we learn about many thefts that have occurred that turn out to be part of a much greater scheme of the one dubbed 'The Merchant of Menace'. Holmes almost meets his match when it comes to this mysterious criminal.
The author has certainly done his research with this book, and never misses a step when it comes to the history of this time. The characters are well developed and the author has captured their personalities and quirks perfectly. Their world is portrayed beautifully and you almost feel like you could be there. The author certainly knows how to tell the most intriguing story. Full of humour, mystery, and historical references, this book is the perfect read for fans of Sherlock Holmes.
February 11, 2020
Review: So, I don't usually read two books in a series so close together, especially for review, but I really enjoyed the first Sherlock Holmes book, The Vatican Cameos, by this author so decided to give it a go. I knew immediately it was going to be great when I read that one of the characters was a Thornton, my maiden name, which you rarely see. Everything is a little better with a bit of Thornton in it, that's my motto anyhow.
This book is very different from the first in that it is set firmly in the 20th century with no trips to the distant past; it is pure Sherlock Holmes. The writing is great, the pace clips along and the story is engaging. I really enjoyed the 'crime' and the 'criminal', nicknamed The Merchant of Menace by Dr. Watson. Holmes seems to really enjoy this adventure, matching wits with a capable adversary who taunts him with messages that serve only to inflame his desire to catch the culprit.
Holmes gets up to his usual secretive ways, employing his gang of street boys, and the donning of multiple disguises. Poor Watson, our narrator, was left in the dark on this one. I think the relationship between the two men is well done and very much in keeping with the original Conan Doyle stories. The dialogue between the two is great as Dr. Watson tries, but ultimately fails, to match wits with his friend.
Some books I read for fun, some to learn, but it's always a pleasure when the two elements are combined, as was the case in both The Vatican Cameos and The Merchant of Menace. For instance, a piece of jewelry featured in this book is the Tara Brooch, a national Irish treasure. Being of Irish ancestry, I had to halt all reading and get a look at this thing; gorgeous. I also read a bit about the jeweler Faberge, and other items mentioned in the book. Anyway, that's just me but it added to my enjoyment of the book.
Recommendation: I highly recommend this book to readers who adore Sherlock Holmes and love reading new adventures with him and Dr. Watson. You will not be disappointed. Anyone who likes a good crime/sleuth novel will enjoy this book, even if you somehow don't know who Sherlock Holmes is. (Is that even possible?)
See all my reviews at www.thebookdelight.com
This book is very different from the first in that it is set firmly in the 20th century with no trips to the distant past; it is pure Sherlock Holmes. The writing is great, the pace clips along and the story is engaging. I really enjoyed the 'crime' and the 'criminal', nicknamed The Merchant of Menace by Dr. Watson. Holmes seems to really enjoy this adventure, matching wits with a capable adversary who taunts him with messages that serve only to inflame his desire to catch the culprit.
Holmes gets up to his usual secretive ways, employing his gang of street boys, and the donning of multiple disguises. Poor Watson, our narrator, was left in the dark on this one. I think the relationship between the two men is well done and very much in keeping with the original Conan Doyle stories. The dialogue between the two is great as Dr. Watson tries, but ultimately fails, to match wits with his friend.
Some books I read for fun, some to learn, but it's always a pleasure when the two elements are combined, as was the case in both The Vatican Cameos and The Merchant of Menace. For instance, a piece of jewelry featured in this book is the Tara Brooch, a national Irish treasure. Being of Irish ancestry, I had to halt all reading and get a look at this thing; gorgeous. I also read a bit about the jeweler Faberge, and other items mentioned in the book. Anyway, that's just me but it added to my enjoyment of the book.
Recommendation: I highly recommend this book to readers who adore Sherlock Holmes and love reading new adventures with him and Dr. Watson. You will not be disappointed. Anyone who likes a good crime/sleuth novel will enjoy this book, even if you somehow don't know who Sherlock Holmes is. (Is that even possible?)
See all my reviews at www.thebookdelight.com
November 11, 2019
As a huge Sherlock Holmes fan I am always intrigued to read other author’s interpretations of my beloved character.
I really enjoyed this outing for this character, Holmes faces out against a worthy adversary,and the game that is played out between them in this book, really does keep you turning the pages.
The author succeeds in building the suspense as the story continues and at times you really wonder whether Sherlock will figure it all out.
An excellent read, highly recommended.
I really enjoyed this outing for this character, Holmes faces out against a worthy adversary,and the game that is played out between them in this book, really does keep you turning the pages.
The author succeeds in building the suspense as the story continues and at times you really wonder whether Sherlock will figure it all out.
An excellent read, highly recommended.
September 19, 2019
Must read!
Mr. Ryan cleverly weaves his new Sherlock mystery, immediately whisking the reader back a century to England. Rich in language and customs of the time, and with carefully researched details, the reader is quickly immersed in the book, in the mystery, as the pages come to life.
Mr. Ryan cleverly weaves his new Sherlock mystery, immediately whisking the reader back a century to England. Rich in language and customs of the time, and with carefully researched details, the reader is quickly immersed in the book, in the mystery, as the pages come to life.
December 2, 2019
Having received an ARC audio of this was an added bonus to the story. A fan of everything that is written about Sherlock.This is a new author for me, and it was a good plot. I love the narration by Nigel Peever, he is great and brought the story to life. Sherlock has meet his match, and one wonders how he will get the upper hand to caught the thief.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews