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The Paranormal Casebooks of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle #2
The Dead Assassin
1895. Victorian England trembles on the verge of hysteria. Terrorist bombs are detonating around the Capitol and every foreigner is suspected of being an Anarchist lurking beneath a cape.
Dr. Arthur Conan Doyle is summoned to the scene of a gruesome crime that has baffled and outraged Scotland Yard’s best. A senior member of Her Majesty’s government has been brutally murdered, and the body of his attacker lies close by—riddled with bullets. More perplexing, one of the attending detectives recognizes the dead assassin as Charlie Higginbotham, a local Cockney pickpocket and petty thief. Higginbotham is not just an improbable suspect, but an impossible suspect, for the young detective watched him take the drop two weeks previously, hanged at Newgate Prison.
Conan Doyle calls in his friend Oscar Wilde for assistance and soon the two authors find themselves swept up in an investigation so bizarre it defies conventional wisdom and puts the lives of their loved ones, the Nation, and even the Monarch herself in dire peril. The murders continue, committed by a shadowy cadre of seemingly unstoppable assassins. As the sinister plot unravels, an implausible theory becomes the only possible solution: someone is reanimating the corpses of executed criminals and sending them shambling through the London fog… and programmed for murder.
Dr. Arthur Conan Doyle is summoned to the scene of a gruesome crime that has baffled and outraged Scotland Yard’s best. A senior member of Her Majesty’s government has been brutally murdered, and the body of his attacker lies close by—riddled with bullets. More perplexing, one of the attending detectives recognizes the dead assassin as Charlie Higginbotham, a local Cockney pickpocket and petty thief. Higginbotham is not just an improbable suspect, but an impossible suspect, for the young detective watched him take the drop two weeks previously, hanged at Newgate Prison.
Conan Doyle calls in his friend Oscar Wilde for assistance and soon the two authors find themselves swept up in an investigation so bizarre it defies conventional wisdom and puts the lives of their loved ones, the Nation, and even the Monarch herself in dire peril. The murders continue, committed by a shadowy cadre of seemingly unstoppable assassins. As the sinister plot unravels, an implausible theory becomes the only possible solution: someone is reanimating the corpses of executed criminals and sending them shambling through the London fog… and programmed for murder.
368 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 9, 2015
91 people are currently reading
730 people want to read
About the author
Vaughn Entwistle
19 books102 followersVaughn Entwistle is a British novelist who lives in the English spa town of Cheltenham..
For most of his life he has rattled about between England and the United States. He lived for over ten years in Seattle where, when not pursuing a day job as a writer/editor, ran a successful gargoyle sculpting business (yes, really!).
When not writing he can be found walking his Brittany pup in the English countryside exploring the many gothic manors, ancient stone circles and remains of Roman towns and forts.
To date, he has published three books in his ongoing series, the Paranormal Casebooks of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, featuring the sleuthing team of Conan Doyle and Oscar Wilde, who investigate mysteries with a paranormal twist:
His stand alone novel, THE ANGEL OF HIGHGATE was shortlisted by the London-based Dracula Society as one of the best gothic novels of 2015.
He plans on publishing a number of new titles later in 2020.
For most of his life he has rattled about between England and the United States. He lived for over ten years in Seattle where, when not pursuing a day job as a writer/editor, ran a successful gargoyle sculpting business (yes, really!).
When not writing he can be found walking his Brittany pup in the English countryside exploring the many gothic manors, ancient stone circles and remains of Roman towns and forts.
To date, he has published three books in his ongoing series, the Paranormal Casebooks of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, featuring the sleuthing team of Conan Doyle and Oscar Wilde, who investigate mysteries with a paranormal twist:
His stand alone novel, THE ANGEL OF HIGHGATE was shortlisted by the London-based Dracula Society as one of the best gothic novels of 2015.
He plans on publishing a number of new titles later in 2020.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
September 16, 2016
There are a few things in life I have weird obsessions with (as opposed to normal obsessions, naturally—I don’t consider my fixation on chocolate to be out of the ordinary, for example, nor my love of pet rocks). Such things include holiday rituals (“Sorry, kids—I know you really want to eat gingerbread man cookies, but it’s September, and we can’t make those until December because, well, tradition, you know…if you eat them any other time of the year, they will literally melt your insides and they will fall out of your butt, and no one wants that.”); Ghostbusters (as fixated on here) and Saved by the Bell (as fixated on here); overly earnest 80s and early 90s rock bands; and Victorian-set fantastical/supernatural thrillers.
I don’t know how good Vaughn Entwistle is when it comes to making gingerbread men or belting out a power ballad (though, based on his author photo, his attire suggests that he may shop at Moody’s Store for Men, so it’s possible he has some connection to the SBTB universe), but the man is highly proficient—no, let’s say expert—when it comes to penning Victorian-set fantastical/supernatural thrillers.
After being delighted by The Revenant of Thraxton Hall, I was looking forward to digging into The Dead Assassin, and I was not disappointed in the slightest. The continued adventures of Sherlock Holmes author Arthur Conan Doyle and his witty literary counterpart Oscar Wilde, as all sequels naturally must, ramps up the action, drama, stakes, and frequency of wild orgies (the latter of which I could have done without—not because I’m a prude, mind you (as I think I’ve proven frequently and at great length within the friendly confines of GR), but rather because I get a little weird about mixing my love for Victorian-set fantastical/supernatural thrillers with the all-too-realistic notion that most people are perverts; it tends to pull me out of the moment).
There is a greater focus on our heroes and their families this time around, which is simultaneously interesting (we gain a deeper understanding of Doyle and Wilde and what makes them tick through their interactions with wives and children) and sad (neither man has an optimal home life—in Doyle’s case, his love of and desire to care for his terminal (but slowly declining) wife wars with the yearning physical and romantic passions of a man in his prime, resulting in an (as-yet unconsummated but openly acknowledged) affair with the breathtaking Jean Leckie; in Wilde’s case, his flaunting of the conventional and sexual omnivorousness lead to affairs many and varied). This deeper focus on character simultaneously slows the narrative down and sets the stage for future tales featuring the intrepid duo, but, on balance, serves the story—and potential sequels to come—well.
I don’t want to spoil the finer points of the mystery, but the story features a toy store that you’ll hate the fact you can’t visit, a tip of the cap to Frankenstein in the form of some diabolically reanimated enemies, a conspiracy that reaches the highest offices in the British empire, lots and lots of pea soup fog, and a Dickensian tour Newgate prison.
If The Dead Assassin lacks a little bit of the introductory charm of its quieter predecessor, it makes up for it with high-octane action and is a worthy addition to what will, I hope, be a lengthy series. More, please. (And, seriously--check this series out, The Camelot Shadow fans.)
Let’s call it a strong 4.5 stars.
I don’t know how good Vaughn Entwistle is when it comes to making gingerbread men or belting out a power ballad (though, based on his author photo, his attire suggests that he may shop at Moody’s Store for Men, so it’s possible he has some connection to the SBTB universe), but the man is highly proficient—no, let’s say expert—when it comes to penning Victorian-set fantastical/supernatural thrillers.
After being delighted by The Revenant of Thraxton Hall, I was looking forward to digging into The Dead Assassin, and I was not disappointed in the slightest. The continued adventures of Sherlock Holmes author Arthur Conan Doyle and his witty literary counterpart Oscar Wilde, as all sequels naturally must, ramps up the action, drama, stakes, and frequency of wild orgies (the latter of which I could have done without—not because I’m a prude, mind you (as I think I’ve proven frequently and at great length within the friendly confines of GR), but rather because I get a little weird about mixing my love for Victorian-set fantastical/supernatural thrillers with the all-too-realistic notion that most people are perverts; it tends to pull me out of the moment).
There is a greater focus on our heroes and their families this time around, which is simultaneously interesting (we gain a deeper understanding of Doyle and Wilde and what makes them tick through their interactions with wives and children) and sad (neither man has an optimal home life—in Doyle’s case, his love of and desire to care for his terminal (but slowly declining) wife wars with the yearning physical and romantic passions of a man in his prime, resulting in an (as-yet unconsummated but openly acknowledged) affair with the breathtaking Jean Leckie; in Wilde’s case, his flaunting of the conventional and sexual omnivorousness lead to affairs many and varied). This deeper focus on character simultaneously slows the narrative down and sets the stage for future tales featuring the intrepid duo, but, on balance, serves the story—and potential sequels to come—well.
I don’t want to spoil the finer points of the mystery, but the story features a toy store that you’ll hate the fact you can’t visit, a tip of the cap to Frankenstein in the form of some diabolically reanimated enemies, a conspiracy that reaches the highest offices in the British empire, lots and lots of pea soup fog, and a Dickensian tour Newgate prison.
If The Dead Assassin lacks a little bit of the introductory charm of its quieter predecessor, it makes up for it with high-octane action and is a worthy addition to what will, I hope, be a lengthy series. More, please. (And, seriously--check this series out, The Camelot Shadow fans.)
Let’s call it a strong 4.5 stars.
June 23, 2017
The year is 1895 and Dr. Arthur Conan Doyle is summoned to a horrendous crime scene where a senior member of Her Majesty's government has been murdered. The most baffling thing is that the killer seems to be one Charlie Higginbotham. But it's impossible for him to be the killer since he was hanged two weeks previously at Newgate Prison…
I wanted to like this book since I was quite happy when I was approved for this book a little while ago. But I just couldn't get into the story. It should be very interesting; I mean here we have Arthur Conan Doyle and Oscar Wilde trying to find out the truth about a seemingly dead assassin while more people are getting killed. However, I found the story to be lacking something to make it special and not even towards the end when everything started to come together did I feel any excitement towards the story. I think the biggest problem was that it lacked surprises. There was no question about the identities of the suspects were for me and frankly, here we have Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of Sherlock Holmes and it feels like it takes him forever to puzzle things together. Another thing, it's true that he met his second wife while his first wife was still alive, but I had some real problem with Doyle courting Jean Leckie while Louisa is at home dying from tuberculosis. And, then when he believes that Leckie's life is in danger he invites her home. For yes, let's take home his new love to meet his dying wife. Asshole!
So, no, the book was not for me. Not even Oscar Wilde that I liked very much in the first book was up to my liking in this book. There is a scene in this book when they are undercover and Wilde just gives them away in such idiotic eye-rolling way that I wonder what the hell he is thinking!
I received this copy from the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review! Thank you!
I wanted to like this book since I was quite happy when I was approved for this book a little while ago. But I just couldn't get into the story. It should be very interesting; I mean here we have Arthur Conan Doyle and Oscar Wilde trying to find out the truth about a seemingly dead assassin while more people are getting killed. However, I found the story to be lacking something to make it special and not even towards the end when everything started to come together did I feel any excitement towards the story. I think the biggest problem was that it lacked surprises. There was no question about the identities of the suspects were for me and frankly, here we have Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of Sherlock Holmes and it feels like it takes him forever to puzzle things together. Another thing, it's true that he met his second wife while his first wife was still alive, but I had some real problem with Doyle courting Jean Leckie while Louisa is at home dying from tuberculosis. And, then when he believes that Leckie's life is in danger he invites her home. For yes, let's take home his new love to meet his dying wife. Asshole!
So, no, the book was not for me. Not even Oscar Wilde that I liked very much in the first book was up to my liking in this book. There is a scene in this book when they are undercover and Wilde just gives them away in such idiotic eye-rolling way that I wonder what the hell he is thinking!
I received this copy from the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review! Thank you!
May 8, 2015
Much darker than the first book. I was surprised at some of the shenanigans and goings-on. Definitely feels like a bit of an homage to Frankenstein and The Picture of Dorian Gray. Not what I'd call light reading at all.
Reviewed for Affaire de Coeur Magazine. http://affairedecoeur.com.
Reviewed for Affaire de Coeur Magazine. http://affairedecoeur.com.
July 9, 2021
The Dead Assassin pairs up the unlikely crime-fighting duo of Arthur Conan Doyle and Oscar Wilde. Their self-appointed task, nothing less than saving and preserving the British realm and crown from a vast conspiracy. In over three hundred pages our heroes bumble through a lot of fog, grisly murders, a tumble into the Thames, the dark side of British Royalty, corrupt government officials, some romance, an orgy – not to be confused with the romance - Frankenstein monsters and even cheesy sound effects. As opposed to a coherent story with a gripping plot-line The Dead Assassin is more like the Scooby Doo cartoon version of Guy Ritchie’s first Sherlock Holmes movie.
A silly book – avoid this one.
A silly book – avoid this one.
October 13, 2019
An historical fiction, where a man is ripped apart, and the miscreant is shot several times. The suspect is found, only it's a man hung a week ago. Then the body disappears.
Arthur Conan Doyle and Oscar Wilde team up to stop the steampunk plot. They're mismatched, but aren't all buddies?
Entertaining.
Arthur Conan Doyle and Oscar Wilde team up to stop the steampunk plot. They're mismatched, but aren't all buddies?
Entertaining.
June 15, 2015
A little over a year ago, I reviewed the first volume in Vaughn Entwistle’s Paranormal Casebooks of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle series. Now, Entwistle is putting friends and co-investigators Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Oscar Wilde back together again in a novel that opens with a great set-up. Charlie Higginbottom, a pickpocket, has brutally murdered one of the leading figures in Her Majesty’s government. What makes this a paranormal case? Well, Higginbottom had been hanged at Newgate Prison two weeks earlier in front of dozens of witnesses.
The personal lives of each man are growing more complex. Conan Doyle is falling in love with Jean Leckie as his wife Touie grows ever weaker from the tuberculosis that will ultimately take her life. Wilde’s eye seems to be wandering more frequently, and warily, toward handsome young men.
As both men juggle these complications, they find themselves in the middle of a plot to bring down the government. They are simultaneously helped and harried by the enigmatic “Cypher,” who runs a top-secret intelligence gathering team out of Whitehall Palace. Men of importance in government and industry continue to die, and soon Conan Doyle and Wilde themselves are threatened.
If you’re looking for a page-turning summer adventure novel that leans towards the steampunk and contains plenty of literary badinage, this is the book for you. Take it to the beach for a weekend and immerse yourself in the fog-shrouded mysteries of London while you catch a bit of sun.
The personal lives of each man are growing more complex. Conan Doyle is falling in love with Jean Leckie as his wife Touie grows ever weaker from the tuberculosis that will ultimately take her life. Wilde’s eye seems to be wandering more frequently, and warily, toward handsome young men.
As both men juggle these complications, they find themselves in the middle of a plot to bring down the government. They are simultaneously helped and harried by the enigmatic “Cypher,” who runs a top-secret intelligence gathering team out of Whitehall Palace. Men of importance in government and industry continue to die, and soon Conan Doyle and Wilde themselves are threatened.
If you’re looking for a page-turning summer adventure novel that leans towards the steampunk and contains plenty of literary badinage, this is the book for you. Take it to the beach for a weekend and immerse yourself in the fog-shrouded mysteries of London while you catch a bit of sun.
June 29, 2020
Lectura imprescindible para los seguidores de Sherlock Holmes y esa clásica ambientación victoriana.
[Conf. BCN - 31]
[Conf. BCN - 31]
March 23, 2017
I love the concept of this series—Arthur Conan Doyle and Oscar Wilde solve mysteries together. I enjoyed this one just as much as The Revenant of Thraxton Hall. This book was slightly less focused on the supernatural than the first, and included elements of steampunk.
Oscar’s outrageous manners contrast with Arthur’s classic gentlemanly deportment, and the overall effect is delightful. If you like your mysteries with a dash of horror, fantasy, or science fiction, you should give this a try. I hope the series becomes successful enough to have an audio book release, as then it won’t take me 6 months to get through one book.
August 11, 2015
****
Will the sun set on the Empire?
About a year ago I read and reviewed The Revenant of Thraxton Hall by Vaughn Entwistle. It was the first book in a series called The Supernatural Casebooks of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and it essentially cast the Scottish author and creator of Sherlock Holmes in the role of his most famous creation, with his friend Oscar Wilde as a rather reluctant Watson. In that novel the two investigate the case of a medium who foresees her own death, and the mysterious mansion of the title. I enjoyed it quite a bit.
Well the two famous writers are back in The Dead Assassin, and Mr. Entwistle has upped the ante this time, with the Monarchy, and perhaps all of the Empire hanging in the balance. Bombs are exploding all over London, and that isn't the only danger; a rising tide of paranoia means that every foreigner is a potential Anarchist, and along with a wave of horrific fogs, the whole country is ready to go up like a tinderbox.
Dr. Conan Doyle is caught up in an uneasy relationship with the young and single Miss Jean Leckie. Although he loves his wife, her lingering and terminal case of Consumption threatens to tear their marriage asunder. In the middle of all of this (in the middle of a dinner with Miss Leckie, in fact) Conan Doyle is summoned by Scotland Yard to help them with a seemingly impossible problem; a senior government official has been murdered in a spectacularly bloody fashion, and the body of his attacker is that of a man who had been hanged weeks before.
Conan Doyle and Wilde begin their investigation but immediately run afoul not only of higher authorities, but a secret branch of the government run by a mysterious man known only as Cypher. Also looking askance of their actions is a cabal of businessmen, and the shadowy unknown figures whom actually plan the coup. With so many schemers and plots within plans it would be easy to get confused, but Mr. Entwistle does an excellent job of keeping his threads untangled, mainly by keeping the focus on his leading men. Both Conan Doyle and Wilde are fascinating characters, and Mr. Entwistle makes them even more interesting but so solidly grounding them in historical reality.
Conan Doyle and Wilde are both fully realized, rounded characters, not heroes. The struggles of their historical lives are artfully intermingled with their fictional problems in just the right dose. It’s obvious that Mr. Entwistle has done plenty of research on the famous writers, and it shows in an unstuffy way.
Most of the other characters in the book are solid, and Mr.Entwistle writes with an assured, solid hand. There are a few times where some more experimental sections get away from him, but he remains in firm control for most of the way. The big, busy plot flies along, and there is plenty of action. I was fond of the way Mr. Entwistle conveyed the protagonist’s valor without turning them into action-movie heroes. So all of the derring do is more satisfying when you realize that it’s being performed by a couple of well-intentioned writers.
The first novel had a group of interesting scenes where Holmes showed up to the day-dreaming Conan Doyle to act as a back-seat driver concerning Conan Doyle’s detective skills, or lack of them. Mr. Entwistle jettisons those sections here. I found them enjoyable, but their absence has little effect on the final product. It just goes to show that an author doesn’t have to follow a formula for a book to be a success, and The Dead Assassin is solid proof.
Review by: Mark Palm
Full Reviews Available at: http://www.thebookendfamily.weebly.com
Will the sun set on the Empire?
About a year ago I read and reviewed The Revenant of Thraxton Hall by Vaughn Entwistle. It was the first book in a series called The Supernatural Casebooks of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and it essentially cast the Scottish author and creator of Sherlock Holmes in the role of his most famous creation, with his friend Oscar Wilde as a rather reluctant Watson. In that novel the two investigate the case of a medium who foresees her own death, and the mysterious mansion of the title. I enjoyed it quite a bit.
Well the two famous writers are back in The Dead Assassin, and Mr. Entwistle has upped the ante this time, with the Monarchy, and perhaps all of the Empire hanging in the balance. Bombs are exploding all over London, and that isn't the only danger; a rising tide of paranoia means that every foreigner is a potential Anarchist, and along with a wave of horrific fogs, the whole country is ready to go up like a tinderbox.
Dr. Conan Doyle is caught up in an uneasy relationship with the young and single Miss Jean Leckie. Although he loves his wife, her lingering and terminal case of Consumption threatens to tear their marriage asunder. In the middle of all of this (in the middle of a dinner with Miss Leckie, in fact) Conan Doyle is summoned by Scotland Yard to help them with a seemingly impossible problem; a senior government official has been murdered in a spectacularly bloody fashion, and the body of his attacker is that of a man who had been hanged weeks before.
Conan Doyle and Wilde begin their investigation but immediately run afoul not only of higher authorities, but a secret branch of the government run by a mysterious man known only as Cypher. Also looking askance of their actions is a cabal of businessmen, and the shadowy unknown figures whom actually plan the coup. With so many schemers and plots within plans it would be easy to get confused, but Mr. Entwistle does an excellent job of keeping his threads untangled, mainly by keeping the focus on his leading men. Both Conan Doyle and Wilde are fascinating characters, and Mr. Entwistle makes them even more interesting but so solidly grounding them in historical reality.
Conan Doyle and Wilde are both fully realized, rounded characters, not heroes. The struggles of their historical lives are artfully intermingled with their fictional problems in just the right dose. It’s obvious that Mr. Entwistle has done plenty of research on the famous writers, and it shows in an unstuffy way.
Most of the other characters in the book are solid, and Mr.Entwistle writes with an assured, solid hand. There are a few times where some more experimental sections get away from him, but he remains in firm control for most of the way. The big, busy plot flies along, and there is plenty of action. I was fond of the way Mr. Entwistle conveyed the protagonist’s valor without turning them into action-movie heroes. So all of the derring do is more satisfying when you realize that it’s being performed by a couple of well-intentioned writers.
The first novel had a group of interesting scenes where Holmes showed up to the day-dreaming Conan Doyle to act as a back-seat driver concerning Conan Doyle’s detective skills, or lack of them. Mr. Entwistle jettisons those sections here. I found them enjoyable, but their absence has little effect on the final product. It just goes to show that an author doesn’t have to follow a formula for a book to be a success, and The Dead Assassin is solid proof.
Review by: Mark Palm
Full Reviews Available at: http://www.thebookendfamily.weebly.com
June 18, 2015
(Thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur for the ARC!)
Man, talk about a letdown. I was super-excited for this book; after all, it features writers solving crimes, a touch of Sherlock Holmes, a little steampunk London, a paranormal mystery...what could possibly go wrong?
As it turns out, chiefly, two things: overuse of "shock value" and mediocre writing. The book gets into some pretty graphic territory, with lewdness and violence around every corner, but like an overused exclamation point, an overdose of shock starts to feel dull and loses its point. Reanimated corpses! Sex parties! Oh my! By the time we learn the gruesome secret of the chessmaster automaton, all I could think was, "That's it?"
It's not just that the shock entertainment is piled on too thickly. That would be tolerable if there was a really great mystery underneath, but alas, there isn't. All those scandalous details of drugs, sex and murder can only prop up the thin frame of this plot for a few chapters, and then the story gets tedious. You'd have to be truly dense to not guess the identity of the criminal mastermind early on in the book. And the tendency to tell rather than show, especially through long-winded conversations, doesn't help either.
I can see what the author might have been aiming for--this London looks a bit like that of Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes, complete with secret corrupt government committees, paranormal goings-on, and a young nobleman who seeks to seize power for himself through a combination of fear, supernatural machinations and good old-fashioned thuggery. (He even rises from the dead after three days!) But this book just falls short, especially when compared to so many other similar books, and parts of it feel too close to a copy of other stories.
I limped through to the end on this one hoping against hope that there might be a surprise twist ending to redeem it half a star or so, but there wasn't. Instead there's a "non-ending" that looks like it might be the set-up to a sequel. It's safe to say, I won't be reading it.
Man, talk about a letdown. I was super-excited for this book; after all, it features writers solving crimes, a touch of Sherlock Holmes, a little steampunk London, a paranormal mystery...what could possibly go wrong?
As it turns out, chiefly, two things: overuse of "shock value" and mediocre writing. The book gets into some pretty graphic territory, with lewdness and violence around every corner, but like an overused exclamation point, an overdose of shock starts to feel dull and loses its point. Reanimated corpses! Sex parties! Oh my! By the time we learn the gruesome secret of the chessmaster automaton, all I could think was, "That's it?"
It's not just that the shock entertainment is piled on too thickly. That would be tolerable if there was a really great mystery underneath, but alas, there isn't. All those scandalous details of drugs, sex and murder can only prop up the thin frame of this plot for a few chapters, and then the story gets tedious. You'd have to be truly dense to not guess the identity of the criminal mastermind early on in the book. And the tendency to tell rather than show, especially through long-winded conversations, doesn't help either.
I can see what the author might have been aiming for--this London looks a bit like that of Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes, complete with secret corrupt government committees, paranormal goings-on, and a young nobleman who seeks to seize power for himself through a combination of fear, supernatural machinations and good old-fashioned thuggery. (He even rises from the dead after three days!) But this book just falls short, especially when compared to so many other similar books, and parts of it feel too close to a copy of other stories.
I limped through to the end on this one hoping against hope that there might be a surprise twist ending to redeem it half a star or so, but there wasn't. Instead there's a "non-ending" that looks like it might be the set-up to a sequel. It's safe to say, I won't be reading it.
October 5, 2015
I loved the first book in this series, "The Revenant of Thraxton Hall," and have been waiting for a new book to come out, so I was really excited when I got the chance to read this one.
After being warned that this book was a bit darker than the last, I wasn't sure what to expect, but I fell in love with it from the first page. This novel has everything you could want in a paranormal mystery. The descriptions of London were brilliant and the story took many unexpected turns. What impressed me the most though, was the use of necromancy via means of steampunk inner workings. This book titillated my imagination and thrilled me with the Frankensteinesque qualities of the monster. Great imagination, this author.
The story itself is much more involved this time than in the previous book, but I was glad to see that the author retained his sense of irony and humour, and that Oscar Wilde was still a flamboyant, larger than life character who added a lot of comedic relief and colour to this story.
The re-imagining of the relationship between Doyle and his second wife was interesting, and although I'm sure some readers will have a few choice words for him--I liked where the author went with it. It was different, and obviously if you can believe Doyle and Wilde were out chasing monsters--then a few blips in the historical accuracy of their personal relationships should not be much of an issue. I choose to suspend belief, because it is so much fun to read this series.
The bad guys are vile, the good guys are truly heroic, even when they bumble into it on accident, and I am looking forward to another book.
This book series definitely has my recommendation.
After being warned that this book was a bit darker than the last, I wasn't sure what to expect, but I fell in love with it from the first page. This novel has everything you could want in a paranormal mystery. The descriptions of London were brilliant and the story took many unexpected turns. What impressed me the most though, was the use of necromancy via means of steampunk inner workings. This book titillated my imagination and thrilled me with the Frankensteinesque qualities of the monster. Great imagination, this author.
The story itself is much more involved this time than in the previous book, but I was glad to see that the author retained his sense of irony and humour, and that Oscar Wilde was still a flamboyant, larger than life character who added a lot of comedic relief and colour to this story.
The re-imagining of the relationship between Doyle and his second wife was interesting, and although I'm sure some readers will have a few choice words for him--I liked where the author went with it. It was different, and obviously if you can believe Doyle and Wilde were out chasing monsters--then a few blips in the historical accuracy of their personal relationships should not be much of an issue. I choose to suspend belief, because it is so much fun to read this series.
The bad guys are vile, the good guys are truly heroic, even when they bumble into it on accident, and I am looking forward to another book.
This book series definitely has my recommendation.
February 11, 2015
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Oscar Wilde are back in another supernatural mystery! This is the second book in the series and it is not necessary to have read the previous book. I loved the humor and banter between Arthur and Oscar as they tried to decipher the clues and solve another case. My only complaint is why, why, why did you have to do that thing near the end! No spoilers.
I was lucky to get an advanced readers copy of this book which comes out on June 9. Put it on your list of reads if you are a fan of historical mysteries with a lot of humor, adventure, and a touch of the paranormal. While you wait be sure to check out the first book in the series-- The Revenant of Thraxton Hall : the paranormal casebooks of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle if you haven't read it yet.
I was lucky to get an advanced readers copy of this book which comes out on June 9. Put it on your list of reads if you are a fan of historical mysteries with a lot of humor, adventure, and a touch of the paranormal. While you wait be sure to check out the first book in the series-- The Revenant of Thraxton Hall : the paranormal casebooks of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle if you haven't read it yet.
July 23, 2015
I was a First Read Winner of this book, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. This is the second book in the series, and since I had not read the first one I was a bit worried if I would be lost, but there was no such problem. The book is a mix of Steampunk, Paranormal and Agatha Christie, with an interesting plot line and lots of fog. I loved the characters and I felt it moved at a steady pace, with lots of action and some sexual situations, and I can't wait to find out what adventures will befall our two hero's next. One thing is for sure I want to read the first book in the series to see how it all got started. Very entertaining.
June 15, 2015
A Steampunk Sherlock Holmsian mystery
Picture, if you will, a place where Frankenstine meets Sherlock Holmes with Oscar Wilde playing Dr. Watson. An enjoyable, if somewhat dark, romp through Victorian England!
Picture, if you will, a place where Frankenstine meets Sherlock Holmes with Oscar Wilde playing Dr. Watson. An enjoyable, if somewhat dark, romp through Victorian England!
June 2, 2015
Absolutely teriffic! Love how the story is woven together! My review will be up on my blog!
January 9, 2022
I did not enjoy this second book. In fact I had to force myself to finish it.
I will not continue with the series.
Spoilers--
While most Arthur Conan Doyle fans know that in real life he ends up marrying Jean Leckie, I do not like the way the author portrays the burgeoning relationship between the two at this point.
I also found it kind of sick that he had Wilde attend a party where he saves two children in depraved circumstances, but as Wilde walks in the party there is an Indian Child being forced to witness an orgy and offer a hookah to the orgies participants and he seemingly has no problem with that?
The author takes his artistic license a bit too far in regards to real historical figures.
I will not continue with the series.
Spoilers--
While most Arthur Conan Doyle fans know that in real life he ends up marrying Jean Leckie, I do not like the way the author portrays the burgeoning relationship between the two at this point.
I also found it kind of sick that he had Wilde attend a party where he saves two children in depraved circumstances, but as Wilde walks in the party there is an Indian Child being forced to witness an orgy and offer a hookah to the orgies participants and he seemingly has no problem with that?
The author takes his artistic license a bit too far in regards to real historical figures.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 27, 2023
I'm thinking this series is too gruesome for me...
September 2, 2015
I didn't particularly like the first book in the series, but I wanted to give it another try. Annoyingly, I kept flashing back to the first Guy Ritchie Sherlock Holmes movie when I read the book. I don't know where that movie derived its plot from, but it had a politician who wanted to overthrow the UK government and was using black magic (supposedly) to do it. It's a similar plot in the book, except the black magic is seemingly real.
This was a killer, because I was looking forward to the mystery being strong. I didn't like the characters in the first place. What I do know of Arthur Conan Doyle is not very good, and the whole spotlight with his relationship with Jean Leckie made me feel ill. The book suggests that Doyle's first wife was fine with the arrangement, and that she actively blessed the pair. Historical Jean, apparently, was rather calculating and cruel to her step children. This should have been secondary, but its not, since book Arthur spends rather too much time either with Jean or thinking about her, and none of it is interesting in the least.
The book gets two stars for Oscar Wilde. I have no idea if this is how the real man behaved, but in an otherwise boring book, he was fun. I think I'm finished with this series.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book for review.
This was a killer, because I was looking forward to the mystery being strong. I didn't like the characters in the first place. What I do know of Arthur Conan Doyle is not very good, and the whole spotlight with his relationship with Jean Leckie made me feel ill. The book suggests that Doyle's first wife was fine with the arrangement, and that she actively blessed the pair. Historical Jean, apparently, was rather calculating and cruel to her step children. This should have been secondary, but its not, since book Arthur spends rather too much time either with Jean or thinking about her, and none of it is interesting in the least.
The book gets two stars for Oscar Wilde. I have no idea if this is how the real man behaved, but in an otherwise boring book, he was fun. I think I'm finished with this series.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book for review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 26, 2015
Entwistle writes about Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Oscar Wilde superbly! The author amazes me with his plot twists, interesting characters, and period details. There are so many interesting things I learn from his expert research both about the history and culture of the time. That research is woven in expertly and plunges me into not only the time but also the heart-pounding situations I find myself in. It is as if I am running right beside the characters. I also love being surprised by the humor. I await the third in this terrific series. How I would love to see these books in film.
September 26, 2015
Excellent, and as entertaining as the first! I love anything to do with the paranormal, and this is great fun. My only "complaint" if you will, is that I can't stop thinking of how Oscar Wilde's life ended in such tragedy! His character does offer wit and charm to the novels, but I just wish the author had chosen someone who didn't die so hopelessly. Otherwise, as stated above and per the five-star rating, this is a page-turner and great fun!
August 10, 2015
I enjoyed the first book in this series, and was not disappointed by this one. It is still very intelligent writing, a good reconstruction of the time and place, and great character building. Entwistle's Oscar Wilde and Arthur Conan Doyle really come to life, and are quite believable. There's all the atmosphere, suspense and wit you can expect, and more. A treat.
October 29, 2015
This is the second book in the series (which I discovered after I had already picked this up from my local library). I found this to be a fun story with an interesting fictional perspective on these authors' lives and adventures. The book does delve briefly into some dark areas which may be outside the tastes of some readers.
May 15, 2016
I so loved the first book in this series and had high hopes that this one would be equally good. Sadly I didn't find the flavor of this one at all in keeping with the previous book. I have to categorize this as horror and I don't care for horror. I did love Oscar Wilde though.
July 29, 2016
A bit hard to get into, I found the novel to be a little more stagnant than the first in the series. I'll still continue to read his next books in the series as I feel that they can and will get better as he evolves as a writer.
May 20, 2015
Thanks St. Martin's Press and netgalley for arc.
Delightful duo! who would have thought this pair makes such hilarious reading. I laughed out loud so many times that my kids wanted to know what was so funny. Love it!
July 6, 2015
This one may actually have been better than the first one- for one thing, it took place all in London, which I loved. Also, cool bad guys, a little bit of the occult and some excellent descriptions of the time and place. The chapter on the execution at the prison was especially wonderful.
June 3, 2015
I flew through this book. It was fantastic. I haven't read the first in this series, but will be getting it. What a great read.
January 15, 2023
Dead Assassin reminds me of one of my favorite Thai dishes that is comprised of beef, red onion, chili, and mint. The flavors do NOT blend, but continue to stand apart such that one experiences the savory beef--yum, then gets hit with hot chili--oh spicy! followed by cooling mint, ahhh, thank goodness, then a kick of onion.
This is that.
The sweet mint part, my favorite, is the ongoing badinage between Arthur Conan Doyle and Oscar Wilde. I flagged up the first book with my favorite passages, and again in book two, added in my smiley faces in the margin for clever banter.
The spicy: I would not start with this book, full stop. Had I started with this one, I might not have been so eager to read the series. It is far darker than the first, with uncomfortable subject matter and graphic crime scenes, a truly evil villain and an emphasis of Wilde and Newgate prison, which made me quite sad as we know how he ended up later.
The red onion: a clever though grotesque premise --won't give away spoilers, but yeeek, we learn early on that there is a killer who is a dead ringer (sorry) for a man who was hanged some weeks prior. How can that be? Well, we get a steampunk explanation that's a bit hard to swallow, but I'm okay with that. Clever.
The beef: solid plotting and characterization. This book did make me uncomfortable, but the story was good enough that I had to find out where it was going and how the evil would be defeated. It got a bit jumbly at the end, and I'm disquieted about the ending. However, this is not going to put me off from forging ahead to the next book. (I got #2-#5 for Christmas and am really looking forward to #5 as I'm thrilled the subject goes to fairies, knowing that Doyle got himself in a pickle by verifying and touting bogus fairy photos as real and proof of their existence. So. I will divert to other reading material to pace myself and come back for #3 soon.
Putting a bow on it: I would readily recommend the first book in the series, Thraxton Hall, as it was charming and fun. I'd be far more hesitant to do so with this one, BUT it would appeal to anyone with a tolerance for darker matter and a fondness for steampunk. What was that lush TV series set in London wherein all the classic characters came together: Victor Frankenstein, Jack the Ripper, and Dorian Gray, with a motley team on the side of good was trying to rid London of evil? It was super lush, gorgeously filmed, but after season one, I had to take a break. Felt like I needed to bathe my body and soul in holy water. Well, this is sort of like that. Dark and unsettling. Uncanny. Not for everyone. But if you enjoy being jostled out of your comfort zone, this will do it.
This is that.
The sweet mint part, my favorite, is the ongoing badinage between Arthur Conan Doyle and Oscar Wilde. I flagged up the first book with my favorite passages, and again in book two, added in my smiley faces in the margin for clever banter.
The spicy: I would not start with this book, full stop. Had I started with this one, I might not have been so eager to read the series. It is far darker than the first, with uncomfortable subject matter and graphic crime scenes, a truly evil villain and an emphasis of Wilde and Newgate prison, which made me quite sad as we know how he ended up later.
The red onion: a clever though grotesque premise --won't give away spoilers, but yeeek, we learn early on that there is a killer who is a dead ringer (sorry) for a man who was hanged some weeks prior. How can that be? Well, we get a steampunk explanation that's a bit hard to swallow, but I'm okay with that. Clever.
The beef: solid plotting and characterization. This book did make me uncomfortable, but the story was good enough that I had to find out where it was going and how the evil would be defeated. It got a bit jumbly at the end, and I'm disquieted about the ending. However, this is not going to put me off from forging ahead to the next book. (I got #2-#5 for Christmas and am really looking forward to #5 as I'm thrilled the subject goes to fairies, knowing that Doyle got himself in a pickle by verifying and touting bogus fairy photos as real and proof of their existence. So. I will divert to other reading material to pace myself and come back for #3 soon.
Putting a bow on it: I would readily recommend the first book in the series, Thraxton Hall, as it was charming and fun. I'd be far more hesitant to do so with this one, BUT it would appeal to anyone with a tolerance for darker matter and a fondness for steampunk. What was that lush TV series set in London wherein all the classic characters came together: Victor Frankenstein, Jack the Ripper, and Dorian Gray, with a motley team on the side of good was trying to rid London of evil? It was super lush, gorgeously filmed, but after season one, I had to take a break. Felt like I needed to bathe my body and soul in holy water. Well, this is sort of like that. Dark and unsettling. Uncanny. Not for everyone. But if you enjoy being jostled out of your comfort zone, this will do it.
September 18, 2018
I was so excited about this book. I LOVE reading fictional stories with Oscar Wilde as a character (if this is true for you, please do yourself a favor and check out Giles Brandreth's Oscar Wilde mysteries). However, the way Wilde is portrayed in this work didn't ring true to me. And folks, I gave this book the old college try, I really did. I got about 3/4 of the way through before I finally gave up. I was extremely frustrated and disappointed that Entwistle decided to do a dis-service to Wilde by writing him as a cowering man who lets Conan Doyle take the lead on all the investigations. Many of us know that Conan Doyle specifically created Mycroft Holmes after he met with Wilde and was dazzled by his keen observation skills. But will you find that evidence in this work? Not at all. It was terribly disappointing to see an author misrepresent a person from history and made me feel as though the research put into this work was rather lacking.
Like I said, if you love reading about Oscar Wilde, check out Giles Brandreth's works. They will be much more satisfying and far more accurate than this one.
Like I said, if you love reading about Oscar Wilde, check out Giles Brandreth's works. They will be much more satisfying and far more accurate than this one.
October 8, 2019
I just love reading Mr. Entwistle's novels. This is the third that he has written. It is the second in the Conan Doyle Casebook series. It's great escapism set in dank, mysterious late 1800's England. The author does an excellent job in taking his reader into another world of ghostly intrigue and always keeps me on the edge of my seat.
The previous two novels are more atmospheric and surreal in that they deal in more supernatural imagery. Those first two stories are more spiritually creepy versus this novel which is creepy in a more mechanical, physical, and monstrous manner. Everybody is different but I found that I got more emotionally invested in the story in the supernaturally-edged stories versus this novel.
HOWEVER, I loved this story as well and enjoyed immersing myself 135 years into the past. Mr. Entwistle is a master of descriptive writing and it's easy to feel like you've been transported back in time. It's fast paced, and I really enjoy the interaction of our heroes Conan Doyle and Oscar Wilde. The ending has a nice twist which makes if fun. I'm looking forward to the next installment of the Series.
By the way, there is a book of short stories that the author has also written, and I have yet to read. It is certainly on my wish list. Dare to read something different and pick up an Entwistle novel.....you'll be glad you did.
The previous two novels are more atmospheric and surreal in that they deal in more supernatural imagery. Those first two stories are more spiritually creepy versus this novel which is creepy in a more mechanical, physical, and monstrous manner. Everybody is different but I found that I got more emotionally invested in the story in the supernaturally-edged stories versus this novel.
HOWEVER, I loved this story as well and enjoyed immersing myself 135 years into the past. Mr. Entwistle is a master of descriptive writing and it's easy to feel like you've been transported back in time. It's fast paced, and I really enjoy the interaction of our heroes Conan Doyle and Oscar Wilde. The ending has a nice twist which makes if fun. I'm looking forward to the next installment of the Series.
By the way, there is a book of short stories that the author has also written, and I have yet to read. It is certainly on my wish list. Dare to read something different and pick up an Entwistle novel.....you'll be glad you did.
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