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James Lovegrove's Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes & The Three Winter Terrors
A beautifully presented sinister seasonal mystery from the acclaimed author of Sherlock Holmes & The Christmas Demon. 1889. The First Terror. At a boys’ prep school in the Kent marshes, a pupil is found drowned in a pond. Could this be the fulfilment of a witch’s curse from over two hundred years earlier? 1890. The Second Terror. A wealthy man dies of a heart attack at his London townhouse. Was he really frightened to death by ghosts? 1894. The Third Terror. A body is discovered in the dark woods near a Surrey country manor, hideously ravaged. Is the culprit a cannibal, as the evidence suggests? These three chilling and strangely linked crimes test Sherlock Holmes’s deductive powers, and his scepticism about the supernatural, to the limit.
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 12, 2021
111 people are currently reading
1197 people want to read
About the author
James Lovegrove
152 books663 followersJames Lovegrove is the author of several acclaimed novels and books for children.
James was born on Christmas Eve 1965 and, having dabbled in writing at school, first took to it seriously while at university. A short story of his won a college competition. The prize was £15, and it had cost £18 to get the story professionally typed. This taught him a hard but necessary lesson in the harsh economic realities of a literary career.
Straight after graduating from Oxford with a degree in English Literature, James set himself the goal of getting a novel written and sold within two years. In the event, it took two months. The Hope was completed in six weeks and accepted by Macmillan a fortnight later. The seed for the idea for the novel — a world in microcosm on an ocean liner — was planted during a cross-Channel ferry journey.
James blew his modest advance for The Hope on a round-the-world trip which took him to, among other places, Thailand. His experiences there, particularly what he witnessed of the sex industry in Bangkok, provided much of the inspiration for The Foreigners.
Escardy Gap was co-written with Pete Crowther over a period of a year and a half, the two authors playing a game of creative tag, each completing a section in turn and leaving the other to carry the story on. The result has proved a cult favourite, and was voted by readers of SFX one of the top fifty SF/Fantasy novels of all time.
Days, a satire on consumerism, was shortlisted for the 1998 Arthur C. Clarke Award (losing to Mary Doria Russell’s The Sparrow). The book’s genesis most probably lies in the many visits James used to make as a child to the Oxford Street department store owned by his grandfather. It was written over a period of nine months while James was living in the north-west suburbs of Chicago.
Subsequent works have all been published to great acclaim. These include Untied Kingdom, Worldstorm, Provender Gleed, The Age Of Ra and the back-to-back double-novella Gig. James has also written for children. Wings, a short novel for reluctant readers, was short-listed for several awards, while his fantasy series for teens, The Clouded World, written under the pseudonym Jay Amory, has been translated into 7 other languages so far. A five-book series for reluctant readers, The 5 Lords Of Pain, is appearing at two-monthly intervals throughout 2010.
He also reviews fiction for the Financial Times, specialising in the Young Adult, children’s, science fiction, fantasy, horror and graphic novel genres.
Currently James resides in Eastbourne on the Sussex Coast, having moved there in August 2007 with his wife Lou, sons Monty and Theo, and cat Ozzy. He has a terrific view of the sea from his study window, which he doesn’t sit staring out at all day when he should be working. Honest.
James was born on Christmas Eve 1965 and, having dabbled in writing at school, first took to it seriously while at university. A short story of his won a college competition. The prize was £15, and it had cost £18 to get the story professionally typed. This taught him a hard but necessary lesson in the harsh economic realities of a literary career.
Straight after graduating from Oxford with a degree in English Literature, James set himself the goal of getting a novel written and sold within two years. In the event, it took two months. The Hope was completed in six weeks and accepted by Macmillan a fortnight later. The seed for the idea for the novel — a world in microcosm on an ocean liner — was planted during a cross-Channel ferry journey.
James blew his modest advance for The Hope on a round-the-world trip which took him to, among other places, Thailand. His experiences there, particularly what he witnessed of the sex industry in Bangkok, provided much of the inspiration for The Foreigners.
Escardy Gap was co-written with Pete Crowther over a period of a year and a half, the two authors playing a game of creative tag, each completing a section in turn and leaving the other to carry the story on. The result has proved a cult favourite, and was voted by readers of SFX one of the top fifty SF/Fantasy novels of all time.
Days, a satire on consumerism, was shortlisted for the 1998 Arthur C. Clarke Award (losing to Mary Doria Russell’s The Sparrow). The book’s genesis most probably lies in the many visits James used to make as a child to the Oxford Street department store owned by his grandfather. It was written over a period of nine months while James was living in the north-west suburbs of Chicago.
Subsequent works have all been published to great acclaim. These include Untied Kingdom, Worldstorm, Provender Gleed, The Age Of Ra and the back-to-back double-novella Gig. James has also written for children. Wings, a short novel for reluctant readers, was short-listed for several awards, while his fantasy series for teens, The Clouded World, written under the pseudonym Jay Amory, has been translated into 7 other languages so far. A five-book series for reluctant readers, The 5 Lords Of Pain, is appearing at two-monthly intervals throughout 2010.
He also reviews fiction for the Financial Times, specialising in the Young Adult, children’s, science fiction, fantasy, horror and graphic novel genres.
Currently James resides in Eastbourne on the Sussex Coast, having moved there in August 2007 with his wife Lou, sons Monty and Theo, and cat Ozzy. He has a terrific view of the sea from his study window, which he doesn’t sit staring out at all day when he should be working. Honest.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 206 reviews
December 7, 2021
Lovegrove writes terrific Holmesian pastiche, and this triptych of linked yuletide tales is no exception. If you, like me, cut your detective teeth on Hound of the Baskervilles, you’ll probably dig this as much as I did.
(Also: “cutting teeth” is a weird expression, as it sounds both difficult and painful. Sort of like spending an hour talking to me.)
(Also: “cutting teeth” is a weird expression, as it sounds both difficult and painful. Sort of like spending an hour talking to me.)
December 26, 2021
I read a LOT of riffs on the Holmes canon. Holmes has been a favorite of mine since back in 5th grade, and, since we no longer have Conan Doyle to turn to for new adventures, I'm dependent on an assortment of writers who have chosen to continue the Holmes legacy in their own fashion. A good proportion of these titles are mediocre. The ones that succeed generally involve pushing the traditional Holmes narrative in one way or another (think of Laurie King's Holmes, married to a much younger woman with a background in theological history). Occasionally, however, there's a title that succeeds because it reads as if Conan Doyle himself might have written it.
Sherlock Holmes and the Three Winter Terrors is just such a title. The trio of interlocking tales is narrated in a voice that offers a dead-on version of the original Watson: intelligent (even if he's no match for Holmes), brave, gentlemanly, a bit over-concerned at times with propriety, and with a determination to do right by everyone he meets. My copy of Sherlock Holmes and the Three Winter Terrors is full of highlighted passages that I found delightful simply because they were so Watsonian. The Three Winter Terrors are similar in structure to many of the original Conan Doyle stories in terms of pacing, clues, and setting.
If you enjoy reading the original Holmes stories, you'll enjoy reading what Lovegrove has on offer. I'm definitely on the lookout for more of his riffs on the canon.
I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via Edelweiss; the opinions are my own.
Sherlock Holmes and the Three Winter Terrors is just such a title. The trio of interlocking tales is narrated in a voice that offers a dead-on version of the original Watson: intelligent (even if he's no match for Holmes), brave, gentlemanly, a bit over-concerned at times with propriety, and with a determination to do right by everyone he meets. My copy of Sherlock Holmes and the Three Winter Terrors is full of highlighted passages that I found delightful simply because they were so Watsonian. The Three Winter Terrors are similar in structure to many of the original Conan Doyle stories in terms of pacing, clues, and setting.
If you enjoy reading the original Holmes stories, you'll enjoy reading what Lovegrove has on offer. I'm definitely on the lookout for more of his riffs on the canon.
I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via Edelweiss; the opinions are my own.
December 11, 2022
It was so good i couldnt put it down! So i finished it in one sitting!
I loved his other book "christmas demon" as well and i will now need to buy the rest of the series! Its such a delight of a sherlock holmes retelling!
if you love sherlock holmes stories this is a good option. James holds himself very true to how Sherlock and Watson is.
I loved his other book "christmas demon" as well and i will now need to buy the rest of the series! Its such a delight of a sherlock holmes retelling!
if you love sherlock holmes stories this is a good option. James holds himself very true to how Sherlock and Watson is.
December 12, 2021
For Sherlockians like myself, the gift of a “new” Sherlock Holmes mystery for the holiday season is just what we hoped Father Christmas would bring us this year. Holmes may be the most popular fictional character of all time, especially if you are judging it based on the number of stories depicting him.
SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE THREE WINTER TERRORS is the third Holmes story from James Lovegrove that I have had the privilege of reviewing, following SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE BEAST OF THE STAPLETONS and SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE CHRISTMAS DEMON. This time around, Lovegrove has structured the tale so that it reads like three entirely different novellas wrapped up under one title. The puzzle for both Holmes and the reader is to find the ways in which these stories are related to each other.
Before diving in, I must refer to Lovegrove’s dedication: This book is dedicated to the memory of the late, great JEREMY BRETT, unquestionably the best onscreen Sherlock Holmes. (Others may disagree, but they are wrong.) As a fan and voracious consumer of all things Holmes, I tend to agree with his assessment. We open with a foreword from John H. Watson, MD, Holmes’ loyal companion and historical scribe of all their adventures together.
The First Terror is set in 1889 and is titled “The Witch’s Curse.” Watson is responsible for bringing this strange case to Holmes in the form of a troubled principal at a boys’ prep school who happens to be an old schoolmate of Watson. The primary reason for Timothy Wragge’s distress is the young student who drowned in a nearby pond. Of course, Holmes takes the case because it intrigues him, and he doesn’t have anything else with which to occupy his easily distracted mind at the moment.
The boy was fully clothed, and there had been no signs that he might have been disturbed enough to take his own life. Wragge hits Holmes with something far less tangible as a form of evidence --- a witch’s curse dating back to the school’s founding and beyond. Holmes, a skeptic in anything supernatural, scoffs at this and insists that there must be a logical reason for the lad’s death. Still, Wragge claims that dread of the supernatural can persist, and even the rich are not immune from superstition.
The butchering of a pet cat is cause for alarm that the guilty party is still out there and may be toying with Holmes. Next to the dead cat are these words: “I have returned. Nobody is safe.” As much as he would like to dismiss the supernatural as a factor in the boy’s death, Holmes cannot help but recognize that this case is most confounding.
The Second Terror, “The Cotton Mill Ghost,” takes place in 1890. When Holmes and Watson appear at a specific location, they are greeted by a gentleman who states, “My life is a nightmare, gentlemen. A living nightmare. I am being haunted, you see. Haunted by a vengeful ghost.” For a protagonist who is infamous for his mockery of all things supernatural, it’s amusing that a majority of these cases forces Holmes to face the very denizens of a dark realm he cannot see or touch.
When the man in question dies of a heart attack, it appears on the surface that he was frightened to death. It is now the job of Holmes, with the able assistance of Watson, to find the specific cause of death --- and he may have to reluctantly admit that part of the evidence may not be of this earth.
The Third Terror, “The Yukon Cannibal,” is set in 1894. The victim here is found on the outskirts of the woods that surround a Surrey country manor. The body is ravaged in such a way as to suggest that it was eaten, possibly by a human as opposed to an animal attack. As Holmes and Watson dig deeper into this final case, certain parts of it seem to be linked to the previous two. It appears that Holmes is being challenged by three cases within a five-year span that will push his skills and skeptical nature of the supernatural to its limit.
SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE THREE WINTER TERRORS will chill readers to the bone, and this complete trilogy makes for another Holmes masterpiece.
Reviewed by Ray Palen
SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE THREE WINTER TERRORS is the third Holmes story from James Lovegrove that I have had the privilege of reviewing, following SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE BEAST OF THE STAPLETONS and SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE CHRISTMAS DEMON. This time around, Lovegrove has structured the tale so that it reads like three entirely different novellas wrapped up under one title. The puzzle for both Holmes and the reader is to find the ways in which these stories are related to each other.
Before diving in, I must refer to Lovegrove’s dedication: This book is dedicated to the memory of the late, great JEREMY BRETT, unquestionably the best onscreen Sherlock Holmes. (Others may disagree, but they are wrong.) As a fan and voracious consumer of all things Holmes, I tend to agree with his assessment. We open with a foreword from John H. Watson, MD, Holmes’ loyal companion and historical scribe of all their adventures together.
The First Terror is set in 1889 and is titled “The Witch’s Curse.” Watson is responsible for bringing this strange case to Holmes in the form of a troubled principal at a boys’ prep school who happens to be an old schoolmate of Watson. The primary reason for Timothy Wragge’s distress is the young student who drowned in a nearby pond. Of course, Holmes takes the case because it intrigues him, and he doesn’t have anything else with which to occupy his easily distracted mind at the moment.
The boy was fully clothed, and there had been no signs that he might have been disturbed enough to take his own life. Wragge hits Holmes with something far less tangible as a form of evidence --- a witch’s curse dating back to the school’s founding and beyond. Holmes, a skeptic in anything supernatural, scoffs at this and insists that there must be a logical reason for the lad’s death. Still, Wragge claims that dread of the supernatural can persist, and even the rich are not immune from superstition.
The butchering of a pet cat is cause for alarm that the guilty party is still out there and may be toying with Holmes. Next to the dead cat are these words: “I have returned. Nobody is safe.” As much as he would like to dismiss the supernatural as a factor in the boy’s death, Holmes cannot help but recognize that this case is most confounding.
The Second Terror, “The Cotton Mill Ghost,” takes place in 1890. When Holmes and Watson appear at a specific location, they are greeted by a gentleman who states, “My life is a nightmare, gentlemen. A living nightmare. I am being haunted, you see. Haunted by a vengeful ghost.” For a protagonist who is infamous for his mockery of all things supernatural, it’s amusing that a majority of these cases forces Holmes to face the very denizens of a dark realm he cannot see or touch.
When the man in question dies of a heart attack, it appears on the surface that he was frightened to death. It is now the job of Holmes, with the able assistance of Watson, to find the specific cause of death --- and he may have to reluctantly admit that part of the evidence may not be of this earth.
The Third Terror, “The Yukon Cannibal,” is set in 1894. The victim here is found on the outskirts of the woods that surround a Surrey country manor. The body is ravaged in such a way as to suggest that it was eaten, possibly by a human as opposed to an animal attack. As Holmes and Watson dig deeper into this final case, certain parts of it seem to be linked to the previous two. It appears that Holmes is being challenged by three cases within a five-year span that will push his skills and skeptical nature of the supernatural to its limit.
SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE THREE WINTER TERRORS will chill readers to the bone, and this complete trilogy makes for another Holmes masterpiece.
Reviewed by Ray Palen
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December 23, 2023I've been on a hair-trigger for slapdash pseudo-Victorianisms since reading a fairly dire collection of ghost stories earlier this month, so this one should have been out on its ear early on courtesy of the bully who gets away with it because "his father is Lord Gilhampton, the Member of Parliament for Woking". However, it had already had the sense to buy a certain indulgence with a dedication "to the memory of the late, great JEREMY BRETT
Unquestionably the best onscreen Sherlock Holmes. (Others may disagree, but they are wrong.)" And then the first case, with a body found at Watson's old prep school in the Kent marshes, seems to consist largely of Holmes utterly fucking up a brutish games teacher (sorry, tautology, I know). So on the whole, and despite the tendentious excuse for a telegram reading "NO SHIP SHERLOCK", that's a win. The second story gets similarly cute when Holmes says he's not sure he has the headgear for a deerstalking holiday, which is funnier, and overcomes its occasional traces of the modern gaze when he rewards a child for information with cigarettes, but is still hampered from both sides, having a victim who richly deserved it, yet still leaving me annoyed that Holmes spent so long failing to twig the obvious culprit - and there is a gesture towards explaining why, but I'm not convinced the original stories support it. Whereas in the final case we have a man widely believed to have eaten his fellow prospectors in the Yukon, and now suspected to have resumed his bad habits just outside Haslemere - which is a bonkers plot, but also a very Conan Doyle one, entirely in keeping with all those original Holmes cases that came down to the backwash of Empire. The resolution, though - SPOILER, obviously: I'm not against a very occasional story where Holmes fucks up, because that too is faithful to the originals. Having that initial small error compounded over the course of three linked cases is quite ingenious. But to have the error of analysis mirrored by an error in having forgiven, in a Christmas story? Even for me that's a bit bleak.
Unquestionably the best onscreen Sherlock Holmes. (Others may disagree, but they are wrong.)" And then the first case, with a body found at Watson's old prep school in the Kent marshes, seems to consist largely of Holmes utterly fucking up a brutish games teacher (sorry, tautology, I know). So on the whole, and despite the tendentious excuse for a telegram reading "NO SHIP SHERLOCK", that's a win. The second story gets similarly cute when Holmes says he's not sure he has the headgear for a deerstalking holiday, which is funnier, and overcomes its occasional traces of the modern gaze when he rewards a child for information with cigarettes, but is still hampered from both sides, having a victim who richly deserved it, yet still leaving me annoyed that Holmes spent so long failing to twig the obvious culprit - and there is a gesture towards explaining why, but I'm not convinced the original stories support it. Whereas in the final case we have a man widely believed to have eaten his fellow prospectors in the Yukon, and now suspected to have resumed his bad habits just outside Haslemere - which is a bonkers plot, but also a very Conan Doyle one, entirely in keeping with all those original Holmes cases that came down to the backwash of Empire. The resolution, though - SPOILER, obviously: I'm not against a very occasional story where Holmes fucks up, because that too is faithful to the originals. Having that initial small error compounded over the course of three linked cases is quite ingenious. But to have the error of analysis mirrored by an error in having forgiven, in a Christmas story? Even for me that's a bit bleak.
December 12, 2022
Kopumā visai labs gabals, tomēr arī šoreiz tas gadījums, kas bieži piemeklē kriminālstāstus - ka īsais formāts autoram traucē izvērst motivētu kas, ko un kāpēc. Beigās jau visi trīs stāsti skaisti saslēdzās kopā, bet man tomēr palika tāda kā mazuma piegarša. Šoreiz arī traucēja tas, ka Vatsons tiek attēlots kā pilnīgs antiņš, bet varbūt tas tā vienmēr ir bijis.
November 5, 2021
THANKS TO NETGALLEY AND THE PUBLISHER FOR THIS REVIEW COPY IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW.
This book has three stories. 1889. The First Terror is about a susceptible death of a boy in Watson's old school. The story was interesting, and the whole atmosphere pulled me into the book. The mystery was well kept. Although, the writing style wasn't my cup of tea.
1890, the Second Terror covered the death of a rich and corrupt man. His death was rather indirect and felt natural. The way sherlock solved the case was quite interesting, but I found my attention wavering. several times,
1990, the Third Terror connected the characters from the last two stories and several new characters. It is the story I liked least and skimmed a lot. The ending was unexpected and intelligent.
I enjoy the book but also struggle to read it. It is the writing style I try to avoid.
This book has three stories. 1889. The First Terror is about a susceptible death of a boy in Watson's old school. The story was interesting, and the whole atmosphere pulled me into the book. The mystery was well kept. Although, the writing style wasn't my cup of tea.
1890, the Second Terror covered the death of a rich and corrupt man. His death was rather indirect and felt natural. The way sherlock solved the case was quite interesting, but I found my attention wavering. several times,
1990, the Third Terror connected the characters from the last two stories and several new characters. It is the story I liked least and skimmed a lot. The ending was unexpected and intelligent.
I enjoy the book but also struggle to read it. It is the writing style I try to avoid.
November 8, 2021
This is three novellas not short stories each set in different years. The first is Watson 's old Prep school which is haunted by the curse of Old Sarah a witch. It's cross between Tom Brown' s school days and 1972 movie Child's play and Lord of the Flies. A boy drowns in his pajamas in the lake.
Story to is mill owner who caused the death of 96 people is haunted by there ghosts and final story is Yukon gold rush about eating human flesh.
Story to is mill owner who caused the death of 96 people is haunted by there ghosts and final story is Yukon gold rush about eating human flesh.
October 24, 2021
The Three Winter Terrors are three stories that all connect to make up a great read.
As with his previous Sherlock Holmes stories, James Lovegrove stays true to the Conan Doyle style of writing. Highly recommend this if you're a Sherlock fan.
As with his previous Sherlock Holmes stories, James Lovegrove stays true to the Conan Doyle style of writing. Highly recommend this if you're a Sherlock fan.
June 4, 2022
As I have said in the past I’m not a great lover of short stories. The first 2 stories did nothing to change my mind. However the 3rd story was a truly enjoyable story.
October 28, 2021
Eagerly waiting for the new James Lovegrove Sherlock Holmes book each winter has started to become a tradition of mine, as for three years now readers have been treated to a wonderfully told wintery tale staring the world's greatest detective and his ever present companion; though this year is slightly different. We don't just get one mystery to keep up entertained, we get three.
Sherlock Holmes & The Three Winter Terrors is set across several years, where Holmes and Watson are called in to investigate three cases that have ended in death. The first one, set in 1889, sees Watson returning to his past as he and Holmes travel to the school he used to attend, where a young student was found drowned in the lake on the grounds. Whilst everyone else thinks that this was simply a tragic accident, that the boy went swimming and met a horrible end, one of the teachers, an old friend of Watson's, believes that there may be a more nefarious answer.
The second case, set just a year later in 1890, sees Holmes being approached by a wealthy businessman who wants to hire him to look into strange, ghostly appearances that have been happening in his home. He claims that sooty footprints have been found, hand prints left in strange places, ghostly flames that suddenly vanish, and mysterious smoke that seems to have no source. Not convinced that there's much of a mystery here to investigate, and rather put off by the man's rudeness, Holmes agrees to at least check into it. However, when he arrives at the family home the next day he's shocked to learn that his client is now dead. Suddenly sure that there's more going on that there appears, Holmes sets out so solve what he believes may be a murder.
The final case, set four years later in 1894, after Holmes' miraculous return from the dead, Holmes and Watson are approached to look into the murder of an academic who was found dead on the edge of the forest that surrounds his country home. Whilst everyone thinks it was the result of an animal attack the doctor who examined the body claims to have found human teeth marks on the corpse, leading people to suspect a strange man living deep in the woods with a tragic history may be responsible. Holmes sets out to find out the real answer, before a potentially innocent man falls victim to mob justice.
On the surface there's not much to connect these three cases, except the fact they all take place over the winter months. One is set in a school and sees Holmes investigating an accident. Another is set in the heart of London and may involve ghosts. And the last took place in a quiet country village and might have been committed by a cannibal. You'd be forgiven for thinking that this is nothing more than a collection of three stories without much in common, and that would still be a perfectly fine book; but Lovegrove does something great to tie these cases together. They all keep involving the same family. This isn't just three random cases, but one family's continued misfortune over the years.
It's a great conceit, and one that make this more than just three random stories. We've seen Holmes and Watson meeting people more than once over the years, and there have been sequels to certain of the original stories that see characters and ideas returning; but this might be one of the few times where the two investigators keep coming back to the same family time and time again. This alone makes the book an interesting addition to the ever expanding Holmes canon; but the cases themselves as so wonderfully good too.
James Lovegrove does an excellent job of giving the reader enough clues to be able to figure out everything we need to get to the same answers as Holmes, and there were times that I began to piece things together alongside the detective. However, there's always that moment where I'd thought I'd gotten the answer but found that I'd gone down the wrong line of thought, not because of some hidden detail that I wasn't aware of or some last minute revelation, but because I'd overlooked something or judge something wrong. Whenever this happened and Holmes gave the correct answer I couldn't help but shake my head at my own conclusions and marvel at the answers I was given.
This is a large part of why I really enjoyed this book, why I enjoy all of Lovegrove's Holmes stories. He just knows how to write the perfect mysteries. It doesn't feel like someone trying to emulate the original stories, it simply feels part of that world. He also knows how to make the characters feel more than just caricatures or impressions of the originals. They have personality and charm that feels real, that's true to the source material. James Lovegrove is easily one of my favourite Holmes writers.
This is the third year in a row that I've gotten to sit down in the darker, colder months of the year with a wonderful Sherlock Holmes book. It's something that I look forward to, and this year hasn't spoilt that experience at all; if anything it's been an absolutely wonderful one. I can't wait to see what we get next.
Sherlock Holmes & The Three Winter Terrors is set across several years, where Holmes and Watson are called in to investigate three cases that have ended in death. The first one, set in 1889, sees Watson returning to his past as he and Holmes travel to the school he used to attend, where a young student was found drowned in the lake on the grounds. Whilst everyone else thinks that this was simply a tragic accident, that the boy went swimming and met a horrible end, one of the teachers, an old friend of Watson's, believes that there may be a more nefarious answer.
The second case, set just a year later in 1890, sees Holmes being approached by a wealthy businessman who wants to hire him to look into strange, ghostly appearances that have been happening in his home. He claims that sooty footprints have been found, hand prints left in strange places, ghostly flames that suddenly vanish, and mysterious smoke that seems to have no source. Not convinced that there's much of a mystery here to investigate, and rather put off by the man's rudeness, Holmes agrees to at least check into it. However, when he arrives at the family home the next day he's shocked to learn that his client is now dead. Suddenly sure that there's more going on that there appears, Holmes sets out so solve what he believes may be a murder.
The final case, set four years later in 1894, after Holmes' miraculous return from the dead, Holmes and Watson are approached to look into the murder of an academic who was found dead on the edge of the forest that surrounds his country home. Whilst everyone thinks it was the result of an animal attack the doctor who examined the body claims to have found human teeth marks on the corpse, leading people to suspect a strange man living deep in the woods with a tragic history may be responsible. Holmes sets out to find out the real answer, before a potentially innocent man falls victim to mob justice.
On the surface there's not much to connect these three cases, except the fact they all take place over the winter months. One is set in a school and sees Holmes investigating an accident. Another is set in the heart of London and may involve ghosts. And the last took place in a quiet country village and might have been committed by a cannibal. You'd be forgiven for thinking that this is nothing more than a collection of three stories without much in common, and that would still be a perfectly fine book; but Lovegrove does something great to tie these cases together. They all keep involving the same family. This isn't just three random cases, but one family's continued misfortune over the years.
It's a great conceit, and one that make this more than just three random stories. We've seen Holmes and Watson meeting people more than once over the years, and there have been sequels to certain of the original stories that see characters and ideas returning; but this might be one of the few times where the two investigators keep coming back to the same family time and time again. This alone makes the book an interesting addition to the ever expanding Holmes canon; but the cases themselves as so wonderfully good too.
James Lovegrove does an excellent job of giving the reader enough clues to be able to figure out everything we need to get to the same answers as Holmes, and there were times that I began to piece things together alongside the detective. However, there's always that moment where I'd thought I'd gotten the answer but found that I'd gone down the wrong line of thought, not because of some hidden detail that I wasn't aware of or some last minute revelation, but because I'd overlooked something or judge something wrong. Whenever this happened and Holmes gave the correct answer I couldn't help but shake my head at my own conclusions and marvel at the answers I was given.
This is a large part of why I really enjoyed this book, why I enjoy all of Lovegrove's Holmes stories. He just knows how to write the perfect mysteries. It doesn't feel like someone trying to emulate the original stories, it simply feels part of that world. He also knows how to make the characters feel more than just caricatures or impressions of the originals. They have personality and charm that feels real, that's true to the source material. James Lovegrove is easily one of my favourite Holmes writers.
This is the third year in a row that I've gotten to sit down in the darker, colder months of the year with a wonderful Sherlock Holmes book. It's something that I look forward to, and this year hasn't spoilt that experience at all; if anything it's been an absolutely wonderful one. I can't wait to see what we get next.
October 21, 2021
When I saw this book on Netgalley I requested because…. well of course I did! It is James Lovegrove’s Sherlock Holmes…
And what can I say? He has done it again! Lovegrove really has mastered Conan Doyle’s style and just writes the best Holmes stories. This time we follow Holmes and Watson throughout three interlinked stories. The blurb states they all have a supernatural element… but the third one deals with a cannibal. Anyway… the stories themselves are all great reads, but having them link together makes them even better.
Although I am not a fan of short story collections, these ones were the perfect length. They were long enough to create an interesting case, but short enough to read in a single sitting. The writing was although reminiscent of the classics, also effortless and just easy to read.
My only complaint? The first case was just too easy… to me it was obvious what happened as soon as the body was described. Also, there is a certain clue which Sherlock misses/deems to be irrelevant. Yet I picked up on it, making one of the big reveals not surprising whatsoever. Sure it feels great to outsmart Sherlock, but I would rather have been amazed.
Still, I had a great time with this book and would highly recommend it to anyone who fancies a good Sherlock Holmes story.
And what can I say? He has done it again! Lovegrove really has mastered Conan Doyle’s style and just writes the best Holmes stories. This time we follow Holmes and Watson throughout three interlinked stories. The blurb states they all have a supernatural element… but the third one deals with a cannibal. Anyway… the stories themselves are all great reads, but having them link together makes them even better.
Although I am not a fan of short story collections, these ones were the perfect length. They were long enough to create an interesting case, but short enough to read in a single sitting. The writing was although reminiscent of the classics, also effortless and just easy to read.
My only complaint? The first case was just too easy… to me it was obvious what happened as soon as the body was described. Also, there is a certain clue which Sherlock misses/deems to be irrelevant. Yet I picked up on it, making one of the big reveals not surprising whatsoever. Sure it feels great to outsmart Sherlock, but I would rather have been amazed.
Still, I had a great time with this book and would highly recommend it to anyone who fancies a good Sherlock Holmes story.
November 21, 2021
Entertaining, written in the style of Watson, great winter read for Sherlock fans.
The Three Winter Terrors are 3 interlocking stories featuring Sherlock Holmes and the loyal Dr Watson, the stories take place across about a 5 year period; the link is a family who appear in each of the tales Well written in the style of Conan Doyle a must for fans of Holmes.
The Three Winter Terrors are 3 interlocking stories featuring Sherlock Holmes and the loyal Dr Watson, the stories take place across about a 5 year period; the link is a family who appear in each of the tales Well written in the style of Conan Doyle a must for fans of Holmes.
July 23, 2023
I really enjoyed this book. An excellent version of a Holmes and Watson story (or, rather series of connected stories) from an author who clearly appreciates and understands the Holmes character and world.
This is the first book by this author I have read, and as a fan of Sherlock Holmes, sometimes new books depicting the detective can be well-done, but other times current authors just don't quite seem to "get" either the character or the world he lived in, at least from my perspective. I enjoy a new opportunity to experience something for Sherlock to investigate but you still have to respect the character. This author does that very well and this really felt like one of the original Holmes stories by Conan Doyle.
The three individual short stories were interesting and clever, but as the connection across all three began to come clear the cleverness and planning in the overall book really increased. I found each story solid on its own but the whole was even better once everything was revealed. I would definitely read others in this author's Sherlock world.
This is the first book by this author I have read, and as a fan of Sherlock Holmes, sometimes new books depicting the detective can be well-done, but other times current authors just don't quite seem to "get" either the character or the world he lived in, at least from my perspective. I enjoy a new opportunity to experience something for Sherlock to investigate but you still have to respect the character. This author does that very well and this really felt like one of the original Holmes stories by Conan Doyle.
The three individual short stories were interesting and clever, but as the connection across all three began to come clear the cleverness and planning in the overall book really increased. I found each story solid on its own but the whole was even better once everything was revealed. I would definitely read others in this author's Sherlock world.
April 1, 2022
Basically the same praise as for Lovegrove's other Sherlock books: He has got the characters, tone and pacing down to a T, it really feels like you are reading more of Arthur Conan Doyle's original stories.
The only thing that reduced this one to four stars, as opposed to its predecessors, was that the overarching story that links these Three Winter Terrors is quite predictable. The power of the Sherlock Holmes stories is partially that Holmes spots things that he doesn't mention (and it is thus often nigh impossible for the reader to figure out the culprit), but in this book it is quite doable to figure out what has happened, and it is due to thick hints in the writing.
Still, recommended for any Sherlock Holmes or detective fans!
The only thing that reduced this one to four stars, as opposed to its predecessors, was that the overarching story that links these Three Winter Terrors is quite predictable. The power of the Sherlock Holmes stories is partially that Holmes spots things that he doesn't mention (and it is thus often nigh impossible for the reader to figure out the culprit), but in this book it is quite doable to figure out what has happened, and it is due to thick hints in the writing.
Still, recommended for any Sherlock Holmes or detective fans!
January 24, 2024
Although I did see the last one coming I was NOT expecting the plottwist that came with it. almost got a whiplash from the 180 they did there.
I love the short chapters, feels refreshing (looking at you, the secret history).
And also the jokes??? James, you are a genius. ''NO SHIP SHERLOCK.'' And the deerstalker hat one?? James is one of us, he's in the fandom and if he doesn't ship Holmes and Watson to at least some extent I need to have a word with him about some of his 'writing choices'.
I think I liked the Christmas Demon a tad bit more but both books are EXCELLENT
I love the short chapters, feels refreshing (looking at you, the secret history).
And also the jokes??? James, you are a genius. ''NO SHIP SHERLOCK.'' And the deerstalker hat one?? James is one of us, he's in the fandom and if he doesn't ship Holmes and Watson to at least some extent I need to have a word with him about some of his 'writing choices'.
I think I liked the Christmas Demon a tad bit more but both books are EXCELLENT
November 17, 2024
I'm a huge Sherlock Holmes fan so this book was right up in my alley!
January 1, 2025
There were good points about this, but I definitely enjoyed it less than my first time with this author's writing. I do think he hits upon certain things that really drew me to the original Holmes stories, and he incorporates a lot of the Holmesian quirks that I really enjoy. But by and large, I don't really like the way he characterises Holmes. I don't know if this is my bias speaking, but he over-emphasises the parts of him that are mean and callous and don't care for other human beings. And that soured me on the book as a whole. I love Holmes, but I also think he's a ridiculous dude, and this series seems obsessed with making him Really Cool. Which is... eh.
These were three interconnected mysteries that all take place at wintertime, spanning from 1889 to 1894. The mystery aspects were pretty good, I guess? But I wasn't blown away. Spoilers ahead.
Listened to the audiobook as read by Dennis Kleinman, and once again, it was good, but I really missed the Holmes narrators that I'm used to. I could see myself reading from the author again, but I don't think I'm interested in reading the other supernatural adjacent cases. I'll try one of the others.
These were three interconnected mysteries that all take place at wintertime, spanning from 1889 to 1894. The mystery aspects were pretty good, I guess? But I wasn't blown away. Spoilers ahead.
Listened to the audiobook as read by Dennis Kleinman, and once again, it was good, but I really missed the Holmes narrators that I'm used to. I could see myself reading from the author again, but I don't think I'm interested in reading the other supernatural adjacent cases. I'll try one of the others.
January 1, 2026
Sherlock Holmes and the Three Winter Terrors contains three interconnected stories that all take place in and around the dead of winter. In one, Sherlock is hired to investigate the mysterious drowning of a school child. The second story follows Sherlock as he is tasked to uncover the party responsible for the apparent haunting of a business magnate. Finally, in the third tale, Sherlock is charged with determining the cause of death of a man who had seemingly been ravaged by an apparent cannibal after passing.
Much like the last Sherlock Holmes novel by James Lovegrove that I had read, I had a lot of fun with this. As previously mentioned, there are three separate stories, but they all share common elements leading this to feel more like one longer tale, especially with how the third and final case wraps up. Once again, Lovegrove nails the characters having a firm grasp on the relationship between Holmes and Watson as well as Holmes’ playful jabs and cutting intellect. While many of the stories touch on the holiday season, I would recommend digging into this one during the upcoming cold winter nights to truly experience the intended atmosphere.
I would be remiss if I once again did not point out how wonderful a job Dennis Kleinmann did as a narrator for the audiobook. He truly brought this world to life with a wide array of voices, accents, as well as an overall dramatic gravitas. I plan to continue on with this series and I also plan to remain within the audio world as I continue to do so.
Much like the last Sherlock Holmes novel by James Lovegrove that I had read, I had a lot of fun with this. As previously mentioned, there are three separate stories, but they all share common elements leading this to feel more like one longer tale, especially with how the third and final case wraps up. Once again, Lovegrove nails the characters having a firm grasp on the relationship between Holmes and Watson as well as Holmes’ playful jabs and cutting intellect. While many of the stories touch on the holiday season, I would recommend digging into this one during the upcoming cold winter nights to truly experience the intended atmosphere.
I would be remiss if I once again did not point out how wonderful a job Dennis Kleinmann did as a narrator for the audiobook. He truly brought this world to life with a wide array of voices, accents, as well as an overall dramatic gravitas. I plan to continue on with this series and I also plan to remain within the audio world as I continue to do so.
November 20, 2021
A marvellous collection of three linked stories set in England at the tail-end of the Victorian Era and starring the stubborn and perceptive Sherlock Holmes and his faithful friend and sidekick, Dr. Watson, as they painstakingly try to elucidate some rather unsavory criminal shenanigans involving ancient curses, witchcraft, supernatural happenings and cannibalism among others...
A captivating and very entertaining fictional trip
as we follow our genial and determined heroes carrying out a very impressive investigation with all the rigoroussness, tenacity and diligence they have been famously known for over the years.
Blessed with a dazzling cast of characters and lots of sparkling wit, this charming and amusing whodunit definitely deserves to be read & enjoyed without any moderation
A captivating and very entertaining fictional trip
as we follow our genial and determined heroes carrying out a very impressive investigation with all the rigoroussness, tenacity and diligence they have been famously known for over the years.
Blessed with a dazzling cast of characters and lots of sparkling wit, this charming and amusing whodunit definitely deserves to be read & enjoyed without any moderation
April 20, 2024
Quite enjoyable, this was a book that I finished in two days. Lovegrove manages to capture the Sherlockian era quite well and I didn't feel that I wasn't reading something not written by Doyle throughout the two books in this series that I have read so far.
Sherlock Holmes and the Three Winter Terrors has three incidents that Holmes investigates, all three of them linked by the presence of a few common characters. The cases hold good on their own, but are made even better by how they come to be linked towards the ending of the book. If you like reading Holmes' adventures, I'd recommend this series even though I am yet to read one of the books.
Sherlock Holmes and the Three Winter Terrors has three incidents that Holmes investigates, all three of them linked by the presence of a few common characters. The cases hold good on their own, but are made even better by how they come to be linked towards the ending of the book. If you like reading Holmes' adventures, I'd recommend this series even though I am yet to read one of the books.
December 28, 2022
The fanfiction we deserved 🤩 I’m so impressed this was such a page turner with all the pieces coming together in such a curious way. I also appreciate the inclination of Lovegrove’s characters toward the Jeremy Brett’s era. Holmes’ dark humor here is hilarious and Watson’s sporadic medical musings are making his character way richer than in the original stories. After this and the Christmas book, I will definitely read the series further; it’s been a while since I genuinely enjoyed a crime novel.
May 8, 2023
The story was amazing, I absolutely loved this book. The way all of the stories left you sitting at the edge of your seat and how it all connected at the end. I could have never expected how it ended and I loved it. The characters are simple yet work amazingly for all of the chrimes, and with the short time you get to know them you still manage to connect with or despise them. This author does Sherlock holms amazingly and I can't wait to read the rest of his books.
October 26, 2024
(Full review follows)
Loved this, but there was a lull between the first and the second case (after that I was hooked!) in which I had to put the audiobook down.
All three cases are connected which means the book is much more interesting the further you read, it does end on a sad note considering it's a Christmas story though. Lovegrove writes so well you want just one more case after the last, just a tiny one to sate that appetite.
Loved this, but there was a lull between the first and the second case (after that I was hooked!) in which I had to put the audiobook down.
All three cases are connected which means the book is much more interesting the further you read, it does end on a sad note considering it's a Christmas story though. Lovegrove writes so well you want just one more case after the last, just a tiny one to sate that appetite.
April 8, 2022
I love mysteries, especially involving Sherlock Holmes! Arthur Conan Doyle is no longer with us but James Lovegrove does an admirable job creating stories for the great detective. While I have come to love the modern takes on Holmes, these stories harken to style of the original tales. If you loved Doyle's writing style, this author is for you.
March 22, 2023
Aside from Lovegrove's Holmes/Cthulhu trilogy, this is probably my favorite of his Holmes pastiches. In the Cthulhu trilogy, of course, Holmes' investigation of apparently supernatural occurrences actually turns out to be caused by the supernatural. In this book, Lovegrove adheres to Conan Doyle's template where supernatural events will be explained away by Holmes' logical analysis.
September 5, 2023
This was an interest listen/read! So easy to just have it out loud whilst I got on with housework and tending to my baby girl! Who also seems to enjoy it as she’d calm down once I played it😅 I overly enjoyed the first story in this book for sure but each of them had their own interesting stories! I always love a good Watson and Holmes mystery for sure!😍
January 22, 2022
Highly enjoyable fare that further confirms that Lovegrove has an intimate sense of Holmes and his universe. A small step back from the "Christmas Demon," the multi-story format presents a narrative that is a smidge too easy to predict.
August 3, 2024
The author does a great job of immersing you in 19th century England with the classic characters of Sherlock Holmes and John Watson. It kept me hooked throughout each of the three mysteries and the big revelation at the end which connected the whole book together was surprising and enjoyable!
November 16, 2024
Tbh I really enjoyed this book. At first it was a little hard to read language wise for a non native speaker but the stories were well written and entertaining! I might need to read the other Sherlock Holmes books from this series!
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