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The Early Casebook of Sherlock Holmes series #2
Sherlock Holmes and the Explorers' Club
Holmes is faced with an unidentified body, a coded message, and multiple murders . . .
London, 1876
When the preserved foot of a dead man with extra toes arrives at St. Bartholomew's Medical College, the students are fascinated. However, despite this unusual feature being reported in the press, the man's identity remains a mystery.
Intrigued by the puzzle, medical student Mr. Stamford calls on his acquaintance Sherlock Holmes to help him learn more about the deceased.
With only the man's boots and a few possessions to examine, Holmes relishes the challenge. He soon finds a coded message hidden inside the man's purse, which suggests a possible connection to criminals or spies.
Over the course of their investigations, Holmes' and Stamford's suspicions are strengthened when they learn of further shocking deaths. It soon becomes apparent that the men who died all belonged to the mysterious Explorers Club.
Although the deaths look like accidents, Holmes is convinced that the men were murdered. And with conspiracy and intrigue lurking at every turn, he must now expose the secrets of the Explorers Club before the next member meets a grisly end . . .
London, 1876
When the preserved foot of a dead man with extra toes arrives at St. Bartholomew's Medical College, the students are fascinated. However, despite this unusual feature being reported in the press, the man's identity remains a mystery.
Intrigued by the puzzle, medical student Mr. Stamford calls on his acquaintance Sherlock Holmes to help him learn more about the deceased.
With only the man's boots and a few possessions to examine, Holmes relishes the challenge. He soon finds a coded message hidden inside the man's purse, which suggests a possible connection to criminals or spies.
Over the course of their investigations, Holmes' and Stamford's suspicions are strengthened when they learn of further shocking deaths. It soon becomes apparent that the men who died all belonged to the mysterious Explorers Club.
Although the deaths look like accidents, Holmes is convinced that the men were murdered. And with conspiracy and intrigue lurking at every turn, he must now expose the secrets of the Explorers Club before the next member meets a grisly end . . .
225 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 12, 2022
76 people are currently reading
76 people want to read
About the author
Linda Stratmann
45 books65 followersLinda Stratmann is a British writer of historical true crime, biography and crime fiction.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
January 17, 2022
I’m a big fan of Sherlock Holmes as well as a few authors who have followed admirably in Doyle’s footsteps, like Anthony Horowitz and Laurie R King. I was excited to read Sherlock Holmes and the Explorers’ Club, especially with Stamford standing in the role usually assigned to Watson.
The original Holmes stories were succinct and I appreciate that this kept strictly to the mystery. Stamford is observant and amusing at times, and he’s the only way to humanize Holmes for us readers. I smiled to see Sergeant Lestrade’s name, but we never got to hear from him directly. I did get a kick out of the Easter eggs for future Holmes mysteries, like the Musgrave Ritual and hints at his future Irregulars.
After a slow start, things picked up dramatically. After the mention of a seven-toed foot, we follow the story of college friends on the rowing team, their chance discovery of a paper promising riches, the formation of the Explorers’ Club, and their determination to find a treasure trove. As you’d expect, the real mystery is hidden underneath.
It is longer compared to something like A Study in Scarlet, although Holmes was as quick at putting the clues together as you’d want him to be. It has all the twists and dangling hints just out of our reach but not out of Holmes’s, which is what you’d expect from a Holmes tale.
I found a grammatical error in the first sentence. A ‘which’ instead of ‘that’. This misuse continues throughout and others like it make me wonder if this passed through an editor’s hands. There were instances where a comma was missing where it was needed to signal that the adverb modifies the whole sentence and not just the word that follows. Other sentences like ‘I know your powers of observation will have enlightened you more than I was.’ and typos with dates had me reading twice and pulled me out of the story.
3.5/4 I received a complimentary review copy from NetGalley
The original Holmes stories were succinct and I appreciate that this kept strictly to the mystery. Stamford is observant and amusing at times, and he’s the only way to humanize Holmes for us readers. I smiled to see Sergeant Lestrade’s name, but we never got to hear from him directly. I did get a kick out of the Easter eggs for future Holmes mysteries, like the Musgrave Ritual and hints at his future Irregulars.
After a slow start, things picked up dramatically. After the mention of a seven-toed foot, we follow the story of college friends on the rowing team, their chance discovery of a paper promising riches, the formation of the Explorers’ Club, and their determination to find a treasure trove. As you’d expect, the real mystery is hidden underneath.
It is longer compared to something like A Study in Scarlet, although Holmes was as quick at putting the clues together as you’d want him to be. It has all the twists and dangling hints just out of our reach but not out of Holmes’s, which is what you’d expect from a Holmes tale.
I found a grammatical error in the first sentence. A ‘which’ instead of ‘that’. This misuse continues throughout and others like it make me wonder if this passed through an editor’s hands. There were instances where a comma was missing where it was needed to signal that the adverb modifies the whole sentence and not just the word that follows. Other sentences like ‘I know your powers of observation will have enlightened you more than I was.’ and typos with dates had me reading twice and pulled me out of the story.
3.5/4 I received a complimentary review copy from NetGalley
October 14, 2022
Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.
Sherlock Holmes and the Explorers' Club is the second Early Sherlock Holmes historical mystery by Linda Stratmann. Released 12th Jan 2022, it's 239 pages and is available in paperback and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers this book is currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free.
This is a well written and succinct mystery true to its roots. The clues are laid out tantalizingly and (as always) woven together into a whole cloth by young Mr. Holmes. The details are just as outlandish as we could wish, the apparent accidental death of a young man with seven toes his foot leads Holmes to secret society and more "accidental" deaths.
I recommend it to fans of the canon who are yearning for more Holmes and Watson adventures. Stratmann is a capable writer with a sure voice who captures the period very well. In the uncorrected proof provided for review, there were a few grammatical and typesetting errors. These have presumably been corrected in the release version. That being said, they weren't egregious even in the pre-release copy.
Four stars. Well done and entertaining.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
Sherlock Holmes and the Explorers' Club is the second Early Sherlock Holmes historical mystery by Linda Stratmann. Released 12th Jan 2022, it's 239 pages and is available in paperback and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers this book is currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free.
This is a well written and succinct mystery true to its roots. The clues are laid out tantalizingly and (as always) woven together into a whole cloth by young Mr. Holmes. The details are just as outlandish as we could wish, the apparent accidental death of a young man with seven toes his foot leads Holmes to secret society and more "accidental" deaths.
I recommend it to fans of the canon who are yearning for more Holmes and Watson adventures. Stratmann is a capable writer with a sure voice who captures the period very well. In the uncorrected proof provided for review, there were a few grammatical and typesetting errors. These have presumably been corrected in the release version. That being said, they weren't egregious even in the pre-release copy.
Four stars. Well done and entertaining.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
February 1, 2022
Medical student Mr Stamford brings a new mystery to young Sherlock Holmes. A man has been killed in what appears to be an accident. He has no identification and the only distinguishing mark is seven toes on one foot. Soon they are led to a group called the Explorers’ Club who have been searching for years for a hidden treasure. Only it turns out that recently,the seven-toed man isn’t the only member to die in what appear to be random accidents and Holmes is determined to discover whether they are exactly how they appear or is something more sinister at play.
Sherlock Holmes and the Explorers’ Club s the second book in The Early Casebook of Sherlock Holmes series by Linda Stratmann and it is just as entertaining as the first. Sherlock and Stamford make an interesting team and the mystery kept me guessing right til the big reveal at the end. The story did start out a little slowly but quickly picked up steam and kept me glued to the pages. Definitely another fun addition to the Holmes canon.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review
Sherlock Holmes and the Explorers’ Club s the second book in The Early Casebook of Sherlock Holmes series by Linda Stratmann and it is just as entertaining as the first. Sherlock and Stamford make an interesting team and the mystery kept me guessing right til the big reveal at the end. The story did start out a little slowly but quickly picked up steam and kept me glued to the pages. Definitely another fun addition to the Holmes canon.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review
April 2, 2024
I'm what you would call a Sherlockian nerd. I am really enjoying this author and the series.
May 20, 2024
The title, SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE EXPLORER'S CLUB immediately recalled a most enjoyable vacation to Disney World, in Florida, with my husband and a few friends. Of course, I saw 'Adventurers' Club' in my mind's eye as I thought back to the time before Disney Springs when The Adventurer's Club was located at Paradise Island, in Downtown Disney. It was a club for adults who appreciated laugh-out-loud, word-play humor. Alas, that comedy club is no more. Then I re-read the title and came back down to earth.
SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE EXPLORER'S CLUB finds Holmes and his compatriot, Mr. Stamford, confounded by the mystery of an unidentified corpse, with seven toes on one foot, currently occupying a slab in the mortuary of Saint Bartholomew’s Medical College. The body, found floating in the Thames, has a cranial injury that could indicate he hit his head jumping of a bridge or was the victim of foul play at the hands of a person or persons unknown. Accident? Suicide? Or — murder?
Untangling a gordian knot of monumental proportion is the task Holmes and Stamford face. And it would seem there are no clues. Everyone who reads mysteries knows there is no off-hand mention too small to provide a thread to latch onto and pull.
Once the identity of the victim is known to be Frank Bradstreet the situation begins to unfold. He was a member of The Explorer's Club, seemingly, a loosely formed social club of seven college classmates with a secret to protect.
As is the case in the many adventures where Sherlock Holmes investigates, "the game is afoot," and our young stalwarts, Holmes and Stamford discover the clues, uncover a conspiracy, and solve the mystery.
The writing style in the adventures written by Arthur Conan Doyle can seem a bit stodgy. Linda Stratmann has managed to capture the essence of Victorian writing but is not bogged down by it. I look forward to reading the next case — SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE EBONY IDOL.
SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE EXPLORER'S CLUB finds Holmes and his compatriot, Mr. Stamford, confounded by the mystery of an unidentified corpse, with seven toes on one foot, currently occupying a slab in the mortuary of Saint Bartholomew’s Medical College. The body, found floating in the Thames, has a cranial injury that could indicate he hit his head jumping of a bridge or was the victim of foul play at the hands of a person or persons unknown. Accident? Suicide? Or — murder?
Untangling a gordian knot of monumental proportion is the task Holmes and Stamford face. And it would seem there are no clues. Everyone who reads mysteries knows there is no off-hand mention too small to provide a thread to latch onto and pull.
Once the identity of the victim is known to be Frank Bradstreet the situation begins to unfold. He was a member of The Explorer's Club, seemingly, a loosely formed social club of seven college classmates with a secret to protect.
As is the case in the many adventures where Sherlock Holmes investigates, "the game is afoot," and our young stalwarts, Holmes and Stamford discover the clues, uncover a conspiracy, and solve the mystery.
The writing style in the adventures written by Arthur Conan Doyle can seem a bit stodgy. Linda Stratmann has managed to capture the essence of Victorian writing but is not bogged down by it. I look forward to reading the next case — SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE EBONY IDOL.
January 16, 2022
I would like to thank Netgalley and Sapere Books for a review copy of Sherlock Holmes and the Explorers’ Club, the second novel in a series featuring an early version of Sherlock Holmes.
Medical student Stamford enlists the help of another student, Sherlock Holmes, to identify a man with seven toes who died in an accident. The discovery of a coded letter in the man’s wallet leads them to the secretive Explorers’ Club and more accidental deaths.
I thoroughly enjoyed Sherlock Holmes and the Explorers’ Club, which is a ripping yarn, full of unexpected twists and turns. I have not read the first novel in the series and dread to think how many years it is since I read the original stories, so I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I am a fan of Ms Stratmann’s writing and expected good things. I was amply rewarded for my faith.
In keeping with the spirit of Conan Doyle’s writing the novel is narrated by Stamford and in keeping with setting he is a medical student, rather than a qualified doctor. He too has no idea about Holmes’s thought processes and stands as the foil to Holmes’s deductive reasoning. He has a very readable style with keen observations on Holmes’s character and his own lack of observation.
The plot is great. It starts with a small mystery, an unidentified corpse and soon blossoms into something much wider and darker. Of course what they end up investigating is fairly silly, but the emotions and actions involved are far from that. It makes for a delightful mixture of the absurd and the serious. It’s not a long novel so nothing is superfluous and it moves along at a fast clip. I was glued to the pages, wanting to know what would come next. I have found a new series to follow.
Sherlock Holmes and the Explorers’ Club is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.
Medical student Stamford enlists the help of another student, Sherlock Holmes, to identify a man with seven toes who died in an accident. The discovery of a coded letter in the man’s wallet leads them to the secretive Explorers’ Club and more accidental deaths.
I thoroughly enjoyed Sherlock Holmes and the Explorers’ Club, which is a ripping yarn, full of unexpected twists and turns. I have not read the first novel in the series and dread to think how many years it is since I read the original stories, so I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I am a fan of Ms Stratmann’s writing and expected good things. I was amply rewarded for my faith.
In keeping with the spirit of Conan Doyle’s writing the novel is narrated by Stamford and in keeping with setting he is a medical student, rather than a qualified doctor. He too has no idea about Holmes’s thought processes and stands as the foil to Holmes’s deductive reasoning. He has a very readable style with keen observations on Holmes’s character and his own lack of observation.
The plot is great. It starts with a small mystery, an unidentified corpse and soon blossoms into something much wider and darker. Of course what they end up investigating is fairly silly, but the emotions and actions involved are far from that. It makes for a delightful mixture of the absurd and the serious. It’s not a long novel so nothing is superfluous and it moves along at a fast clip. I was glued to the pages, wanting to know what would come next. I have found a new series to follow.
Sherlock Holmes and the Explorers’ Club is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.
December 13, 2024
Read the first book in this series and liked it better than this second. Always leery of "spinoffs" from classic literature and the things I was concerned about in the first were even more obvious in the second. I think the author is trying to show here the "development" of Sherlock Holmes' abilities, but he is pretty amateur in these and it just doesn't fit the character Conan Doyle created. The "sidekick" character here is also a little "too smart". As much as I'm often annoyed by Sherlock's condescending attitude towards Watson, the benefit of that is Watson's personality not overwhelming Sherlock which certainly becomes an issue in these books. And honestly this second one was just not very exciting. A bunch of sniffing around, trial and error (very un-Sherlock), and trying to see the plot emerging. Probably won't continue this series.
February 22, 2022
Another book by Linda Stratmann full of adventure and mystery. The plot portrays a young Sherlock investigating some intriguing cases. A perfect page turner for Sherlock Holmes' lovers. The book can be referred to as new age adventures of Sherlock. The story hooks you up from the beginning and you cannot put it down until you reach the end. And as you begin to think that you have guessed the climax it takes a thrilling turn. I really liked the book and thoroughly enjoyed it.
I would, definitely, give the book 5 stars. Thanks to Netgalley and Sapere Books for providing me an opportunity to read and review the book.
Read more on bibliophileverse.blogspot.com
I would, definitely, give the book 5 stars. Thanks to Netgalley and Sapere Books for providing me an opportunity to read and review the book.
Read more on bibliophileverse.blogspot.com
April 26, 2022
Four stars after being rounded up from 3.75. I didn't think this book was as quite as good as the first in the series. The mystery was pretty good but not overly complex. There was a fair amount of telling rather than showing but I was OK with it for the most part. I think it was the ending that disappointed me the most. It reminded me of a James Bond villain who just had to brag about his evil deeds and how smart he was in pulling them off. All that aside, I still think it was a good book and am planning to continue on with the series if the author writes more.
April 25, 2024
Nicely done. Author Linda Stratman writes about Holmes' earlier cases when he was still in post-grad college and did not know Watson. He has a fellow college student as his compatriot, who chronicles the detective's caseload. This edition finds the duo searching for the murderer of a group of college friends who have a valuable document that details the hiding place of a hidden treasure. The book is entertaining and written in the spirit of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Enjoyable for all fans of the "world's greatest detective."
January 14, 2022
1876 The strange case of a dead man accidental killed who had seven digits on one foot leads to a mystery of several dead ex-college men. Men who are all part of The Explorers' Club, and were part of a rowing team at the college. Sherlock Holmes decides to investigate, aided by Stamford.
An entertaining and well-written historical mystery with its cast of likeable main characters. A good addition to the series.
An entertaining and well-written historical mystery with its cast of likeable main characters. A good addition to the series.
March 30, 2022
This was an excellent book. The writing style, prose and vocabulary were all excellent. The author also did a terrific job of capturing Sherlock Holmes in a manner that closely resembles the original works. The only thing keeping this from being 5 stars was I would like to have seen the perpetrator brought to justice.
May 3, 2022
Sherlock Homes and the Explorers Club is a great read and worthy of being added to early cannon of the Holmes Novels. An interesting read with lots of twists and turns. Its the second of a series but can be read as a stand alone.
Thanks to Netgalley and Sapere Books for the ARC. This review is my own opinion.
Thanks to Netgalley and Sapere Books for the ARC. This review is my own opinion.
May 14, 2022
Excellent writing
Excellent writing,which makes for excellent reading. Enjoyed the book thoroughly and look forward to reading more by this authorizes. Kudos on staying true to form with Holmes.
Excellent writing,which makes for excellent reading. Enjoyed the book thoroughly and look forward to reading more by this authorizes. Kudos on staying true to form with Holmes.
August 15, 2022
Not as good as the first one in the series (The Rosetta Stone Mystery), the plot is far-fetched.
There is also an unpleasant detail. It is one thing to draw inspiration from Conan Doyle and a very different one to copy the decoding fron "The Valley of Fear".
There is also an unpleasant detail. It is one thing to draw inspiration from Conan Doyle and a very different one to copy the decoding fron "The Valley of Fear".
September 26, 2022
worthy of canon
Another great read that does justice to the Sherlock Holmes canon
The substation of a medical student for Dr Watson works well, especially when he realizes his shortcomings compared to Watson
Will definitely read the next one
Another great read that does justice to the Sherlock Holmes canon
The substation of a medical student for Dr Watson works well, especially when he realizes his shortcomings compared to Watson
Will definitely read the next one
December 8, 2022
I liked this very much, and hope that there are more of these available in audiobooks. The mystery is good, the characters are well developed, the time period and settings are interesting. I am so glad to have listened. Nigel Patterson did a great job narrating.
September 3, 2023
Very accomplished new take on Sherlock Holmes
Gets the atmosphere of the Holmes books and his personality just right while adding new mysteries with a plausible companion. Living this series.
Gets the atmosphere of the Holmes books and his personality just right while adding new mysteries with a plausible companion. Living this series.
August 2, 2023
Excited that the author takes the time at the end of the book to answer all the questions the reader has had during the story.
May 14, 2025
Great Book
Another fun mystery with Holmes and Stamford. Though Stamford is his own, I appreciate the nods toward Watson who ultimately becomes Holmes' friend.
Christa
Another fun mystery with Holmes and Stamford. Though Stamford is his own, I appreciate the nods toward Watson who ultimately becomes Holmes' friend.
Christa
August 9, 2025
Great writer.
February 27, 2023
These books are such a delight for an Sherlock lover or even if you're just a beginner. It helps to have read the first book in the series, Sherlock Holmes and the Rosetta Stone, but it is not necessary to enjoy this book.
Sherlock is now intrigued by the death of a seven-toed man who cannot be identified. His "enquires" lead him to another puzzling mystery about long lost treasure and an "Explorer's Club" where the members are being picked off one by one in circumstances to appear as unfortunate accidents. However, nothing gets past the master soon to be detective. This story takes place pre-John Watson with a young surgeon in training, Mr. Stamford. Holmes is a "student" at university who is studying anatomy and chemistry but really more on his own terms.
I found this book to be captivating towards the middle, although the beginning was a bit slower than the last book. However, once it picked up I was reluctant to put it down. The whodunit in this story is intriguing but if one reads enough mysteries and detective stories it is not too difficult to figure out. This did not detract from my enjoyment of the story in the slightest. I love that Holmes' IDGAF attitude and trivial things matter not to him, it is the game of solving the mystery.
As I mentioned, this is a great book to read if you're already a fan of Sherlock or just starting to pick up his many tales. I loved it and I do hope there will be more books in the series.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.
Sherlock is now intrigued by the death of a seven-toed man who cannot be identified. His "enquires" lead him to another puzzling mystery about long lost treasure and an "Explorer's Club" where the members are being picked off one by one in circumstances to appear as unfortunate accidents. However, nothing gets past the master soon to be detective. This story takes place pre-John Watson with a young surgeon in training, Mr. Stamford. Holmes is a "student" at university who is studying anatomy and chemistry but really more on his own terms.
I found this book to be captivating towards the middle, although the beginning was a bit slower than the last book. However, once it picked up I was reluctant to put it down. The whodunit in this story is intriguing but if one reads enough mysteries and detective stories it is not too difficult to figure out. This did not detract from my enjoyment of the story in the slightest. I love that Holmes' IDGAF attitude and trivial things matter not to him, it is the game of solving the mystery.
As I mentioned, this is a great book to read if you're already a fan of Sherlock or just starting to pick up his many tales. I loved it and I do hope there will be more books in the series.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.
May 26, 2024
A very convoluted tale and not very interesting
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews