What Child is This?

A Sherlock Holmes Adventure #5

by Bonnie MacBird, Frank Cho (Illustrator)

It’s the season of peace and goodwill, but a Victorian Christmas is no holiday for the world’s most popular detective in this new book from Bonnie MacBird, author of the bestselling Sherlock Holmes novel Art in the Blood.

It’s Christmastime in London, and Sherlock Holmes takes on two cases. The angelic three-year-old child of a wealthy couple is the target of a vicious kidnapper, and a country aristocrat worries that his handsome, favourite son has mysteriously vanished from his London pied à terre. Holmes and Watson, aided by the colourful Heffie O’Malley, slip slide in the ice to ensure a merry Christmas is had by nearly everybody . . .

Genres: Mystery, Christmas, Historical Fiction, Fiction, British Literature, Holiday, Historical

228 pages, Hardcover

First published October 13, 2022

About the author

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

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

MacBird lives in Los Angeles and London

Reviews

[Bill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christmas is the perfect time to reread this Holmes adventure.
In Bonnie MacBird's fifth novel featuring the great detective we find Holmes & Watson investigating two cases: the attempted kidnapping of a child & the disappearance of the Marquis of Blandbury's twenty-one year old son.
MacBird fills the pages of her novel with drama, humour, action, enotion & much more. Here, as in her previous novels, Holmes & Watson are a brilliant combination of Conan Doyle's creations & her own unique take on them.
Frank Cho provides some nice illustrations to accompany the story & there's a brilliant plot twist that causes Holmes & Watson's friend Heffie to exclaim "Well, Doc, I thought I'd seen plenty, but I'll admit I didn't see that one coming, neither." Nor did I, Heffie. Nor did I!!

[Mimi Matthews · Rating 5 out of 5]

From my endorsement:

Victorian London comes alive in this enthralling Christmas mystery, written with intelligence, style, and lovely period detail.

[4cats · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was really looking forward to giving this a read, unfortunately it didn't hit the spot. I worked it out immediately, so there isn't really a mystery, it feels like it's just box ticking. The writing felt lazy at times with references to Bonnie MacBird's previous Holmes and Watson novels thrown in for those readers who are new to the series. There are some excellent modern takes on the Holmes canon however this wasn't one.

Many thanks for the opportunity to read an early copy.

[Jennifer · Rating 1 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book, until the author unfortunately decided to add a completely unrelated sub plot/second case. When that case comes to Holmes you can see the possibility of it, but it could also be a regular case. But 142 pages in the author decides to go full woke agenda. It is a unnecessary reach and doesn’t even flow well. And like I mentioned above, is completely unattached to the original storyline. Adding agendas to books, simply to tick a box of your being aligned with current social relevancy is poor writing.

[Lauren Stoolfire · Rating 5 out of 5]

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

What Child is This? (A Sherlock Holmes Adventure #5) by Bonnie MacBird was easily one of my most highly anticipated reads. I'm so lucky to have been approved for this ARC via NetGalley because it totally lived up to the hype I'd built up for it. I love this author's take on Sherlock Holmes and John Watson. They feel very much like Arthur Conan Doyle's originals, and she's still able to keep them fresh. I know I've said this with every book, but this series just keeps getting better and better as it goes along. I'm not always a fan of holiday themed stories, but this was just delightful from the world-building of Victorian era London to our cast of characters. If you're a fan of Jeremy Brett's Holmes and David Burke's Watson, you can't miss this book. I hope we'll get to visit these characters again in the future.

[Connie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had been looking forward to reading this, unfortunately unlike Bonnie MacBird's previous Sherlock Holmes books this left me feeling a bit flat. Sherlock has two cases to investigate, but I had solved them long before the reveal.
However I did really like the illustrations.
If all you want is an easy read, then this is for you.
Thank you Netgalley and Publisher for the ARC

[Mongorzel Stepowy · Rating 5 out of 5]

From today, it is the best Christmas book in my opinion. Better than "Christmas Carol" with better Ebenezer Scrooge in a lead.

The climate is wonderful, the cases simple, but gripping and the characters well written. My favourite (except for Holmes and Watson, of course) was propably Peter. I feel sympathy for him and kind of respect. I can only imagine, how hard is decision to leave your child with strangers knowing that you never give it that what it gets from adoptive parents. And he... he is a good man, who just lost himself and just love his son, which he can't have.

The ilustrations by Frank Cho were wonderful and he is such a great ilustrator. I think he is Sidney Paget our times. My favourite was this from chapter "Baby Village". It was kind of... melancholy? I don't know, but it affected me and... just was and is my favourite.

So on the next Christmas you must sit in chair with plate of gingerbread, glass of tea, cocoa or something harder and read this book listening "God Rest Ye Marry Gentleman". It will be the greatest Christmas in your life.

[Cherie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great Christmas time story!
I enjoyed the terrific illustrations too.

I hope to see more stories in the future as this is the last one published.

[Caitlin Gonya · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s the season of peace and goodwill, but a Victorian Christmas is no holiday for the world’s most popular detective in this new book from Bonnie MacBird, author of the bestselling Sherlock Holmes novel Art in the Blood.

It’s Christmastime in London, and Sherlock Holmes takes on two cases. The angelic three-year-old child of a wealthy couple is the target of a vicious kidnapper, and a country aristocrat worries that his handsome, favourite son has mysteriously vanished from his London pied à terre. Holmes and Watson, aided by the colourful Heffie O’Malley, slip slide in the ice to ensure a merry Christmas is had by nearly everybody . . . (Goodreads synopsis)

I have read one of Bonnie MacBird’s previous Sherlock Holmes novels prior to this one, so I must admit that I did not have the complete backstory for their young friend Heffie. That did not, however, take away from the story at all, as it was obvious that Heffie had originally been a part of Sherlock’s Baker Street Irregulars network.

There were 2 mysteries, and I am somewhat disappointed to say that I had figured out both solutions before the ending. However, I still enjoyed Holmes (and MacBird’s portrayal) and his empathy towards the individuals. Sherlock may not view it as such, but Watson and loyal friends do.

Jean Vidocq also makes an appearance, and I really wish the author had given the reader the scene for the thrashing, instead of just telling us. I found it interesting that the English servants would prefer Holmes over Vidocq, but that Lord Endicott would refer to Holmes as an amateur. Guess it was one to show that the “below stairs” were/are more sensible to life than the “above stairs.”

Overall, I rate this novel 5 out of 5 stars, because it is a great Christmas mystery read filled with intriguing and lots of emotion.

[Kara Linaburg · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed the character and world, which held a very similar flavor to the original stories. The language and writing style was a bit modern at times, but that didn't bother me much and allowed the book to be very readable. Sherlock and John also remained true to the original but I had a very BIG reason I didn't like this read: it never made Sherlock smart. I love seeing him deduce from pure logic, and while Sherlock's personality remains the same -- we don't get to see his smarts. We love Sherlock Holmes because we want to see how he solves the mystery and I felt like we weren't getting that.
On top of that, the longer the book went on, the more boring it got. Sherlock wasn't deducing really anything and the plot felt a bit stale.
If you aren't looking for Sherlock's smarts here or a super thrilling read and just want to hang out with Doyle's characters for a a Christmas season, you may enjoy it, but it wasn't for me.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dr. Watson is visiting Baker Street over the Christmas holidays, trying to bring his friend Holmes some holiday cheer. But Holmes is having none of it, until he helps rescue a small child from a brazen daylight kidnapping attempt. To Holmes, the only way of ensuring the little boy's safety is finding the kidnapper and his motive. But things are not always what they seem, as is proven when he also accepts the case of a young man who has disappeared from his flat and stopped writing to his adoring parents. Holmes employs Hepzibah, better known as Heffie, to help in both cases.

[Matt Witten · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a sweet, fun novel. It has all the virtues of Bonnie MacBirds' other Sherlock Holmes novels - fast pace, entertaining and complex characters, and a social conscience that links issues in Holmes' time to issues in our own time. In addition, What Child Is This? shows a deeply caring side of the man.

[Stacy Wilson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I want historical fiction to be authentic to the time. This very much feels like it was written today. Sherlock makes a decision that I honestly don't think he would make.

[Staceywh_17 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Macbird brings Christmas alive and takes us through the streets of Victorian London with Holmes as we try to solve the two mysteries.

This is the fifth in the Sherlock Holmes Adventure series. Sticking with tradition the story is narrated by Sherlock's trusty sidekick Watson.

The descriptions of a Victorian Christmas are absolutely gorgeous; clove studded oranges, mulled wine, candies and the candles on the tree.

Well written, obviously with some great main characters in Holmes and Watson. And a great new take on recreating our favourite detectives with some fantastic new stories and introducing them to new eyes.

Macbird's passion for Holmes shines through on every page and I can't wait to devour the other books in the series.

Many thanks to Random Things Tours for my tour spot.

Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[Eleanor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I devoured this book in less than 2 days. Macbird is one of my favourite Holmes authors, and this latest in her series doesn’t disappoint! The cases were clever and emotional, and really showed the responsibility that Holmes had when deciding how to deliver his accusations, with the impact that these have on the victims and people involved in the crimes. It was heartwarming and heartbreaking in parts, and as always I love Watson and Holmes’ chemistry. I also love how Macbird is gradually exploring Holmes’ background more, and I hope that in future instalments we get to learn even more about his past.

[Samanthasquare · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh Christmas time and the proficient Sherlock Holmes!

[Teresa Rokas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Holmes and Watson solve 2 mysteries during the Christmas season. The author channels Conan Doyle's writing style. The atmosphere of a Victorian Christmas is captured.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want to read all of her Sherlock books now.

[Jim Rickard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun book to read

I enjoyed this book. I like the Holmes Christmas stories. Good and fun plot. I will read more in this series

[Laura F · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice story, easy to read and a cute book for the Christmas break. Some of the plot was predictable, some not. I got this as a «blind date with a book» and was not disappointed.

[Brianna Shrout · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book as an Advanced Reader Copy from HarperCollins Publishing. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The famous Sherlock Holmes is at it again and this time, just in time for Christmas. Christmas spirit won't get in the way of this Scrooge when it comes to solving mysteries. This Scrooge is the best known detective and for good reason. That's why, this Christmas season, Holmes takes on two new cases, both of loving parents concerned for their children. Can Sherlock "Scrooge" Holmes save Christmas for these two families before it is too late? Can his colleague and friend, Dr. Watson, help Holmes find that little spark of Christmas spirit buried in him somewhere?

"What Child is This?" is my first novel by Bonnie MacBird and my very first Sherlock Holmes novel as well. Don't get me wrong; everyone and their mother knows who Sherlock Holmes is. Am I the only one that pictures Robert Downey Jr. when I think of Sherlock Holmes? Just me? Okay...anyway!

The book is told from the perspective of Dr. Watson. I was not fully into the book at first. As both Watson and Holmes are extremely smart and have amazing vernacular, the language was at times a bit hard to wrap around. But after the first couple chapters and getting used to the verbiage, I really started getting into the book.

As Holmes and Watson are walking along Oxford Street, Holmes being his usual "ba-humbug" self, that happen across a man seemingly trying to rip a young boy out the arms of a woma and her maid. Of course, as good citizens, Watson and Holmes immediately jump in to try to help. The boy is reached away from the man and as the man takes off, Holmes attempts to run after him and capture him for questioning. Upon returning to 221B Baker Street, it seems as though Holmes' mind is already stirring around, trying to figure out the mystery. He even predicted Lady Endicott showing up to 221B looking for Holmes' help. To Watson's delight and a bit of confusion, Holmes agrees to take on the case.

As the duo is leaving, they are approached by another Lord, demanding their help with his "missing" son. His youngest son and his and his wife's favorite child, has seemingly gone missing after moving to the London area. The father has called on the son numerous times only to be met with the valet/bellman telling him that his son is out or some other excuse. The mother is absolutely distraught and extremely worried about her son. Again, much to Watson's surprise, Holmes agrees to take the case.

As mentioned, the verbiage of the book was very difficult to get into at first. But as the book progressed, it began easier and easier to understand. While I did enjoy this book, it flashed back too many times to other Holmes' stories and while it is stated that the books can be read in any order, it definitively did feel like at times I was missing out on something that had happened in a prior novel. I've never been a huge fan of Sherlock Holmes and it's not completely Sherlock's fault. I've just never been super big into detective stories. But as one of my first Holmes novel and one of my first full length detective novel, I did enjoy it.

The timeline seemed to jump so often and there was so many things that seemed to resolve themselves before you know it without any lead up or explanation. I felt lost at times and didn't like the way that the novel was written as if Watson, the narrator was breaking the 4th wall and at times felt like he was directly talking to the audience. I felt that it took away from the story and did not enhance the story.

Overall, it was a good read and I did enjoy it. Would I be willing to pick up another Holmes novel? Yes. But would I be willing to go out of my way to get any new Holmes novel? No, I don't think so. I was hoping this would create a Holmes fan out of me but it definitively did not do that.

[Preetam Chatterjee · Rating 5 out of 5]

There’s a strange magic about Nabami afternoons and nights, isn’t there? Any Kolkatan would vouch for it. The city feels brighter and sadder at the same time, like someone has turned the saturation up and the volume down. The lights shimmer harder, the crowds move slower, and everything — from the scent of shiuli to the rhythm of the dhaak — feels thick with meaning. It’s in that liminal glow, somewhere between celebration and the slow ache of impending farewell, that ‘What Child Is This?’ finds its perfect emotional home.

MacBird’s fifth Holmes adventure isn’t just a detective novella—it’s a mood, a winter-lantern kind of story, a quiet hymn sung under Victorian streetlamps. But read on, Nabami? Oh, then it becomes something else entirely. It becomes a puja-night prayer disguised as a mystery, a search for one missing child that feels like a search for innocence itself — the kind we lose every year as Dashami approaches, and the city prepares to let go of the goddess.

Holmes in this book is different — or rather, MacBird tunes him differently. He’s sharper, yes, alert like a cat that hasn’t slept for three days, but there’s a tenderness here, buried deep, like a pradeep flickering at the back of a shrine. Maybe it’s because the story revolves around a child. Maybe it’s the season (in the book it’s Christmas; in your world it was Puja). Maybe it’s that thing festivals do to us — strip us of cynicism without asking permission.

Watson, too, feels warmer, more present, and more bruised by compassion. He narrates the story like someone who can’t help caring too much, like that friend who stays up with you in the pandal until 3 a.m. because the night is too beautiful to waste on sleep.

And when he moves through London’s fog — orphanages, alleyways, carriages clicking past gaslight — you sense the soft melancholy of Nabami in his voice. The knowledge that the story will end. That the festival will end. That moment will slip away like vermilion into river water.

The plot itself revolves around a missing child and a question of identity, protection, and the fractures created by power.

But MacBird doesn’t treat the mystery like a puzzle. She treats it like a wound.

A wound that Holmes examines with precision and Watson with empathy. The result is a narrative that feels both sharp and tender, like those Dhunuchi dancers on Navami — fierce smoke, soft glow.

There’s something incredibly cinematic about the way MacBird sketches London here. Snow falling, bells chiming, lamps glowing like frozen sparks in the cold night air. But because I was reading this on Nabami, my brain probably filled those snowy London streets with the texture of Kolkata nights instead — the yellow glow of streetlights bouncing off pandal cloth; children running, their laughter blending with conch shells; women in red-bordered saris leaving trails of perfume and nostalgia behind them.

And somehow, impossibly, it works. Victorian Christmas and Bengali Pujo shouldn’t blend, but in this book, through your reading, they do. Because both festivals are about light in darkness. Both are about gods who come to visit mortals. Both are about kindness, community, and the fragile humans who hold each other up.

MacBird’s strength has always been her ability to balance Doyle’s classical structure with a contemporary emotional frequency. Here she takes that balance and turns it intimate. Almost devotional. As if she’s writing not just a Holmes case but a small prayer for the vulnerable — the lost children, the forgotten souls, the people who hide pain behind politeness.

And during Pujo — that festival of a mother coming home to her children — the story hits harder. The question of “What child is this?” grows large, symbolic, and mythic. Every orphan becomes a Mahalaya yearning. Every search becomes an offering.

Holmes, for once, shows cracks. Not weakness — never that — but the shadow of empathy. It’s subtle, like the moment when the dhaak slows during sandhi puja, giving you just enough breathing room to feel your own pulse.

And Watson witnesses these cracks with something akin to reverence, as if he too recognises that moments of emotion in Holmes are rare, fleeting, and sacred, like a glimpse of the goddess’s face when the pandal lights shift.

The dialogues snap with MacBird’s usual energy — crisp and witty, but also unexpectedly soft around the edges. There’s a rhythm to them, as if the sentences were written with half an ear tuned to carols and half to puja mantras.

And the supporting characters — orphans, caretakers, men with wealth but little conscience — feel real without becoming theatrical. She gives even the antagonistic figures small moments of humanity, reminding you that villains do not always arrive with horns. Sometimes they come with misunderstood intentions or with the softness of privilege that has never been challenged.

The postmodern flavour comes in whispers. Not through fragmentation, but through the awareness of myth-making — how stories about heroes grow, how narratives shape public memory, and how Watson isn’t just recording a case but crafting a legacy.

There are flickers where you feel the text looking at itself, acknowledging the long lineage of Holmes stories, acknowledging your act of reading, and acknowledging the tradition you carry by engaging with it. It’s subtle. Like the way Pujo pandals often embed self-referential motifs — a goddess who contains symbols of previous years, a design that honours the artisan community that built it.

And then there’s the emotional. It is Nabami through and through. The story begins with anticipation, builds with warmth and rising light, and ends with a note of tenderness so gentle you almost miss the heartache underneath. It’s the same emotional slope Pujo follows: joy, communion, crescendo, and ache. The book’s final mood mirrors Dashami morning — that soft knot in the chest, the beauty of closure, and the knowledge that returning home also means leaving something behind.

What’s extraordinary is how little MacBird needs to ‘say’ to create that effect. She writes with restraint, trusting the reader to hear the echo behind the silence. In that, the book feels almost Upanishadic — the truth is in the gaps, the pauses, and the unspoken compassion between Holmes and Watson. In your Nabami-night reading, those pauses probably stretched a little longer, carried by the distance between pandals, by the aftertaste of bhog, and by the faint realisation that the goddess was preparing to leave.

By the time the book ends, you’re not just finishing a novella. You’re stepping into Dashami morning. The story settles in your chest like a sindoor smear — bright, tender, and inevitably sad. But warm. Comforting. Human.

Reading this from Nabami to Dashami isn’t just a timeline — it’s a mood-map. You bring the book into the dying glow of the festival, and the book, in turn, brings you a small, glowing story about compassion in the dark.

And that’s the perfect kind of Holmes tale.

Recommended.

[CJ · Rating 2 out of 5]

While the writing style may be a bit reminiscent of the original, the 21st century lens given throughout the story diminishes this holiday mystery for Holmes.

[Barry Hurford · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this story immensely. At the story's core is a double mystery centred around a vicious kidnapper and a missing young aristocrat. Both pull Holmes out of his festive funk and into the streets. When reading a Holmes story from outside the canon, I still expect to find clever deductions, and I'm pleased to say they're plentiful here, along with some vivid, slightly Dickensian side characters, the author's trademark humour, and a few surprises along the way. These elements combine beautifully and result in a highly enjoyable Christmas read that would have an excellent gift for the Holmesian on your list. Frank Cho's illustrations make for a delightful bonus.

[Shawn Bain · Rating 1 out of 5]

I love Christmas, and I love Sherlock Holmes. Imagine my excitement when I found a book that married these two loves of mine. It has such a gorgeous cover too.

While the imagery is fantastic, told succinctly and vividly capturing Christmas essence with most scenes, What Child is This falls short in many other areas. The story is intriguing enough, and Holmes’ ability of deduction and picking up clues is fun in the story. So What Child is This started out with promise.

The character of Holmes leaves something to be desired. He is often much more cheerful and jovial than Holmes in his original work. There might be spurts of this in the classics, but his serious, often abrasive, demeanor is not captured well in this book.

Now for the crux of my rating. What Child is This was lining up for a solid three or four-star rating, but LGBT nonsense was the focus of the story. It’s not only that it’s difficult to find stories that aren’t saturated with this junk, but transgender nonsense didn’t even exist in the time period this is written for.

Truly sad, because this book had a lot of potential. I won’t be recommending it for anyone.

[Jim Lunsford · Rating 5 out of 5]

What I love most in this series is the humanity that is so skillfully written into all of these very familiar characters. I have loved getting to know them all over again, and this volume gives even more. Such a wonderful read!

[Rhiannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some clever mysteries in this! Clearly I’m getting a little better as my theories were correct. I love MacBird’s Holmes stories and as always, she captured Holmes and Watson perfectly. This one didn’t have any clear insights into Holmes’ past as in the other novels in the series, but there were some gentler sides to him in this. I hope that there’s more to come in this series!

[Amy Dong · Rating 2 out of 5]

Did not care for

[M.L.D. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Holmes and Watson enable kidnapping in a stunning display of classism (which to be fair, is often present in Holmes stories). Not sure I'll try other books by MacBird.

[Patrick · Rating 1 out of 5]

I just want a Sherlock Homes story as she wrote before these. Then it went agenda woke. I was done with the whole series.