What do you think?
Rate this book
Silver Blaze
Join world-famous detective Sherlock Holmes and his ever-loyal sidekick Dr. Watson as they embark on a daring adventure.
The famous race horse Silver Blaze has disappeared, and the horse's trainer, John Straker, has been murdered. The great detective travels to Dartmoor to investigate. Can he discover who killed Straker and track down Silver Blaze ... before it's too late?
Adapted by award-winning children's fiction author Alex Woolf, this thrilling tale will delight bright young things aged 7+.
Audiobook
Published July 1, 2022
3 people are currently reading
12 people want to read
About the author
Alex Woolf
301 books45 followersAlex Woolf is a prolific, award-winning author of books for adults and children. In his non-fiction he has written on subjects as diverse as sharks, robots, asteroids, flying reptiles and chocolate. His novels span a range of genres, including crime, mystery, science fiction, historical fiction, steampunk and horror.
Alex is a regular author for Fiction Express, online publishers of interactive stories for schools. Fiction Express is read by more than 150,000 students from 20 countries. Two of his stories have won reader awards. In 2021, he won the prestigious ASE award for his non-fiction book Think Like a Scientist. His horror novel, Soul Shadows, was shortlisted for the Falkirk Red Book Award. Bestselling crime author Peter James described his novel Aldo Moon as “a real delight, witty, ghostly and at times deliciously ghastly”.
Alex is a regular author for Fiction Express, online publishers of interactive stories for schools. Fiction Express is read by more than 150,000 students from 20 countries. Two of his stories have won reader awards. In 2021, he won the prestigious ASE award for his non-fiction book Think Like a Scientist. His horror novel, Soul Shadows, was shortlisted for the Falkirk Red Book Award. Bestselling crime author Peter James described his novel Aldo Moon as “a real delight, witty, ghostly and at times deliciously ghastly”.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
August 3, 2022
Old readers like me of a grandfatherly age will remember the strange disappearance of Shergar stolen from stud in 1983.
Well before that Arthur Conan Doyle wrote a Sherlock Holmes mystery surrounding another horse, Silver Blaze who was stolen from its yard ahead of a big race.
Respected and highly acclaimed children’s author Alex Woolf has turned his attention to this story; teamed up with illustrator Eve O’Brien - they have retold many of the classics the Holmes/Watson legacy.
The Silver Blaze is a very accessible Sherlock Holmes mystery. Although set in 1890 it is set within a modern sport, that of horse racing.
Aimed at our early readers; 7-11 year olds the story has pace and intrigue drawing the reader in and maintaining their interest. The well chosen illustration compliment the story perfectly and give a clearer meaning to the words alone.
Against precautions and guarding the stable someone manages to whisk the horse away and in the process the trainer is killed. The tale mostly takes place around Dartmoor and the sense of space and openness only adds to the drama.
The police have arrested someone who was acting suspiciously but Holmes has his own ideas. The beauty of the original writing and in the re-telling the facts remain obscured from the reader until Holmes tells all.
A classic story, part of a fine collection. I would rank this story as one of the most readable for our kids and grandchildren due to its themes. Thereafter they may well be hooked so a whole series may need to be bought or rooted out from the library.
Well before that Arthur Conan Doyle wrote a Sherlock Holmes mystery surrounding another horse, Silver Blaze who was stolen from its yard ahead of a big race.
Respected and highly acclaimed children’s author Alex Woolf has turned his attention to this story; teamed up with illustrator Eve O’Brien - they have retold many of the classics the Holmes/Watson legacy.
The Silver Blaze is a very accessible Sherlock Holmes mystery. Although set in 1890 it is set within a modern sport, that of horse racing.
Aimed at our early readers; 7-11 year olds the story has pace and intrigue drawing the reader in and maintaining their interest. The well chosen illustration compliment the story perfectly and give a clearer meaning to the words alone.
Against precautions and guarding the stable someone manages to whisk the horse away and in the process the trainer is killed. The tale mostly takes place around Dartmoor and the sense of space and openness only adds to the drama.
The police have arrested someone who was acting suspiciously but Holmes has his own ideas. The beauty of the original writing and in the re-telling the facts remain obscured from the reader until Holmes tells all.
A classic story, part of a fine collection. I would rank this story as one of the most readable for our kids and grandchildren due to its themes. Thereafter they may well be hooked so a whole series may need to be bought or rooted out from the library.
August 13, 2022
Thank you so much to Arcturus and Netgalley for the ebook to read and review.
Holmes gets roped into the case of a missing race horse and the stable boy being murdered and heads down to solve what was really going on and put the pieces together.
I personally didn’t enjoy this one, there was a lot of different things that Holmes had to solve and put together which was interesting, but the topic is just not one of interest to me.
As always Holmes is smarter and more tactile about how he solves all his mysteries never sharing everything he has put together with the detective or people requesting his help. You are left to figure them all out yourself and try to get what he got, which very rarely happens and this case was quite a difficult one to figure out.
I didn’t really care for the race horse storyline nor the hurting animals stuff, it’s a bit off putting to me so made me not enjoy solving this one as much as most of the others.
I do love reading this series though, they are just so fascinating getting a chance to read these beloved mysteries but in a simpler way, with illustrations and cut down to give younger audiences a chance to enjoy them too.
Holmes gets roped into the case of a missing race horse and the stable boy being murdered and heads down to solve what was really going on and put the pieces together.
I personally didn’t enjoy this one, there was a lot of different things that Holmes had to solve and put together which was interesting, but the topic is just not one of interest to me.
As always Holmes is smarter and more tactile about how he solves all his mysteries never sharing everything he has put together with the detective or people requesting his help. You are left to figure them all out yourself and try to get what he got, which very rarely happens and this case was quite a difficult one to figure out.
I didn’t really care for the race horse storyline nor the hurting animals stuff, it’s a bit off putting to me so made me not enjoy solving this one as much as most of the others.
I do love reading this series though, they are just so fascinating getting a chance to read these beloved mysteries but in a simpler way, with illustrations and cut down to give younger audiences a chance to enjoy them too.
August 14, 2022
Alex Woolf retells “Silver Blaze,” an intriguing Arthur Conan Doyle Sherlock Holmes short story where a great racehorse goes missing and its trainer is found dead.
Sherlock is intrigued by the latest story in the news — famed horse Silver Blaze goes missing just before entering a major race while his trainer is found dead with a mysterious wound and a strange knife in his hand. The great detective once again uses his powers of deduction to try and find Silver Blaze and determine who the killer is.
“Silver Blaze” is a story featuring an unexpected villain, leading the reader to question who is the true scoundrel and digging into who is the least expected to have caused trouble.
Filled with delightful illustrations by Eve O’Brien, “Silver Blaze” is told in a fun and easy way kids of all ages will understand. This series is a great way to introduce young readers to Doyle and the great Sherlock Holmes, but adults will also enjoy these short stories. The story slowly lays out the clues, allowing the reader to solve the mystery alongside the notorious detective.
Five stars out of five.
Arcturus Publishing provided this complimentary copy through NetGalley for my honest, unbiased review.
Sherlock is intrigued by the latest story in the news — famed horse Silver Blaze goes missing just before entering a major race while his trainer is found dead with a mysterious wound and a strange knife in his hand. The great detective once again uses his powers of deduction to try and find Silver Blaze and determine who the killer is.
“Silver Blaze” is a story featuring an unexpected villain, leading the reader to question who is the true scoundrel and digging into who is the least expected to have caused trouble.
Filled with delightful illustrations by Eve O’Brien, “Silver Blaze” is told in a fun and easy way kids of all ages will understand. This series is a great way to introduce young readers to Doyle and the great Sherlock Holmes, but adults will also enjoy these short stories. The story slowly lays out the clues, allowing the reader to solve the mystery alongside the notorious detective.
Five stars out of five.
Arcturus Publishing provided this complimentary copy through NetGalley for my honest, unbiased review.
August 4, 2022
I love how the author of these manages to capture the times and the feels of the original classics. The Victorian age, Sherlock in all his glory and of course, the cases he solves, adapted without loosing anything from the originals. And coupled with illustrations makes it perfect for the intended audience of younger readers.
They are very easy and effortless to read and are compelling enough to hold the attention of any little reader/ listener.
In this one, we hear of the disappearance of a potentially prize winning horse, Silver Blaze. It’s tipped to win the upcoming race, but of course, if he’s missing, the tables tip into the favour of others who also have stakes in the race… missing horses, murder, strange and mysterious folk hanging around the stables.. can Sherlock Holmes piece all of this together and solve the case?
Thank you to the author and Arcturus Publishing for this book on NetGalley in return for my honest thoughts and review.
They are very easy and effortless to read and are compelling enough to hold the attention of any little reader/ listener.
In this one, we hear of the disappearance of a potentially prize winning horse, Silver Blaze. It’s tipped to win the upcoming race, but of course, if he’s missing, the tables tip into the favour of others who also have stakes in the race… missing horses, murder, strange and mysterious folk hanging around the stables.. can Sherlock Holmes piece all of this together and solve the case?
Thank you to the author and Arcturus Publishing for this book on NetGalley in return for my honest thoughts and review.
August 12, 2022
This Sherlock Holmes short story contains one of the greatest lines in all literature. They’re a conversation between the Great Detective and a Scotland Yard detective.
After re-reading it dozens of times over the decades, those line still give me a thrill!
In this short story, Holmes and his sidekick Watson are called to investigate the disappearance of a champion race horse and the murder of his trainer. Let’s just say there’s much more than meets the eye! I am so pleased that author Alex Woolf has adapted this fabulous tale so that it is accessible for youngsters and future Sherlock Holmes fans. Highly recommended.
[Sherlock Holmes:] “…And there’s something else I should draw your attention to.”
“What’s that?”
“The curious incident of the dog in the night time.”
"The dog did nothing in the night time.”
That was the curious incident,” said Sherlock Holmes.
After re-reading it dozens of times over the decades, those line still give me a thrill!
In this short story, Holmes and his sidekick Watson are called to investigate the disappearance of a champion race horse and the murder of his trainer. Let’s just say there’s much more than meets the eye! I am so pleased that author Alex Woolf has adapted this fabulous tale so that it is accessible for youngsters and future Sherlock Holmes fans. Highly recommended.
August 12, 2022
With thanks to the author, publishers Arcturus Publishing, and NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.
I have been a fan of Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes series since I was young, and this series of abridged versions aimed at young readers is a welcome addition to the multitude of other editions of the stories already out there, with these books being written in language specifically aimed at readers aged 7-11.
This is the first in the series that I have read and, despite the relatively short length of the book, the author of this particular edition has done a great job in capturing the nuances of the plot and staying true to the original work, while the cartoonish illustrations enhance the reading experience even more.
I hope and fully expect that this book and others in the series will inspire younger readers to seek out the original versions by Arthur Conan Doyle. Recommended.
I have been a fan of Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes series since I was young, and this series of abridged versions aimed at young readers is a welcome addition to the multitude of other editions of the stories already out there, with these books being written in language specifically aimed at readers aged 7-11.
This is the first in the series that I have read and, despite the relatively short length of the book, the author of this particular edition has done a great job in capturing the nuances of the plot and staying true to the original work, while the cartoonish illustrations enhance the reading experience even more.
I hope and fully expect that this book and others in the series will inspire younger readers to seek out the original versions by Arthur Conan Doyle. Recommended.
August 2, 2022
Join world famous detective Sherlock Holmes and his ever loyal sidekick Dr. Watson as they embark on a daring adventure.
The famous race horse Silver Blaze has disappeared, and the horse's trainer, John Straker, has been murdered. The great detective travels to Dartmoor to investigate. Can he discover who killed Straker and track down Silver Blaze before it's too late?
This thrilling tale has been retold and adapted with new illustrations, making it perfect for younger readers. Adapted by award winning children's fiction author Alex Woolf, it will delight bright young things aged 7+.
Really enjoyable read totally recommend
Thank You NetGalley and Arcturus Publishing
I just reviewed Silver Blaze by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Alex Woolf. #NetGalley
Really enjoyable read totally recommend
Thank You NetGalley and Arcturus Publishing
I just reviewed Silver Blaze by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Alex Woolf. #NetGalley
August 22, 2022
Here is another in the series of adaptations of Sherlock Holmes stories that are designed for early chapter book readers. Each story is illustrated in a way that adds to the enjoyment of the story.
As can be deduced from the cover, young Sherlocks will know that this story has to do with a horse. What happened to Silver Blaze? Why? And who killed his trainer? The great detective and his sidekick want to know. Kids will want to know too.
I recommend this entry and the entire series. The books offer a good introduction to the great detective.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Arcturus Publishing for this title. All opinions are my own.
As can be deduced from the cover, young Sherlocks will know that this story has to do with a horse. What happened to Silver Blaze? Why? And who killed his trainer? The great detective and his sidekick want to know. Kids will want to know too.
I recommend this entry and the entire series. The books offer a good introduction to the great detective.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Arcturus Publishing for this title. All opinions are my own.
September 17, 2022
I have really enjoyed the books in this series and I delight in picking up a new book when it is released.
I thought that this was a great retelling of Silver Blaze and a great introduction to Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson for younger readers too. I saved this book to read it on my summer holiday in August 2022 and loved sitting on the beach in Cornwall reading it!
The book was easy to follow and I really liked the illustrations that were added to the book to bring the story to life too. The book was well written and really enjoyable for me as an adult too, a great overview.
It is 4 stars from me for this one, highly recommended!
I thought that this was a great retelling of Silver Blaze and a great introduction to Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson for younger readers too. I saved this book to read it on my summer holiday in August 2022 and loved sitting on the beach in Cornwall reading it!
The book was easy to follow and I really liked the illustrations that were added to the book to bring the story to life too. The book was well written and really enjoyable for me as an adult too, a great overview.
It is 4 stars from me for this one, highly recommended!
August 19, 2022
A great children’s book for Sherlock Holmes fan! The author has done a great job in staying true to form on the original work by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. These books are a fast read and the mystery is sure to keep their attention! A great series of books to read for all ages.
Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
August 21, 2022
This was a short and simple adaptation of the Holmes story for young readers. This was a simple case involving the thief of a racehorse. A good introduction into the world of Holmes and Watson without being overwhelming. Easy to read with some illustrations.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
August 10, 2022
Silver Blaze by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Alex Woolf.
Join Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson as they help find a missing race horse silver Blaze and the murde of his trainer John Straker.
I love these short stories. Illustrations were amazing. 5*.
Join Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson as they help find a missing race horse silver Blaze and the murde of his trainer John Straker.
I love these short stories. Illustrations were amazing. 5*.
August 10, 2022
I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I grew up reading mystery hotels for kids and am so excited to add these beautifully redone Sherlock Holmes stories to my collection to share with the kids in my life! They are just like the originals but intended for a juvenile audience.
I grew up reading mystery hotels for kids and am so excited to add these beautifully redone Sherlock Holmes stories to my collection to share with the kids in my life! They are just like the originals but intended for a juvenile audience.
August 10, 2022
These are such a great series , great bedtime story books with delightful illustrations. Suitable for all of the family.
August 29, 2022
Note: I received a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
May 3, 2025
I loved it my one and only reason
It’s because at the sort of close to the end, you find out that silver blaze accidentally killed striker. I just love the book.
It’s because at the sort of close to the end, you find out that silver blaze accidentally killed striker. I just love the book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews