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Sherlock Holmes #9
Sherlock Holmes and the Sandringham House Mystery
Author Val Andrews was always at his best when writing about the world of entertainment and Sherlock Holmes and the Sandringham House Mystery is no exception.
A famous magician is invited by the King to give a command performance at Sandringham, but tragically the brilliance of the entertainment is marred by the unexpected disappearance of a priceless painting from the music room.
Holmes and Watson are called in to investigate and are able to recover the artwork without too much difficulty. However, this is only the start of the adventure which will see Holmes undergo a near-death experience. This story also sees the detective's deductive powers being tested to the limit as he unravels yet another mystery from the fertile imagination of Val Andrews.
A famous magician is invited by the King to give a command performance at Sandringham, but tragically the brilliance of the entertainment is marred by the unexpected disappearance of a priceless painting from the music room.
Holmes and Watson are called in to investigate and are able to recover the artwork without too much difficulty. However, this is only the start of the adventure which will see Holmes undergo a near-death experience. This story also sees the detective's deductive powers being tested to the limit as he unravels yet another mystery from the fertile imagination of Val Andrews.
- GenresMystery
96 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 1999
28 people are currently reading
44 people want to read
About the author
Val Andrews
60 books16 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Val Andrews was a music hall artist, ventriloquist and writer.
Andrews was born in Hove, Sussex, England a few hours after Valentine's Day, hence his name. Son of an architect, he was introduced to magic by his father. Andrews was a prolific writer on magic, having published over 1000 books and booklets from 1952. He also authored Sherlock Holmes pastiches and Houdini's novels. He lived for a number of years in Brighton, then in London (from 1943 onwards) where he joined the London Society of Magicians.
Val Andrews was a music hall artist, ventriloquist and writer.
Andrews was born in Hove, Sussex, England a few hours after Valentine's Day, hence his name. Son of an architect, he was introduced to magic by his father. Andrews was a prolific writer on magic, having published over 1000 books and booklets from 1952. He also authored Sherlock Holmes pastiches and Houdini's novels. He lived for a number of years in Brighton, then in London (from 1943 onwards) where he joined the London Society of Magicians.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
June 9, 2023
4 STARS
November 1, 2024
1902 Holmes' new client Horace Goldin, was performing for the king at Sandringham House when a painting was stolen and replaced by a fake. To totally clear his name he would like Holmes to investigate.
An entertaining Holmes mystery
An entertaining Holmes mystery
December 27, 2018
Holmes and Watson are visited by Goldin, an illusionist, who is afraid to be accused of stealing a painting from the king. They go undercover to with him to the king to uncover the mystery. There are a few other additional things involved in the story.
Fairly worthy Holmes' story, but thought some of the added stuff was unnecessary.
Fairly worthy Holmes' story, but thought some of the added stuff was unnecessary.
February 9, 2018
A painting and 221B
To recover the painting and save his residence is a story woven together with imagination and good storytelling. An enjoyable read.
To recover the painting and save his residence is a story woven together with imagination and good storytelling. An enjoyable read.
May 17, 2018
A complex but lively plot, a king with the personal touch, and a near done-to-death Holmes makes this an engaging, but not stellar, read.
August 22, 2018
The King and I
Well done. The writing was superb bringing these almost mythical characters back to life. A quick entertaining read, fun and interesting. Quite enjoyable.
Well done. The writing was superb bringing these almost mythical characters back to life. A quick entertaining read, fun and interesting. Quite enjoyable.
October 6, 2020
A long way from the real Holmes and Watson
February 14, 2016
Holmes has a command performance!
Sherlock Holmes and the Sandringham House Mystery by Val Andrews
The year is 1902. ‘Horace Goldin, “The Whirlwind of Wizardry,” has come to 221B with a problem. Recently, Goldin has been honored with a command performance to King Edward given at Sandringham House.
The affair went off without a hitch, but upon returning from Sandringham, Goldin has been notified that a Rembrandt has been stolen and replaced with a not too good forgery. The Kings servants are above suspicion and all the guests of noble birth. Even Kaiser Wilhelm, who is King Edward’s cousin, is thought to be above suspicion.
Lestrade thus feels that the guilty party has to lie among the performers of Goldin’s company. The fact that one woman is a quick-sketch artist adds to this suspicion. Yet unknown to the performers, their bags were searched before they were allowed to leave. No trace of the painting could be found.
Now Goldin is required for a repeat performance at Sandringham House. He will take Holmes and Watson along disguised as magician’s helpers.
Yet very soon it is Sherlock Holmes himself that turns up missing! Lestrade and Watson must pull out all of the stops to find the great detective before it is too late!
I liked this one. It isn’t the best of Val Andrews’ Holmes essays, but it does have its moments. I will give it three stars.
Quoth the Raven…
Sherlock Holmes and the Sandringham House Mystery by Val Andrews
The year is 1902. ‘Horace Goldin, “The Whirlwind of Wizardry,” has come to 221B with a problem. Recently, Goldin has been honored with a command performance to King Edward given at Sandringham House.
The affair went off without a hitch, but upon returning from Sandringham, Goldin has been notified that a Rembrandt has been stolen and replaced with a not too good forgery. The Kings servants are above suspicion and all the guests of noble birth. Even Kaiser Wilhelm, who is King Edward’s cousin, is thought to be above suspicion.
Lestrade thus feels that the guilty party has to lie among the performers of Goldin’s company. The fact that one woman is a quick-sketch artist adds to this suspicion. Yet unknown to the performers, their bags were searched before they were allowed to leave. No trace of the painting could be found.
Now Goldin is required for a repeat performance at Sandringham House. He will take Holmes and Watson along disguised as magician’s helpers.
Yet very soon it is Sherlock Holmes himself that turns up missing! Lestrade and Watson must pull out all of the stops to find the great detective before it is too late!
I liked this one. It isn’t the best of Val Andrews’ Holmes essays, but it does have its moments. I will give it three stars.
Quoth the Raven…
June 26, 2008
aargh. If the author would stick to one plot instead of trying to do so much in the short amount of space he has, I'd be grateful. The main plot of this novel was good -- Sherlock Holmes is called upon by a stage magician who had the honor of performing for his majesty King Edward VII at Sandringham House. While there, a theft of a valuable Rembrandt painting occurred, and even though the magician has been cleared of the theft, he worries that his reputation will suffer if word gets out. So he asks Holmes & Watson to help him. The magician has been invited to return to Sandringham House to once again perform, and wants Holmes & Watson to accompany him & investigate the theft. Now that is a good plot, but instead of trying to flesh that out somewhat, we have two other plot lines that muddy what could have been a good story. -sigh-
If you're planning on trying this as your first Holmes pastiche, don't. Try some others, then come back around to this one -- it's not as enjoyable as others I've read.
If you're planning on trying this as your first Holmes pastiche, don't. Try some others, then come back around to this one -- it's not as enjoyable as others I've read.
January 31, 2016
Not one of the better stories by this author mainly because of factual errors. Edward VII keeps referring to Wilhelm II as his cousin when actually Edward is his uncle. Then there is another error when it refers to Wilhelm II as Kaiser of Austria-Hungary, which would surprise the actual ruler of Austria-Hungary, Franz Joseph.
Besides, these errors the story is rather implausible, particularly Holmes' encounter with the German bad guys and subsequent imprisonment. I did like the touch of the Great Detective saving 221B for Mrs. Hudson however.
Besides, these errors the story is rather implausible, particularly Holmes' encounter with the German bad guys and subsequent imprisonment. I did like the touch of the Great Detective saving 221B for Mrs. Hudson however.
September 20, 2024
This is one of the best SH tales Val Andrews has written that I have read and this one is ripe for TV or a movie. The royal connection is always a draw with all the pomp and ceremony, not to mention the costumes, but add to that the intrigue of Kaiser Wilhelm's treachery to King Edward and his treatment of SH ! A must read for the SH fan.
July 16, 2016
Quite enjoyable
It's very nice to be able to read new adventures of Sherlock Holmes. But this author seems to have channeled Sir Arthur Conan Doyle quite splendidly. You will enjoy the journey to the time of King Edward VII.
It's very nice to be able to read new adventures of Sherlock Holmes. But this author seems to have channeled Sir Arthur Conan Doyle quite splendidly. You will enjoy the journey to the time of King Edward VII.
March 29, 2017
Kindle Unlimited One of several Sherlock Holmes stories by an assorted group of authors, wanted to go through them all. Liked it, just didn't love it, sort of the right style and all but....
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews