Sherlock Holmes and the Highgate Horrors

Sherlock Holmes Cthulhu Casebooks #4

by James Lovegrove

An exciting standalone Cthulhu Casebooks narrative, a thrilling tale of mystery and dread, from the New York Times bestselling author.

It’s 1929 and an ageing Dr John Watson, conscious of his imminent demise, finally sits down to write a fresh chronicle disclosing the true events behind his published accounts of Sherlock Holmes’s exploits. In these pages, Sherlock Holmes and his stalwart companion encounter reanimated corpses in Highgate Cemetery; a very different, though ever elusive, Irene Adler; tales of madness and murder in the frozen wastes of the north; grotesque organic machines; and much more. Each case brings the illustrious pair ever closer to the dramatic and terrifying truth about the mysterious aliens, the Mi-Go, and their plans for Earth…

Genres: Horror, Mystery, Fantasy, Fiction, Audiobook, Lovecraftian, Crime

536 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 10, 2023

About the author

James 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.

Reviews

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75. This is the last of the Cthuhu Sherlock Holmes casebook. Yes it was a long (almost 600 pages) and twisted story that at times went completely off the tracks. It felt more Sci Fi then mystery horror, but, for me the characters are old dear friends and I was interested in how all of these many many endings would resolve. I was satisfied with the conclusion and am now ready to read some of the more conventional Holmes collections. Listened to the entire series as Audiobooks 🫶

[Peter Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this additional entry in the Cthulu casebooks. The antagonists were different enough to feel fresh and the story weaved into the larger narrative of the first three books really well. It felt like some of the ancillary characters in the original Sherlock Holmes stories were given new life in this retelling. Lovegrove also used different vehicles for telling the different parts of the book that I thought worked really well. It would jump between reading a journal, interviewing a suspect, or the experience of the duo and it really felt like an investigation as a result. Sad to hear this is his last, but a really great book to end on!

[David · Rating 1 out of 5]

Simply not as good as the others, but also tainted by liberal sexual garbage. Its conclusion is disappointing.

[Kieran McAndrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

What begins as a case of three disturbed corpses in Highgate Cemetery becomes a lifelong battle against an invasion of the Outer gods as Sherlock Holmes once more finds himself fighting the eldritch powers of the Old Ones.

Lovegrove's narrative is compelling and works well as a pastiche of the Holmes literary canon, as well as embracing the Cthulhu Mythos. Ironically, in his struggle with the supernatural, Sherlock Holmes has never seemed more hunan.

[Shelby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sad this will be the last book in the series and last Sherlock novel for Lovegrove. He did a seamless blending of Conan Doyle and Lovecraft that no other series compares to.

[Ryan Handley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovegrove just does Sherlock Holmes right.

Another entry into one of my favourite takes on the detective with a little eldritch horror

[Amy Caudill · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a good book to read to start off the spooky season! This fourth volume in the series by James Lovegrove combines the classic characters of Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes with the monsters of H.P. Lovecraft to weave a tale that brings our heroes into a secret war against alien monstrosities that not only influence our world from afar, but now are found to walk among us.

This novel, presented as sort of an addendum to the three prior, skillfully takes the original characters of Holmes and Watson, as well of some of the original author’s specific cases, and weaves into to them a secret subtext that Watson, as the “author” whose works appeared in The Strand, chose to keep hidden from the public. Lovegrove, as the “heir” to these secret case notes, has decided the time is right to reveal what really happened behind the scenes.

This particular volume delineates happenings from not only earlier cases, but also particulars at the end of Holmes and Watsons’ careers and lives. For instance, the “real” reason Holmes retired to the country, and what “really” happened to Irene Adler. Throughout, the reader is treated to multiple cases where the duo fights against the hordes of the Outer Gods and worshippers of The Great Old Ones, so named from Lovecraft’s work.

Now, though, it appears a cabal of humans is assisting the otherworldly creatures in conquering a much nearer and dearer target, Earth itself. Why have the invaders come to Earth, despite their different physiology and inability to survive under Earth’s atmosphere and gravity? The reason is not revealed till deep in the text and is shocking in its insidiousness and desperation. The culmination of the final story shows links between all the cases and reveals the ultimate plot of the aliens, who are no longer united in their goals.

This book is a treat for fans of the original works of classic authors, Conan Doyle, and Lovecraft, and combines their characters in a plausible way that can delight a whole new generation of readers. Fans of the series’ will easily recognize specifics, but can also enjoy the new stories, like that rare well-written piece of fan fiction with an original plot. I award Lovegrove four stars and recommend this volume to fans of Holmes, Cthulhu, classic mystery and horror books.

[Joel Jenkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

After the third book in Cthulhu Casebook series I had the impression that would be the last. However, a fourth manuscript emerged and continues the Lovecraft/Conan Doyle mash-up in fine fashion, complete with a multi-layered framing device where a mentally unhinged James Lovegrove discovers this unpublished manuscript by Sherlock Holmes' accomplice Dr. Watson.

This story is a sequel of sorts to Lovecraft's Fungi from Yugoth, in which Holmes and Watson attempt to foil or at least mitigate an invasion or migration of Migo, who are inhabiting the bodies of London citizenry.

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one took me a bit of effort to get through. After the high notes that were the first three books, this one is a bit out of place. It's not nearly as cohesive as the first three, with this one being 8 interconnected short stories as opposed to a singular piece of work. There's little cosmic horror or dread and the villains tend to fall very flat. There's a bunch of weird scenes where Sherlock goes "off screen" and does his own thing with a time skip that follows shortly thereafter where he shows back up and retells what happens on his solo adventure to Watson upon his return. I don't think it was paced very well by comparison to the first three books in the series, but that has a lot to do with, again, the fact that this is a series of short stories. Lovegrove essentially explains why this was written at the end of the book and I can respect his reasons. There's some unexpected and very positively portrayed trans representation in one of the short stories here without being overtly hamfisted or in your face, which was incredibly refreshing.

[Sean Malone · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great conclusion, epic, emotional, and encompassing- Highgate Horrors succeeds in all of this without too grossly deviating from what we love about both Holmes and Lovecraftian stories. It's a nice encapsulation of the original Casebooks trilogy without any dependency on them for a new reader. I won't go too much into the plot details, other than to say that shows like Secret Invasion can learn a thing or two from works like these.

I'm going to miss this series, but I understood of course, that characters cannot hope to occupy the Cthulhu mythos for extended periods- and I think Holmes and Watson made as good a showing as any mortal could possibly hope.

-Bravo, Mr. Lovegrove-

[Briana · Rating 1 out of 5]

I loved the original book trilogy but I hate Irene Adler’s character and this book is too long to soldier through with her as a prominent character. I stopped about a quarter of the way through because I couldn’t find any information on if she remained a major character throughout the book

[Camille · Rating 2 out of 5]

Glad to finish out the series which overall has been enjoyable. This particular book in the series had lost the fun and energy of prior books.

[Edward James Lauder · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty boring compared to the other ones in this series. Such a shame.

[Winry Weiss · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a gratifying read. From the very imaginative preface about how this particular Watson's manuscript was discovered to the author's afterword in which he bids his farewell to the world of Sherlock Holmes, it's pure delight. This exceptional Lovecraftian reconstruction of Holmesian myth (words I never thought would be committed to paper, and yet, here we are...) holds a soft spot in my heart with a vicious, tentacled grip!

Highgate Horrors delivers several stories in this universe, the majority of which are reimaginings of canonical cases or follow-ups from therein, that nevertheless form a coherent narrative portraying the ongoing entanglement of Holmes and Watson with Mi-Go. Timewise, it's wrapped all around the original Cthulhu Casebook trilogy, and it expands upon it in the best possible way.

And I need more, oh my me, I need more! (Why, oh why, doesn't Mr. Lovegrove want to write Homesian pastiches anymore?! I am devastated.)

Hic sunt spoilers, possibly: (And page numbers, for my easier orientation in the inevitable re-read. Why there wasn't a table of contents I'd never understand...)

Part 1 - Autumn 1888 (page 15)
Three recently buried corpses are missing from Highgate Cemetery, and the widow of one of them swears she saw her husband walking into their garden the very same night the graves were desecrated.

Part 2 - Winter 1888 (page 79)
A follow-up of A Scandal in Bohemia introducing Irene Adler into this universe. Several prominent men with connections to government underwent a drastic face-heel turn in their public stances. Holmes' investigation on behalf of Mycroft reveals that all of them experienced an unnerving encounter with a monster and a subsequent visit from a mysterious woman with an unusual proposition.
(Irene's story from Spring/Summer of 1886 is on pages 128-155.)

Part 3 - Summer 1895 (page 167)
The investigation of The Adventure of Black Peter focusing on the events of the last fateful voyage of the Sea Unicorn. (The logbook of the voyage from Winter 1883 on pages 177 [pg211 for August 1886 / pg213 for May 1888 / pg214 for November 1891 / pg215 for June 1895] to 216.)

Part 4 - Autumn 1898 (page 229)
A reimagining/follow-up of The Adventure of the Retired Colourman. After the murder of his wife, which was more occult than the police and public were led to believe, Josiah Amberley escapes from prison with a personal vendetta against the men who put him in there - none other than Sherlock Holmes. Guest appearance: lethal spores from Yuggoth and cultists of Shub-Niggurath.

Part 5 - Autumn 1902 (page 289)
A take on The Adventure of the Illustrious Client. Baron Gruner collects esoteric artefacts and the affection of women. Three of his latest conquests disappeared under mysterious circumstances, and Holmes is asked to investigate.

Part 6 - Spring 1903 (page 355)
The reason behind the death of young Douglas Maberley from The Adventure of the Three Gables is a lot more complicated than a lover's tiff. The elusive Isadora Klein engages Holmes in a deadly game of interplanetary length.

Part 7 - Summer 1903 (page 445)
Dealing with the repercussions of Isadora Klein's actions, Holmes decides to retire from London. But before that, he crosses paths with Mi-Go for, hopefully, the last time. Some allusions to The Adventure of the Mazarin Stone.

Part 8 - Autumn 1918 (page 477)
An onset of a mutation of Spanish flu reminiscent of Yuggoth's lethal spores forces Watson to seek Holmes' help.

[Kirinna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I recommend reading the trilogy first, this is basically tidying up all loose ends and putting a bow on Lovegrove's Sherlock stories - in the credits he tells the reader that he is finished with Sherlock (for now at least) and so this is possibly his final one.

What I didn't love about this one:
- The way the character Billy was handled is a little strange, considering he is a trans man and Sherlock has him dress as a woman to lure a predator. His ending is sweet but too sugary for my taste considering the time, not to mention that while this issue is treated in a modern fashion, other issues in the trilogy are not, like racism. A black man became a raging beast and had his mind switched with his racist tormentor in the second book, but this one has a trans man live happily ever after one a ranch with a woman? If you update the story for modern audiences it would be nice to do it evenly.
- The showdown at the end with a certain character fighting against a literal cancer in form of a human. I know the casebooks have never been "realistic" but somehow that was too much for me, comparable to the fight against the mechas in "The Stuff of Nightmares"

Besides that it is a great book and a fitting end for the casebooks!
This is a collection of cases that tie together and I was always looking forward to the next one and what turn it would take.
We meet Irene Adler, Shinwell Johnson and a plethora of other characters, villain or friend,
from the classics. Many of whom haven't had the pleasure of appearing in pastiches before and now have their chance to shine!
The same is true for the less known character from the Lovecraft stories, they aren't in the shadow of Cthulhu anymore.
Since the trilogy had Moriarty as its villain he doesn't appear in this one which is a blessing, I always thought Lovegood is much better in writing his own villains (or adapting the forgotten ones).
The alien race migo are mysterious and up until the end it's difficult to figure out their real intention with humankind.

The only thing left to say for me is that I wish we could get another Sherlock book from Lovegood one day, as I loved both this Cthulhu casebooks and his regular adventures. Thank you!

[August · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best Sherlock Holmes stories I have ever read. I was a big fan of the original Cthluhu Casefiles Trilogy, so when I found out the author had written a fourth book, I was very curious what it could be about. I had full faith that he would not simply have churned something out to tap into nostalgia and that since a forth book existed, it would add to the series in a meaningful way, which it certainly did, but I was not sure how it possibly could. I had noted an absence of Irene Adler, the only Sherlock major reoccurring character not mentioned in the Trilogy, and so when I saw that this was going to be her story, I was very excited.

The story is of course, excellent, as all of the previous Lovegrove stories concerning Mr. Holmes and Dr. Watson have been. The pacing, the tie-ins, the dedication to giving a classic case a more modern tone and modern morals, all done with care and skill. Irene Adler is given all due respect a lady of her nature deserves. She is not a damsel in distress, far from it, she is more the hero in this book, and possibly the true main character of the entire novel. She is not a simple love interest for Holmes, but truly 'The Woman', the one who routinely bests him not just with her own brand of cleverness, but a certain amount of common sense that the good detective typically relies on the Doctor for.

But what really sets this book apart from others like it, including its three sibling books, is the finality of it.

Its hard to end any story concerning such beloved characters with anything other than the two gallivanting off on yet another adventure, even more so with Dr. Watson and his Curious Companion. It takes talent obviously, but also courage and respect. James Lovegrove gives the reader both in this final installment. And while it is quite sad to think of it as the last story the two share, and indeed the last story we and the two clever detectives will share with Mr. Lovegrove, there is a bittersweet beauty to it.

Lovegrove says it himself in the end. This may be the end of this particular Holmes and Watson series, but for some aspiring new writer reading this book, it is just the beginning.

[Paul Spence · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is inherently difficult to blend Sherlock Holmes, who represents pure logic, and Lovecraftian horror, which involves madness and chaos. James Lovegrove is one of the few who has successfully pulled it off. He has done so by re-imagining the world in which Holmes and Watson exist.

In the fourth volume of the Cthulu Casebooks, an aging Dr. Watson wants to outline the true story behind the famous cases that were previously published. There are reanimated corpses in Highgate cemetery, a variation of Irene Adler, organic machines, and madness in the frozen north. Each of the cases brings Sherlock and Watson closer to the truth of the aliens and Mi-Go.

After an introduction where the author sets up the frame for the book, we dive into the cases. The titular Highgate Horrors tale comes first, with bodies clawing their way out of the grave. Of course Sherlock discovers how it happened and brings the case to a close. From there, each section has another supernatural event to investigate, with more ties to cosmic horrors and the Mi-Go. It spans the years, building up over time until we find out what the aliens really want.

This take on Irene Adler was fun, and she continues to challenge Sherlock, slipping out of his grasp as she did in the original stories. There are various people challenging Sherlock and his detective skills; he is determined to protect Earth from the Mi-Go and whatever nefarious purpose they have. The second half of the novel especially is tense, with more danger to Sherlock and Watson. It's well put together and kept me engrossed throughout. As with the other casebooks, this is a seamless mix of the cosmic horror and the detective work we're used to seeing.

[M. K. French · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the fourth volume of the Cthulu Casebooks, an aging Dr. Watson wants to outline the true story behind the famous cases that were previously published. There are reanimated corpses in Highgate cemetery, a variation of Irene Adler, organic machines, and madness in the frozen north. Each of the cases brings Sherlock and Watson closer to the truth of the aliens and Mi-Go.

After an introduction where the author sets up the frame for the book, we dive into the cases. The titular Highgate Horrors tale comes first, with bodies clawing their way out of the grave. Of course Sherlock discovers how it happened and brings the case to a close. From there, each section has another supernatural event to investigate, with more ties to cosmic horrors and the Mi-Go. It spans the years, building up over time until we find out what the aliens really want.

This take on Irene Adler was fun, and she continues to challenge Sherlock, slipping out of his grasp as she did in the original stories. There are various people challenging Sherlock and his detective skills; he is determined to protect Earth from the Mi-Go and whatever nefarious purpose they have. The second half of the novel especially is tense, with more danger to Sherlock and Watson. It's well put together and kept me engrossed throughout. As with the other casebooks, this is a seamless mix of the cosmic horror and the detective work we're used to seeing.

[Doc Ezra · Rating 4 out of 5]

After a five-year hiatus, I was delighted to see that Lovegrove had decided to revisit his Cthulhu Casebooks series. I know he has other Sherlock works out there (and I will absolutely be taking those in soon), but the overlap of my love of Mythos and Holmes made this series a must-have for me as soon as I discovered them.

In Highgate Horrors, Holmes finds himself dealing with The Woman as well as that most under-utilized of Lovecraftian species, the Mi-Go. A series of cases, each distinct, but woven throughout with elements of a conspiracy from Yuggoth, and all featuring to some degree the fingerprints of one Irene Adler...it's great fun, and it was nice to see someone delve a little broader into the mythos bestiary. The collection/novel is a little bittersweet, though, as it was very clearly intended as a farewell...an aging Holmes and the dawn of the 20th century signal that there won't be a volume 5, even without Lovegrove's own postscript where he lays out his intention to step away from Lovecraft, Watson, and Sherlock altogether. His grasp of all three is stellar, and among the many pastiche authors I've read, the only one that comes close to Lovegrove's league is Meyer. His contributions to the expanded Holmesian universe will be treasured, but his absence will be notable going forward.

[Amy Walker - Trans-Scribe Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

James Lovegrove is a name that fans of the Titan Books Sherlock Holmes novels will know well, as he’s written a number of books for them, including festive mysteries, and a sequel to The Hound of the Baskervilles. But he’s also veered somewhat away from the traditional Holmes tales on occasion, blending horror into the world of the consulting detective with The Cthulhu Casebooks series. As the title suggests, this series of books brings the work of H.P. Lovecraft to that of Sherlock Holmes, and crafts a story where Holmes and Watson face off against otherworldly horror in order to protect our world from begins of cosmic power.

The Cthulhu Casebooks: Sherlock Holmes and the Highgate Horrors might be the fourth book in this series, but it’s as accessible as if it were the first, and doesn’t rely on the reader having knowledge of what came before. As with the original stories, the books are written in such a way that they’re episodic and isolated, with only small references to things that have come before. This book tells several short stories set in this universe, all of which could stand on their own as superb supernatural tales, but together make for a wonderful collection.

Despite blending these two classic literary worlds together the book never loses the charm that the Sherlock Holmes stories have, and it’s still very much one of his books. I’ve read a lot of pastiches where Holmes is blended with other properties or genres, and there are occasions when that melding becomes a bit too much, and the book basically ceases to resemble what it was drawing from. Lovegrove knows how to avoid this, and can have Sherlock Holmes confronting zombies and monstrous creatures whilst still being the same character that you’ve read in the original tales.

Whilst the reading experience for this book is enriched if you have already read the other books in the series, its ability to stand on its own means that anyone leaning towards reading it can pick it up and try it out. It acts as both a great companion piece to the series, and a stand-alone book that fans of the two genres can enjoy.

[Joanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book basically sets out to do what it wants to do: mix Sherlock and Lovecraft elements together to make an adequate book. It does that and no more, no less.

The Holmes and Watson characterisation holds up to the original, though Sherlock is more obviously insulting to Watson, but it does not bother me too much. Irene Adler has a bigger role to play, which is nice, even though the relationship between her and Sherlock seems to be very abrupt. The author is probably an IrenexSherlock shipper lol.

The detective/Lovecraft elements are both there, though understandably, they are toned down compared to the original.

I think my favourite part is, surprisingly, the ending. It was very moving to see how Sherlock and Holmes experience their later years. It was bittersweet to see them get the ending that the original did not really give them.

This book really makes me interested in Sherlock Holmes x *random trope that you may not associate with Sherlock*, as well as Sherlock x the supernatural in general. I enjoyed this book enough to check out the other books in this series, though it is not that high on my list.

[J. Griff · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really thought that this series was over after the Sussix Sea-Devils gaves us a bittersweet ending to the Cthulhu Casebook. Imagine my surprise when I learned about a 4th book was going to be released. I also wondered what story there was left to tell. Turns out quite a bit as novel takes place around the other books in the series, for those who haven't read the Shagwell Shadows, Miskatonic Monstrosities, & the aforementioned Sussix Sea-Devils there is a 15 year time jump between each book giving this book plenty of opportunity tofill in what Holmes & Watson were doing in between. The pacing of this book was a little quicker than some of the other novels while introducing some characters of the Holmes-verse that hadn't been really talked about in the main series.
There was nothing about this series I didn't like & found mixing the works of Doyle & Lovecraft to make this was a great idea.

[Cat Treadwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been a fan of James Lovegrove for many years now, and his Sherlock Holmes stories are always a pleasure to return to. This is a definite highlight of the series, with emphasis on the gothic that kept me held to the pages!

I loved the return to London, Holmes' traditional stomping ground, but also the broader tale, familiar faces and the undercurrent of horror and threat that pervades the mystery. Lovegrove nails Watson's narrative voice perfectly, and it's great to see Conan Doyle and HPL work together in this way. The original Holmes may not have been a fan of magic, but his author certainly was, so this pairing seems a natural match.

I've been returning to this series recently with the audiobooks (excellently narrated and equally immersive), with this next on the Audible stack to reread soon.

Always a recommend.

[Rhys Causon · Rating 4 out of 5]

When an audiobook takes me almost a month to get through I know one of two things, I’ve been busy, or I’m stubbornly trying to get through the audiobook despite not enjoying it. In this case it’s a mixture of the two things.

The first half was fun, quick and enjoyable… the second half started to drag on.

Still for the most part the story was intriguing, a little scattershot in approach but fine nonetheless once finished. Though that may be because I went in assuming this would be one long story rather than what could be called an episodic short story collection. Especially with how long a time period the story takes places over, meaning details can get lost in the mind because of how long it’s been since they were mentioned. Thus causing a lot of “do you recall our encounters with X at Y, Watson?”

[Zac · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t want to spoil/allude to anything with the book being so new, but I absolutely loved this (sadly) final Cthulhu Casebook. A great standalone that is enriched by reading the trilogy beforehand. James changes up his pacing a little in this one, and I really enjoyed it - while at times not as action packed, I felt that each section of the book really earned its moments. I was satisfied with the conclusion of Sherlock and Watson’s Lovecraftian adventure, but a little sad that this is the last one I’ll get. I will definitely be recommending this series. Lastly, in Jame’s ‘from the author’ section he shares how his personal life bled into this story, and it shows - your writing felt very inspired sir, and I appreciate all of the work you put into this novel!

[FoyaBeninax · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovegrove is a master storyteller who keeps a perfect pace in his narrative and just keeps the reader hooked at all times. Reading his book is an immersive experience. The story itself is great but by no means awe-inspiringly great, yet the way he TELLS it is second to none. I am sure he has the magic to make even the most boring story interesting.

Compared with the previous 3 books in this series, this one comes a little choppy for me. It's more like a collection of short stories. 4.5 stars. I round it down because of the ending --Irene, a housekeeper, and Sherlock Holmes happily married "to all intents and purposes," really? Man, you can do much better than introducing this kind of cliche to your wonderful SH tales. What a shame.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having previously read books by this author, I have enjoyed his interpretation of Sherlock Holmes. More recently, I have taken in an interest in reading Lovecraftian horror, so I was excited to be approved for a copy of this.

Based on my previous experiences of Lovegrove's work, he captures his characters and brings them to life very well, as well as creating an atmosphere. I felt he did the same here, and this book was a very interesting combination of classic detective fiction and eerie horror. There are other titles in the Cthulhu Casebooks series, so I will look into reading them also.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free copy to review.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I found out this book was going to be a thing I was so excitedddd! It was so much fun to revisit this world again. I like how this book, a series of interlocking short stories spanning a few decades, basically filled in the gaps left by the original trilogy, adding in characters from the Holmes cannon that we didn't get to see before. I also liked how Moriarty wasn't shoe-horned in. Like, it was ok for a Holmes narrative to exist without him. Irene Adler as a shape-shifting free agent was so fun as well.

All in all, I would still say the 3 previous books were better, but this is a must read for any fans of the Cthulhu Casebooks series.

[Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another entertaining tale of Sherlock and Watson with the Lovecraft twist. Although there was the common thread weaved through the whole, it also felt a bit more like a series of shorter adventures rather than a long story - it's kind of both.

Lovegrove definitely knows how to write this character either straight up classic Holmes or this offshoot. If you like the occult version, maybe its a hair lighter than the previous three, but still entertaining.

[Shirley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A long and twisted addition to a series I thought had been concluded. Very enjoyable! This was very "monster of the week" with each case relating to and building on the other and Holmes and Watson both playing the part of Mulder to try and understand what these alien entities are after on Earth. The main thread of the Cthulhu Casebooks trilogy is referenced a few times but you definitely don't need to read those to enjoy these stories. 5/5, very fun.