Holmes and Moriarty by Gareth Rubin


Holmes and Moriarty

 by Gareth Rubin



Holmes and Moriarty by Gareth Rubin 

was published on 12th September 2024 by Simon & Schuster.

My thanks to the author and publisher for sending me a copy to review and to

Random Things Tours for inviting me to take part on the tour.







Synopsis


Sherlock Holmes and his faithful friend, Dr John Watson, have been hired by actor George Reynolds. George wants them to find out why the audience who comes to see him perform every night are the same people, only wearing disguises. Is something sinister going on and, if so, what? Meanwhile, Holmes’ archenemy, Professor James Moriarty is having problems of his own. Implicated in the murder of a gang leader, Moriarty and his second, Moran, must go on the run from the police in order to find out who is behind the set-up. But their investigation puts them in the way of Holmes and Watson and it’s not long before all four realise that they are being targeted by the same person. With lives on the line, not just their own, they must form an uneasy alliance in order to unmask the true villain. With clues leading them to a hotel in Switzerland and a conspiracy far greater than any of them expected, who can be trusted and will any of them survive ?






My Review


I have always been sceptical of other authors jumping on the Sherlock Holmes bandwagon and trying to create stories in the style of Conan Doyle. Sometimes I am disappointed , other times I am pleasantly surprised. To be honest I wasn’t quite sure what to expect with this one , told from the perspectives of Dr Watson  and Colonel Sebastian Moran ( Moriarty’s sidekick). Consequently it did become a book of two halves as I did like the Watson narrative and the telling of their aspect of the story. Moran though , for me, was a different ball game altogether and I couldn’t get on with the persona, even whilst relating him to Moriarty and how I feel about his character.

The storyline is a clever one, and in keeping with the stories that you would expect from Conan Doyle so it doesn’t disappoint there, which is good, and you will find yourself being drawn into the plot and wondering who is responsible for what. 

The whole concept of Holmes and Moriarty working together for the good of the world is an interesting one and I would love to know what Conan Doyle would think of it. However, it works and the various surprises on the way should keep you engaged from start to finish, which will then leave you wondering ….”What next?”




About the Author






GARETH RUBIN is the top 10 bestselling author of The Turnglass, which was a UK Sunday Times top 10 bestseller, and also a top 10 bestseller in Italy. He also writes about social affairs, travel and the arts for British newspapers. In 2013 he directed a documentary about therapeutic art at the Bethlem Royal Hospital in London (‘Bedlam’). His books include The Great Cat Massacre, which details how the course of British history has been changed by people making mistakes; Liberation Square, a thriller set in Soviet occupied London; and The Winter Agent, a thriller set in Paris in 1944

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Delegate by Ali Carter

Image
The Delegate by Ali Carter   What a tangled web she weaved…   The Delegate by Ali Carter was  published on 29th November 2022 by Matador. My thanks to the author and publisher who sent me a copy and Random Book Tours for inviting me to take part on the tour.      Synopsis Charlotte… Having been sprung by Mafia family the Zandini’s on a day release the previous year, and managing to ‘despatch’ one of their enemies in New York (plus a few extras), ex killer G.P> Charlotte Peterson was now securely back inside Rampton high Security Hospital. However, her work was unfinished and a second escape quite out of the question. It was why she had the need of a delegate. A killer to complete a very important job…someone she’d control. Annie… She had found the perfect person in Annie. A woman who felt cheated. A woman who was mentally and emotionally scarred in exactly the same way Charlotte had been throughout her own life. Annie was fully ripe for manipulation in the worst way possible - and t
Read more

Tristan /Yseulte by Harry Bonelle

Image
 Tristan /Yseulte  by Harry Bonelle Tristan/ Yseult by Harry Bonelle  was published on 31st january 2024 by Unicorn. My thanks to the author and publisher for sending me a copy to review and to Random Things Tours  for inviting me to take part on the tour. Synopsis Tristan/Yseult is a narrative poem about the yearning for oneness in a world split into fragments. A duel on an empty island sets the course for one of the greatest romances ever told. As the lovers of legend meet, something new is born, and something eternal is revealed. Their names will forever be spoken as one. This modern retelling of Tristan and Yseult sheds a stark light on the beauty of the Celtic tale. “Harry Bonelle’s new version taps into the dark and furious energy of the old saga, surging and juddering with life. Bonelle’s actor’s training has encouraged him to liberate the performance piece that its original author must have intended. Thrilling on the page, but even more so spoken loud.” - Simon Callow My
Read more

My Father & Other Animals by Mike Kirby

Image
  My Father & Other Animals  by Mike Kirby  My Father & Other Animals was published in February 2024.  My thanks to Mike for sending me a copy  in return for an honest review. Synopsis My parents chose the Yorkshire Pennines – a tough place to pursue their dream of having their own farm. Dad, a man of many actions but few words, was as relentless as the farming seasons, and through long hours and lots of mud, sweat and tears, gradually carved out a living, slowly making real the vision that they shared. My Father and Other Animals tells the story of how this driven man, always hand in hand with Mum, and blessed with a unique understanding of his animals, brought their  farming dream to life, building a successful farming business against the backdrop of the South Yorkshire hills.  Together they raised  a family, blessing all four of their sons  with their  common sense and restless work ethic and love of being outdoors, working side by side as family It is about the harsh reali
Read more