Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1243163 in Books
• Published on: 2006-11-30
• Released on: 2006-11-30
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 192 pages

Customer Reviews

Sherlock Holmes & the Case of the Mysterious Housemaid
Kelly Hale's novel is an early Sherlock Holmes story, told from the point of view of his housemaid. At least at first, but the reader quickly realises the maid is a time-traveller, studying the great detective's early methodology. Except the people who offered her access to time travel have their own agenda: to erase Sherlock Holmes from history.

Holmesian apocrypha comes in all sorts of forms. This novel takes the starting premise of viewing Holmes not from the 'official' viewpoint of Watson but from the view of a modern woman transported into the past. By not pastishing Watson's style, Erasing Sherlock also allows us to see Holmes as the young man he was (he was in his late 20s during A Study in Scarlet - something which we tend to forget due to the ages of the actors used in most adaptations). Hale creates a convincing voice from a near future for her narrator and a plausible threat for the protagonists. We cannot know Holmes will survive because it is time travellers - and the time-traveller's paradox - which is threatening him.

Don't be put off by the banner on the book: this is a standalone novel and the time travelling elements are explained within the prose. How does Holmes - the great rationalist - cope with anachronistic evidence is one of the question it raises.

The first thing I did after reading this novel was to pick up my collected Holmes book and reread the canonical stories with new eyes. For the first time, I've fallen for Sherlock (and developed a real affection for Watson).

This is a ripping yarn for everyone, not just sci-fi or mystery fans
This wonderful story has a little bit for everyone: time travel, romance, murder mysteries to be solved, fictional characters made real, action and adventure, historical, and lovely character-based drama.

You don't need to be a fan of any genre (science fiction, mystery, historical, etc.) to enjoy this story of a 20th-century woman sent back in time to study a younger Sherlock Holmes just on the cusp of becoming famous. Adjusting to the time period and to her thankless role (a maid in Holmes's house) with a great deal of trouble, the protagonist gets caught up in a series of murders, Holmes's efforts to solve them, and lots of nefarious doings by dodgy characters, culminating in an exotic travel adventure on the eve of the famous Krakatoa volcanic explosion. The writing sparkles and the dialog is delightful.

One important point, as well -- you don't need to have read other books in the Faction Paradox series; this novel stands alone.

beware - mild spoiler below
A great exit for the Faction Paradox book series. Though I was wondering when they would show-up; and when they did they weren't named directly, only hinted at.

This really makes me want to read the original stories by Arthur Conan Doyle.