justfoxie's review against another edition
3.0
A single mystery plus it's back story that was surreal and not quite in the way it was intended. Freemasons = unions = mafia/racketeers in Pennsylvania in the 1850s. WTF? The Sherlock Holmes bit is decent. The "back story" is kind if appalling.
fictionfan's review
5.0
A thrilling adventure yarn...
The story begins when Holmes receives a message in cipher from one of his contacts within the Moriarty organisation. Unfortunately they don't have the key to the cipher but after some lovely banter between Holmes and Watson and some brilliant deductions on the part of the great man, they solve it, to discover it warns of danger to someone called Douglas and mentions Birlstone Manor. Just at that moment, Inspector MacDonald turns up to seek Holmes' aid in the baffling murder of John Douglas of – you've guessed it! - Birlstone Manor. And the game's afoot...
Like all bar one of the long stories, this one takes the format of a deduction of the crime followed by a journey into the past to learn what led to it. In this case, John Douglas had lived in America for most of his life and the gun that killed him was of American make. Holmes does a nifty bit of investigating, involving a moat and drawbridge, an umbrella, a curious mark on the victim's arm, and a dumbbell; and promptly gets to the truth, though not before driving poor MacDonald almost apoplectic with frustration first.
The background story takes us to the Pennsylvanian coal-mines of the 1870s, where we meet Jack McMurdo, an Irishman who has just arrived there after fleeing justice in Chicago. He quickly becomes involved in the Scowrers, a gang of unscrupulous and violent men who control the valley through fear, intimidation and murder. McMurdo's personal bravado and intelligence soon allow him to become a valued member of the gang. But this doesn't sit well with the father of the woman he has fallen in love with, Ettie Shafter. Gradually, it is revealed how this earlier story links to the later murder at Birlstone Manor, and it is a dark story indeed, especially since it is based largely on real events of the time. The tale finishes back in Baker Street, where we learn the final fate of some of the characters we have come to know.
This is another great story from the hands of the master. The first half is a typical Holmes investigation, with plenty of humour and warmth to offset the grimmer aspects of the plot. Holmes' deductive powers are in full working order, and the crime itself is nicely convoluted, with a good bit of misdirection along the way. The second half allows ACD to give full rein to his marvellous story-telling powers as he takes us deep into the darkness at the heart of the brutal Scowrer gang. His characterisation is superb, both of the rather mysterious McMurdo and of the cruel and barbaric leader of the gang, Boss McGinty. I love the short stories, but I always find the long stories more satisfying, with the extra room allowing ACD to do what he does best – spin a first-rate, thrilling adventure yarn.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
The story begins when Holmes receives a message in cipher from one of his contacts within the Moriarty organisation. Unfortunately they don't have the key to the cipher but after some lovely banter between Holmes and Watson and some brilliant deductions on the part of the great man, they solve it, to discover it warns of danger to someone called Douglas and mentions Birlstone Manor. Just at that moment, Inspector MacDonald turns up to seek Holmes' aid in the baffling murder of John Douglas of – you've guessed it! - Birlstone Manor. And the game's afoot...
Like all bar one of the long stories, this one takes the format of a deduction of the crime followed by a journey into the past to learn what led to it. In this case, John Douglas had lived in America for most of his life and the gun that killed him was of American make. Holmes does a nifty bit of investigating, involving a moat and drawbridge, an umbrella, a curious mark on the victim's arm, and a dumbbell; and promptly gets to the truth, though not before driving poor MacDonald almost apoplectic with frustration first.
The background story takes us to the Pennsylvanian coal-mines of the 1870s, where we meet Jack McMurdo, an Irishman who has just arrived there after fleeing justice in Chicago. He quickly becomes involved in the Scowrers, a gang of unscrupulous and violent men who control the valley through fear, intimidation and murder. McMurdo's personal bravado and intelligence soon allow him to become a valued member of the gang. But this doesn't sit well with the father of the woman he has fallen in love with, Ettie Shafter. Gradually, it is revealed how this earlier story links to the later murder at Birlstone Manor, and it is a dark story indeed, especially since it is based largely on real events of the time. The tale finishes back in Baker Street, where we learn the final fate of some of the characters we have come to know.
This is another great story from the hands of the master. The first half is a typical Holmes investigation, with plenty of humour and warmth to offset the grimmer aspects of the plot. Holmes' deductive powers are in full working order, and the crime itself is nicely convoluted, with a good bit of misdirection along the way. The second half allows ACD to give full rein to his marvellous story-telling powers as he takes us deep into the darkness at the heart of the brutal Scowrer gang. His characterisation is superb, both of the rather mysterious McMurdo and of the cruel and barbaric leader of the gang, Boss McGinty. I love the short stories, but I always find the long stories more satisfying, with the extra room allowing ACD to do what he does best – spin a first-rate, thrilling adventure yarn.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
ghostmuppet's review against another edition
3.0
Stephen Fry nails it again. This, like the first novel, is split into two halves. This first is about how Holmes solves the case. The second half is describing WHY Holmes was needed.
The first half was very enjoyable, the second not so much. I can see why it would have been a good read back in the day, but it has lost something over the years.
Still a good read and am glad i have read it.
The first half was very enjoyable, the second not so much. I can see why it would have been a good read back in the day, but it has lost something over the years.
Still a good read and am glad i have read it.
milosnatch's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
daniy's review against another edition
4.0
This was fun, I didnt feel like Sherlock ruined things as much as in other books!
wom4n's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.25
jenn_geeks_out's review
3.0
The novels aren't my favorite. The ratio of backstory to mystery is skewed the wrong direction for my liking, and unlike modern mysteries, the backstory comes after the solution to the mystery, so the backstory doesn't make the payoff of the solution any richer. It's just longer.
The part of this story that I liked best was Stephen Fry's introduction to the audiobook, which explained the historical context of the Molly Maguires in Pennsylvania that fascinated England at the time.
The part of this story that I liked best was Stephen Fry's introduction to the audiobook, which explained the historical context of the Molly Maguires in Pennsylvania that fascinated England at the time.
anonblueberry's review against another edition
2.0
I'm not really sure what to say about this. Entertaining, if somewhat predictable.
emilymdxn's review against another edition
mysterious
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0