I’m a sucker for a good Sherlock Holmes pastiche. I’ve read another Holmes pastiche by David Stuart Davies–The Tangled Skein (you can read my review here)–and decided to read Sherlock Holmes & The Veiled Detective which had been on my shelf for years.
Davies likes to mix things up a bit in his Sherlock Holmes pastiches. This time, Davies creates a scenario where Sherlock’s nemesis, Professor James Moriarty, surrounds Holmes with informants in order to manipulate the great detective.
Holmes’s situation looks dire until Davies provides a life-line to Sherlock before Moriarty’s dastardly plans can come to fruition. If you’re in the mood for a fun Sherlock Holmes pastiche with some unusual surprises, Give Sherlock Holmes & The Veiled Detective a try. And you might consider some of the other David Stuart Davies mysteries below. GRADE: B
DAVID STUART DAVIES: Sherlock Holmes Adventures:
Revenge from the Grave (2022): Holmes and Watson are once again pitted against the late Professor Moriarty‘s gang.
Sherlock Holmes and the Hentzau Affair (1991): A crossover with characters from The Prisoner of Zenda. Holmes and Watson are engaged to solve the disappearance of Rudolf Rassendyll.
The Tangled Skein (1992): Holmes battles Count Dracula in a re-imagining of the events of the Bram Stoker novel.
The Scroll of the Dead (1998): Holmes and Dr. Watson pursue an ancient Egyptian treasure with links to immortality.
Shadow of the Rat (1999): Holmes investigates the Giant Rat of Sumatra.
The Veiled Detective (2004): An alternate account of the relationship between Holmes and Watson that posits Watson as an agent of Professor Moriarty.
The Games Afoot (2008): A short story collection edited by Davies.
The Devil’s Promise (2014): An investigation into a corpse on the coast leaves Watson in a months long coma, and Holmes acting suspiciously.
The Ripper Legacy (2016): Holmes and Watson look into a child’s kidnapping that is connected to the Jack the Ripper killings.
The Instrument of Death (2019): A crossover with The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari.
Davies was a good and interesting Sherlockian who will be missed.
Jerry, David Stuart Davies clearly loved the Sherlock Holmes Canon and blended his knowledge of Doyle’s character with various unusual perspectives. The result are intriguing pastiches.