George Mann has written a couple of Sherlock Holmes pastiches (Sherlock Holmes: The Will of the Dead Titan Books, 2013 and Sherlock Holmes: The Spirit Box Titan Books, 2014) but I chose The Affinity Bridge, Mann’s steampunk mashup. Dr. Maurice Newbury, a Sherlock Holmes clone with skills in the occult sciences, together with his feisty assistant Veronica Hobbs, investigate two apparently unrelated events: a series of horrific murders in London and the crash of an airship where 50 passengers die.
Since The Affinity Bridge is a steampunk novel, automatons factor into the plot as well as weird technology that is keeping Queen Victoria alive. Mann provides some effective battle scenes and enough mysteries unresolved to fuel a sequel. If you’re looking for a different spin on the Sherlock Holmes template, you’ll find some fun reading The Affinity Bridge. GRADE: B
NEWBURY & HOBBS INVESTIGATION SERIES:
The Affinity Bridge (ISBN 978-1905005888) (Snowbooks, 2008)
“The Hambleton Affair” (Newbury and Hobbes short story) – appeared in the hardcover edition of The Affinity Bridge, free PDF available for download.[11] Included in The Casebook of Newbury & Hobbes.
“The Shattered Teacup” (Snowbooks, 2010) (free PDF eBook/Audiobook download)[12]* Included in The Casebook of Newbury & Hobbes.
The Osiris Ritual (ISBN 978-1906727048) (Snowbooks, 2009)
“What Lies Beneath” (short story), free PDF available for download[13] Included in The Casebook of Newbury & Hobbes.
The Immorality Engine (ISBN 978-1906727185) (Snowbooks, 2011)
The Executioner’s Heart (ISBN 978-1781160053) (Titan Books, 2013)
The Revenant Express (ISBN 9780765334091) (Titan Books, 2019)
The Casebook of Newbury & Hobbes Collection (ISBN 978-1781167427) (Titan Books, 2013)