Lyndsay Faye is absolutely perfect in capturing the essence of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. This novel is perfect and it fills the gaps between the original stories very well. I’m very happy that I got to read an advanced copy!
The Whole Art of Detection: Lost Mysteries of Sherlock Holmes is a collection of short stories written by Dr. Watson about his dear friend and world famous detective Sherlock Holmes. The novel is divided in three parts: “Before Baker Street”, “The Early Years” and “The Return and Years Later”, giving a glimpse of the past of this extraordinary mind and the years until his death at the Reichenbach Falls.
I loved every minute of this reading, couldn’t put it down, couldn’t stop feeling astonished of the depth and pure brilliance of the author. I could hear the voice of Jeremy Brett, the great Sherlock of 1984 to 1994. Faye captures all that defines Doyle and Sherlock, from the immaculate Victorian style of writing, the characters, the complexity of the plots and the perfect power of deduction that are so known in the stories of Sherlock Holmes. I couldn’t possibly pick one or two favourite stories, every single one of them is particular, unique and addictive. Other famous characters also join the plots, like Mycroft Holmes and Inspector Lestrade.
I really enjoyed reading the growth of Dr Watson in the stories, from the newbie side-kick to an essential part of the mystery-solving business. I always enjoyed reading his perspective of Sherlock and how he tries to define him, ending up being surprised by the others actions or words that remind him of his friend’s humanity.
I can say with all heart that Lyndsay Faye did a spectacular job in continuing the adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, filling in the gaps with information that all Sherlock fans will appreciate. I highly recommend this novel to all the fans of Mr. Holmes!
Thank you NetGalley, the publisher Mysterious Press and the author for allowing me to read and review a digital copy of this book.
Book Traveller 