Two adversaries. One deadly alliance. Together, can they unlock the truth?
Sherlock Holmes and his faithful friend, Dr John Watson, have been hired by actor George Reynolds to help him solve a puzzle. George wants them to find out why the audience who comes to see him perform every night are the same people, only wearing disguises. Is something sinister going on and, if so, what?
Meanwhile, Holmes’ archenemy, Professor James Moriarty is having problems of his own. Implicated in the murder of a gang leader, Moriarty and his second, Moran, must go on the run from the police in order to find out who is behind the set-up.
But their investigation puts them in the way of Holmes and Watson and it’s not long before all four realise that they are being targeted by the same person. With lives on the line, not just their own, they must form an uneasy alliance in order to unmask the true villain. With clues leading them to a hotel in Switzerland and a conspiracy far greater than any of them expected, who can be trusted – and will anyone of them survive?
This novel presents an intriguing premise: Sherlock Holmes and his nemesis, Moriarty, are forced to work together to unravel a mystery that threatens both their lives. This unlikely partnership, where two brilliant minds clash and reluctantly collaborate, is one of the novel’s highlights. The tension between the two is palpable, and the interplay of their sharp intellects creates engaging moments.
The mystery is fast-paced and filled with twists, which kept me completely hooked as our intrepid investigators raced to discover who was the true villain and what exactly was going on. However, there were moments when I found the plot a tad convoluted and struggled to keep up as several points battled for my attention. Though I enjoyed this aspect of the story (as I love a mystery with many threads), it is possible this could overwhelm readers who prefer a more streamlined narrative.
I would have loved it had Moriarty been developed further. He is a complex character and building on this and providing him with even more character would have made him and even more rounded adversary turned ally for Sherlock, a character we are given so much information on.
While Moriarty’s antagonistic relationship with Holmes has always been intriguing and is given even more mystery in this novel, it’s unfortunate that he sometimes feels more like a vehicle for plot progression rather than a fully fleshed-out character working with our central character. It’s even more disappointing that this is the case in this novel as they are offered equal billing, yet he is still treated as though he is a lesser character on occasion.
Still, the action, the mystery, and the historic setting make this a fun read, especially for fans of the Sherlock Holmes universe who are open to seeing their hero in a new kind of partnership.
