The Patchwork Devil by Cavan ScottMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
This modern Sherlock Holmes novel, set at the end of WWI with an older Watson and Holmes, does a great job of telling an entertaining, creative story while remaining true to the original stories in all the ways that matter to me. I enjoyed it a lot, and feel like it invites in new readers while doing no harm to the canonical stories or their legacy.
Although I've read many twists on Sherlock Holmes (alternate settings, gender-swapped characters, fantasy versions, comedic versions), I have pretty much avoided books purporting to be based on the original or staying close to canon. Not sure why. Afraid to be disappointed, maybe? I wasn't. Or maybe I thought it'd be boring. Wrong again. While there is some updating here, primarily in order to suit a modern reader's expectations, the language, pacing, characterization, and style are very consistent with the originals. The story-telling is balanced, with decent attention paid to characterization without slowing down the action or the sleuthing. I wouldn't say it might have been written by Arthur Conan Doyle, but I will say he might have liked it. I did, anyway.
So it works, IMO, not only as a continuation of the Sherlock tradition but as a fast-paced mystery novel in its own right. I see now I shoulda tried these earlier.
This title mixes Holmes with a bit of Frankenstein in a credible way. A recently severed hand is located and identified as belonging to a man dead several years. It kicks off an excellent mystery, and there are lots of bad guys to create chaos while Sherlock and Watson try to do as older men what they had accomplished so often when younger. With an emotionally and intellectually satisfying ending, I have no notes. Now I'm judging I probably should have given it all 5 stars.
Recommended for Sherlock fans as well as fans of historical mysteries.
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