Harriet White is no stranger to odd correspondence. Ensconced in the basement of the Baker Street building society, her job is to reply to the mail they receive on behalf of Sherlock Holmes.
But while letters to the fictional sleuth may be plentiful, telegrams are rare, and so when she receives one describing the grave situation of celebrated author Philip St John, her interest is piqued. The writer describes St John as being consumed by terror, seeing ghostly apparitions on the fens, and only at ease in the company of his loyal wolfhound.
Before long, Harry finds herself in Cambridgeshire under the guise of being Holmes’ assistant. The residents of Thurmwell Manor believe their master is cursed. Harry is sure there must be a logical explanation, but inside the echoey halls of the grand gothic house, her confidence in science and reason begin to crumble…
Can Harry solve the mystery before the fens claim their next victim?
I haven’t read the first novel, but I plan to go back and do so very soon. Harry is a brilliant character, to the point that I believe even the notoriously misogynist Sherlock Holmes would have approved. I think it's entirely plausible that someone would have answered some of the letters that the bank received. Human nature being what it is. I wonder, though, if the first book gives the reader a deeper look at Harry’s relationship with her brothers.
I very much enjoyed the parallel to The Hounds of the Baskervilles, but I must say that the ending was much, much better. I would be interested to see the author do something similar to The Greek Interpreter since that is the first introduction to Sherlock’s brother, Mycroft. Specifically, I would like to see how deep her relationship is with her own brothers. I also want to know more about Oliver.
Overall, I rate this novel 5 out of 5 stars.
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