This late Sherlock Holmes novel reads like two completely different stories linked together by contrivance. Both stories are entertaining, though they quite predictable.

¿Cuántas veces no es la fabulación la madre de la verdad?

¿Cuántas veces no es la fabulación la madre de la verdad?
adventurous dark mysterious sad slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: No
adventurous mysterious fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: No

This book struck me as similar to a Study in Scarlet, and I'll warn you know that it does go off to America and without Holmes in the second half similar to what happened in the second part of A Study in Scarlet. But this America sidetrack is so much better than the Scarlet one (in my opinion) and it has this amazing mystery plot twist at the end. This is a worthwhile read for any Holmes fan, even if it doesn't get the publicity the other novels get.
adventurous mysterious fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

"-Estou inclinado a pensar... - disse eu.
-Eu é que deveria fazê-lo - Sherlock Holmes salientou com impaciência.

Acredito que sou um dos mortais que há mais tempo sofre; mas admito que fiquei irritado com a interrupção sardonica." 
adventurous mysterious slow-paced

always a pleasure.

I'm just not a fan of the elaborate backstories from America. I didn't like it in The Study in Scarlet, and I didn't like it here. The first half is good, though.

The only Sherlock Holmes novel I've not read... time to give it a go!