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hpuphd's review
5.0
Wonderful, exciting story, as good as anything else Nicholas Meyer has written about Holmes. I hated to see the book end. How would the heroes escape that last, terrible threat? I just trusted that Holmes would figure it all out . . . as he did years ago when I read my first Holmes story in, I think, the fifth grade, “The Red-Headed League.”
dipt_in_folly's review
1.0
The setting gets 5 stars (what's better than a mystery surrounding ancient Egypt?!). Though I didn't care for how Holmes was written, nor Watson. Holmes had none of his charm. Moreover I found Watson's wife insufferable.
olivia_meret's review
2.0
Do I recommend it….only if you’re a fan of classics. So this isn’t actually a classic but the writing style gave me classic vibes. I didn’t like it. Between Sherlock’s dry genius, Egyptian history and the footnotes it was too academic for me and I was bored. Watson is recalling this case and it felt like a really long diary entry leaving me really unengaged.
plantladyreader's review
4.0
This was such a fun read, with classic Sherlock Holmes antics, Watson being the voice of reason, and spooky Egyptian mystery.
Watson and his wife have travelled to Egypt to assist his wife’s illness with the dry, desert air. But fate would have Watson running into an old friend. Holmes has taken up residence in the same area, trying to get to the bottom of a missing nobleman, who may have run into trouble trying to uncover a missing pharaoh’s tomb and the treasures within. When more egyptologists start missing, Holmes and Watson realize this case could be putting them in grave danger.
This book made me want to revisit some old Sherlock Holmes classics, and seeing as I want to read more classics this year I might just fit one in!
Thank you @minotaur_books for this #gifted copy! The Return of the Pharaoh released November 9!
Watson and his wife have travelled to Egypt to assist his wife’s illness with the dry, desert air. But fate would have Watson running into an old friend. Holmes has taken up residence in the same area, trying to get to the bottom of a missing nobleman, who may have run into trouble trying to uncover a missing pharaoh’s tomb and the treasures within. When more egyptologists start missing, Holmes and Watson realize this case could be putting them in grave danger.
This book made me want to revisit some old Sherlock Holmes classics, and seeing as I want to read more classics this year I might just fit one in!
Thank you @minotaur_books for this #gifted copy! The Return of the Pharaoh released November 9!
mariellais's review
3.0
A decent Sherlock Holmes pastiche.
The mystery was pretty lacking, and sometimes the characters felt out of character, but I enjoyed this story way more than the last pastiche I tried to read by Nicholas Meyer.
I liked the setting being in Egypt and that it was set during Holmes' later years as a detective. Nicholas Meyer does a great job showing the friendship between Holmes and Watson. These two things were what kept me reading.
But one of the main reasons I read Sherlock Holmes is for the mystery, and sadly this book fell flat in that department. It just wasn't very engaging or interesting. I kept waiting and waiting for a major reveal, only to be disappointed.
The mystery was pretty lacking, and sometimes the characters felt out of character, but I enjoyed this story way more than the last pastiche I tried to read by Nicholas Meyer.
I liked the setting being in Egypt and that it was set during Holmes' later years as a detective. Nicholas Meyer does a great job showing the friendship between Holmes and Watson. These two things were what kept me reading.
But one of the main reasons I read Sherlock Holmes is for the mystery, and sadly this book fell flat in that department. It just wasn't very engaging or interesting. I kept waiting and waiting for a major reveal, only to be disappointed.
bluesapphirereads's review
4.0
Ever since I was young I have read, watched and absorbed any and all incarnations of Sherlock Holmes. I even did a 10 page character study on the many portrayals and that was prior to Robert Downey Jr’s depiction. This story captured Conan Doyle perfectly in my opinion. I think sir Arthur would be pleased with the work. Wonderful job!
bookishgurl's review
4.0
I received a complimentary ARC copy of The Return of the Pharaoh, From the Reminiscences of John H. Watson, M.D. by Nicholas Meyer from NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books in order to read and give an honest review.
” …I found it an interesting and intriguing read that I would definitely recommend …”
I have always been a fan of author Arthur Conan Doyle and have always loved stories that bring the brilliant duo of Sherlock Holmes and John Watson back to life. I previously reviewed The Adventure of the Peculiar Protocols by Nicholas Meyer and thoroughly enjoyed it and I am glad to say that The Return of the Pharaoh did not disappoint. Studying Egyptology, I am always drawn to fiction that pays homage to the topic I love. The author did brilliantly, intertwining ancient Egyptian history with a well written complex mystery true to the Sherlock Holmes legacy.
Nicholas Meyer’s The Return of the Pharaoh takes Sherlock to Egypt in 1911, hired by a Duchess to find her missing husband the Duke of Uxbridge who was hunting down the undiscovered tomb of Thutmose V. While not immediately on the case Dr. John Watson also happens to be in Egypt with his wife while she is receiving treatment for her damaged lungs. Watson joins Sherlock on the case and as always, the game is afoot. The story is full of twists, turns and double crosses as the plot builds at a slow (albeit at times too slow) rate but with a brilliant pulse-pounding ending. Meyer gives the readers a dynamic cast of characters one of which is the infamous Egyptologist, Howard Carter who becomes a central character in the book and Holmes is rendered a more “human” and multifaceted character than we’ve seen him before.
I have to say, although as I mentioned it was slow to get into at first, I enjoyed it and found it an interesting and intriguing read that I would definitely recommend!
” …I found it an interesting and intriguing read that I would definitely recommend …”
I have always been a fan of author Arthur Conan Doyle and have always loved stories that bring the brilliant duo of Sherlock Holmes and John Watson back to life. I previously reviewed The Adventure of the Peculiar Protocols by Nicholas Meyer and thoroughly enjoyed it and I am glad to say that The Return of the Pharaoh did not disappoint. Studying Egyptology, I am always drawn to fiction that pays homage to the topic I love. The author did brilliantly, intertwining ancient Egyptian history with a well written complex mystery true to the Sherlock Holmes legacy.
Nicholas Meyer’s The Return of the Pharaoh takes Sherlock to Egypt in 1911, hired by a Duchess to find her missing husband the Duke of Uxbridge who was hunting down the undiscovered tomb of Thutmose V. While not immediately on the case Dr. John Watson also happens to be in Egypt with his wife while she is receiving treatment for her damaged lungs. Watson joins Sherlock on the case and as always, the game is afoot. The story is full of twists, turns and double crosses as the plot builds at a slow (albeit at times too slow) rate but with a brilliant pulse-pounding ending. Meyer gives the readers a dynamic cast of characters one of which is the infamous Egyptologist, Howard Carter who becomes a central character in the book and Holmes is rendered a more “human” and multifaceted character than we’ve seen him before.
I have to say, although as I mentioned it was slow to get into at first, I enjoyed it and found it an interesting and intriguing read that I would definitely recommend!
cgonya1's review
5.0
I was given a free e-copy of this novel by NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.
I have not read anything by Nicholas Meyer before this novel. This is Mr. Meyer’s fifth Sherlock Holmes pastiche, and I believe he did the Great Detective admirable justice.
In 1910, Dr. John Watson travels to Egypt in the hopes that it will cure his wife Juliet of her tuberculosis. While she is in isolation and treatment, Watson runs into Sherlock Holmes, who is in disguise and on a case. A Duke’s wife has inquired his services to search for her missing husband, who has succumbed to the Egyptian mania, searching for an undiscovered tomb and its gold. It doesn’t take much convincing for Watson to join Sherlock on his investigation, despite his current situation. As Sherlock and Watson progress, they discover that the Duke is only one of a group of Egyptologists who have had unfortunate circumstances. Our duo ask for the assistance of Howard Carter to take up the trail before more individuals lose their lives.
Like many others before me, I have read Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s stories. Sherlock Holmes was my first detective, and remains my favorite. I proceed to consume as many of the pastiches as I can, with the continued hope that they will follow the legacy without too much embellishment. Nicholas Meyer does a fantastic job of staying within the expectations of each character in regards to how they handle their frustrations, despairs, and thought processes. I also like how human Holmes was portrayed in this novel. There are many pastiche that make the character aloof and stand-offish as well as rude to even Dr. Watson. While it is known that Sherlock contains his emotions, I cannot help but wonder if individuals are forgetting that these two men have been friends for a long time and have gone through many trials and tribulations. Some pastiches still do not give Dr. Watson enough credit when it comes to learning from Sherlock. Meyer, on the other hand, gives Watson more intelligence by also giving him some key roles to the mystery.
I have also always liked when authors include real historical events and persons in to their stories. Historical fiction can only open so many doors. Knowing that the main characters would need assistance, Meyer uses Howard Carter in the story that makes all of the events plausible. The detail he depicts regarding the environment and the governmental clashes make one believe that they are walking beside Holmes and Watson. It is clear that Meyer did a lot of research for this novel, and there is a recommended list of non-fiction books that he graciously supplied.
The mystery was simple and straightforward. In my opinion, it fell just short of a Sir Arthur Conan Doyle mystery. However, that did not take anything away, because it was so simple. Too much convolution and confusion can make the novel difficult to enjoy, and this was not the case here. I found that because it was so straightforward that it wasn’t until the last chapter that I finally figured out what happened to the Duke. To add to the adventure, there are spies, buried treasure, a desert sandstorm, and crawling around inside a pyramid. If you are someone who is effected by claustrophobia, as I am, some passages may be harder to read than others. But reading them will still make the ending understandable to one character in particular.
Overall I rate this novel 5 out of 5 stars, and will add Nicholas Meyer to my list of authors to follow.
I have not read anything by Nicholas Meyer before this novel. This is Mr. Meyer’s fifth Sherlock Holmes pastiche, and I believe he did the Great Detective admirable justice.
In 1910, Dr. John Watson travels to Egypt in the hopes that it will cure his wife Juliet of her tuberculosis. While she is in isolation and treatment, Watson runs into Sherlock Holmes, who is in disguise and on a case. A Duke’s wife has inquired his services to search for her missing husband, who has succumbed to the Egyptian mania, searching for an undiscovered tomb and its gold. It doesn’t take much convincing for Watson to join Sherlock on his investigation, despite his current situation. As Sherlock and Watson progress, they discover that the Duke is only one of a group of Egyptologists who have had unfortunate circumstances. Our duo ask for the assistance of Howard Carter to take up the trail before more individuals lose their lives.
Like many others before me, I have read Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s stories. Sherlock Holmes was my first detective, and remains my favorite. I proceed to consume as many of the pastiches as I can, with the continued hope that they will follow the legacy without too much embellishment. Nicholas Meyer does a fantastic job of staying within the expectations of each character in regards to how they handle their frustrations, despairs, and thought processes. I also like how human Holmes was portrayed in this novel. There are many pastiche that make the character aloof and stand-offish as well as rude to even Dr. Watson. While it is known that Sherlock contains his emotions, I cannot help but wonder if individuals are forgetting that these two men have been friends for a long time and have gone through many trials and tribulations. Some pastiches still do not give Dr. Watson enough credit when it comes to learning from Sherlock. Meyer, on the other hand, gives Watson more intelligence by also giving him some key roles to the mystery.
I have also always liked when authors include real historical events and persons in to their stories. Historical fiction can only open so many doors. Knowing that the main characters would need assistance, Meyer uses Howard Carter in the story that makes all of the events plausible. The detail he depicts regarding the environment and the governmental clashes make one believe that they are walking beside Holmes and Watson. It is clear that Meyer did a lot of research for this novel, and there is a recommended list of non-fiction books that he graciously supplied.
The mystery was simple and straightforward. In my opinion, it fell just short of a Sir Arthur Conan Doyle mystery. However, that did not take anything away, because it was so simple. Too much convolution and confusion can make the novel difficult to enjoy, and this was not the case here. I found that because it was so straightforward that it wasn’t until the last chapter that I finally figured out what happened to the Duke. To add to the adventure, there are spies, buried treasure, a desert sandstorm, and crawling around inside a pyramid. If you are someone who is effected by claustrophobia, as I am, some passages may be harder to read than others. But reading them will still make the ending understandable to one character in particular.
Overall I rate this novel 5 out of 5 stars, and will add Nicholas Meyer to my list of authors to follow.