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jilly00's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
quietjenn's review against another edition
3.0
Pretty enjoyable, although would probably have been more so if it hadn't been so long since I read the Holmes stories. I enjoyed Boucher's take on the sci-fi world better than his take on Sherlockians, but it was still a quick, fun read and I'm keen to explore his other books.
cmbohn's review against another edition
3.0
A fun enough story, too predictable and a little dated. But if you are a Holmes fan, it's a fun, quick read.
joe_mcmahon's review against another edition
4.0
Solid mystery, lots of misdirection, and well written. A bit dated, as one might expect, but still thoroughly enjoyable. I did draw one conclusion much earlier than the characters did, but it didn’t stop the rest of the book from being enjoyable. The Holmes references are wonderful, and not all called out specifically, so it’s very entertaining to spot them.
sisyphus_dreams's review against another edition
5.0
Boucher's writing has a warm, friendly, accessible quality that is relatively rare in modern detective fiction. But then, it's not exactly modern, any more; The Case of the Baker Street Irregulars comes from a unique period of time, just before the US became involved in World War II (or possibly just after Pearl Harbor - but I don't think so, since that event isn't mentioned).
It's set in Hollywood. And as any mystery fan would probably guess from the title, Sherlock Holmes is a major focus of the book - although not as a character. Rather, it follows a group of devoted followers of Holmes - five members of the Baker Street Irregulars, which is a real organization of Holmes fans - as they attempt to solve a murder.
It's a simply delightful book, witty and charming. Although there are inevitably elements which root the book solidly in its now long-gone era, it has enough of a modern feel and sensibility to still be eminently readable. The characters are interesting and lively, the deductions and adventures are clever and exciting...all in all a very enjoyable book, one that I'll happily read again in a year or two.
It may be worth mentioning that the book has a connection to Boucher's best-known detective, the red-headed Fergus O'Breen. Fergus himself does not appear in the book; instead his sister Maureen plays a major role. Although Fergus may be best known for his appearance in some crossover light mystery/fantasy short stories, The Case of the Baker Street Irregulars is firmly grounded in reality. There are no werewolves or magicians here.
Boucher had a lovely, light and warm-hearted writing style combined with a truly rare wit. It's a pity that he didn't write more, but his impact as a reviewer and particularly as an editor on the fields of science fiction and mystery was incalculable. For those who enjoy his style, you'll find that the mysteries of Fredric Brown (particularly the Ed and Am Hunter series) are comparable in many ways. So are many of the Ellery Queen books by Ellery Queen, particularly those from roughly the same period (the 1940s). It's worth noting that several of the Ellery books are set in Hollywood too.
If you enjoy Boucher's mysteries, I also strongly recommend his science fiction - although alas, there isn't much of it.
It's set in Hollywood. And as any mystery fan would probably guess from the title, Sherlock Holmes is a major focus of the book - although not as a character. Rather, it follows a group of devoted followers of Holmes - five members of the Baker Street Irregulars, which is a real organization of Holmes fans - as they attempt to solve a murder.
It's a simply delightful book, witty and charming. Although there are inevitably elements which root the book solidly in its now long-gone era, it has enough of a modern feel and sensibility to still be eminently readable. The characters are interesting and lively, the deductions and adventures are clever and exciting...all in all a very enjoyable book, one that I'll happily read again in a year or two.
It may be worth mentioning that the book has a connection to Boucher's best-known detective, the red-headed Fergus O'Breen. Fergus himself does not appear in the book; instead his sister Maureen plays a major role. Although Fergus may be best known for his appearance in some crossover light mystery/fantasy short stories, The Case of the Baker Street Irregulars is firmly grounded in reality. There are no werewolves or magicians here.
Boucher had a lovely, light and warm-hearted writing style combined with a truly rare wit. It's a pity that he didn't write more, but his impact as a reviewer and particularly as an editor on the fields of science fiction and mystery was incalculable. For those who enjoy his style, you'll find that the mysteries of Fredric Brown (particularly the Ed and Am Hunter series) are comparable in many ways. So are many of the Ellery Queen books by Ellery Queen, particularly those from roughly the same period (the 1940s). It's worth noting that several of the Ellery books are set in Hollywood too.
If you enjoy Boucher's mysteries, I also strongly recommend his science fiction - although alas, there isn't much of it.
klpm's review against another edition
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
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