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A review by strikingthirteen
The Italian Secretary by Caleb Carr
3.0
Not a bad crack at Holmes from the author of one of my all time favourite books (The Alienist). Holmes and Watson are really a team here and I really like the way they play off each other off the cuff. I mean its something that you expect that they have between them but I love me a competent Watson and I love that Carr has a Watson who is capable of working on his own line with Holmes following suit as much as vice versa.
I love the use of Mycroft in any Holmes story but it seems here that he's absent far more than he ought to be. The story also sort of tilts from supernatural to not rather suddenly considering that we're meant to make Watson's mistake of assuming that Holmes actually believes, literally, in the power of ghosts. That's really my only point of contention. Otherwise it's good fun and a lovely ride with Holmes and Watson.
I love the use of Mycroft in any Holmes story but it seems here that he's absent far more than he ought to be. The story also sort of tilts from supernatural to not rather suddenly considering that we're meant to make Watson's mistake of assuming that Holmes actually believes, literally, in the power of ghosts. That's really my only point of contention. Otherwise it's good fun and a lovely ride with Holmes and Watson.