Picture it. The market town of Farnham. A street in the higher end of town scattered with passerby’s making their way to and from their chosen destinations. A young boy in search of a scrap of food to stave off the hunger gnawing at his gut steps down an alley and witnesses a curiosity the likes of which he has never seen. A strange black cloud seems to be emanating from a window of a tenant house…and then disappeared up and over the rooftop of the adjoining building. Peculiar activity for a cloud and yet there is no time to ponder this fact as the silence of the morning is pierced by a scream of pure terror. What pray tell has happened to illicit this cry and is it connected to the mysterious cloud apparition? A mystery in the making and as the death toll begins to pile up; the curiosity of one inquisitive young visitor to these parts is piqued. Who is this young soul? The greatest detective in the making, one Sherlock Holmes…at least he will be once he finishes his schooling. The game is afoot! Are you ready?

The author’s treatment of Sherlock’s actual character falls right in line with the image readers are familiar with around the world....just in his growing stages. His love of conjecture that when honed becomes a valuable ally when all obvious explanations have been exhausted. His penchant for violin music eventually becomes a soundtrack of sorts to allow his mind to wander over the minute details of a case. His ability to discern what others can not developing with each and every human interaction. Speaking of which, let’s talk characters...

There are many players of which to take note whether they star in a pivotal role or not, but a few outshine the rest. First and foremost of course we have Sherlock Holmes. Though a mere boy in age, his intellect burns as brightly as a candle in the darkest night…even if he does have a bit of growing up to do still. Then there is Matty Arnatt. He is a gypsy boy of sorts, though orphan currently, and makes his ends meet by filching what he can when he needs to as well as having the uncanny ability to not only show up just in the nick of time but also to disappear without leaving so much as a foot print in the dust. Mr. Amyus Crowe with great skills and vast knowledge but they seem a bit unorthodox for your average tutor....odd, but handy later on. As for the "baddies", one is kept guessing as to the very nature of the beast or villain they are dealing with and while I won’t go naming names to spoil your fun, I will say this…be prepared for a few surprises.

To summarize, a wonderful book for younger teens through adults that love a good mystery with all the danger and adventure one could shake a fist at if they were so inclined. It’s rough and tumble action scenes combined with the quieter serene ponderings make for a journey readers won’t soon forget. Can't wait for book two! Happy reading.... ( )

Fourteen year old Sherlock Holmes learns that he is not going home from school for holiday like he always does; he is spending the summer at his Uncle Sherrinford and Aunt Anna Holmes’s estate. Upon arrival he meets the mysterious Mrs. Eglantine, the housekeeper, whom his brother Mycroft warns him about in a letter with the ominous words, “She is no friend of the Holmes family.” Mycroft also secures a tutor, Amyus Crowe, for Sherlock who is American and happens to have a lovely daughter about his age. What he believes will be a boring summer with relatives he hardly knows turns out to be anything but when a dead body appears on the estate and Sherlock stumbles upon it. He learns from his new friend Matty that another body was found in the village and before the death was discovered he saw a “death cloud” or shadowy mass fly from the window. The boys begin to investigate and the danger and suspense build quickly. Glimmers of the deductive skills seen in the grownup Holmes appear in the teenager encouraged by Crowe. His amazing abilities to get out of any danger are also foreshadowed here. Some readers might find the murder plot and subsequent captures and escapes hard to believe but it is great fun, nonetheless. Readers will look forward to the sequels where some remaining questions will be answered like whey Mrs. Eglantine is no friend of the Holmes family. ( )

Entertaining story of a young Sherlock Holmes. ( )

This imagining of the early life of Sherlock Holmes -- including a tantalizing glimpse at the origins of his opium addiction -- is a nice bit of play. Sherlock is not a smart-assed, know-it-all teen; rather, he is separated from his family for a summer and is uncertain of the role he plays in his cold uncle's house, and he looks to his older brother, Mycroft, for solace and direction. Refreshingly, he's portrayed as a human teen with human abilities and insecurities, including an unarticulated crush on his tutor's daughter. The story moves along at a nice pace, although several sub-plots are introduced and abandoned (maybe meant as red herrings?), which is frustrating. And the ending SERIOUSLY strains credulity, but we're meant to believe that Sherlock has simply exercised the powers of deduction for which he was so celebrated. Later.

All in all, an afternoon well spent for fans of mysteries and of Sherlock Holmes. And if you liked it, another adventure is set to be published later in 2011, although it may not make it across the pond for several months following that... ( )

Not perfect, but I admire the guts it takes to try to imagine Sherlock Holmes at the tender age of fourteen. We have a not so smug and confident young man with absent parents and a distant, but beloved, older brother. Sent to spend the summer with an Aunt and Uncle he's never met before, he finds adventure when Matty Arnow, a young man of simular age but very different circumstances, asks Sherlock for help. Add to that the mysterious tutor his brother sent, an American with unique set of lessons to teach. One of the things I liked about this book, the author tried to explain where one of those pecular interests that Sherlock has as an adult, in this case bees, originated from. ( )

"Death Cloud" is short, fast-paced, young adult adventure in which the young Sherlock Holmes spends his summer vacation saving the British Empire from the fiendish schemes of freakish foreigners.

Both the fiendish scheme and the freakish foreigner are insane; the impracticality of the plot being exceeded only by the instability of the plotter.

The story is entertaining, moving along at a good pace, with Holmes constantly rushing into danger that he then has to think his way out of. There is a lot of action, regular deductions and a little bit of history.

The characters are drawn with a subtlety that is only slightly above the level of a "Scoobey Doo" episode. The Victorian world is the modern day in costume and, of course, any modern day adventure would have to have an American at its centre. In this case it has two: a "tutor" who seems to be more like a man of action and his kick-ass daughter whom he allows to travel unaccompanied and who knows how to ride, track and give a good account of herself in a fight.

Sherlock was surprised to find that the young lady did not ride side-saddle. I was surprised to find that she had been taught to ride in America but still knew how to use a British saddle.

The young Holme's character as yet shows very little of the man Dr. Watson described but the level of story-telling is broadly equivalent to Conan Doyle's short stories.

This was a fun way to spend an afternoon but didn't have enough in it to attract me to the rest of the series. ( )

I am a fan of Sherlock Holmes and tend to watch TV series and movies and read books that build on the legend. I had high hopes for this book; I was not disappointed. Andrew Lane has been careful to honor Arthur Conan Doyle's vision and I could see how the boy Sherlock would grow into the man. Through his friendships and mishaps, I could see him learning. Lessons from his tutor will become part of his life: That you can deduce all you like, but it’s pointless without knowledge. Your mind is like a spinnin’ wheel, rotatin’ endlessly and pointlessly until threads are fed in, when it starts producin’ yarn. Information is the foundation of all rational thought. Seek it out. Collect it assiduously. Stock the lumber room of your mind with as many facts as you can fit in there. Don’t attempt to distinguish between important facts and trivial facts: they’re all potentially important.

If you enjoy Sherlock Holmes stories, you will most likely fall in love with the book. I strongly recommend it to you. Rebel Fire, book 2, has already joined my library. ( )

Zambia

Meet young Sherlock Holmes. He's 14 and has a nose for trouble and adventure. There's no Watson here, but his friend Matty gets him out of a few scrapes. If you like the recent movie and TV renditions of Sherlock Holmes, give this one a try.

Katie Z. / Marathon County Public Library
Find this book in our library catalog.

( )

“Nube Mortale” è il primo romanzo della serie per giovanissimi “Sherlock Holmes Young”, presentata ai lettori in occasione della Fiera annuale di Bologna. Frutto della penna del giornalista, saggista e sceneggiatore britannico Andrew Lane. Al momento la serie conta quattro romanzi tutti, ovviamente, incentrati sulle gesta di un giovane Sherlock Holmes che, fino a questo momento, avevamo potuto solamente immaginare grazie ai numerosi riferimenti lasciati da Arthur Conan Doyle nelle sue opere.

Ed è proprio questo lo scopo e punto di forza di Andrew Lane, ovvero narrare la giovinezza di uno dei personaggi più amati e famosi della nostra letteratura, basandosi, però, sui vari indizi desumibili dai romanzi e dai racconti ufficiali di cui l’autore è un vero appassionato.

Un romanzo diretto inequivocabilmente ad un pubblico giovane, ma che può rappresentare una bella e leggera lettura anche per tutti gli amanti del grande Sherlock Holmes, uomo dalla grande e ferrea mente, d’immediatezza e d’azione.

Come è “nato” l’inquietante trentenne detective che abbiamo conosciuto nel primo romanzo “Lo Studio in Rosso” (1887), che ci viene descritto attraverso i ricordi dell’ex militare e suo coinquilino Dottor John Watson? Come conciliare la figura di Holmes con quella di un “giovane”?

È quello che, incredibilmente, è riuscito a fare Andrew Lane con il suo “Nube Mortale” che, ambientato nel 1868, ci narra la prima indagine di un quattordicenne Sherlock che ancora sembra ben lontano dal cerebrale e logico Holmes che tutti conosciamo.

Sarà proprio questa “diversità” fra i due Sherlock che prenderà un po' alla sprovvista i lettori che hanno già avuto modo di apprezzare le opere di Doyle, salvo poi, andando avanti nella lettura, conoscere un importantissimo personaggio che segnerà evidentemente tutto il futuro del giovane Sherlock e che lo trascinerà, lentamente e con perizia, verso un mondo fatto di logica e deduzioni che plasmeranno l’acerbo detective in quello che tutti noi conosciamo.

È infatti proprio Amyus Crowe, ingaggiato da Mycroft Holmes (fratello maggiore di Sherlock), che inizierà il giovane nel mondo del pensiero deduttivo durante le loro lezioni estive che, poi, si trasformeranno in una caccia all’uomo veramente interessante.

Sherlock ha appena finito il suo anno scolastico e la partenza del padre per motivi militari, nonché gli impegni del fratello maggiore Mycroft, lo hanno costretto a passare i suoi mesi estivi dagli zii, nel Hampshire. Qua, fra una bighellonata e l’altra, incontrerà un giovane orfano di nome Matthew Arnatt che subito diverrà suo amico e complice.


Nel frattempo verrà affiancato da un tutore, Amyus Crowe, che impiegherà le sue ore di lezioni a spingere Sherlock a “riflettere”, cosa che diverrà praticamente vitale quando il giovane troverà, nel giardino degli zii, uno dei tuttofare della tenuta misteriosamente ucciso da quello che sembra essere una misteriosa malattia.

Ma se non fosse il primo caso in città? Cosa è quella strana polvere gialla di cui è circondato il corpo? E chi è quello strano forestiero arrivato in città con un largo numero di uomini e delle strane casse rumorose?

L’intrigo sviluppato da Andrew Lane è molto interessante, nonostante si tratti di un libro per bambini e la connotazione logica si può ricercare e assaporare di pagina in pagina. Tutti i personaggi sono ben caratterizzati e perfettamente integrati con l’epoca storica narrata. La trama è interessante e avvincente anche se alcuni elementi sono stati lasciati in sospeso, probabilmente in previsione dei prossimi volumi.

Un romanzo che impressionerà e catturerà senza problemi l’attenzione dei giovani lettori che avranno modo di avvicinarsi alla criptica figura del grande Sherlock Holmes partendo dalla sua giovane e, forse, un po’ più “umana” figura. Interessante, senza dubbio, anche per i lettori più adulti che potranno conoscere il giovane Holmes, prima della sua trasformazione in una fredda e calcolatrice macchina logica. ( )

This was surprisingly wonderful. I don't know why I was skeptical. I have never read any books about Sherlock Holmes. Andrew Lane's goal was to portray a young Holmes. He is a teenager and gets into and out of so much trouble. It was all believable and i like that. The African bees offered a lot of interest to me. I see young Holmes in more violent adventures. This book was quite graphic. Boys get ready for adventure. ( )

영국 소설가 앤드루 레인의 『소년 셜록 홈즈』 제1권 '죽음의 구름'. 세계 유일의 코난 도일 협회의 공식 인증을 받은 장편동화다. 탄탄한 자료 조사에다가 탁월한 상상력을 곁들여 써내려간 전설의 명탐정 셜록 홈즈가 어린 시절에 펼친 대활약 이야기를 담고 있다. 열네 살의 셜록은 남학생 기숙 학교인 딥딘 소년 학교의 시니컬한 아웃사이더다. 여름 방학을 맞아 큰아버지 집인 판함의 시골 저택에 머물게 되었다. 아버지 군대의 인도 출정 때문에 형 마이크로포트가 큰아버지에게 셜록을 맡긴 것이다. 셜록은 지루한 일상을 보내게 되어 화가 났다. 하지만 정원에서 종기로 뒤덮인 시체와 맞닥뜨리게 되면서 거대한 사건에 휘말리게 되었다. 시체 옆에서는 검은 구름과 노란 가루가 발견되었는데… ( )

A very enjoyable look at young Sherlock, before his genius status. We travel with him on an adventure that leads to death, danger and pain. ( )

I so much enjoyed the Sherlock Holmes novels written by Arthur Conan Doyle that I thought I would give Andrew Lane's younger version a try. As a teenager, this version of Sherlock was not as I expected. Perhaps I was leaning too much on the adult character, but I thought young Sherlock would be a boy genius. Instead, he is portrayed as a lad with an above average intelligence and a seemingly boundless curiosity. We therefore see the progression in Sherlock from his formative years to the astute detective made famous by A.C. Doyle.

The novel begins with 14 year old Sherlock waiting for his father to collect him from boarding school for the summer holiday. Instead he finds his brother, Mycroft, waiting in the headmaster's office. Mycroft informs Sherlock that their father has been sent to India and arrangements have been made with Uncle Sherrinford and Aunt Anna in Farnham to care for him during the summer.

Resigned to his fate, Sherlock tries to make the most of his situation. He meets a young orphan, Matty Arnatt, and the two boys become quick friends. Matty tells Sherlock of the Death Cloud he saw coming from a house in town. It came out of the window and went up the drain pipe. The man in the house had large boils on his face and hands reminiscent of the plague. This peaks Sherlock's curiosity and the two boys begin investigating.

About this time, Sherlock discovers that Mycroft has hired a tutor to help further his education. The tutor in question, Amyus Crowe, has come from America with his daughter Virginia, who Sherlock immediately becomes infatuated with. Later, while Amyus and Sherlock are hiking through the forest to learn about edible plants, another body is discovered bearing the same characteristics as the previous one. This time, it is Sherlock that witnesses the Death Cloud. He also finds some yellow powder near the body, which he collects in an envelope.

With the discovery of the second body, the community becomes worried about another outbreak of the bubonic plague, But Sherlock is not convinced. He had seen the second man earlier the same day the body was discovered, with no signs of any disease present. He and Matty's investigations lead to a secluded warehouse and a mysterious foreign Baron. With the help of Amyus and Virginia Crowe, the two boys are able to make sense of the clues and solve the case.

It is not surprising that Amyus Crowe reminded me of the grown Sherlock. With his vast amount of knowledge and deductive reasoning, he is the man Sherlock will become. At one point during the story, Sherlock notes that Amyus is trying to "teach me how to think," and indeed this is the case. Amyus would ask questions in such a way as to lead the young man in the direction of the solution without actually giving it to him.

The mystery set forth in the story is very clever, and while the villain is not typical of Doyle's Holmes character, I found the novel to be quite entertaining. If you are willing to believe that Holmes was not always the man he was portrayed as by Doyle, then I think you will enjoy this novel as much as I did.

Comment Comment | Permalink ( )

I so much enjoyed the Sherlock Holmes novels written by Arthur Conan Doyle that I thought I would give Andrew Lane's younger version a try. As a teenager, this version of Sherlock was not as I expected. Perhaps I was leaning too much on the adult character, but I thought young Sherlock would be a boy genius. Instead, he is portrayed as a lad with an above average intelligence and a seemingly boundless curiosity. We therefore see the progression in Sherlock from his formative years to the astute detective made famous by A.C. Doyle.

The novel begins with 14 year old Sherlock waiting for his father to collect him from boarding school for the summer holiday. Instead he finds his brother, Mycroft, waiting in the headmaster's office. Mycroft informs Sherlock that their father has been sent to India and arrangements have been made with Uncle Sherrinford and Aunt Anna in Farnham to care for him during the summer.

Resigned to his fate, Sherlock tries to make the most of his situation. He meets a young orphan, Matty Arnatt, and the two boys become quick friends. Matty tells Sherlock of the Death Cloud he saw coming from a house in town. It came out of the window and went up the drain pipe. The man in the house had large boils on his face and hands reminiscent of the plague. This peaks Sherlock's curiosity and the two boys begin investigating.

About this time, Sherlock discovers that Mycroft has hired a tutor to help further his education. The tutor in question, Amyus Crowe, has come from America with his daughter Virginia, who Sherlock immediately becomes infatuated with. Later, while Amyus and Sherlock are hiking through the forest to learn about edible plants, another body is discovered bearing the same characteristics as the previous one. This time, it is Sherlock that witnesses the Death Cloud. He also finds some yellow powder near the body, which he collects in an envelope.

With the discovery of the second body, the community becomes worried about another outbreak of the bubonic plague, But Sherlock is not convinced. He had seen the second man earlier the same day the body was discovered, with no signs of any disease present. He and Matty's investigations lead to a secluded warehouse and a mysterious foreign Baron. With the help of Amyus and Virginia Crowe, the two boys are able to make sense of the clues and solve the case.

It is not surprising that Amyus Crowe reminded me of the grown Sherlock. With his vast amount of knowledge and deductive reasoning, he is the man Sherlock will become. At one point during the story, Sherlock notes that Amyus is trying to "teach me how to think," and indeed this is the case. Amyus would ask questions in such a way as to lead the young man in the direction of the solution without actually giving it to him.

The mystery set forth in the story is very clever, and while the villain is not typical of Doyle's Holmes character, I found the novel to be quite entertaining. If you are willing to believe that Holmes was not always the man he was portrayed as by Doyle, then I think you will enjoy this novel as much as I did.

Comment Comment | Permalink ( )

I so much enjoyed the Sherlock Holmes novels written by Arthur Conan Doyle that I thought I would give Andrew Lane's younger version a try. As a teenager, this version of Sherlock was not as I expected. Perhaps I was leaning too much on the adult character, but I thought young Sherlock would be a boy genius. Instead, he is portrayed as a lad with an above average intelligence and a seemingly boundless curiosity. We therefore see the progression in Sherlock from his formative years to the astute detective made famous by A.C. Doyle.

The novel begins with 14 year old Sherlock waiting for his father to collect him from boarding school for the summer holiday. Instead he finds his brother, Mycroft, waiting in the headmaster's office. Mycroft informs Sherlock that their father has been sent to India and arrangements have been made with Uncle Sherrinford and Aunt Anna in Farnham to care for him during the summer.

Resigned to his fate, Sherlock tries to make the most of his situation. He meets a young orphan, Matty Arnatt, and the two boys become quick friends. Matty tells Sherlock of the Death Cloud he saw coming from a house in town. It came out of the window and went up the drain pipe. The man in the house had large boils on his face and hands reminiscent of the plague. This peaks Sherlock's curiosity and the two boys begin investigating.

About this time, Sherlock discovers that Mycroft has hired a tutor to help further his education. The tutor in question, Amyus Crowe, has come from America with his daughter Virginia, who Sherlock immediately becomes infatuated with. Later, while Amyus and Sherlock are hiking through the forest to learn about edible plants, another body is discovered bearing the same characteristics as the previous one. This time, it is Sherlock that witnesses the Death Cloud. He also finds some yellow powder near the body, which he collects in an envelope.

With the discovery of the second body, the community becomes worried about another outbreak of the bubonic plague, But Sherlock is not convinced. He had seen the second man earlier the same day the body was discovered, with no signs of any disease present. He and Matty's investigations lead to a secluded warehouse and a mysterious foreign Baron. With the help of Amyus and Virginia Crowe, the two boys are able to make sense of the clues and solve the case.

It is not surprising that Amyus Crowe reminded me of the grown Sherlock. With his vast amount of knowledge and deductive reasoning, he is the man Sherlock will become. At one point during the story, Sherlock notes that Amyus is trying to "teach me how to think," and indeed this is the case. Amyus would ask questions in such a way as to lead the young man in the direction of the solution without actually giving it to him.

The mystery set forth in the story is very clever, and while the villain is not typical of Doyle's Holmes character, I found the novel to be quite entertaining. If you are willing to believe that Holmes was not always the man he was portrayed as by Doyle, then I think you will enjoy this novel as much as I did.

Comment Comment | Permalink ( )

I so much enjoyed the Sherlock Holmes novels written by Arthur Conan Doyle that I thought I would give Andrew Lane's younger version a try. As a teenager, this version of Sherlock was not as I expected. Perhaps I was leaning too much on the adult character, but I thought young Sherlock would be a boy genius. Instead, he is portrayed as a lad with an above average intelligence and a seemingly boundless curiosity. We therefore see the progression in Sherlock from his formative years to the astute detective made famous by A.C. Doyle.

The novel begins with 14 year old Sherlock waiting for his father to collect him from boarding school for the summer holiday. Instead he finds his brother, Mycroft, waiting in the headmaster's office. Mycroft informs Sherlock that their father has been sent to India and arrangements have been made with Uncle Sherrinford and Aunt Anna in Farnham to care for him during the summer.

Resigned to his fate, Sherlock tries to make the most of his situation. He meets a young orphan, Matty Arnatt, and the two boys become quick friends. Matty tells Sherlock of the Death Cloud he saw coming from a house in town. It came out of the window and went up the drain pipe. The man in the house had large boils on his face and hands reminiscent of the plague. This peaks Sherlock's curiosity and the two boys begin investigating.

About this time, Sherlock discovers that Mycroft has hired a tutor to help further his education. The tutor in question, Amyus Crowe, has come from America with his daughter Virginia, who Sherlock immediately becomes infatuated with. Later, while Amyus and Sherlock are hiking through the forest to learn about edible plants, another body is discovered bearing the same characteristics as the previous one. This time, it is Sherlock that witnesses the Death Cloud. He also finds some yellow powder near the body, which he collects in an envelope.

With the discovery of the second body, the community becomes worried about another outbreak of the bubonic plague, But Sherlock is not convinced. He had seen the second man earlier the same day the body was discovered, with no signs of any disease present. He and Matty's investigations lead to a secluded warehouse and a mysterious foreign Baron. With the help of Amyus and Virginia Crowe, the two boys are able to make sense of the clues and solve the case.

It is not surprising that Amyus Crowe reminded me of the grown Sherlock. With his vast amount of knowledge and deductive reasoning, he is the man Sherlock will become. At one point during the story, Sherlock notes that Amyus is trying to "teach me how to think," and indeed this is the case. Amyus would ask questions in such a way as to lead the young man in the direction of the solution without actually giving it to him.

The mystery set forth in the story is very clever, and while the villain is not typical of Doyle's Holmes character, I found the novel to be quite entertaining. If you are willing to believe that Holmes was not always the man he was portrayed as by Doyle, then I think you will enjoy this novel as much as I did.

Comment Comment | Permalink ( )

I so much enjoyed the Sherlock Holmes novels written by Arthur Conan Doyle that I thought I would give Andrew Lane's younger version a try. As a teenager, this version of Sherlock was not as I expected. Perhaps I was leaning too much on the adult character, but I thought young Sherlock would be a boy genius. Instead, he is portrayed as a lad with an above average intelligence and a seemingly boundless curiosity. We therefore see the progression in Sherlock from his formative years to the astute detective made famous by A.C. Doyle.

The novel begins with 14 year old Sherlock waiting for his father to collect him from boarding school for the summer holiday. Instead he finds his brother, Mycroft, waiting in the headmaster's office. Mycroft informs Sherlock that their father has been sent to India and arrangements have been made with Uncle Sherrinford and Aunt Anna in Farnham to care for him during the summer.

Resigned to his fate, Sherlock tries to make the most of his situation. He meets a young orphan, Matty Arnatt, and the two boys become quick friends. Matty tells Sherlock of the Death Cloud he saw coming from a house in town. It came out of the window and went up the drain pipe. The man in the house had large boils on his face and hands reminiscent of the plague. This peaks Sherlock's curiosity and the two boys begin investigating.

About this time, Sherlock discovers that Mycroft has hired a tutor to help further his education. The tutor in question, Amyus Crowe, has come from America with his daughter Virginia, who Sherlock immediately becomes infatuated with. Later, while Amyus and Sherlock are hiking through the forest to learn about edible plants, another body is discovered bearing the same characteristics as the previous one. This time, it is Sherlock that witnesses the Death Cloud. He also finds some yellow powder near the body, which he collects in an envelope.

With the discovery of the second body, the community becomes worried about another outbreak of the bubonic plague, But Sherlock is not convinced. He had seen the second man earlier the same day the body was discovered, with no signs of any disease present. He and Matty's investigations lead to a secluded warehouse and a mysterious foreign Baron. With the help of Amyus and Virginia Crowe, the two boys are able to make sense of the clues and solve the case.

It is not surprising that Amyus Crowe reminded me of the grown Sherlock. With his vast amount of knowledge and deductive reasoning, he is the man Sherlock will become. At one point during the story, Sherlock notes that Amyus is trying to "teach me how to think," and indeed this is the case. Amyus would ask questions in such a way as to lead the young man in the direction of the solution without actually giving it to him.

The mystery set forth in the story is very clever, and while the villain is not typical of Doyle's Holmes character, I found the novel to be quite entertaining. If you are willing to believe that Holmes was not always the man he was portrayed as by Doyle, then I think you will enjoy this novel as much as I did.

Comment Comment | Permalink ( )

I so much enjoyed the Sherlock Holmes novels written by Arthur Conan Doyle that I thought I would give Andrew Lane's younger version a try. As a teenager, this version of Sherlock was not as I expected. Perhaps I was leaning too much on the adult character, but I thought young Sherlock would be a boy genius. Instead, he is portrayed as a lad with an above average intelligence and a seemingly boundless curiosity. We therefore see the progression in Sherlock from his formative years to the astute detective made famous by A.C. Doyle.

The novel begins with 14 year old Sherlock waiting for his father to collect him from boarding school for the summer holiday. Instead he finds his brother, Mycroft, waiting in the headmaster's office. Mycroft informs Sherlock that their father has been sent to India and arrangements have been made with Uncle Sherrinford and Aunt Anna in Farnham to care for him during the summer.

Resigned to his fate, Sherlock tries to make the most of his situation. He meets a young orphan, Matty Arnatt, and the two boys become quick friends. Matty tells Sherlock of the Death Cloud he saw coming from a house in town. It came out of the window and went up the drain pipe. The man in the house had large boils on his face and hands reminiscent of the plague. This peaks Sherlock's curiosity and the two boys begin investigating.

About this time, Sherlock discovers that Mycroft has hired a tutor to help further his education. The tutor in question, Amyus Crowe, has come from America with his daughter Virginia, who Sherlock immediately becomes infatuated with. Later, while Amyus and Sherlock are hiking through the forest to learn about edible plants, another body is discovered bearing the same characteristics as the previous one. This time, it is Sherlock that witnesses the Death Cloud. He also finds some yellow powder near the body, which he collects in an envelope.

With the discovery of the second body, the community becomes worried about another outbreak of the bubonic plague, But Sherlock is not convinced. He had seen the second man earlier the same day the body was discovered, with no signs of any disease present. He and Matty's investigations lead to a secluded warehouse and a mysterious foreign Baron. With the help of Amyus and Virginia Crowe, the two boys are able to make sense of the clues and solve the case.

It is not surprising that Amyus Crowe reminded me of the grown Sherlock. With his vast amount of knowledge and deductive reasoning, he is the man Sherlock will become. At one point during the story, Sherlock notes that Amyus is trying to "teach me how to think," and indeed this is the case. Amyus would ask questions in such a way as to lead the young man in the direction of the solution without actually giving it to him.

The mystery set forth in the story is very clever, and while the villain is not typical of Doyle's Holmes character, I found the novel to be quite entertaining. If you are willing to believe that Holmes was not always the man he was portrayed as by Doyle, then I think you will enjoy this novel as much as I did.

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I so much enjoyed the Sherlock Holmes novels written by Arthur Conan Doyle that I thought I would give Andrew Lane's younger version a try. As a teenager, this version of Sherlock was not as I expected. Perhaps I was leaning too much on the adult character, but I thought young Sherlock would be a boy genius. Instead, he is portrayed as a lad with an above average intelligence and a seemingly boundless curiosity. We therefore see the progression in Sherlock from his formative years to the astute detective made famous by A.C. Doyle.

The novel begins with 14 year old Sherlock waiting for his father to collect him from boarding school for the summer holiday. Instead he finds his brother, Mycroft, waiting in the headmaster's office. Mycroft informs Sherlock that their father has been sent to India and arrangements have been made with Uncle Sherrinford and Aunt Anna in Farnham to care for him during the summer.

Resigned to his fate, Sherlock tries to make the most of his situation. He meets a young orphan, Matty Arnatt, and the two boys become quick friends. Matty tells Sherlock of the Death Cloud he saw coming from a house in town. It came out of the window and went up the drain pipe. The man in the house had large boils on his face and hands reminiscent of the plague. This peaks Sherlock's curiosity and the two boys begin investigating.

About this time, Sherlock discovers that Mycroft has hired a tutor to help further his education. The tutor in question, Amyus Crowe, has come from America with his daughter Virginia, who Sherlock immediately becomes infatuated with. Later, while Amyus and Sherlock are hiking through the forest to learn about edible plants, another body is discovered bearing the same characteristics as the previous one. This time, it is Sherlock that witnesses the Death Cloud. He also finds some yellow powder near the body, which he collects in an envelope.

With the discovery of the second body, the community becomes worried about another outbreak of the bubonic plague, But Sherlock is not convinced. He had seen the second man earlier the same day the body was discovered, with no signs of any disease present. He and Matty's investigations lead to a secluded warehouse and a mysterious foreign Baron. With the help of Amyus and Virginia Crowe, the two boys are able to make sense of the clues and solve the case.

It is not surprising that Amyus Crowe reminded me of the grown Sherlock. With his vast amount of knowledge and deductive reasoning, he is the man Sherlock will become. At one point during the story, Sherlock notes that Amyus is trying to "teach me how to think," and indeed this is the case. Amyus would ask questions in such a way as to lead the young man in the direction of the solution without actually giving it to him.

The mystery set forth in the story is very clever, and while the villain is not typical of Doyle's Holmes character, I found the novel to be quite entertaining. If you are willing to believe that Holmes was not always the man he was portrayed as by Doyle, then I think you will enjoy this novel as much as I did.

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I so much enjoyed the Sherlock Holmes novels written by Arthur Conan Doyle that I thought I would give Andrew Lane's younger version a try. As a teenager, this version of Sherlock was not as I expected. Perhaps I was leaning too much on the adult character, but I thought young Sherlock would be a boy genius. Instead, he is portrayed as a lad with an above average intelligence and a seemingly boundless curiosity. We therefore see the progression in Sherlock from his formative years to the astute detective made famous by A.C. Doyle.

The novel begins with 14 year old Sherlock waiting for his father to collect him from boarding school for the summer holiday. Instead he finds his brother, Mycroft, waiting in the headmaster's office. Mycroft informs Sherlock that their father has been sent to India and arrangements have been made with Uncle Sherrinford and Aunt Anna in Farnham to care for him during the summer.

Resigned to his fate, Sherlock tries to make the most of his situation. He meets a young orphan, Matty Arnatt, and the two boys become quick friends. Matty tells Sherlock of the Death Cloud he saw coming from a house in town. It came out of the window and went up the drain pipe. The man in the house had large boils on his face and hands reminiscent of the plague. This peaks Sherlock's curiosity and the two boys begin investigating.

About this time, Sherlock discovers that Mycroft has hired a tutor to help further his education. The tutor in question, Amyus Crowe, has come from America with his daughter Virginia, who Sherlock immediately becomes infatuated with. Later, while Amyus and Sherlock are hiking through the forest to learn about edible plants, another body is discovered bearing the same characteristics as the previous one. This time, it is Sherlock that witnesses the Death Cloud. He also finds some yellow powder near the body, which he collects in an envelope.

With the discovery of the second body, the community becomes worried about another outbreak of the bubonic plague, But Sherlock is not convinced. He had seen the second man earlier the same day the body was discovered, with no signs of any disease present. He and Matty's investigations lead to a secluded warehouse and a mysterious foreign Baron. With the help of Amyus and Virginia Crowe, the two boys are able to make sense of the clues and solve the case.

It is not surprising that Amyus Crowe reminded me of the grown Sherlock. With his vast amount of knowledge and deductive reasoning, he is the man Sherlock will become. At one point during the story, Sherlock notes that Amyus is trying to "teach me how to think," and indeed this is the case. Amyus would ask questions in such a way as to lead the young man in the direction of the solution without actually giving it to him.

The mystery set forth in the story is very clever, and while the villain is not typical of Doyle's Holmes character, I found the novel to be quite entertaining. If you are willing to believe that Holmes was not always the man he was portrayed as by Doyle, then I think you will enjoy this novel as much as I did.

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I so much enjoyed the Sherlock Holmes novels written by Arthur Conan Doyle that I thought I would give Andrew Lane's younger version a try. As a teenager, this version of Sherlock was not as I expected. Perhaps I was leaning too much on the adult character, but I thought young Sherlock would be a boy genius. Instead, he is portrayed as a lad with an above average intelligence and a seemingly boundless curiosity. We therefore see the progression in Sherlock from his formative years to the astute detective made famous by A.C. Doyle.

The novel begins with 14 year old Sherlock waiting for his father to collect him from boarding school for the summer holiday. Instead he finds his brother, Mycroft, waiting in the headmaster's office. Mycroft informs Sherlock that their father has been sent to India and arrangements have been made with Uncle Sherrinford and Aunt Anna in Farnham to care for him during the summer.

Resigned to his fate, Sherlock tries to make the most of his situation. He meets a young orphan, Matty Arnatt, and the two boys become quick friends. Matty tells Sherlock of the Death Cloud he saw coming from a house in town. It came out of the window and went up the drain pipe. The man in the house had large boils on his face and hands reminiscent of the plague. This peaks Sherlock's curiosity and the two boys begin investigating.

About this time, Sherlock discovers that Mycroft has hired a tutor to help further his education. The tutor in question, Amyus Crowe, has come from America with his daughter Virginia, who Sherlock immediately becomes infatuated with. Later, while Amyus and Sherlock are hiking through the forest to learn about edible plants, another body is discovered bearing the same characteristics as the previous one. This time, it is Sherlock that witnesses the Death Cloud. He also finds some yellow powder near the body, which he collects in an envelope.

With the discovery of the second body, the community becomes worried about another outbreak of the bubonic plague, But Sherlock is not convinced. He had seen the second man earlier the same day the body was discovered, with no signs of any disease present. He and Matty's investigations lead to a secluded warehouse and a mysterious foreign Baron. With the help of Amyus and Virginia Crowe, the two boys are able to make sense of the clues and solve the case.

It is not surprising that Amyus Crowe reminded me of the grown Sherlock. With his vast amount of knowledge and deductive reasoning, he is the man Sherlock will become. At one point during the story, Sherlock notes that Amyus is trying to "teach me how to think," and indeed this is the case. Amyus would ask questions in such a way as to lead the young man in the direction of the solution without actually giving it to him.

The mystery set forth in the story is very clever, and while the villain is not typical of Doyle's Holmes character, I found the novel to be quite entertaining. If you are willing to believe that Holmes was not always the man he was portrayed as by Doyle, then I think you will enjoy this novel as much as I did.

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I so much enjoyed the Sherlock Holmes novels written by Arthur Conan Doyle that I thought I would give Andrew Lane's younger version a try. As a teenager, this version of Sherlock was not as I expected. Perhaps I was leaning too much on the adult character, but I thought young Sherlock would be a boy genius. Instead, he is portrayed as a lad with an above average intelligence and a seemingly boundless curiosity. We therefore see the progression in Sherlock from his formative years to the astute detective made famous by A.C. Doyle.

The novel begins with 14 year old Sherlock waiting for his father to collect him from boarding school for the summer holiday. Instead he finds his brother, Mycroft, waiting in the headmaster's office. Mycroft informs Sherlock that their father has been sent to India and arrangements have been made with Uncle Sherrinford and Aunt Anna in Farnham to care for him during the summer.

Resigned to his fate, Sherlock tries to make the most of his situation. He meets a young orphan, Matty Arnatt, and the two boys become quick friends. Matty tells Sherlock of the Death Cloud he saw coming from a house in town. It came out of the window and went up the drain pipe. The man in the house had large boils on his face and hands reminiscent of the plague. This peaks Sherlock's curiosity and the two boys begin investigating.

About this time, Sherlock discovers that Mycroft has hired a tutor to help further his education. The tutor in question, Amyus Crowe, has come from America with his daughter Virginia, who Sherlock immediately becomes infatuated with. Later, while Amyus and Sherlock are hiking through the forest to learn about edible plants, another body is discovered bearing the same characteristics as the previous one. This time, it is Sherlock that witnesses the Death Cloud. He also finds some yellow powder near the body, which he collects in an envelope.

With the discovery of the second body, the community becomes worried about another outbreak of the bubonic plague, But Sherlock is not convinced. He had seen the second man earlier the same day the body was discovered, with no signs of any disease present. He and Matty's investigations lead to a secluded warehouse and a mysterious foreign Baron. With the help of Amyus and Virginia Crowe, the two boys are able to make sense of the clues and solve the case.

It is not surprising that Amyus Crowe reminded me of the grown Sherlock. With his vast amount of knowledge and deductive reasoning, he is the man Sherlock will become. At one point during the story, Sherlock notes that Amyus is trying to "teach me how to think," and indeed this is the case. Amyus would ask questions in such a way as to lead the young man in the direction of the solution without actually giving it to him.

The mystery set forth in the story is very clever, and while the villain is not typical of Doyle's Holmes character, I found the novel to be quite entertaining. If you are willing to believe that Holmes was not always the man he was portrayed as by Doyle, then I think you will enjoy this novel as much as I did.

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I so much enjoyed the Sherlock Holmes novels written by Arthur Conan Doyle that I thought I would give Andrew Lane's younger version a try. As a teenager, this version of Sherlock was not as I expected. Perhaps I was leaning too much on the adult character, but I thought young Sherlock would be a boy genius. Instead, he is portrayed as a lad with an above average intelligence and a seemingly boundless curiosity. We therefore see the progression in Sherlock from his formative years to the astute detective made famous by A.C. Doyle.

The novel begins with 14 year old Sherlock waiting for his father to collect him from boarding school for the summer holiday. Instead he finds his brother, Mycroft, waiting in the headmaster's office. Mycroft informs Sherlock that their father has been sent to India and arrangements have been made with Uncle Sherrinford and Aunt Anna in Farnham to care for him during the summer.

Resigned to his fate, Sherlock tries to make the most of his situation. He meets a young orphan, Matty Arnatt, and the two boys become quick friends. Matty tells Sherlock of the Death Cloud he saw coming from a house in town. It came out of the window and went up the drain pipe. The man in the house had large boils on his face and hands reminiscent of the plague. This peaks Sherlock's curiosity and the two boys begin investigating.

About this time, Sherlock discovers that Mycroft has hired a tutor to help further his education. The tutor in question, Amyus Crowe, has come from America with his daughter Virginia, who Sherlock immediately becomes infatuated with. Later, while Amyus and Sherlock are hiking through the forest to learn about edible plants, another body is discovered bearing the same characteristics as the previous one. This time, it is Sherlock that witnesses the Death Cloud. He also finds some yellow powder near the body, which he collects in an envelope.

With the discovery of the second body, the community becomes worried about another outbreak of the bubonic plague, But Sherlock is not convinced. He had seen the second man earlier the same day the body was discovered, with no signs of any disease present. He and Matty's investigations lead to a secluded warehouse and a mysterious foreign Baron. With the help of Amyus and Virginia Crowe, the two boys are able to make sense of the clues and solve the case.

It is not surprising that Amyus Crowe reminded me of the grown Sherlock. With his vast amount of knowledge and deductive reasoning, he is the man Sherlock will become. At one point during the story, Sherlock notes that Amyus is trying to "teach me how to think," and indeed this is the case. Amyus would ask questions in such a way as to lead the young man in the direction of the solution without actually giving it to him.

The mystery set forth in the story is very clever, and while the villain is not typical of Doyle's Holmes character, I found the novel to be quite entertaining. If you are willing to believe that Holmes was not always the man he was portrayed as by Doyle, then I think you will enjoy this novel as much as I did.

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I so much enjoyed the Sherlock Holmes novels written by Arthur Conan Doyle that I thought I would give Andrew Lane's younger version a try. As a teenager, this version of Sherlock was not as I expected. Perhaps I was leaning too much on the adult character, but I thought young Sherlock would be a boy genius. Instead, he is portrayed as a lad with an above average intelligence and a seemingly boundless curiosity. We therefore see the progression in Sherlock from his formative years to the astute detective made famous by A.C. Doyle.

The novel begins with 14 year old Sherlock waiting for his father to collect him from boarding school for the summer holiday. Instead he finds his brother, Mycroft, waiting in the headmaster's office. Mycroft informs Sherlock that their father has been sent to India and arrangements have been made with Uncle Sherrinford and Aunt Anna in Farnham to care for him during the summer.

Resigned to his fate, Sherlock tries to make the most of his situation. He meets a young orphan, Matty Arnatt, and the two boys become quick friends. Matty tells Sherlock of the Death Cloud he saw coming from a house in town. It came out of the window and went up the drain pipe. The man in the house had large boils on his face and hands reminiscent of the plague. This peaks Sherlock's curiosity and the two boys begin investigating.

About this time, Sherlock discovers that Mycroft has hired a tutor to help further his education. The tutor in question, Amyus Crowe, has come from America with his daughter Virginia, who Sherlock immediately becomes infatuated with. Later, while Amyus and Sherlock are hiking through the forest to learn about edible plants, another body is discovered bearing the same characteristics as the previous one. This time, it is Sherlock that witnesses the Death Cloud. He also finds some yellow powder near the body, which he collects in an envelope.

With the discovery of the second body, the community becomes worried about another outbreak of the bubonic plague, But Sherlock is not convinced. He had seen the second man earlier the same day the body was discovered, with no signs of any disease present. He and Matty's investigations lead to a secluded warehouse and a mysterious foreign Baron. With the help of Amyus and Virginia Crowe, the two boys are able to make sense of the clues and solve the case.

It is not surprising that Amyus Crowe reminded me of the grown Sherlock. With his vast amount of knowledge and deductive reasoning, he is the man Sherlock will become. At one point during the story, Sherlock notes that Amyus is trying to "teach me how to think," and indeed this is the case. Amyus would ask questions in such a way as to lead the young man in the direction of the solution without actually giving it to him.

The mystery set forth in the story is very clever, and while the villain is not typical of Doyle's Holmes character, I found the novel to be quite entertaining. If you are willing to believe that Holmes was not always the man he was portrayed as by Doyle, then I think you will enjoy this novel as much as I did.

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