(Reviewed by Don Jung)
It surprises me that legendary basketball great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has now written fifteen books since he retired from sports. His fascination with the Arthur Conan Doyle books has him writing his third installment in a series on what it would be like to be a young Sherlock Holmes.
This story takes you back to the Victorian era in London where Mycroft Holmes and his younger brother Sherlock combine their efforts to solve a serial killer mystery. Adding historical events like a European financial crisis, the Chinese cultural mystique and the shady world of arms dealing makes you absorb this time period with much detail and strong characterizations.
Mycroft with his friend, Dr. Douglas, are investigating eleven murders and it takes much research to discover what was the cause of death and why would it would be related to a certain event in the victims’ past. Sherlock, on the other hand, is searching for a kidnapped Chinese man who was engaged to Mycroft’s former lover. How these two stories intertwine keeps you on the edge of your seat.
The strong interaction between Mycroft and Sherlock shows you how sharp both are in catching the smallest clues and expanding them to surprising conclusions. The wit and humor are showcased as each brother tries to surpass the other in solving the issues of how to find the killer. The trademark of the Conan Doyle books is carried on here with plenty of dialogue that is witty with a touch of the reserved British humor.
This is a worthwhile read if you enjoy murder mysteries with a historical backdrop.
