Sherlock Holmes and the Crosby Murders
By Gary Lovisi
Linford Mystery Library: Large Print (2009)
ISBN: 978-1-84782-713-5
Genre: Mystery
Reviewed by Herbert White - June 22, 2009
Sherlock Holmes lives again in three new stories by Gary Lovisi. Written in the style of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes mysteries, these stories have the same feel and resonance of Doyle's work. They also feature many of the same characters that populated Doyle's stories, such as the eminent Dr. Watson, Inspector Lestrade of Scotland Yard, and even Mycroft Holmes makes an appearance.
Although this book is titled, Sherlock Holmes and the Crosby Murders it is really a collection of three distinct Sherlock Holmes stories. They are:
The Loss of the Sophy Anderson
In this case, Holmes is bewitched by the alluring actress Miss Susan Copely, who is as astute, as is Holmes himself. She has come to him to ask his help in discovering who is threatening her life, and why. As Holmes discovers, this case was long in the making, tracing its origins back nearly twenty years ago when the Sophy Anderson was lost at sea off the coast of Sierra Leone. In solving this case, Holmes will uncover a dark secret that many would have wished had never seen the light of day...
Sherlock Holmes and the Crosby Murders
At the core of this second case are the horrific murders of Maria Crosby and her two young children. Maria was stabbed to death, and her children suffocated, the blame for which immediately fell upon her husband, Alexander. However, as Holmes and Watson investigate the case, they soon come to realize that Alexander may indeed be innocent, and if they don't catch the real killer in time, more are destined to die!
Mycroft's Great Game
The final selection in this book differs from the first two in that instead of Dr. Watson narrating the story, as was Doyle's wont, Mycroft Holmes narrates this one. In this story we finally learn the truth about what really happened between Sherlock Holmes and Professor Moriarty at Reichenbach Falls, on that ominous day in 1891...
Without a doubt, Gary Lovisi has read his Sherlock Holmes! He has done a fantastic job of mimicking Doyle's writing style and has captured the true essence of Holmes and his compatriots. In addition, Lovisi has crafted rather decent mysteries, to boot. If you are a Sherlock Holmes fan and thought that you had read all there is to read about this dynamic detective, you were wrong! Check out Sherlock Holmes and the Crosby Murders, I think you will be pleasantly surprised at how close to Doyle's writing these stories are, and at the quality of Lovisi's mysteries are equally good. In short, this is a great collection of mysteries that are enhanced by being cast in the visage of classic Sherlock Holmes stories. I highly recommend these stories to all fans of Sherlock Holmes and the mystery genre!
Related Reviews:
The Secret Files of Sherlock Holmes, by Gary Lovisi.
This new collection of Sherlock Holmes features a story that explores Sherlock's beginnings as a detective, and a spine-chilling case that finds Professor Moriarty returned from the dead and acting as the advisor to the new King of England!
Eight Great Sherlock Holmes Stories, by Arthur Conan Doyle.
This large print collection of Sherlock Holmes stories contains eight of the best loved Holmes's stories.
