A very enjoyable and engaging Sherlock Holmes story. In the summer of 1915 while German Zeppelins carried out bombing raids on London John Watson is mourning the death of his nephew in France. Sherlock Holmes has been summoned to London by his brother, Mycroft, to investigate a trio of suicides and Watson is is reunited with the detective as and they undertake the investigation. One of the suicicides becomes a focus and the investigation leads to a man who is trying to photograph the souls of the living. The investigation is nicely set up and unfurls in a very satisfactory way. Holmes is as smart and observant as ever and Watson is a great companion. The reveals are cleverly staged and the conclusion is sharp and satisfactory.
The cast are as they should be, both Sherlock Holmes and Watson are suffering the dislocations of age and being in a city at war. The investigation reminds them of times gone and is very nicely placed in the war time context. The essential dynamic between the two is revealed and restored through action exactly as it should be. Holmes is pulled away from his bee keeping and Watson is pulled out of his depression at the death of his nephew and they are reminded on the depth of the bond between them.
George Mann does with a nicely set up plot that creates sufficient room for Holmes to be smart and dangerous and Watson to be competent and capable. The mechanics are cleverly set up with the mystery of the spirit box slowly coming in to view in a very satisfying way. The set pieces are very well set up and give the supporting cast lots of opportunity to engage the reader in their own right. The cast are one of the great pleasures of the book, as well as a sufficiently capable and enterprising villain who presents a genuine problem for Holmes to tackle, the rest of the cast are far more than window dressing.
Sherlock Holmes does not dominate the book, he is a moving force and his willingness to take action is vital, there is a nice wider story about loss that quietly goes on and it provides a great contrast to the investigation.
Smart stirytelling and a generous view of Holmes and Watson make this a very enjoyable addition to the Sherlock Holmes stories. A pleasure.
