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Post by Michael Connolly on Nov 12, 2016 14:21:00 GMT
Has anyone else read Robert Richardson's The Book of the Dead (Gollancz h/b 1989 and p/b 1990)? It is a crime novel, the events and solution of which centre on "The Attwater Firewitch", an unpublished Sherlock Holmes novella supposedly written by Arthur Conan Doyle. While the novel itself is pretty good, "The Attwater Firewitch", which involves Holmes investigating apparently supernatural events echoing the sixteenth-century legend of the Attwater Firewitch, is an excellent and intricately-plotted tale.  The Book of the Dead can be easily found on Amazon etc. The cover of the American hardback edition (St. Martin's Press, 1989) represents the book-within-the-book aspect of the novel.  |
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Post by The Lurker In The Shadows on Nov 21, 2016 11:48:43 GMT
I hadn't heard about it before now, but have just ordered a copy as it sounds an intriguing combination of tales.
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Post by Michael Connolly on Nov 21, 2016 12:19:30 GMT
I thought there were going to me no takers on this. The novella, which is easily one of the best new Sherlock Holmes stories involving the supernatural that I have read, is presented in two parts. It can be read quite independently from the rest of the novel.
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Post by Michael Connolly on Oct 7, 2017 13:14:40 GMT
I hadn't heard about it before now, but have just ordered a copy as it sounds an intriguing combination of tales. Did you read it? |
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Post by The Lurker In The Shadows on Oct 7, 2017 16:12:55 GMT
I hadn't heard about it before now, but have just ordered a copy as it sounds an intriguing combination of tales. Did you read it? I did. I enjoyed it without being blown away by it. The main plot of the novel was nowhere near as funny or riveting as the reviews quoted on the cover made out, and I haven't been tempted to explore any of the other Augustus Maltravers books - though I could almost imagine the character having had his own mystery series on the BBC in the 80s or 90s. I think I enjoyed the Holmes pastiche more than the main narrative, though. |
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Post by Michael Connolly on Oct 9, 2017 12:51:03 GMT
I did. I enjoyed it without being blown away by it. The main plot of the novel was nowhere near as funny or riveting as the reviews quoted on the cover made out, and I haven't been tempted to explore any of the other Augustus Maltravers books - though I could almost imagine the character having had his own mystery series on the BBC in the 80s or 90s. I think I enjoyed the Holmes pastiche more than the main narrative, though. "The Attwater Firewitch" is probably the best new Holmes novella I have read. I did read another Augustus Maltravers book but, other than that, I remember nothing about it. |
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