SherlockHolmesScrolloftheDead

Sherlock Holmes The Scroll of the Dead by David Stuart Davies

I’m a huge fan of Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes stories and have read them all. So it was with some hesitation that I picked up this book, which is part of a series called the Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Here modern authors try and recreate not only the world in which Holmes did his work, but also the style in which Conan Doyle wrote. This is the only one that I’ve read so far, but I’m impressed.

The story here starts with a theft of a papyrus scroll and the murder of a night guard at a museum in London. The only value to the document is that it is supposed to lead to the Scroll of the Dead, which some believe can give eternal life. Holmes and Watson are called in to unravel who is behind the crime. This leads them into the world of Egyptologists and Spiritualists who believe that the scroll does indeed have magical powers and are obviously willing to kill for it. I’ll not spoil any of the mystery here in my review, but I will say it does take a couple of unexpected turns before resolving in a satisfying and entertaining way.

As I’ve already mentioned I’m a fan of the original stories and Davies does a wonderful job here capturing the Doyle’s writing style as well as the iconic characters of Holmes and Watson. And it isn’t just that, but he also really manages to recreate the setting that is so familiar to fans of the original works. I have no idea how much research Davies did for the book, but the settings feel spot on and he manages to recreate a London that is long gone. But that isn’t all that he manages to do well. The story starts off fast and keeps the action coming right to the last sentence. Not only that but Davies avoids the pitfalls of far too many mystery stories and never gives away the resolution. Right up until the end you don’t know how it is going to end. Also there is an unusual (for a Sherlock Holmes tale anyway) supernatural vibe that I hadn’t expected. But it is handled very well and Holmes fans will be happy with how it is all shakes out in the end.

I can’t recommend The Scroll of the Dead enough to fans of Conan Doyle stories. For me it was like reading a lost story from an old favorite. Considering that I had thought I would never get the thrill of digging into another truly great and new Sherlock Holmes story it was quite a thrill.

reviewed by John Shatzer