SHERLOCK HOLMES & THE SINGULAR AFFAIR

In Wiseman’s historical mystery, the second in a series, Sherlock Holmes takes a missing person case, only to find himself entangled in a string of murders.

The mystery begins with Eudora Clarke’s insistence to the famed consulting detective that an impostor has taken the place of her fiance, Tobias-Henry Price, the heir to his father Sir Edgar’s railroad and aluminum fortune. As the case progresses, Holmes learns, through his underworld contacts, of a “gentleman criminal” named Thomas Hall, who may have taken Price’s place, and his affiliation with the notorious Keppel Gang. Before Holmes can locate Hall, someone murders Edgar and his entire household staff—just one day after Edgar gave the man known as Tobias-Henry a large check. However, Holmes saw Tobias-Henry at a boat race when the murders occurred, and Hall appears to currently be in prison for counterfeiting, so suspects remain scarce. The novel reflects the author’s thorough research into Victorian culture, which is made even more convincing by Holmes’ narration, as when the detective reads love letters between Clarke and Price and says he “did my best to preserve the sanctity of their courtship. Very few of the more personal sentiments were read by me”—a gentlemanly act at odds with modern investigative practices. Wiseman’s version of the ordinarily imperturbable sleuth makes him feel refreshingly human, as when he shows his annoyance in the London Reading Room when his book request takes too long to arrive. Holmes’ relatability comes through again when he goes undercover as a dandy named Ormond Secker to meet the alleged impostor Tobias-Henry and the largeness of Tobias-Henry’s personality overwhelms him: “This was a man that horses whickered for and dogs flopped down onto the floor by. Charming. Magnetizing. Mesmerizing.” Although the complex plot builds to what some may consider a Hollywood ending, the novel remains engaging throughout.

A satisfying, worthy addition to the Holmes mythos.