SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE GHOSTS OF SAVANNAH

The famed literary detective of 221B Baker Street and his dependable sidekick battle James Moriarty and a slew of vampires in Downing’s third series installment.

In 1889 Dr. John Watson, as a member of the Logres Society, defends the world against occult “dark forces.” He’s reluctant to take over as the society’s Sovereign, but he at least bears the Mantle of Logres, which provides him with such “occult power” as continually replenished strength. While Watson is on a society mission in Africa,and Sherlock Holmes is off on his own adventure, Professor Moriarty makes attempts on both their lives. Holmes and Watson reunite and trail their nemesis to Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., where the diabolical professor has a scheme in the works. In little time, Watson runs into vampires, which he fights with the Mantle’s power and by skillfully wielding his “Mustard Seed,” an ancient Japanese sword. What Moriarty is brewing isn’t immediately apparent, but it most certainly involves other nefarious individuals and a hybrid creature who’s more intimidating than a mere bloodsucker—and they threaten to trigger all-out chaos. Downing’s cross-genre tale ably portrays the late 19th-century setting as well as Arthur Conan Doyle’s celebrated duo. It favors supernatural action, though, as confrontations teem with dark magic, fanged creatures of the night, and quite a few ghosts. Watson, as usual, narrates, but this time, he’s the story’s focus; he struggles with potentially leading the Logres Society and even has a romantic subplot. Although there are signs of Holmes’ inductive reasoning, the sleuth’s brilliant mind doesn’t drive this action-oriented story, which moves at a steady clip as the cast travels from the Congo Free State to Portugal and various spots in the U.S. The author also weaves in delightful nods to such real-life figures as U.S. President Benjamin Harrison and author Samuel Clemens, who’s depicted as a Logres Society member.

A fleet-footed supernatural outing with relatively light Sherlockian touches.