The Dragon Turn The Boy Sherlock Holmes, His 5th Case by Shane Peacock

Sherlock is back again.  He's no longer getting closely involved with cases; he's decided to just offer advice and hints to the Inspector's son.  That's safer.  And it makes Irene more comfortable.

Random House of Canada and Net Galley allowed me download this ebook for review (thank you).  It will be published March 12th, so watch for a copy.

I enjoy reading this series.  If you haven't sampled it yet, start with the earlier books so you can watch Sherlock grow up with his insatiable curiosity.  They are all good adventures and this one is no exception.

When they visit a magician's act that includes a real dragon, Sherlock is impressed.  When the police inspector arrests the magician at the end of the show for murder, he can't believe it.  And he finds himself drawn back into a case when he wasn't going to do it.  Of course, Irene asking him to take it had nothing to do with it...

Mr. Peacock always writes big adventures full of fantasy and illusions with lots of logic.  Sherlock is not always right the first time, but he manages to put it right before the end.

Why not trot through London's underworld next to Sherlock and see if you can solve the mystery before he does?  Wear good heavy shoes, you'll need them.

Happy reading.    

Vanishing Girl by Shane Peacock

When a wealthy young woman disappears in Hyde Park in broad daylight and the police can't find her, Sherlock begins his hunt...

This hardcover young adult book is published by Tundra Books and is available at your local bookstore now.  Tundra graciously provided me with a copy for my review, thank you.  The boy Sherlock Holmes is on his third case in this book.  The first two books were:  Eye of the Crow and Death in the Air.

I've never really been fond of the adult Sherlock, but the tale of his younger version is really delightful.  The Victorian background is authentic and real.  The characters are strong, full bodied and varied, with quite a few that are a bit odd.  And, of course, Sherlock and the law don't like each other.  After all, the Inspector takes credit for crimes that Sherlock has actually solved.

He also has a personal nemesis, the young man who leads the street boys and is interested in Irene - who would like to be Sherlock's "Watson". 

The dangers portrayed in the book are real and the living conditions are appropriate for the era.  Times were tough for the folks who didn't have money in Victorian times.

Mr. Peacock's stories always flow well and I find myself reading them quickly because I want to know what happens.  I'm sure if you introduce your young adult to the world of Sherlock and his detecting, they will enjoy his adventures and the chances he takes.  All the books in this mystery series are good reading and I'm looking forward to reading the next one.  I'm sure Mr. Peacock isn't through with us yet.  There's lots of "food" for thought in this series.  Check it out at your local bookstore.