Conan Doyle is on the run from his own fame. Sherlock Holmes’s popularity has taken over his life and he sees only one solution-to kill him off. To do this, Doyle flees to Switzerland, to a picturesque village nestled beneath the imposing Reichenbach Falls. There he hopes to find anonymity, but even in this beautiful rural setting, peace eludes him when he finds himself drawn into the mystery surrounding the death of a fellow tourist.
All too soon, Doyle finds the finger of suspicion is pointing at him as the locals unite against the famous writer, convinced that the murder is Sherlock Holmes’s fault. But can the creator of the famous detective actually do the sleuthing himself? And is it possible that the character has influenced him too much? Sherlock Holmes has fascinated readers ever since he first burst into fiction, over one hundred years ago. In this novel, the first in a trilogy, we meet his author and discover the difficult relationship between them.
After a successful career at the BBC and ITV, as a script writer, editor and then Commissioning executive, Martin Allison Booth worked for OFCOM before training as an Anglican priest.. He has been a fan of Sherlock Holmes since childhood.
My Impressions:
The name Reichenbach will trigger definite feelings for all fans of Sherlock Holmes. The site of Holmes final battle with nemesis, Moriarty, is the setting and inspiration for Martin Allison Booth’s mystery novel featuring Holmes creator, Arthur Conan Doyle. Conan Doyle is on a trip seeking peace and respite from his notoriety. He is thankful for sales of his Holmes stories, but the character itself complicates his life. He sets off to find a week or two of rest in a quaint Swiss village hoping to gather his senses and his sense of self. Unfortunately, those he meets, especially an annoying young man, will not let him forget his larger than life creation, Sherlock Holmes.
The Reichenbach Problem is very reminiscent of the Conan Doyle stories and is told in Conan Doyle’s first person voice. I really wanted to like this book, but I just could not connect with the story or the characters. The writing style also did not capture my attention. While I did not enjoy the story, I think diehard Holmes fans will (for a positive review, click HERE.)
(Thanks to Kregel for a review copy. The opinions expressed are mine alone.)
Recent Comments