What if Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson had applied their world renown investigative talent to some of the world’s supernatural mysteries?
What if, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson heard about a mysterious boat that crashed ashore; the crew missing and the Captain lashed to the helm?
Things might be even more intriguing if the usual vampires fighting team of Van Helsing, Seward, and Harker didn’t want Holmes involved. Or – let’s say – Dracula showed up to chat with Holmes and Watson.
Intrigued? You should be. The book, “The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes Vs. Dracula” by Loren D. Estleman has just been released by Titan books. Estleman does a great job of re-creating the voices of some well-known literary characters.
Estleman sticks to the more traditional tale of Count Dracula and weaves in Holmes and Watson seamlessly. You may not think this would be a combination that works but it does. It works well. After all, nothing would pique the interest of a mind like that of Sherlock Holmes like a preternatural creature. Holmes’ involvement in the “case” of Dracula may not be quite what you’d expect and I’m not giving it away.
I was surprised to find this story as engaging as it was. I wondered if two such large-scale stories would clash when pulled together but Estleman weaves them together artistically. You don’t have to have any particular knowledge of the world of Holmes or Stoker‘s original story to enjoy this novel. My only criticism is that the Holmes and Watson story peeled away a little too early for my liking and I felt a little disappointed.
In addition to this wonderful story you also get a chapter from another book by Estleman; “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Holmes”. Something else to add to your wish list.
Kinzie Things 