Sherlock Holmes and The Christmas Demon by James Lovegrove

I would like to thank Sarah from Titan for an advance copy of this novel in exchange for a fair and honest review

Publisher – Titan

Published – Out Now

Price - £12.99 hardback

It is 1890, and in the days before Christmas Sherlock Holmes and Dr John Watson are visited at Baker Street by a new client. Eve Allerthorpe – eldest daughter of grand but somewhat eccentric Yorkshire based dynasty - is greatly distressed, as she believes she is being haunted by a demonic Christmas spirit.

Her late mother told her terrifying tales of the sinister Black Thurrick, and Eve is sure that she has seen the creature from her bedroom window. What is more, she has begun to receive mysterious parcels of twigs, the Black Thurrick’s calling card…

If you ask most people which Holmes story they know, it’s probably Hound of the Baskervilles. And that’s quite weird stand-out compared to the winder tales which combines myth and monsters.  It is not really when you think about it what you should associate with the character for whom deductive reasoning and forensic investigation are best linked. We perhaps though love the idea of science defeating myth and possibly a little hope that one day myth wins? The world of Holmes which Conan Doyle creates so vividly is itself a subtly fantastical London of criminal masterminds; blackmailers and murders so why wouldn’t it somewhere have magic? In James Lovegrove’s great new Holmes novel we get a mystery that treads that balance rather well, so you’ll be guessing exactly what or who is behind all the events Dr John Watson is about to tells us.

The story starts with Holmes arresting Father Christmas (and I shall say no more and leave you enticed on that) but that is merely a prelude for a Holmes and Watson to get a new client. Eve Allerthorpe is on Christmas Day to receive a sizeable inheritance from an aunt provided she is of sound mind; but she is now being plagued by signs and visitations of a local legend known as Black Thurrick a local demon that kidnaps and eats naughty children. Holmes is intrigued and so the two leave London for that weird land known as Yorkshire and within it Fellscar Keep a stately home built on the ruins of an old castle.  The Allerthorpe clan are meeting for Christmas and there are secrets, crimes and a gruesome murder to solve.

This is a great Holmes novel. Firstly, it’s a delicious mystery there really is something juicy in seeing Holmes tackle a monster myth. You can feel he knows its not true but can’t quite yet explain why and Watson perhaps likes to have some fun suggesting (and also possibly making himself believe when they are waiting in corridors in the middle of the night) that all is true. On top of this to make this novel length there is a lot more going on. In some ways this is a Holmes tale placed within the classic stately home murder mystery setting. Our detective has to go through a whole shady family of suspects and their secrets. The tales are wonderfully woven together, and both divert and compliment the mystery. As the reader we have the same clues as Holmes can we work it out before he does?

The other thing I appreciated was this was not inhuman calculating machine Holmes or super snarky sociopath Holmes. This really did feel like the Holmes and Watson of the books. Holmes here is mercurial in mood but we often see the attitudes are used to get past people’s defences. Here he can be genuinely warm, funny and a friend. Watson is not the befuddled buffoon he can be shown to be but a moral centred and very human character who wants to do the right thing for people. You can’t see the two working alone - they need each other to bounce ideas off. Lovegrove really understands that relationship and their scenes together sing.  I also like little unusual touches like showing why you never invite Sherlock Holmes to play parlour games that require a good memory. Please note in my head this was Brett and Burke in the roles!

I had a lot of fun reading this it felt like a golden era Holmesian tale but with a few signs that we have moved on in tastes – the murder mystery aspect; Holmes uncovering the sexual indiscretions of nobles and its very well paced tale.  If you are looking for Halloween for something different but still with a ghostly dimension; a murder mystery and a battle of logic and two of the best characters in crime fiction, then I think this should be up your Baker Street.