SHERLOCK HOLMES
The Vanishing Man
By Philip Purser-Hallard
Titan Books
279 pg
We love Sherlock Holmes mysteries and were recently made
aware that Titan Books has been publishing a new series of Holmes novels by
various authors. If all of them are anywhere as good as “The Vanishing Man” by
Philip Purser-Hallard, then Holmes fans should be delighted, as the set up is
traditional Doyle all the way.
Holmes is approached by a group of noted Londoners who have
formed a scientific society to explore the possibilities of actual psychic
phenomenon ala telekinesis and telepathy. In the course of one of their experiments, a fellow claiming to have been raised on the planet Venus,
disappears while locked in a room with only one door and one window. At the
time of his disappearance, he was being observed by two men of the society
around the clock. And still he vanished before their eyes.
Never once believing the incident is anything but a clever
hoax, Holmes is still intrigued enough to pursue the matter. Within a few days
of his investigations one of the members of the group, an artist, is brutally
murdered and his studio trashed. Thus what began as a curious exercise to the
Great Detective takes on a more gruesome note. Now solving the initial puzzle
may also reveal a cold blooded murderer.
“The Vanishing Man” is wonderfully written and we especially loved a small exchange between Holmes and Watson towards the conclusion wherein Watson actually corrects Holmes on hurried deduction. It is priceless. If you are a bonafide Holmes addict, you might want to check this one out.
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