A Slight Trick of the Mind

Very poor narrative. The idea of plot was a great concept, but was poorly executed. Clearly the author had very few exposure to the actual Sherlock stories as it never succeeded to convince the reader that the character was actually Mr. Holmes in his late years. Shame because as I said, I was excited with the idea of it. Hopefully the movie is able to capture it better.

BAD! Three unrelated incidents (Holmes in Japan looking for a type of plant), the boy guarding the beehives and stung to death by wasps, the wife of Holmes client wondering about being observed by Holmes) and nothing tied together these three unrelated incidents. I can't imagine why this book was deemed worthy of making it into a movie!

I wandering plotless narrative in search of a story. I kept hoping one of the dangling threads would weave into some collective focus but what we are left with is a sad, pointless story that would have been moving if only it had lived up to its promise. If the protagonist were not the elderly Sherlock Holmes, there would be no story at all. For that matter, the notion that this old fellow was once the venerable detective is of no consequence.It's as if the author, Cullin, set out to weave a mystery around Sherlock's last case but then failed to come up with an interesting crime or Sherlockian resolution. The side-trip to Japan is even less interesting, unless you attach the heavy-handed possibility that the study of post-nuke Japan is meant to have some keep artistic metaphoric relevance. I hate wading through a book hoping it will add up to something at the end only to be left feeling at a loss. Cannot imagine how they are making a movie of this - or why!

I am often wary of books that imagine stories for famous characters, both fictional and nonfictional. But, let’s face it, they are hard to resist. This one stars Sherlock Holmes in 1947—a 93-year-old man fighting his inevitable decline. As Conan Doyle’s Holmes stories are some of my favorites since I was a kid, I was concerned how I would take this tale, but it turned out to be quite excellent.

In point of fact, there are really three stories intertwined here. There is the story taking place in the “present”; that is, 1947, where Holmes is living with a housekeeper and her son in an isolated house keeping his bees and answering—or, rather, not answering—his voluminous mail. He has recently returned from an extended trip to Japan. His memories of that trip make for the second strand of the story. Finally, as he sits in his study at the top of his house, he works on a Watson-esque story from his detective days, which gives us the third story.

The three strands are essentially separate, as only Holmes himself connects the three. They are also interesting in that, except for minor digressions, they are not Holmes-type mysteries. Though Holmes growls with the weakening of his skills, his real struggles now are with coming to terms with love and loss. As one familiar with the Holmes character would expect, he has difficulty managing these concepts even as he explores them quite deeply, from the inexplicability of romantic love to the comfort of friendship to the powerful bonds between parents and children. Ironically, it is Holmes’ dispassion that shines such a bright light on these relationships and ends up being quite moving.

I actually missed this book the first time around. I was reading in a magazine that this novel has been made into a movie. Reading that, I didn’t have any desire to see the movie; however, I was intrigued by the story and looked up the novel. I’m glad I did.

Wow.

Heartbreaking and very real, this is among the best pastiches I've ever read. Sherlock Holmes in his twilight years is something that has been explored before, but Cullin really did a nice job with the aging detective here....

Slight Trick of the Mind was a fast read for me, finished in two days. The book divides between three sections that are masterly woven together.Cullin effortlessly moved Holmes from past to present in a way that was almost dreamlike. Sometimes I felt like I was shifting in and out of dreams and memories, sliding easily from one place to another much like the aging Holmes.

My favorite section was the story of the Glass Armonicist, told in a way readers of the Holmes canon will recognize as similar to the original stories.

The writing was beautiful. The interactions between Holmes and other characters were well done, and I had a lot of sympathy for the detective's confusion, yet he tries so hard to mask his problems and shuffle on with his life. I've always percieved Holmes as uniquely human in his own way,but this book makes him even more so. I'm remembering a particularly vivid, human, conversation between Holmes and his housekeeper---"What have you ever known about loving anyone?" Holmes has quiet an awesome answer too. Way to ratchet up the interpersonal tension!

I never really struggled with the notion of the character not being an accurate representation of Holmes. At 94 years old, I just figured he was going to be a little different than the self assured Baker Street counterpart. That's not to say that Holmes IS much changed here. Vulnerable in a sad, confused way? Oh yes. Illogical, stupid, or much out of character from the Holmes of Baker Street? No. He is still the stubborn, logical man on the 1800's Victorian adventures.

So, overall, I LOVED this book, which was sensitive and beautiful, and I recommend it to everyone, fans and non fans alike because it's definately worth the read.

Also, if you like Sherlock Holmes books in this particular vein, I recommend the Mary Russell series by Laurie King, as it also portrays Holmes in retirement, though with a mind that's still razor sharp and a young apprentice. These are worth your read too, and may spare you from the melancholy of thinking Holmes will ever begin losing his marbles!

* Oh, and on a twisted and random footnote, when I first read my local paper's review of this book, it was headlined Sherlock Holmes in Twilight, and I was utterly baffled. Yep, I thought Sherlock was going to meet some vampires...:p But, rest assured, there are no vamps in this one, but I still sunk my fangs eagerly into reading this book. (Okkkay, shutting my mouth...err rather keyboard now....)

Reminiscings of Sherlock Holmes at an advanced age over a long forgotten case, a trip to Japan and the death of a friend.

This is not quite a stream of consciousness novel but is on that level, and drifts back and forth between the case of the glass armonica, a recent trip to Japan and (I guess) the present where Holmes is busy with his apiary on his estate. The novel is not overly long, and has what I would perceive as a very authentic feel of an aged Sherlock Holmes. It's the portraying of the aged Holmes that makes this book just a cut above average. The writing is also above average and really helps to make the feel of the book. As a forewarning, there is a certain amount of lack of resolution at the end.

You may like this if: A stream of consciousness style rendering of an aging Sherlock Holmes battling with the onset of dementia appeals to you.

You probably will not like this if: You want a Sherlock Holmes style whodunnit and you like your books all wrapped up in nice tidy packages by the end.

In this fascinating portrait, Sherlock Holmes, now ninety-three, deals with the indignities of old age and the forgetfulness which accompanies it. It is now 1947, and Dr. Watson has been dead for many years. Holmes lives in a small country house in rural Sussex with a housekeeper and her 14-year-old son, spending much of his day tending to his bees and working on his writing. Frail and reliant upon two canes to get around, Holmes is dedicated to the pursuit of longevity and believes that the royal jelly from his hives is a key ingredient.

Holmes has just returned from postwar Japan, where he has been seeking information about the prickly ash plant and its life-giving properties. His host there, the son of a diplomat who disappeared when World War II broke out, tells Holmes that his father once met him in England, but Holmes no longer remembers the man. As he reminisces about the trip, he wants to help the man come to terms with his father's mysterious abandonment.

These two settings, one in rural Sussex and one in Japan, in 1947, alternate with "The Case of the Glass Armonicist," an uncompleted story about one of Holmes's cases from 1902, which Holmes hopes to finish before he forgets the details. The story concerns a young man whose wife keeps disappearing following her lessons on the glass armonica (sometimes called the "glass harmonica"). Holmes follows the woman, often donning a disguise to get closer to her. In formal Victorian language, Holmes tells a story reminiscent of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in style.

Cullin has created a plausible psychological profile for Holmes, who, to the best of anyone's knowledge, has never been in love and has never allowed his emotions to govern his life. Now, at the end of his life, he has the same needs and fears as the rest of mankind, a man far more human than we have ever seen before, though he retains his dignity. Vibrant physical details about the natural world and the places in which the action takes place bring life to the narrative, which is unusually sensitive in its descriptions of the inner world of an elderly man whose memories consist of "brief remembrances that soon became vague impressions and were invariably forgotten."

Gracefully combining all the story lines, Cullin leads the reader to a conclusion which is especially memorable for its completeness. Here Holmes concludes his searches, lays his philosophical ponderings to rest, and tries to find whatever peace is possible for a solitary man. A captivating continuation of the Sherlock Holmes legend. Mary Whipple

I decided to read “A Slight Trick of the Mind” by Mitch Cullin in order to get a sense of the new Sherlock Holmes movie (2015 release) based on the book titled “Mr. Holmes.”

The book is set in post WW2 Britain (and Japan) finding Holmes retired and bee keeping on Sussex Downs. While there is a main timeline to the story, the chapters jump around from one reminiscence to another and then back to Holmes’ present. Sherlock is losing his memory, and the confusion he experiences may well be experienced somewhat by the reader due to the layout of chapters.

Many previous reviews point out that this isn’t a typical Sherlock Holmes mystery and that those wanting one should look elsewhere. This is true. I was hoping, really hoping, for a good, interesting mystery, that isn’t there. However, I found myself not really minding.

WHY?

The book was rich in details and Holmes was spot on character wise. I could picture the characters in their settings and didn’t find anything objectionable about the portrayal of Sherlock. While not at all what I was expecting, I read the book cover to cover in a day, getting very emotional at times as the book's themes were familiar to me.

Holmes' loss of memory is not the only focus. Through the aged Sherlock, the author explores fear, abandonment, suicide, and death. Loss is a mystery we all experience, that not even Holmes can solve. If that isn’t something you want to spend time thinking about, skip it.

As far as the movie, I will see it. I am still hoping they write a little bit more of a mystery in it.

In Mitch Cullin's fond memoirs of Sherlock Holmes living out his golden years, we see the solitary man at 93 and freshly returned from a trip to Kobe, Japan. For many years he has been retired to his country house in Sussex, having outlived Dr. Watson, Mrs. Hudson, and brother Mycroft. He wishes for nothing more than the solitary life --- not surprising, never having been a particularly gregarious sort --- and the time to tend his bees. But, however improbable, the 14-year-old son of his widowed housekeeper becomes his unlikely companion.

"...they faced the hives together, saying nothing for a while. Silence like this, in the beeyard, never failed to please him wholly; from the way Roger stood easily beside him, he believed the boy shared an equal satisfaction. And while he rarely enjoyed the company of children, it was difficult avoiding the paternal stirrings..."

Roger, quite obviously in awe of the aged detective, eagerly aids him with his apiary and escorts him around his gardens. The lad soaks up everything like a sponge and thirsts for more. In secret, he sneaks into Holmes's attic library, just to be among the great man's books and feel his ancient aura. While up there one day, Roger discovers an unfinished manuscript among the items on the desk. Titled "The Glass Armonicist," the story chronicles a case pursued by Holmes in Dr. Watson's absence, the subject of this case being a lovely young woman who inexplicably seized Holmes's fancy. She haunts his memory still, despite their brief encounter. As A SLIGHT TRICK OF THE MIND unfolds, "The Glass Armonicist" is completed, while Holmes can still sort out the sequence of events. This story within a story wonderfully contrasts the quickness of Sherlock Holmes in his prime with the man now in his decline.

Softened by the years, the stoic Holmes feels a genuine fondness for the boy. To his bemused astonishment, he seeks to uncover Roger's personal history, finding him more than merely unobtrusive; in fact, quite remarkable. What he knows is that Roger lost his father in the war, leaving the child with tender memories and a hunger for a male role model. Holmes met another fatherless son on his recent trip to Japan. Unlike Roger's dad, though, Tamiki Umezaki's father simply made a choice not to come home one day. Both carry the scars of their loss, while Holmes fills a void in each of their lives, however fleeting.

At his advanced age, Holmes is still sharp, but time has dulled the edges of his memory. Occasionally disoriented, he sometimes is unsure whether he is remembering something from the past or contemporary times. Having lived so full a life, the myriad recollections get jumbled and he struggles to put them right. In fact, his journey to Kobe revolved around a chance to procure a supply of royal jelly, a substance said to halt the aging process. Holmes fervently wishes to stop the advancing brain muddle.

Beautiful, poignant and very sad, A SLIGHT TRICK OF THE MIND retains enough of Holmes's remarkable powers to delight his many dedicated fans. But there is such exquisite writing, moving introspection and gentle ruminations about the vagaries of memory loss to draw in every reader who has a heart.

--- Reviewed by Kate Ayers

Since the last Sherlock Holmes story by Conan Doyle appeared in 1927, countless authors have tried their hand at resurrecting him in literary pastiches -- with varying degrees of success. Two I have read recently merit the attention of mystery readers and Holmes aficionados. The better of the two, A SLIGHT TRICK OF THE MIND, by Mitch Cullin, rivals those of Julian Symons and Nicholas Meyers in my esteem. The second, THE HOLMES FACTOR, by Brian Freemantle is thoroughly enjoyable without deserving such exalted comparisons.

"The Beekeeper's Apprentice" would have made a fine title for Cullin's book if Laurie R King had not already used it for the first title in her Holmes series featuring Mary Russell. The pastiches by King and Freemantle embroil a still vigorous Holmes in WWI era espionage. Cullin shows us a Holmes of 93 -- a Sherlock in winter -- who is struggling against that final enemy that we all dread: the waning of the mind.

It is 1947. Watson, Mrs Hudson, and Mycroft are long dead, but Holmes is still tending his bees in coastal Sussex. He doses himself with royal jelly, hoping to retard the decline of his mental and physical powers. His only companions are his new housekeeper, Mrs Munro, and fourteen year old son, Roger.

Holmes has just returned from occupied Japan where he was asked to find a person missing since 1903. This just one of three mysteries that intertwine in A SLIGHT TRICK OF THE MIND. Another, which Holmes is trying to commit to paper for his memoirs, dates from his salad years. The third, concerning his beloved beeyard, occurs in the present. All three involve aspects of the human capacity to love.

Cullin makes the reader feel Holmes' mingled fear and irritation at his diminished capacity. He forgets directions he has given to Roger and Mrs. Munro. He discovers notes, now undecipherable, he had stuffed into favorite books. Cullin's clever alternation between plot lines emphasizes Sherlock's wavering attention span. This adds depth and a poignancy to this story that I have not found in any other Holmes pastiche. Very highly recommended.

Subtle, melancholy, and poetic by design, "A Slight Trick of the Mind" gives us a look at Sherlock Holmes after the end of The Great War. Now in his 90s and retired to the Sussex downs, the detective uses two canes to help him walk, and his keen mind is beginning to grow weaker. This elegiac character study moves effortlessly between three beautifully realized stories, flowing from one into the other in a manner that deftly mimics the fluidity of memory and thought patterns. The stories include a post-Hiroshima trip to Japan, Holmes's relationship with his housekeeper and her young son, and a tale written by the detective called "The Glass Armonicist."

Some readers may be disappointed to find that this book is not by any means a traditional mystery, but, rather, it is an examination of larger, deeper human mysteries--the answers to which are much harder to make sense of. There was a time when books like this were called literature, and, in fact, there is something wonderfully anachronistic about Cullin's writing style and subject matter--so much so that this deceptively simple story with such complicated undercurrents now feels suddenly refreshing in a world where "The Da Vinci Code" is regarded as meaningful fiction.

More importantly, though, Cullin has shed new light on a Holmes who still remains recognizable to those of us who have followed both Doyle's canon and the countless pastiches. But for those who wish to be merely entertained rather than being transported by truly fine writing, this might not be your cup of tea. That said, "A Slight Trick of the Mind" ranks among the top Sherlock Holmes pastiches ever written (alongside "The Seven Percent Solution," H.F. Heard's "A Taste For Honey," and Laurie R. King's Mary Russell series), but it also succeeds on its own terms as a great piece of modern literature.

Beautifully written. Three interlocking stories that are all interesting. Particularly poignant to see Holmes struggling with his failing memory, as are many of us as we age. A beautiful line resonated with me: "The threads of my memory were starting to unravel." Very different from the movie, particularly concerning Roger and his mother, so if you have seen the movie, be ready for a different ending.

Being a Sherlock Holmes fan is very much a double-edged sword. On the one hand, there’s always a plethora of stories to read about the Master. On the other hand, many of those stories suck. Often they’re written by people who at best are indifferent to the character, and at worst actively detest him. Either way, they’re just looking to make a quick buck off people who are naive and trusting enough to believe that any character named “Sherlock Holmes,” and who bears a superficial resemblance to A. C. Doyle’s creation, must really *be* Sherlock Holmes.

Which brings me to Mitch Cullin’s novel, A Slight Trick of the Mind. This book is appropriately named because it’s designed to trick the reader’s mind into believing this novel is about Sherlock Holmes at the age of 93. The book contains three stories which are so awkwardly and superficially woven together that I agree with a certain one-star reviewer, who suggested that this book started out very differently. (One story takes place in 1902; the others occur in 1947.) That reviewer’s theory is that Slight Trick was originally three separate stories with three different characters. When Cullin was not able to develop any of them into individual novels, he decided to cut and paste them together into a single book, ripping off a famous, guaranteed-to-sell character to tie them together and add sales.

Cullin waves away the abyss between Canon Holmes and his own character by either accusing Watson of lying/screwing up, or saying this is a very old “Holmes” living in the mid-1940s, so of course he seems different from Holmes in his prime. In other words, Cullin justifies his changes with a series of cheap shots and “trust-me” hand-waving, respectively. Cullin also relies far too much on William Baring-Gould’s rather silly “biography” of Holmes; there are far more references to the “facts” contained in it than to Canon. This caused me to suspect Cullin has never read the Canon at all, apart from a story or two in school literature class. He just read the “biography,” basing his story on that and a few common-knowledge facts about Holmes, such as his street address, his deductive abilities, and his fascination with Irene Adler.

This ignorance--or arrogance--causes Cullin to make arbitrary and nonsensical changes to Holmes’s character. For example, he informs us Holmes and Watson always called each other by their first names, even though, in the cultural context of late-Victorian England, it’s entirely appropriate for them to have used last names only, even after many years. Cullin offers no explanation for why Watson should have lied, repeatedly and consistently, about this point. Cullin expects us to believe him just because he says so--an insulting suggestion to any Sherlockian, since we’re supposed to emulate the Master in relying on evidence and logic. Cullin also writes a “Holmes” who never smokes a pipe, only cigarettes and Jamaican cigars. While it’s certainly true Holmes never smoked a Meerschaum pipe--that was added by William Gillette for the stage--Canon also refers to Holmes as smoking briar, clay, and cherrywood pipes. Again, just because Cullin says so, we’re supposed to ignore the countless Canonical references to Holmes packing his pipe with shag tobacco, collecting yesterday’s “plugs and dottles” to re-smoke first thing in the morning, breaking out his cherrywood pipe when he wants to pick a fight (was “in a disputatious mood,” as Watson puts it), etc. What rubbish!

Cullin’s new version of Holmes does other out-of-character things. In the 1902 story, he develops an inexplicable fascination with a seriously depressed married woman, just by looking at her picture, and begins stalking her! To make matters worse, this woman, Ann Keller, is the wife of his client, who has consulted fake Holmes about his wife’s strange behavior regarding a glass armonica she plays. I want to make it clear that fake Holmes figures out what Mrs. Keller’s up to right away, but he continues to pursue her in disguise, just because he’s developed an unhealthy obsession with her. That’s why I refer to his actions as stalking. We’re also supposed to believe that he goes from not caring at all about bees before he meets her, to, within a year, quitting his detective practice and taking up beekeeping, just because he observes her in a public garden talking to a bee walking around on her hand. In other words, his obsession with beekeeping is a substitute for his obsession with her--which makes him almost as dangerously unstable as she is.

Ann Keller is depressed because she has had two miscarriages but no live children. Her fixation on her glass armonica derives from her belief that the instrument has paranormal qualities that allow her to meet with and talk to the children she miscarried. Given Real Holmes’s complete disdain for anything that smacks of the supernatural, he would feel pity, and possibly a little contempt, for a woman whose grief had unhinged her mind to such an extent. He certainly would not be attracted to her, let alone so fascinated that he upended his whole life in tribute to her.

It’s obvious Cullin took Canon Holmes’s fascination with Irene Adler, his retention of her photograph, her musicianship, and his use of disguises when dealing with her, and just transplanted those things onto his own character. But Holmes had good reason to be intrigued by Adler, a beautiful woman and opera singer, who beat him at his own game with boldness and panache. In fact, *all* the Canonical women to whom Holmes is attracted share certain traits: They are strong, smart, independent, brave, and great-looking. Mrs. Keller is just a depressed woman who obsesses over her glass armonica, talks to bees, and quite understandably worries her husband. There is no reason whatever for Holmes to be attracted to her. But then, this is not Sherlock Holmes. It’s just Cullin’s made-up character with a stolen name.

Cullin also exposes his ignorance of Ludwig van Beethoven while attempting to show off
fake Holmes’s brilliance via this flashback story. Holmes muses that lead poisoning from the paint on the armonica could have caused Beethoven’s deafness, illnesses, and death because he spent hours mastering the armonica. Except he didn’t. It so happens I have been a fan of the composer’s for decades and have read many books about him. I have NEVER seen a reference to him playing this instrument at all, let alone mastering it. He was a virtuoso on the piano and pipe organ, but no other instruments. While the bit about lead poisoning is a genuine, current theory about his health, if Beethoven had it, he got it somewhere other than the armonica.

The other two stories are less improbable, but still unbelievable. In the spring 1947 story, we’re supposed to believe this 93-year-old man, who uses two canes when he walks (in case he drops one), traveled halfway around the world just to discuss royal jelly and prickly ash with a Japanese correspondent, Mr. Umezaki. When he got to Japan, he traveled over much of the country, but barely paid attention to the ostensible reasons for his trip, because his host really lured him there to ask about Umezaki’s father, who had abandoned his family, moved to London in 1903, and written a letter home in which he referred to having consulted Holmes. Because this Holmes supposedly suffers from the early stages of dementia, he doesn’t remember Umezaki senior, and this story is never successfully resolved for the reader. This is made all the more frustrating and annoying because the answer is almost revealed, but not quite. Close, but no cigar, Jamaican or otherwise, pun intended.

The main story, set in summer 1947, involves Cullin Holmes with his housekeeper, a thirty-something widow named Mrs. Munro, and her teenage son, Roger. The friendship between fake Holmes and Roger is by far the best thing about this book. It’s sweet, respectful, and mutually nurturing, a sort of idealized great-grandfather and great-grandson relationship. Cullin Holmes shares his thoughts and his study of bees with Roger, treating to the boy as an equal and friend. Roger seems to develop a genuine interest in bees and supplies fake Holmes with nurturing, youthful energy, and occasional physical support when the old man needs it. The loveliness and gentleness of this friendship make it all the uglier when it ends badly, which left a very bitter taste in my mouth.

Part of that bitterness results from my disgust with how Cullin Holmes reacts to this ending. Holmes has been accused of many things over the decades, but cowardice has never been one of them. But again, just because Cullin says so, we’re supposed to believe he would behave in an utterly gutless and self-serving manner in this situation. It’s no good to say, “Well, Holmes is really old, and he’s getting dementia, so he’s not himself.” If “Holmes” is enough himself to use his detective abilities, he’s enough himself to do the right thing. I call BS on Cullin and his supporters.

The one good thing about Cullin’s version of Holmes is the praise Holmes lavishes on Watson. He says suggesting Watson was a dunderhead is insulting to both men, and that his friend was generous, tremendously modest, and possessed a shrewdness and cunning that were invaluable in their investigations. That sounds about right. So Cullin got Holmes wrong, but his description of Watson is nearly perfect--except for implying he was incompetent and a liar, of course. So he fails with Watson, too.

Now for the last problem with this book. It’s slow and meandering, almost boring at times. To call it “contemplative” would be generous. I guess--er, I mean, I deduce--Cullin wrote it that way on purpose, to reflect the slow, meandering quality of the main character’s mental processes. I’ve never read any of his other books, and this one doesn’t incline me to alter that choice. The book’s quiet and muted emotional tone makes me wonder whether Cullin or his editor decided the story wasn’t dramatic enough, so the ugly ending was thrown in to make things more exciting and to give fake Holmes one more chance to use his detective abilities. This wasn’t even necessary, as the text makes it clear the truth was obvious to others of lesser intellect. So the whole situation was completely gratuitous, apparently existing only to inject some energy and drama into an otherwise rather dull book. That makes it another cheap shot, this one at the reader. When one adds in the cheap shots at Watson and Holmes, that makes this entire novel a series of cheap shots.

I want to make it clear I’m not criticizing Slight Trick for not being a conventional pastiche centered on a mystery. I knew it wouldn’t be that when I started it. I’m angry and disgusted because it’s not what it was billed as: a decent portrayal of a very old Holmes contemplating the mysteries of life and death. There’s more genuine Holmesian philosophizing in “The Naval Treaty,” “The Cardboard Box,” or “The Creeping Man” than there is in this entire book.

While the book’s well written, I’ve read many that are better. Both Judith Hawkes and Ursula K. LeGuin are superior prose stylists. They also usually write more interesting stories, *without* ripping off somebody’s else character to gain attention and sales. If you want a stately, thoughtful novel full of genuine--as opposed to Slight Trick’s phony--philosophizing, you’re better off with Anne Perry. The two good things about Slight Trick are its unusual plot and its shortness, at only 253 pages. When the latter is one of a reader’s favorite things about a book, the author has failed. Others won’t miss much if they fail to read this book. You’re much better off skipping it.

In general I liked this book. Unlike some others, I did not have a problem with the change in Holmes's personality with age, perhaps because I saw the same increase in emotion in my mother as her Alzheimers advanced.
However, there were parts of the plot that have me baffled. Perhaps I am getting senile myself.
* Why was he attracted to Mrs. Keller? This occurred at the height of his powers, not after his mind was altered by age. Unlike Irene Adler,there did not seem to be anything special that would appeal to Holmes. He just falls for her photograph?
* After traveling to Japan specifically to explore the effects of a plant, he wanders around doing other things. On eventually finding the plant, he does not take samples to experiment with. When the local inn is out of the food made with it, he just leaves. Though the other trips are plausible, the abandonment of his obsession with spiney ash is not.
* Sometimes I just could not figure out what was going on. I thought he finally remembered meeting the diplomat while thinking about Mycroft. But then he refers to recounting this memory as "a lie." I could not integrate this story (true or not) with the letter.
* What happened in the Keller subplot? What did he tell the husband? Why did she take her final act? Was this event supposed to have triggered Holmes's retirement. I realize she was depressed and that Holmes felt some kind of tie to her, but I just don't get it.

The writer imagines a Sherlock Holmes in his 90s, continuing his beekeeping activities. Three stories are intertwined; a relationship with a young boy who is interested in beekeeping; a narrative of a case that Dr. Watson never recorded; and a visit to postwar Japan. The various stories are cleverly intertwined. I must confess that I can usually became impatient when description and cogitation interrupted the narrative flow. But overall I did enjoy the book as an interesting continuation of some of my favorite stories.

An absolute yawner. I'm a sucker for most Sherlock Holmes books, but why this one has gathered a number of positive reviews is beyond me. Mitch Cullin must have a lot of relatives pumping this thing up.

If it's classy, literary novels like "The English Patient" and "The Remains of the Day" you fancy, than this little gem will leave you well satisfied.

This is a novel of Sherlock Holmes. However, this is not a mystery. The year is 1946, and Holmes is more than 90 years old. He lives quietly on a country estate, seeing almost no one, save for his housekeeper and her adolescent son.

The author has expertly crafted a multilayered novel taking place in three distinct time frames: the distant past filled, with memories of unrequited love; the recent past, and a visit to war ravaged Japan (the guest of a homosexual couple); and the unexpectly tragic present.

Surprisingly emotional, full of vivid, heartfelt prose, "A Slight Trick of the Mind" is an unexpected treat.

Although "A Slight Trick of the Mind" was well-written, Cullin's characterization of Holmes, as a young man, was out of character with Doyle's detective. Why on earth would he fall for a photograph of a woman he'd never met? The only "WOMAN" to him would have been Irene Adler, who was only attractive to him because she managed to outwit him. Holmes's infatuation with a photo of a young girl he'd never met is unbelievable.
His relationship with Mr. Umeaki is also suspect in that Holmes would never "take off" to Japan to meet with a stranger to discuss bees and a plant. I believe that he is much too conservative in his habits to do such a thing at his age; he uses 2 canes to walk. When he was younger, perhaps...
I did enjoy Cullin's depiction of an aged Holmes, content to live in near isolation with his bees and the son of his housekeeper to whom he could serve as a mentor. I also enjoyed his recollections of Watson as friend and colleague, and of Mrs. Hudson, the only other woman for whom he felt affection.
Cullin's writing style is reminiscent of Doyle's and the book proved to be a page-turner. On the whole, not a complete waste of time.

Sherlock Holmes remains alone of all the Victorian literary heroes from the last century. Even when "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" (graphic novel and film) convened a who's who of these super-heroes, Sherlock Holmes was excluded for he was in a league of his own.

From "The Seven-Per-Cent Solution" (1974) of Nicholas Meyer (where Sigmund Freud works with Sherlock) to the current Mary Russell series of Laurie King (where Sherlock finds a brilliant feminist mate), the fun has been reading of the new situations that Sherlock finds himself placed in while staying true to the canon created by Arthur Conan Doyle. Mitch Collin's contribution to the genre is imaging Sherlock as a 93 year old in the aftermath of World War II.

It is an entertaining read which aspires to a poignant ending. The writing is clear and crisp without a misstep. The creative difference is Holmes pondering his inner emotional life in the twilight of his days. The reader does not need to be a Sherlock Homes fan to appreciate this novel. Afterwards the reader may want to consult Leslie Klinger's "The New Annotated Sherlock Holmes" (2004) which contains all 56 of the short stories to see if Mr. Cullin got the details right. I believe that he did.

First off, while others may feel differently, I should mention that I believe it is very important to read this novel before actually posting a review about it on the store.com. Also, to avoid confusion with the uninformed, this excellent book is called A SLIGHT TRICK OF THE MIND and not A SLIGHT STATE OF MIND (as previously mentioned).

As someone who has spent the vast majority of her 52 years studying world & American history and reading fiction, I also feel it is important not to belittle the "historical inaccuracies" of a book if, indeed, those inaccuracies don't actually exist in the text. Again, it is important to read a book before using it as soapbox for opinions that don't pertain to the work; in other words, claiming "historial inaccuracies" where none exist serves no purpose other than to create unjust inaccuracies.

Lastly, nowhere in Mitch Cullin's inventive novel did he assign any blame for the bombing of Hiroshima, nor did he describe the background of what brought about the event. For that matter, I went back and checked the book twice and found not single reference to American involvement in Japan or any finger pointing, claims of responsibility, or judgements regarding the atomic bombings. The author did, however, go to great lengths to describe the dire conditions of Post-War Japan and the collective nature of a country that was existing in the shadow of defeat. As for Hiroshima itself, I don't believe I'm wrong when I believe Mr. Cullin's use of the event was simply to underline how technology had evolved to a point that seemed beyond the 93-year-old protagonist's comprehension. Having actually read the book, I didn't once detect (no pun) even a hint of political agenda at play, and as the book wasn't at all about World War II or America's role in the war, I can't see any logical reason why this eulogic tale of an elderly Englishman visiting Japan in 1947 should have needed to address such issues to begin with.

On the more personal side, I found this novel to be well done and touching, especially since I'm currently coming to grips with my own mother's fading short-term memory. The writing is quite good, and the stories surrounding an aging Sherlock Holmes are more moving than mysterious. As I don't claim to know much about the Sherlock Holmes character or the Doyle stories, I'm not sure how much of Mr. Cullin's book is in keeping with them. But I have no problem in highly recommending this novel on its own outstanding merits, although I do ask that you please make a point of reading it before "inaccurately" reviewing it here. Thank you.

First off, while others may feel differently, I should mention that I believe it is very important to read this novel before actually posting a review about it on the store.com. Also, to avoid confusion with the uninformed, this excellent book is called A SLIGHT TRICK OF THE MIND and not A SLIGHT STATE OF MIND (as previously mentioned).

As someone who has spent the vast majority of her 52 years studying world & American history and reading fiction, I also feel it is important not to belittle the "historical inaccuracies" of a book if, indeed, those inaccuracies don't actually exist in the text. Again, it is important to read a book before using it as soapbox for opinions that don't pertain to the work; in other words, claiming "historial inaccuracies" where none exist serves no purpose other than to create unjust inaccuracies.

Lastly, nowhere in Mitch Cullin's inventive novel did he assign any blame for the bombing of Hiroshima, nor did he describe the background of what brought about the event. For that matter, I went back and checked the book twice and found not single reference to American involvement in Japan or any finger pointing, claims of responsibility, or judgements regarding the atomic bombings. The author did, however, go to great lengths to describe the dire conditions of Post-War Japan and the collective nature of a country that was existing in the shadow of defeat. As for Hiroshima itself, I don't believe I'm wrong when I believe Mr. Cullin's use of the event was simply to underline how technology had evolved to a point that seemed beyond the 93-year-old protagonist's comprehension. Having actually read the book, I didn't once detect (no pun) even a hint of political agenda at play, and as the book wasn't at all about World War II or America's role in the war, I can't see any logical reason why this eulogic tale of an elderly Englishman visiting Japan in 1947 should have needed to address such issues to begin with.

On the more personal side, I found this novel to be well done and touching, especially since I'm currently coming to grips with my own mother's fading short-term memory. The writing is quite good, and the stories surrounding an aging Sherlock Holmes are more moving than mysterious. As I don't claim to know much about the Sherlock Holmes character or the Doyle stories, I'm not sure how much of Mr. Cullin's book is in keeping with them. But I have no problem in highly recommending this novel on its own outstanding merits, although I do ask that you please make a point of reading it before "inaccurately" reviewing it here. Thank you.

Listening to Simon Jones read this insightful Sherlock Holmes book is like listening to Andrea Bocelli. The pace is slow at first but then Jones develops a rhythm that is so pleasing as to be beautiful. He won an Audie for this book, deservedly so. The book is not a pure detective story, but a loving glance at what it means to be alive. I've been a 100-mile a day commuter the past 11 years and this is definitely among my top 20 audio books.

What a wonderful story that deftly intertwines three intriguing story lines. Mr. Cullin's reveals in Holmes a humanity and compassion without comprimising the character we all know and love. The tone and images the writing brings forth is just wonderful.

Every once in awhile I have the pleasure to read a really, really good book in which the skill of the writer truly amazes me. This is one of those books.

Read it if you are interested in the character development of an aging man who "used to be" Sherlock Holmes. It contains rather interesting insights into the relationship of Holmes and Watson, oops, John. It's an acceptable pastiche, but it is not a mystery in itself (although there is included the mini-mystery of the Glass Armonisist.) It's a book about loving and losing, parents and children, living and dying, bees and wasps. Worthy topics all, but rather dreary and disappointing when when one is hoping for the game afoot. Cullin has a nice writing style, and the audio version is beautifully read by Simon Jones.

This is a flawless novel, full of powerful insight about loneliness and aging. As I've never been a Sherlock Holmes fan, I must admit that I began reading this with a notion that I might not finish it. But I was wrong, and I'm glad that I was. The last novel that moved me in such a way was Michael Cunningham's The Hours, and it belongs in that category of fine fiction. If I have any complaint, it is that this great book was too short. A must read!

Having enjoyed the movie "Mr Holmes," I figured that the book would be even better. I could not be more mistaken. Unlike the movie, where an aged Sherlock Holmes fights his memory loss by tending his beehives and befriending a young boy, A Slight Trick Of The Mind portrays a Sherlock Holmes who has no answers anymore. The once great detective cannot seem to answer the question of why someone dies or why he's losing his memory. The one thing this book gets right is a perfect summary of postmodern thinking--asking a bunch of questions but not having any answers. Enjoy the movie, but don't waste your time on the book.

What a wonderful story... so touching and daring. Cullin brings Sherlock Holmes back to life, as though he'd known him all these years. A gentle, meditative story, which stays with you long after the last page. For mystery readers, bea lovers, or simple observers of human nature.

Not a huge fan of books with recycled fictional characters, I approached SLIGHT TRICK with skepticism. But after turning the opening pages I was both relieved and thrilled. With a respectful nod to Doyle, Cullin has made Holmes his own.

My local Detroit paper raved about this book so I picked it up. Was I disappointed. It is basically a story of an old man, with allof his typical old man problems, such as memory loss, aching bones, sleep apnea, etc. It just so happens that it is Sherlock Holmes at age 93 in 1947. There is no adventure involved and whatever powers he once had are diminished by old age.

Also, the book tends to ramble from one memory to the present (1947) and then back to another memory at a different time. He is not a likeable character and his musings are so jumbled and written in such a pedantic way, that you really don't care what the outcome of the story is. It took me awhile to finally finish this book because it wasn't interesting enough to want to find out how it ends.

This book was awful; does the author have secret evidence against the publishing company forcing them to publish this mess? That, actually, would have been a more interesting story. This book is like visiting my crazy aunt in the nursing home for six hours; a woman who was once smart and articulate now crapping her pans and enable to string 5 words together to form an intelligent sentence. Why would anyone want to subject themselves to that depressing and rambling experience? That is this book. Three strange, non-connected rambling, BORING, pointless stories interlaced together to get....nowhere. I hope the author kept his day job as a struggling, misunderstood barista because this book was just AWFUL.

My local Detroit paper raved about this book so I picked it up. Was I disappointed. It is basically a story of an old man, with allof his typical old man problems, such as memory loss, aching bones, sleep apnea, etc. It just so happens that it is Sherlock Holmes at age 93 in 1947. There is no adventure involved and whatever powers he once had are diminished by old age.

Also, the book tends to ramble from one memory to the present (1947) and then back to another memory at a different time. He is not a likeable character and his musings are so jumbled and written in such a pedantic way, that you really don't care what the outcome of the story is. It took me awhile to finally finish this book because it wasn't interesting enough to want to find out how it ends.

This book was awful; does the author have secret evidence against the publishing company forcing them to publish this mess? That, actually, would have been a more interesting story. This book is like visiting my crazy aunt in the nursing home for six hours; a woman who was once smart and articulate now crapping her pans and enable to string 5 words together to form an intelligent sentence. Why would anyone want to subject themselves to that depressing and rambling experience? That is this book. Three strange, non-connected rambling, BORING, pointless stories interlaced together to get....nowhere. I hope the author kept his day job as a struggling, misunderstood barista because this book was just AWFUL.