The House of Silk: A Sherlock Holmes Novel

i have been reading, and rereading the sherlock holmes stories since i was 11, and have browsed the pastiches and what have you as well, wishing conan doyle had written more, or more properly, wishing i could return to that world. Horowitz has created a worth addition to that collection. it's not awesomely brilliant, but he has the characters right, i believe, and that makes it worthy of the time and treasure spent to purchase and read it. i wish he would write more!

How wonderful to be back in London, again one step behind the great detective. This new book was a great surprise as I had not considered that I would be immersed in another great adventure with Holmes and Watson. Wonderfully written. Felt like the master had written the story - true to the old, but refreshing.

Anthony Horowitz is good, and his portrayals of Holmes, Watson, and Moriarity are very well done, and pretty much in sync with at least my view of those characters. It's a good romp through the England of Victoria, and I would buy more Horowitz books.

This was a great Sherlock Holmes story. It was fast paced and kept my interest through the whole book. It is an interesting story that took a twist I did not expect. I am really looking forward to starting the next book, Moriarty, and hope there are more Sherlock Holmes books to come from Horowitz.

I read Moriarty first and enjoyed that, so thought I'd give this one a try. I'm a sucker for Sherlock Holmes stories. This one was a bit more violent than most of the originals I'd read, but true to form and fashion. I'm sure it is unrealistic to expect more Sherlock Holmes stories, but it would be nice.

Despite the nastiness of the topic, this is by far the best Sherlock Holmes pastiche I've ever read. The author largely refrains from using his knowledge of the past to enhance the tale, a trap many others fall into, and gives an amazing story that could easily have been written by the great Sir Arthur himself.

I loved Mr. Horowitz's screenplays for Foyle's War & with the high ratings this novel has been receiving, I thought I'd give this story a try. The House of Silk is among the better written Sherlock Holmes pastiches and it has its moments of adventure and danger, but overall I'd say this was a so-so story. The beginning of the tale and the moment Holmes finds himself in trouble through to the conclusion of the story was a page turner, but everything in between was slow going and dull. In addition, I found the inclusion of Mycroft to be something of an unnecessary contrivance as it added nothing to the story and served as an injustice of Mycroft's considerable intellect and influence. In one of ACD's stories, Mycroft was described as "the British government," but in this story Mycroft was portrayed as fearful & ineffectual, serving only to warn Holmes against his intended actions. Finally, in the beginning of the story, Holmes asks a question if Catherine Carstairs can swim at the end of his interview with the Carstairs household which indicated that Holmes already deduced that Catherine was involved with the burglary and murder. . One has to wonder why he did not address his suspicions immediately other than it might have ended the story right there before Holmes & Watson find themselves embroiled in the House of Silk affair.

Horowitz has captured the writing style of Doyle, and takes you back to Victorian London. You can all but sense the gas lamps and horse drawn conveyances of the era. This is the strength of the novel.

The multiple conclusions to the mystery or mysteries were convoluted, and almost too complex to follow.

Delightfully well written and a more than satisfactory substitute for Mr. Doyle. For those of us who simply cannot get enough of Sherlock Holmes this novel definitely fits the bill. It fills the imagination and takes you into the dark places of human nature. Well done Mr. Horowitz, a thoroughly good read.

I, like the author, have been changed by the genius of Doyle and Holmes. In that time I have read, watched, and played all the derivative works. Most are passable at best, some are offensive, a precious few stir me to an emotion. This has become, for now, the Great Work of homage to Holmes that all others should aspire to attain. The voice and method and pulse of it were perfect. For once I wasn't reading about an action hero with a supposed genius that solves more with violence. It was Holmes, the mind to equal the whole of London's police and criminal syndicates. I am becoming too hyperbolic so let me sum up with this-

Modern mystery and crime novels suffer the affliction of Hollywood dreams. This book is a masterful feat of literature and is set to become a classic that will outlive all the Holmesian caricatures the silver screen can deliver.

After roughly one hundred years the Arthur Conan Doyle Estate has finally sanctioned a new Sherlock Holmes novel. The extraordinary honor of writing this book has been given to Anthony Horowitz, who in turn has created what I believe to be an instant classic that can definitely stand up to Doyle's best work.

One of the most essential elements in a proper Sherlock Holmes novel is the great detective himself. Sherlock Holmes is easily one of the most recognizable names in literature and detective fiction. He's an icon, a paragon of mystery and clever writing. Needless to say that anything written out of the ordinary for the character would cause serious backlash from the devoted fans. Coming from someone who has read all four Doyle novels and the majority of his short stories, I can vouch for Horowitz when I say that he has successfully recreated the old magic that is Sherlock Holmes. Everything from his quirky habits to his superhuman sense of analysis and deduction is exactly as Doyle left it. Even good old Watson remains true to himself, acting as the stalwart observer and chronicler of Holmes's adventures and exploits.

While the original Doyle novels are revered classics that I adore, it's very clear that they're also relics of their time. They haven't lost their appeal and are still amazing today, but the old Victorian Age writing style may baffle some less experienced readers and unfortunately lose their interest. The House of Silk is able to successfully duplicate the feel of Doyle's writing, but it also feels much more accessible due to less emphasis on some of the more dated manners of speech and phrases that were used during his time. If someone was ever turned off by a Sherlock Holmes novel due to the dated feel then I recommend trying this one out. It's a perfect entry point for new readers and a worthy sequel for long time fans.

I'm sure that many will disagree with me on this, but I sincerely believe that from a plot perspective the House of Silk is superior to the Doyle novels. A Study in Scarlet is the famous introduction of Sherlock and Watson, The Hound of Baskervilles is the darkest and most suspenseful of the Doyle novels, A Sign of Four is my favorite of the originals, and now The House of Silk has the most interesting and complex case of them all. It does exactly what a great mystery should do. It presents an interesting conundrum that intrigues the reader to see how deep this plot goes, while at the same time it completely shatters the reader's expectations on the outcome. It's also a more intense and personal story as compared to the originals, with Holmes and Watson being targeted by the very criminals that they're hunting. It adds a nice amount of adrenaline that I felt was missing from the majority of Doyle's work without going over the top.

The climax of this story is absolutely incredible. Horowitz flawlessly weaves two separate story arcs, both interesting in their own rights, into one perfect web of intrigue. Everything that you believe is concrete and true is completely blown away. The ending alone is enough to justify reading the entire book.

I cannot applaud Anthony Horowitz enough. He did Doyle and his legacy justice, creating an intellectual and exciting mystery novel that must be read by both Sherlock Holmes fans and newcomers alike. All I ask now is that we don't have to wait another hundred years for a sequel.

This. Is not Sherlock Holmes of Conan Doyle.

This is not a Victorian gentleman with his attitudes and the idea of personal honor.

This is a 21th century postmodern add-on, which does raise some interesting points (such as for example, the risks undertaken by the boys whom Holmes employs), however, its idea of the wholesale corruption runs completely contrary to the original spirit of Conan Doyle's Holmes stories.

The original Conan Doyle was reassuring, because it portrayed a world where the government may be occasionally inefficient, the police sometimes incompetent, but at least there was a sense of justice and honor, and in general you could rely on goodwill of your neighbours. That world view may have been adequate or quite inadequate -- that is beyond the point. It was a world which was kinda worth believing in.

This story, however, is a cross between Sherlock Holmes movie (with Downey Jr.) and "Enemy of the State" (or any such similar cliche films). It is reasonably well written, but too predictable and un-Holmsesque to be entertaining. I will not be purchasing the second one.

There are so many things about this book to recommend. The writing is first rate, the fidelity to the Sherlock Holmes persona and mystique is admirable and the bit of depth it adds to Watson's character is both earned and welcome. Thanks Mr. Horowitz. I feel sure A.C.D. would approve.

Though I am not a Holmes purist, this comes across as if it were written by Conan Doyle, or even better. Only caveat is that there is some violence toward children that some readers might find upsetting, but it is not graphic.

This is truly an excellent effort by the author to write a story that passes for Arthur Conan Doyle writing Sherlock Holmes. There are a few times in the story where the syntax is a little more contemporary than ACD would have used, but all in all, the illusion is very well done, and the book draws the reader completely into London of the 1890's. The story is more shocking in its content and premise than any other Sherlock Holmes mystery, and the ending chapter brings it all together so neatly, and with a bang, that the reader can only marvel at the construction of the novel. Instead of a single story, there are two intertwining story lines here running parallel paths that intersect in the last third especially. The good vs. evil features prominently as in all Holmes mysteries, but the story will leave you shaking your head at the final intersection, and I found myself wondering if Anthony Horowitz had any intentions of writing more about Sherlock Holmes. If he did (or does) I will be in line for the next installment - well done indeed! I understand that the ACD estate has found this story alone worthy of their endorsement, and it is easy to see why. IMO if you liked Conan Doyles' Sherlock Holmes you are quite likely to like this.

It is astonishing how Anthony Horowitz succeeded in writing in the voice of Dr. John Watson. House of Silk can easily be another Sherlock Holmes book by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, complete with Victoria era period setting. Masterful!

You have to be a Sherlock Holmes fan to appreciate all the references to AC Doyle's writings tucked into this book -- a good recreation of ACD's style altho' a topic that I cannot conceive of ACD using. Quick and fun read with the above caveat in mind

Sherlock Holmes is my favorite character so I read anything I can find about him. This is a good book and I really enjoyed it. I am looking forward to the next one in the series Moriarity-which I have already purchased.

Always skeptical of a Sir Arthur Conan Doyle look-alike, but this book delivers on all counts. The style, the language, the plot, the characters, the settings and the reminiscences are perfectly done. The juxtaposition and ultimate connection of two seemingly unrelated story lines is exceptionally well done. A real treat to read.

Horowitz has captured the spirit of Doyle and written a thrilling novel with a great ending tinged with sadness that Holmes is mortal and may not have many cases left. It was wonderful being in Baker Street again and I thank Anthony Horowitz for that.

I have read many a Sherlock Holmes pastiche, but this one takes the cake. I can see why the Doyle estate gives Mr. Horowitz the seal of approval. The story is artfully woven from different strands of occurrences that culminate in an explosive ending that was totally unexpected; unless you were a certain consulting detective. If you are a fan of Mr. Holmes this is a must read!

I came to the Sherlock Holmes library a little late in life, but loved reading the entire series. I hate when you find an author you really love and you finish their body of work and they are not around to continue writing. I found this to be a well written book, and it fit in well with the original style - which is pretty much all I ask from "sequels."

Style, Character, and Plot -- this work brings the reader deep into Doyle's world, a classic tale with 19th century language, strong characters, typical Holmes humor and hidden-in-the-open clues. The plot offers twists and suspense more in line with modern thrillers, updating the readability while maintaining the genre's essentials. One of the best Holmes knock-offs ever.

As an avid Sherlock Holmes fan, the author does a fantastic job. Characters are well defined and descriptions are on the money. You can place yourself at 221B Baker St. Highly recommended to all Sherlock fans. I will definately give this author another read.

I own the complete annotated Sherlock Holmes but haven't reread it in years, so I can't compare this book for style, but the book is well written and plotted and I thought it was well researched and conveyed the atmosphere of Victorian England.

This is an excellent book and you may pinch yourself, thinking that Arthur Conan Doyle had written it himself. I loved every second of the book and if you love Holmes & Watson, read this one by Mr. Horowitz. Doyle must be smiling.

Horowitz's story is pretty good and it gets better as it goes along. He does not do well with his flat and slavish depiction of Holmes and Watson, however. He would have been better advised to create his own characters, as Will Thomas does so brilliantly in his historical mysteries. Fans of Doyle would do better with Laurie King and Kim Newman.

I own the complete annotated Sherlock Holmes but haven't reread it in years, so I can't compare this book for style, but the book is well written and plotted and I thought it was well researched and conveyed the atmosphere of Victorian England.

This is an excellent book and you may pinch yourself, thinking that Arthur Conan Doyle had written it himself. I loved every second of the book and if you love Holmes & Watson, read this one by Mr. Horowitz. Doyle must be smiling.

Horowitz's story is pretty good and it gets better as it goes along. He does not do well with his flat and slavish depiction of Holmes and Watson, however. He would have been better advised to create his own characters, as Will Thomas does so brilliantly in his historical mysteries. Fans of Doyle would do better with Laurie King and Kim Newman.

Horowitz does a fine job of capturing the essence of Conan Doyle's writing style. His descriptions of 19th century London ring true ... he gets the details right. And true to form, it isn't until the very end that we learn "who done it."

A fine addition to the Holmes canon. Horowitz writes with an authentic Conan Doyle voice and the story is loyal to the original themes, styles, and narrative devices of the original. Any Holmes fan will enjoy this one.

Excellent and typical Sherlock Holmes novel. He gets you to thinking one way and then comes out with several other plots, yet they tie in in the end. You believe that he is lost in despair, his reputation ruined with no one to help him out. Very good reading.

Familiar style but the story just wasn't as crisp as the ACD originals. Too many characters, lots of unnecessary diversions but all in all worth a quick read. Sherlock reads like an old hand who is at end of his career until the very end.

Told from the perspective of Watson, as always, but an old, retired Watson writing a story to be kept secret for 100 years. Very nicely done, well in the spirit of Doyle's Holmes and Watson, and with a theme that is actually quite modern in many ways. A very nice read.

I an lifelong Holmes fan, for more than 60 years. I've read an re-read the Canon dozens of times. I read every follow-on that I can. I am a twice- published author. Adding all of that up, I found The House of Silk to be in the proper style and an excellent story. I highly recommend it!