Lane, Andrew. Black Ice.

Lane, Andrew.  Black Ice. (series: The Sherlock Holmes Legend Begins)  Macmillan/Farrar Strauss  2011  278p  $17.99     ISBN 978-0-374-38769-3   ms/hs  Mystery/Detective  VG-BNS 

In 1868, teenaged Sherlock Holmes faces danger in a train station for the dead, a museum of curiosities, and downtown Moscow as he helps his brother, Mycroft, who has been framed for murder.  Third in the series (Sherlock Holmes: The Legend Begins), Black Ice follows the adventures of teenaged Sherlock Holmes as he tracks clues to solve a locked-room murder/mystery with diplomatic impact as far away from London as Moscow and which frames his brother, Mycroft.  With the help of his tutor, Amyus Crowe, Sherlock is able to clear Mycroft’s name, cleverly determining that Mycroft was drugged and the murder charge is a set-up.  But Mycroft buys into a conspiracy theory involving a vast American land purchase and takes Sherlock with him to Moscow to sort out matters.

Mystery lovers will enjoy fourteen-year-old Sherlock’s brilliant insights and evolving philosophy as circumstances mold him into the man he will become in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s tales.  Those who have read the previous installments in this series may miss characters featured in the other volumes (Matty, Virginia, Crowe).  Instead, Lane focuses on Sherlock’s relationship with Mycroft and introduces a new villain mastermind who is a worthy opponent for Sherlock’s developing skills. (There is no mention of Moriarty.)

Lane weaves elements of Victorian history and science into the story.  Teen readers will be fascinated by descriptions of the Necropolis Railway, which carried dead bodies from London to the country.  The museum in which Sherlock is attacked by a bird of prey is based on the author’s memories of the Passmore Edwards Museum in East London.  Artistic license must be granted the descriptions of mid-19th-century Moscow, as there is little in the way of documentation, according to Lane.  Still, several of the powerful personages Mycroft and Sherlock interact with in that setting are true historical figures, and contribute to an intriguing glimpse of a mysterious country and time period.

Even readers who are not fond of mysteries will be swept along by the fast-paced plot.  This is an exciting and entertaining story.

Sherlock Holmes, Murder-Fiction, Russia-Fiction             --Hilary Welliver

Lane, Andrew. Rebel Fire.

Lane, Andrew.     Rebel Fire.       Macmillan/Farrar Strauss      343p  $16.99

978-0-374-38768-6       ms/hs       VG-BN             Mystery/Detective

Andrew Lane’s exciting second case for the teenaged Sherlock Holmes leads the young detective to America and straight into the heart of a shocking conspiracy.  In the summer of 1868, Sherlock is spending the school holiday in the home of his uncle, where he is tutored by the mysterious American Amyus Crowe, while his brother Mycroft is in London.  After Sherlock overhears his visiting brother and Crowe discussing a conspiracy involving the possible participation of John Wilkes Booth, he and his friend Matty investigate.  Captured by the villains, Sherlock manages to escape, but Matty is taken hostage, and the chase to save him and discover the nefarious plot leads them across the Atlantic by steamship to New York.  Romance enters as Sherlock begins to fancy Virginia, the tutor’s daughter.  Sherlock’s daring adventure is filled with twists, turns, evil villains, and enough blood and gore to attract the most reluctant readers.  Readers will be enthralled with the fast-paced activities and antics of the two boys.   This is the second book in a series authorized by the estate of Arthur Conan Doyle that tries to account for how Sherlock Holmes grew up to be an investigative and innovative detective.           

This is a very well-written book that will appeal to many young readers.  It is recommended for the middle- and high-school library.  It would make a very good selection for a basic books list for school libraries.     

Mystery, Sherlock Holmes                                                                       -- Susan Ogintz   

Lane, Andrew. Death Cloud (Sherlock Holmes: The Legend Begins)

Lane, Andrew Death Cloud (Sherlock Holmes: The Legend Begins)
Farrar Strauss 2010 309p 16.99 978-0-374-38767-9 VG-BN


This is the first book of a series that tries to account for how Sherlock Holmes grew up to be the detective he was. The book has bee authorized by the estate of Arthur Conan Doyle. It was the summer of 1868, Sherlock was looking forward to a summer away from Deepdene boarding school. However, his brother arrives to tell him that he will be staying with an uncle in a remote village because his father has been called off to India.
Within days he meets Matthew Arnatt, a local urchin who lives on a barge. He also finds a dead man as he is walking through the woods with his tutor looking for edible mushrooms. He is curious about what killed the man. This causes him to investigate some unusual happenings that result in his getting trapped in a burning barn. It seems that mayhem follows Sherlock as he is beaten, kidnapped not once but twice, tracked killer bees, and escaped from a chateau in France before ending this chapter of his adventures.
Readers will be enthralled with the fast paced activities and antics of the two boys. Romance enters as Sherlock begins to like Virginia, the tutor’s daughter. They will also be intrigue with Amyus Crowe, the tutor, who is obviously much more than a typical tutor.
The cover of the book will be a hit with readers because of the Bieber like haircut on the cover image of Sherlock Holmes. McNei, Linda