I’m delighted to welcome you to my stop on the blog tour for ‘What Child is This?’, the fifth book in Bonnie MacBird’s excellent Sherlock Holmes series.
Thanks to Random Things Tours and Collins Crime Club for my place on the tour and copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. As always, opinions are my own.
From the Publisher:
‘What Child is This? A Sherlock Holmes Christmas Adventure‘ is the latest novel by the award-winning Hollywood scriptwriter Bonnie MacBird and is published by Collins Crime Club, an imprint of HarperCollins, on 13 October 2022.
With pen and ink illustrations byMarvel Comics superstar (and Sherlockian) Frank Cho, What Child is This? Is the fifth in Bonnie MacBird’s acclaimed Sherlock Holmes series.
London, 1890. A snowy December.
It’s Christmas and games are afoot. Sherlock Holmes is attempting to hide from the relentless holiday cheer, until Watson pulls him outside for a walk. In packed Oxford Street, a man suddenly plunges through the crowd and knocks a young woman to the ground, wresting her small boy from her arms. Holmes and Watson leap to their rescue and the assailant escapes empty handed. But who would try to kidnap a child in this manner? And more importantly – will he strike again?
Thus begins the first of two unseasonably dangerous cases which take Holmes and Watson from the depths of London’s prisons and workhouses to the fashionable Belgravia, and ultimately to the pinnacle of a glittering holiday party in Mayfair.
Dogged by threats from unexpected quarters, and aided by the colourful Heffie O’Malley, Holmes must bring to the game his celebrated scientific method, and the bravery for which he and Watson are renowned. But the final solution will demand something more from the Great Detective – something Watson has never before observed in his friend.
Once again, in her fifth Holmes outing, author MacBird delivers her trademark fast-paced adventure in Watson’s smart voice — replete with humour, offbeat characters, and the deductions we expect from the famous sleuth. But MacBird’s writing always digs deeper, and ‘What Child is This?’ offers surprising insights into the plight of children and social outliers, and the disparities of class in Victorian England.
Illustrator Frank Cho, a Marvel superstar, illuminates with his well-honed take on essential moments – combining a comic-book look with a period pen and ink style that is ideal for Victorian Holmes.
This book is the perfect Christmas treat for every fan of Sherlock Holmes.
My Review:
I’m a huge fan of Bonnie MacBird’s take on Sherlock Holmes – I’ve read them all, recommended them to anyone who will listen and was eagerly anticipating the next in the series.
And here it is – book five, a slightly shorter than usual tale of mystery set during a snowy, Victorian Christmas period.
The story opens with Sherlock Holmes approaching Christmas with plenty of Scrooge-esque grumpiness. When Watson (who narrates the story) drags him out onto a busy Oxford Street, they witness a kidnap attempt that takes them on an adventure featuring fathers, sons and plenty of Christmas spirit.
As with the other books in the series, the strength lies in MacBird’s characterisation of Sherlock Holmes and John Watson. The story is packed with little details that highlight the attributes of the two men and the warm relationship between them – I loved the reactions to Holmes’ science experiments, Watson’s struggles with Holmes’ ‘improving’ gifts and the wisdom of the solutions reached. Throw in Heffie O’Malley – a brilliant character from a previous book – and MacBird has produced another winner.
Alongside all the warmth and humour, there’s also two mysteries running in tandem. While neither are as elaborate as in some of the other books – this is a slimmer volume – they’re both cleverly managed and satisfying.
The Christmas setting is also gorgeous – there’s plenty of festive detail that immerses the reader in a sumptuous Victorian Christmas, complete with newfangled Christmas trees lit by candles, snowy London streets and plenty of fabulous gifts. September seems the wrong time to read this – it would be perfect to cosy up with when the nights are darker and the countdown to the festive season begins.
Although the book has some of the conventions of cosy crime, MacBird is unafraid of touching on darker themes. Here, as well as the brightly-lit and wealthy houses of Belgravia and Mayfair, we also visit the poorer and seedier side of London – the prisons and workhouses, as well as those people living in poverty and struggling with addiction. MacBird moves Holmes, Watson and Heffie seamlessly between all levels of London society and does it convincingly and with empathy.
On top of all the other great things, this book is beautifully illustrated by Frank Cho, better known for his work with Marvel Comics. The pen and ink drawings interspersed throughout add interest and are so nicely done. This book would make a great present for Sherlock Holmes fans.
I’d recommend this to anyone who loves Sherlock Holmes – MacBird’s style is in-keeping with the Arthur Conan Doyle originals and should be warmly received by those already au fait with Baker Street, Mrs Hudson and the quirks of the famous detective. If you’re new to MacBird’s novels (or Sherlock Holmes) then this is also a good place to start – they can be read in any order – although please don’t miss out on the previous books!
About the Author:
Bonnie MacBird is passionate about Victorian London and Sherlock Holmes. She lives in an 1890 building right off Baker Street, and fell in love with Holmes as a schoolgirl in her native California. After many years in the entertainment industry as a film executive, Emmy-winning producer and screenwriter – she wrote the original screenplay to TRON –she now writes the critically acclaimed Sherlock Holmes Adventure Series for HarperCollins, bringing the much-loved detective back, in traditional style, in full-length adventures. Meticulous research, a flair for deductions and a decided sense of humour have turned these into fan favourites. Art in the Blood was translated into seventeen languages, and was followed by Unquiet Spirits; The Devil’s Due and a prequel, The Three Locks.
Bonnie is active in the Sherlockian community in both the US (where she is a BSI member) and the UK, where she is a council member of The Sherlock Holmes Society of London. She is also the co-convenor of the London CWA meetings, a member of the RSA, and lectures regularly on Sherlock Holmes, writing, and creativity.
For further information about Bonnie MacBird visit: http://www.macbird.com
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Thanks for the blog tour support x
Sounds good, thanks for sharing your thoughts