#Bookreview – The Watson Letters: Volume 2: Not the 39 Steps

What Amazon says

Holmes and Watson continue their fight against crime in a not quite Post-Victorian, steampunk parallel universe.

My review

I thoroughly enjoyed this second book in The Watson Letters series. I find Colin Garrow’s humour hilarious and very English which appeals hugely to me. The book covers three story lines with the first taking place in Scotland after Sherlock and Watson are conned by a writer, Mr Hanney, to travel there to help him save the plot of his new book, The 39 Steps, from theft by other writers. On arrival in Scotland, the pair are soon pulled into an unfortunate situation with Professor Moriarty, Sherlock’s arch enemy and a madman intent on world domination.

The second part of the novella is set at the peculiar and creepy, Comfort Farm, where the two detectives are summonsed by the daughter of an old friend of Watson, to investigate the mysterious death of her Aunt Ada Doom. The farm is not at all as Watson expected and he is quickly drawn into mysterious circumstances which he believes his wife, Mary, can assist him with. Before Mary can arrive, two further murders take place and Sherlock appears, disguised as a cow. The three detectives set out finding out who the killer is.

I enjoyed the final part of the the most as it features Count Dracula of Transylvania. It is helpful, but not essential, if the reader has read Bram Stoker’s Dracula as it makes this story even more amusing. The trio undertake a long trip to Transylvania to meet the Count who takes a fancy to Mary and wishes to claim her as one of his undead. They soon discover his dastardly plan and need to make swift interventions to prevent him for succeeding.

This book is for adults and contains a number of amusing sexual innuendos. I recommend this book for readers who enjoy a good spoof of a number of famous literary characters.

Purchase The Watson Letters: Volume 2: Not the 39 Steps