Sherlock Holmes and the Legend of the Great Auk -

 

Sherlock Holmes and the Legend of the Great Auk is the fifth Early Sherlock Holmes historical mystery by Linda Stratmann. Released 23rd June 2023 by Sapere Books, it's 239 pages and is available in paperback and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers this book is currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free. The previous books are also available on KU.

This is a well written and succinct mystery true to its roots. The clues are laid out tantalizingly and (as always) woven together by the young Holmes and his associate, Mr. Stamford. The details are just as outlandish as we could wish, a spectacular ornithological specimen unveiled by the British Museum which leads to bitter conflict and murder, and it's up to Holmes & co. to get to the bottom of the trouble. 

I recommend it to fans of the canon who are yearning for more Holmes and Watson adventures. Stratmann is a capable writer with a sure voice who captures the period very well. The dialogue and descriptions are true to period and add a lot to the read. The denouement and resolution were well crafted and satisfying.

Four stars. Well done and entertaining. With 5 books extant in the series at this point, it would be a good choice for a binge or buddy read.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.