A Study in Crimson: Sherlock Holmes: 1942

Description

LONDON, 1942. A killer going by the name of 'Crimson Jack' is stalking the wartime streets of London, murdering women on the exact dates of the infamous Jack the Ripper killings of 1888. Has the Ripper somehow returned from the grave? Is the self-styled Crimson Jack a descendant of the original Jack or merely a madman obsessed with those notorious killings? In desperation Scotland Yard turn to Sherlock Holmes, the world's greatest detective. Surely he is the one man who can sift fact from legend and track down Crimson Jack before he completes his tally of death. As Holmes and the faithful Watson tread the blacked out streets of London, death waits just around the corner. Inspired by the classic film series from Universal Pictures starring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce, which updated Sherlock Holmes to the 1940s, this is a brand new adventure from the acclaimed author of The Thirty-One Kings, Castle Macnab and the Artie Conan Doyle Mysteries. 'In Aickman's fiction, peculiarity is intertwined with a drab twentieth-century realism that is very English and sometimes dryly funny. Think Philip Larkin, or Barbara Pym, gone eldritch.' - Anwen Crawford, The New Yorker 'His name should be placed among the greats - Flannery O'Connor, Irwin Shaw, Raymond Carver . . . You will never forget the first Aickman story you read, nor be satisfied when you've read them all.' -John Darnielle, author of Wolf in White Van

Robert J. Harris was born in Dundee and studied at the University of St. Andrews where he graduated with a first class honours degree in Latin. He is the designer of the bestselling fantasy board game Talisman and has written numerous books, including the popular World Goes Loki series, the Artie Conan Doyle Mysteries, as well as the bestselling The Thirty-One Kings and Castle Macnab. He lives in St. Andrews with his wife, Debbie.

'In two previous books, the author resurrected John Buchan's World War I-era character Richard Hannay to good effect and with strong period flavor. "A Study in Crimson" achieves a similar mix of action-adventure, detective savvy and Holmesian surprise' * Wall Street Journal * 'Besides providing the duo with a worthy challenge, Harris makes his Watson an intelligent and competent sidekick. Both the strong characterization and plot bode well for a sequel' * Publishers Weekly US (STARRED) * 'Despite the death of Arthur Conan Doyle, readers still cannot get enough of his most famous creation, Sherlock Holmes. Robert J. Harris is adding to the new Holmes canon with his brilliant tribute' * Books From Scotland * 'Unmitigated pleasure is Harris's stock in trade. In A STUDY IN CRIMSON he revives Basil Rathbone's wartime Sherlock Holmes with great affection and peerless skill. A must-read for Homes aficionados and consumers of literary homage in general' -- Anthony O'Neill, author of 'Dr Jekyll and Mr Seek' and 'The Devil Upstairs' 'Robert J Harris captures the character of Holmes and Watson wonderfully well in this intriguing mystery' * Irish Independent * 'A riveting read...written in an engrossing and engaging manner, this book is a unique development of the Holmes novel and worthy of your time' * Journal of the Legal Society of Scotland * 'The book is very well written, well-paced, and extremely entertaining. I look forward to reading more in the same vein' * The Sherlock Holmes Journal * 'A thoroughly enjoyable homage to Sherlock Holmes, and very good it is too' * Undiscovered Scotland * 'If you like the books, the films or any of the Sherlock Holmes related material that's out there, you're going to love this. Perfect reading when you want to fall into something that's new but familiar as well. I absolutely loved it' -- Ali Braidwood * Camglen Radio's Scots Whay Hae! * 'It's a solid detective thriller that moves at a good pace. The Second World War, and the suggestions of a society on the brink of change, make an intriguing backdrop' -- Alastair Mabbott * The Herald * 'Harris' take on the iconic characters is outstanding' -- Bruce Tierney * BookPage (US) * 'A new Sherlock Holmes mystery and it's something to celebrate. The mystery motivates Holmes, energises Watson, and leaves Lestrade hanging on their coattails. A captivating start to a new series' -- Liz Robinson * LoveReading * 'With all the expected quirkiness of the main characters and the charm of the original author, Robert J. Harris' A Study in Crimson will be an easy and enjoyable read for fans of Holmes and Watson' * The Book Review Station *