Author: James G. Boswell
Gene: Mystery; Mythos: Horror
Publication Date: May 27th 2020
In this tale of mystery and cosmic horror, Sherlock Holmes finds himself kidnapped by his archrival, the evil crime lord, Professor James Moriarty. Seduced by promises of limitless power whispered into his ear in the dead of night, Moriarty intends to sacrifice Holmes and awaken Cthulhu, a malevolent entity of immeasurable power. It’s up to Holmes’s friend, confidant, and biographer Dr. John H. Watson to track him down using powerful methods of deductive reasoning he learned from Holmes himself. Watson’s harrowing journey leads him into the darkest corners of the Amazon and the deepest recesses of his own mind, where he must confront terrors from his past in order to save the future. Will Watson succeed in rescuing Holmes from Moriarty’s clutches? Or will he fail, thus allowing a deadly prophecy of cataclysmic proportions to be fulfilled?
Meanwhile, Irene Adler, adventuress and treasure hunter extraordinaire, and one of the only people to have ever outfoxed Sherlock Holmes, explores an evil sorcerer’s lost tomb, filled with forbidden secrets and dangerous traps. Along with her husband and fellow adventurer, Godfrey Norton, she confronts a long-imprisoned force of evil on her quest to achieve fame and fortune. Will Adler and Norton emerge from the Tomb of Akuyaku alive and in possession of the Amulet of Omniscience and Omnipresence? Or will they become trapped, forever entombed inside a living hell deep within the bowels of the Earth?
*A Thank you to the author for allowing me to read this in exchange for a honest and unbiased review*
Rating
I am a big fan of both Sherlock Holmes and Cthulhu so when I was contacted to read this I jumped at the chance. I usually DM Call of Cthulhu adventures, so a chance to be a part of the story and read it without knowing where it was going thrilled me to the core.
First of all Boswell really stayed true to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Characters, the mannerism, dialogue and actions were all truly spot on, so much so that I actually forgot I wasn't reading one of his books. Also, the fact that Watson and Adler were the main characters in this were really delightful. It was fun seeing Watson deduce clues and to show what he's learned from Holmes. Also, seeing Adler in action was brilliant especially since she is one of the few that had turned Holmes on his head.
It isn't until the mythos part of the book is introduced do we see Boswell's writing start to shine through. He did such a good job with ADC characters that I didn't know if that was how he wrote or if he was emulating him. I do love the macabre turn of events that happen during an unexpected part of the book, it went a little above what typically Cthulhu horror is but it surprisingly fit.
The story does assume you are familiar with the Sherlock characters, so you may want to get acquainted with them before you read this book. The title does give the plot away a but, but it's not a big deal. I also really liked that each chapter was a different point of view, it made the story really easy to follow the story. I did hope for a bit more of a connection between Watson's story and Irene's story, which did take away a little from the book but not enough to hinder it in any way.
Overall, The story was good, and if you wanted to fill a niche of a genre you haven't explored yet, this book is for you.
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