Knife Edge: 04/17/19

Knife Edge by Andrew Lane is the sixth book in the Young Sherlock Holmes series. Sherlock has found his way back to the British isles and has come ashore in Ireland where he is met by Mycroft.

They are to stay at Quintillan castle which has been modernized with a "ascending room" because the lord is wheelchair bound. He is hosting an auction and has invited nefarious representatives from various nations.

Of course shortly after their arrival, a woman ends up dead and despite being found outside, she is barefoot. Her murder reveals many of the castle's dark secrets.

So here's the thing. There are a number of old Avengers episodes from the 1960s that have most of the pieces of this mystery. It really felt like Lane was writing Avengers fanfic and putting his versions of the brothers Holmes into it.

And then there's the ridiculousness of the "ascending room." Not that a lift or elevator would exist back then. Harry Waterman's invention dates to 1850. The safety brake version dates to 1853. What I'm kvetching about is the ridiculous name Lane has given to it. Is he trying to obscure the inclusion of an elevator? Is he trying to sound more Victorian? Did he just not do his homework and didn't know that such an invention did exist in time for this mystery to logically make use of one?

Three stars

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