The House of Silk - Anthony Horowitz

THE HOUSE OF SILK

A Sherlock Holmes novel

ISBN - 978-1-4091-3383-4

FIRST PRINTED - 2011

PAGES - 294

BINDING - Paperback

GENRE - Detective/Mystery

AUTHOR - ANTHONY HOROWITZ

Anthony Horowitz is the famous TV screenwriter who created the legendary 'Midsomer Murders' and 'Poirot'

SYNOPSIS - It is November 1890 and London is gripped by a merciless winter. Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson are enjoying tea by the fire when an agitated gentleman arrives unannounced at 221B Baker Street. He begs Holmes for help, telling the unnerving story of a scar-faced man with piercing eyes who has stalked him in recent weeks.

Intrigued by the man's tale, Holmes and Watson find themselves swiftly drawn into a series of puzzling and sinister events, stretching from the gas-lit streets of London to the teeming criminal underworld of Boston. As the pair delve deeper into the case, they stumble across a whispered phrase 'the House of Silk': a mysterious entity and foe more deadly than any Holmes has encountered, and a conspiracy that threatens to tear apart the very fabric of society itself...

EXCERPT - 'Influenza is unpleasant,' Sherlock Holmes remarked, 'but you are right in thinking that, with your wife's help, the child will recover soon.'

'I very much hope so,' I replied, then stopped and gazed at him in wide-eyed astonishment. My tea had been halfway to my lips but I returned it to the table with such force that the cup and the saucer almost parted company. 'But for Heaven's sake, Holmes!' I exclaimed. 'You have taken the very thoughts from my mind. I swear I have not uttered a a word about the child nor his illness. You know that my wife is away - that much you might have deduced from my presence here. But i have not yet mentioned to you the reason for her absence and I am certain that there has been nothing in my behavior that could have given you any clue.'

FL SPEAKS - Sherlock Holmes is back....

Anthony Horowitz, known for his tv show Poirot, has brought the legendary Sherlock Holmes back...atleast for one last time.

It begins with an introduction by Dr. Watson, Holmes compatriot while solving crimes. Watson mentions that this is one of the two crimes that he didn't publish because of the implications Britain would have faced.

The House of Silk may be one of the most toughest challenges Sherlock ever faced. The narrative is stunning and even though I tried to find a flaw in the author's work, I was surprised to see that it felt like reading Conan Doyle all over again. The details is fascinating and as in the case of Sherlock Holmes, it is always in the details.

A man arrives at 221B, Baker Street asking for Holmes' help to stop a stalker. A case of business transaction and theft gone wrong leads to a vicious murder of a young orphan and introduces us to the elite, powerful group called 'The House of Silk'. What begins as a normal investigation is blown to bits when Sherlock Holmes is arrested for killing a young girl under the influence of heroin.

As Watson races to clear his friend's record and stay ahead of 'The House of Silk', the first case of the stalker comes back to the fore and soon they realize that both cases might be connected in a bizzare way. And to make things worse, Holmes escapes from prison the authorities are after them.

Stunning, stunning tale of brilliance. The ending is mind blowing. Even though Moriarty was his greatest nemesis, 'The House of Silk' may well have been one of the deadliest foes Sherlock has met. The revelation is gruesome and in 1890, you would have actually balked at the possibility of such a thing.

The greatest surpise of the entire plot is the introduction of James Moriarty for the first time. I will not reveal more of this. If you love Sherlock Holmes, you'd want to read this yourself. If you haven't read any of Holmes cases till now, I have no words for you.

Anthony Horowitz, I thank you for bringing a legend back to life.

P.S| Do watch the new show 'Sherlock'. Its simply phenomenal. Season 2 is currently airing.

My Rating - 5 stars

PRICE - INR 600/-