I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Infamous partner of world-renowned detective Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson must unravel the mystery behind his friend’s sudden frightful state and determine whether the great detective came into contact with true time travel or instead is lost to a mad game in author Glenn Searfoss’s “Sherlock Holmes: A Question of Time”.

The Synopsis

A shocking mystery or outrageous hoax?

Responding to an urgent summons, Dr. Watson arrives at 221B to find Sherlock Holmes swathed in filth and in a state of deep shock. To ensure Holmes’ safety, he must retrace the detective’s last movements and discover the source of his debility. The investigation leads to a fire-gutted warehouse where nothing remains except an open cesspit and the enigma of an unburned circle.

A convalescing Holmes unravels the mystery by relating his encounter in the riverside warehouse with a time traveler. But with a lack of physical evidence and only Holmes’ account of what transpired, Watson must determine if the related events actually happened or are a grand jest perpetrated by his friend.

The Review

This was a brilliant and captivating read. The author does an incredible job of meshing the worlds of H.G. Wells and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in a way that feels both natural and engaging. The blend of sci-fi with mystery and detective YA suspense stories not only captured the magic and wonder that the books The Time Machine and Sherlock Holmes were known for, but highlighted the Victorian era mindset and settings in a natural way.

The character development and mystery were two great elements in the story. The introduction of the time traveler and the keen eye and investigative work of Sherlock Holmes felt spot on to the iconic portrayal of these characters, while the breakdown of the investigation and the always-questioning mind of Holmes and Watson made for some thrilling adventure storytelling. Yet it was Watson as the narrator of the story that made this book so compelling. Through a great sense of world-building, the author shows Watson’s small-scale life that receives the shock to the system he needed, after personal loss and haunted memories come to life for him and force him to confront his pain head-on throughout the book.

The Verdict

Memorable, action-packed, and entertaining, author Glenn Searfoss’s “Sherlock Holmes: A Question of Time” is a must-read YA sci-fi meets mystery novel. The twists and turns in the narrative and the shocking developments and emotional ties the reader forms to the cast of characters, as well as the iconic settings and atmosphere the author manages to capture from these two distinct literary worlds, made this a compelling and masterful fusion and retelling of two great literary titan-level novels. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

About the Author

Engaging storytelling transports the reader to a different time/place/viewpoint and encourages their exploration of a subject.

A professional writer of 28+ years, Glenn Searfoss has authored numerous technical manuals (bills must be paid), as well as books in the arenas of computer science, natural history, science fiction, and mythology.

Glenn lives with his wife and two boxer dogs in a turn-of-the-century, brick farm house in Colorado, USA. When not busy making a living, he gardens, works on the house (there is always something to work on with an old house), reads classic and not-so-classic literature and does research for new book projects.