The House of Silk - Anthony Horowitz

Reading this on the train heading into town as the snow was descending definitely added to the atmosphere Horowitz creates of Holmes’ wintry, foreboding London. He really has done a fine job of keeping enough familiarity that the reader feels automatically transported into a classic Conan Doyle mystery, whilst giving Holmes a fresh and original case.

Watson narrates us through the entangled web of intrigue that takes us around London and across the pond to America.  He also has an interesting, albeit brief, confrontation with Moriarty, which adds a wonderful dimension to the story. The way in which Moriarty contrives the meeting and the information he imparts is a secret that remains between Watson and the reader, never shared with Holmes even after the case is closed.

The character I had in mind whilst reading this is very much the traditional Jeremy Brett version of Holmes, rather than the big screen Robert Downey Jr. This is the one that I grew up with and in reading Horowitcz’s end note, was the one that he feels most close to. 

The story evolves from one of robbery and blackmail into the far more sinister areas of child  abuse and mistreatment. As Holmes gets closer to the truth we see him framed and imprisoned leading to a spectacular escape and final showdown with those responsible. 

This is one I am recommending to everyone I know who loves a good mystery, or the legendary Sherlock Holmes himself.