SHERLOCK HOLMES – The Vanishing Man
By Philip Purser-Hallard
Titan Books
279 pg
We love Sherlock Holmes mysteries and were recently made aware that Titan Books has published a new series of Holmes novels by various authors. If all of them are as good as “The Vanishing Man” by Philip Purser-Hallard, then Holmes fans should be delighted, as the setup is traditional Doyle.
Holmes is approached by a group of noted Londoners who have formed a scientific society to explore the possibilities of actual psychic phenomenon ala telekinesis and telepathy. In the course of one of their experiments, a fellow claiming to have been raised on the planet Venus disappears while locked in a room with only one door and one window. At the time of his disappearance, he was being observed by two men of the society around the clock. And still, he vanished before their eyes.
Never once believing the incident is anything but a clever hoax, Holmes is still intrigued enough to pursue the matter. Within a few days of his investigations one of the members of the group, an artist, is brutally murdered and his studio trashed. Thus what began as a curious exercise to the Great Detective takes on a more gruesome note. Now solving the initial puzzle may also reveal a cold blooded murderer.
“The Vanishing Man” is wonderfully written and we especially loved a small exchange between Holmes and Watson towards the conclusion wherein Watson actually corrects Holmes on hurried deduction. It is priceless. If you are a bonafide Holmes addict, you might want to check this one out.
