The House of Silk: The New Sherlock Holmes Novel

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The House of Silk: The New Sherlock Holmes Novel

3.91 of 5 stars 3.91 · rating details · 8,375 ratings · 1,336 reviews

Bestselling novelist and Holmes expert Anthony Horowitz will bring the great man to life again for a new generation of readers. As the creator of Foyle, recently voted the nation's favourite TV detective at the ITV Crime Thriller Awards 2010, Anthony has already displayed his talent for plotting and characterisation. Having been a lifelong fan of Conan Doyle's novels, he w...more

Paperback, 294 pages

Published November 1st 2011 by Orion

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Aug 04, 2012 Jonathan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: want, mystery, sherlock-holmes, favourites

I tip my hat off to you Anthony Horowitz. Having loved your Alex Rider novels because of their brilliant plotting I now see that you are capable of turning your hand to constructing an incredible Sherlock Holmes novel.

In an age where to the majority of people Sherlock Holmes means either Benedict Cumberbatch or Robert Downey Jnr it is refreshing to see some who still recall that Holmes was first and foremost one of the greatest creations of literature. Few who know that still don't know that it...more

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Oct 23, 2012 Arah-Lynda Hay rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: top, lod

There is so much more to the reading experience than the mere consumption of words on a page.

No…. I love me the look and feel and smell of an actual book. My mind remembers these things, the cover art, the heft and sense of the page, how some fall open and give them selves up to you while others can be heavy, cumbersome, high maintenance reads. I remember the print or type face, whatever the right term is, my mind is able to recreate these images and sensations as I recall a particular experie...more

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Apr 06, 2012 Hannah rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-reads, mysteries

A highly readable and (more importantly) enjoyable Holmes pastiche from the pen of Anthony Horowitz, who wrote the "Foyle's War" TV mystery series. As with my first foray with Laurie R. King, I'm always slightly leary of venturing out of the original Holmes canon to find more stories about one of my favorite detectives. Thankfully Horowitz, like King, has managed to create a well crafted story while staying true to the "spirit" of Sherlock and company with this novel. I hope he will follow up wi...more

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Oct 07, 2012 Andy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012

I'm a big Sherlock Holmes (and Conan Doyle) fan, having read all the stories over a month in my teens but have never felt the inclination to read any of the modern takes on the character. However, I saw this last week on sale, picked it up, read the glowing reviews on the cover and decided to give it a whirl. I'm really glad I did.

Horowitz manages to pull off a near perfect homage to Doyle, capturing an authentic narrative voice for Watson and crafting an intriguing and detailed story. It's quit...more I'm a big Sherlock Holmes (and Conan Doyle) fan, having read all the stories over a month in my teens but have never felt the inclination to read any of the modern takes on the character. However, I saw this last week on sale, picked it up, read the glowing reviews on the cover and decided to give it a whirl. I'm really glad I did.

Horowitz manages to pull off a near perfect homage to Doyle, capturing an authentic narrative voice for Watson and crafting an intriguing and detailed story. It's quite remarkable, genuinely feeling like one of the original stories. Though Holmes is present and correct this really feels like Watson's book. Near the end of his life we find him alone and lonely, reminiscing about his old adventures with Holmes, clearly hoping to re-live some of the excitement through his telling of this 'lost' story. We spend more time with him than Holmes who is almost seen as a mythical figure on his pedestal, absent for part of the story and always viewed through the eyes of Watson. There are some wonderful character moments along with some old favourite cameos. There are also quite a few poignant moments (Watson reflecting back on the illness that killed his wife and his behaviour at the time being one sad and regretful little aside), with a melancholy mood at times, especially in the afterword.

The plot is classic Holmes from a simple beginning, leading into something else entirely, with some social critiques thrown in. Aside from a chase scene at the end there's nothing too flashy and some of the mind bending deductions we've all got used to through modern interpretations of the character are downplayed for solid detection and logic. The language and setting are nicely detailed and evoke the era. There's also an interesting essay from Horowitz detailing his take on the character and his 'rules' in recreating his childhood hero.

All in all, I really enjoyed this and it's rekindled a desire to reread the old stories. I would gladly read another if Horowitz decides to write any more.(less)

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May 08, 2012 Maxine McLister rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Holmes is dead and Watson, now nearing the end of his own long and fruitful life, tells the tale of Holmes' most shocking case - a case that he could not tell while the principals were still alive.

In this, the first book approved by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's estate (albeit not the first to try to take up the mantle), author Anthony Horowitz does an almost pitch-perfect rendition of Doyle's style. There are all the elements which made those original stories so much fun and, let's admit it, addicti...more

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Nov 05, 2011 Marianne rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Holmes and Watson solve an ugly crime - or two or three - outwitting truly depraved criminals and bringing to light a corruption so secret and powerful that even Mycroft warns Sherlock from it -- and cannot come to their aid.

It's a sound, consistent story, and each character rings true. Watson's references to his other adventures with Holmes are both relevant and revealing -- we're brought into the reflections of an older Watson, whose profound respect and love of Holmes remain unchanged, as doe...more

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Dec 20, 2012 Lance Greenfield Mitchell rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

From the first word, the style, the tone, the characters, the language, the inter-twining of plots and sub-plots and the little puzzles and deductions in which Holmes has always excelled, are all faithfully and skilfully adhered to by Anthony Horowitz. The result is superb and delightful.

The author even takes great care to avoid the use of diminutives in exactly the same way as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. For example, he writes “has not” rather than “hasn’t.” This minute attention to replication of...more From the first word, the style, the tone, the characters, the language, the inter-twining of plots and sub-plots and the little puzzles and deductions in which Holmes has always excelled, are all faithfully and skilfully adhered to by Anthony Horowitz. The result is superb and delightful.

The author even takes great care to avoid the use of diminutives in exactly the same way as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. For example, he writes “has not” rather than “hasn’t.” This minute attention to replication of the original detail is a real winner for me.

The storyline is believable and strikes at many levels. Victorian London’s atmosphere and society are splendidly portrayed, even down to the sights and smells of that era.

What starts out as a simple case for Holmes is wonderfully narrated by his devoted companion, Dr Watson, as events lead them both into increasingly dark and sinister scenarios. The characters are developed to just the right levels, appropriate to their roles, and one feels a both sense of empathy with the victims and, simultaneously, revulsion and anger towards the perpetrators of such dastardly deeds.

At one stage, Holmes enters into such a perilous situation that one wonders how on Earth he can ever extricate himself safely. Of course, knowing Holmes of old, the reader is confident that he will escape the danger, but it is difficult not to be consumed by Watson’s sense of despair. It is so real!

I very much enjoyed the typically precise deductions and explanations of Holmes along the lines of telling people, including Watson, of recent events in their lives: where they had been and what they had been doing. Horowitz captured these in exactly the same way as Sir Arthur had managed in the original stories. Absolutely stunning!

The conclusion is exciting and fast-paced. Possibly, this is at odds with the original series, but it can be excused because it seemed to fit so well with all that had gone before, and it would be difficult to imagine a better way to end this particular story.

The notes that Horowitz provides at the end of the book are extremely interesting, but I would encourage any reader to leave them until after they have read the whole story. In a way, I hope that this is a one off, but if Horowitz were to change his mind and write another Sherlock Holmes book, I would be first in line to order my copy.

Highly recommended to all.
(less)

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Apr 27, 2012 Kimi04 rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-2012, the-best-2012, sherlocked, suspense

I love Sherlock Holmes, Dr. John Watson and the original works of Arthur Conan Doyle. It is never easy to reproduce already existing characters, especially when they have been alive in the minds of readers for more than a century. And to bring back the brilliant, yet arrogant-sarcastic mind of Sherlock Holmes and the caring, yet fierce and loyal behavior of John Watson is a real challenge.

Anthony Horowitz mastered this challenge brilliantly. This book is everything you expect a Sherlock Holmes n...more

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Nov 30, 2011 Leaf rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery

The house of the silk was kind of dull actually but there were good parts in there too. Like many books this is one of Sherlock Holme mysteries, narrated by Mr. Watson, closest friend and companion of Mr.Holmes. In this book Sherlock and Mr. Watson come across a mystery that they are paid to solve. At first it seems like a normal thing, a mysterious figure following a rich man but as they dig deeper into this mystery they come across the house of the silk. The house of the silk is one of the big...more

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May 20, 2013 Sean Randall rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

“So, Watson ...?” he asked.
“Yes, Holmes,” I said. “I am ready.”
“And I am very glad to have you once again at my side.”

This is rather brilliantly executed. The tone, the style, the very essence of what is so marvelous about the Holmes stories is captured here, and while Holmes Rides Again may put too much of a modern twist on a story which is truly and elegantly bound by a detailed historical atmosphere, that's the idea you get.

IT is, of course, not perfect. it's too long for a Holmes work, and s...more

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May 17, 2013 Swagato Barman Roy rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

As a die hard Sherlock Holmes fan, I find it of rather poor quality. The author tried his best to imitate Doyle's writing style, but given the presence of certain modern phrases, the sentence constructions and use of punctuations it doesn't at all come across as a document written in those ages. The way Watson describes the plight of street children, boring account of their misery extending to pages really defeats the central theme of the plot.
As for the story itself, the plot seems to be a seq...more As a die hard Sherlock Holmes fan, I find it of rather poor quality. The author tried his best to imitate Doyle's writing style, but given the presence of certain modern phrases, the sentence constructions and use of punctuations it doesn't at all come across as a document written in those ages. The way Watson describes the plight of street children, boring account of their misery extending to pages really defeats the central theme of the plot.
As for the story itself, the plot seems to be a sequence of unconnected actions. the characters aren't convincing enough and something is really amiss. The author desperately tried to put all the known Sherlock Holmes characters (including his brother, his informal police force of Baker Street, Moriarty) in a single story and I will say, created a mess of it. As the single most absurd instance, Watson never revealed his encounter with Moriarty to Holmes. Come on, you mean the most trusted ally (who risked his own life and reputation for Holmes uncountable number of times), he was so scared of Moriarty that he couldn't break his vow? The end seems to be equally anti-climatic, as if Holmes gets hold of all the facts by magic. Where is the chain of reasoning and observation? From the story, it appears that a Holmes novel is about committing heinous crimes, some thrilling actions and then getting caught. Not true. For me (and for many other readers I believe), the attraction of Holmes lies in the observation, reasoning and deduction part. Sadly, the plot disappoints me on those fronts.
In the end, I will still congratulate Mr. Horowitz for his effort and appreciate the fact that it's not easy to fit in Conan Doyle's shoe. Most of my opinion stems from a direct comparison with the original (and unrivalled) series but as a standalone novel, it's of decent quality. I will also add a thank you note because this novel prompted me to pick up an old copy of 'Hound of the Baskervilles', which is still a pleasure as much as it was the first time. (less)

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Apr 15, 2013 Melinda Elizabeth rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I must first start by thanking Guy Ritchie, for giving me the opportunity to read Sherlock novels and essentially spend the whole time imagining Robert Downey Jr shirtless for the whole duration of the book. Makes for pleasant reading.

Now, onto the book itself, what an undertaking! You have to give it to Horowitz, it takes guts to revive such a well known and much loved pair. And I'm glad to see that he stuck to form, and the novel was nearly seamless and in sync with our interpretation of Holme...more

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Apr 13, 2013 Tony rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: novels

Like a lot of people, I'm a casual fan of the original Sherlock Holmes stories (ie. "the canon"), but am also plenty willing to pick up and enjoy one of the hundreds of pastiches for what they are. However, this first "authorized" Holmes story is a huge disappointment -- especially given my admiration for Horowitz's excellent TV series Foyle's War.

Not being an expert in the original stories, I'm hesitant to pronounce on how deftly the tone and texture are captured, other than to say that from ti...more

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Apr 04, 2013 Mrtracksclass rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The House of Silk: A Sherlock Holmes Novel
By Anthony Horowitz

The New York Times best-selling author, Anthony Horowitz, brings Sherlock Holmes back along with his trusted companion Dr. Watson to solve another case. Horowitz is recognized for the bestselling Alex Rider series and his screenplays, Foyle’s War and Collision. Through this addition to the Sherlock Holmes collection, Horowitz does some justice to the original author, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

A year has passed since Sherlock Holmes was...more The House of Silk: A Sherlock Holmes Novel
By Anthony Horowitz

The New York Times best-selling author, Anthony Horowitz, brings Sherlock Holmes back along with his trusted companion Dr. Watson to solve another case. Horowitz is recognized for the bestselling Alex Rider series and his screenplays, Foyle’s War and Collision. Through this addition to the Sherlock Holmes collection, Horowitz does some justice to the original author, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

A year has passed since Sherlock Holmes was found dead in his home. Watson has married twice and has three children, seven grandchildren and has an accomplished career in medicine. In spite of this, Watson misses Holmes, he recalls all his time spent with him. This reminds Watson that he will never join Holmes in another investigation ever again. The elderly Watson takes it upon himself to record the adventures of The Man in the Flat Cap and The House of Silk, though the two are so entangled that they can not be told separately.

The year is 1890, a strange visitor arrives at 221B Baker Street. He introduces himself as Edmund Cartairs and tells his story. A man in a flat seems to have followed him from America and is now observing him. Over the next few days a robbery occurs at his home. Soon after, a murder occurs. Holmes and Watson are somehow pulled more and more towards a criminal scheme that seems to have no relation to the man in the flat cap. As they delve deeper they come across the cryptic words “ the House of Silk” which connects powerful figures in the government to the world of London’s criminals.

In this crime fiction novel Horowitz shows yet again his ability to tell a captivating story. The ‘House of Silk’ takes readers to the streets of London, the dark alleys of Bluegate Fields, to opium dens and to England’s highest authority figures. The book is filled with shocking events that keep its readers mesmerized. For instance, when up against a corrupt power, Holmes suddenly ends up in prison, facing trial for murder. Thus, leaving Watson as the only person he can count on to bring the truth to light. I really enjoyed reading this novel because the plot was incredible. The best aspect of the book was how it ended up revealing a giant web of crime and conspiracy. Horowitz holds the reader's attention until the end, although at times Watson may get a bit beside the point with his rambling.

Horowitz is given the difficult task of reestablishing the strange world of Sherlock Holmes and he does with great success. He stands as a great crime writer, justified by the London and Boston crime scenes that are portrayed with such authenticity they without a doubt, demonstrate his great ability. The research done to recreate the Victorian era is remarkable. He brings his own style and incorporates it with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s and creates a must-read novel for Holmes fans and any mystery loving reader.(less)

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Mar 20, 2013 Gerry rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Anthony Horowitz adds a Sherlock Holmes story to the Conan Doyle canon and he does it in fine style. As always Watson is the narrator of the story and he captures the manner in the telling admirably; it is pure Conan Doyle storytelling both in style and particularly dialogue.

The House of Silk is a mystery to Holmes and Watson and the search for it begins when Edmund Carstairs, an art dealer, returns from America with a wife who he met on board the ship home and arrives at 221B with a story of be...more

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Mar 18, 2013 Karpop rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Wat een heerlijk boek! Helemaal in de Sir Arthur Conan Coyle-stijl. Heel knap gedaan door Horowitz.
Mooie sfeerrijke beschrijvingen,grappig, intrigerend. Plezierig dat Sherlock zo goed observeert en dat wordt uitgelegd hoe hij tot bepaalde conclusies komt.
Omdat ik nu ook de tv-serie Elementary volg, zag ik Jonny Lee Miller als Sherlock. Karakter komt ook helemaal overeen.

Aanrader!

Spoiler
Huis van zijde blijkt huis van sijde te zijn. Hier komen mannen die jonge jongens misbruiken. Ze komen binnen...more

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Mar 14, 2013 Lee Enderlin rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Okay, I admit it, I'm a Holmesophile. I've read a lot of absolute Holmes garbage led by, but not limited to, Laurie King's ridiculously absurd plots and twisted characterization changes. Horowitz, on the other hand, remains wonderfully true to the character of Holmes and, better yet, spins a terrifically plotted story. I was reminded as I read this of the times in Doyle's original stories when Holmes mentions following the threads of an investigation. I had that same feeling as I read this story...more

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Mar 02, 2013 Truly rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Pertama kali dalam sejarah, setelah 125 tahun, ahli waris Sir Arthur Conan Doyle akhirnya mengakui satu-satunya novel seri baru Sherlock Holmes.
Maka, sekali lagi, petualangan dimulai …

Sebagai penyuka kisah misteri, terutama Holmes kalimat di atas jelas menggusik rasa ingin tahu saya.

Seperti juga kisah-kisah Holmes yang lain, sebuah kasus ternyata bersinggungan dengan kasus yang lain. Dalam kisah ini, kasus utama menyangkut seorang klien bernama Edmund Carstairs ternyata terkaiat dengan kasus p...more

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Feb 13, 2013 Adeona rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: detectives

First off, I "read" this on audiobook with Derek Jacoby as narrator, who is a perfect match with Watson.

At first I found myself being very impressed with Horowitz's near perfect recreation of the feel of the original stories. His Holmes is very nearly like Conan Doyle's, which made some of the out of character moments so much more jarring.

My problem is that I feel Horowitz's Holmes has flashes of being too sentimental, or too emotional for what I had remembered from the source material. I could...more First off, I "read" this on audiobook with Derek Jacoby as narrator, who is a perfect match with Watson.

At first I found myself being very impressed with Horowitz's near perfect recreation of the feel of the original stories. His Holmes is very nearly like Conan Doyle's, which made some of the out of character moments so much more jarring.

My problem is that I feel Horowitz's Holmes has flashes of being too sentimental, or too emotional for what I had remembered from the source material. I could have accepted this if the adventure had come later in the Holmesian timeline, as if he were realizing his mortality, but the references lead the reader to understand this story is happening right in the middle of Holmes' many adventures. His deductions are sound and brilliant as always, and it was a pleasure to occasionally be reminded of something the reader overlooked but had been there in plain sight the whole time. That felt much more "fair" than even some of the original works!

I have to admit that I was more interested in the side mystery with Edmund Carstairs than in the main storyline--that one felt much more "Holmes" than the main mystery. I did enjoy the references to previous Holmes adventures like the Red-Headed League or the Speckled Band.

BIG SPOILERS HIDDEN:
(view spoiler)(less)

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Jan 31, 2013 Phillip Ramm rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobook, crime, fiction

Here's another "lost" Sherlock Holmes story - this one brilliantly emulating Conan-Doyle's rather refined, some might say affected, prose style - that tells of a case, the details of which, my dear readers, could not be divulged until now.

Yes, this case, as it unfolds, reveals a tragical and sorrowful story of 19th century London, a story that reaches from those poor creatures who populate the sinister and tragic underbelly of this foggy and cold-hearted metropolis, to the haughty and arrogant...more

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Jan 04, 2013 Arlavor rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Autant le dire tout de suite, le résumé de la quatrième de couverture n'est absolument pas mensonger. Holmes et Watson se retrouvent bel et bien engagés dans une enquête qui se révèle de plus en plus sordide au fur et à mesure de son avancement.

Au début, c'est une affaire des plus banales dans laquelle il est question d'un homme, Edmond Castairs, qui se sent en danger à cause d'un ancien voyage aux États-Unis qui a mal tourné. Mais les événements s'enchainent et Holmes se retrouve dans une tout...more Autant le dire tout de suite, le résumé de la quatrième de couverture n'est absolument pas mensonger. Holmes et Watson se retrouvent bel et bien engagés dans une enquête qui se révèle de plus en plus sordide au fur et à mesure de son avancement.

Au début, c'est une affaire des plus banales dans laquelle il est question d'un homme, Edmond Castairs, qui se sent en danger à cause d'un ancien voyage aux États-Unis qui a mal tourné. Mais les événements s'enchainent et Holmes se retrouve dans une toute autre affaire qui concernerait une certaine maison de soie dont même Mycroft n'a jamais entendu parler.

Watson se retrouve, après moultes péripéties, seul pour résoudre l'enquête.

J'ai eu un coup de cœur pour ce roman. Déjà, il y est question de Sherlock Holmes et du docteur Watson et donc l'histoire se passe à Londres. L'ambiance est particulièrement bien décrite et elle y assez glauque. Certains passages peuvent mettre mal à l'aise. Par exemple, les moments juste avant la révélation de l'énigme sont vraiment dérangeant car on comprend peu à peu ce qu'il s'est passé et comme le dit si bien le résumé, c'est sordide. Avant la révélation, je me disais: "Oh non, quand même pas...C'est pas ça, tout de même"...Et si, c'était ce que je pensais. Et je crois que ça a rendu la résolution encore plus difficile.

J'ai aimé la présence des Irréguliers de Baker Street, toujours prêts à apporter leur aide contre une ou deux piecettes. Ces gamins des rues sont vraiment attachants, on ne peut qu'avoir de la peine pour eux quand on lit comment ils doivent vivre, ce qui était le mode de vie de beaucoup d'enfants de l'époque.

On retrouve beaucoup d'éléments des histoires de Conan Doyle, les caractères des personnages y sont bien respectés et j'ai aimé que les capacités de Holmes pour le déguisement ne soient pas mises de côtés.

Comme dans les aventures de Sherlock Holmes de Conan Doyle, c'est ce cher Watson qui raconte l'histoire. Mais les faits qui sont contés datent de plus de cent ans car Watson a tenu à ce que son histoire attende cette durée pour être dévoilée au grand public.

On se serait vraiment cru dans un livre de Conan Doyle. Anthony Horowitz a parfaitement bien repris son style. Je n'ai lu que deux livres de cet auteur, L'ile du crâne et Maudit Graal, des livres très jeunesses, donc je ne pouvais pas vraiment faire le comparatif avec ce qu'il avait déjà écrit.

C'est un excellent roman, quoiqu'assez glauque, à ne pas manquer, surtout si vous aimez les aventures du plus célèbre des détectives.(less)

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Dec 24, 2012 Philip Jackson rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Mr Horowitz' Sherlock Holmes novel has the privilege of being officially sanctioned by the Holmes estate, and a very good novel it is too.
I haven't read a huge amount of Conan Doyle's original Holmes stories, but Horowitz seems to me to have captured Watson's narrative style very well.
Of course, most of Holmes' exploits are covered off in short stories, there being only 4 novels penned by Conan Doyle, and as Horowitz points out in his afterword, the action in the novels often strays from Holmes...more

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Dec 13, 2012 Crazyjamie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Confession time. This is the first Sherlock Holmes novel that I have ever read. I do actually own all of the books, but I haven't ever gotten round to reading them. So I have to admit that I did feel a little guilty that my first Sherlock Holmes novel ended up being one that wasn't written by Arthur Conan Doyle.

The guilt didn't last for long though. I'm obviously not in a position to comment on whether or not Horowitz captured the 'essence' of Sherlock Holmes, or how faithful he was overall to...more

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Nov 01, 2012 Clover rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I loved the Alex Rider series, and I'm an avid Holmes fan, regardless I returned this book half finished to the library. Not out of poor time management on my part, but rather boredom and disgust at the poor sequencing and lacking plot of the novel.

Like in the Alex Rider books the writing style is blocky and it's obvious that Anthony Horowitz started out in screenplays. Unlike the AR series, The House of Silk is drawn out ludicrously long. The plot winds and complications are added, but without...more

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Oct 26, 2012 Melissa T rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I am not an avid Sherlock Holmes reader, having only read one or two of his previous adventures - so as far as comparing Horowitz's Holmes with Doyle's Holmes, that I cannot accurately do. What I can do is give my impressions of the book, and those are almost entirely favorable.

The plot is well crafted - unveiling layer after layer and shrewdly intertwining the lives of our cast of characters together. The author - and Holmes - keep you guessing, hinting at the ending, but never revealing too mu...more

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Sep 29, 2012 Annette Gisby rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: fans of mystery and detective fiction

Shelves: crime, mystery, historical, sherlock-holmes, detective

I've read some children's books by Anthony Horowitz and he wrote some of my favourite episodes of Robin of Sherwood in the 80s, so I was intrigued by this new Sherlock Holmes mystery written by him. It's been a while since I've read original Holmes, but I have to say that the story Horowitz has written had the same mysterious, intriguing feel as the originals. He has an excellent eye for description, but without going overboard. You can see what the characters see.

There are quite a few different...more

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Sep 03, 2012 Karl Gunnar rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: crime, sherlockian-doylean

I really wanted to like this book. I have been waiting since the word hit the streets a year an a half ago. The news even made it to national radio in Norway. I have also hugely enjoyed Horowitz' writing in Foyle's War, so I had great expectations regarding his take on Holmes.
What turned me off was mostly Horowitz' rather mechanical use of doylean plot-devices; like Baker Street Irregulars, -done, A Clue concerning an american criminal gang/organisation, -done, Sherlock Holmes being absent from...more

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Sep 02, 2012 Maikeru rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: inglês

First of all I'd like to sincerely congratulate the author, Anthony Horowitz, for this was a highly entertaining book, but most of all because it truly reminded me of the original Holmes' adventures from Conan Doyle.

This being said I'll move on to review the book itself.
The book begins as most Holmes' stories with Mr. Carstairs consulting Sherlock Holmes' services to solve supposedly not too complicated situation. As the investigation takes place and the action develops it becomes apparent to th...more

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Aug 12, 2012 Derek Broughton rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical, mystery

Somewhere around a thousand authors must have tried their hands at Sherlock Holmes, as he's been so long out of copyright, so I don't really understand how the Arthur Conan Doyle Estate really feels they have any particular right to choose an author to write an "authorized" Sherlock Holmes novel, but I must say they did a pretty good job in choosing Horowitz.

It's a long time since I have actually read Conan Doyle's novels, but this novel certainly reads the way I recall those stories. Holmes, Wa...more

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Jul 30, 2012 Austen Trout rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

When I read this book I expected the classic Sherlock Holmes novel, and that's what I got. The story was told in the view of his constant companion, Watson tells the tail in first person. The basic story follows the detective chasing after a mysterious "House of Silk" which is supposedly murdering several people.

This book is slightly interesting because after you have delved into the first few chapters you are drawn to finish the book just to find out why certain things are happening. You want t...more

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About Anthony Horowitz

Anthony Horowitz is perhaps the busiest writer in England. He has been writing since the age of eight, and professionally since the age of twenty. In addition to the highly successful Alex Rider books, he is also the writer and creator of award winning detective series Foyle’s War, and more recently event drama Collision, among his other television works he has written episodes for Poirot, Murder...more

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Quotes from The House of Silk: A S...

“Show Holmes a drop of water and he would deduce the existence of the Atlantic. Show it to me and I would look for a tap. That was the difference between us.” — 17 people liked it

“Childhood, after all, is the first precious coin that poverty steals from a child.” — 10 people liked it

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The House of Silk: The New Sherlock Holmes Novel

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