The real mystery to me is why no one has yet reviewed/recommended this book at Goodreads. It truly is "must read" material for Holmes fans of all stripes, as well as anyone interested in excellent Jack the Ripper fiction.

The book-jacket blurb explains that "The Mycroft Memoranda sets out to solve simultaneously two of the most perplexing riddles of late nineteenth century London. First, who was Jack the Ripper? Secondly, why was Sherlock Holmes, then at the height of his unique powers, never called upon to hunt down the killer?" I found both questions to be answered in a fully satisfying way (if one assumes, as the reader is asked to do, that Holmes and company are as historically real as author Arthur Conan Doyle himself). Other questions, as well, are resolved, both from history (How could Mary Jane Kelly's neighbor see her walking about hours after doctors believed she was murdered?) and fiction (What's the real story behind Dr. John Watson's "travelling wound"?).

In the process of answering these questions, The Mycroft Memoranda presents a fascinating look at Sherlock Holmes (including terrific interludes celebrating his expertise in disguise), new insights into the power and ethics of his brother Mycroft, glimpses into historical figures from the Ripper murders (such as Inspector Abberline), and even encounters with other Doyle creations such as Lord John Roxton (from the Professor Challenger stories). My one quibble is the lack of time DI Lestrade receives. That said, I took great joy in the fact that this can be read, in essence, as a tribute to Dr. John Watson, who is given wonderful moments here to show the stern stuff of which he's made, not to mention the tremendous loyalty he rightfully inspires in Sherlock.

What I appreciate most about this novel is the seamless and informed way in which it blends the Holmes literary canon with the historical facts of the Ripper case. Two wonderful parting sections prove this in satisfying detail: "A Retrospection" helps point out the "true" details as they relate to the Holmes and Ripper canons; "Sherlock Holmes versus Jack the Ripper: The Obvious Fictions" considers the earlier Holmes-Ripper novels and films and puts The Mycroft Memoranda in the context of this tradition.

I'm quite amazed at everything Walsh accomplishes in such a relatively short work. To be certain, it helps tremendously to be conversant in both the Holmes and Ripper chronologies to get the most from this novel. That said, I recommend it wholeheartedly to anyone interested in Holmes, the Ripper, and the subgenre that allows the two to meet.