James Lovegrove's Sherlock Holmes & The Beast of the Stapletons - Review

Sherlock Holmes and The Beast of the Stapletons by James Lovegrove

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A gripping, adventurous mystery and a sequel to, arguably, Sherlock Holmes’ most famous case – ‘The Hound of the Baskervilles’.

It has been five years since Sherlock Holmes unmasked the nefarious villain behind the fearsome hound of the Baskervilles. But the Baskerville curse appears to have struck once again. Corporal Grier, an old friend of Sir Henry Baskerville, calls upon Holmes and begs him to intervene to save his friend’s sanity and uncover the latest vendetta against the family.

Sir Henry’s wife, Lady Audrey, was recently found dead, the blood drained from her body. Rumours abound that her life was claimed by a gigantic, vampiric moth, which has been seen in flight above the Dartmouth moorland at night. Holmes, of course, dismisses this supernatural explanation, and agrees to investigate the supposed reignited curse.

Amidst the harsh terrain of the mire, Holmes follows the trail in a quest to unmask the villain. But a twisted scheme is afoot, one that will prove to be more far-reaching and perilous as Holmes and Watson uncover the true horrors behind the beast of the Stapletons.

Having thoroughly enjoyed James Lovegrove’s ‘The Christmas Demon’, I was excited to discover this new adventure, one that would again delve into suspected folkloric persecution, and a return to the story of one of my favourites amongst Holmes’ cases – a true masterpiece by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

‘The Beast of the Stapletons’ did not disappoint – once again told by Dr Watson, this is a fast-paced tale full of twists and turns, packed with mystery and adventure. Witnessing Sherlock Holmes at work is always thrilling, the nefarious scheme at the centre of this plot amply testing his skills. This book is also packed with allusions to other Holmes’ cases, that will entertain any Sherlockian fan, as well as some amusing moments, and a final, satisfying twist.

Another brilliant addition to the ever-expanding Holmes universe, ‘Sherlock Holmes & The Beast of the Stapletons’ is wonderfully entertaining; highly recommended to fans old and new.



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