The Scottish Ploy (Mycroft Holmes #4)

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The Scottish Plot

by Quinn Fawcett

Edition: hardcover, 2001

Synopsis: In The Scottish Ploy, seemingly unconnected events pull Mycroft in several directions at once. To prevent the leaders of an anarchist group from reaching England’s shores, Mycroft must, much to his dismay, become part of the intended reconciliation of a husband and wife. To do so he has spy networks to monitor and men of influence to, well, influence.

Then there are the minor puzzles: Why is a gentleman who claims to be Turkish seeking his supposedly kidnapped brother in London? Why does an eminent phrenologist urgently want Mycroft’s opinion on the inhabitants of his asylum? Who has been following Mycroft and his estimable secretary, the amiable Paterson Guthrie, through foggy streets? What motivated the attempted assassination of an Admiralty courier on Mycroft’s own doorstep? When the lovely Penelope Gatspy saves Guthrie’s life, is it because of the attraction between them, or on orders of the mysterious “lodge” she serves?

But, most important to Mycroft-what is behind the kidnapping of his old friend, the actor Edmund Sutton, who was in the midst of a triumphant run as Macbeth?

Multiple seemingly minor problems demand Mycroft Holmes’ attention. The international gang, The Brotherhood, are determined to gain a foothold in Britain. Between mediating a reconciliation between a politician and his wife and a Turk pleading for help in finding his lost brother, Holmes will need all the help of his staff to defend against the attack.

Thus, I come to the conclusion of the Mycroft Holmes series. This is definitely a book where reading the previous three books is essential to understanding what is happening. Even then, because it has been some time since reading the first book, there were details I’d forgotten. We have the familiar faces of Tyers, Sutton, Miss Gatsby, and, of course, Gatsby to help find the links between each case.

It was a bit disconcerting to see Mycroft Holmes at a loss and unable to see the pattern. It didn’t quite feel like the Holmes I’ve come to know from teh original stories or even from the previous books of this series.

Also, this doesn’t feel like the conclusion to a series. It felt like there were multiple threads that were left in the air. Does Miss Gatsby find a way to leave the organization she had dedicated her life to or was her relationship to Guthrie doomed from the start? What about the corrupt members of Scotland Yard?

Overall, the plot was a bit complicated but interesting. I recommend it to readers who enjoy historical adventure and have read the rest of the series.