The Scottish Ploy

Mycroft Holmes #4

by Quinn Fawcett

Featuring the most intriguing sleuth to come along since Sherlock Holmes, and a supporting cast whose loyalty and intelligence are matched only by their humor and quick reaction times, the Mycroft Holmes novels appeal to new readers and to fans of all things Holmesian.

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 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?

Genres: Mystery, Historical Mystery, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical

352 pages, Paperback

First published December 5, 2000

About the author

Quinn Fawcett is the penname of a pair of authors, Chelsea Quinn Yarbro and Bill Fawcett, who also write separately.

Reviews

[Hannah · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was my second attempt to read Quinn. While I liked this one better then the first, I don't think that I'll be reading any more of them. It's another book in the series about Mycroft Holmes. It's told from the viewpoint of Patterson Guthrie, his personal secretary.

What's this book about? As far as I can tell, "the gang" knows that a group of men known as the Brotherhood are coming to England for nefarious purposes. However, there are a bunch of men coming to England and they have to figure out which ones are bad and which ones are good.

The book is 350 pages (ish) and the actions starts around page 310. Suddenly, Mycroft realizes who are the bad people and off everyone springs. Thankfully, Mycroft is right. Unfortunately, the book has been so saturated with people that when the bad people are revealed, I struggled to tell them apart and none of them really had any personality.

And again, the language is so stilted and repetitive. Everyone overly explains everything because we, the audience, are stupid. And we need it all explained like we're five. And they keep saying that Guthrie has been working for Mycroft for six years and yet he is STILL surprised and has to have things repeated to him.

While I love the idea of Mycroft getting his own series, these books have not been a great example of the potential.

[Bethany Swafford · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Sarah Hearn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have to say I was completely at a loss throughout most of this book. Clearly, you need to have read the ones before this to figure out what’s going on. While the idea of a series based around Mycroft Holmes is a good one, there wasn’t enough elucidation of history to make this other than a laborious read for me. I finished it but only because by the time I was seriously fed up, I had already invested a bunch of time in reading. The end was at least entertaining enough but I wouldn’t read another.

[Johanna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Best of the series, although it relies on previous books for the reader to know who some of the characters are and what they're referring to. More happens, which is a good thing, although there's still lots and lots of sitting around talking and few deductions. Several cases -- the impending return of the Brotherhood, a marriage negotiation between a Scottish Lord and his German wife, and a kidnapped Turkish boy -- are wrapped with scenes of Mycroft's double, the actor Sutton, playing Macbeth (thus the title), providing a welcome lighter touch.

[Marilyn Saul · Rating 1 out of 5]

I gave this book close to 100 pgs, then chastised myself for putting myself through such misery. I was SOOO BORED!!!

[Cherie Waggie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Be sure to have plenty of time to read this book. Being a Holmesian from childhood, I found a book about the mysterious Mycroft Holmes (Sherlock's older brother for those who don't know) might be interesting. Truthfully, I kept wishing he'd call Sherlock for help. The story was twisty muddled, which is the way it was supposed to be for Mycroft. Written in the Victorian venacular, however, the story gets really involved and detailed. I enjoyed the idea. The characters were okay, but the story, well, I had plenty of time to read it.

[Patrice Fischer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book far better than the initial one in this series. I liked all the main characters (MH, Guthrie, Tyres, Sutton) and hope that there is more info on each one of them in future books.
That being said, the Victorian language used lends authenticity to the time but I can see that, if I was reading it rather than listening to an actor read it, it would seem tortured to the nth degree. As it was, this narrator had a magnificent deep dramatic voice which did great service to Mycroft and his actor friend, Sutton.

[Shirley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have never read a book with "this Holmes" as the main character. This book series was recommended to me by a librarian. I started reading with a bit of skepticism; doubting it would hold up to what I have come to expect from reading of the "other.Holmes". I must say that I was hooked from the very beginning. I can't wait to read the next one.

[Michele bookloverforever · Rating 3 out of 5]

spies, intrigue set in late victorian/early edwardian england with the other holmes involved.

[Lynne Cosmano · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ok but should have started with the first book in the series....