Death of a Low Handicap Man

by Brian N. Ball

1983 BBC TV edition paperback, vg+, 1st edition 1st printing, Sherlock Holmes spin-off In stock shipped from our UK warehouse

175 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 1985

About the author

Also writes as Brian Ball.

Reviews

[Andrea Engle]

Delightful, light-hearted adventures featuring the Baker Street Irregulars of Sherlock Holmes fame … consists of two novellas: “The Case of the Captive Clairvoyant” and “The Case of the Disappearing Despatch Case” … great fun …

[Outlander]

Personally, I don't remember this BBC show, but I assume it was broadcast during children's hour. This small volume of 2 short tales is light weight, as you would expect.

[Robin]

A nice charity shop find, and a nostalgic trip back to childhood TV shows. The book is aimed at a young readership, so very easy to read and rather light on description (which is a bit of a shame). There are two short adventures for the late Victorian urchins who aid the Master Detective. If you want searing political commentary on childhood poverty and brutalisation, then obviously this is not the book for you! The stories bounce along with enough flavour of the Victorian social world to create a thumbnail sketch, but without much reflection on why people are in the situations that they are. Horrible conditions are just accepted - but, in fairness, they probably were at the time, just as they tend to be now. People are too busy surviving to have much time for fulminating against inequality.
I'm not completely sure if today's kids would get on with this book - I think it definitely helps to have seen the original TV show in order to "flesh out" the characters; without that background they are a bit basic.

[Anne Patkau]

In Doyle style, Sgt Hopkins records cases of Irregulars, chases, escapes, when Sherlock away.
1 Captive Clairvoyant - Sparrow befriends scared Mary, hypnotized to keep secret in her locket.
2 Disappearing Despatch Case - The gang rescue Sir Alfred and old lady. She and his case vanish, but hanky with O is left.

[Gwen Hardin]

Enjoyed the magical elements used in these mystery stories.