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The Reichenbach Trilogy #1
The Reichenbach Problem
Arthur Conan Doyle is on the run from his own fame. Taking a much needed holiday, Doyle flees to a picturesque village in Switzerland nestled beneath the imposing Reichenbach Falls. There he hopes to find anonymity, but even in this beautiful rural setting, peace eludes him when he finds himself immediately recognized by a fan who pressures him into looking into the death of a fellow visitor.
All too soon, Doyle’s somewhat unwilling gentle probing into the case begins to cause the finger of suspicion to turn towards him. But can the creator of the famous detective actually do the sleuthing himself? Although able to pen the character of Sherlock, he soon begins to learn he does not share his leading creation’s characteristics, but rather Watson’s. Can the “sidekick” see enough of the picture to solve the case for once?
Sherlock Holmes has fascinated readers ever since he first burst into fiction, over one hundred years ago. In this novel, the first in a trilogy, we meet his author and discover the difficult relationship between them.
All too soon, Doyle’s somewhat unwilling gentle probing into the case begins to cause the finger of suspicion to turn towards him. But can the creator of the famous detective actually do the sleuthing himself? Although able to pen the character of Sherlock, he soon begins to learn he does not share his leading creation’s characteristics, but rather Watson’s. Can the “sidekick” see enough of the picture to solve the case for once?
Sherlock Holmes has fascinated readers ever since he first burst into fiction, over one hundred years ago. In this novel, the first in a trilogy, we meet his author and discover the difficult relationship between them.
368 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2013
4 people are currently reading
388 people want to read
About the author
Martin Allison Booth
6 books12 followersKOTKAS LANGEB
Book Three in the KOTKAS family novel sequence.
Estonian language version published by Eesti Raamat. NOW AVAILABLE
See book link below.
THE WOLF IN THE WOODS
AVAILABLE in paperback and Kindle Versions
It's 1940. Three refugees - a mother with her two children - are forced into exile through the occupation of their homeland, Estonia, by the Soviet army. The trouble is, their escape from one threat only brings them into another hostile environment; Nazi Germany. The mother, who is dying of a terminal illness and her children, just ten and six years old, have to find ways to survive the enormity of war. Meanwhile, her husband, the children's father, has ended up in an impossible situation himself. He has to work to regain his country's independence from the Soviets through having to ally himself with the Abwehr, the German Intelligence service. In this, he is playing a dangerous game as unbeknownst to them, he remains in contact with the British Intelligence Service.
The Wolf in the Woods, originally published in Estonia as Hunt Metsas by the highly-regarded Eesti Raamat, is now available in an English language version. It is based on one family’s experiences during the turmoil of the Second World War. A fascinating blend of biography and historical fiction it is presented in the form of a family saga and a wartime thriller. It is an epic tale of a people enduring the consequences of others’ political ambitions. It is ultimately - as it was for hundreds of thousands of Estonians - a tragic tale of loss and exile. It is the story of ordinary folk living extraordinary lives by being forced to make impossible decisions in situations beyond their control.
Much of what is depicted in the story actually happened.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
April 28, 2024
Took a while to get going but it eventually became very immersive. A lot of challenging, "old-style" prose that kind of mirrored Conan Doyle's writing (probably showing that the whole book in and of itself is kind of a love letter from Booth, a self-professed Holmes fan). Very unpredictable up until the very end. An excellent read.
December 18, 2013
I was sent a copy of The Reinchenbach Problem for review, and although the title wouldn't have made it a must read, the topic made it a have to in my book. This twisty tale full of intrigue and danger is a fictional account of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle getting caught up in a mystery of his own.
The creator of Sherlock Holmes takes to rural Switzerland to sort out his feelings about his larger than life character. His fame, his medical practice and his spiritual seeking created his need to go to a pristine, mountainous area where he could enjoy brisk walks and engage in conversations with friendly locals and other tourists and hopefully hide from the spotlight.
However, as happens in every good story, the plan is changed for Doyle.
Beginning from the second a young man enters Doyle's train compartment and works his awkward self under Doyle's reluctant wing, the good doctor's delightful vacation turns into a cloudy nightmare.
Within hours of his arrival into the pastoral refuge there is a horrible death with the shadow of unanswered questions hanging over it. And, on top of that, Doyle is known by the other tourists. One hands the author a book that he's written and expects that it will change Doyle's life, another needs a little marriage counseling. Then there is the character of Sherlock Holmes…is there a spirit of Sherlock? A seance is suggested, just for the fun of possibly meeting the real Sherlock.
Things spiral out of control, so much so, that the suspicious death seems connected to Arthur Conan Doyle.
Can the creator of the world's most brilliant and quirky detective solve a case without Sherlock's help? And can he do it in time to save his own neck?
I really enjoyed this read. Set in the early 1900's/late 1800's the language is formal and slightly foreign which adds all the more to the story. Readers who get frustrated by prose with heavy vocabulary might find that a deal breaker, but those who love a meaty read should find the prose very satisfactory. And speaking of prose, there are some beautiful paragraphs, the writing is a delight to read. I appreciate a slower moving story that takes time to paint a picture, and this novel does that.
But though there is plenty of scenery and introspection, there is also plenty of activity. Unfortunately, I didn't have the luxury of sitting down and reading the novel over several long sessions. I will reread it to see what I didn't pick up in my shorter snippets spread out over several weeks. There were bursts of activity with a few cliff-hanger moments. I did have a few issues with keeping track of the large cast of characters and the last 1/4 of the middle may have gotten a little boggy for me. But those may be issues completely related to my need to set the book down for several days.
I loved that there were little facts about Arthur Conan Doyle's life thrown in and it was interesting to see his struggles with spiritism vs the Catholic religion play out. His personal life played out a little and hinted that he might have a bit of a wandering eye. After reading it I did read a very short bio about Doyle and indeed the author seems to have done his homework.
Overall, if you are a Sherlock Holmes fan this book needs to end up in your to read pile. A great gift idea for friends or family who love a good mystery or Holmes. Did Sir Arthur Conan Doyle have a little bit of Sherlock Holmes in his blood? Well, you'll just have to read The Reichenbach Problem to find out. This novel is one I'll hang onto and I don't do that with all of them. Definitely a 4+ out of 5.
TWJ Magazine strives to guide readers to books of personal interest, with the understanding and respect that what appeals to some may not appeal to others. Therefore we attempt to keep our reviews focused on content, genre and style. The rating is necessary to make use of Goodreads, B&N, and Amazon. It reflects the reviewer’s own level of enjoyment, but the review is intended to be informative for the benefit of all readers.
February 24, 2014
I really shouldn't be reviewing this because I had to put it down to save the people around me having to suffer through my bad temper.
There are some books which are exhausting to read - some are really dense and you need to pay attention to every word, some are emotionally draining, some are so fast-paced they leave you gaping for breath.
The Reichenbach Problem was exhausting for an entirely different reason: the narrative voice is terrible. It's self-indulging, pompous, long-winded, uninformative, nostalgic... and yes, to an extent, that might have made sense. Maybe the main character is simply such a person! (He is.) However, only a few pages in I started to notice a strange pattern: there would be pages and pages of thoughts from the protagonist about some or such topic, his opinion would be stated, explained, reviewed, connected to some past experiences, rephrased, only to be utterly ignored as he proceeds to do something completely contradictory to it.
After two or three of such moments, a theory (more a dread really) started to develop in my mind. It seemed almost like the author had set his mind on a specific plot, and this plot required certain things to happen, and they could only happen if the protagonist acted entirely out of character. So instead of trying to come up with a reason, or possibly altering the plot, the author just tries to rush through those scenes with a little throwaway "explanation" - probably in the hope that no one will notice.
The other issue is that with the main character being extremely unlikeable (and also extremely stupid), the reader is constantly on the lookout for someone to sympathise with, and isn't offered any alternative. While there are other characters with potential, we are denied access to them in the very limited first-person narrative (which happens to also be very judgemental and entirely unreliable).
Having read a little more than half, I feel thoroughly justified to not waste my time on this book anymore. If you hate the first chapters, I encourage you to not bother, because it stays exactly the same.
There are some books which are exhausting to read - some are really dense and you need to pay attention to every word, some are emotionally draining, some are so fast-paced they leave you gaping for breath.
The Reichenbach Problem was exhausting for an entirely different reason: the narrative voice is terrible. It's self-indulging, pompous, long-winded, uninformative, nostalgic... and yes, to an extent, that might have made sense. Maybe the main character is simply such a person! (He is.) However, only a few pages in I started to notice a strange pattern: there would be pages and pages of thoughts from the protagonist about some or such topic, his opinion would be stated, explained, reviewed, connected to some past experiences, rephrased, only to be utterly ignored as he proceeds to do something completely contradictory to it.
After two or three of such moments, a theory (more a dread really) started to develop in my mind. It seemed almost like the author had set his mind on a specific plot, and this plot required certain things to happen, and they could only happen if the protagonist acted entirely out of character. So instead of trying to come up with a reason, or possibly altering the plot, the author just tries to rush through those scenes with a little throwaway "explanation" - probably in the hope that no one will notice.
The other issue is that with the main character being extremely unlikeable (and also extremely stupid), the reader is constantly on the lookout for someone to sympathise with, and isn't offered any alternative. While there are other characters with potential, we are denied access to them in the very limited first-person narrative (which happens to also be very judgemental and entirely unreliable).
Having read a little more than half, I feel thoroughly justified to not waste my time on this book anymore. If you hate the first chapters, I encourage you to not bother, because it stays exactly the same.
January 27, 2014
I confess, I'm not a regular reader of crime/mystery books (although I did love the Sherlock Holmes books as a youngster) but this one sparked my interest as the writer is veteran TV comedy writer-turned-vicar, Rev Martin Booth. And I'm so glad it did.
For me, it had everything a great book should. Very well written, entertaining, and I LOVE the author's use of descriptive detail, I did feel immersed in the story. And a brilliant, surprise ending too.
All in all, I may well begin to return to the genre and I hope to read more in this series.
For me, it had everything a great book should. Very well written, entertaining, and I LOVE the author's use of descriptive detail, I did feel immersed in the story. And a brilliant, surprise ending too.
All in all, I may well begin to return to the genre and I hope to read more in this series.
January 31, 2021
I did actually really enjoy 75% of the book, however, it did get a bit far-fetched toward the end with which is why I dropped my rating half a star.
This book focuses on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, on a trip to Switzerland home of the Reichenbach falls. On the trip there he meets a man named Holloway who believes he is Holmes in real life.
There’s a murder, whilst he is away, and every turns to the writer of detective stories to solve it.
The writing style is fantastic and I can really hear Conan Doyle’s voice in the text. The author shows a really great understanding of the style.
It made the longer chapters really easy to read.
There are some faults, such as elements where Conan Doyle’s inner thoughts go completely off topic, but the case was very interesting and I loved all the drama that came with it.
I would pick it up if you’re a fan of Arthur Conan Doyle and Sherlock Holmes.
This book focuses on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, on a trip to Switzerland home of the Reichenbach falls. On the trip there he meets a man named Holloway who believes he is Holmes in real life.
There’s a murder, whilst he is away, and every turns to the writer of detective stories to solve it.
The writing style is fantastic and I can really hear Conan Doyle’s voice in the text. The author shows a really great understanding of the style.
It made the longer chapters really easy to read.
There are some faults, such as elements where Conan Doyle’s inner thoughts go completely off topic, but the case was very interesting and I loved all the drama that came with it.
I would pick it up if you’re a fan of Arthur Conan Doyle and Sherlock Holmes.
July 25, 2024
Did not finish.
After 148 pages I have enough of the impertinent Holloway who believes that the spirit of Sherlock Holmes has entered him and of Conan Doyles meek behaviour towards Holloways impertinence. I have enough of endless pipe smoking and convoluted musings about what-might-have-been and construed evidence and what this might or might not signify.
It made for tedious reading and I did not enjoy myself.
After 148 pages I have enough of the impertinent Holloway who believes that the spirit of Sherlock Holmes has entered him and of Conan Doyles meek behaviour towards Holloways impertinence. I have enough of endless pipe smoking and convoluted musings about what-might-have-been and construed evidence and what this might or might not signify.
It made for tedious reading and I did not enjoy myself.
October 18, 2013
Sherlock Holmes is the world's greatest (fictional) detective of his time, but can his creator Arthur Conan Doyle solve mysteries? What if his life depended on solving the mystery and clearing his name? That's the premise of The Reichenbach Problem by Martin Allison Booth.
Doyle has grown weary of being recognized everywhere he goes, so he escapes to Switzerland for a respite. Unfortunately, he is joined on the train by a fan who ruins his chances of anonymity. If that were his only problem, however, he still could have had a relaxing holiday. Instead, a fellow traveler dies and Doyle is pushed into investigating it. Soon, he discovers that he is the primary suspect and he MUST solve the case in order to protect himself.
My Thoughts:
I wanted to like this book more than I did. I enjoy reading mysteries or other books where my favorite authors are placed as the protagonists. Maybe the problem is that I am not a big Sherlock Holmes fan. I haven't read one of Doyle's books, though I have enjoyed several Holmes movies (both modern and older). I never grew to sympathize with the character of Doyle in this book very much. I did dislike Holloway (the annoying fan) but I wasn't as invested in rooting for Doyle as I should have been. He just seemed too remote, too cerebral, and too self-absorbed for me to connect with. I suppose he is the typical stereotype of an English gentleman doctor of that era, though.
The beginning of the story is slow moving with lots of walks in the Swiss mountains and the village. Doyle meets many different people, eats, smokes his pipe, and thinks. His actions are detailed so carefully that I often was surprised that it was only lunch time in the story. That didn't really improve once he began to work the case, because then there were pages of him thinking - in his room, as he walked, as he hid (later in the book). I often found those passages tedious and skimmed them.
Two-thirds of the way into the book, it began to move more quickly, and held my attention better. Though one aspect of Doyle's escape from pursuit left me a little skeptical. It seemed too easy and implausible, and for once the story skimmed right over it instead of giving us the blow-by-blow. If more detail had been given, making it seem harder, it would have been more believable. The struggle just suddenly was over, in a stroke of apparent pure luck.
The mystery itself was good, and the solution was a surprise in the end. The characters I had been led to suspect weren't actually involved. I just didn't enjoy the first person narrative style, with so much detail of Doyle's thoughts and actions spelled out minutely. I guess most of the mysteries I read are written from a third person point of view.
I was surprised that this book wasn't as overtly Christian as I expected. (Though I have said that about several recent books written by British authors and published through Kregel over the past two years. Their style of Christian fiction is different from American authors.) To be honest, Doyle no longer believes in Christianity or the church. He is, however, willing to rationally consider whether or not spiritualism is real. This book does include a seance, for those who wish to avoid that, and one character believes he has been endowed with the spirit of the fictional Sherlock Holmes. Doyle does engage in a few spiritual conversations with a Franciscan monk who meets Doyle right where he is and accepts his doubts without seeming shocked. He seems to be slowly turning Doyle's mind back to God and planting seeds that might grow in future stories.
Although I personally found the book slow-moving and I didn't really connect with Doyle as much as I hoped to, I will look forward to reading more books by Martin Allison Booth starring Arthur Conan Doyle. Maybe now that I'm used to the style, I'll find it easier to read the next one. Even though it seems like I've shared negative things about the book, I did enjoy the mystery of The Reichenbach Problem. It just wasn't as fast, easy, or enthralling of a book as I usually read.
This book is published by Lion Fiction and distributed by Kregel Publications . I was given a free copy of the book in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts contained in this review are my own. No further compensation was given.
Doyle has grown weary of being recognized everywhere he goes, so he escapes to Switzerland for a respite. Unfortunately, he is joined on the train by a fan who ruins his chances of anonymity. If that were his only problem, however, he still could have had a relaxing holiday. Instead, a fellow traveler dies and Doyle is pushed into investigating it. Soon, he discovers that he is the primary suspect and he MUST solve the case in order to protect himself.
My Thoughts:
I wanted to like this book more than I did. I enjoy reading mysteries or other books where my favorite authors are placed as the protagonists. Maybe the problem is that I am not a big Sherlock Holmes fan. I haven't read one of Doyle's books, though I have enjoyed several Holmes movies (both modern and older). I never grew to sympathize with the character of Doyle in this book very much. I did dislike Holloway (the annoying fan) but I wasn't as invested in rooting for Doyle as I should have been. He just seemed too remote, too cerebral, and too self-absorbed for me to connect with. I suppose he is the typical stereotype of an English gentleman doctor of that era, though.
The beginning of the story is slow moving with lots of walks in the Swiss mountains and the village. Doyle meets many different people, eats, smokes his pipe, and thinks. His actions are detailed so carefully that I often was surprised that it was only lunch time in the story. That didn't really improve once he began to work the case, because then there were pages of him thinking - in his room, as he walked, as he hid (later in the book). I often found those passages tedious and skimmed them.
Two-thirds of the way into the book, it began to move more quickly, and held my attention better. Though one aspect of Doyle's escape from pursuit left me a little skeptical. It seemed too easy and implausible, and for once the story skimmed right over it instead of giving us the blow-by-blow. If more detail had been given, making it seem harder, it would have been more believable. The struggle just suddenly was over, in a stroke of apparent pure luck.
The mystery itself was good, and the solution was a surprise in the end. The characters I had been led to suspect weren't actually involved. I just didn't enjoy the first person narrative style, with so much detail of Doyle's thoughts and actions spelled out minutely. I guess most of the mysteries I read are written from a third person point of view.
I was surprised that this book wasn't as overtly Christian as I expected. (Though I have said that about several recent books written by British authors and published through Kregel over the past two years. Their style of Christian fiction is different from American authors.) To be honest, Doyle no longer believes in Christianity or the church. He is, however, willing to rationally consider whether or not spiritualism is real. This book does include a seance, for those who wish to avoid that, and one character believes he has been endowed with the spirit of the fictional Sherlock Holmes. Doyle does engage in a few spiritual conversations with a Franciscan monk who meets Doyle right where he is and accepts his doubts without seeming shocked. He seems to be slowly turning Doyle's mind back to God and planting seeds that might grow in future stories.
Although I personally found the book slow-moving and I didn't really connect with Doyle as much as I hoped to, I will look forward to reading more books by Martin Allison Booth starring Arthur Conan Doyle. Maybe now that I'm used to the style, I'll find it easier to read the next one. Even though it seems like I've shared negative things about the book, I did enjoy the mystery of The Reichenbach Problem. It just wasn't as fast, easy, or enthralling of a book as I usually read.
This book is published by Lion Fiction and distributed by Kregel Publications . I was given a free copy of the book in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts contained in this review are my own. No further compensation was given.
May 5, 2014
I was sent a copy of The Reinchenbach Problem for review, and although the title wouldn't have made it a must read, the topic made it a have-to in my book. This twisty tale full of intrigue and danger is a fictional account of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle getting caught up in a mystery of his own.
The creator of Sherlock Holmes takes to rural Switzerland to sort out his feelings about his larger than life character. His fame, his medical practice and his spiritual seeking created his need to go to a pristine, mountainous area where he could enjoy brisk walks and engage in conversations with friendly locals and other tourists and hopefully hide from the spotlight.
However, as happens in every good story, the plan is changed for Doyle.
Beginning from the second a young man enters Doyle's train compartment and works his awkward self under Doyle's reluctant wing, the good doctor's delightful vacation turns into a cloudy nightmare.
Within hours of his arrival into the pastoral refuge there is a horrible death with the shadow of unanswered questions hanging over it. And, on top of that, Doyle is known by the other tourists. One hands the author a book that he's written and expects that it will change Doyle's life, another needs a little marriage counseling. Then there is the character of Sherlock Holmes…is there a spirit of Sherlock? A seance is suggested, just for the fun of possibly meeting the real Sherlock.
Things spiral out of control, so much so, that the suspicious death seems connected to Arthur Conan Doyle.
Can the creator of the world's most brilliant and quirky detective solve a case without Sherlock's help? And can he do it in time to save his own neck?
I really enjoyed this read. Set in the early 1900's/late 1800's the language is formal and slightly foreign which adds all the more to the story. Readers who get frustrated by prose with heavy vocabulary might find that a deal breaker, but those who love a meaty read should find the prose very satisfactory. And speaking of prose, there are some beautiful paragraphs, the writing is a delight to read. I appreciate a slower moving story that takes time to paint a picture, and this novel does that.
But though there is plenty of scenery and introspection, there is also plenty of activity. Unfortunately, I didn't have the luxury of sitting down and reading the novel over several long sessions. I will reread it to see what I didn't pick up in my shorter snippets spread out over several weeks. There were bursts of activity with a few cliff-hanger moments. I did have a few issues with keeping track of the large cast of characters and the last 1/4 of the middle may have gotten a little boggy for me. But those may be issues completely related to my need to set the book down for several days.
I loved that there were little facts about Arthur Conan Doyle's life thrown in and it was interesting to see his struggles with spiritism vs the Catholic religion play out. His personal life played out a little and hinted that he might have a bit of a wandering eye. After reading it I did read a very short bio about Doyle and indeed the author seems to have done his homework.
Overall, if you are a Sherlock Holmes fan this book needs to end up in your to read pile. A great gift idea for friends or family who love a good mystery or Holmes. Did Sir Arthur Conan Doyle have a little bit of Sherlock Holmes in his blood? Well, you'll just have to read The Reichenbach Problem to find out. This novel is one I'll hang onto and I don't do that with all of them. Definitely a 4+ out of 5.
The creator of Sherlock Holmes takes to rural Switzerland to sort out his feelings about his larger than life character. His fame, his medical practice and his spiritual seeking created his need to go to a pristine, mountainous area where he could enjoy brisk walks and engage in conversations with friendly locals and other tourists and hopefully hide from the spotlight.
However, as happens in every good story, the plan is changed for Doyle.
Beginning from the second a young man enters Doyle's train compartment and works his awkward self under Doyle's reluctant wing, the good doctor's delightful vacation turns into a cloudy nightmare.
Within hours of his arrival into the pastoral refuge there is a horrible death with the shadow of unanswered questions hanging over it. And, on top of that, Doyle is known by the other tourists. One hands the author a book that he's written and expects that it will change Doyle's life, another needs a little marriage counseling. Then there is the character of Sherlock Holmes…is there a spirit of Sherlock? A seance is suggested, just for the fun of possibly meeting the real Sherlock.
Things spiral out of control, so much so, that the suspicious death seems connected to Arthur Conan Doyle.
Can the creator of the world's most brilliant and quirky detective solve a case without Sherlock's help? And can he do it in time to save his own neck?
I really enjoyed this read. Set in the early 1900's/late 1800's the language is formal and slightly foreign which adds all the more to the story. Readers who get frustrated by prose with heavy vocabulary might find that a deal breaker, but those who love a meaty read should find the prose very satisfactory. And speaking of prose, there are some beautiful paragraphs, the writing is a delight to read. I appreciate a slower moving story that takes time to paint a picture, and this novel does that.
But though there is plenty of scenery and introspection, there is also plenty of activity. Unfortunately, I didn't have the luxury of sitting down and reading the novel over several long sessions. I will reread it to see what I didn't pick up in my shorter snippets spread out over several weeks. There were bursts of activity with a few cliff-hanger moments. I did have a few issues with keeping track of the large cast of characters and the last 1/4 of the middle may have gotten a little boggy for me. But those may be issues completely related to my need to set the book down for several days.
I loved that there were little facts about Arthur Conan Doyle's life thrown in and it was interesting to see his struggles with spiritism vs the Catholic religion play out. His personal life played out a little and hinted that he might have a bit of a wandering eye. After reading it I did read a very short bio about Doyle and indeed the author seems to have done his homework.
Overall, if you are a Sherlock Holmes fan this book needs to end up in your to read pile. A great gift idea for friends or family who love a good mystery or Holmes. Did Sir Arthur Conan Doyle have a little bit of Sherlock Holmes in his blood? Well, you'll just have to read The Reichenbach Problem to find out. This novel is one I'll hang onto and I don't do that with all of them. Definitely a 4+ out of 5.
October 18, 2013
The Reichenbach Problem by Martin Allison Booth was a good read but not quite a five star book. Conan Doyle is taking a two week vacation in a small, peaceful town in Switzerland where the Reichenbach Falls are located. Doyle hopes to come to terms with his fame and the impact that fame has on his life as the author of the Sherlock Holmes books. He has more or less come to greatly dislike Holmes and is thinking of writing one more book to kill off the detective. In Zurich, a fellow passenger by the name of Holloway strikes up a conversation with Doyle and from that time on seems to dog every step that Doyle takes. Shortly after the men arrive at their destination, a fellow tourist turns up dead at the Falls and Holloway insists that he and Doyle must investigate and solve the murder or prove that it was an accident and not murder. Doyle’s hope for peace and quiet are completely destroyed when he is accused of being the murderer. To make matters even worse, Holloway believes that the spirit of Sherlock Holmes is now living in him.
For the first two hundred pages of the book I had trouble making myself continue to read. In my opinion there was just too much dialogue and not enough action. In addition, the author’s use of words such as escritoire for a desk was rather distracting for me. When I finally reached page two hundred and one, the story began to get very interesting and I sat up until the wee hours of the morning to finish. If the first two hundred pages had been reduced to about one hundred and added to the last one hundred, then it could have been a five star book. One thing in the book that really bothered me was that Doyle would go off on a two week vacation and leave his young child and pregnant wife at home alone. And Doyle’s reaction to two of the women in the story was upsetting since he kept saying that he deeply loved his wife. All through the story I kept wondering why the local police did not investigate the death of the tourist. My favorite character in the story was Father Vernon for he seemed to be the only character who was what he said he was, and I certainly agreed with his opinion on the séance. I do not want to appear completely negative about the book for it was well written with no grammatical errors which detract from a story, at least in my opinion. Booth appears to be very knowledgeable about Conan Doyle and it would be nice to know which scenes he fictionalized. I thoroughly enjoyed all the mystery in the book and the author skillfully brought all the subplots together at the end of the book. Near the end of the book, Doyle said of himself, “I was disgusted with myself; with my prejudices, my presumptions, my insensitivity, my cruelty and my weakness.” The author did a very good job in making me as the reader feel that same way about Doyle. But at least by the end of the story he seemed to have changed for the better.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes to read mystery books written by British authors.
Kregel Publications provided me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
For the first two hundred pages of the book I had trouble making myself continue to read. In my opinion there was just too much dialogue and not enough action. In addition, the author’s use of words such as escritoire for a desk was rather distracting for me. When I finally reached page two hundred and one, the story began to get very interesting and I sat up until the wee hours of the morning to finish. If the first two hundred pages had been reduced to about one hundred and added to the last one hundred, then it could have been a five star book. One thing in the book that really bothered me was that Doyle would go off on a two week vacation and leave his young child and pregnant wife at home alone. And Doyle’s reaction to two of the women in the story was upsetting since he kept saying that he deeply loved his wife. All through the story I kept wondering why the local police did not investigate the death of the tourist. My favorite character in the story was Father Vernon for he seemed to be the only character who was what he said he was, and I certainly agreed with his opinion on the séance. I do not want to appear completely negative about the book for it was well written with no grammatical errors which detract from a story, at least in my opinion. Booth appears to be very knowledgeable about Conan Doyle and it would be nice to know which scenes he fictionalized. I thoroughly enjoyed all the mystery in the book and the author skillfully brought all the subplots together at the end of the book. Near the end of the book, Doyle said of himself, “I was disgusted with myself; with my prejudices, my presumptions, my insensitivity, my cruelty and my weakness.” The author did a very good job in making me as the reader feel that same way about Doyle. But at least by the end of the story he seemed to have changed for the better.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes to read mystery books written by British authors.
Kregel Publications provided me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
October 18, 2013
I was thrilled to get this book because here in our house we enjoy BBC television (what we can get on Netflix, anyway) and we enjoy the old black and white as well as the modern Sherlock Holmes shows, so needless to say I was thinking this was a book both my 11 year old and I could enjoy reading and talking about. I have never read any Sherlock Holmes books, I know, I’m a bibliophile and never read Sir Conan Doyle books before – so I was thinking oh, I’ll read this and get to know Doyle a little and jump into reading his books. This book begins with Conan Doyle on a train and doing some site seeing while his wife Touie is pregnant at home with their other child and he meets up with Holloway who, is to say the least very annoying.
The book started off very slow and I’m unhappy to report that it did not pick up at all – Doyle is way too much into himself in this book and I got tired of examining all his conversations with everyone in the hotel and some of the villagers – as well as his ever changing moods from happy, to sad, to just downright depressed – if I had to diagnose him I’d say he’s a manic-depressive. I just couldn’t relate to anyone or anything in this book. I had to look up information on Doyle as in the book he states he’s left his Catholic beliefs behind, and sure enough I found some information that he was, in part, active in the Spiritualism movement of his time (he participates in a seance in the book). This alone began setting off warning bells, then of course there had to be a homosexual to which Doyle himself doesn’t care one way or the other and he begins to lust after two women he had just met who live in the village.
After I got to within ten chapters of the book’s ending I skipped to the last two chapters just so I knew how it would end. The chapters were long and seemed to go on for an eternity. Now, lest it sound like I hated this book – I didn’t, I enjoyed the overall theme of it and the setting but there was too much in it for me to relate to the characters or feel connected in any way. I know there will be those out there who will enjoy this book, but for me it just wasn’t an enjoyable read. This is one that I won’t let my 11 year old.
Disclosure of Material Connection- I received a copy of this book for free from the Kregel Publications' Blog Tour. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.
The book started off very slow and I’m unhappy to report that it did not pick up at all – Doyle is way too much into himself in this book and I got tired of examining all his conversations with everyone in the hotel and some of the villagers – as well as his ever changing moods from happy, to sad, to just downright depressed – if I had to diagnose him I’d say he’s a manic-depressive. I just couldn’t relate to anyone or anything in this book. I had to look up information on Doyle as in the book he states he’s left his Catholic beliefs behind, and sure enough I found some information that he was, in part, active in the Spiritualism movement of his time (he participates in a seance in the book). This alone began setting off warning bells, then of course there had to be a homosexual to which Doyle himself doesn’t care one way or the other and he begins to lust after two women he had just met who live in the village.
After I got to within ten chapters of the book’s ending I skipped to the last two chapters just so I knew how it would end. The chapters were long and seemed to go on for an eternity. Now, lest it sound like I hated this book – I didn’t, I enjoyed the overall theme of it and the setting but there was too much in it for me to relate to the characters or feel connected in any way. I know there will be those out there who will enjoy this book, but for me it just wasn’t an enjoyable read. This is one that I won’t let my 11 year old.
Disclosure of Material Connection- I received a copy of this book for free from the Kregel Publications' Blog Tour. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.
October 15, 2013
Not my cup of tea...
The Reichenbach Problem is the first book in the Reichenbach Trilogy. Martin Allison Booth spins a fictional tale of Conan Doyle, Sherlock Holmes’s creator. Doyle is overwhelmed by the changes that have occurred in his life due to the fame of his Holmes mysteries. Therefore he is now seeking peace in the mountains of Switzerland. However, that will not be! Instead, a death occurs, Doyle is basically forced into investigating, and then it seems like everything that could go wrong does for him!
We are introduced at the beginning of the book to Richard Holloway, who became a sort of leach to Doyle. He is an odd character that just seemed to rub me the wrong way. Honestly, I actually hoped he might be on the receiving end of this murder mystery, but he stayed full of life!! And yet he never gained any of my sympathy! Now Father Vernon was my favorite character in this book. He provided a balance to the craziness of the death, the other characters, and events, like a séance. He also gave so much effort, as in possible self-sacrificial, to help a stranger.
I was excited to start this series - my family is definitely mystery fans! However, I found it very slow in action until the last maybe 1/3 of the book. And what was lacking in action was made up for how much we heard from Doyle - in thoughts and words. Also, there seemed to be so much going on with all the characters that I found it hard to remember who was who. It just seemed like there was so much people drama that was pointless to the story (or at least to the story that was advertised on the back). In addition, there was an issue with a man’s sexuality that came out in the open during the story and caused a family problem that went throughout the book. (The way that Doyle figured out this was much too random?!) I wasn’t expecting this issue handled this way in a book that is published by a Christian publisher.
I don’t know?!... I find it very unpleasant to be so hard on any person’s creation. However, I do want to be honest, because that is what is required of a book reviewer or actually any reader because we invest our time, which is precious and limited, in each book we choose to read. I don’t plan to continue reading this series.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from Kregel Publications in exchange for a fair and honest review.
The Reichenbach Problem is the first book in the Reichenbach Trilogy. Martin Allison Booth spins a fictional tale of Conan Doyle, Sherlock Holmes’s creator. Doyle is overwhelmed by the changes that have occurred in his life due to the fame of his Holmes mysteries. Therefore he is now seeking peace in the mountains of Switzerland. However, that will not be! Instead, a death occurs, Doyle is basically forced into investigating, and then it seems like everything that could go wrong does for him!
We are introduced at the beginning of the book to Richard Holloway, who became a sort of leach to Doyle. He is an odd character that just seemed to rub me the wrong way. Honestly, I actually hoped he might be on the receiving end of this murder mystery, but he stayed full of life!! And yet he never gained any of my sympathy! Now Father Vernon was my favorite character in this book. He provided a balance to the craziness of the death, the other characters, and events, like a séance. He also gave so much effort, as in possible self-sacrificial, to help a stranger.
I was excited to start this series - my family is definitely mystery fans! However, I found it very slow in action until the last maybe 1/3 of the book. And what was lacking in action was made up for how much we heard from Doyle - in thoughts and words. Also, there seemed to be so much going on with all the characters that I found it hard to remember who was who. It just seemed like there was so much people drama that was pointless to the story (or at least to the story that was advertised on the back). In addition, there was an issue with a man’s sexuality that came out in the open during the story and caused a family problem that went throughout the book. (The way that Doyle figured out this was much too random?!) I wasn’t expecting this issue handled this way in a book that is published by a Christian publisher.
I don’t know?!... I find it very unpleasant to be so hard on any person’s creation. However, I do want to be honest, because that is what is required of a book reviewer or actually any reader because we invest our time, which is precious and limited, in each book we choose to read. I don’t plan to continue reading this series.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from Kregel Publications in exchange for a fair and honest review.
January 7, 2014
Okay, I clearly couldn't have liked this book too much if it took me around six months to read. My real rating is 2.5 but I felt bad because I put it off for so long.
I'm sorry. It was given to me courtesy of a Goodreads giveaway and I felt I needed to read it right away. However, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get into that.
You know books that you don't love, or books that you don't hate? It's one of those kind of books. The "meh" kinds. That's why it makes it so hard to rate. I don't have any real strong opinion on it. It couldn't capture my attention.
I didn't find any of the characters too likable either. They were also in the "okay" or "meh" category. I didn't love them, but I didn't hate them either. Though to be honest, Holloway was annoying as heck.
The story is follows Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, (ACD) taking a trip to Switzerland to relax and find a new place for his family to live in and get away from the craziness of his most famous creation, Sherlock Holmes.
On the train, he encounters a young man called Holloway who decides to proclaim himself ACD's best friend. As the two go on their way, they reach their hotel and stay in the same village. Soon, there is a discovery of death, Peter Brown. As ACD begins to investigate what he believes to be murder, he finds Holloway turning on him. Soon, the whole town is against him and believes ACD murdered Peter Brown. However, with the help of the town friar, ACD manages to outmaneuver the town and prove his innocence, along with finding out the true culprit.
The plot was okay, I didn't find it too amazing. It was mediocre. It was average. I liked reading mysteries but I felt it was dragged on far too long. And when I neared the end of the book, I was surprised to find that it had only been a week! Felt like a couple of weeks!
I guess my pain problem with it was it was so plain. So predictable. Nothing really surprised me. And I felt the mystery allure of Frances and the old lady whats-her-name von Decker or something was rather unnecessary.
I wouldn't recommend to anyone personally, even a Sherlock Holmes fan. There's not much to get out of it.
I'm sorry. It was given to me courtesy of a Goodreads giveaway and I felt I needed to read it right away. However, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get into that.
You know books that you don't love, or books that you don't hate? It's one of those kind of books. The "meh" kinds. That's why it makes it so hard to rate. I don't have any real strong opinion on it. It couldn't capture my attention.
I didn't find any of the characters too likable either. They were also in the "okay" or "meh" category. I didn't love them, but I didn't hate them either. Though to be honest, Holloway was annoying as heck.
The story is follows Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, (ACD) taking a trip to Switzerland to relax and find a new place for his family to live in and get away from the craziness of his most famous creation, Sherlock Holmes.
On the train, he encounters a young man called Holloway who decides to proclaim himself ACD's best friend. As the two go on their way, they reach their hotel and stay in the same village. Soon, there is a discovery of death, Peter Brown. As ACD begins to investigate what he believes to be murder, he finds Holloway turning on him. Soon, the whole town is against him and believes ACD murdered Peter Brown. However, with the help of the town friar, ACD manages to outmaneuver the town and prove his innocence, along with finding out the true culprit.
The plot was okay, I didn't find it too amazing. It was mediocre. It was average. I liked reading mysteries but I felt it was dragged on far too long. And when I neared the end of the book, I was surprised to find that it had only been a week! Felt like a couple of weeks!
I guess my pain problem with it was it was so plain. So predictable. Nothing really surprised me. And I felt the mystery allure of Frances and the old lady whats-her-name von Decker or something was rather unnecessary.
I wouldn't recommend to anyone personally, even a Sherlock Holmes fan. There's not much to get out of it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 18, 2013
Arthur Conan Doyle is on the run from his own fame. Taking a much-needed holiday, Doyle escapes to a picturesque village in Switzerland nestled beneath the imposing Reichenbach Falls. There he hopes to find anonymity, but even in this beautiful rural setting, peace eludes him when he finds himself immediately recognized and involved in the investigation of a mysterious death of a fellow traveler.
All too soon, Doyle s somewhat unwilling, gentle probing into the case causes the finger of suspicion to turn towards him. But can the creator of the famous detective actually do the sleuthing himself? As Doyle learns more and more about the famous character he penned, he finds he is less like Sherlock and more like his sidekick, Watson. Can the sidekick see enough of the picture to solve the case for once?
Sherlock Holmes has fascinated readers since he first burst into fiction, over one hundred years ago. In this novel, the first in a trilogy, we meet his author and discover the difficult relationship between them.
My Review:
I was actually very surprised by this book, because being distributed as a Christian novel, it was just a classic Sherlock Holmes mystery. The premise was intriguing, and it was somewhat of a slow start. Some of the elements of this book certainly didn't point to Doyle's supposed devotion and love for his wife. Doyle's character was looking for answers in the same manner that was common at the time, (nope, not telling you what - I don't do spoilers!) But what I was really disappointed that what should have been a good opportunity to create some tension/resolution in the area of faith, was simply played off as a "falling away." Aside from this information, we are not given any real indication that this book should be marketed as Christian Fiction. It was a great premise, great writing, but it is not what is should have been. That being said, this is a great novel for Sherlock Holmes fans, and I enjoyed it from that perspective.
This book was provided by the publisher for free in exchange for an honest review.
All too soon, Doyle s somewhat unwilling, gentle probing into the case causes the finger of suspicion to turn towards him. But can the creator of the famous detective actually do the sleuthing himself? As Doyle learns more and more about the famous character he penned, he finds he is less like Sherlock and more like his sidekick, Watson. Can the sidekick see enough of the picture to solve the case for once?
Sherlock Holmes has fascinated readers since he first burst into fiction, over one hundred years ago. In this novel, the first in a trilogy, we meet his author and discover the difficult relationship between them.
My Review:
I was actually very surprised by this book, because being distributed as a Christian novel, it was just a classic Sherlock Holmes mystery. The premise was intriguing, and it was somewhat of a slow start. Some of the elements of this book certainly didn't point to Doyle's supposed devotion and love for his wife. Doyle's character was looking for answers in the same manner that was common at the time, (nope, not telling you what - I don't do spoilers!) But what I was really disappointed that what should have been a good opportunity to create some tension/resolution in the area of faith, was simply played off as a "falling away." Aside from this information, we are not given any real indication that this book should be marketed as Christian Fiction. It was a great premise, great writing, but it is not what is should have been. That being said, this is a great novel for Sherlock Holmes fans, and I enjoyed it from that perspective.
This book was provided by the publisher for free in exchange for an honest review.
October 17, 2013
Summary:
Dr. Conan Doyle travels by train alone, without his family, to Reichenbach, Switzerland. He is in hopes of a brief respite from his life in England. Fellow travelers stare at him because they believe him to be the famous Sherlock Holmes, instead he is the author of Sherlock Holmes. Doyle is in his early 30s, married and with children, he is not a religious man, has a dry sense of humor, methodical, analytical. After arriving in Reichenbach a man is found murdered. Doyle begins work in solving the case.
Thoughts:
What stood out to me the most in the main character of Dr. Conan Doyle is his humanity. He is a multifaceted character. He is not what I would call a masculine man's man, he is a thinker. He sometimes is inept, bumbling and stumbling. He is though humble and teachable, I admire these qualities.
During the course of Doyle's detective work he meets his intoxicating nemesis. To be tempted is not the same as falling into temptation. His experience in this situation is a lesson for him and us.
The detective work presented in the book is just as our main character is, methodical and dry as toast. Doyle states everything he does, nothing is left for the reader to wonder about.
I did not feel apart of the story and I was disappointed in this. It took a while for me to become interested in this story. I did finish it.
Their is a secondary character that is a gay man. I want to bring this to the attention of my readers only because some will not like this, then some won't care. This character is a minor character, and only alluded to in conversation. This is the second time Kregel has had a gay/lesbian character in their books, I believe they are finding out how their reading audience will accept this. In both situations the characters are minor, and only alluded to, subtle.
A person who is a beloved Sherlock Holmes mystery reader would probably be disappointed in this book---I'm sad to state this.
Dr. Conan Doyle travels by train alone, without his family, to Reichenbach, Switzerland. He is in hopes of a brief respite from his life in England. Fellow travelers stare at him because they believe him to be the famous Sherlock Holmes, instead he is the author of Sherlock Holmes. Doyle is in his early 30s, married and with children, he is not a religious man, has a dry sense of humor, methodical, analytical. After arriving in Reichenbach a man is found murdered. Doyle begins work in solving the case.
Thoughts:
What stood out to me the most in the main character of Dr. Conan Doyle is his humanity. He is a multifaceted character. He is not what I would call a masculine man's man, he is a thinker. He sometimes is inept, bumbling and stumbling. He is though humble and teachable, I admire these qualities.
During the course of Doyle's detective work he meets his intoxicating nemesis. To be tempted is not the same as falling into temptation. His experience in this situation is a lesson for him and us.
The detective work presented in the book is just as our main character is, methodical and dry as toast. Doyle states everything he does, nothing is left for the reader to wonder about.
I did not feel apart of the story and I was disappointed in this. It took a while for me to become interested in this story. I did finish it.
Their is a secondary character that is a gay man. I want to bring this to the attention of my readers only because some will not like this, then some won't care. This character is a minor character, and only alluded to in conversation. This is the second time Kregel has had a gay/lesbian character in their books, I believe they are finding out how their reading audience will accept this. In both situations the characters are minor, and only alluded to, subtle.
A person who is a beloved Sherlock Holmes mystery reader would probably be disappointed in this book---I'm sad to state this.
October 31, 2016
Note to start: I won this through First Reads. Thanks Lion Press. On with the review.
Martin Allison Booth's The Reichenbach Problem follows Arthur Conan Doyle during a vacation to Switzerland. While there, a fellow tourist has died in potentially suspect circumstances. Conan Doyle can't keep his nose out of things and soon finds himself squarely in the middle of the investigation and a suspect courtesy of a few of the other tourists. He must solve the mystery and clear his name in the process. Sounds thrilling. It's not, so much.
Part of the problem in regard to the telling of the story is that Booth is writing Conan Doyle's perspective but it almost feel like he's writing Conan Doyle's perspective as Sherlock Holmes sometime and others like he, Booth, is Conan Doyle. There's a general lack of clarity in locale, characterization, and mystery. Some scenes seem to be included for no purpose other than to provide excitement, though they do little for plot. Other scenes seem to be present solely for the purpose of the author to discuss theology. The background characters are so generic and have such lovely European names as Pivcevic and Van Engels that the names are distinctive, but the actual characteristics are so general as to make them feel oddly similar. More than once I found myself asking who this person was that Conan Doyle was talking too. They all felt so similar.
The book is light on the mystery elements and the investigation. Long stretches of description pass without anything particularly happening which makes Conan Doyle seem rather inept. Booth gets a bit preachy without being pushy, but there isn't enough story to really justify the length of the book. Feels very long a very long ramble through the countryside in the end. Not my favorite and I have a hard time recommending it, even to Sherlock Holmes fans.
Martin Allison Booth's The Reichenbach Problem follows Arthur Conan Doyle during a vacation to Switzerland. While there, a fellow tourist has died in potentially suspect circumstances. Conan Doyle can't keep his nose out of things and soon finds himself squarely in the middle of the investigation and a suspect courtesy of a few of the other tourists. He must solve the mystery and clear his name in the process. Sounds thrilling. It's not, so much.
Part of the problem in regard to the telling of the story is that Booth is writing Conan Doyle's perspective but it almost feel like he's writing Conan Doyle's perspective as Sherlock Holmes sometime and others like he, Booth, is Conan Doyle. There's a general lack of clarity in locale, characterization, and mystery. Some scenes seem to be included for no purpose other than to provide excitement, though they do little for plot. Other scenes seem to be present solely for the purpose of the author to discuss theology. The background characters are so generic and have such lovely European names as Pivcevic and Van Engels that the names are distinctive, but the actual characteristics are so general as to make them feel oddly similar. More than once I found myself asking who this person was that Conan Doyle was talking too. They all felt so similar.
The book is light on the mystery elements and the investigation. Long stretches of description pass without anything particularly happening which makes Conan Doyle seem rather inept. Booth gets a bit preachy without being pushy, but there isn't enough story to really justify the length of the book. Feels very long a very long ramble through the countryside in the end. Not my favorite and I have a hard time recommending it, even to Sherlock Holmes fans.
October 22, 2013
I'm at a loss as to how best describe this book. After over 50 pages of dead-slow, pain-staking detailed descriptions of Conan Doyle unlikely 'traveling companion' I gave up. I will try to read on for I'm sure there must be good reading here. But, I would recommend to Booth that he do an opening Introduction or first chapter of some action and then return to Conan Doyle's trip to Switzerland. Get the reader's mind engaged in the suspense that will follow. Even tip the hand at something toward the outcome and leave the reader in suspense as to how the main character can possibly manage to pull off the solution. But please, don't keep going on and on and on about how tedious Holloway's presence is on this trip.
I once again find myself in a conundrum about how to recommend this book. It strikes me as a fascinating premise: take the creator/author of perhaps the most famous detective of all time and have him try to escape his stellar character's life out on his own only to find himself drawn into a mystery that can be solved by just one man: Sherlock Holmes. I love this premise. I could only wish that the pace started more quickly, then backed off a bit.
Also, as will have been pointed out in other reviews, while this book is published by Lion Fiction and distributed through America via Kregel, I still cannot classify this as primarily Christian fiction. This is one of those difficult topics: what makes a work of fiction distinctly Christian? I'm not looking for a highly theologized work of fiction. Yet I want something more obvious about the Christian faith once delivered set in the story line. Even if it is the main character struggling with his faith, having left a branch of the church, I don't care. Include that, talk about when that faith was more vibrant or something.
I won't not recommend this book, but I find it hard to commend to you at this time.
I once again find myself in a conundrum about how to recommend this book. It strikes me as a fascinating premise: take the creator/author of perhaps the most famous detective of all time and have him try to escape his stellar character's life out on his own only to find himself drawn into a mystery that can be solved by just one man: Sherlock Holmes. I love this premise. I could only wish that the pace started more quickly, then backed off a bit.
Also, as will have been pointed out in other reviews, while this book is published by Lion Fiction and distributed through America via Kregel, I still cannot classify this as primarily Christian fiction. This is one of those difficult topics: what makes a work of fiction distinctly Christian? I'm not looking for a highly theologized work of fiction. Yet I want something more obvious about the Christian faith once delivered set in the story line. Even if it is the main character struggling with his faith, having left a branch of the church, I don't care. Include that, talk about when that faith was more vibrant or something.
I won't not recommend this book, but I find it hard to commend to you at this time.
October 17, 2013
Attention mystery lovers! Are there any Sherlock Holmes fans in our midst? If so, you might be interested in The Reichenbach Problem – the first book in The Reichenbach Trilogy from Martin Allison Booth!
All good mysteries are full of twists and surprises. What makes The Reichenbach Problem unique is that this book isn’t really about Sherlock Holmes at all! Instead, the story is about Sir Arthur Conan Doyle – the author who created the famous detective in the late 1800s.
As the story opens, we find Conan Doyle on a train, fleeing to Switzerland. He is travelling to the peaceful village of Reichenbach Falls, where he hopes he will find respite from the unwanted fame that Sherlock Holmes has thrust upon him.
As fate would have it, Doyle’s plans are doomed from the start.
First, there is the tag-along tourist who follows Doyle from the train to the town. Then, there is the tourist that turns up dead shortly after Doyle’s arrival. Of course, Doyle’s identity precedes him, and he is expected to help with the investigation, even though he isn’t really a detective – he just writes about one in real life!
It turns out luck is not with Doyle on this trip. Before long, Doyle himself is considered a prime suspect in the murder!
The Reichenbach Problem is a story with a clever premise. While the plot is not fast-paced by any means, the author paints an interesting character profile of the author behind one of the most renowned detectives in the literary world.
If you are a fan of the series, you are most likely to appreciate this book!
This review was written by and originally published at Create With Joy.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review purposes. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
All good mysteries are full of twists and surprises. What makes The Reichenbach Problem unique is that this book isn’t really about Sherlock Holmes at all! Instead, the story is about Sir Arthur Conan Doyle – the author who created the famous detective in the late 1800s.
As the story opens, we find Conan Doyle on a train, fleeing to Switzerland. He is travelling to the peaceful village of Reichenbach Falls, where he hopes he will find respite from the unwanted fame that Sherlock Holmes has thrust upon him.
As fate would have it, Doyle’s plans are doomed from the start.
First, there is the tag-along tourist who follows Doyle from the train to the town. Then, there is the tourist that turns up dead shortly after Doyle’s arrival. Of course, Doyle’s identity precedes him, and he is expected to help with the investigation, even though he isn’t really a detective – he just writes about one in real life!
It turns out luck is not with Doyle on this trip. Before long, Doyle himself is considered a prime suspect in the murder!
The Reichenbach Problem is a story with a clever premise. While the plot is not fast-paced by any means, the author paints an interesting character profile of the author behind one of the most renowned detectives in the literary world.
If you are a fan of the series, you are most likely to appreciate this book!
This review was written by and originally published at Create With Joy.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review purposes. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
October 17, 2013
This is an unusual and interesting fictional story featuring Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of Sherlock Holmes. Doyle is going on a vacation to Switzerland, hoping to escape his fame. However, on the train he meets Holloway, a man who invades his space and decides to stay at the same place as Doyle. Soon after they arrive, a guest of the hotel is discovered dead and Doyle is pushed into investigating by his new acquaintance. As he searches for clues, he begins to suspect almost everyone and when suspicion falls on him, he'll be lucky to make it out alive.
I liked the uniqueness of this story and that it featured a real author who I was aware of. I like mysteries, too, so it was interesting to follow his investigation. However, his mood swings were exhausting and Holloway incredibly frustrating. Also, while he talks about how much he loves his wife, he practically falls in love/lust with two different women he just meets. There are some good spiritual elements to the story, though Doyle is portrayed as not believing, even though he grew up in the church. There was an odd scene where a seance is performed to conjure the spirit of Holmes, which I didn't like but at least a priest points out the danger in participating in such things. There's also some talk about homosexuality, though nothing explicit. The author writes that he tried to incorporate as much about Doyle's life and work as he could, so things that I disliked about his character could be true. If you like historical mysteries, especially relating to Holmes, you might like this book.
I received this book free from Kregel Publications in exchange for an honest review.
I liked the uniqueness of this story and that it featured a real author who I was aware of. I like mysteries, too, so it was interesting to follow his investigation. However, his mood swings were exhausting and Holloway incredibly frustrating. Also, while he talks about how much he loves his wife, he practically falls in love/lust with two different women he just meets. There are some good spiritual elements to the story, though Doyle is portrayed as not believing, even though he grew up in the church. There was an odd scene where a seance is performed to conjure the spirit of Holmes, which I didn't like but at least a priest points out the danger in participating in such things. There's also some talk about homosexuality, though nothing explicit. The author writes that he tried to incorporate as much about Doyle's life and work as he could, so things that I disliked about his character could be true. If you like historical mysteries, especially relating to Holmes, you might like this book.
I received this book free from Kregel Publications in exchange for an honest review.
October 15, 2013
Arthur Conan Doyle is on the run from his own fame. Taking a much-needed holiday, Doyle escapes to a picturesque village in Switzerland nestled beneath the imposing Reichenbach Falls. There he hopes to find anonymity, but even in this beautiful rural setting, peace eludes him when he finds himself immediately recognized and involved in the investigation of a mysterious death of a fellow traveler.
All too soon, Doyle s somewhat unwilling, gentle probing into the case causes the finger of suspicion to turn towards him. But can the creator of the famous detective actually do the sleuthing himself? As Doyle learns more and more about the famous character he penned, he finds he is less like Sherlock and more like his sidekick, Watson. Can the sidekick see enough of the picture to solve the case for once?
This is a great mystery for anyone to read! Martin Allison Booth has taken a fictional twist on the author of Sherlock Holmes, and made a wonderful murder mystery. It is easy to read, and hard to put down. A novel full of suspense and keeps you guessing from one minute to another what is going on.
I recommend this book for any mystery lovers out there.
I received this book free from the publisher http://www.kregel.com . I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
All too soon, Doyle s somewhat unwilling, gentle probing into the case causes the finger of suspicion to turn towards him. But can the creator of the famous detective actually do the sleuthing himself? As Doyle learns more and more about the famous character he penned, he finds he is less like Sherlock and more like his sidekick, Watson. Can the sidekick see enough of the picture to solve the case for once?
This is a great mystery for anyone to read! Martin Allison Booth has taken a fictional twist on the author of Sherlock Holmes, and made a wonderful murder mystery. It is easy to read, and hard to put down. A novel full of suspense and keeps you guessing from one minute to another what is going on.
I recommend this book for any mystery lovers out there.
I received this book free from the publisher http://www.kregel.com . I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
October 18, 2013
As a fan of Sherlock Holmes books, I must applaud Mr. Booth on his amazing ability to capture the personality and writing style of the real Arthur Conan Doyle. I felt like I WAS reading Sherlock Holmes.
Fame has proven more than Arthur Conan Doyle can handle so he decides to take a vacation in hopes of finding his family a new home where his celebrity status will not be under such scrutiny. He heads to Switzerland to the peaceful little town of Reichenbach Falls. His grand expectations of an escape into anonymity and peace are shattered when Richard Holloway must share his railroad car and recognizes him. Doyle is annoyed yet polite to his unwanted guest assuming that upon arrival they will go their separate ways. Once the train arrives, Holloway attaches himself to the leery author and even declares them friends to everyone.
Not long after his arrival a man is found dead and it is unknown if he is fell or pushed off a precipice. Pushed by Holloway to investigate the murder, Doyle finds himself being the prime suspect! Father Vernon, the local priest, is very helpful and caring in supporting Doyle, but could he possibly be withholding information?
The writing was rich in detail and description. Not just in what he saw, but also his opinions and perceptions of events and people. A wonderful mystery!
I received this book free from Kregel Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
Fame has proven more than Arthur Conan Doyle can handle so he decides to take a vacation in hopes of finding his family a new home where his celebrity status will not be under such scrutiny. He heads to Switzerland to the peaceful little town of Reichenbach Falls. His grand expectations of an escape into anonymity and peace are shattered when Richard Holloway must share his railroad car and recognizes him. Doyle is annoyed yet polite to his unwanted guest assuming that upon arrival they will go their separate ways. Once the train arrives, Holloway attaches himself to the leery author and even declares them friends to everyone.
Not long after his arrival a man is found dead and it is unknown if he is fell or pushed off a precipice. Pushed by Holloway to investigate the murder, Doyle finds himself being the prime suspect! Father Vernon, the local priest, is very helpful and caring in supporting Doyle, but could he possibly be withholding information?
The writing was rich in detail and description. Not just in what he saw, but also his opinions and perceptions of events and people. A wonderful mystery!
I received this book free from Kregel Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
October 8, 2013
Conan Doyle is not Sherlock Holmes. And he's sick of people treating him that way. He just wants to get away from it, but his vacation to Switzerland is off to a bad start when he picks up an accidental traveling companion . It only gets worse when someone at the hotel where he's staying is found dead in the mountains--why, of course he'll want to investigate!
This book, although historical fiction, is not based on an actual incident. I've only read one other series of real person fiction, and that was closer to fantasy than historical fiction. The author notes the fictional elements in the preface, but the story itself should make it clear to readers that this never happened.
The mystery was well-written, with interesting characters and a consistent tone, but there were some elements of a modern worldview that snuck in. Doyle (admittedly, against the normal mindset) dismisses homosexuality as a live-and-let-live issue, and his religious views are very palatable to modern readers, though the latter may be closer to the trope. Also, some modern terms such as "whirling dervish" appear.
Overall, I think this novel is a decent read, but not historical realistic. 3/5
This book, although historical fiction, is not based on an actual incident. I've only read one other series of real person fiction, and that was closer to fantasy than historical fiction. The author notes the fictional elements in the preface, but the story itself should make it clear to readers that this never happened.
The mystery was well-written, with interesting characters and a consistent tone, but there were some elements of a modern worldview that snuck in. Doyle (admittedly, against the normal mindset) dismisses homosexuality as a live-and-let-live issue, and his religious views are very palatable to modern readers, though the latter may be closer to the trope. Also, some modern terms such as "whirling dervish" appear.
Overall, I think this novel is a decent read, but not historical realistic. 3/5
October 15, 2013
This look at Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is extremely interesting. Forced to look at his own literary creation and how, if he were to actually meet Holmes, how they would view and react to each other was the satisfying premise of this book.
Well written with just the right amount of detail, Mr. Booth takes us on a most interesting and thought-provoking ride into the psyche of what Doyle might have actually been like - as well as Holmes.
Doyle is a well-mannered gentleman who has the unfortunance to be hounded by the fan - or the fanatic - Holloway who haunts his every step on his much needed vacation away from the pressures of not only his celebrity status, but also of Holmes. Unable to accomplish either, he is unwillingly swept into investigating the death of poor Mr. Brown.
Written much like Doyle's Holmes stories, I found this book to be satisfying in almost every aspect. From the scenery to the end. I would recommend this to those who loved the Holmes stories.
*I received a complimentary book in exchange for my honest opinions. I was not required they be positive.*
Well written with just the right amount of detail, Mr. Booth takes us on a most interesting and thought-provoking ride into the psyche of what Doyle might have actually been like - as well as Holmes.
Doyle is a well-mannered gentleman who has the unfortunance to be hounded by the fan - or the fanatic - Holloway who haunts his every step on his much needed vacation away from the pressures of not only his celebrity status, but also of Holmes. Unable to accomplish either, he is unwillingly swept into investigating the death of poor Mr. Brown.
Written much like Doyle's Holmes stories, I found this book to be satisfying in almost every aspect. From the scenery to the end. I would recommend this to those who loved the Holmes stories.
*I received a complimentary book in exchange for my honest opinions. I was not required they be positive.*
January 6, 2014
This book was hard to get into, a very very slow starting book, I often found myself having to flip back over to sort out characters. I did feel a bit confused by the many characters involved in the story, and was often lost about who was who. I do want to say, while touted and published as a Christian fiction book, there is not a strong faith story here. I will say I did enjoy the last half of the book once I got into the meat of the story.
Pros: I love Arthur Conan Doyle, the setting was great, and the mystery was good, once you got to it.
Cons: Too many characters, the seance was not needed to further the story, the Francesca side story was totally out of character.
Over all I give this book a 3 star rating. There is a good story in the book, you just have to sort through a lot of other stuff to find it.
This book was provided for review purposes only, no payment was received for this review.
Thank you Suspense Zone for making this book available to me for review.
Pros: I love Arthur Conan Doyle, the setting was great, and the mystery was good, once you got to it.
Cons: Too many characters, the seance was not needed to further the story, the Francesca side story was totally out of character.
Over all I give this book a 3 star rating. There is a good story in the book, you just have to sort through a lot of other stuff to find it.
This book was provided for review purposes only, no payment was received for this review.
Thank you Suspense Zone for making this book available to me for review.
October 23, 2013
A sublime twist on the Sherlock Holme's mysterys with Arthru Conan Doyle the protagonist in this page-turning mystery. On a holiday Doyle gets sucked into a local murder investigation. The problems arise though when those surrounding him expect Doyle to act as his creation, Sherlock Holmes. Off putting and disappointing, not only does Doyle learn something about himself, but he carries on and continues to put his best into solving the whodunnit.
The Reichenbach Problem is a clean story with the main premise dramatic mystery. It was a unique take on the author Doyle and the mystery was elusive, the clues dropped that I seemed to miss. If you enjoy mysteries, Arthur Conan Doyle or just want to pick up a quick read for the weekend, The Reichenbach Problem might be what you're looking for.
The Reichenbach Problem is a clean story with the main premise dramatic mystery. It was a unique take on the author Doyle and the mystery was elusive, the clues dropped that I seemed to miss. If you enjoy mysteries, Arthur Conan Doyle or just want to pick up a quick read for the weekend, The Reichenbach Problem might be what you're looking for.
August 25, 2013
3.5 stars.
I received a free copy of this book from Goodreads.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is on vacation by himself in Switzerland and of course there is a mystery to be solved. Peter Brown is found dead at the bottom of Reichenbach Falls and the mystery is whether he was murdered or was his death an accident. Conan Doyle is forced into investigating the death as the people of the village he is staying at are led to believe that he might be involved in the death. Conan Doyle also helps the other guests at his hotel and townspeople resolve some of their personal problems along the way.
I received a free copy of this book from Goodreads.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is on vacation by himself in Switzerland and of course there is a mystery to be solved. Peter Brown is found dead at the bottom of Reichenbach Falls and the mystery is whether he was murdered or was his death an accident. Conan Doyle is forced into investigating the death as the people of the village he is staying at are led to believe that he might be involved in the death. Conan Doyle also helps the other guests at his hotel and townspeople resolve some of their personal problems along the way.
October 14, 2013
I was excited about this book, who doesn't love Sherlock Holmes? The start of the book had me engrossed for the first few chapters, then it took a nose dive for me. This was a difficult book to finish, it would drag on and on, there would be a funny part, then drag on. I think the main idea for the story is great, I think it could have been written in a different more upbeat way.
I can't recommend this book, though I wish I could. The cover is wonderful, I just wish I could have gotten into the story.
"I received this book from Kregel for free in exchange for an honest review."
I can't recommend this book, though I wish I could. The cover is wonderful, I just wish I could have gotten into the story.
"I received this book from Kregel for free in exchange for an honest review."
June 3, 2017
Won from GoodReads first reads!! Yay!
Arthur Conan Doyle needs a vacation. What he got was anything but a relaxing getaway - but turned out to be just what he needed to be reinvigorated.
Stuck in a rut? This is a fun story about new beginnings. There were moments that seemed questionable but in the end it was all fine. This story left me feeling really good. Easy to follow and interesting enough to keep me reading.
Arthur Conan Doyle needs a vacation. What he got was anything but a relaxing getaway - but turned out to be just what he needed to be reinvigorated.
Stuck in a rut? This is a fun story about new beginnings. There were moments that seemed questionable but in the end it was all fine. This story left me feeling really good. Easy to follow and interesting enough to keep me reading.
October 14, 2013
I enjoyed reading the Sherlock Holmes stories over the years and the recent additions by Laurie R. King. In this novel, Conan Doyle is the hero. Unfortunately, he is rather a weak one. He shows none of the clever technique of Holmes. I did like the writing of Booth. He was able to capture the style of the Holmes narratives. It is too bad Doyle was portrayed as not nearly as clever as the fictional character he had created. See my complete review at http://bit.ly/1fxczfm.
May 20, 2016
Good writing and suspense which only falters in a couple of places. Booth's Conan Doyle is a mixture of Holmes and Watson, both confident and humble, arrogant and forthright. A fun imagining of what Conan Doyle might have been like as a person, and of what his relationship would have been with his fictional character who outgrew the confines of Doyle's writing.
July 2, 2013
A mystery in the Holmes style. Would recommend to those who enjoy the great detective.
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