If you like good mysteries and Sherlock Holmes, but haven't read Death Cloud, the start of Andrew Lane's Young Sherlock Holmes series, stop here! Go read that book and come back to this one once you have read it and the next four. Without having read the previous five books, you will be lost at sea.

So, you are all caught up on the series, yes? You'll be delighted to find that Sherlock has managed to return to the United Kingdom, but in Ireland, rather than England. His brother, Moriarity, has need of him, and so does England. Will Sherlock be able to save the day?

What I really appreciated was the tie-in to the Victorian interest in spiritualism. It made for a fascinating read as Sherlock had to learn for himself if it were real. Also of interest was Sherlock's reunion with old friends. I think this passage is sometimes true of people as well as places. He has things in his past that must be resolved to become the Sherlock we know and love.

Highly recommended for people who have read the first five books. If you like some of the more modern interpretations of Sherlock Holmes, this series would probably be one you would enjoy. ( )

The sixth book in the series about young Sherlock. He is almost home from his adventures in the Orient. Sherlock is not at all sure how, or if, he will fit back into the life he had before. When the ship docks in Ireland he finds that "home' must wait and that he must complete another mission. There are mysteries a plenty. The story taps into the Victorian (and Conan Doyle’s) interest in communicating with the dead.
Sherlock is taken to an unusual and forbidding castle that is perched on the edge of some high cliffs. This coastal area, and the castle, has a history of smuggling and there are still signs of the past evident in the geography. Sherlock is part of a group of representatives from different governments gathered to investigate the claims of a rather sinister psychic. There are seances, the appearances of a legendary dark beast, a servant frightened to death and some missing shoes.
There are some great characters, both the heroes and villains, and the appearance of old friends. Amyus Crowe, the big American who was Sherlock’s tutor is back along with his daughter, Virginia. His character has help to mold the young Holmes in to the man he is becoming but he is now representing the American government.
Young Sherlock must bring use all his deductive powers to unravel this new mystery.
This story is another fast-paced and well-plotted adventure that taps into the Sherlock Holmes genre. ( )