Dr. Watson narrates this Sherlock Holmes adventure caper. There are two principal storylines that just barely touch on one another. One involves a stage magician mystery in London, and the other starts as a bizarre missing person case set mostly in Cambridge. Unfortunately, neither of them ends well. The stage magician story is mostly a red herring; a lot of ink is spilled on a story that adds little to the other one, which seems to be the main story. There's also a side story about a locked silver trinket given to Watson by his deceased mother. This tale gets lost within the two main plots. Despite all of this, the book is an exciting fast paced read with plenty of suspense. Holmes (and even Watson) faces danger and injury as they struggle to resolve the mysteries placed in their way. By the end, they tie up the loose ends and prepare for their next adventure. ( )

I've enjoyed Bonnie MacBird's Holmes novels from the beginning, but The Three Locks takes what was already a satisfying series up a notch. The plot is woven from multiple mysteries that entwine with and echo one another. Watson comes more fully into his own. Readers meet an engaging ensemble cast, most based in the community of Victorian-era magicians. What I particularly love about MacBird's take on Holmes and Watson is the humor she can inject into the novels without undercutting the tension of the mysteries. If you appreciate new takes on the Holmes canon, I'm confident you'll find this title rewarding reading. I received a free electronic copy of this title for review purposes; the opinions are my own. ( )

London is the grips of an intense heatwave in the late summer of 1887. Watson receives a strange silver box in the mail that appears to have no key. An Italian escape artists experiences problems with his performance and his wife demands the Holmes prove her former lover be cleared of suspicion. A young lady runs away from home, leaving her father strangely unconcerned. As these cases intertwine, locks play on an important part as Holmes and Watson race to find the answer.

I am always delighted when I find a Sherlock Holmes novel that closely mimics the original characters and the spirit of the original stories. I found it in this book. The author does a marvelous job of writing a plot, dialogue, and characterization much like Sir Arthur Conan Doyle first wrote so long ago.

Though I will admit I had my suspicions about a character soon after he was introduced, most of the mysteries are laid out in a way that kept me guessing. Clues are scattered through the story and come together in a satisfying way. I was kept glued to the narrative from page to page to find out just how everything connected.

The story is filled with colorful, memorable characters. The atmosphere of the year, with the oppressive heat, is excellent as well. The writing is reminiscent of Doyle's work, as I mentioned before. My only concern would be that I didn't realize that this is the fourth in a series. There are details that obviously come from earlier books that influence choices, such as Watson's mother drowning, and that Watson had a twin sister, Rose, who...also drowned. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it was unexpected.

I'm going to have to find the first three books but I would recommend this one to readers looking for a new Sherlock Holmes adventure. I received a free copy from NetGalley and all opinions expressed are my own. ( )