Review The Brothers of Baker Street

 

Since the expiration of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s copyright, there have been numerous books that feature further adventures of Sherlock Holmes, his wife, his daughter, or one of his relatives. The Brothers of Baker Street by Michael Robertson was touted as the first modern crime novel series to use a Sherlock Holmes connection to anchor a modern story. Robertson introduces the Heath brothers--Regie and Nigel. Regie is a Barrister and tries cases. Nigel is a Solicitor who offers up legal advice and recommends a Barrister if a case goes to trial. In a strange coincidence their offices just happen to be located at  221 Baker Street in London and letters addressed to Sherlock Holmes keep arriving at this address. In another coincidence, their lease contract includes a provision that requires the current occupant of the address to answer all letters to Holmes to the best of their ability.

In the modern day, brother Regie is having a problem keeping his girlfriend out of the clutches of a wealthy pulp newspaper owner and Nigel is advising on a case in which a London black cab driver is accused of murdering two American tourists. Regie takes the case to court and manages to clear the driver, but things get more dicey when that driver is murdered and Regie is accused of killing him. Nigel does manage to get Regie out of the pokey and now all that needs to be done is to figure out whether the real killer is another frustrated black cab driver or the inventor of a GPS system that could put London’s venerable black cabs out of business by eliminating the need to pass the so-called “knowledge” in order to qualify as a driver.

Meanwhile, letters to Sherlock Holmes keep piling up at the law office. Most are ignored until one until one arrives signed by someone called “Moriarity” who claims to be a descendent of Sherlock’s old nemesis Dr. James Moriarity. The letter also seems to reveal things about the Black Cab murders that have not been known before.

The plot is clever and moves briskly.  There is a good deal of sly humor along with information on the world of London taxi drivers and the British trash press. There is also some mild sexual language, although in the end, Nigel’s girlfriend, Laura, turns out to be more than a pretty face with a great figure.  

 I reported on the 2^nd book in the series a while ago--titled The Baker Street Jurors, and I enjoyed it enough that I searched out its predecessor.  There is a 3^rd book in the series and I may see if I can find it in the next month or so.

I give this one a nice 3.5 out of 5. (i.e., never going to compete for the Nobel Prize, but a good read within its genre.)