About book The Dark Water: The Strange Beginnings Of Sherlock Holmes (2006)
The Dark Water: The Strange Beginnings of Sherlock Holmes is Pirie's third novel in his series featuring A.C. Doyle and Dr. Joseph Bell, Doyles' inspiration for Sherlock Holmes. Originally published in 2006, the novel is being republished this month.Dr. Bell and Doyle (Holmes and Watson) have a complex relationship, and Pirie uses fact and fiction as he describes the cases the duo pursue.The villain in this piece is Dr. Thomas Neill Cream, the real-life murderer known as the Lambeth Poisoner and also a nominee for the role of Jack the Ripper (although that doesn't seem to be a real possibility).The real Thomas Neill Cream did qualify as a surgeon in Edinburgh, and Pirie uses his presence there to connect him to both Dr. Bell and Doyle in a previous novel. Using factual information along with artistic license, Pirie uses Cream's return from the U.S. (where Cream did, indeed, commit several murders) to take revenge on Doyle and gain funds to continue his dissolute and murderous lifestyle. The Dark Water: The Strange Beginnings of Sherlock Holmes is Pirie's third novel in his series featuring A.C. Doyle and Dr. Joseph Bell, Doyles' inspiration for Sherlock Holmes. Originally published in 2006, the novel is being republished this month.Dr. Bell and Doyle (Holmes and Watson) have a complex relationship, and Pirie uses fact and fiction as he describes the cases the duo pursue.The villain in this piece is Dr. Thomas Neill Cream, the real-life murderer known as the Lambeth Poisoner and also a nominee for the role of Jack the Ripper (although that doesn't seem to be a real possibility).The real Thomas Neill Cream did qualify as a surgeon in Edinburgh, and Pirie uses his presence there to connect him to both Dr. Bell and Doyle in a previous novel. Using factual information along with artistic license, Pirie uses Cream's return from the U.S. (where Cream did, indeed, commit several murders) to take revenge on Doyle and gain funds to continue his dissolute and murderous lifestyle. The narrative spends too much time with Doyle, too little time with Dr. Bell. If Dr. Bell is the Holmes figure, he really deserves more attention. Some gruesome scenes that don't even match the m.o. of the real Dr. Cream seem included for effect, and the plot is held together by effort rather than logic.Fine for a little escapism, but not the best of Sherlockian novels. One of my favorites of the Holmes pastiche novels is by John Gardner, The Revenge of Moriarty, a recent Net Galley read. On a totally different level, but quite fun, are Laurie R. King's novels featuring Holmes and Mary Russell.The narrative spends too much time with Doyle, too little time with Dr. Bell. If Dr. Bell is the Holmes figure, he really deserves more attention. Some gruesome scenes that don't even match the m.o. of the real Dr. Cream seem included for effect, and the plot is held together by effort rather than logic.Fine for a little escapism, but not the best of Sherlockian novels. One of my favorites of the Holmes pastiche novels is by John Gardner, The Revenge of Moriarty, a recent Net Galley read. On a totally different level, but quite fun, are Laurie R. King's novels featuring Holmes and Mary Russell.From Net Galley/Open Road Int. Media/Pegasus Classics.Mystery. May 7, 2013. (orig. publ. 2006). Print version: 320 pages.ISBN-10: 1933648112
This book is not what I imagined, but I have no complaints. The title came up when I was trolling through a library catalog for books on "Sherlock Holmes". It's not about him, nor is there any specific mention of him in the entire book. On the other hand, this is an action-filled adventure staring Professor Dr. Joseph Bell (MD) and Arthur Conan Doyle, MD. "Who?" do you ask? Bell is the real-world archetype used to create Sherlock Holmes and ACD is the man who created him and his "Boswell", John H. Watson, MD.ACD was a student of Dr. Bell in Medical School. They had certain true-life adventures with a murderous individual. This book is the third in a series (I have not read the previous two) that takes those real-life events and draws them out into a fast-paced series of accounts. While the pattern is not exactly that of Holmes and Watson (Doyle has several specific episodes apart from Bell), it is a "Mystery" in which they attempt to solve crimes. A whole series of crimes perpetrated by this arch-enemy who appears to drag ordinary men and women into his plots with exasperating ease. Unlike Moriarty who had legions of followers organized into a criminal organization, the antagonist of this book ensnares and recruits on an individual basis. He does not sit like a spider at the center of a web, but acts in the first person. Without having read the previous two entries, I cannot say how fast-and-loose the author may have played with the true tragic facts that occurred before this volume. However, on its own merits this is a very engaging tale. If the three primaries were Messrs "Foo", "Goo", and "Moo" it would be just as engaging. Only a few minor references in the epilogue would need to be deleted. One assumes that the author has done some research into the "core" tale of the witch of Dunwich (England - it has nothing to do with H. P. Lovecraft's "The Dunwich Horror") rather than just making it up. Although a large part of the book is concerned with it, I haven't done any fact-checking and ultimately it does not matter. This is a well-written, emotional roller coaster that "rings true".If you were expecting a story just like a Holmes story, then you might feel a bit disappointed. Certainly there is evil afoot and detection, but the relationship of the two and the way the story is told marks it as something apart. The author makes an effort to bring in the Holmes-like skills: such as, personal history at-a-glance, chemistry, a willingness to be a judge, a man of action, and a brilliant cryptographer. But read it for its own sake and consider the familiarity of the future writer to be an added benefit.My conjectures on what the story contained had more to do with how ACD decided and did create his original Holmes tale - obviously something that has nothing to do with this book. I was basing that merely on the sub-title, "The Strange Beginnings of Sherlock Holmes", which is why the catalog search turned it up, also. Once I knew what I had I was happy to read along and I hope you will be, too. I'm going to be looking for its predecessors. (Not that I wouldn't mind reading a book that covered the imagined topic!)
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The end of game, or was it merely the end-game? This third volume of "Murder Rooms" trilogy keeps the reader as well the protagonists (Dr. Joseph Bell, and Arthur Conan Doyle) on a tight leash till the end, with the shadow of Doyle's nemesis lurking at every unseen corner and unknown angle. I have to admit that towards the end of the book, the author had succeeded in making me rather paranoid and that had revealed a few things before their 'official' exposure caused by Dr. Bell, (e.g. the asylum-proprietor's role, the identity of Charlotte Jephord's lover, etc.). The book does not echo many other Sherlockian adventures (still hidden in the mist of future), except "The Final Problem". It is obviously well-written, slightly superior to "The Night Calls", and yet somewhat lesser than "The Patient's Eyes".The biggest point of regret is that the series had suddenly ended with this volume, and the matter of the 'Dead Time' (tantalisingly mentioned by the author) was never revealed.Read this book, only after exhausting the two previous volumes, and preferably in a stormy night, since the book is indeed very dark, and very gothic!
—Riju Ganguly
I had such high hopes for this book. I have read other books with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle as the main character before and really enjoyed them. I always think it is fun to see him put into situations like his creation Sherlock Holmes. It kind of shows how an author pulls ideas from real life experiences. That being said I just couldn’t get into this book. It became a chore to read and I struggled to move through this. My problem with this book was the story. It took forever for any type of action to get going. The methodical steps that Doyle and Bell would take to get to their deductions were dull and took forever to connect the dots. This book could have been cut in half and maybe I would have enjoyed this more. This book clearly wasn’t my taste but there were some good points about this book. I really liked the authors writing style. He blended his story into the flow and feel of a Sherlock Holmes story. I just wish it would have flowed better and gotten to the point a bit faster. I also liked the characters, Doyle and Bell were developed well. I don’t have much to say about this book, the writer has talent I just think he missed a bit with this book. I was so bored that by the halfway point I didn’t care how it ended I just wanted it to end. I don’t like to write non favorable reviews, but I have to be honest in my feeling for a book. This was not for me and I am glad it is behind me.
—Chris
3.5 stars.Enjoyable, but not as good as The Night Calls. The beginning of the book was by far the best part, with Doyle imprisoned by Cream. The middle was interesting, but lacked some of the urgency that I think it needed. The climax doesn't pack as much of a punch as I expected after two books of build up. Cream is still a chilling villain. Bell is excellent, yet again. Doyle feels mostly useless this time around, which is a shame.All in all, I really enjoyed the series, and I wish there were more books. Unfortunately, it looks like this is the end.
—Stephanie
