I was introduced to Conan Doyle and Sherlock Holmes by my (now) 96 year old father many moons ago and I have loved those stories ever since. There have been many attempts to emulate Conan Doyle over the years but I think Bonnie MacBird has really captured a sense of the originals in this story for which she is to be greatly congratulated.

Sherlock Holmes reputation is under attack from journalist Zanders who labels him a demon. With this in the background and the journalist nearly always one step ahead, Holmes and Watson investigate a series of seemingly unconnected, disparate and creative deaths, labelled the Alphabet Murders. Intriguingly, some of the murders have a tarot card of the Devil left somewhere in the vicinity and strangely Watson is handed on in a melee in Hyde Park. Are the murders linked to a philanthropic group known as The Luminaries or is that a red herring? Further investigation by the pair reveals that guilt binds the murder victims, that philanthropy assuages the guilt but what they’re guilty of and who is seeking vengeance in this dastardly plot takes them on a journey around London and places them in great danger. What becomes apparent is that they are hunting a calculating and vicious killer. There is also anarchy in the mix as bombs are being planted by a group with connections to France.

There is a lot to praise in this book. First of all the characters are so well portrayed especially Sherlock and Mycroft Holmes and John Watson but I also think that Heffie O’Malley, who helps so much in the investigation, is a terrific character. There are needless to say some odious characters such as the new Head of the Metropolitan Police Titus Billings who you love to hate. There is humour aplenty from Holmes himself but one of the most amusing scenes is from a French gang brandishing baguettes as weapons (stale admittedly!) who Holmes christensthe Baggety Brigade. There are some wonderful descriptions of 1890’s London which show its dual face through the wealthy homes of the Viscounts Goodwin and the seamier side where Heffie lives. There is atmosphere too, often enhanced by the weather especially the pea soupers and the sights and smells of the capital. There are some lovely expressions such as Jove’s Breakfast and tippy top which captures the period of time. Of course, no Holmes story would be complete without Holmes putting his personal safety on the line in his brave desire to get to the truth. The killer(s) play a blinder and have all fooled except of course, for Holmes! The ending is really good with the ends literally justifying the means although I think that it feels a bit like a French farce but with dastardly consequences!

Overall, a clever, well written book with a fast paced plot which is highly entertaining and very much in the spirit of the originals.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK, Harper Fiction.

Thanks to netgalley for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

This one is the my convoluted yet. I loved how Bonnie MacBird keeps us guessing the whole book. The relationship between Sherlock and Mycroft can be hard to fathom but brother are brothers, right.
This series takes the genre to its heights, and I can't wait to read more.

A solid historical mystery, full of twists and turns, engrossing and entertaining.
Sherlock Holmes and Watson are fleshed out and they won't surely disappoint any Holmes fan.
I liked the style of writing and the complex plot with a fascinating historical background.
i look forward to reading the other books in this series.
Recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this arc, all opinions are mine.

3,5 stars

The Devil’s Due by Bonnie MacBird is a fine addition to the Sherlock Holmes universe. The notorious detective and Dr. Watson are back to solve another tricky mystery in 1890, London. A witty serial killer, who is working through the alphabet, brings chaos to the city’s upper class by murdering well-known philanthropists. After the murders, people close to the victims commit suicide. While Sherlock has to figure out what’s going on and catch the killer, he has to deal with the criticism of the press and Scotland Yard.

The characters of Sherlock and Watson are believable and stay true to their original versions: Holmes is the determined and relentless investigator who wants to solve the challenging case, and Watson is his calm partner who can’t quite keep up with Sherlock’s way of thinking and processing facts. Also, we come across other beloved characters such as Lestrade, Mrs. Hudson, and Mycroft who set the perfect mood for a Holmes’ novel and bring back the nostalgia of the genre.

The whole mystery, the puzzles that Sherlock has to break down in order to find out the villain’s identity, and the actual manhunt make The Devil’s Due an enjoyable and suspenseful read. In the middle of the book, we get the POVs of the killer and the Chief Commissioner of police that give the story a more appealing and interesting hue.

With that being said, I can’t claim that this particular Sherlock Holmes’ adventure is something I haven’t seen before. The author crafted a well-written and entertaining installment that, unfortunately, doesn’t add something new or refreshing to the series. I didn’t get bored while reading the book, but I wasn’t enthralled by the idea of picking it up either.

All in all, it was a good story with a solid plot and characters, but it wasn’t a great one.

I received this e-arc from NetGalley for review purposes. All opinions are my own.

Thanks to netgalley for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

This one is the my convoluted yet. I loved how Bonnie MacBird keeps us guessing the whole book. The relationship between Sherlock and Mycroft can be hard to fathom but brother are brothers, right.
This series takes the genre to its heights, and I can't wait to read more.

Set in the 1890's in London, Watson now married returns to his friend Sherlock when Mary goes to visit friends. It is not long before the pair are embroiled in murder and mystery.
The story is well written and in keeping with the style and tone set in the original books. I found the characters well conceived, the plot moving along with a pace that kept the reader engaged and interested. This is the second MacBaird tale that I have read and I can say that is it as good as the previous one.

1890. Sherlock Holmes becomes embroiled in the case of the French anarchists but then he is made aware of a series of murders which are then followed by family suicides. Mycroft wants him to concentrate on these killings. But he has his distractors in the persons of the new Chief Commissioner of Scotland Yard - Titus Billings - and Gabriel Zanders, a newsman.
With the help of Dr Watson can Holmes determine the motive and the guilty person.
Although the third in the series it is easily read as a standalone story, and I look forward to reading the first two.
A very enjoyable, well-written, mystery, with its likeable characters, and thankfully great support from Watson.

The Devil's Due by Connie MacBird is a Sherlock Holmes mystery and a good one, too. Sherlock and Watson are dealing with French terrorists, a girls' school that is not functioning quite as one would hope, and a serial killer who seems to be targeting men alphabetically and of a certain organization of philanthropists (who appear to be trying to atone for something in each of their pasts). Mary kindly suggested that Dr. Watson needed to spend some time with his friend, and so here they are. It is like they had never been apart.

For Sherlock Holmes aficionados, there are never enough of the originals to keep them sated, so the various authors that write more do a service (if the books are any good-not all are). MacBird has imitated Doyle's voice and style nicely and so this book provides satisfaction to a fan. The mysteries are good, the characters, both old and new, are excellent, and the experience is uplifting. All in all, I recommend this book both to those who loves Holmes and those simply looking for a good, historical mystery.

I received a free ARC of the Devil's Due from Netgalley. All opinions and interpretations contained herein are solely my own. #netgalley #thedevilsdue

As a long time fan of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes' stories (and actually having the maiden name of Holmes), I rather expected to be disappointed by someone else telling Holmes stories. But I wasn't. In fact, I rather enjoyed this tale and think that Doyle might have also. The tale was maybe not quite as complex and involved as a Doyle tale but it kept me interested and curious, especially to know whether I was right as to who the guilty party (or parties) might be. I won't share spoilers because that would be very fair to new readers but I will say there were many more things about the ending that I was happy about than there were things that disappointed me. I do admit to enjoying tales of serial killers and so watching Holmes and Watson pursue clues in this tale kept me glued to the story and I finished it in one day. I have not read the author's earlier stories about Holmes and Watson and didn't feel they were needed before reading this tale but I will likely go back and read them also since I have missed having new stories of Holmes and Watson and am happy that Bonnie MacBird is providing them.

Unfortunately this is not a stand-alone book in which case I had not realized when requesting this release. Due to the fact that I had not read the previous installments of this series, it would have been more than difficult for me to further grasp the story, characters and concept so I have decided to not review this novel. "The Devil's Due" will be completed/reviewed sometime in the future once I read the previous books in the series. Again, I am sorry for the inconvenience and thank you for taking the time to provide me an ARC of this novel.

Author Bonnie MacBird delightfully leavens her very serious subjects (the Great Detective, serial killing, yellow journalism, mob hysteria, anarchy, terrorist bombings, insanity) with gentle wry humour in the third of her Sherlock Holmes series.


The serial murders of wealthy noted philanthropists and the ongoing terrorist bombings by anarchists (and suspected French terrorists), in tandem with a new Police Commissioner entirely opposed to "amateur investigators" (read Sherlock Holmes) and a yellow muck-raking journalist determined to destroy Holmes' reputation, keep Holmes and devoted literal-thinking sidekick Dr. Watson in a chaotic, and dangerous, uproar.

1890. Sherlock Holmes has been a renown detective in the circles of London for some time. But now he has to face his greatest challenge ever. One by one, well-known members of the elite society of London are found dead. Each person died in a different way. Some are even considered suicides. Could there be something they have in common?

But our beloved detective's problems don't end there. Scotland Yard's new Chief is a strange and shady figure. Less than inclined to work well with Holmes, the new Chief is set on destroying the great detective. As Holmes and his trusted ally, Watson, roam through the streets of London looking for clues to connect the dots, other powers are trying to get rid of him.

And, of course, there's Mycroft Holmes: the genius brother who never reveals too much. This time, though, the killings seem to lead back to a connection with Sherlock's brother. How will the great detective unravel this mystery?

The Devil's Due is a brilliant mystery that brings the worldwide renowned and beloved detective back to life. There's little doubt that Bonnie MacBird has done some seriously thorough research on Sir Doyle's most famous creation. Reading The Devil's Due feels like revisiting an old friend - almost as if Doyle himself is narrating this.

More importantly, however, The Devil's Due is a gripping story, with small subplots and colorful characters that come into play, creating a complicated (in all the right ways) plot that keeps you on your toes to the very end. An enjoyable read that's not exactly for one sitting length-wise - but which you'll probably try to finish overnight, anyway - The Devil's Due is definitely a recommended read. Both for fans of Sherlock Holmes, and for fans of mystery books and detective stories in general. Not to be missed.

It's 1890, and Sherlock Holmes is newly famous.  In the midst of the media frenzy he is facing one of his worst villains yet, someone hell bent on murdering high profile philanthropists.  In addition to the murders, there is a spate of suicides of people close to the victims.  Facing criticism from the press, and from Scotland Yard, Holmes is in a battle to catch the killer before more there are more deaths. 
This is the third book in a new series by Bonnie MacBird, written in the style of Conan Doyle himself.

I've been working my way through the collected Sherlock Holmes for a while now, so when I saw this on NetGalley I thought it would be cool to read and see how it compares.  I'm usually pessimistic about new authors reviving classic characters, but I have to say Bonnie MacBird does a pretty good job here.

The book features all the characters that Holmes fans will have come to love, obviously both Holmes and Watson, but also Lestrade, Mrs Hudson and Mycroft amongst others.  The character's stayed true to their original versions: Holmes displays his characteristic fervour for problem solving, and there is mention of his vicarious drug use, Watson is the calming and reasoned voice that tries to control him.  The relationship between Mycroft  and Sherlock is displayed really well here too, the precarious balance of loyalty and animosity comes across perfectly.

I thought the novel was reminiscent of Conan Doyle's books in many ways, and for the most part the writing style and story progression felt very much like a traditional Sherlock Holmes story.  The one thing that didn't really work for me was that I didn't get the feel of Holmes' leaps of deductive reasoning.  Although there was aspects of the case that Holmes had to explain to Watson (and thus the reader) I had a strong idea who the killer was from quite early on, and was proven correct. 

Overall it was an enjoyable read, but there was something missing that meant it didn't quite measure up when read alongside the original stories.  I would still be likely to read more from the series, but perhaps they would be better spaced out from the Conan Doyle stories.

Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for an arc in exchange for an honest review

This is third in a series by Bonnie MacBird reinvigorating the Holmes and Watson mythology. Her version of these characters is without a doubt my favorite. Tightly plotted and full of red herrings and a bit of gore, this book was such a delight to read. Held my interest from page one and I cannot wait for what I hope will be a fourth! Thank you NetGalley for the advanced readers copy for review.

This is my introduction to Bonnie MacBird's series with Sherlock Holmes, the third in the series, resurrecting Conan Doyle's genius Victorian detective and his Dr John Watson. In this delightful read, it is 1890 in London, Watson is married to his Mary Morson, running a medical practice in Paddington, missing his friend, Sherlock, when Mary makes a decision to visit friends without John. This leaves him free to go and live with Holmes at 221B Baker Street, only to find himself in the middle of murder, mystery and danger, an exhausted Watson could not be happier. Holmes is curious about some strange murders, like a drowned man found in his bed, that are accompanied by some apparent suicides. Holmes is being vilified in the London Gazette by a journalist seeking vengeance, likening Holmes to the devil himself, castigating him for mistakenly identifying Charles Danforth for murdering his father. However, as we all know it is unlikely that Sherlock has made such an error, although to his horror, Charles's abused wife, Constance commits suicide.

In a grimy and stinking London with its fogs, anti-foreigner sentiments run high, with French spies, and anarchists roaming the city. There is a new Chief Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, Titus Billings, a man fanning the anti-immigrant flames, determined to have private detectives, like Holmes, shunned by the police, questioning Holmes's abilities and competence. Billings is not a man that can be ignored as Holmes is to learn to his cost, and is far too willing to close cases too quickly with little in the way of an investigation. He is certainly not going to entertain Holmes theory that a highly intelligent serial killer is operating below the radar. Two wealthy brothers, James and Andrew Goodwin, prominent members of the aristocracy and London society, are less than forthright about the secret Luminarians, a group of rich philanthropists, members of whom are being targeted by the killer. Matters come to a head when Holmes's brother, Mycroft disappears.

MacBird does a remarkable job in resurrecting Sherlock, this is a great mystery with Sherlock facing a worthy adversary in this complex mystery of secrets, corruption and amorality. The narrative is delivered by Watson, a man who has sorely missed being in the thick of city life and the range of London's social circles, from the elite to the poorest. More than anything, he revels in being back together with Holmes, the thrill and excitement of being involved in hunting for a killer, and he plays a pivotal part in the finale. A great book, that can easily be read as standalone, that I think those who love Sherlock and other crime enthusiasts are likely to enjoy. Many thanks to HarperCollins for an ARC.

Typically a Holmes story. Did not finish this book fining it told and told again.

Thank you NetGallery for being able to preview this book.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with the ARC. This was fantastic! I love everything Holmes I can get my hands on. Great pacing, plot, writing, scenery, I really enjoyed this read. Will read more from this author in the future.

I'm usually hesitant to read books about famous characters not written by the original creator, and I'm not a huge Holmes fan. But I enjoyed this. The author did a pretty good job of capturing the feel of a Holmes story, and it has all of the appropriate twists and expected logical conclusion. I suspect most Doyle fans will like this.

Thank you for the ARC for review!

1890 and Holmes and Watson are investigating a spate of murders. The victims are some of London's most admired public figures who are also members of a secret group of philanthropists and each have died in some imaginative way to make it look like suicide or an accident. While Holmes is on the hunt for the killer, he himself is the subject of a witch hunt by a news paper reporter with a grudge, who is hell bent on destroying his credibility and accusing him of being in league with the Devil.
My favourite duo are back and I look forward to the next instalment from Bonnie MacBird.

** spoiler alert ** Not being a huge fan of Holmes,this book did nicely for me.
It had the four central characters everyone remembers,some humour,and some references back to other cases.
It was a bit of a mad ride,things that only Holmes would spot or connect,explained to you later,as you are as baffled as Watson as to how Holmes came to the correct conclusion.
Good fun,though the whole Mycroft thing was a bit farcical.