Ahhhhhhh this was just such a wonderful book and I just thoroughly enjoyed myself. I didn’t want to put this book down. I just fell in love with this wonderful story and it’s wonderful characters. I will most definitely be reading more stories from this wonderful author.

The fourth in the Daughter of Sherlock series, I found this to be the most enjoyable to date. Maybe I’m more accustomed to Goldberg’s writing style and his no nonsense heroine Johanna, or maybe I like the art theft mystery, but I devoured this book. And I can only hope there’s more to come.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

For fans of the Sherlock Holmes take-off genre, the “Daughter of Sherlock Holmes” series is a great new addition. Joanna, Holmes’ daughter, is married to Doctor Watson’s son. The trio investigate crimes with Joanna playing the consulting detective role left abandoned at her father’s death.

The Art of Deception is a story of art vandalism, restoration and forgeries. True to the Sherlock Holmes genre, the detectives take seemingly insignificant details, and draw elaborate conclusions. I’d recommend that this series be read in order, as some of the relationships are developed over the course of the series.

I look forward to more!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I was very disappointed by The Art of Deception. Nothing modern about it, a very old-fashioned plot and writing style. It felt like a book I selected at the library, written last century. Joanna is à know-it-all, just like her father. The plot is boring, even though I am an amateur of Art. Nothing exciting about this book.

The Art of Deception by Leonard Goldberg. 4 stars

This the fourth book in the Daughter of Sherlock Holmes mystery series and a follow up to last years “The Disappearance of Alistair Ainsworth”, which featured an espionage theme. This mystery focuses on the horrible vandalism of masterpieces. The book starts with Lestrade asking Joanna for help in catching a vandal that has been slashing into the canvases of valuable paintings. What follows is an intriguing mystery that features multiple homicides and assaults. which illustrates the age old question - How far will a person go to obtain something priceless? - Through brilliant deductive reasoning she homes in on the guilty party and devises a plan to apprehend the masterminds. There is an interlude in the book that depicts Joanna as a mother that elevates the character from the normal “cool detective”. I really liked this book and eagerly await the next book in the series.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press / Minotaur Books for this ARC.

Another devilishly good mystery featuring Joanna, the daughter of Sherlock Holmes, wife of Dr Watson, and daughter in law of well, that Watson! If you haven't read this series-don't worry- you will sort them all out and this will be a wonderful standalone. It's actually told by Dr. Watson and involves the mystery of who is vandalizing valuable portraits of women but not stealing them. A lost scarf proves to be the tool Joanna needs to deduce a lot (perhaps too much but, hey, it works) about the culprit. Even as this hunt is going on, their son John has come home from Eton with a case of cholera. We tend to forget how devastating this was in the UK in 1916 and Goldberg (a physician himself) has carefully woven in details and information which adds to the story. The characters are great, the mystery just twisty enough and the atmospherics are awesome. I know some Holmes fans will quibble but it's such a good read that they should give It a chance. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. Engaging and satisfying.

This book wasn't for me. I was looking for something with more 'substance.' There were no nuances, just a straight forward storyline, told in a direct fashion. I did not find it interesting or engaging on any level. I liked the premise of the story but, it fell flat.

Thanks very much to NetGalley for permitting me to read an advanced copy of this great book! Joanna, John and Dr. Watson are off on another mysterious case when Inspector Lestrade requests their help to find out who is defacing famous paintings in galleries and private homes. It becomes clear to Joanna immediately that the criminal is searching for something valuable that may be hidden inside the canvas. Our three detectives soon realize that the case centers on a single gallery and its employees. Joanna uses her usual deductive abilities to solve this complicated case and we also get a glimpse at her on a more personal level when a family crisis occurs. This is another fantastic book in this series and I look forward to the next mystery.

Good mystery story but the writing was very dry and characters seemed detached and impersonal. I think it would have been more interesting to me if Joanna has been the narrator. I would have liked to read this through her perspective.
Advanced reader copy courtesy of the publishers at NetGalley.

The Art of Deception by Leonard Goldberg is an intriguing story with surprising twists and turns. The characters are believable and fit my perceptions of the daughter of Sherlock Holmes and the son of Watson. The story is fun even though not light or frivolous. I enjoyed it and would recommend it.

Being a fan of anything Sherlock Holmes; I have enjoyed Goldberg's world where Joanna, Sherlock's daughter, takes the lead in solving crimes in his same skilled manner. This is the fourth in this series and prompts Scotland Yard to again seek out Joanna to help nab a criminal who is slashing Italian Renaissance Paintings. Very interesting notations about art and the reason behind the destruction of these precious canvases. Joanna has married John Watson Jr. who is the son of Dr. Watson who was always at Sherlock's side. This group Trudges through the streets of London to solve this mystery with the help of Goldberg's writing talent. Just hope that future installments give Sherlock's grandson John more print time. "A copy of this book was provided by St. Martin's Press Via NetGalley with no requirements for a review. Comments here are my honest opinion."

Ten days before Christmas in West End London and the bad elves have been set upon the city.

It's 1916 and Inspector Lestrade of Scotland Yard is ringing the doorbell of Joanna Watson, daughter of the famous Sherlock Holmes and wife of John Watson, Jr., son of the famous Dr. Watson. Lestrade informs Joanna that someone is on a trail of destruction in art galleries and private homes. Portraits of women, in particular, have been slashed as if the crazed madman is in search of something. These portraits from the Italian Renaissance Period have all been left behind.

Lestrade hands Joanna a scarf that had fallen and was carelessly left on the floor of Hawk and Evans Art Gallery as the destroyer made his escape. Now here's where we have the genius of daughter like father. We'll see this happening throughout the story. If you're a fan of Sherlock Holmes and favor the power of deduction with deep intelligence, then you'll sincerely enjoy this one. The Art of Deception is certainly not a "thriller". It is a crafty piece of work showcasing a true detective gathering and eliminating clues. Joanna's take-away from that scarf alone is brilliant.

We'll be introduced to Joanna's son, John, who had been away at school. Leonard Goldberg throws in a cholera epidemic at John's Eton school and the havoc that sets in at the Watson house. There are parallels to the pandemic that we are presently experiencing now. Dr. Watson is in charge of his grandson's case and it's highly interesting what was known medically at that time. It will give you pause as to what limited preventions were in place and the number of deaths caused by simple lack of hygiene. We should all give thanks for our present times.

The Art of Deception is #4 in this series and my first read by this author. I've already ordered the previous books. I'm invested. I am always drawn in by the intelligent reads that make you think and even question the outcomes. We'll also get a nice panorama of famous artists of the time and the work done by restorers and forgery thieves. The Act of Deception showcases a highly intelligent woman who can give Scotland Yard a run for their money. Can't wait for the next one.

I received a copy of this novel through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to St. Martin's Press (Minotaur Books) and to Leonard Goldberg for the opportunity.

Thank you for Net Galley and Minotaur Books/Macmillan Publishing for this advanced copy.

I absolutely love Goldberg's version of the Sherlock Holmes universe. Between the logical deductions of Joanna, Dr. Watson Sr. and Jr. the trio is always able to solve the most interesting of mysteries. I also find it funny that similar to Sherlock, Joanna can be viewed as a bit cold or too-knowing simply because her intellectual reasoning never stops, putting her steps ahead of many of the other characters. Goldberg is also able to illustrate early 20th century London with quick ease in his descriptions of l

This is a fun read for any fan of Holmes/Watson duo and it is also a solid continuation of the "Daughter of Sherlock" series.

London, 1912. Sherlock Holmes’ daughter Joanna and Dr. Watson and his son are investigating a new case of a man breaking into art galleries and private homes to slash paintings. In a hasty escape, the suspect loses his scarf at a gallery and this gives a lead for investigators.

From the worn scarf, Joanna can tell a lot. She determines the vandal’s frame and height, characteristics, financial status and more. She gives an explanation for her analogy, but this still feels like a stretch, not sounding very believable.

I don’t read detective stories, except that from time to time I reach for something out of my range. So maybe what seems not believable to me would be quite believable to those who read such stories.

I’m not familiar with the series, but what strikes me right away is the lack of character development. It’s all about detective work, analytical-detective descriptions and questions. And I have a hard time attaching myself to a story, where the character development continues to be delayed or is lacking.

Another thing that is striking in the story are the tiny bits of facts, which feel like they’re being thrown at a reader without a second thought. For example, mentions of lots of artists, including Degas known and celebrated for his lovely ballerinas or dry air of Egypt preserving its art very-well. I do appreciate such facts, especially the ones I didn’t know before. So I can learn something new. Even though the story is about art being destroyed, so in logic it does have the connection, but in the whole context it just stands out. It doesn’t have a good flow.

I adore Sherlock Holmes. I heard about the Daughter of Sherlock Holmes series by Leonard Goldberg as a suggestion when I clicked on the cover. Goldberg does a fabulous job with a nod to the famous detective and including Watson as an elder consultant on the case. The mystery flows well and reminds me a lot of Holmes' style of solving a case. I love watching Joanna solve the mystery and her train of thoughts as she works through and explains the cases to those around her. The mystery was different and held enough why and who done it to capture my mystery loving mind. I really enjoy the clean mystery aspect, so I can recommend the story to even little fans who love a good mystery. I really hope there are going to be more novels in this series.

I received a complimentary copy of The Art of Deception by Leonard Goldberg from the publishing company, but the opinions stated are all my own.

I have enjoyed Sherlock Holmes stories in print, on the "big screen" and on television, so it was a treat to learn that Leonard Goldberg has kept Sherlock Holmes alive through the adventures of Holmes' mythical daughter, Doctor Watson and his son. I love the concept and Goldberg has created a character who inherited Holmes' intellect, adopted his deductive methodology, and is single-minded in her pursuit of evil-doers.

Novels that center on art theft or forgery are also of interest to me, so THE ART OF DECEPTION had significant appeal to me as a reader. And, Mr. Goldberg delivered a mystery worthy of the Holmes name. What was missing for me was character development and detailed description of the book's environment. The story was "chronicled" through Dr. Watson's son who is married to Holmes daughter. Every step of her investigation was recounted in great detail, but what was novel in a 19th Century story by Conan Doyle felt tedious in the 21st Century. Although this book was set in the early 20th Century, the tone or pace didn't seem to keep pace with the evolution of society or culture.

I enjoyed the concept of the book much more than the execution. The mystery was intriguing, the resolution satisfactory, but I concluded the novel without any idea what the characters looked like, how their world differed from Sherlocks---in short, I wanted a bit more than Mr. Goldberg delivered.

NetGalley provided me a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for a candid review.

I really enjoyed this Daughter of Sherlock story. This was the 3rd Sherlock themed book I read over the weekend and was probably my favorite. It did touch on Cholera, which was kind of weird during Covid-19. The mystery was interesting and I learned a little about the masters during it. So that was kind of fun,

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Fourth in the series of Joanna Blalock -Watkins books. The author imagines Joanna to be the daughter of Sherlock Holmes and Irene Adler. Joanna is married to Dr. Watson’s son, who is also a doctor. Young Dr. Watson narrates the book. The story stands alone, although it may be helpful to have read the prior books in order to understand the relationships among the characters.

In this installment, Joanna and her son, Johnny, unravel a complex and violent scheme in search of a long-lost masterpiece. I enjoyed the evocative settings, the obvious warmth among the Watson family members, the rich descriptions of the artworks, and the exciting conclusion. A scene of an exhumation is particularly effective, a grisly and detailed demonstration of the author’s medical expertise that also helps to advance the plot. The book does take some time to ramp up, diverted with a subplot about Johnny’s cholera and a tendency to repeat information for the benefit of characters who were not in the previous scene.

I am looking forward to the next book.

Many thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.