I really enjoyed the first few pages of this novel. It was quirky and had a witty main character. Unfortunately I was unable to finish it. The way it downloaded on my kindle somehow made huge chunks of scenes seem to dissapear. All of a sudden the characters would be talking about something that had happened, but it hadn't been shown to the reader Or a scene would seem to switch to a different scene in the middle of a conversation. I'm very sad that the formatting got messed up, because it seemed like a very entertaining mystery.

Thanks for the opportunity to review this middle grade / young reader book. As a hardcore Sherlock Holmes fan, I am keen to read any off shoot of the famous detective, and there are quite a bit of them. This version was quite fun, I think it adheres to the spirit of Holmes without copying or straying too far away.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Speaking as a lover of mystery books, I think that this book was a good one in the genre. I loved this book! I haven't read the other two in this series yet, but after reading this one, I'll be sure to check those out. I enjoyed reading about Artie, Ham, and Peril's adventures, and I think that this book was a fun mix of action and mystery, with funny bits sprinkled around inside. Overall, I loved this book! I recommend it if you enjoy middle-grade historical fiction and mystery.

Twelve year-old Arthur Conan Doyle solving mysteries? Sign me up please!

***Thank you Publisher Spotlight, author Robert J. Harris and NetGalley for this gifted review copy in exchange for an honest review. This book is available now!***

The Story: Edinburgh 1837 - A diamond merchant and a prominent textile importer are attacked and robbed, leaving no witnesses. The thief seems to just vanish into the thin air. Working together with Inspector George McCorkle, Artie and his best friend, Ham must solve the mystery of the Scarlet Phantom before this invisible thief strikes again.

My thoughts: This was my first book by Robert J Harris and it was surprisingly a really good middle grade mystery! I have no idea that this is the third book of the series. I wished I've read the first two books first as I'd really like to know the backstories of Artie and Ham and most importantly how did they cross paths with Inspector McCorkle.

The story has a good flow and it was easy to follow. I enjoyed the mystery with all the twists and turns. The banter between Artie and Ham is hilarious! Peril Abernathy, a young scientist joins them in solving this mystery and I liked how she tries to explain away the paranormal with science.

I highly recommend this series to middle schoolers! It is a fun, entertaining and interesting mystery!

I just finished Artie Conan Doyle and the Scarlet Phantom. This is the third book in the series (I’ve not read the others). I requested this book from netgalley.com as an ARC, because I like anything that has anything to do with Arthur Conan Doyle and Sherlock related. This book didn’t disappoint.

Having not read the previous books, I didn’t know what to expect. There is no Sherlock in this book, it’s written from Artie’s point of view. I didn’t realize Artie and his friend Ham are supposed to be 12 years old. From the writing, I was assumed they were maybe 15 or 16. The two of them are very articulate and the banter between them can be quite witty.

These 2 friends are trying to solve the crimes of the Scarlet Phantom, who appears to be an invisible man. They meet new friend and scientist, Peril Abernethy, or as Artie says she’s “Named after a dangerous biscuit”! With Artie’s brains, Ham’s humor and Peril’s scientific know how, the 3 friends attempt to thwart the Phantom and solve the cases.

I really liked this book. I know it’s meant for young readers (probably 8-13), but even an adult like myself can enjoy it without feeling like the story’s been “dumbed” down for kids. I found the crimes were perfect for the era this book is supposed to be written for (mid 1800’s). Back then, people were getting very interested in the paranormal, seances, ghostly happenings and this ties right into that. The Phantom is someone that is supposedly is able to alter their bodies at will so they can walk through walls, etc. It’s kind of fascinating the way people then took this kind of thing so seriously then. I could imagine myself right there with these 3 as they summon spirits to help with the case! I figured out right away when he was first mentioned, who the perpetrator was, but it didn’t detract from the rest of the book. Just going along for the ride with these kids was worth staying until the end.

If you like a book that’s a historical novel, written from a kids point of view, funny, charming AND you like Sherlock Holmes, you will probably like this book. I suggest picking it up to read yourself, have your kids read it or read it to them. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by it.

I absolutely love books that reimagine characters from history. And to read a work about a younger version of a famous author? Even better.

What makes this work in particular extra special is that Harris doesn't lean too heavily on Sherlock-tropes. In fact, that's the beauty of this work: we can start to see the beginnings and inspirations of the character that is to be the great Sherlock Holmes, but just as Artie himself is developing into Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, so too is his literary craft and detective skills. It's a refreshing take while still enjoying a real character from history.

I also really appreciate how readers do not have to start at book 1 to enjoy this series. This novel can be enjoyed even if it's the first book you begin with in the Artie Conan Doyle mysteries. I certainly did.

All in all, this is a fabulous work and one to recommend to young readers who love mysteries!

Fun read! I would suggest to read the books in order. It’s always nice to find a fun children’s mystery.

As a librarian at one of the busiest libraries in Maryland this will be an easy book to recommend to our younger readers.