"The Adventure of the Murdered Gypsy" by Liese Sherwood-Fabre is a delightful addition to the world of Sherlock Holmes mysteries. Set in the backdrop of the Holmes family estate during a Victorian Christmas gathering, the story introduces readers to a captivating web of secrets, family dynamics, and, of course, a mysterious murder.

Sherlock Holmes enthusiasts will appreciate Sherwood-Fabre's faithful portrayal of the iconic detective and his brilliant deductive reasoning. The setting and atmosphere of Winter 1867 at Underbyrne are vividly depicted, immersing readers in a bygone era of sleuthing and intrigue.

The author skillfully weaves multiple plotlines, including the murder mystery, Sherlock's family dynamics, and romantic entanglements, creating a rich and engaging narrative. The interactions between characters, especially the banter between Sherlock and Mycroft, add depth and authenticity to the story.

While the mystery itself is intriguing, some readers may find certain aspects of the resolution slightly predictable. However, the character development and exploration of family relationships more than compensate for this minor flaw.

Overall, "The Adventure of the Murdered Gypsy" is a well-crafted and enjoyable Sherlock Holmes mystery that pays homage to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's beloved characters. It deserves a solid four-star rating for its faithful portrayal of Holmes, the atmospheric setting, and the intricate family dynamics that add depth to the narrative. Sherwood-Fabre's contribution to the Holmes canon is a worthy addition for fans of the great detective.

I appreciate the publisher allowing me to read this book. I found this book incredibly interesting the author really kept me hooked until the end. very well written I highly recommend.

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook. A good drama novel. Highly recommend.

this was a great early case of Sherlock Holmes, I really enjoyed the first book in the series. The novel had what I enjoyed about Sherlock Holmes and liked all the characters.

I love a good variation on the Holmes canon, and Liese Sherwood-Fabre's The Adventure of the Murdered Gypsy was engaging enough that immediately after reading it, I purchased the other two titles available in this series. Sherwood-Fabre provides readers with a young (roughly thirteen years old) Sherlock "Sherry" Holmes and his family: his father, a proper English gentleman and Justice of the Peace; his mother, an iconoclastic blend of scientist and period-appropriate wife and mother; her brother Ernest, a veteran of India who came home not quite whole and now spends his days designing new and unusual weapons; and Holmes's brilliant older brother Mycroft, who has no interest in becoming heir to a manor and would rather pursue behind-the-scenes global politics.

The Adventure of the Murdered Gypsy is narrated by young Holmes, and Sherwood-Fabre does an excellent job of showing readers the genesis of the man Conan Doyle would feature in his stories. Holmes is awkwardly adopting the social proprieties expected of him, but still has difficulty tamping down his own desires, and offends more often than he'd like because he has very little sense of how others will receive his statements. Holmes is miserable at Eton, smarter than many of his instructors and socially awkward—so miserable, in fact, that he was almost relieved to be called home when his mother was arrested for murder (The Adventure of the Murdered Midwife, volume one in this series) and is dreading returning to school after the winter break.

But before Holmes can return to school, he and his family are confronted with another mystery. This one involves "the Colonel," one of Uncle Ernest's fellow soldiers from India, the Colonel's niece, and his niece's "maid"—actually the daughter of a rajah forced to flee her home country after providing intelligence to the British. There's also Mr. Moto, the baritsu instructor <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bartitsu> living at the Holmes manor who has been hired to teach self defense to young Holmes and his mother. And various relatives with more on the way, all planning to celebrate the holidays together.

First, the body of an unknown man, dressed as a gypsy, though clearly he isn't Romi, turns up in the Holmes barn. Then there are attacks on family members and another murder. Clearly the Colonel and his entourage are involved in some way, but who is truly working for British intelligence and who might be a traitor? These are the problems young Holes sets out to solve.

I was quite impressed by both the plotting and the characters in this volume. Sherwood-Fabre's Holmes is a welcome addition to a substantial body of fiction and has the potential to emerge as some of the strongest wotk in that body. If you enjoy Holmes, you'll find The Adventure of the Murdered Gypsy and other titles in the series a delight way to spend your time.

I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley; they opinions are my own.

[This review will appear on GoodReads and LibraryThing.]

I have read the first book of this series and was looking forward to the next. We have a young Sherlock Holmes recovering from his adventures to clear his mother's name. His mother is not quite the character depicted in the Netflix show Enola Holmes but borders on that. In this instalment, we find him on the verge of going back to school and entertaining his cousin at home.
I liked the tone of the narrative, and young sherlock makes for a very believable precursor to the character we know from the original. The plot of the mystery in this is slightly convoluted, there are a lot of branches, and multiple things are happening simultaneously.
I will not go into the plot points because the story is better with the full picture being viewed as a whole (or so I think). The narrative is constantly moving forward, as is Sherlock's increasing knowledge of understanding how the world works. The cousin was a delightful addition, and I would love to see him reappear in future additions!
It was a quick, one-sitting read, and I moved onto the next instalment quite quickly.

I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

The events in this second book of the series commence three months after those that take place in the first book. It's winter, around Christmas time and young Sherlock is still at Underbyrne after being called home from Eton in the first book. The Holmes are hosting Christmas this year for Mr. Holmes's sisters and a few visiting acquaintances and look forward to enjoying a merry holiday but instead end up with a dead body of a man dressed up as a gypsy in their barn. Young Sherlock, his mother Violet, uncle Earnest and friend Constance band up once again to figure out and solve the murder mystery but as they move forward it becomes clear that there is a whole lot more to the mystery than just plain murder.

We are introduced to new characters in this book from which Sherlock's seven year old cousin Trevor stands out; although initially annoyed by Trevor's constant need to follow him everywhere, Sherlock slowly comes to like him and his keen observational skills. I am curious about Constance and the close friendship between her and Sherlock; her physical appearance & special skills are in a similar vein to Irene Adler's so it will be interesting to see if this possibly turns out to be her origin story.

The only issue I had with the first book was that I felt the chapters were too long. It was not the case with this one and I felt the plot moved quickly without a dull moment.

My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Little Elm Press LLC and the author Liese Sherwood-Fabre for the e-Arc of the book.

I am enjoying this series. I like the young Sherlock, it allows us to see what might have caused him to become the very logical individual he became as an adult. Although I will say I'm not caring for his brother at all!

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review. I would like many more books in this series.

This is the second installment of the Young Sherlock Holmes series, preceded by 'The Adventure of the Murdered Midwife' which is on my TBR list after reading this fabulously written historical fiction mystery. Talk about escapism!
This story takes place in 1867 at Underbyrne, the Holmes family estate, its wintertime with plenty of family and friends gathered at the estate.
The thirteen year old Sherlock Holmes is outside in the barn, with his younger cousin Trevor that tagged along, in order to practice his violin for the upcoming Christmas concert. When there is a stirring of the horses in the stables nearby, Sherlock and Trevor rush over to find a body lying face down in the hay. Duh-duuuuun!
The story is proficiently written and involves a mixture of interesting characters and as it unfolds people are not who they seem to be. The author takes special care when writing about the significance of social order of the times, and how it relates to the characters. Giving you a real feel of the period.
The story exhibits how the young Sherlock uses his analytical and rational abilities to solve problems, along with other members of the family. It must be in the DNA. This was a fun read and I encourage historical fiction fans to pick this one up. Even if you're not a fan of historical fiction, I believe this story will change your mind.

Three months have passed since Sherlock Holmes was brought home from school. Guests are at Underbryne have joined them for the Christmas season. Among them is Mr. Moto, a baritsu instructor who is teaching Sherlock and his mother. Soon after acquaintances of Sherlock's uncle arrive, a man is found dead in the barn. He is dressed as a gypsy, but is this a disguise? Will there be more death or will Sherlock find the murderer?

I am no stranger to tales of Sherlock Holmes as a boy. Off hand,I can think of at least two series that I really enjoyed reading. There are several things I've liked in this series. I find it interesting in this version that young Sherlock gets his curiosity and intelligence from his mother. She encourages his skills, helps him reason on what he learns, and is a character worthy of her own book. I especially like that she learns new skills with him.

So we have the intellectual influence from Mrs. Holmes, and on the other side we have Mr. holmes, who encourages his son to control himself. Thirteen-year-old Sherlock is openly upset over events, uncertain about what his life holds, and he lets his emotions show. The accurate portrayal of Victorian social norms seemed spot-on, and I appreciated the accuracy.

That said, this doesn't feel like a thirteen-year-old boy's story. In fact, I forgot his age while I was reading, guessed him to be about fifteen, and was surprised when I came back to write my review to learn his real age. I also wasn't overly fond of how Mycroft was portrayed. A superior older brother I could understand, but not one who is intentionally cruel. It just didn't sit right.

I'm a little on the fence about Constance. Her character is interesting, and I like the friendship between her and Sherlock. However, the story seems to hint at Irene Adler, that perhaps this is her origin story as well. I'm not sure how I feel about this being the start of the woman who outsmarted Holmes.

Overall, it is an entertaining take on how the world's greatest detective could have been as a teenager. I would recommend this to readers looking for a historical mystery starring a young Sherlock Holmes.

This is a clever take on adapting the renowned detective stories in a way which stays true to the original while also opening up to new audiences. I think the author captured the character of a young Sherlock very well - it was certainly believable that he would grow up to be Conan Doyle’s enigmatic detective. Even if you are not a Holmes fan, this book is well worth trying for the sake of the clever mystery and well developed characters.

If you aren't into sherlock Holmes you will not like this book. As an avid sherlock Holmes reader this was right up my street

I truly enjoyed this book.
This is my first book by this author and was provided an ARC from NetGalley.
I am new to historical fiction and truly enjoyed the writing.
The setting includes a young Sherlock Holmes and it is Christmastime.
Although I had a feeling that I had figured out the culprit of distress, it was a fun book to read in that there are many twists and other backstories that definitely made it interesting.
I look forward to continuing this series.

I received this ARC via Netgalley and Little Elm Press LLC, in return for an honest review. Although the second book in this series, it is easily read as a standalone. Sherlock Holmes is 13 years old and home after a short time at Eton. Destined to return after the break, he’s currently taking baritsu self-defense lessons with his mother and Mr. Moto. Brother Mycroft is home from university and eccentric inventor Uncle Ernest is hosting friends from his time in India. Sherlock has to entertain his much younger cousin who does like to talk. When they discover a dead body in the stables, things get difficult. Suddenly, Mycroft is mooning over a female visitor, Sherlock’s dealing with his cousin and their analytical mother is being relegated to managing the house as dealing with a murder is probably too much for her sensibilities. I love that his mom is the inquisitive and analytical one in the family, encouraging Sherlock to investigate and think about things. Interesting and unique take on how Sherlock came to be and I look forward to his future development.

I'm fond of Sherlock Holmes pastiches and enjoyed this one!

I haven't read anything else by Liese Sherwood-Fabre, but I'll be looking for more in this series featuring the young Sherlock and his family.

At thirteen, Sherlock already has some of his abilities of observation and reason, but these skills are still being developed. This is not the austere and coldly logical adult Sherlock, but a kid with curiosity and intelligence; sometimes annoyed, sometimes fearful, and often unsure of himself.

I especially enjoyed the character of Mrs. Holmes; she never takes center stage, but her influence and intellect play a significant role in the plot. Hers is the perceptive, observant, and curious mind depicted as guiding her sons.

Little Elm Press
Historical Mystery. 2020. Print length: 342 pages.

1867 Thirteen year old Sherlock Holmes' life at Underbyrne is at first disrupted by guests of his Uncle Ernest, and then a discovery of a body in the stables. Are these guests what they seem, is there any connection to the body, will there be more attacks. Sherlock investigates with help from various members of the family.
An entertaining and well-written historical mystery with its cast of likeable and well described characters, which can easily be read as a standalone story. A good addition to the series
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really loved this edition to the Sherlock Holmes canon. This novel is the second in the series that follows a barely teenage Sherlock Holmes and his family. We get to know his analytical and curious mother, his stuffy but brilliant father, brother Mycroft, of course and uncle Ernest. The best relationship in the series though is that of Sherlock and his friend Constance. Sweet and realistic, this relationship promises all sorts of adventures and possibly the origin of “the woman”. The mystery itself is clever and well thought out. I am really looking forward to more from this author.