I apprecitate the publisher allowing me to read this book. I found this a really interesting read and the characters are quite engaging. it kept me reading until the end. I highly recommend.

Really well done Holmesian effort but someone who has respect for Conan Doyle’s legacy. I loved the switch between timeframes and feel that may make the book more appealing to a contemporary audience. Excellent drawing of the characters and authentic dialogue throughout.

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the audio version. Oh wow I loved this book! It was so good. The author did a great job and I loved the narrator. Highly recommend if you love Sherlock Holmes stories.

I really enjoyed this Sherlock Holmes book, it had what I enjoyed from the original works. The characters were great and I enjoyed the plot of the book.

J. Lawrence Matthews might not be Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - but he really sounds like him (in part of the novels). In the best of ways.

Very much like The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, the table of contents makes this look like an anthology of shorter stories - not that short, though. Judging from the number of pages, it's like 3 novellas framing a short novel. We'll come back to that thought later.

I was immediately satisfied upon realising that Watson would be my narrator throughout the book. Because, let's face it - there is only one way to tell a Holmes story, and that is through Watson. It's the right way.

And with Watson reading a manuscript written by Holmes, the great detective also gets to tell a part of his story himself. This has also been done by Doyle before, take The Musgrave Ritual, for example.

I've stated that this looks like 3 novellas framing a novel (judging by the parts and the number of pages per part as stated in the toc). It's a fitting statement for the size (so this book is quite long - and longer than it should be), and in parts of the structure, but those stories are not separate, they belong together.

The problem here is size - and pace. Sure enough, no one would expect a high octane thriller when reading a Holmes story. And all historical fiction books have the added responsibility to explain their world to the reader. But I can't help thinking that this has been overdone here.

Holmes wrote his script with Watson as an intended audience, and they are nearly of the same age. So why does he keep explaining stuff to his former assistant? For the reader's sake, that's why. It's called an empty exposition, and it usually means that you're looking at a missed opportunity to shorten the text.

In this case, it also means you get thrown back between the present and the past multiple times, and quite frankly - this narrative structure started to become unnerving pretty fast. I couldn't follow one story to the end and always had to keep things in mind until we came back to it to resolve it. Or not resolve it, that happened sometimes, too.

So Holmes soon takes over as narrator, but it looks like we're seeing a very passive Holmes here. There are some great touches - like the chemist master who's way to think greatly influenced the later Sherlock - but there are many passages about the american civil war which struck me as unnecessary, because they are not furthering the plot. And yes, there are a great deal of historical details that blend together Fiction and History, but let's be honest: I don't need a footnote telling me the name and alias of the author of a historical book Holmes is perusing.

Which really means that the first third of this book is really dragging on, seemlessly forever. It took me far longer to get behind the 40 % threshold than it should have. The good news is that the pace gets better after that.

But when Booth is captured in the past - and Moriarty in the present - the tale starts to look like it should be coming to an end. Abs then you realize there is still a quarter of the book left to read. Which made me fear yet another drag fest in the end of the book. Sadly, I was right.

With Sherlock's intent of getting to know everything there is to know about young Moriarty (and quite some stuff that isn't worth knowing), we enter the longest epilogue in the history of literature at the 72 % mark.

And yes, Moriarty. Or a Moriarty, at least. Which makes me think this was kind of uncreative. Because - really? Do we need another Moriarty? I dare say we do not!

It's also an epilogue about the end of the first world war, and beekeeping and a thousand other things, and a minority of open ends left over from the main story, like the origin of the name Sherlock.

Because Matthews invented a lot of things new - a total new name for Mycroft and Sherlock, new names, new origins. He does this with the utmost care so it might fit the canon, and he's showing off that care, like Sherlock would be showing off his powers of deduction.

And then the epilogue turns into an epitaph - because if you're going to reinvent the life of Sherlock Holmes, you might as well go the full mile and do his death, too. So Matthews ended up telling two stories about Holmes never told, like the intro and the outro to the vast works already told. And as Sherlock's mind seems to wander in the end (from the christian Bible to the Baghavad Gita of buddhism and the arab poet Hafiz), it kind of matches the telling of this tale that meandered in it's own time.

Ordinarily, this well crafted and expertly told tale would gather my highest praise. But there are things to consider here - the really terrible pace in the beginning and the end, the unnecessary details, the meandering timelines (a little too overdone, and you never know which details you should try to remember till you get back to it). I end up with 3.5 stars, a half star decrease for every one of my three pain points, rounded down where half stars are not applicable. Yes, rounded down instead of up because of the final cause of death of Sherlock - after all this, he succumbs to [spoiler]? What a pity!

This book was interesting with a bit of twist and intrigue, a quiet afternoon tea read, with mild intrigue. I wasn’t fond of the past and present mix, although it made for an entertaining read.

An excellent pastiche for the Sherlock Holmes fan. It is a very well written story and the characters were very well done. “What do you get when you cross Abraham Lincoln with Sherlock Holmes? The alchemy of creative genius. Matthews brings us to the intersection of history and fiction in this beautifully written epic full of unfathomable twists and turns. It’s elementary: this book is sensational.”

- Jim Campbell, syndicated radio host and author of Madoff Talks: Uncovering the Untold Story Behind the Most Notorious Ponzi Scheme in History.

“President Lincoln is assassinated in his private box at Ford’s!”

When those harrowing words ring out during a children’s entertainment in Washington on the evening of April 14, 1865, a quick-thinking young chemist from England named Johnnie Holmes grabs the 12-year-old son of the dying President, races the boy to safety, and soon finds himself enlisted in the most infamous manhunt in history.

One Must Tell the Bees is the untold story of Sherlock Holmes’s journey from the streets of London to the White House of Abraham Lincoln and, in company with a freed slave named after the dead President, their breathtaking pursuit and capture of John Wilkes Booth. It is the very first case of the man who would become known to the world as Sherlock Holmes, and as readers will discover, it will haunt him until his very last.

At a time when Western history is being reexamined and retold, old heroes cast aside and statues torn down, and even the legacy of Abraham Lincoln, “the Great Emancipator,” is questioned, One Must Tell the Bees is a timely reminder that our history deserves to be understood before it is entirely undone.

Cowboy Fire
by Kim Redford is a very cute story of a young woman who has a dream. She wants to break in to the world of online dating with a new website: Violet Ashford’s Cowboy Heart-to-Heart Corral was nearly ready to go. All she needed was the “face” of the site and she had him all selected: Kemp Landers was Mr July in the Wet and Wild Cowboy Firefighter calendar and he is perfect! Now to convince him.but, first she has to check in at the cabin she has rented. She got a great deal because she agreed to do chores around the place, cowgirl style. Imagine her surprise when she met her landlord!

This story got a little sappy in places but was, overall, good fun. There was a stressful part where Kemp climbed to the top of tall trees to cut off the burning parts. Made for great photos! Kemp had a friend who owned a chocolate shop full of handmade chocolates. Often the chocolates came to grief but sometimes they were used in some pretty hot situations. Everybody around supported Violet’s mission and were there to support her. The grand unveiling was fun and then everyone moved to the Steele Trap Ranch for the birth of Fernando and Daisy Sue’s long anticipated calf. All ended well, all the way around. I had fun!

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of Cowboy Fire by Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #netgalley. #cowboyfire

Thank you to the publisher, author, Books Forward, and Netgalley for providing this e-arc and physical ARC of this book in exchange for honest feedback. I am a huge Sherlock Holmes fan, so I was excited to see some new material utilizing our star detective. I am sometimes wary, though, of "spin-offs." I think the author did an excellent job of writing his version. It is a lengthy book, at some times a bit thick, but it is a strongly written adventure. One thing that I liked was the connection between historical events. It is obvious that the author is a skilled writer in historical fiction subject matter. I would definitely suggest to those interested in Sherlock Holmes, historical fiction broadly, US history, etc.

Abraham Lincoln was assassinated whilst at the theatre. The story goes behind the scenes how a chemist by the name of Holmes accompanied by a smart young boy called Abraham is called upon by Lincoln's advisor to go find the assassin and bring him back. Holmes has to pit his wits against the famous detective Alan Pinkerton as well as the wiley Boothe the assassin himself who has support in unexpected quarters.

Traversing America ending where Boothe was holed up and where he died is part of the story. The other is the memoir that Watson receives, detailing Holmes own version of the Lincoln events and which culminate in Watson meeting up with Holmes to continue the story of what is actually happening now at the end of WWI.

The two stories are distinct though the Lincoln one takes up most of the book. It was fascinating reading, detailed and descriptive of two extremely clever, innovative men who went far beyond the call of duty to do what had to be done at all times.

This was a story that had to be read slowly to assimilate all that was going on.

I received an ARC ebook from NetGalley. This is a fascinating ‘biography’ of Sherlock Holmes and it is totally and completely believable. In the first person, from to both Sherlock and Watson, this story tells the pre-Sherlock adventures of the man who becomes Sherlock Holmes using historically accurate details, and then goes on to tell the post-investigator life of Sherlock the man. The final chapters are from Watson for reasons that will become obvious on reading. J. Lawrence Matthews has written in the language of Sherlock Holmes with the speech and grammar of that era. I have never read a Sherlock Holmes story but chose this title because I was sceptical that a non-person could be made real. This has definitely been accomplished in this book; Sherlock is definitely real! Read this for yourself and believe. The ending seems drawn out but all comes together smoothly.

In 1918, Dr. Watson receives a strange package from his friend, Mr. Sherlock Holmes. The package contains the astonishing memoir written by the detective himself. Dr. Watson makes his way to the country to join his friend, never imagining that the incredible words he is reading is about to lead him to Sherlock Holmes' final case.

This was a heavy read and it was very ambitious in what it covered. Not only does it share the "truth" about Sherlock Holmes' origins, it shares his first case as a young man, and ends with his death. Parts of the story were fun, such as when Watson is rushing to Holmes only to get waylaid by a murder and he attempts to make a deduction from what he sees. It mimics the original stories well and had some good humor.

While the tale of a boy Sherlock Holmes in America for the Civil War was interesting, it was tedious at times with all the details. It will be slow going for anyone who isn't very, very interested in the history of the Civil War. Towards the end, Mr. Holmes does share an interesting viewpoint of the war and how both sides handled matters.

There were some details that surprised me because they were stated as if they were well-known. Mary Morstan, Watson's first wife, had a half-sister? Watson was nearly taken advantage by someone who claimed to be his wife? I'm not as familiar with the last stories written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, so I'm not sure where these fit in.

I knew this would end sadly. How could a story concerning Sherlock Holmes death not be sad? This met that expectation, but I had reached the point where I was ready for it to end. The book was so long and I wanted it to be finished. That's not something I ever expected to feel about a Sherlock Holmes' tale.

I would recommend this to readers who are prepared for a complete rewriting of Sherlock Holmes' origins and who have a fondness for Civil War history.

One Must Tell the Bees is a brilliant story revisiting one of my favorite characters of all time, Sherlock Holmes. The narration is very accurate to the original stories. I felt like I was reading the authentic works and yet it is a completely fresh view of the character, introducing aspects of his history that were never known before, in a very believable way.

It is nearing the end of WWI when Dr Watson receives an urgent summons from Holmes along with a manuscript detailing Holmes's first adventure during the final days of the American Civil War. Watson rushes to help his friend and during his travel he begins to read the manuscript, learning details about Sherlock Holmes's early life that he never knew.

We quickly become wrapped up in two tales of mystery and adventure at once. The past, through Holmes's Memoir and the present as Watson reunites with his old friend.

The historic details, around the Civil War portions of the story, are very well crafted.
This is a must read for Civil War buffs as well as Sherlock Holmes fans.

Warning: If you tend to get emotional over a favorite character, keep a box of tissues close by, you will need it.
Thank you to East Dean Press and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this e-ARC.

1918 As requested, Dr. Watson is travelling to visit Holmes. On the journey the doctor begins to read the real autobiography of Sherlock Holmes. But his reading is interrupted by a murder on the train. But why has Holmes urgently demanded Watson's presence. What danger lurks in Went Hill. Who is the murderer.
I enjoyed the well-written mystery part of the story. Holmes and Watson stories are usually entertaining. But I found the life story was overly long, and of not much interest unless you are curious about in the American Civil War
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A creative tale involving famous characters. I enjoyed this, and compliment the author on his imagination. Writing a Holmes story is gutsy, but this seemed to work pretty well. I hope he writes more.

Thanks very much for the ARC for review!!

I was engaged from page one and was left with a desire to learn more about Mrs. Lincoln by the end. J. Matthews gives you a mystery, a history lesson, and an analysis of life all in one book. "One Must Tell the Bees" is a not a Sherlock mystery but rather a tale of Sherlock Holmes. This is the biography of one of the most famous detectives told by himself, Dr. Watson, and brother Mycroft.

Don't get me wrong, there was a murder, a trap, and everything you would want but that aspect only take ups a small portion of the book. Be prepared for a crash course in the American civil war and an analysis of life.

This was well written and entertaining throughout. Old characters were brought back to life with a new story. The storyline slowed significantly at the end but it appeared intentional.

I would have given a 4.5 out of 5 just because of the slowdown but rounded up to 5 because of a love of history and Sherlock Holmes.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy.

Throughly enjoyed this book great insight to world changing events, especially in America. Enjoyed the way history was told by the two main characters, great read for anyone interested in history of USA war of Nth and STH