In this third The Boy Sherlock Holmes series title, the 13-year-old gifted detective determines to find a government official's daughter, who has seemingly disappeared without a trace. A ransom note clue, though, draws Sherlock into an increasingly suspenseful and dangerous investigation. The richly descriptive prose offers a vivid sense of both Victorian life and the diverse characters, especially complex, intriguing, and sympathetic Sherlock, an outsider conflicted between arrogance and self-doubt, reason and emotion, and driven by his desire for justice and sorrow over past tragedies. Returning readers will enjoy following young Sherlock as he develops his abilities and will look forward to his continuing adventures.

Gr 5-8 The 14-year-old daughter of Lord Rathbone has been abducted, and no word has been heard from her captors in more than two months. Ever curious, Holmes is ready to spring into action when the ransom note finally arrives and is read publicly by a Scotland Yard inspector. Largely on his own, the young detective seemingly finds the girl and solves the case within a matter of hours. In typical Holmesian fashion, however, things are not always as they seem. Mistaken identity, double crossing, and the superstitions of the common folk all make the mystery stay out of reach for longer than the sleuth would like. The boy Holmes is, in general, more likable than his adult counterpart; he is less pompous, more connected to his impoverished roots. However, like the elder Holmes, it is ambition more than altruism that drives him to find the girl. Fast paced and filled with clues readers can follow, this is a fun read. Nora G. Murphy, Los Angeles Academy Middle School