The Iron Dog: A Sherlock Holmes Uncovered Tale (Volume 2)

I love mysteries in general and Sherlock Holmes mysteries in particular and this is a winner in the Holmes category. This one opens in the familiar setting of 221B Baker Street with the office consultation and then things get interesting. I like the traditional Holmes stories and I have little patience with wild derivations from the established character traits. This is such a traditional story. The dialogue rings true to me and the mystery was well plotted. Not to give away a spoiler, but it did not end when I thought it was going to end. If you like the Robert Downey Jr Holmes then this Holmes is going to be way too sedate, but if you want the Doyle Holmes then this is right up your alley. I hope they keep coming!

Good story. But the author needs a competent editor, as there are several grammatical and spelling errors that Watson would never allow into print. And I don't think Watson (or anyone else outside of fantasy fiction) ever uttered the expression "broke my fast" to mean "ate breakfast." Also, Holmes should mention that a blackmailer would have little motive to murder her intended victim. And too many supposedly clever criminals try to con Holmes into being their supporting witness. But this story is much better than the many Holmes stories in which 19th Century British language is tediously imitated with run-on sentences, long words, and circumlocutions.

This story was very entertaining and was a joy to read. The plot was well thought out and developed nicely. The author is true to the originals and does not take any on toward liberties. Obviously, Steven Ehrman is a fan of the structure of the Sherlock Holmes story and has followed it quite well. For those who enjoy the atmosphere of the era and the art of the mystery, I can recommend this book for your library.

This is my second review of a Steven Ehrman. At the end of 'The Iron Dog' there was a brief note asking readers to post reviews. Possibly I should have reviewed this one first but read them in the wrong order. So here goes. This is a staggering piece of work that ranks in the various highest echelon (I have better than 200 Holmes & Watson pastiches) of all of the Holmes & Watson books I have ever read including the original. My review of 'The Eccentric Painter' gave it top marks; The Iron Dog is superior and I would say substantially so. Many books in my collection excel in various realms. Some may have a barn burning plot while being sketchy on environments, characterizations and others while others do well elsewhere. It is rare to read a story where all of the elements are accounted for to perfection. A number of the Holmes books do this while only a very few will add in the elements of surprise and other quirky touches that set them apart. The story, although far too short for my desires does everything to perfection and then near the end,totally unexpectedly, slips in another element that firmly puts the book into the top echelon. No, no hints. Buy the book. It's cheap and I'll wager it goes to the head of other readers' classes promptly also.

Would Take Sherlock to see thru the verisimilitude to ACD's work and every bit as enjoyable

A couple comes to Holmes asking for assistance against a blackmailer, but the master detective uncovers a more sinister crime. Very much in the style of a Conan Doyle novella, with more emphasis on certain characters than one sees in the original. Fans of the series will find much to like.

I found The Iron Dog very entertaining. It was very much in the Conan Doyle style. I especially liked Holmes' deductions in this story. It reminded me of the original stories by Doyle.I am looking forward to reading the other Sherlock Holmes stories by Steven Ehrman

Nice mystery. Not very long but very interesting. Very like ACD in style.There are some missing quote marks, and some places where I felt commas were missing or misplaced. But otherwise a good, short read.