I don't believe there has ever been a better time to be a Sherlock Holmes fan. With a superb BBC modern day adaptation, a great fun (if ridiculous) Hollywood blockbuster, and to top it all off a brand spanking new Holmes novel, The House of Silk, written by one of the worlds most prolific fictional murderers, it is a brand that is getting a large amount of positive attention today.

One complaint many purists have with the aforementioned screen adaptations is that they are by no means true to the original stories, and therefore are to be ignored and scorned at all costs. This, however, is not the case with The House of Silk by Anthony Horowitz, oh no, this one is official, and therefore canonical. But can it live up to the hype and pressure of over a 100 years of fandom?

A case is brought to the attention of Holmes and his trusty friend and biographer Dr John Watson that at first glance seems simple and straight cut, The Case of Flat Capped Man. This seemingly innocuous case soon drags them into the darkest, most sinister case of their career, The House of Silk.

And it really is dark, it really is sinister. There are brutal deaths and violent incidents throughout the novel, some of which would have shocked and appalled Conan-Doyle's audience 100 years ago, and a nasty surprise at the climax that is close to the edge even today.

This is classic Sherlock Holmes, but with a subtle modernisation that only helps boost the books appeal. The writing is more fluid than Conan-Doyle's, and even John Watson is a little sharper and more knowing, which is entirely suitable since he is writing from his death-bed, and has had many years to mull over the events of his life.

House of Silk is must read for any Holmes fan, and a fantastic place to start for the Sherlock-virgins out there.

JA

Order your copy of The House of from Amazon UK