Title: The House of Silk
Author: Horowitz, Anthony
Published by: Orion
Year: 2012
First published: Orion, 2011
Date reviewed: 1.13
ISBN: 978-1-4091-3598-2

"It’s the new Sherlock Holmes book."
"Really?"
"Yes, really! Well, not by Conan Doyle obviously but written by Dr Watson. Or rather, Anthony Horowitz pretending to be Dr Watson."
"So is it any good, or some kind of joke thing?"
"Well …."

It’s a genuine — and succesful — attempt to create a new full-length Sherlock Holmes novel in the style and spirit of the originals. Horowitz is a life-long Holmes fan and his new book has the blessing of the Conan Doyle estate and the exacting Sherlock Holmes Society. Watson is now old and retired but wants to give the public this one last tale of Holmes’ exploits which he couldn’t publish earlier because of the nature of the crimes and the involvement of people from the Top Echelons Of Society. If one or two little bits of knowing humour creep in to Watson’s account we can surely forgive him, for it is a far from lighthearted tale.

If you’re a Holmes fan you won’t be disappointed. Recommended.