A glowing review of Harry DeMaio's Sherlock Holmes and the Glamorous Ghost Book Three by Raju Chacko
The legend of Sherlock Holmes lives on. Ever since A C Doyle created him in 1887, he continues to entertain, inspire, and challenge thinkers to unravel crime and mystery after his unique style in different lands, times, and contexts all over the world. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and the Glamorous Ghost Book Three by Harry DeMaio is one more book that underscores this fact!
Just as computers have permeated into every sphere of life so has Sherlock Holmes (SH). In this book, the author enlarges the boundaries of the SH world by connecting ethereal citizens (in heaven) and mortals on earth. SH and Watson are still on earth. Dissatisfied souls that departed this life without justice seek their assistance to have the ends of justice met, and, of course, with necessary permission granted by heaven to visit earth briefly and return.
In my opinion, the addition of a dimension that connects heaven and earth to the worlds of SH is a brilliant stroke of genius by the author. Consider cases of unnatural death that don’t get solved because crucial evidence is lacking. Only the departed victim knows, but none on earth. Now consider what if the departed soul can reappear in human form and reveal the missing info? Although earlier SH stories like A Study in Scarlet and The Hound of the Baskervilles have content related to spirits and the celestial world, this author goes well beyond them all. He creates a relatable, friendly, ethereal channel connecting heaven and people on earth. Using it, good former human beings meet/message the great detective, assisting him in supernatural ways that enable him to solve some of the weirdest cases he’d otherwise have been unable to.
I think I sensed a Wodehousian touch in the book. Its stories revolve around heaven, angels, the British monarchy & Gov, palaces, churches, and fine living, and it's narrated with elegant humor, some rarely used words, etc., just like in Wodehouse’s stories. However, the scientific, ascetic atmosphere in Doyle’s works isn’t lost. It is a beautiful fusion of the two and the outcome is a delectable, thoroughly enjoyable book that transports you into a dazzling new realm — one in which you’ve never seen Holmes before!
This book has only a few errors. The style and format are just correct. Consequently, readability is excellent. Although SH fans are the right audience, I believe it's worth reading by almost anyone. To conclude, I’d say (particularly to SH fans), this book certainly won’t disappoint you; on the contrary, it will entertain, inspire, and challenge you even more than all the other Sherlock Holmes books you’ve read so far. Don't miss reading it!