...the perfect combination of narrative momentum and nerdish wonkery, has always animated Meyer’s Holmes pastiche fiction, and it’s on full display in the latest example ... Meyer knows exactly how to do this kind of pastiche, right down to the book’s chirpy footnotes ... The Adventure of the Peculiar Protocols is superb Holmes pastiche fiction, even though the core subject matter in this case can’t help but end up being maddening. Trust this author to let that happen rather than step in to soften it artificially.
The Adventure of the Peculiar Protocols is Nicholas Meyer’s third Sherlock Holmes novel and in this highly entertaining murder mystery we are whimsically transported back in time ... Meyer’s expertise with Sherlock Holmes’ exploits are undeniably evident in this newest adaption. He effortlessly combines his screenwriting and storytelling skills into a fresh take on an old-fashioned murder mystery. While the exchanges between Holmes and Watson feel natural, Holmes’ side narrative of sibling rivalry with his older brother is undeniably entertaining ... invigoratingly engaging from start to finish, Nicholas Meyer has yet again created a fresh take on an old genre. The Adventure of the Peculiar Protocols is a sure bestseller in which 21st century readers are gloriously transported back to the adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson.
Set in 1905, Meyer’s memorable fourth Sherlock Holmes novel...convincingly mimics Conan Doyle’s writing style and characterizations ... Meyer cleverly plays with his audience’s expectations, noting at the outset that the case was one of Holmes’s rare failures. Sherlockians will hope for a shorter wait for his next pastiche
Prolific screenwriter, showrunner, and sometime Sherlock-ian Meyer...returns to update the Sacred Canon once more with a previously undiscovered adventure from 1905 that might just as well have stayed hidden ... So many historical figures, from translator Constance Garnett to future Israeli president Chaim Weizmann, put in appearances that only the canniest readers will spot the few characters who are actually invented rather than summoned. The mystery is slight and the frequently coy footnotes annoying, but there’s sturdy adventure for Sherlock-ians whose appetites remain unsated.
