I seldom have time to read a book more than once,
but this was such a satisfying mystery, I had to read it twice—the first time
for the story, the second time for the sheer pleasure of the writing. The
detective of the title is Sherlock Holmes. The woman is Irene Adler, who
outsmarted him in A Scandal in Bohemia (lingering
in Sherlock’s mind ever after, according to Dr. Watson, as “the woman”.)
Story setup: Sherlock’s brother,
Mycroft, sends him to Florida after coming across an enigmatic message signed Barnett to someone in Florida named
Sanchez. The message refers to Miss
A, newly widowed and sailing for Florida. The tone of the message suggests her
life may be in danger. The Holmes brothers have figured out “Miss A” is Irene
Adler.
When the book
opens, Irene has arrived in Florida and is on tour, re-starting her singing
career after her husband’s heart attack freed her from an abusive marriage.
Sherlock attends a performance and visits her backstage. He shows her the
cryptic note, convincing her to team up with him so they can track down Barnett
and Sanchez and foil their plan. Disguised as Bernard James, a British
investor, and his American wife, Lavinia, they take a train to Fort Myers. (Sherlock
has learned Alberto Sanchez from Central America has a profitable citrus grove outside of the town.)
These are not
the only false identities they will assume. And, as the plot thickens, it turns
out quite a few characters are not who they seem. Meanwhile, Thomas has done
her research and creates a convincing Fort Myers of the late 1890’s, from
hotels and rooming houses, to migrant workers in citrus groves to mansions of
the few wealthy residents. (Thomas Edison and his wife are their host more than
once, and a reader is treated to a description of what it was like to view in
his lab a Kinetoscope, an early device to show moving pictures.)
The story
unfolds through alternating viewpoints that work very well—first person for
Irene Adler, a stage performer who sings with emotion and passion; distant
third person for Sherlock Holmes, always emotionally somewhat removed, while
his intellect tries to unravel the plot against her. The plot has lots of turns
and twists to keep a reader immersed—and surprised—with a believable
resolution.
The
relationship between Irene and Sherlock, suspicious on both sides at the
beginning, develops into one of mutual admiration and respect. They find they
work well together, which is good news for the reader: More adventures are to come: The Detective and the Woman, A Novel of Sherlock
Holmes, is the first of a series.
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