The Case of the Disappearing Beaune (A Sherlock Holmes Christmas Novella) by J. Lawrence Matthews | Book Review
A book blog tour from Books Forward.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and Books Forward for providing me with the information for this tour.
Book Details
The Case of the Disappearing Beaune by J. Lawrence Matthews
Published by East Dean Press on 09/03/2022
Genres: Novellas, Detective/Sleuth, Historical Fiction, Holiday Fiction, Literary Fiction
Format: Audiobook, eBook, Paperback
Pages: 47
Source: Books Forward, Kindle UnlimitedChristmas morning, 1901: Sherlock Holmes discovers that the wine in a bottle of French Beaune (intended as a gift for Dr. Watson) has been switched with sand, and he suspects it means threat to the newly crowned King of England. Or does it? With Dr. Watson's help, he soon finds out...
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Excerpt from The Case of the Disappearing Beaune
Beaune [bōn] noun: a red Burgundy wine from the Côte de Beaune region of France.
It was a cold, bright Christmas morning in the later years of my association with Mr. Sherlock holmes when I called upon my old companion in his rooms at Baker Street to present him with the gift of a bottle of Scotch whiskey and to invite him to join my wife and me at our home for a traditional Christmas dinner.
I had prepared my words of invitation carefully and with some trepidation, for I knew Holmes welcomed the solitude afforded by the holiday season. Criminal activity was always subdued at that time of year and his landlady, Mrs. Hudson, often took the occasion to visit her family in the North of England. This left Holmes free to spend Christmas Day alone with his chemical retorts and test tubes, working out some abstruse analysis whilst a fire in the grate warmed his rooms. When darkness fell, he would abandon his experiments, change into his evening clothes, and make his way to the Diogenes Club for a quiet Christmas supper with his brother, Mycroft Holmes.
I should hasten to point out that my friend’s somewhat bohemian yuletide routine did not mean the significance of the occasion was lost upon him. Rather, he viewed society’s embellishments upon its observance as an unnecessary artifice.
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Purchase Links for The Case of the Disappearing Beaune
Amazon – One Link for all Countries Bookshop/IndieBound
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My thoughts on The Case of the Disappearing Beaune
The Case of the Disappearing Beaune by J. Lawrence Matthews is one of the best new Sherlock Holmes novels I’ve read. Mr. Matthews has channeled Doyle’s Holmes in a remarkable way.
The plot is intricately executed to perfection right up to the jaw-dropping twist at the end of the book.
I loved the mystery, the Christmas spirit, and the light-hearted feel to this novella.
Fans of Sherlock Holmes, both the originals and the newer renditions, will enjoy this book.
I read the book through the Amazon Kindle Unlimited program. This review is my honest, unbiased opinion.
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About J. Lawrence Matthews
J. Lawrence Matthews has contributed fiction to the New York Times and NPR and is the author of three non-fiction books as Jeff Matthews.
“One Must Tell the Bees” is his first novel. Written at a time when American history is being scrutinized and recast in the light of 21st Century mores, this fast-paced account of Sherlock Holmes’s visit to America during the final year of the Civil War illuminates the profound impact of Abraham Lincoln and his Emancipation Proclamation on slavery, the war and America itself.
Matthews is now researching the sequel, which takes place a bit further afield—in Florence, Mecca and Tibet—but readers may contact him at jlawrencematthews@gmail.com.
Those interested in the history behind “One Must Tell the Bees” will find it at jlawrencematthews.com
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Purchase this book online from a local bookstore.
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There are so many people writing stories about Holmes or his family, it is nice to hear this one is so similar to the original Holmes stories. Nice review, Gina.