Eddie recently read Dust and Shadow — An Account of the Ripper Killings, a Sherlock Holmes novel by Lyndsay Faye. He was cool about me stealing reposting his review here to share with you! Please be sure to comment on the original review and let him know what you think!

“From the gritty streets of nineteenth century London, the loyal and courageous Dr. Watson offers a tale unearthed after generations of lore: the harrowing story of Sherlock Holmes’s attempt to hunt down Jack the Ripper.”

Just finished my book, Dust and Shadow – An Account of the Ripper Killings by Dr. John H. Watson. Let me say, it was well worth the wait. I saw this book in the middle of last year on the internet. Every time I went into a book store I was looking for it. No one, seemed to have it in stock. Finally I found it. It was in hardcover, but the paperback was coming out in December. So I put it on my Christmas wishlist in hopes that someone would pick it up for me. Christmas came and went. No book. However a co-worker gave me gift cards to Borders Books. So once things got a little quiet around here, I sat down and ordered it.

It arrived at the store about a week later. Finally, I had it! After I picked it up, I only had 15 minutes left on my lunch break, so I quickly read the first chapter. Ok, I have to be honest here. I saw Dr John H. Watson, and I didn’t even think that this would be a Sherlock Holmes mystery. I had never read one of Arthur Conan Doyle’s Holmes’ mysteries. Let me tell you, I’m on the hunt for more. I realise that Lyndsay Faye is not Doyle, but if she can bring half the magic of Holmes to live, I think I’ll like the original just as much.

The book, is set in London in 1888. We meet our two main characters at the end of one of their mysteries, just as Holmes is about to solve it.

I really don’t want to give too much away, and its been a very long day at work. Hell, I’ve never been good at giving detailed reviews, so I’m just going to say that its a great book. Ms. Faye really breathes life in to all the characters, and her level of research is top notch in both the Ripper killings and Sherlock Holmes. If you are a mystery buff, love Victorian London, interested in the Ripper killings, then this book is for you.

My only regret with this book is that it is her first, I was ready to go out and get another, but I can’t. I think I would love it, if she did a whole series with Watson and Holmes.