The Great Game
This series is Holmesian by association, featuring Professor James Moriarty, Holmes’ greatest foe. As the protagonist, Moriarty is more of an “eminence de grise,” and Kurland wisely focuses on the adventures of two of his more morally-upright former associates, Benjamin and Cecily Barnett.
The Barnetts are traveling around Europe for Cecily’s health when they begin to realize that they are the focus of unwelcome — and incomprehensible — attention connected to their past association with Moriarty. The Graf von Linsz, who heads up a conspiracy to unify Germany and overthrow the Austro-Hungarian Empire, kidnaps the Barnetts. But Moriarty is already on the scene, engaged by the Duke of Albermar to help England – strictly sub-rosa – with another matter entirely. The threads of the various intrigues come together in a colorful and ingenious assault by Holmes and Moriarty together upon Schloss Uhm.
A rousing good bedside read, gloriously full of bad puns and in-jokes for fans of Simon Templar, Peter Wimsey, Sherlock Holmes, Modesty Blaise, and the like. A little shaky on overall period feel, but still a lot of fun. Holmes purists may be irritated by the treatment of their hero, however.
