The Wayward Prince (The Daughter of Sherlock Holmes Mysteries, 7)
In May 1918, the daughter of Sherlock Holmes, Joanna Watson; her husband, John Watson, Jr.; and her father-in-law, John Watson, Sr., are summoned to Downing Street by the commissioner of Scotland Yard. Prince Harry, third in line to the throne, vanished into thin air when he stopped for a call of nature during his usual Hyde Park morning ride.
From a few innocuous clues, Joanna is able to discern plenty of information. The prince met someone in a clearing, but was this a planned tryst, or the site of an abduction? Armed with the wisdom of the Watsons and the savvy of the Baker Street Irregulars, can Joanna save a prince, whilst wading through opium dens, seedy pubs, backstreet abortions, and royal affairs? To say more invites spoilers.
Finding the rhythm amidst the archaic manner of speech took me a short while, but it suits the timeframe well, and I enjoyed Joanna’s brusque manner, her expressions so like her father, and her unwavering confidence in her genius. I have never read Conan Doyle, so I may have missed some connections or nods to the famous detective, but Goldberg’s series has a distinct tone to it. His characters are fictitious, placed in historic locations. John Watson, Jr., director of pathology at St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, narrates the story, as he is responsible for chronicling The Daughter of Sherlock Holmes cases, much in the same way as John Watson, Sr., documented for his good friend Sherlock.
Once I hit my stride, I galloped along with the story despite a necessary suspension of disbelief in a few spots. This is a classic good-vs.-evil race to the finish line for Joanna and is a standalone in a solid series.
