The Wilhelm Conspiracy: A Sherlock Holmes and Lucy James Mystery
On the eve of World War I, the British Secretary of War delivers catastrophic news to uber-detective Sherlock Holmes: a new British super weapon has fallen into the wrong hands. Holmes and his sidekick, Watson, along with Holmes’s newly discovered grown daughter, Lucy, must find the weapon, expose a sinister plot that threatens the nation, and solve several associated murders. Real-life notables Nikola Tesla, King Edward VII, and Kaiser Wilhelm II make credible appearances as the danger increases.
In this second book of the series, Veley further develops the relationship between father and daughter. Lucy, a stage actress, has inherited Sherlock’s powers of deduction and observation. As she helps him solve the mystery of the Wilhelm Conspiracy, she sharpens her sleuthing skills and wins his grudging admiration.
Veley’s book is a fun, fast read. Holmes fans, who like to see their superhero in any shape or form, including the role of paterfamilias, will love the book. Die-hard fans, who believe modern incarnations of Sherlock Holmes should follow the well-established literary devices established by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle which includes a Sherlock who most definitely does not have a child, may consider the book a sacrilege. On the other hand, Veley’s addition of an adult strong-willed woman with her father’s intellect adds a new twist to Sherlock Holmes that many readers will enjoy.
