When a maharajah decides to give England and Queen Victoria the famous Malabar Rose, a ruby of great price, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson are requested to guarantee its safety. They, along with Inspector Lestrade and one of Britain's most trusted military minds, come up with a plan that should guarantee the jewel's safety. But they have miscalculated the talents and determination of the Great Salmanazar--a famous magician who makes more than rabbits appear and disappear. It's up to Mrs. Hudson to give the great detective a lesson in housekeeping details which hold the secret to the jewel's disappearance.
Mrs. Hudson & the Malabar Rose by Martin Davies is the second in this fun, light-hearted series. As long as you aren't a dyed-in-the wool Sherlockian who takes her canon seriously, you should enjoy this. Otherwise, it might give true Sherlockians fits to find the Master bested by his housekeeper. This is a nice, cozy little mystery...just right for a winter's evening. The writing is pure and clean and the story whizzes on by. It is a delight to watch Mrs. Hudson and her side-kick Flotsam (Flottie) as they track down clues such as the purple socks, the mechanical toys, and the disappearance of the man who went back inside for his umbrella (sound familiar, Sherlockians?). I recommend this solid mystery to anyone who can take a lighter side of Holmes or who is looking for a quick, fun read in the Victorian era. A solid three star outing.
Sweet! I'm so going to add this to my list (and the first one of course). I know you don't like the modern screen adaptations, but you really should look at a scene with the new Mrs. Hudson. She's hilariously awesome!
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