I apprecitate the publisher allowing me to read this book. I found this a really interesting mystery and the characters are quite engaging. it kept me guessing until the end. I highly recommend.

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook. A good mystery/drama/suspense novel. Highly recommend.

another great early case of Sherlock Holmes, it had what i was looking for in a sherlock holmes novel and this had a great story.

7.5/10 stars

My full review on my blog (link attached).

I confess I have a soft spot for almost everything Sherlockian. Or Holmesian? 😉 Obviously, Doyle’s original work is in my book incomparable to anything written later on that topic in tribute/pastiche/inspiration/parody/retelling (oh, retelling, gah!) etc. – but I still quite enjoy a new spin on the unique character of Sherlock Holmes and his unsurpassed powers of deduction. And there’s a LOT to pick from, believe me. Some of them are even endorsed by Doyle’s estate, some become a matter for loud lawsuits, and there are even Sherlockian scholars sacrificing most of the waking hours of their life to Doyle’s creation. I don’t pretend to be a Sherlockian pro, far from it. But I’ve read my share of Sherlock Holmes pastiches.

[...]

In The Adventure of the Deceased Scholar we find Sherlock Holmes, 14, in London with his family for the Easter break. A murder disguised as suicide threatens not only the livelihood and good name of the victim’s family, but also of Mycroft Holmes, blackmailed by the desperate sister of the late lord Surminster. Together with Sherlock, Mycroft, and their formidable mother we traipse through Victorian London: from British Museum to seedy brothels, from opera to the docks, from opulent estates to morgues, we’ll see it all. We’ll even visit Baker street, witness Holmes’s first encounter with laudanum, and learn more about the origins of his love for theater and music, as well as his long-lasting cooperation with street urchins.

And certainly, Sherwood-Fabre’s attention to historical detail is commendable; her London, while still retaining some of the faded glamour of old postcards, is believable and lively enough. Servants crowd bachelor’s entrances and streets, jostling with street urchins and bobbies and carriages of the wealthy, and students use their freedoms with abandon. The strict social conventions and hierarchy of the times are also portrayed with creditable fidelity: all those handkerchiefs, written missives, invitations for tea and dinner seem to leave so little time for any sensible activity, it’s no wonder that older Sherlock was inclined to dispense with social norms.

But what I liked the most about The Adventure of the Deceased Scholar was actually the character of Mrs. Holmes. While I’m ill-disposed to ideas of inventing additional members of the Holmes family, such as a younger sister, I’m quite happy to see a believable female character around: and what makes more sense than depicting Holmes’s mother as a resourceful, compassionate, very intelligent, learned and quite independent woman with well-honed observation skills? I really enjoyed the family dynamics depicted by Sherwood-Fabre here: they are both in keeping with the social conventions of the times, when the position of the head of the family required the father to be somewhat distant and stern, and appropriately feminist for modern sensibilites, with the mother taking the mantle of a more accesible role-model for her kids.

Holmes himself might be a bit more sensitive and less OCD then what we’re used to, but hey – he’s still quite recognizable as an early version of the famous detective; he certainly has the latter’s unwavering focus on the goal and his fascination with mysteries. It’s interesting to see the character’s growth here; still making mistakes and learning from them, gently guided by mother and scoffed at by brother, Sherlock Holmes is visibly a teenager in his formative years.

All in all, I enjoyed this little foray in Victorian London, and Sherlock Holmes again proved to be an excellent company. Even though the plot is on the predictable side, the fact that I solved the mystery early on didn’t diminish my reading pleasure. So, if you want to check out some early cases of young Sherlock Holmes, Sherwood-Fabre’s offering is a good place to start. I for one enjoyed it more than the more thriller-like Andrew Lane’s version for young adults.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher and the author through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thanks.

The Adventure of the Deceased Scholar is the third book in the early case files series by Liese Sherwood-Fabre. Released 11th May 2021 by Little Elm Press, it's 312 pages and is available in paperback and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

There are many pitfalls authors encounter when writing posthumous series continuations. The characters are very well established, and very well loved, especially by die-hard fans of the canonical works. This author handles the young Holmes brothers and family respectfully and does a stellar job painting the Victorian period atmosphere and settings with detail and precision.

This installment follows young Mycroft & Sherlock unraveling the death of one of Mycroft's fellow classmates. I enjoyed this one. It's tightly plotted, engaging, and very well written in the style of its originator. The character backstories are provided by the author and it wasn't obviously a series book. I had no trouble following along and the denouement and resolution were complete and satisfying. It was good enough that I fully intend to chase down the earlier books in the series.

Four and a half stars. Entertaining and well crafted. It would make a superlative choice for library acquisition and for fans of classic Conan Doyle. Much better than the usual Holmes pastiches & homage offerings.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

In my reviews of the previous two books, I have established my comfort in reading this version of Sherlock as a child because it feels faithful to the original.
Despite his trepidations, he had to return to school, and this story plays out in a breaktime when his mother comes down to London and stays at a house there. This is slightly different from before because the family is not directly connected to the case but is literally dragged in to solve it. The characters are more fleshed out, and we see the behaviour of all members of the Holmes family in different scenarios. There is a lot more action and nail-biting moments before the final scenes leave us with an idea of where we will go next. I will not talk of the mystery itself because it begins innocuously enough but starts to get convoluted from the minute the Holmes family get involved. This means that it is best if I do not unknowingly give away anything to a prospective reader.
The focus here is not only on the plot at the centre of it all - the mysteries but also the social behaviours of the time. We see how Sherlock figures out his role and that of his family in the larger London picture compared to a small town where his family holds more sway. Once again, a quick read which is always a pleasure because you do not have to wait long for the story to wind its course.
I recommend this series to anyone on the lookout for retellings (of a sort) of older classics. Simple mystery lovers would probably enjoy it as well!
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

The Adventure of the Deceased Scholar by Liese Sherwood-Fabre is a young Sherlock mystery finding Sherlock at age 14 and firmly under his mother's tutelage. He mother is the person from who he learned to observe, use logic, and never act too quickly. In this story a classmate of Mycroft has been pulled from the Thames. Coincidentally, just moments before his sister and his mother had approached to Holmes' to inquire if they had seen him. Because of this the three, Mother, Sherlock, and Mycroft felt compelled to visit them and hopefully impart the news to them before the police got there. Sadly, that was not to be the case, but since they were there, they volunteered to accompany the butler to identify the body. The body was not that of Mycroft's classmate, Lord Surmise, although it was dressed in his clothing. By coincidence there were members of a coroner's jury examining another body, which did turn out to be that of Lord Surminster. What an odd coincidence. Lady Holmes pointed out several oddities to the coroner, who did not seem at all interested. Then they left, knowing they would have to investigate further. That message was imparted to them strongly when Surminster's sister arrived and threatened damage to Mycroft's name if they did no assist. Then, Sherlock and Mycroft's father arrived, and determined that it was none of their business and they should desist.

As you can imagine, they did not desist. They plunged right in. Mrs. Holmes had a way of managing people that quite confounded Sherlock, but it certainly made life easier, especially when the person she was managing was her husband. Sherlock as a boy was not nearly as forceful as he will be as an adult, but he does lack control over his mouth and is not at all tactful. He is willing to jump into any situation and follow any lead, although when his mother is present, he is able to read her signals and behave accordingly. He has not yet formed an opinion of the police, although he leaning away from respecting them while recognizing the power they have. Mycroft is as brilliant as ever but already starting down the path of eating too much and exercising too little. It is entertaining to watch their interactions, knowing what I do of their futures. It is a mesmerizing read. One I can't recommend enough.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of The Adventure of a Deceased Scholar by Net galley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #netgalley #theadventureofthedeceasedscholar

1868 The Holmes family are in town to watch the Oxford-Cambridge boat race when a body is pulled from the water. When Mycroft Holmes is able to identifiy the victim the family are now unfortunately involved in solving the murder of Lord Surminster, who was a university colleague of Mycroft. So Mrs Holmes investigates with the help of her sons much to the annoyance of her husband
A well-plotted and entertaining historical mystery with its cast of interesting and likeable characters which are developing over the series. This well-written story can easily be read as a standalone story.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Having enjoyed the two previous books in this series about a young Sherlock Holmes, I wouldn't have wanted to miss this one.


The Oxford-Cambridge annual boat race turn into a tragedy as a young man is found drowned.
The Holmes family is drawn into the investigation because he is one of Mycroft's fellow students and because Mrs. Holmes is present. Even if Mycroft and Sherlock could avoid a mystery, Mrs. Holmes certainly can't.

Mycroft is reluctantly involved because his reputation is threatened. If the young man who drowned is designated a suicide, the Crown can take his estate and leave his family destitute. His sister decides to blackmail Mycroft into helping prove that the death was not a suicide.

The threat of blackmail certainly gets the family's attention and even Mycroft, the reluctant investigator, knows what is at stake and does his best.

NetGalley/Little Elm Press

Historical mystery. May 15, 2021. Print length: 314 pages.

I enjoy this series. I like reading about Sherlock's formative years and the mysteries are always engaging. Although even these books have not made me fond of Mycroft. This time The family is in London and have to work to harder keep the father from knowing what is going on. At least the Police are not actively trying to make the family the guilty party!

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Holmes family has come to London for the Easter holiday. During the oxford-Cambridge boat race, a drowning victim is found and Mycroft identifies it as one of his classmates. Though the initial suspicion is the young man took his own life, Mrs. Holmes quickly deduces that the man had been murdered. The victim's sister threatens to drag Mycroft's name through the mud unless the Holmes' prove the murder happened. Time is short and much is on the line.

This book definitely builds on the previous books and makes the matter more of a family affair than they faced before. Still, I think this could easily be read without the first two with enough clues to the previous mysteries being left to remind the reader.

It was a bit sad to see that Mr. and Mrs. holmes have not found a balance in their marriage, with neither willing to compromise when it comes to their viewpoints. One would think after their years of marriage, they would be more in tune with each other. Mr. holmes is more traditional, and she is a freethinker. This causes conflict and an obstacle to solving the murder.

Mycroft is also ruder than ever. I'm not sure if this is to convey that he is still a teenager, but he speaks to his mother in a way that is unacceptable.

The case itself was a delight. The clues are laid out in a way when one path seems likely, only for the truth to be in another direction. The culprit is truly a despicable one. Overall, it is a good mystery and an interesting take on how Sherlock Holmes learned his investigative skills as a youth.

I would recommend this to readers looking for a young Sherlock Holmes.

Definitely not fan fiction, this book draws on much loved characters but makes the story its own. Holmes fans will be drawn to it for the characters but really anyone who likes a period mystery will enjoy this well written, cleverly planned story.

This book is about a young Sherlock Holmes and his family.
It was a little different from what I was expecting. It gives some incite to his younger life. I was surprised it was his mother who appeared the strong resourceful one.
It was a good mystery and I enjoyed the story.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the early copy

Ever wonder what a teenage Sherlock Holmes might have been like? Get this book.
Liese Sherwood-Fabre does a wonderful job in describing the family. Father who is very much set on what is proper and what is not, depending on your standing in society. Mother a bit unconventional in multiple ways. She adores her sons and manages to get the three of them in and out of trouble. Mycroft the older brother a bit set in his own ways. He gets annoyed with his mother when she is trying to arrange his social agenda with future marriage possibilities. Like a lot of older brothers he gets sometimes frustrated with the 14 year old Sherlock. Last we have Sherlock who really thinks the world of his family. He is a bit afraid of getting his father angry with him. Not physically but what might result as a punishment. He hates to disappoint his mother and tries hard to please her and meet her expectations of him. Sherlock feelings towards his brother are a bit mixed. Sherlock admires Mycroft and tries to get his approval of his actions but also get frustrated and confused by some of his brothers attitudes. All together we see a loving family with minor problems where every person is rather a unique individual.

This book is a mystery set in 1868 in England. It's the third book in a series, but it works as a standalone novel as well. The main character is a teenaged Sherlock Holmes, and the story shows how he learned to be a detective (mainly from his logical, medically-trained mother). I felt like the author did a good job of capturing the personalities of Sherlock and Mycroft as they developed toward the adult characters.

The author has deeply researched this time period. Historical details were woven into the story, bringing the setting and manners alive in my imagination without slowing the pacing. The characters were logical, asked good questions, and followed up on clues. I actually liked that Sherlock got a little sidetracked about the motive behind the events. While whodunit didn't come as a surprise and was guessable from the clues, the big reveal happened when the bad guys captured the Holmes brothers. This case was certainly a learning experience for them. I liked that the official detective on the case was also clever. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable historical mystery.

Sherlock Holmes is one of my favorite literary characters and I often find that I enjoy the newer takes on Holmes even more than Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's original tales. The Adventure of the Deceased Scholar falls in to that category. Having a teenage Holmes as the protagonist who assists his mother and elder brother Mycroft in their investigations is a fascinating spin on the great detective. Proving that the suicide of one of Mycroft's fellow students is actually murder tests Mrs. Holmes and her sons as Squire Holmes is not happy with their involvement in the case. anymore than Scotland Yard is. I will definitely be reading the previous books in the series as well as looking forward to Holmes' next adventure - possibly in Paris? Thank you to #NetGalley for the opportunity to read and advance copy of #TheAdventuresoftheDeceasedScholar.

My goodness, what a joy to read this book! You know that excitement you feel upon discovering an author you click with? Well, that happened with me with this book. As a Sherlock Holmes fan I am thrilled to read about Sherlock and Mycroft as young men. The author is incredibly knowledgeable and an expert on the topic so envisioning them in this light is not a stretch.

Set at a boat race in 1868 London, the Holmes' sons and their mother (I love her!) are out enjoying the race. But what happens next takes their minds off the race as a dead man is discovered drowned. The morgue scene is marvelously done! Lord Surminster is slightly known to Mycroft and he and his mother and brother become involved. If the death is ruled a suicide his family will lose everything. Not only that but great shame comes with suicide in Victorian England when reputation and appearances are everything. And they only have a week to wade through deep waters to find the truth. That is not the only crime in this book, either. There is plenty of mayhem as well as wit. Lots of secrets. Mrs. Holmes' mind works cleverly and her method of meting out discipline is wonderful. Such fun being privy to the daily lives of the brilliant family, their staff and their characters.

Historical Fiction readers, do add this to your list! It is sharp, witty, charming, smart and delightful. The historical details really make it pop.

My sincere thank you to Little Elm Press LLC and NetGalley for the privilege of reading an eARC this fabulous book!