Moriarty the patriot is a very unique manga but it is very good. It is a little dark with the characters killing other but the story is very good.

The historical costume snob in me loves the gag about updating Irene Adler's undergarments for modern viewers' delectation. The Holmes fan in me enjoys that Irene Adler's code name is "The Woman," which is how Sherlock Holmes refers to her in the single story in which she appears in the canonical tales. And yes, the Golden Age crime buff in me is quite fond of the train mystery because train mysteries were their own subgenre of mystery during that time period - which, technically speaking, only barely touches on Holmes' original run. All of those things bump this up to four stars, even though in terms of the actual content of the book this is more like three. That's in part because we don't quite get enough Moriarty, although it is nice to see Albert get a bit more of a role, and Louis' bristling protection of William is a lot of fun. But it's also because most of the book is set up for volume six, and while it is interesting in its own right, it does drag a bit as Sherlock utterly fails to figure out Irene's game. It's by no means a bad volume; it just isn't quite as good as what comes before - or, if you already know the story from the anime, what comes after.

A fun volume with both the Moriarty / Holmes competition and the introduction of Irene Adler. I think they handled Adler well but on the whole, while it was diverting, it seems like something of a transitory volume. Also, presenting the Queen as an enlightened monarch sort of undercuts the entire premise of the series.

I love this series and am already excited about the next instalment. As much as I enjoyed the first part of the book in which Moriarty and Sherlock team up aka battle their wits to solve a murder it was the introduction of Irene that was my favourite part of this instalment. She shows Sherlock up, because he is so confident and underestimates her. I’m intrigued to see how this progresses and the relationship she will have to Moriarty.

Picking up where we left off in the last volume -Moriarty and Holmes run into each other on a train, a body is discovered, and a blood-covered Watson is in police custody as the prime suspect- the two decide on a wager to see who can capture the murderer first before reaching the next stop, giving them about 48 minutes in which to find the culprit. We all know they'll find the killer, but it's fun to see how they do it. Watson is cleared, Homes makes something very like an apology, and all is well between them again. With that wrapped up, we learn of a very important secret document that's been stolen from Buckingham Palace, that could bring ruin to the United Kingdom. The Queen summons Mycroft Holmes, and tells him he and MI6 have permission to use any means necessary to get it back. The main suspect is a former prima donna turned high-class courtesan, and Mycroft tasks Em and MI6 with retrieving the document and eliminating her. Soon after that, Sherlock gets a visit from the king of Bohemia concerning the same woman...
This is a very heavy Sherlock volume, and while I missed William, who only appears briefly, Sherlock's story is a lot of fun. I'm looking forward to seeing how it plays out!

#MoriartythePatriotVol5 #NetGalley

As always this series continues to impress from not only a visual standpoint but the story! Personally I have grown to prefer the manga over the anime.

There are two mysteries presented in Moriarty the Patriot Vol 5. First, there is the conclusion of a locked room mystery set on a train. There is also a complete three-part mystery where the queen asks Sherlock to search for a damaging document. If it is released to the public, the British monarchy itself may fall.

The series introduces two famous characters in this volume: Irene Adler and Mycroft Holmes. Irene is the suspected thief of the document. Mycroft is the allegedly smarter Holmes’ sibling.

Overall, Moriarty the Patriot Vol 5 is a great addition to the series. It’s perfect for Sherlock fans who also like manga. 4 stars!

Thanks to VIZ Media and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

We continue to meet classic Holmes characters the more we go into this story, and the way that Moriarty is being woven into what we know about Holmes also makes it incredibly compelling to read. I still really enjoy my time when I step into a volume for this series. The rivalry between Moriarty and Holmes continues to grow and is amazing.

Moriarty and Sherlock compete to see who can solve the train car murder first. Moriarty must recover a highly classified document for the Queen. Meanwhile, a "King" approaches Sherlock to retrieve a sensitive picture stolen by the same person that stole the Queen's document. The suspected thief tricks Sherlock in order to stay close to him and protect the document they stole.