Mycroft Holmes: 1 - Rilegato

Abdul-Jabbar, Kareem; Waterhouse, Anna

Rilegato

ISBN 10: 1783291532 ISBN 13: 9781783291533

Casa editrice: Titan Books, 2015

Riassunto

A new novel written by NBA All-Star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar!

Fresh out of Cambridge University, the young Mycroft Holmes is already making a name for himself in government, working for the Secretary of State for War. Yet this most British of civil servants has strong ties to the faraway island of Trinidad, the birthplace of his best friend, Cyrus Douglas, a man of African descent, and where his fiancée Georgiana Sutton was raised.

Mycroft’s comfortable existence is overturned when Douglas receives troubling reports from home. There are rumors of mysterious disappearances, strange footprints in the sand, and spirits enticing children to their deaths, their bodies found drained of blood. Upon hearing the news, Georgiana abruptly departs for Trinidad. Near panic, Mycroft convinces Douglas that they should follow her, drawing the two men into a web of dark secrets that grows more treacherous with each step they take...

Written by NBA superstar Kareem Abdul- Jabbar and screenwriter Anna Waterhouse, Mycroft Holmes reveals the untold story of Sherlock’s older brother. This harrowing adventure changed his life, and set the stage for the man Mycroft would become: founder of the famous Diogenes Club and the hidden power behind the British government.

Su questo libro

Recensione

"Abdul-Jabbar, a Holmesian since his college days, joins forces with Waterhouse, his cowriter on the documentary On the Shoulders of Giants, to offer a rousing mystery starring Sherlock's older (and smarter) brother, Mycroft, a rising star in the British government. The action begins in 1870 London but quickly moves to Trinidad, where Mycroft's closest friend, Cyrus Douglas, a native of the island, must travel to investigate what some believe is an infestation of douen tiny supernatural characters who lead children into the clutches of werewolf-like lougarou. Mycroft joins his friend for the trip, and what the two find on arrival after a near-fatal ocean crossing isn't supernatural but far more harrowing: an elaborate scheme to bring slavery back to the Caribbean. The authors hit all the right notes here, combining fascinating historical detail (on Trinidadian culture and folklore, on tobacco importation in London, even on the development of the Gatling gun) with rousing adventure, including some cleverly choreographed fight scenes and a pair of protagonists whose rich biracial friendship, while presented realistically, given the era (Douglas must sometimes pose as a butler), is the highlight of the book. Yes, Douglas is a sort-of Watson, but a much brighter, more physical, more bantering version, an equal not a foil. Mystery fans will be eager to hear more from this terrific duo, who may well develop into a gaslit version of Robert B. Parker's Spenser and Hawk. - --Booklist Starred Review"

"Basketball legend Abdul-Jabbar (Black Profiles in Courage) makes his triumphant adult fiction debut with an action yarn that fills in the backstory of Sherlock Holmes's older and smarter brother, Mycroft. In 1870, the 23-year-old Mycroft, who has a reputation as a daredevil, is serving as a secretary at the War Office when word reaches London of a series of unusual deaths in Trinidad. Someone, or some thing, has been killing children and draining their blood. The locals believe the culprits are supernatural beings known as lougarou, who drain children of their blood, and douen, who leave highly unusual footprints near their victims. The tragic news stuns Mycroft's fiancée, Georgiana Sutton, who immediately sails home to Trinidad. Disobeying her request to stay behind, Mycroft follows Georgiana to Trinidad, where he must exercise his intellect and his innate diplomatic skills to solve the crimes and remain alive. Sherlockians who relish the screen adventures of Cumberbatch and Downey will be particularly entertained. -- --Publisher's Weekly (starred review)

"I'm proud to have worked with Kareem, my friend of many years, on this project! It adds an exciting, new dimension to the life of Sherlock Holmes, and Kareem's passion for history has given the story a new twist." --Leslie S. Klinger, editor, The New Annotated Sherlock Holmes. "MYCROFT HOLMES is beautifully written and full of intrigue...while still managing to be a lot of fun. "--Robert Towne, Oscar-winning screenwriter of Chinatown. "Moving beyond the echo of big-time basketball's cheering multitudes, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has found an unlikely second career in the quietude of a writer's life. In his latest literary effort, he indulges his longtime appreciation for the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and gives us a rousing mystery novel featuring Sherlock Holmes' older and smarter brother, Mycroft, while launching a new series of adventures. "--Gay Talese, acclaimed author, A Writer's Life "With this meticulously researched work, Abdul-Jabbar and Waterhouse have pulled off the near-impossible with MYCROFT HOLMES: given us a novel that will appeal to any fan of good storytelling, an instant classic in the Sherlockian pastiche genre, and a must-read for history buffs. If you love the Holmes brothers, you will love this book. But more importantly, if you care about history and culture and passion and civil rights, you will love it all the more. - Lyndsay Faye, bestselling author, The Gods of Gotham The book is extremely well-written and well-researched, with layers of sensory detail and filmic tableaux...Doylean Easter Eggs are also sprinkled throughout and are presented with a witty subtlety that will delight longtime fans...Mycroft Holmes is a good book and an engaging mystery for Sherlockians and non-Sherlockians alike, but it s a particular delight for aficionados of the Doylean world. Here s hoping Abdul-Jabbar and Waterhouse write many more. - --Baker Street Babes

L'autore

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a huge Holmesian—7’2” tall, basketball’s all-time leading scorer, and a U.S. cultural ambassador. He’s written extensively, including What Color is My World (children’s), Brothers in Arms (military history), and On the Shoulders of Giants (black history). 

Anna Waterhouse is a professional screenwriter and script consultant.

Su questa edizione

• Editore: Titan Books
• Data di pubblicazione: 2015
• ISBN 10: 1783291532
• ISBN 13: 9781783291533
• Rilegatura: Copertina rigida
• Numero di pagine: 328