Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews
The Sherlock Files: The 100-year-old secret
Fiction Series
For ages 9 to 12
Henry Holt, 2008 ISBN: 0805083405
Xena and Xander Holmes and their parents have moved to London for a year, and so far, the children are far from enthusiastic about the big city. The sun never seems to come out, and they both wonder if they are going to be “cold and damp” all the time. Then something happens that takes their minds off their worries. A man gives them a note. The note tells them to go to a nearby pub and to ask for “milk for your snake,” which is very odd indeed as they don’t know the man and they don’t have a snake.
The children do what the note bids them, and after a bizarre adventure, they find themselves in the company of the members of the SPFD – the Society for the Preservation of Famous Detectives. The children discover that they are the ancestors of Sherlock Holmes – yes THAT Sherlock Holmes. The leader of the group then gives them a book containing Sherlock Holmes’ unsolved cases, and the children decide to try their hand at solving one of them. Apparently, a famous painting disappeared in March of 1907. Sherlock Holmes started to look for the missing painting, but he never completed his investigation, and the portrait is still missing. Will his young descendents have more luck solving the case?
This is the first in what promises to be a very entertaining series of books about two young people who follow in the footsteps of their illustrious ancestor, Sherlock Holmes. Young readers who enjoy mysteries are sure to enjoy this interesting tale.
