Review of No Place Like Holmes!

No Place Like Holmes by Jason Lethcoe is a mystery book set in the times of Sherlock Holmes. Griffin Sharpe is no ordinary boy, and, to put it quite simply, he's a genius. When Griffin visits his uncle in England at 221B Baker Street, he's shocked to find out that his uncle absolutely hates his neighbor, the famous Sherlock Holmes. His uncle is also a detective, but he is much, much less famous due to his, shall we say, inability to solve crimes. Is Griffin just the person he needs?

When a woman comes to them begging for them to find her husband, who is believed to have been eaten by the Loch Ness monster, the uncle-nephew detective duo soon accepts the challenge. But the Loch Ness monster isn't real! Or is it?

The game's afoot!

I loved how this book separated from the normal pre-teen fiction with an exciting whodunit set in older times that will capture the attention of readers. Griffin is uncannily similar to Sherlock Holmes in his observations, and I love how the author crafted a story about a young detective who has his own mismatched crew that helps him solve his mystery, which includes his eccentric uncle, who names his many inventions after himself. The mystery is gripping, and I quickly ate up this mystery. There is also an excellent, although frustrating, cliffhanger at the end.

I'm not too familiar with Holmes' stories (only read two or three), so I can't vouch for how historically accurate this book is for the time period. There were a few elements that I felt as if was perhaps too advanced for the times.

All in all, I rate this book four out of five stars. Highly recommended for pre-teen guys.

Specifics (from amazon.com):
~Paperback: 288 pages
~Publisher: Thomas Nelson (May 10, 2011)

Note: Thanks to the publisher for providing me with an electronic advanced readers copy of this book in exchange for a review.

Blessings,