My Review of The Watson Letters Vol 5: Murder on Mystery Island by Colin Garrow

Murder on Mystery Island is a welcome and refreshing addition to the Sherlock Holmes canon. Colin Garrow has achieved that fine balance of keeping the central characters of Holmes, Watson, Mary and Lestrade recognisable whilst adding a fresh twist. Garrow has portrayed these instantly recognisable characters, that are indelibly inked on our psyche, in a more human and multi-dimensional way. At first, I'll confess, the prudish and Holmes purist fanatic that is me was shocked but then I quickly got over myself, realised what Garrow was trying to do, and found it outrageously funny. In fact the author's post-modern subversion of the characters made Murder on Mystery Island such a hit with me.

Running through the whole narrative is a thrilling murder mystery worthy of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle himself. Garrow clearly knows his literature and I particularly enjoyed the intertextuality of Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None that is woven into and enhances and narrative. It allows the reader to speculate as to the next victim but then Garrow throws in lots of twists and turns to keep us guessing right to the satisfying denouement. 

Hats off to Colin Garrow for a delightful and invigorating read.

Thanks to Emma Welton at Damp Pebbles for the gifted copy of the book.