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Sherlock Holmes in Minnesota #1
Sherlock Holmes and the Red Demon
In the summer of 1994, a workman at the historic mansion of railroad baron James J. Hill in St. Paul, Minnesota, stumbles on a long-hidden wall safe. When experts arrive to open the safe and examine its contents, they make an astonishing discovery. There, inside, is a handwritten manuscript bearing the signature of John H. Watson, M.D.
The manuscript contains the story of how Sherlock Holmes and Watson traveled to Minnesota to track a murderous arsonist—known only as the Red Demon—who is threatening both Hill and his Great Northern Railway. Set against the backdrop of the real, devastating Hinckley forest fire of 1894, Sherlock Holmes and the Red Demon is the tense and atmospheric first novel in Larry Millett’s classic series of adventures that brought Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson to Minnesota.
Duration: 9 hours, 44 minutes
The manuscript contains the story of how Sherlock Holmes and Watson traveled to Minnesota to track a murderous arsonist—known only as the Red Demon—who is threatening both Hill and his Great Northern Railway. Set against the backdrop of the real, devastating Hinckley forest fire of 1894, Sherlock Holmes and the Red Demon is the tense and atmospheric first novel in Larry Millett’s classic series of adventures that brought Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson to Minnesota.
Duration: 9 hours, 44 minutes
9 pages, Audible Audio
First published January 1, 1996
33 people are currently reading
1883 people want to read
About the author
Larry Millett
47 books78 followersLarry Millett has combined his interest in journalism, architectural history, and mystery fiction to create an unusual writing career. A native of Minneapolis, he attended school there and then went on to obtain a bachelor’s degrees in English from St. John’s University and a master’s degree from the University of Chicago.
He began working as a general assignment reporter for the St. Paul Pioneer Press in 1972 and became the newspaper’s first architecture critic after a year of study on a fellowship to the University of Michigan.
Larry’s first book, The Curve of the Arch, appeared in 1985. Since then, he’s written eleven other works of nonfiction, including Lost Twin Cities, which has been in continuous print for more than twenty years.
Larry began writing mystery fiction in 1996 by bringing the world’s most famous consulting detective to Minnesota for The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes and the Red Demon. He’s published six other novels featuring Holmes, Dr. Watson, and St. Paul saloonkeeper Shadwell Rafferty.
Larry lives in St. Paul’s historic West Seventh Street neighborhood with his wife and occasional writing partner, Jodie Ahern, who is also an accomplished painter and a freelance copy editor.
He began working as a general assignment reporter for the St. Paul Pioneer Press in 1972 and became the newspaper’s first architecture critic after a year of study on a fellowship to the University of Michigan.
Larry’s first book, The Curve of the Arch, appeared in 1985. Since then, he’s written eleven other works of nonfiction, including Lost Twin Cities, which has been in continuous print for more than twenty years.
Larry began writing mystery fiction in 1996 by bringing the world’s most famous consulting detective to Minnesota for The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes and the Red Demon. He’s published six other novels featuring Holmes, Dr. Watson, and St. Paul saloonkeeper Shadwell Rafferty.
Larry lives in St. Paul’s historic West Seventh Street neighborhood with his wife and occasional writing partner, Jodie Ahern, who is also an accomplished painter and a freelance copy editor.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 149 reviews
June 4, 2013
*5 Stars* (I didn’t think it would make it based on the likely score I thought it would get)
Scorecard: (Out of 10)
* Quality of Writing - 8
* Pace - 9
* Plot development - 9
* Characters - 10
* Enjoyability - 8
* Insightfulness - 9
* Ease of Reading - 9
* Photos/Illustrations - N/A
Final Score: 62/70 = 89%
If I don’t start a series at the beginning, sometimes the previous stories don’t stand out in my memory, no matter how much I read them. This book suffers partially from this personal phenomenon though I also seem to repress parts of the book because of what happens at the end (see below). Before that can happen again, I’m getting this review done.
*The Gush*
Many authors have written with varying success pastiches of supposed ‘lost’ cases of Holmes and Watson. One of the better authors I’ve found is Larry Millett, even though his stories take Holmes far from fog-shrouded London and into the wilds of Minnesota. This is his first attempt and though I find some of the later ones more developed and with tighter writing, this is a great first book. Well written with few problems, the plot is riveting and the mystery almost impossible to solve. The clues are there but even reading for the third time, I still couldn’t pick them out until the reveal. The characters, both historical and fiction, are well done with depth and a distinctive voice all their own.
One of the best features of his book (and the consecutive ones) is his frequent use of superscript number that correspond to end notes. This is one of those books I geek out over and I use two bookmarks, one solely to keep my place in the end notes. They add a great deal to the story and are always interesting to read.
The author has that ability, sadly rare, to perfectly weave history to fiction until you are not sure where one begins and the other ends. Others might be patch jobs; this is a tapestry.
*The Rant*
All the above is not to say the book is without its problems. The author, like so many others facing the same temptation, tends to over indulge in the creation of ‘lost cases’ that Watson alludes to. While most readers of Sherlock Holmes pastiches get used to it, it still annoys me at times.
His Holmes and Watson at times seem to have multiple personalities. One chapter, they react one way, the next time they react completely differently to a similar situation. The plot explains this to a degree as the action continues to ramp up, it affects the characters as they deal with deadly situations in a world vastly different from the London they know so intimately. But it still causes reading whiplash at times.
This is my main issue with the book but since it is so entwined with the ending, I have to hide it or hide the entire review, and I didn’t want to do that.
*Conclusion*
If you like or want to read beyond the Doyle canon, this is a well written and interesting continuing story. The history Millett adds with his end notes lends a richness to the story which helps this stand out over other similar books. It is, however, a bit rough at times and the readers should be prepared.
Scorecard: (Out of 10)
* Quality of Writing - 8
* Pace - 9
* Plot development - 9
* Characters - 10
* Enjoyability - 8
* Insightfulness - 9
* Ease of Reading - 9
* Photos/Illustrations - N/A
Final Score: 62/70 = 89%
If I don’t start a series at the beginning, sometimes the previous stories don’t stand out in my memory, no matter how much I read them. This book suffers partially from this personal phenomenon though I also seem to repress parts of the book because of what happens at the end (see below). Before that can happen again, I’m getting this review done.
*The Gush*
Many authors have written with varying success pastiches of supposed ‘lost’ cases of Holmes and Watson. One of the better authors I’ve found is Larry Millett, even though his stories take Holmes far from fog-shrouded London and into the wilds of Minnesota. This is his first attempt and though I find some of the later ones more developed and with tighter writing, this is a great first book. Well written with few problems, the plot is riveting and the mystery almost impossible to solve. The clues are there but even reading for the third time, I still couldn’t pick them out until the reveal. The characters, both historical and fiction, are well done with depth and a distinctive voice all their own.
One of the best features of his book (and the consecutive ones) is his frequent use of superscript number that correspond to end notes. This is one of those books I geek out over and I use two bookmarks, one solely to keep my place in the end notes. They add a great deal to the story and are always interesting to read.
The author has that ability, sadly rare, to perfectly weave history to fiction until you are not sure where one begins and the other ends. Others might be patch jobs; this is a tapestry.
*The Rant*
All the above is not to say the book is without its problems. The author, like so many others facing the same temptation, tends to over indulge in the creation of ‘lost cases’ that Watson alludes to. While most readers of Sherlock Holmes pastiches get used to it, it still annoys me at times.
His Holmes and Watson at times seem to have multiple personalities. One chapter, they react one way, the next time they react completely differently to a similar situation. The plot explains this to a degree as the action continues to ramp up, it affects the characters as they deal with deadly situations in a world vastly different from the London they know so intimately. But it still causes reading whiplash at times.
This is my main issue with the book but since it is so entwined with the ending, I have to hide it or hide the entire review, and I didn’t want to do that.
*Conclusion*
If you like or want to read beyond the Doyle canon, this is a well written and interesting continuing story. The history Millett adds with his end notes lends a richness to the story which helps this stand out over other similar books. It is, however, a bit rough at times and the readers should be prepared.
February 17, 2019
Sherlock Holmes and the Red Demon by Larry Millet is the first book in the Sherlock Holmes in Minnesota mystery series. Sherlock Holmes is called in when threats are made against railroad tycoon James Hill and his Great Northern Railway by an arsonist known as the Red Demon. I enjoyed this book very much. I thought the explanation of Sherlock Holme's travel and involvement was well done and the style of the writing followed that of the original. A well written, engrossing mystery which entwined actual historical events.
August 7, 2015
Really a 2.5. The last fourth of this book were interesting, but unfortunately I had to slog through the other 3/4 to find it.
A quick summary: Sherlock Holmes has been asked to catch the "Red Demon," a person sending threatening notes and setting fires around the railroads of American tycoon Mr. Hill. Assuming false identities, Holmes and Watson visit Minnesota to solve the case before the arsonist strikes again.
Usually, the problem I come across in non-canonical Holmes stories is an out-of-character Holmes. This Holmes didn't have that problem, but only because the story focused way too much on a badly-written, boring, blustering Watson. The Watson in this book is exceedingly thick and sometimes comes across as a bit of a diva, actually. Holmes seems to suffer from a mild but badly-written case of bipolar disorder, although he can be forgiven if his trusted friend is this thick blockhead.
The story droops. It oozes. It sludges along and every time you think it will speed up--no, more boring exposition. The story? It's fine--when you find it. For every page of actual plot, there are three of meaningless, slow words that only distract from the story.
Perhaps, if the author had tried to write a good mystery instead of showing off how much research he did, it would be passable. Instead, you're left with the feeling that he was more caught up in showing off research and writing style than the book, and it shows.
A quick summary: Sherlock Holmes has been asked to catch the "Red Demon," a person sending threatening notes and setting fires around the railroads of American tycoon Mr. Hill. Assuming false identities, Holmes and Watson visit Minnesota to solve the case before the arsonist strikes again.
Usually, the problem I come across in non-canonical Holmes stories is an out-of-character Holmes. This Holmes didn't have that problem, but only because the story focused way too much on a badly-written, boring, blustering Watson. The Watson in this book is exceedingly thick and sometimes comes across as a bit of a diva, actually. Holmes seems to suffer from a mild but badly-written case of bipolar disorder, although he can be forgiven if his trusted friend is this thick blockhead.
The story droops. It oozes. It sludges along and every time you think it will speed up--no, more boring exposition. The story? It's fine--when you find it. For every page of actual plot, there are three of meaningless, slow words that only distract from the story.
Perhaps, if the author had tried to write a good mystery instead of showing off how much research he did, it would be passable. Instead, you're left with the feeling that he was more caught up in showing off research and writing style than the book, and it shows.
November 1, 2021
Sherlock Holmes and the Red Demon (Sherlock Holmes in Minnesota #1) by Larry Millett was a solid new to me Holmes series opener. It's not a favorite, but there were elements I really enjoyed. It started off really well, but it didn't quite manage to keep up throughout. Millet did a great job bringing Holmes and Watson to life and it was fun seeing them in such a different setting. I think I might have to continue on with the series because I think it can only improve. By the way, there was a moment that really reminded me of Netflix's Enola Holmes adaptation. About a third away from the book a character named Mrs. Robinson tells Sherlock: "But then, being a wealthy Englishman, I suppose the status quo suits you perfectly."
March 6, 2021
Oh, what a delicious book! I'm one of those Sherlock Holmes wackos who check out everything Holmes. Millett surely has the gift. His Watson, although not quite so bumblingly stupid as Nigel Bruce in the Basil Rathbone films, is nevertheless pretty dumb. (Although beloved in their roles by many, both actors were too mature for their parts.) Those of us who know and love the Doyle Canon must have our Watson; Holmes did not suffer fools, and Watson was not a fool.
Anthony Horowitz's House of Silk and Laurie R. King's Russell/Holmes series are particularly satisfying. I look forward to more Larry Millett.
Anthony Horowitz's House of Silk and Laurie R. King's Russell/Holmes series are particularly satisfying. I look forward to more Larry Millett.
February 14, 2015
I was expecting it to be ok. But the author did an awesome job and stayed pretty close to behavior and wording of holmes and Watson. Kind of cool that it takes place in Minnisota.
May 7, 2019
Great 'Sherlock Holmes' mystery, couldn't put it down, so very good.
May 28, 2015
I found this a fine example of Sherlock Holmes pastiche writing. Dr. Watson is the narrator who stays well in character. The time frame is appropriate, and the suspense holds up well as the story develops. Holmes and Watson are called to the U.S. by a railroad magnate to investigate threats from an arsonist who threatens to destroy the railroad. The story is written as Doyle would have written it, which is what fans enjoy. Recommended to all fans of Sherlock Holmes who have been dismayed at the end of the original stories.
January 26, 2016
A very good start to the series.
February 10, 2016
Read this in preparation for recording the audiobook. I'm very pleased with the result and hope other listeners will be too.
March 24, 2025
Sherlock Holmes is one of my favorite literary characters. I have read all of Conan Doyle’s Sherlock work thrice over and have since branched out to others who have taken up the Holmes mantle. This book is of that vein.
In Sherlock Holmes and the Red Demon, we find Holmes and Watson being recruited by railroad magnate John J. Hill of St. Paul, Minnesota. Hill is concerned about arson on his railway lines, and he employs Sherlock to investigate the infamous forest fires of Hinckley, MN in the summer of 1894.
I was delighted to first read that Holmes and Watson were in such a familiar location to me. Having toured the John J. Hill house in St. Paul, it was interesting to have the author flesh out the man as a character. Also, since I love Duluth and the North Woods, I enjoyed being transported back to when the area really started to bustle. Connecting Holmes to the Hinkley fires was a creative way to bring both literature and MN history together.
The Holmes of this novel comes across as much more of a know-it-all than previous Holmes iterations. Watson is constantly regaling the reader with asides about Holmes’s prowess and knowledge about seemingly obscure and minute areas such as differentiating between hands, perfumery, and plant species, to name a few; showing the reader that the author has done his homework. In usual Holmes fashion, Sherlock asks Watson for his observations, but this version of Watson very rarely has any insight to further the investigation. Holmes then gives his sure-to-be-correct deductions, but whenever Watson asks for clarification to how Holmes figured out another clue, Holmes doesn’t explain! The reader is simply told, “You’ll soon find out, Watson.” So, we have a more pompous Holmes and a bit of a pointless Watson. For me, this “new” duo did not work as well. I was irritated with the showboating of Holmes and the buffoonery of Watson: Watson falls down at least three times and drops his revolver every time, thereby making him worthless as a partner. Halfway through the novel, I was still intrigued enough to want to discover who the Red Demon was, but the lack of any soluble information from either Watson or Holmes was frustrating.
In Sherlock Holmes and the Red Demon, we find Holmes and Watson being recruited by railroad magnate John J. Hill of St. Paul, Minnesota. Hill is concerned about arson on his railway lines, and he employs Sherlock to investigate the infamous forest fires of Hinckley, MN in the summer of 1894.
I was delighted to first read that Holmes and Watson were in such a familiar location to me. Having toured the John J. Hill house in St. Paul, it was interesting to have the author flesh out the man as a character. Also, since I love Duluth and the North Woods, I enjoyed being transported back to when the area really started to bustle. Connecting Holmes to the Hinkley fires was a creative way to bring both literature and MN history together.
The Holmes of this novel comes across as much more of a know-it-all than previous Holmes iterations. Watson is constantly regaling the reader with asides about Holmes’s prowess and knowledge about seemingly obscure and minute areas such as differentiating between hands, perfumery, and plant species, to name a few; showing the reader that the author has done his homework. In usual Holmes fashion, Sherlock asks Watson for his observations, but this version of Watson very rarely has any insight to further the investigation. Holmes then gives his sure-to-be-correct deductions, but whenever Watson asks for clarification to how Holmes figured out another clue, Holmes doesn’t explain! The reader is simply told, “You’ll soon find out, Watson.” So, we have a more pompous Holmes and a bit of a pointless Watson. For me, this “new” duo did not work as well. I was irritated with the showboating of Holmes and the buffoonery of Watson: Watson falls down at least three times and drops his revolver every time, thereby making him worthless as a partner. Halfway through the novel, I was still intrigued enough to want to discover who the Red Demon was, but the lack of any soluble information from either Watson or Holmes was frustrating.
July 13, 2020
I enjoyed this Sherlock Holmes pastiche. The story is told of course by Doctor Watson and was based on an "undiscovered manuscript" that was hidden away in a safe of the railroad magnate James J. Hill in Minnesota. It tells of how Hill summoned Holmes to Minnesota because his railroad is being threatened by an unknown whose short letters tell Hill that his railroad will be set afire and burned completely. The letters are signed by "The Red Demon." The money offered by Hill to Holmes brings Holmes and Watson to the great North Woods of Minnesota to seek out the Red Demon and try to stop his fiendish plot. Various clues lead Holmes to villainous ruffians including railroad men and loggers and also to a brothel where Watson has a close encounter of the sexual kind. The identity of the Red Demon remains a mystery up till near the end of the narrative but when he is discovered he turns out to be a very dastardly and evil person with his actions resulting in the deaths of over 400 people when the town of Hinckley is set ablaze along with the surrounding forest.
This entertaining novel was actually based on fact and included a lot of actual history as part of the story. There really was a fire that devastated the town of Hinckley that claimed more than 400 lives on September 1, 1894.
No one really knows how the fire was started but there was some speculation that thieves may have started it to cover up timber theft. Hill was actually in control of the Eastern Minnesota Railway and other characters were also real. Among these was the railroad engineer named Best who saved many of Hinckley's residents by evacuating them by rail. This is the first in a series of Holmes novels by Millett and I'll probably be reading more of them.
This entertaining novel was actually based on fact and included a lot of actual history as part of the story. There really was a fire that devastated the town of Hinckley that claimed more than 400 lives on September 1, 1894.
No one really knows how the fire was started but there was some speculation that thieves may have started it to cover up timber theft. Hill was actually in control of the Eastern Minnesota Railway and other characters were also real. Among these was the railroad engineer named Best who saved many of Hinckley's residents by evacuating them by rail. This is the first in a series of Holmes novels by Millett and I'll probably be reading more of them.
January 21, 2018
I really enjoyed this book. It felt like a Sherlock Holmes book. I appreciated the epilogue which tied up one final charter's role in the mystery.
May 29, 2024
Larry Millett is unbelievable he is Dr Watson incarnated. If you are a Sherlock fan you will love all the books by Millett.
April 14, 2018
What a fun MN historical experience!
March 13, 2016
•••I listened to the Audible Audio Edition of this book•••
Steve Hendrickson’s performance was incredibly engaging. It showed Watson's pique with Holmes in a very expressive manner as well as Holmes' brusque mein when dealing with things he found to be self evident. Their snarky and contentious relationship is what has always (in my mind) made them an excellent investigative duo. All the characters were well acted and I can't wait to listen to more offerings by this talented voice actor!
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Holmes And Watson In Minnesota?
This series must be listened to (or read) in order. This is the first book. I can't wait to listen to Sherlock Holmes and the Ice Palace Murders: From the American Chronicles of John H. Watson, M.D. !
Even though this book starts with a foreword claiming this is a historical account of how events happened and who they happened to, this is not true. It is a ploy by the author to engage the reader wholy in a book that is truly a work of fiction. While this practice does annoy me the afterword clearly states this is a work of fiction, thus redeeming the author in my eyes for his attempt at deception.
Years after the death of Moriarty and the apparent death of Holmes is when this mystery starts. No longer fearing his enemies, Holmes has rejoined Watson and the land of the living. A knock on the door leads them to entertain an agent of a certain Mr. Hill who happens to be quite famous in his own right. Holmes and Watson are intrigued so they take on the case of ferreting out the identify and true intentions of the Red Demon menacing the railroad. Will they be able to discover the plot and thwart it before it is carried out? Is the Red Demon a genius, a madman, or both? What does he hope to accomplish with his threats and dastardly acts?
***This series is suitable for young adult through adult listeners (or readers) who enjoy classic Sherlock Holmes as well as suspenseful murder mystery thrillers with a good amount of horror and intrigue :)
Steve Hendrickson’s performance was incredibly engaging. It showed Watson's pique with Holmes in a very expressive manner as well as Holmes' brusque mein when dealing with things he found to be self evident. Their snarky and contentious relationship is what has always (in my mind) made them an excellent investigative duo. All the characters were well acted and I can't wait to listen to more offerings by this talented voice actor!
××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××
Holmes And Watson In Minnesota?
This series must be listened to (or read) in order. This is the first book. I can't wait to listen to Sherlock Holmes and the Ice Palace Murders: From the American Chronicles of John H. Watson, M.D. !
Even though this book starts with a foreword claiming this is a historical account of how events happened and who they happened to, this is not true. It is a ploy by the author to engage the reader wholy in a book that is truly a work of fiction. While this practice does annoy me the afterword clearly states this is a work of fiction, thus redeeming the author in my eyes for his attempt at deception.
Years after the death of Moriarty and the apparent death of Holmes is when this mystery starts. No longer fearing his enemies, Holmes has rejoined Watson and the land of the living. A knock on the door leads them to entertain an agent of a certain Mr. Hill who happens to be quite famous in his own right. Holmes and Watson are intrigued so they take on the case of ferreting out the identify and true intentions of the Red Demon menacing the railroad. Will they be able to discover the plot and thwart it before it is carried out? Is the Red Demon a genius, a madman, or both? What does he hope to accomplish with his threats and dastardly acts?
***This series is suitable for young adult through adult listeners (or readers) who enjoy classic Sherlock Holmes as well as suspenseful murder mystery thrillers with a good amount of horror and intrigue :)
February 15, 2016
I was pretty blown away by this book. Sherlock Holmes is all well and good, but spinoffs of classics are usually decent at best. This was fabulous. Not only do we get Holmes, but a great history lesson, subtly woven in with fantastic plot and dialogue. I had never heard of The Hinckley Fire before this book. I can hardly wait to read the rest of the series.
As a wannabe critic I have to find fault, but the only thing I found mildly annoying about this book was the over use of the word "conflagration," but there isn't really any other word that could've been used.
I've loved Holmes for a long time and I think Millett does him honor with this story. He really captured the essence of Holmes and Watson.
Steve Hendrickson's voice was perfect for this book, he captured the tone and delivery of Watson exceptionally well, and I look forward to hearing more of his reading.
As a wannabe critic I have to find fault, but the only thing I found mildly annoying about this book was the over use of the word "conflagration," but there isn't really any other word that could've been used.
I've loved Holmes for a long time and I think Millett does him honor with this story. He really captured the essence of Holmes and Watson.
Steve Hendrickson's voice was perfect for this book, he captured the tone and delivery of Watson exceptionally well, and I look forward to hearing more of his reading.
May 23, 2014
Deep in the Minnesota pines and railroads Holmes finds yet another mystery only he could solve!
I really enjoyed this book for two main reasons:
One, the writing style is like that of the originals, and it's always nice to find an author who can truly capture the Holmes character like Doyle.
Two: this book has a grate plot, and like any well written mystery keeps you on edge as you try to solve the mystery before the end.
I don't say this often; I couldn't put this book down!
I really love how this book is fiction, but mentions real things and dates that did happen- I won't say, it would be a spoiler. But I will say this; the end is very sad (in my opinion), so don't read the end at night if you get bad dreams easily.
Besides that I loved the book!
I really enjoyed this book for two main reasons:
One, the writing style is like that of the originals, and it's always nice to find an author who can truly capture the Holmes character like Doyle.
Two: this book has a grate plot, and like any well written mystery keeps you on edge as you try to solve the mystery before the end.
I don't say this often; I couldn't put this book down!
I really love how this book is fiction, but mentions real things and dates that did happen- I won't say, it would be a spoiler. But I will say this; the end is very sad (in my opinion), so don't read the end at night if you get bad dreams easily.
Besides that I loved the book!
February 9, 2016
"Sherlock Fans will enjoy"
This review is for the Audio Book of Sherlock Holmes an the Red Demon
If your a Sherlock fan this book is for you. The story is very interesting an really keeps your attention. The narrator did an excellent job with all the different voices an accents. If your a fan of Sherlock Holmes an Watson or even if your not an just enjoy a great mystery then this is the book for you. I recommend this book highly
October 17, 2018
now i am hooked. This was such a great, easy and creative book. i was hooked after the first page.
The characters were easy to fall in love with and follow, along with the story. the author made the mental visions so easy and vivid of the surroundings and the characters actions felt so real.
i would highly recommend this author and this book.
The characters were easy to fall in love with and follow, along with the story. the author made the mental visions so easy and vivid of the surroundings and the characters actions felt so real.
i would highly recommend this author and this book.
April 7, 2015
Rarely have I read a Sherlock Holmes story that felt so little like a Sherlock Holmes story. I realize this is a pastiche, but the plot could hardly be less Doyle-like. There were moments that felt authentic, but few. Add that the book feels padded, very padded, and it was not a lot of fun.
July 8, 2015
An interesting take on Sherlock Holmes. He and Dr. Watson come to Minnesota at the request of James J. Hill to solve the mystery of who is trying to burn down the railroad in Hinckley. I always love a good Holmes and Watson story and it was fun to have it take place in my home state!
August 28, 2012
pretty good, not a huge Sherlock Holmes fan but my mom was, so completed in honor of her.
October 9, 2015
This new take on the legendary detective, in the voice of Dr. Watson, was an entertaining page-turner, worthy of its title character.
August 30, 2017
This Sherlock investigation, set in America, is very engaging. My rating 4.5 overall; 5.0 performance.
This story begins with an introduction that authenticates the event as a Sherlock Holmes investigation and the journalling as Watson’s account. I was fully drawn in and convinced.
Holmes is approached by the executive to James J. Hill, an American railroad baron. The baron seeks to engage the greatest detective, Sherlock. Holmes of course, to find an arsonist who is threatening to burn a major train line in Minnesota. Holmes and Watson travel to America to begin the investigation. Watson chronicles the trip as well as the investigation once they reach the rustic town of Hinckley.
The initial investigator has gone missing so Holmes traces his steps. He interviews the town marshal who appears to be in someone’s pocket; a woman who owns a bordello just on the edge of town and who is suspect of penning the threatening letters; an obstructive newsman; and an infamous logger who is reminiscent of a pirate. Holmes and Watson face assassin attempts and are rescued by a surprising, backhills character.
The suspects multiply although they are eliminated one by one by Holmes until he uncovers the true demon. He has to race from one town to another, serving as the locomotive coalman/stoker, as he tries to stop the villain. There is good intensity in the race to the end confrontation.
The story is set around a true fire disaster with a description that is horrifyingly tragic. The historic details of the travel, economy, communities and trains is well done and added to the engaging mystery. At times the characters seemed a bit outlandish but they added a bit of humor.
I am not a Sherlockian expert and haven’t read the original series in many years. The story includes many details of observation and deduction attributable to Holmes, and leaves out some of his more notable flaws. It does capture the exasperation that Watson sometimes experiences with Holmes’ volatile and arrogant character.
I enjoyed the mystery and the audible rendition. This would be appropriate for young adult readers/listeners as well as adults. I recommend this to Sherlock and mystery fans.
Audio Notes: I thought Steve Hendrickson did a great job with the narration. He especially captured Holmes’ superior nature and Watson’s frustrations. He provided distinct voices consistent to the other characters too. The narration enhanced my enjoyment of the story.
I received the audio book from the publisher through Audiobook Jukebox.
This story begins with an introduction that authenticates the event as a Sherlock Holmes investigation and the journalling as Watson’s account. I was fully drawn in and convinced.
Holmes is approached by the executive to James J. Hill, an American railroad baron. The baron seeks to engage the greatest detective, Sherlock. Holmes of course, to find an arsonist who is threatening to burn a major train line in Minnesota. Holmes and Watson travel to America to begin the investigation. Watson chronicles the trip as well as the investigation once they reach the rustic town of Hinckley.
The initial investigator has gone missing so Holmes traces his steps. He interviews the town marshal who appears to be in someone’s pocket; a woman who owns a bordello just on the edge of town and who is suspect of penning the threatening letters; an obstructive newsman; and an infamous logger who is reminiscent of a pirate. Holmes and Watson face assassin attempts and are rescued by a surprising, backhills character.
The suspects multiply although they are eliminated one by one by Holmes until he uncovers the true demon. He has to race from one town to another, serving as the locomotive coalman/stoker, as he tries to stop the villain. There is good intensity in the race to the end confrontation.
The story is set around a true fire disaster with a description that is horrifyingly tragic. The historic details of the travel, economy, communities and trains is well done and added to the engaging mystery. At times the characters seemed a bit outlandish but they added a bit of humor.
I am not a Sherlockian expert and haven’t read the original series in many years. The story includes many details of observation and deduction attributable to Holmes, and leaves out some of his more notable flaws. It does capture the exasperation that Watson sometimes experiences with Holmes’ volatile and arrogant character.
I enjoyed the mystery and the audible rendition. This would be appropriate for young adult readers/listeners as well as adults. I recommend this to Sherlock and mystery fans.
Audio Notes: I thought Steve Hendrickson did a great job with the narration. He especially captured Holmes’ superior nature and Watson’s frustrations. He provided distinct voices consistent to the other characters too. The narration enhanced my enjoyment of the story.
I received the audio book from the publisher through Audiobook Jukebox.
September 8, 2022
I have mixed feelings regarding this book. On the one hand, I was not expecting to enjoy a Sherlock Holmes in America story, but that aspect was surprisingly well done. Watson's "voice" was immaculate. This was also exceptionally well written, with genuine Victorian dialogue that was enjoyable to read. The opening was very promising, as Millet's version of Sherlock Holmes started out accurately voiced. To be fair, there were many times throughout where the author showed what a good grasp he had on the character. That was not to remain a consistent theme, however, and those deviations were a little distracting and occasionally disturbing. This is actually my main issue with The Red Demon, which I would otherwise have given a much higher rating since it was tremendously fun to read.
I'm not one to be shocked or offended easily, but the brothel scene was bordering on distasteful with all the crude jokes and Holmes' reaction to them, coupled with his lack of regard for Watson's uneasiness in the situation. No Victorian English gentleman, not even a certain Bohemian one, would have behaved the way he did there, or made such insinuations to Watson. There was a distinct feeling that Millett was attempting to Americanize Sherlock Holmes, mold him into a "hard-boiled" detective type, particularly in this scene. As the story went on, I found the deviations to Holmes's characterization to be glaring. He was, at times, rude, nasty and unchivalrous. Not to give away any spoilers, I will just say that the way in which he defeats the Red Demon actually mad me gasp out loud because not even when dealing with a madman would Holmes ever do something in that vein. This was a shame because if Millett cut out the aforementioned hard-boiled detective nonsense and stuck to writing a Sherlock Holmes pastiche, the result would have been amazing.
Instead, he gives us a mystery that the Sherlock Holmes of Canon would have solved and wrapped up possibly while still perched in his armchair. The mystery was on the flimsy side and did not include enough deductive reasoning, but rather was done in traditional mystery style. Millett dropped too many clues and I had the Red Demon's identity figured out from the first meeting, the only thing that was unclear until the end was the motive. That being said, I stuck with it because for the most part, it was fun to read and truly, he captured the essence of Watson. In fact, the *only* reason I am rating this book as highly as I am is because Millett's Watson was just so perfectly captured. Overall, this was an enjoyable read, but don't expect ACD's Holmes.
I'm not one to be shocked or offended easily, but the brothel scene was bordering on distasteful with all the crude jokes and Holmes' reaction to them, coupled with his lack of regard for Watson's uneasiness in the situation. No Victorian English gentleman, not even a certain Bohemian one, would have behaved the way he did there, or made such insinuations to Watson. There was a distinct feeling that Millett was attempting to Americanize Sherlock Holmes, mold him into a "hard-boiled" detective type, particularly in this scene. As the story went on, I found the deviations to Holmes's characterization to be glaring. He was, at times, rude, nasty and unchivalrous. Not to give away any spoilers, I will just say that the way in which he defeats the Red Demon actually mad me gasp out loud because not even when dealing with a madman would Holmes ever do something in that vein. This was a shame because if Millett cut out the aforementioned hard-boiled detective nonsense and stuck to writing a Sherlock Holmes pastiche, the result would have been amazing.
Instead, he gives us a mystery that the Sherlock Holmes of Canon would have solved and wrapped up possibly while still perched in his armchair. The mystery was on the flimsy side and did not include enough deductive reasoning, but rather was done in traditional mystery style. Millett dropped too many clues and I had the Red Demon's identity figured out from the first meeting, the only thing that was unclear until the end was the motive. That being said, I stuck with it because for the most part, it was fun to read and truly, he captured the essence of Watson. In fact, the *only* reason I am rating this book as highly as I am is because Millett's Watson was just so perfectly captured. Overall, this was an enjoyable read, but don't expect ACD's Holmes.
May 31, 2021
I was surprised to see the overall rating on this title, because I really didn't like it as much as I'd hoped to. First, it's very long. It took me a week to get through the whole thing, despite listening for several hours every day. Which wouldn't be such an issue if the first 2/3 of the book didn't drag so much. Then, there are the characterizations. Watson is written as being such an enormous prude I had to wonder what his marriage was like. Holmes was worse though. I realize that he can't be brilliant on every case, but there was far too much of him being "stupid" about things that he normally should have caught, blaming himself for every bad thing that happened, and it took him way too long to figure out the villain. The narrator, Steve Hendrickson, did a decent job with the text, and a brilliant one with the voices and accents, except that I felt Holmes came off a bit too shrill, which I suppose might be explained by his constant idiocies making him feel inadequate. The one thing that redeemed this story for me was the climax. It was tense, breathtakingly horrifying, and Watson's descriptions of what he's witnessing are phenomenal. I would be willing to recommend this title solely so that the reader is set up for the following books in the series, because those are much better. It's obvious that this story was the first because of all the flaws and missteps. But it's worth sticking with it so you can move on to the next one.
January 29, 2017
Sherlock Holmes and the Red Demon by Larry Millett is the first book in the Minnesota Mystery series. Millett uses his own backyard as the perfect setting for the series. The upper Midwest of the United States in the mid to late 1890's was a corrupt lawless time perfectly in need of Sherlock Holmes. Millet uses historical figures of that area to add a level of believability to his narrative that needs to be there for a proper Holmes adventure. The characters have enough care and attention brought to them to breathe much needed life into them. It was easy for me to tell Millett is a journalist as at times facts are relayed very news like with no dressing seen in most works of fiction. This at times slowed the book to a halt. The plot has many much needed twists and turns to be worthy of the Conan Doyle cannon. Millett totally understands the characters of whose mantel he picked up. Holmes is the star as he should be, but no character that appears with him is entirely overshadowed. Millett takes great care of the Sherlockian timeline and at times better care than Conan Doyle himself. Sherlock Holmes and the Red Demon was my first Sherlock Holmes reading month read (#SHreads17). It was a fun solid way to start the month a solid four star read. Sherlock Holmes and the Ice Palace Murders is book two in this series. It will be reviewed on Wednesday.
January 28, 2021
Railroads on fire during the late 19th century. It doesn’t sound like it’ll be exciting. However, once you add Sherlock Holmes and his faithful companion Mr. Watson AND an intriguing writing style, it is well worth a listen.
I have not read or listened to any of the original books, but I can ascertain from Larry Miller’s writing that he is a huge fan and knows the characters well.
Tho it is apparent that Holmes is, most likely, the original “perfect” protagonist. Whatever the plot needs, whichever prowess the hero needs in a given plot, Holmes seems to either possess or masters within a few pages.
Millet’s a talented writer in that each character is well fleshed out, and he doesn’t constantly only use ‘said’ after bits of dialogue.
The relationship between Holmes and Watson is palpable, the action is sharp, and the mystery is a good one.
Steve Hendrickson is not a narrator I’ve heard before, but his distinct voices per character and variety of accents, etc, make him well worth a listen.
This is merely the first adventure for the detective duo in Minnesota from this author and a few are available for free via Audible plus. I just may listen to another.
8/10.
I have not read or listened to any of the original books, but I can ascertain from Larry Miller’s writing that he is a huge fan and knows the characters well.
Tho it is apparent that Holmes is, most likely, the original “perfect” protagonist. Whatever the plot needs, whichever prowess the hero needs in a given plot, Holmes seems to either possess or masters within a few pages.
Millet’s a talented writer in that each character is well fleshed out, and he doesn’t constantly only use ‘said’ after bits of dialogue.
The relationship between Holmes and Watson is palpable, the action is sharp, and the mystery is a good one.
Steve Hendrickson is not a narrator I’ve heard before, but his distinct voices per character and variety of accents, etc, make him well worth a listen.
This is merely the first adventure for the detective duo in Minnesota from this author and a few are available for free via Audible plus. I just may listen to another.
8/10.
December 30, 2017
Sherlock in Minnesota - what is not to like? This book revels in the nerdy obsession with Sherlock Holmes and Watson.
Sherlock is approached at 221B Baker Street by an American in the employ of the Great Northern Railway owned by magnate James J Hill. Hill and his railway had recently received some threats. There had been a drought resulting in enormous forest fires and loss of huge sections of pines. The arsonist's letters threatened to burn down sections of the railroad. In fact, the arsonist had set two fires already with some loss of property. Hill had employed a private investigator who went missing and was presumed dead. He could not trust the local police as they were believed corrupt. Holmes, intrigued (and currently bored), decided to help. He and Watson traveled to Minnesota.
This is a successful Watson facsimile - Millett is true to the form and intent of Doyle's Watson as documenter of everything Sherlock. He is clearly a Doyle/Sherlock bibliophile - there are even footnotes! Pleasure to read.
Sherlock is approached at 221B Baker Street by an American in the employ of the Great Northern Railway owned by magnate James J Hill. Hill and his railway had recently received some threats. There had been a drought resulting in enormous forest fires and loss of huge sections of pines. The arsonist's letters threatened to burn down sections of the railroad. In fact, the arsonist had set two fires already with some loss of property. Hill had employed a private investigator who went missing and was presumed dead. He could not trust the local police as they were believed corrupt. Holmes, intrigued (and currently bored), decided to help. He and Watson traveled to Minnesota.
This is a successful Watson facsimile - Millett is true to the form and intent of Doyle's Watson as documenter of everything Sherlock. He is clearly a Doyle/Sherlock bibliophile - there are even footnotes! Pleasure to read.
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