Play Book Tag discussion

Sherlock Holmes and the Telegram From Hell - Nicholas Meyer
Audio performance by David Robb and the author
4 stars

Another Sherlock Holmes pastiche. I find them hard to resist. This book is tied to the Conan Doyle story His Last Bow. It takes place in 1916 as England and Germany are doggedly killing a generation of young men while bankrupting both countries. Holmes has been enlisted by the British Secret Service. Watson is enlisted by Holmes. Their mission is (as far as they know) is to uncover a German plan to prevent the entry of the United States into the war.

Despite the imposition of fictional characters, this book wasn’t a bad history lesson. Holmes and Watson make the dangerous crossing to Washington DC through U-boat infested waters. After recruiting the wife of a senator to charm secrets from the German ambassador, the duo heads to Mexico where they intend to intercept the Zimmerman telegram. All the time, they are followed and threatened by Holmes’ old enemy, Von Bork. Not an easy task for two elderly Englishmen.

When I purchased this audiobook, I didn’t realize that it was written by the author of The Seven-Per-Cent Solution. I can’t imagine why I’ve never read that one. I’ll definitely have to get to it soon. Nicolas Mayer inserts ‘footnotes’ into this story (all in Dr. Watson’s voice) referring to previous Holmes/Watson adventures. Clearly, I’ve been missing some important Sherlockian history.