Book Review: The Disappearance of Mr. James Phillimore
The Disappearance of Mr. James Phillimore
By Dan Andriacco
Wit, style, and humor are hallmarks of author Dan Andriacco, whose McCabe/Cody series now spans five volumes, of which this is the fourth. Lest that be a deterrent, don’t be alarmed. Any installment is a great time to jump into the series, though I recommend starting from the beginning and reading straight through, because they’re all entertaining and well-crafted.
Phillimore, like the other novels in the series, is set in the current time, but Sherlock Holmes enthusiasts will immediately note that this is a book with a connection to a case mentioned by Dr. Watson in the Doyle canon but never actually told.
Andriacco’s style is more reminiscent of classic detective novelists like Dashiell Hammett than Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and fans of fast-paced and humorous mysteries will enjoy his work whether they are Sherlockians or not. At the same time, however, this book continues Andriacco’s tradition of writing about Holmesians and Sherlockian culture in an affectionate and slightly satirical way. If you are a fan of Holmes, I challenge you to give his world a try; you don’t know until you’ve encountered it just how rewarding and, frankly, hilarious it is to read about the Holmes subculture in a fictional context.
The world of McCabe and Cody is always an enjoyable place to return, and The Disappearance of Mr. James Phillimore is a clever way to get there. If you choose to take the journey, you’ll have an excellent time.
The Disappearance of Mr. James Phillimore is available here, along with Andriacco’s other works.
A copy of the above-reviewed book was provided for consideration by the publisher. Opinions expressed are the reviewer’s own.
Amy Thomas is a book reviewer, freelance essayist, and author of The Detective and The Woman mystery novel series featuring Sherlock Holmes and Irene Adler, published by MX Publishing. She holds a degree in professional communication and is an avid knitter, geek, and grammar nerd. Amy blogs about Sherlock Holmes at Girlmeetssherlock.wordpress.