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| Harper |
Anthony Horowitz
2014
The Summary
"[Moriarty]...plunges us back into the dark and complex world of Detective Sherlock Holmes and Professor James Moriarty - dubbed "the Napoleon of crime" - in the aftermath of their fateful struggle at the Reichenbach Falls.
"Days after Holmes and Moriarty disappear into the waterfall's churning depths, Frederick Chase, a senior investigator at New York's infamous Pinkerton Detective Agency, arrives in Switzerland. Chase brings with him a dire warning: Moriarty's death has left a convenient vacancy in London's criminal underworld. There is no shortage of candidates to take his place - including one particularly fiendish criminal mastermind.
"Chase is assisted by Inspector Athelney Jones, a Scotland Yard detective and devoted student of Holmes methods of deduction, whom Conan Doyle introduced in The Sign of Four. The two men join forces and fight their way through the sinuous streets of Victorian London - from the elegant squares of Mayfair to the shadowy wharfs and alleyways of the Docks - in pursuit of a sinister figure, a man much feared by seldom seen, who is determined to stake his claim as Moriarty's successor."
The Good
Moriarty opens at the close of Sherlock Holmes' last case, "The Final Problem" at Reichenbach Falls. Horowitz basically picks up where Sir Arthur Conan Doyle left off; however, he takes a surprising turn by adding new characters (i.e. Frederick Chase) - and, more importantly, a new villain, a man who rivals James Moriarty in his duplicity and his invisibility.
Naturally, I was intrigued by the premise and, when I discovered that Horowitz had recycled characters from Conan Doyle's original mysteries (such as Athelney Jones and Inspector Lestrade), I was justifiably excited. Jones, in particular, appears to take the place of our beloved Sherlock. As an ardent student of Holmes' methods, Jones takes center stage, pinpointing unexpected clues, making great leaps in logic with inexplicable ease, and cornering criminals.
Jones makes an intriguing character and, possibly, a fine detective (or, at the very least, he does his very best).
Frederick Chase also makes a fine narrator. Like Dr. John Watson, he documents events surrounding the case, providing a candid account ad detailed insight for his reader. I find I liked Detective Chase for his candor and his ability to pen a pretty riveting story; however, I found I was a little alarmed by his allusions to the future - and for very good reasons.
Overall, Moriarty is a decent novel. I liked it well enough to muddle through and, honestly, I was pleasantly surprised by the ending. Devastated, admittedly, but pleasantly surprised by the novels real villain.
Moriarty opens at the close of Sherlock Holmes' last case, "The Final Problem" at Reichenbach Falls. Horowitz basically picks up where Sir Arthur Conan Doyle left off; however, he takes a surprising turn by adding new characters (i.e. Frederick Chase) - and, more importantly, a new villain, a man who rivals James Moriarty in his duplicity and his invisibility.
Naturally, I was intrigued by the premise and, when I discovered that Horowitz had recycled characters from Conan Doyle's original mysteries (such as Athelney Jones and Inspector Lestrade), I was justifiably excited. Jones, in particular, appears to take the place of our beloved Sherlock. As an ardent student of Holmes' methods, Jones takes center stage, pinpointing unexpected clues, making great leaps in logic with inexplicable ease, and cornering criminals.
Jones makes an intriguing character and, possibly, a fine detective (or, at the very least, he does his very best).
Frederick Chase also makes a fine narrator. Like Dr. John Watson, he documents events surrounding the case, providing a candid account ad detailed insight for his reader. I find I liked Detective Chase for his candor and his ability to pen a pretty riveting story; however, I found I was a little alarmed by his allusions to the future - and for very good reasons.
Overall, Moriarty is a decent novel. I liked it well enough to muddle through and, honestly, I was pleasantly surprised by the ending. Devastated, admittedly, but pleasantly surprised by the novels real villain.
The Bad
My one complaint about Horowitz's novel is pace.
Although Chase and Inspector Jones consistently find themselves wedged in a spot of trouble, stumbling into dangerous situations and bizarre adventures that should surely keep a reader intrigued, I would sometimes lose interest in the development of the story. With so many unanswered questions, so many plot twists that seem to develop into nothing (that is, before you reach the end of the story), I was not the most dedicated reader and I frequently took breaks between chapters.
The final two chapters are great - they are, without a doubt, the most exciting chapters in the entire novel - but the others were much less so.
The Ugly
The final two chapters of Moriarty see the entire plot unraveling, reaching a climax that I certainly didn't expect. I mean, the conclusion of Horowitz's novel was like a punch in the stomach. Although the narrator alludes to future events, to the potential for tragedy, I didn't expect events to unfold as they did. In concluding his novel as he did, Horowitz creates a truly brilliant - and truly terrifying - villain.
My one complaint about Horowitz's novel is pace.
Although Chase and Inspector Jones consistently find themselves wedged in a spot of trouble, stumbling into dangerous situations and bizarre adventures that should surely keep a reader intrigued, I would sometimes lose interest in the development of the story. With so many unanswered questions, so many plot twists that seem to develop into nothing (that is, before you reach the end of the story), I was not the most dedicated reader and I frequently took breaks between chapters.
The final two chapters are great - they are, without a doubt, the most exciting chapters in the entire novel - but the others were much less so.
The Ugly
The final two chapters of Moriarty see the entire plot unraveling, reaching a climax that I certainly didn't expect. I mean, the conclusion of Horowitz's novel was like a punch in the stomach. Although the narrator alludes to future events, to the potential for tragedy, I didn't expect events to unfold as they did. In concluding his novel as he did, Horowitz creates a truly brilliant - and truly terrifying - villain.
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