"On his way home, Sherlock rushes through Trafalgar Square, then speeds north on a wide, busy street past palatial steps that lead to the huge doors of a towering church. As he turns his head to glance at it, someone violently seizes him and pulls him into the mews across the street on the far side of St. Martin's ominous granite workhouse. Good and evil are often side by side in London."
Sherlock is distraught over his mother's death which occurred while he was solving his first case, and as a direct result of his involvement. Her death provides the impetus to his lifelong committment to fighting crime and injustice. His second case begins with a suspicious fall at his father's work place, the Crystal Palace. As Sherlock and others in attendance watch in horror, the star of an aerial troupe plunges to the ground from a trapeze high above them. As he lays twisted and unconscious at Sherlock's feet, Sherlock notices what no one else seems to see..there is something strange about the trapeze bar. It isn't long until Sherlock is mired in a dangerous game of cat and mouse with a street gang known for their violent and wicked ways. Sherlock is determined to find justice for the injured aerialist and enlists the help of one of the troupe, The Sparrow, and his good friend and benefactor, Dr. Bell to help him solve the mystery.
I have always been appalled, yet intrigued, by Victorian England...the bleak conditions that were the norm for so many. In this dangerous and intimidating underworld, Sherlock must use all his wits to ensure justice for the brutal accident that befalls the performer. The pace is exhilirating, the characters are so believable, and the plot is well constructed and exciting. Once again, it is hard to put this book down until the last page is read. We feel our own sense of injustice for the way the case is handled by Scotland Yard concerning Sherlock Holmes' role in the capture of the notorious Brixton Gang. There is no doubt that we will be along for the ride in his next adventure, Vanishing Girl...which was my third read of the day!
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