Black Ice

December 15, 2012
In this third in an ever-improving series, the teenage Holmes plunges right away into an adventure that involves his brother Mycroft and a trip to Russia disguised as a member of a troupe of actors. An introductory interlude featuring Sherlock and his mentor Amyus Crowe is mercifully short and leads logically (of course) into another Holmes-ian escapade. Returning home from the United States, Sherlock and Amyus travel to London for a luncheon only to find a knife-wielding and stunned Mycroft in a closed room (alone) with a corpse. Mycroft, shaken by the implications of this event, decides to involve Sherlock in his professional life--he's a spy master for the British government--as his companion on an upcoming Russian mission. Readers will appreciate the broad cast of characters and varied settings, as well as the mystery elements. Red herrings abound, and confusion reigns until Sherlock has one of his trademark eureka moments. The ensuing spectacular chase through Moscow's streets results in a breathless (and surprising) climax and satisfying resolution of most of the book's mysteries. Sherlock Holmes fans will enjoy the electrifying adventure and value the insights into the character traits that make the adult Holmes so fascinating. (Mystery/adventure. 13-17)

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May 1, 2013
Grades 6-9 The third book in the Sherlock Holmes: The Legend Begins series finds teenage Sherlock up to his knees in confusion and obfuscations. Shockingly, his brother, Mycroft, has been arrested for murder, after being found in a windowless room with a dead man and a knife in his hand. Once this problem is cleverly resolved, the sedentary Mycroft finds he must travel to Russia to rescue a friend, and there's nothing for it but to take Sherlock with him. Lane does a terrific job of packing a lot of adventure into a manageable number of pages. By the time Sherlock arrives in Moscow, he has been mauled by an iron-clawed falcon, chased through London's underbelly by a gang of marauding, murderous children, and forced to question who among his acquaintances is actually a friend. The Russian sojourn offers more opportunities for the teen to use his burgeoning powers of deduction as a surprise twist only becomes clear when Sherlock untwists it. A solid mix of adventure and character, this may be the best in the series so far.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2014
This third volume in Lane's Holmes series opens with a classic locked-room mystery (spoiler: a knife made of ice is involved) but eventually lands in Moscow as the young Sherlock finds himself a part of the Great Game. While the plot is overcomplicated (but action-packed) and the writing sometimes expository, fans of the series shouldn't hesitate.

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