Review
"A finely balanced novel worthy of the original Holmes stories. A terrific historical mystery, highly recommended!" -- Historical Novel Society
To say I am a fan of the Sherlock Holmes trope would be an understatement. When I find new stories that are every bit as good as Conan Doyle's I don't just read them... I devour them. THE LAST MORIARTY is one of those books. -- BookBub Reviewer
The writing is excellent and has the feel of the original tales I have long enjoyed. There are any number of other writers who have taken pen to the task of keeping Sherlock Holmes fresh and new, but few have succeeded as seamlessly. Charles Veley has used historical figures to add a certain realism to the first story of Sherlock and Lucy. -- BookBub Reviewer
Who is Lucy James, you ask? Finding out is part of the overall charm of the narrative. You will be led down dark alleys and garden paths on the road to your discovery. The question provides a tantalizing undercurrent to death and destruction in and around London. Join Holmes, Watson, and, of course, Lestrade as they team up to save the city and, perhaps, even the stability of nations.Now that I have discovered this series, there is no doubt I will be reading all of them. -- BookBub Reviewer
Praise for the Sherlock and Lucy Series!
"Elliott (the Twilight of Avon trilogy) and Veley, her father, collaborate on the winning third mystery pairing Sherlock Holmes and his daughter, Lucy James. Readers will look forward to Lucy's further adventures." -- Publishers Weekly
"Fans of Holmesian stories, historical fiction, and Victorian romance will all find something to enjoy in the Sherlock Holmes & Lucy James Mystery Series." -- Critical Blast
"[Lucy James is an] independent, strong feminist young woman who is unafraid to take care of herself even in very uncomfortable situations. This fact alone sets [The Sherlock & Lucy series] apart from most Regency historicals or other Sherlock Holmes mysteries. Women are generally damsels in distress, but not Lucy!" -- Tynga's Reviews
"It might be difficult to imagine the original Holmes even having an offspring -- much less one he accepts as an investigating partner. Still, the authors make it seem plausible, and for readers who are not purists but rather pleased to see a hint of warmth coming from Holmes, [the Sherlock & Lucy series] is a new way to enjoy Sherlockian mysteries." -- The Santa Barbara Independent
"I absolutely loved Remember, Remember and think it's the perfect book for Sherlock Holmes fans, as well as mystery lovers. I cannot praise this book and its authors enough for this well written and imaginative story." - The Nerdy Girl Express
"Reading this novel was a very delightful way to spend an afternoon. Remember, Remember will not only appeal to fans of Sherlock Holmes, but also to those who love The Secret Life Anna Blanc, The Beekeeper's Apprentice, and A Curious Beginning. - History from a Woman's Perspective
"Elliot's writing style is solid and easy to become absorbed in. She gives Lucy a strong narrative voice, which caused the plot to both flow well and pack a punch. Her world building of 1897 London is vivid and skilled, making it a very high point of the novel. She unravels the mystery at a steady pace, showing her talent for creating a storyline that hooks her readers and keeps them wanting more. [...] A very fun story, and an inventive take on some very timeless classics." - The Quirky Book Nerd
From the Author
Anna and I always like to have Sherlock and Lucy working in real historical locations with real historical figures. Here's some detail about the locations and personages we used for the first Sherlock and Lucy adventure. We hasten to add our usual disclaimer, of course: "This is a work of fiction, and the authors make no claim that any of the historical locations or historical figures appearing in this story had even the remotest connection with the adventures recounted herein."
However . . .
1. The design and location of the Diogenes Club in this story are based on The Athenaeum, a gentleman's club in Pall Mall founded in 1824, active today, and thought by some to be the model for the Diogenes Club that appears in the original Sherlock Holmes stories created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
2. The office of the registrar general of births, marriages and deaths was located in Somerset House in 1895, but it was relocated nearly a century later. Due to its spectacular architecture, Somerset House has been used as a location for many film and television entertainments, including several involving Sherlock Holmes.
3. The Bank of England continues in full operation at One Threadneedle Street. No gold has ever been stolen from the Bank since its inception in 1654.
4. The Savoy Theater and Savoy Hotel continue to operate adjacent to one another in the Strand, City of Westminster, London. The Mikado continues to be performed in hundreds of theaters throughout the world.
5. The Royal Navy converted from coal to oil, though the conversion was not complete until the end of the Great War.
6. John D. Rockefeller Sr. retired from business in 1897. In 1911 the United States government broke up the Standard Oil Trust. The move made Rockefeller the world's first billionaire, and, adjusting for inflation, the wealthiest man of all time. He gave nearly all of the money to charities and to his children before he passed away at age 97.
7. John D. Rockefeller Jr. married Abby Aldrich, the daughter of Senator Nelson Aldrich of Providence, Rhode Island, and went on to devote his working life to philanthropy. Their union provided Rockefeller Sr. with six grandchildren, five of whom went on to lives of significant fame and responsibility.
8. The Corsair was purchased by the US Government in 1898 and served in the Spanish-American War as the USS Gloucester.
9. In 1902 Morgan formed the International Mercantile Marine, a shipping trust that included Rockefeller's American railway interests and, after a meeting with Kaiser Wilhelm on a new Corsair, the German Hamburg-Amerika Steamship Line. Morgan balanced his activity between business and philanthropic interests until his death in 1913.
10. Adam Worth was an American criminal who with his brother formed a successful crime network in London during the Victorian era. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is thought to have used Worth as a model for his fictional Professor Moriarty and may have modeled the foiled bank robbery described in "The Red-Headed League" on Worth's successful robbery of the Boylston National Bank of Boston. Worth owned an estate in Clapham Common, a flat at 198 Piccadilly, and a yacht called the Shamrock.
11. Watson never published a reference to Zoe Rosario or Lucy James. In "The Adventure of the Illustrious Client" he refers to Colonel Sebastian Moran as still being alive in 1902, which may have been a deliberate attempt to conceal the circumstances of Moran's death.
12. Sherlock Holmes continued to serve his country and other illustrious clients. His death has not been recorded, and there is speculation that he discovered a means of extending life through his researches on the properties of royal jelly, as recorded in his Practical Handbook of Bee Culture, with Some Observations on the Segregation of the Queen.
About the Author
Charles Veley is an avid fan of Sherlock Holmes and Gilbert and Sullivan. He wrote The Pirates of Finance, a new musical in the Gilbert and Sullivan tradition that won an award at the New York Musical Theatre Festival in 2013. His books include Children of the Dark, Play to Live, Night Whispers, and Catching Up.
