The Adventure of the Purloined Portrait by Liese Sherwood-Fabre

The Adventure of the Purloined Portrait
by Liese Sherwood-Fabre

ISBN-13: 9781952408151
ebook: 314 pages
Publisher: Little Elm Press
Released: April 27th 2022

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Sherlock's mother hasn't been herself for months. Her unrest has put everyone on edge even before they leave for a summer in Paris. When they seek to discover who murdered one of Mrs. Holmes' former suitors, old secrets emerge that endanger the whole Holmes family. Can Sherlock uncover the truth before the past buries them all?


My Review:
The Adventure of the Purloined Portrait is a mystery set in 1868 in France. It's the forth book in a series, but it works as a standalone novel as well. The main character is a teenaged Sherlock Holmes, and the story shows how he learned to be a detective. I felt like the author did a good job of capturing the personalities of Sherlock and Mycroft as they developed toward the adult characters.

The author has deeply researched this time period. Historical details were woven into the story, bringing the setting and manners alive in my imagination without slowing the pacing. The characters were logical, asked good questions, and followed up on clues. Whodunit and the bad guys were guessable from the clues, and Sherlock's ideas about what had happened and why were confirmed after Sherlock was captured by them. The official detective on the case also played a role in capturing the bad guys. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable historical mystery.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.