Fast Moving and Entertaining...Pastiche writing is new to me, but after recently reading author Craig Stephen Copland’s other book, “Studying Scarlet,” I found myself wanting to read another one of his new Sherlock Holmes mysteries. “A Sandal from East Anglia” is set in 1888 Victorian England, and Holmes is hired to retrieve an ancient document discovered in an archaeological excavation…a document that becomes the motive behind theft, deception, and murder. As expected, Holmes impresses everyone with his deductive reasoning, as he cleverly deals with an odd-looking monk, a bishop, and a mysterious and fascinating nun who may just hold the future of women’s equal rights in her hands.
The English dialect, as well as the characteristic form of communication between Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson is fast moving and entertaining. I am rapidly becoming a prodigious fan of this genre. Mr. Copland once again delivers an intriguing story line, interspersed with historical facts of the British Empire and Christendom.
NLB – April 20, 2015