The Disappearance of Sherlock Holmes

2012
Author:

Larry Millett

Nonstop suspense unfolds as Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson travel from London to New York to Chicago in pursuit of a vicious and cunning killer

Chasing a kidnapper from London to New York to Chicago, Holmes and Watson race to keep up. Every move Holmes makes is expected; every trap proves elusive. Only with the assistance of his American cohort, the saloonkeeper Shadwell Rafferty, can Holmes hope to settle the score once and for all—or be framed for the crime himself.

Millett recreates the world of Holmes with uncanny precision.

Booklist

SHERLOCK HOLMES DISAPPEARS, POLICE SUSPECT FAMED DETECTIVE IN KIDNAPPING AND MURDER reads a New York headline. So begins the fifth mystery in Larry Millett’s series.

A letter, written in a secret cipher he recognizes all too well, reveals that an old foe of Holmes—a murderer he once captured after an incredible duel of wits—is back, has kidnapped his previous victim’s widow, and is now impersonating Holmes himself. Holmes must once again match wits with a particularly cunning adversary, one whose hatred of Holmes has seemingly become the killer’s single greatest obsession.

Chasing the kidnapper from London to New York to Chicago, Holmes and Watson race to keep up. Every move Holmes makes is expected; every trap proves elusive. Only with the assistance of his American cohort, the saloonkeeper Shadwell Rafferty, can Holmes hope to settle the score once and for all—or be framed for the crime himself.

Larry Millett was a reporter and architecture critic for the St. Paul Pioneer Press for thirty years. He is the author of fifteen books, including five other mystery novels in this series featuring Sherlock Holmes and Shadwell Rafferty, all in new editions from the University of Minnesota Press.

Millett recreates the world of Holmes with uncanny precision.

Booklist

Contents

Prologue: “You Do Know Who I Am, Don’t You?” 1

Book One: England
1. “The Message Is Quite Clear” 11
2. “Money Won’t Do You No Good” 23
3. “We Are in the Hands of a Magician” 29
4. “Where Are You Taking Me?” 43
5. “Do You Dream About Her?” 46
6. “I Fear Great Trouble Is Coming Your Way” 54
7. “Now We Must Do a Bit of Heavy Lifting” 60
8. “We Will Be Home in Chicago Before Long” 71

Book Two: New York
9. “I Told Them to Go to Hell” 77
10. “Who Are You?” 88
11. “What Cheek!” 91
12. “Everything Is in Order” 100
13. “Elsie Cubitt Shall Be Free at Last” 105
14. “We Shall Have Him Too” 117
15. “Where Is Holmes?” 120
16. “Love Is a Strange Thing” 131
17. “It Was a Tiger” 135
18. “I Hope You Are Safe” 142
19. “I Will Be Fine, My Dear Watson” 146
20. “Shoot the Bastards If You Can” 149
21. “Let the World Know What I Have Done” 152
22. “I Like Those Odds” 160

Book Three: The Pennsylvania Limited
23. “They Will Not Escape New York” 169
24. “He’ll Be All Mine” 173
25. “Do You Remember Alfred Beach?” 183
26. “Your Presence Is Requested” 190
27. “I Think I Know What We’ve Found” 194
28. “He Won’t Be Trying Anything” 205
29. “You Are British to the Core” 214
30. “Something Like That” 218

Book Four: Chicago
31. “Big Wheels Continue to Turn” 225
32. “How Nice of You to Join Us” 236
33. “It Was Strictly a Delivery Job” 249
34. “Perhaps I Am Being Too Hard on You” 256
35. “Trouble Is, We’re Not the Indians” 263
36. “My God, I Don’t Believe It” 275
37. “For God’s Sake, Do Not Shoot” 279
38. “We All Must Leave at Once” 283
39. “This Is a Thing I Must Do Myself” 289
40. “There Will Be No Court” 296

Epilogue: “I Do” 304

Notes 313
Author’s Note 340