Alias Simon Hawkes

Review: This book is subtitled Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes in New York. In the Introduction, The Adventure of the Dead Rabbits Society is referenced for an explanation of the source of these two books which were tales related to Watson by Holmes. In 1893, Holmes spent some months under the name of Simon Hawkes in New York City, just prior to his Return. This contradicts the Canon, but is not so fantastic as other suggestions that have seen print about this period. It also solves some problems encountered by other pastiches set at this time. The location is more familiar to the author than either England or the Far East and the Americanisms in the tale are easily explained. Stylistic differences from the Canon are also explained by Holmes' relation of the stories to Watson in the years after the Return.

This book consists of four stories that take place, more or less, during and just after the time of the Dead Rabbits Society. The Adventure of the Magic Alibi, is a neat novelette of misdirection, worthy of any professional magician. The Adventure of the Captive Forger is very like the Canonical tales, where Holmes sees clearly what is invisible to the readers and unscrambles seeming randomness to reveal the truth. The Adventure of the Glass Room is an example of a very nasty, well-planned crime that has the misfortune to encounter an expert investigator. The Adventure of the Talking Ghost presents another carefully planned and hidden crime that would have succeeded without Holmes' presence..

These are ingenious mysteries, solved in true Holmesian fashion, without frills or histrionics. Readers may solve some of them in advance, but not all and not without effort. The narrative style, with its switching viewpoints is not Canonical, and it distracts and confuses devotees of the Canon, no matter how intriguing the tales. As in Dead Rabbits Society, this is Holmes solving mysteries, but it is most certainly not Watson writing about them. The touch of the common man is missing, as is the sense of wonder.

Reviewed by: Philip K. Jones, January 2004