Sherlock Holmes and the Hapsburg Tiara

Review: This is the second Sherlock Holmes book by Mr. Vanneman, following his earlier Sherlock Holmes and the Giant Rat of Sumatra. Once again, he has displayed his flair for character and scene, producing vivid people and places with crisp prose. The story line is as complex and difficult to predict as in his earlier effort, with odd occurrences popping up all over the place, seemingly at random.

The tale follows the fate of the mysterious Blue Diamond of Kimberly, a gem reportedly destroyed in a fire, but whose shadowy existence into the 20th century haunted the diamond cartel. In 1899, Holmes and Watson answer a summons by Winston Churchill and Cecil Rhodes in a case of impersonation. In a world of late Edwardian elitist politics spanning the ‘civilized world,’ Holmes manages to pursue a serial murderer and adjust the balance of European power politics.

The author makes an important point in a subtle fashion. The high politics of England, Austria and Italy proceed according to traditional 19th century forms. The Lords (and Ladies) of creation play out their roles as movers and shakers in an intricate dance. Cousins, friends and shirttail relations squabble and spar for position in an endless routine that has run since the 12th century. The only players of importance are the wellborn and wealthy, and their concerns are paramount. All else is window dressing. Women’s suffrage, workers’ rights, minorities treatment, international economics, rising industrial nations and many other such concerns are seen as minor matters. These are not to be confused with the important things in life, such as good form, precedence codes and the Proper Distribution of Wealth.

The mystery involved is also complex. Holmes must find a way to destroy a villain with all the trappings of power and birth by using the system that protects him as an instrument of justice rather than the legal tools of evidence, accusation and trial. In the end, Holmes and Watson achieve some success, but the system continues. The reader is made to realize how much changed with the Great War by viewing the political realities of the world as it existed before that war’s “East Wind.”

Although the book was interesting and included many fascinating scenes and characters, it was not a satisfying pastiche. The author depicted Holmes in traditional fashion but with few of the humanizing elements usually found in the Canon. Any such humanization that did appear seemed false and contrived, even overly sentimental. Dr. Watson was shown as a sensualist with no redeeming virtues and almost all the other characters were drawn with no warmth or sympathy. The author seemed to dislike the society and to blame the entire crew, individually, for the state of their world. Only Holmes escaped censure and displayed virtue. Since this virtue consisted of social consciousness in a form that was alien to a Victorian gentleman, even this note sounded sour.

The author’s criticisms of the Edwardian world are mostly valid. It was a world where the privileges of Birth and Wealth were primary, and individual rights counted only when sponsored by someone of privilege. On the other hand, people of privilege were showing concern, and change was forcing its way through the system despite resistance from the top. The author seems to attribute participation in this elaborate saraband to individual evil rather than to laziness and lack of thought. This viewpoint gives an unpleasant edge to most of his characters.

In summary, this is an unpleasant novel about unpleasant people. It is interesting but not very Sherlockian and the ties with history are questionable.

Reviewed by: Philip K. Jones, March 2005