In Fire Storm by Andrew Lane, young Sherlock's friend and her father have vanished. Their house looks as if nobody has ever lived in it; the neighbors claim never to have heard of them. Sherlock begins to doubt his sanity, until a clever clue points him to Scotland. Following that clue leads him into a mystery that involves kidnapping, bodysnatchers, and a man who claims he can raise the dead. Only the budding detective Sherlock can untangle the mind-bending--and dangerous--puzzles that ensnare his friends. Think you know Sherlock Holmes? Think again!
**
From School Library Journal
Gr 7 Up—This fourth book (Macmillan, 2013) in the "Sherlock Holmes: The Legend Begins" series picks up with 14-year-old Sherlock and his good friend Matty on a dangerous rescue mission. Amyus and Virginia Crowe have disappeared from quiet Farnham, seemingly without a trace. One small clue is uncovered: the head of a rabbit left behind in a burrow. Sherlock reasons that Amyus and Virginia are on the run to Edinburgh ("head-in-burrow"), Scotland. With his ever-increasing abilities at observation and deduction, Sherlock charges after the Crowes and faces his scariest foe yet, a vengeful American set to murder Virginia. While the violence within the story is often excessive (and this one describes bear baiting and dog fighting), the plot moves steadily along as the reader is caught up in the complexities of several story threads: the resolution to housekeeper Mrs. Eglantine's snooping, the disappearance of the Crowes and Sherlock's unbreakable loyalties to those he loves and cares for. James Langton's narration is excellent with skillful English, Scottish, and American accents.—Suzanne Dix, The Seven Hills School, Cincinnati, OH
From Booklist
When 16-year-old Sherlock Holmes’ former tutor and his daughter disappear from their home, the young detective embarks on a quest to find and rescue them, which takes him from the English countryside, through London, and into Edinburgh, Scotland. This is the fourth entry in the Sherlock Holmes: The Legend Begins series, which explores the beginnings of the famous character. The story here is formulaic, but the clues are inventive and at times intricate. There are references to an earlier adventure, which established the reasons why Holmes is searching for Amyus Crowe, but readers can enjoy this entry without any backstory. At times Lane overexplains history or culture in a way that underestimates his audience, and Holmes’ sidekick, Matty, knows too much about too many subjects to be believable as a street urchin. But these quirks won’t prevent enjoyment of the story. Try this with fans of Philip Pullman’s Sally Lockhart series. Grades 5-8. --Cindy Welch
Description:
In Fire Storm by Andrew Lane, young Sherlock's friend and her father have vanished. Their house looks as if nobody has ever lived in it; the neighbors claim never to have heard of them. Sherlock begins to doubt his sanity, until a clever clue points him to Scotland. Following that clue leads him into a mystery that involves kidnapping, bodysnatchers, and a man who claims he can raise the dead. Only the budding detective Sherlock can untangle the mind-bending--and dangerous--puzzles that ensnare his friends. Think you know Sherlock Holmes? Think again!
**
From School Library Journal
Gr 7 Up—This fourth book (Macmillan, 2013) in the "Sherlock Holmes: The Legend Begins" series picks up with 14-year-old Sherlock and his good friend Matty on a dangerous rescue mission. Amyus and Virginia Crowe have disappeared from quiet Farnham, seemingly without a trace. One small clue is uncovered: the head of a rabbit left behind in a burrow. Sherlock reasons that Amyus and Virginia are on the run to Edinburgh ("head-in-burrow"), Scotland. With his ever-increasing abilities at observation and deduction, Sherlock charges after the Crowes and faces his scariest foe yet, a vengeful American set to murder Virginia. While the violence within the story is often excessive (and this one describes bear baiting and dog fighting), the plot moves steadily along as the reader is caught up in the complexities of several story threads: the resolution to housekeeper Mrs. Eglantine's snooping, the disappearance of the Crowes and Sherlock's unbreakable loyalties to those he loves and cares for. James Langton's narration is excellent with skillful English, Scottish, and American accents.—Suzanne Dix, The Seven Hills School, Cincinnati, OH
From Booklist
When 16-year-old Sherlock Holmes’ former tutor and his daughter disappear from their home, the young detective embarks on a quest to find and rescue them, which takes him from the English countryside, through London, and into Edinburgh, Scotland. This is the fourth entry in the Sherlock Holmes: The Legend Begins series, which explores the beginnings of the famous character. The story here is formulaic, but the clues are inventive and at times intricate. There are references to an earlier adventure, which established the reasons why Holmes is searching for Amyus Crowe, but readers can enjoy this entry without any backstory. At times Lane overexplains history or culture in a way that underestimates his audience, and Holmes’ sidekick, Matty, knows too much about too many subjects to be believable as a street urchin. But these quirks won’t prevent enjoyment of the story. Try this with fans of Philip Pullman’s Sally Lockhart series. Grades 5-8. --Cindy Welch