The Giant Rat of Sumatra: The Baker Street Mysteries (#2)

by Jake Thoene | Mystery & Thrillers |
ISBN: 0345395603 Global Overview for this book
Registered by wingGoryDetailswing of Nashua, New Hampshire USA on 4/29/2015
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Journal Entry 1 by wingGoryDetailswing from Nashua, New Hampshire USA on Wednesday, April 29, 2015
I found this good-condition softcover at a local Savers thrift shop. It's one of many spinoffs of the "Sherlock Holmes" canon, this one dealing with the famous noodle incident mentioned in one Holmes story as a case "for which the world is not yet prepared". How could I resist?

Turns out the book focuses on the Baker Street Irregulars, the street urchins that Holmes used as runners and occasional spies. Here, they get the majority of the action, with some guidance by Holmes (and no appearance by Watson at all). The case has to do with the fear of a plot to steal the many valuable gifts being brought to the Tower of London for Queen Victoria's Jubilee. The Tower officials are sure the place is secure, but it soon turns out this isn't the case - one of the boys, assigned to sneak into the Tower and stay behind to keep watch, spots a large rat-like creature crawling into the river! He's a nervous type, though, very much afraid of the rumored ghosts that haunt the Tower, and Holmes dismisses his tale of the giant rat. [I found that rather unlike Holmes, actually; he usually knows his confederates well enough to sift truth from imagination. But this isn't really his story after all.]

There are some amusing - and some frightening - adventures in store for the three boys, who spot a suspect, discover a secret code, and even help Holmes in deciphering the code, before getting involved in a river-chase to track down the suspects and spare the Queen from an embarrassing revelation as to the flaws in Tower security.

It's relatively light-hearted, and includes lots of period slang that lend color to the narrative. [There's a glossary in the back for those who can't work out the meanings from context.] Not quite what I'd hoped for when I ordered it, both for the downplaying of Holmes' role and for the reveal as to the nature of the "rat", but not a bad story for younger readers.

Journal Entry 2 by wingGoryDetailswing at Main Street (See Release Notes For Details) in Nashua, New Hampshire USA on Wednesday, September 9, 2015

Released 8 yrs ago (9/9/2015 UTC) at Main Street (See Release Notes For Details) in Nashua, New Hampshire USA

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

I left this book on the Main Street bridge at around 6 or so, not far from Riverside BBQ. Hope the finder enjoys it!

*** Released as part of the 2015 September Sapphire release challenge. ***

*** Released as part of the 2015 You're Such an Animal release challenge. ***

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