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Book Review of Holmes on the Range (Holmes on the Range, Bk 1)

Holmes on the Range (Holmes on the Range, Bk 1)
algernon99 avatar reviewed on + 418 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 8


Now this is a great read.

Hockensmith is funny, clever, and has a great sense of the realities of the Old West. Here we have two brothers, known as Big Red and Old Red for their fiery hair color. Old Red, the brainy one, is a fanatic fan of Sherlock Holmes--who he doesn't know is fictional--but can't read. Big Red, the younger brother, has been to school and can read, so he reads any Sherlock stories they can get their hands on to Old Red (and the rest of the bunkhouse crew) over and over again.

When mysterious things start happening out on the range and in the castle-like but rundown old ranch house, Old Red decides it's time to do some sure-enough Sherlocking of his own--with hilarious results.

Yes, it's funny, but it's also a satisfying mystery, which would have been a good story if told straight--that is, with a non-funny narrator. Luckily for us, Big Red is a hoot.

You don't have to like Sherlock Holmes to read this. You don't have to like cowboy stories to read this. You'll like it as long as you have a funny bone and can tolerate good mystery stories.

Read it!