Death on a Pale Horse: Sherlock Holmes on Her Majesty’s Secret Service

Master pasticher Thomas demonstrates that his gifts at creating new Holmes short stories, most recently in 2010’s Sherlock Holmes and the Ghosts of Bly, extend to the harder task of sustaining character, atmosphere, and plot over a full-length novel, something that Conan Doyle himself struggled with. The opening section consists of the narrative of Col. Rawdon Moran (brother of Moriarty’s chief of staff, Sebastian), who took his revenge on English forces arrayed in southeast Africa in 1879, after he was drummed out of his regiment for conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman. The colonel’s betrayals come to the attention of Holmes and Watson while they’re in India consulting on the mysterious death of another army man. As with the best emulations of the originals, Thomas maintains both the proper tone and spirit, while presenting new facets of both the doctor and the detective that ring true. Agent: Charles Schlessiger, Brandt & Hochman Literary. (Mar.)