Leonard Goldberg (2) (1936–)

The abduction of the beautiful and talented actress of the title sets off a search for the notorious Jack the Ripper. As Joanna and the Watsons pursue the case, they are also pulled into the gruesome deaths of prostitutes. Following the Unfortunates and their Gentlemen Drifters brings the deaths closer to home as several of the suspects are colleagues at St. Bart's. However, new clues indicate that Johnny is a new target. However, increased security is not enough to thwart his own abduction. As the family loses hope Toby Two is brought in. Can Pretty Penny be saved and the reign of terror from the Ripper be ended?… (altro)

This is 3.5 stars for me, and I'm rounding up because I think the most upvoted reviews are much more negative than the books deserves. Writing Sherlock Holmes pastiches is not easy, and even less so when it's not Sherlock Holmes, but his daughter, after Sherlock is dead (but Watson is still alive). Getting the tone right is not easy.

I read the first in the Mary Russell & Sherlock Holmes mystery series by Laurie R. King, and although it was well-written I found it insufferable, with the most Mary-Sueish character ever, and completely unnecessary Watson-bashing. Like a bad fanfiction where the author-self-insert character dazzles all the characters from the original work with her brilliance.

This one got the tone better. It is not badly-written, either. It is perhaps a bit too precious, taking the "next generation" concept a bit too far. Having Watson's son, Holmes' daughter and the original Watson himself collaborate in an investigation is the premise, but was it necessary to have Lestrade's son be the Scotland Yard investigator, and the son of a Sherlock Holmes villain be the villain here? It's just a bit too much.

The mystery also could have been a bit more interesting. We readers, and also the investigators, knew the identity of the murderer from the beginning, and the whole book is about finding proof. It's not bad, with elements reminiscent of Sherlock Holmes' stories, like deciphering a secret code.

The tone felt mostly right to me, much more respectful of the original stories than Laurie R. King's series. The Daughter of Sherlock Holmes was quite readable, although not as fresh and exciting as it might have been.… (altro)