Sherlock Holmes comes to life in Caleb Carr’s ‘Italian Secretary’
In my reading and movie-watching habits, I’ve grown to love the characters of Sherlock Holmes and Doctor John Watson. Whether it’s Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s original texts or the beloved cinematic adaptations with Basil Rathbone, I’m ga-ga for tweed jackets, curved pipes and things that go bump in the night.
Over the years, with Doyle obviously unable to continue his Holmes collection, contemporary authors have picked up right where he left off, and many of the results are solid pieces of writing.
I am a huge advocate of Mitch Cullin’s A Slight Trick of the Mind, which envisions Holmes as a 93-year-old detective nearing the end of his life, and now I’m happy to report that Caleb Carr’s The Italian Secretary is equally impressive.
At 249 pages, the book flies by in an instant, as any good Sherlock Holmes mystery should. The novel, of course, takes the tried-and-true form of having Watson serve as narrator. This is a particularly useful device that Doyle instigated, chiefly because it makes Holmes worthy of inspection himself. By seeing the protagonist and the plot unfold through the eyes of the doubting doctor, we take on an immediate fly-on-the-wall perspective.
In some ways, and I don’t mean to denigrate the legacy of Sherlock Holmes, this approach is similar to the Fox Mulder-Dana Scully dynamic on The X Files, with Scully being the Watson to Mulder’s eccentric Holmes.
The Italian Secretary probably appeals even more because of its glorious setting. Typically, Holmes and Watson are tethered to London, and although that capital city has served them well, it’s always great when they can leave their home and explore the world. And so, we find the detective and the doctor exploring the strange (and perhaps supernatural) goings-on at the Royal Palace of Holyrood in the Scottish capital of Edinburgh.
Although Carr intricately weaves in fine details on the palace and its legendary history, it would serve the reader well if a visit to the royal estate were possible. I had the pleasure a few years ago of spending some time in Edinburgh, and Holyrood was quite impressive. Carr’s detailed rendering of the palace seems spot-on. It brought to life a building that can still be viewed and enjoyed today.
The reason for the detective’s presence in Scotland is because of two ghastly murders that call to mind the checkered history of Holyrood: It was the residence of Mary, Queen of Scots, and her slain supporter, Rizzio, a music teacher. Holmes and Watson are dealing with death in the Victorian age, but they also must upturn the stones of history and take a gander underneath.
Interestingly, Carr explores the idea of ghosts and hauntings, which seem to oppose everything Holmes and Watson stand for.
Helping them in their mission is Mycroft Holmes, Sherlock’s brother and personal assistant of Queen Victoria.
The proceedings never grow dull in Carr’s able hands. Although it takes several pages for the two main characters to leave their residence on Baker Street and cross into Scottish territory, there is hardly a page that doesn’t feel exciting. Carr is able to capture the legacy of Doyle’s quick prose and witty comments.
The Italian Secretary stands out not so much for its plot or even the lovably strange character of Holmes. Instead, I found myself drawn to Watson’s thinking and his growth as a character. As always, it’s the stick in the mud who must loosen for the plot to progress. Additionally, the descriptions of Holyrood are transporting. It’s almost like The Italian Secretary is a travel guide as much as it is a mystery novel.
After finishing the Sherlock tale, I find myself ready to head back to Edinburgh and explore the historical mysteries myself.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
- The Italian Secretary
- By Caleb Carr
- Hardcover edition from Carroll & Graf runs 249 pages with an afterword from Jon Lellenberg, U.S. agent of the Conan Doyle Estate.
- Retail price: $23.95 (paperback edition is $14.99)
- Rating:
Revised
