Son of Holmes

by John Lescroart

Book Overview

They say he is the son of Sherlock Holmes...The author of The Fall and the Dismas Hardy and Wyatt Hunt series takes us to a small French town in the dark days of World War I. The "reliably excellent"* New York Times bestselling author offers an engrossing historical mystery in which the rumor is that young chef Auguste Lupa is the son of the greatest detective of all time. And his mysterious legacy may come to light as he attempts to solve the baffling...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0451208757
• ISBN13: 9780451208750
• Release Date: September 2003
• Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 0.53 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.3" x 8.1"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

Don't think Conan Doyle, think Rex Stout

Other reviewers have not fully enjoyed this book because they are looking for satisfaction as a post Holmes story. It is more an early Nero Wolfe story - "Auguste Lupa" is the backstory referred to by Nero Wolfe in several of the Rex Stout novels. Here he is young and fit, not yet corpulent but displaying his trademark love of food, beer and horticulture. The cook, Fritz Benet is obviously the WWI identity of Fritz Brenner, Nero Wolfe's chef and housekeeper. There are many treats here for Rex Stout fans - Auguste Lupa's designing a remote signaling device to have beer fetched to him, his mistrust of women, using an intelligent legman to gather facts for him to decipher and of course gathering all the players for the unmasking of the criminal. As a standalone mystery it would be only a couple of stars, but as biographical fodder for Nero Wolfe, it is "very satisfactory".

Where Did This Come From?

Having read many of the author's Dismas Hardy novels, I was intrigued to find this little novel. Set in W.W.I. France, this book revolves around a murder and wartime espionage. The case is investigated by the reputed son of Sherlock Holmes. The ending is classic English-style, "let's go in a room and reveal the killer." A welcome departure full of a sense of place.

Barnes and Noble

i bought this book at Barnes and Noble for $3.95 along with 'Rasputin's Revenge' for the same price. it's on the clearance rack. pick it up for a great read.

Elementary my Dear Lupa!

This was a great read, from the introduction to the end....Lescroart gave Lupa enough of his "father" but still keeping a sensible distance as to not create a clone. I just purchased Rasputin's Revenge, and I'm looking forward to reading it! I hope you continue to write more A. Lupa stories!

My favorite mystery book

"Son of Holmes" is based in a small French town just after WWI broke out. Auguste Lupa is the supposed son of Sherlock Holmes (its always hinted at, but never confirmed). Lupa must discover, with the help of a French agent, the murderer of a crime. The murderer turns out to want to disrupt France's war effort.With brillant plot, brillant characters, and a wonderfully done setting, this book of Lescroart should be reprinted and stay in print. You will not find a better book set in WWI.