The Adventure of the Peculiar Protocols

The Adventure of the Peculiar Protocols: Adapted from the Journals of John H. Watson, M.D. is a Sherlock Holmes pastiche novel by Nicholas Meyer, published in 2019. It takes place after Meyer's other Holmes pastiches, The Seven-Per-Cent Solution, The West End Horror, and The Canary Trainer. It is Meyer's first Holmes pastiche in 26 years.^[1]

The Adventure of the Peculiar Protocols

First edition
Author	Nicholas Meyer
Language	English
Genre	Mystery novels
Publisher	Minotaur Books
Publication date	October 2019
Publication place	United States
Media type	Print (Hardback
ISBN	9781250228956 (first edition, hardback)
Preceded by	The Canary Trainer
Followed by	The Return of the Pharaoh

The story has Holmes debunk The Protocols of the Elders of Zion.^[2][3] As with Meyer's other pastiches, the novel features Holmes meeting real-life historical personages such as Constance Garnett,^[2] Israel Zangwill^[4] and Chaim Weizmann.^[5]

The book made the bestseller list of The Los Angeles Times in November 2019.^[6][7]

Reception

Kirkus Reviews found the mystery "slight" and said of the purportedly previously undiscovered adventure "that [it] might just as well have stayed hidden."^[5] Publishers Weekly said that "Meyer cleverly plays with his audience’s expectations" and posited that Sherlockians would want a shorter wait for Meyer's next adventure.^[8] Joseph Goodrich of Mystery Scene positively reviewed the novel calling it a "a masterful concoction" and "an effective thriller, rich in atmosphere and period detail"^[9] The Washington Post reviewer Michael Dirda felt that the book has some "fine Sherlockian flourishes" but ultimately "the novel often feels talky and perhaps unavoidably somber and portentous."^[4]

References

1. Wright, Molly (October 16, 2019). "Writer Nicholas Meyer on the Inspiration Behind His Latest Sherlock Holmes Tale". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
2. Britt, Ryan (October 29, 2019). "Nicholas Meyer on Sherlock Holmes Tackling Real-Life Hoaxes in The Adventure of the Peculiar Protocols". Tor.com. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
3. Picker, Lenny (August 30, 2019). "Nicholas Meyer Puts Sherlock Holmes on the Couch". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
4. Dirda, Michael (November 27, 2019). "Sherlock Holmes can never die. New books about the great sleuth are making sure of it". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 30, 2019.
5. "The Adventure of the Peculiar Protocols: Kirkus review". Kirkus Reviews. July 28, 2019. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
6. Vignola, Michael (November 26, 2019). "Fiona Hill Unintentionally Plugged a New Book During Her Impeachment Testimony". Lamag - Culture, Food, Fashion, News & Los Angeles. Los Angeles. Retrieved December 1, 2019.
7. "Nov. 17, 2019". The Los Angeles Times. November 17, 2019. Retrieved December 1, 2019.
8. "The Adventure of the Peculiar Protocols: Adapted from the Journals of John H. Watson, M.D." Publishers Weekly. June 21, 2019. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
9. Goodrich, Joseph. "The Adventure of the Peculiar Protocols". Mystery Scene. Retrieved December 1, 2019.

External links

• Nicholas Meyer discusses his book on the I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere podcast
• Interview with Nicholas Meyer at CrimeReads