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Holmes On the Range #3
The Black Dove: A Western Mystery Series
SHERLOCK HOLMES MEETS THE OLD WEST IN THIS EXCITING DETECTIVE ADVENTURE CHOCK-FULL OF CRIME LORDS AND CUTTHROATS.
Sherlock Holmes-obsessed Big Red and Old Red Amlingmeyer are hanging up their spurs and bringing their sleuthing to the dangerous streets of San Francisco. And despite their unfamiliarity with city ways, one thing remains the same—their unmatched talent for getting into trouble.
It’s not long before the Amlingmeyer brothers face off against Chinatown crime lords and Barbary Coast cutthroats.
Thankfully, they have a new—if not duplicitous—friend along for the ride, whose wily charms have the potential to save them when they stumble into the middle of a Tong war and trudge through the criminal underworld to track down the mysterious “Black Dove� in time to unmask a murderer.
Will Big Red and Old Red be able to save an entire city from disaster before it’s too late?
Unleash your inner detective and saddle up for an unforgettable adventure as you dive into the thrilling world of the Amlingmeyer brothers today!
Sherlock Holmes-obsessed Big Red and Old Red Amlingmeyer are hanging up their spurs and bringing their sleuthing to the dangerous streets of San Francisco. And despite their unfamiliarity with city ways, one thing remains the same—their unmatched talent for getting into trouble.
It’s not long before the Amlingmeyer brothers face off against Chinatown crime lords and Barbary Coast cutthroats.
Thankfully, they have a new—if not duplicitous—friend along for the ride, whose wily charms have the potential to save them when they stumble into the middle of a Tong war and trudge through the criminal underworld to track down the mysterious “Black Dove� in time to unmask a murderer.
Will Big Red and Old Red be able to save an entire city from disaster before it’s too late?
Unleash your inner detective and saddle up for an unforgettable adventure as you dive into the thrilling world of the Amlingmeyer brothers today!
326 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 19, 2008
58 people are currently reading
367 people want to read
About the author
Steve Hockensmith
93Ìýbooks517ÌýfollowersSteve Hockensmith is the author of the New York Times bestseller Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls and several other novels, including the Edgar Award finalist Holmes on the Range. He lives in Alameda, California.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 125 reviews
January 29, 2023
Big Red and Old Red are killing time in San Francisco, trying to get Big Red's book published and get a job, and maybe looking for their paramour of the last book. When a Chinese friend of theirs is killed, they get on the case, and find the West was really wild in Chinatown.
Good stuff from a series that should be better known, but the ending is a little tough.
Good stuff from a series that should be better known, but the ending is a little tough.
December 8, 2015
I think I would have enjoyed his more if I hadn't done the audio. The narrator was a little too theatrical for my tastes. It was a little over the top. The characters seemed stereotyped in the worst way. I think they would have come across as charming if I had turned the pages instead. But I will say, I liked the story. It rolled along. So 3 stars.
March 7, 2019
A San Francisco, Chinatown, "deductifying" adventure with Old Red and Big Red, Sherlock Holmes wannabes. The brothers, teamed up with Diane Corvus, whom they met in their last adventure, and the writings of Dr. Watson, are looking for a murderer and The Black Dove. There is no lack of action as they are constantly being chased by hatchet men through the streets, brothels, and opium dens of Chinatown in a race against time. Will they get to The Black Dove before Little Pete? Although the story does lag in some spots, the plot twists and humor keep you reading.
January 11, 2013
Killer find. I'm reading anything this guy writes. I started here, in the middle of a series, but the book stood alone just fine. Uniquely humorous.
February 11, 2020
This was an interesting and fun read.
I know a bit about historic San Francisco and this seemed historically accurate.
The characters were consistent with previous books in this series. While some of the story is a spoiler for book two, this episode does rest on its own plot and is complete at the end.
We have Otto and Gustav in Oakland, looking for detective work. They are rejected by SF Pintertons and decide to use their free time to locate a friend from book two Souther Pacific Detective Diana. She finds them and they are off to find who killed their mutual friend Dr Chan.
This takes them into Chinatown and the Barbary Coast - two wild and crazy places.
I enjoy the Sherlocking of Gustav and the Watsoning of Otto.
I look forward to book four.
I borrowed a copy from the Public Library.
I know a bit about historic San Francisco and this seemed historically accurate.
The characters were consistent with previous books in this series. While some of the story is a spoiler for book two, this episode does rest on its own plot and is complete at the end.
We have Otto and Gustav in Oakland, looking for detective work. They are rejected by SF Pintertons and decide to use their free time to locate a friend from book two Souther Pacific Detective Diana. She finds them and they are off to find who killed their mutual friend Dr Chan.
This takes them into Chinatown and the Barbary Coast - two wild and crazy places.
I enjoy the Sherlocking of Gustav and the Watsoning of Otto.
I look forward to book four.
I borrowed a copy from the Public Library.
May 24, 2008
This the third in a series, but you can easily start with this book without having read the others first. The Black Dove is a detective novel set in early 1890’s San Francisco. Its main protagonists are a pair of constantly bickering brothers, the Almingmeyers. Otto, better known as “Big Red,� is the educated one. Gustav, “Old Red� (because he’s older than Otter rather than old in any real sense), is an illiterate cowboy. After a flood swept away the family farm--and the entire family save for Otto--Gustav took Otto under his wing and they worked as drovers. One night Otto read a Sherlock Holmes story out loud to his brother and Gustav wasn’t just hooked, he suddenly realized he wanted to be a detective with Holmes as his sole inspiration.
Illiterate and oft-times ignorant cowpoke or not, Gustav is very good at “deducifying.� When the Black Dove opens, the brothers, nearly broke, are living in a cheap hotel. The two, soon accompanied by an acquaintance they met in a previous adventure, the the ex-railroad detective Diana Corvis, wind up in Chinatown investigating the murder of another old acquaintance from a previous adventure, Dr. Chan.
They attract all sorts of trouble, such as hatchet men, and visit some seemingly places like a brothel and most China Town’s opium dens in search of clues. Throw in the Chinese-hating Sgt. Mahoney (head of the Chinatown police division and backed by the anti-Chinese League) and a variety of other characters and you have a rollicking adventure. What makes this book (and its predecessors) so good is that Hockensmith manages to weave a well-plotted mystery with very human characters, a good dose of humor, and a style of prose that creates the perfect tone.
While mystery novels are often peppered with interesting detectives, I have to say that the Almingmeyers are the most unique since, well, the Sherlock Holmes himself. Of the various mystery series I read, of which there are many (including Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot), I think this one is my favorite. Well, except for the original Holmes stories, of course.
Illiterate and oft-times ignorant cowpoke or not, Gustav is very good at “deducifying.� When the Black Dove opens, the brothers, nearly broke, are living in a cheap hotel. The two, soon accompanied by an acquaintance they met in a previous adventure, the the ex-railroad detective Diana Corvis, wind up in Chinatown investigating the murder of another old acquaintance from a previous adventure, Dr. Chan.
They attract all sorts of trouble, such as hatchet men, and visit some seemingly places like a brothel and most China Town’s opium dens in search of clues. Throw in the Chinese-hating Sgt. Mahoney (head of the Chinatown police division and backed by the anti-Chinese League) and a variety of other characters and you have a rollicking adventure. What makes this book (and its predecessors) so good is that Hockensmith manages to weave a well-plotted mystery with very human characters, a good dose of humor, and a style of prose that creates the perfect tone.
While mystery novels are often peppered with interesting detectives, I have to say that the Almingmeyers are the most unique since, well, the Sherlock Holmes himself. Of the various mystery series I read, of which there are many (including Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot), I think this one is my favorite. Well, except for the original Holmes stories, of course.
August 28, 2021
The third outing with amateur detectives Otto and Gustav Amlingmeyer finds them in San Francisco in the late 19th Century. A chance reunion with an old acquaintance (and a character in the prior book in this series) leads the brothers on a quest...and into a lot of hair-raising adventure.
As in the previous two books, the star attraction is the very genuine and touching relationship between brothers Otto and Gustav. That alone makes this book worthwhile, which is enriched by Otto's narration and some very humorous situations (that delicate recipe of interspersing silly situations and wisecracks is tough to bake, but Hockensmith can do it).
The mystery is good, although it involves some rather sad and sordid topics (but I will give credit for what I feel was a pretty realistic depiction of the time period). That said, it kept my attention right until the end. I look forward to deducifyin' with the brothers again!
As in the previous two books, the star attraction is the very genuine and touching relationship between brothers Otto and Gustav. That alone makes this book worthwhile, which is enriched by Otto's narration and some very humorous situations (that delicate recipe of interspersing silly situations and wisecracks is tough to bake, but Hockensmith can do it).
The mystery is good, although it involves some rather sad and sordid topics (but I will give credit for what I feel was a pretty realistic depiction of the time period). That said, it kept my attention right until the end. I look forward to deducifyin' with the brothers again!
March 31, 2011
Another fun adventure in sleuthing with the cowboy-detective brothers, this time in San Francisco's Chinatown, 1893. The previous, railroad-based story does carry over to this one somewhat, but not enough to keep this from being a decent standalone book. The author included more foul language (read "realism") in this third book in the series, as the brothers investigate the suspicious death of an acquaintence amidst the underworld in Chinatown. The bickering siblings with hearts of gold land themselves in plenty of tight spots, of course, and the humor is still abundant and makes up for most any definciency. A huge variety of supporting characters adds a little baggage, in my opinion; fewer names to keep track of would have been fine by me. Not a very satisfying ending, either, but then, neither has life.
January 24, 2016
Once again, Steve Hockensmith amazes me, with the uniqueness of the Amlingmeyer brothers characters, and his "Holmes on the Range" series. Now that I've read 4 of the 5 books(thus far!) in the series, I'm no less impressed with the originality of this concept. I've read a fair amount of Sherlock Holmes, and some westerns(enjoyable, particularly Estleman, but not high on my priority list of genres), but I would never have considered tying the two together. Yeah sure, there have been plenty of western murder mysteries, and Holmes, and westerns are temporal colleagues, but it's a refreshingly original concept, in my humble opinion. Hockensmith really created some unforgettable characters here, and uses humor very well, to relieve the serious nature of the subject matter. I hope he continues this series for a very long time.
August 28, 2021
A good read, but not as good as Holmes on the Range or The World's Greatest Sleuth.
This one seemed to move a bit more slowly.
Diana seems just a tad too capable in this one, with hints that she might be a Mary Sue.
There's still some pretty durn-burned good deducifyin' here, though.
Mahoney and some of the others are cardboard characters. A few of the other Chinatown folks were interesting.
There's an interesting revelation of a bit of Gustav's back story.
The cover art has two guys about the same size, and the one cowboy hat isn't white. Guess the artist didn't read the book. Tsk.
Worthwhile. I'll keep going with the series.
This one seemed to move a bit more slowly.
Diana seems just a tad too capable in this one, with hints that she might be a Mary Sue.
There's still some pretty durn-burned good deducifyin' here, though.
Mahoney and some of the others are cardboard characters. A few of the other Chinatown folks were interesting.
There's an interesting revelation of a bit of Gustav's back story.
The cover art has two guys about the same size, and the one cowboy hat isn't white. Guess the artist didn't read the book. Tsk.
Worthwhile. I'll keep going with the series.
March 16, 2016
Loved this one. The brothers are in San Francisco's Chinatown and run into an old friend from their S&P Railroad adventure. Next day, this friend is dead. Thus the detection begins. Enjoy.
June 9, 2021
Didn't enjoy this one as much, largely because I wasn't interested in the setting - I want them out on the range, not in a city.
August 28, 2019
The interesting thing about mash-ups is that until they actually exist, you may not know that the ensuing product was not a thing you thought you wanted, or indeed needed in your life. Those of you who have followed my reviews have likely realized at this point that next to the copious amounts of comic books I consume (they make up about 2/3rds of the reading I have done for this year's Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ Challenge) my favored genre is science fiction (I include fantasy in that particular genre bucket.) I belong to a monthly science fiction reading group. I love space operas and quests. And yet, it's obvious to me that most science fiction ends up being some other genre in sci-fi trappings. Yes, the story takes place in space or the future, but it turns out that the narrative is just a mystery or a heist or something that doesn't necessarily need science fiction elements to succeed. And yet, the setting obviously has an impact on my enjoyment of a work, and that is why I keep gravitating toward science fiction.
While I have generally enjoyed stories of the historical American "wild" west, it's a genre I am not as familiar or comfortable with. I know that certain authors have written "westerns" but unlike science fiction, which I embrace heartily, I am often unwilling to engage a work based solely on the fact that it identifies as a western. This is not because of a dislike of "westerns" (The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is one of my favorite films) but I simply don't have the context to know the good ones from the bad ones. This is what lead me to reading Molly Tanzer's steampunk western Vermilion . While I lacked comfort with "westerns" I had read enough Bruce Sterling, William Gibson and Neal Stephenson to know that I would likely enjoy the steampunk portion of the narrative. Thus, I was able to bridge the gap to the western.
While I don't enjoy mysteries as much as science fiction works, I do love them (how could you not being the genre that not only brought us Sherlock Holmes, Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple, but also The Maltese Falcon and Double Indemnity among others.) When my friend Dave revealed that Steve Hockensmith had a series of mystery novels set in the Old West, I immediately sought them out--here was yet another mash-up that would allow me to dip my toe into the Western pool with the relative safety of the mystery genre to help me along. I was not disappointed-- Holmes on the Range , the first novel in the series was enjoyable, and while I felt On the Wrong Track was flawed, it was still a fun ride since the first novel had me investing in the adventures of the brothers Old Red and Big Red.
If there is a flaw with The Black Dove is that it requires you to have read On the Wrong Track to understand some of the characters motivations in pursuing the titular Black Dove. If you didn't know these characters from the earlier novel, you may find yourself lost. However, given that this is part of a series, that is forgivable. Unlike it's immediate predecessor The Black Dove is more deftly executed. To me the sign of a good mystery is when it is able to keep you in the dark while simultaneously not annoying the reader because of that ignorance, and this book is very successful in that regard. And even though the series presents as "western mystery" this book takes place in late nineteenth century San Francisco. I was totally fine with this, however, as I imagined it as Mark Twain's San Francisco, which combined with the references to Conan Doyle's detective (who in these stories is a real person) just scratch that canonical literary itch I always seem to have simmering beneath the surface when I am reading.
At some point I am going to make my splash into the world of the western genre without the help of steampunk or mystery or what have you, but for now Hockensmith is going to scratch that itch for me. If all of the novels are like this one, I am really looking forward to the rest of the ride.
While I have generally enjoyed stories of the historical American "wild" west, it's a genre I am not as familiar or comfortable with. I know that certain authors have written "westerns" but unlike science fiction, which I embrace heartily, I am often unwilling to engage a work based solely on the fact that it identifies as a western. This is not because of a dislike of "westerns" (The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is one of my favorite films) but I simply don't have the context to know the good ones from the bad ones. This is what lead me to reading Molly Tanzer's steampunk western Vermilion . While I lacked comfort with "westerns" I had read enough Bruce Sterling, William Gibson and Neal Stephenson to know that I would likely enjoy the steampunk portion of the narrative. Thus, I was able to bridge the gap to the western.
While I don't enjoy mysteries as much as science fiction works, I do love them (how could you not being the genre that not only brought us Sherlock Holmes, Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple, but also The Maltese Falcon and Double Indemnity among others.) When my friend Dave revealed that Steve Hockensmith had a series of mystery novels set in the Old West, I immediately sought them out--here was yet another mash-up that would allow me to dip my toe into the Western pool with the relative safety of the mystery genre to help me along. I was not disappointed-- Holmes on the Range , the first novel in the series was enjoyable, and while I felt On the Wrong Track was flawed, it was still a fun ride since the first novel had me investing in the adventures of the brothers Old Red and Big Red.
If there is a flaw with The Black Dove is that it requires you to have read On the Wrong Track to understand some of the characters motivations in pursuing the titular Black Dove. If you didn't know these characters from the earlier novel, you may find yourself lost. However, given that this is part of a series, that is forgivable. Unlike it's immediate predecessor The Black Dove is more deftly executed. To me the sign of a good mystery is when it is able to keep you in the dark while simultaneously not annoying the reader because of that ignorance, and this book is very successful in that regard. And even though the series presents as "western mystery" this book takes place in late nineteenth century San Francisco. I was totally fine with this, however, as I imagined it as Mark Twain's San Francisco, which combined with the references to Conan Doyle's detective (who in these stories is a real person) just scratch that canonical literary itch I always seem to have simmering beneath the surface when I am reading.
At some point I am going to make my splash into the world of the western genre without the help of steampunk or mystery or what have you, but for now Hockensmith is going to scratch that itch for me. If all of the novels are like this one, I am really looking forward to the rest of the ride.
December 26, 2023
A third adventure of the cowboy detectives Old Red and Big Red
The Black Dove by Steve Hockensmith is the third in the Holmes on the Range series.
The author continues to use a variety of western settings to place the brothers in. First cattle ranch, then a train, and now San Francisco at the height of Chinese-Irish troubles�
The Aingmeyer brothers have left there temporary jobs as railroad detectives to try and make a living in asan Francisco. Sadly, while they can’t get hired on to the Pinkerton’s and Bug Red’s literary aspirations seem to be at a halt, they do remake acquaintances with two individuals from the second book.
Unfortunately, one of the two ends up dead and the other insists on investigating…leading to a lengthy debacle involving Chinese gang warfare, the rough anti-Chinese police squad, and the “oldest institution� (prostitution).
I didn’t like this one as much as the first two as I felt the brothers didn’t have very much agency throughout the story (which is understandable considering they had little interactions with Chinese before, though they had been in San Francisco a month so you’d think some kind of connections would have been established to give them an edge).
Still, it’s passable and I’m gonna keep with this series to see what happens next.
The Black Dove by Steve Hockensmith is the third in the Holmes on the Range series.
The author continues to use a variety of western settings to place the brothers in. First cattle ranch, then a train, and now San Francisco at the height of Chinese-Irish troubles�
The Aingmeyer brothers have left there temporary jobs as railroad detectives to try and make a living in asan Francisco. Sadly, while they can’t get hired on to the Pinkerton’s and Bug Red’s literary aspirations seem to be at a halt, they do remake acquaintances with two individuals from the second book.
Unfortunately, one of the two ends up dead and the other insists on investigating…leading to a lengthy debacle involving Chinese gang warfare, the rough anti-Chinese police squad, and the “oldest institution� (prostitution).
I didn’t like this one as much as the first two as I felt the brothers didn’t have very much agency throughout the story (which is understandable considering they had little interactions with Chinese before, though they had been in San Francisco a month so you’d think some kind of connections would have been established to give them an edge).
Still, it’s passable and I’m gonna keep with this series to see what happens next.
September 19, 2017
I listened to this audiobook. Gustav (Old Red) and Otto (Big Red) are brothers in the Wild West in the late 1800's. Old Red is illiterate, but is a major fan of Sherlock Holmes. He really wants to be a detective. He relies on his little brother, Big Red (his Watson), to read the Holmes adventures to him. This is third installment in this humorous series. I missed the second book, and I think I missed a lot. But, be that as it may, this is a fun book. Gustav and Otto apparently were fired in book 2 from the Southern Pacific Railroad. So, they find themselves in Wild San Francisco where they come across a Chinese doctor they met in book 2. When the doctor is found dead of a suspicious "suicide", the brothers jump into the mystery. Another woman, from the book 2 I missed, joins them in "deducifying". Chinatown is a dangerous place for the brothers. They have to fight through gangs, corrupt police, madams, and the language barrier to discover what has happened to their friend. They are searching for "The Black Dove" - a missing Chinese prostitute at the center of everyone's attention. Funny with a unique setting, I enjoy the brothers with Otto's funny narration.
April 5, 2021
The book, The Black Dove, is the third book in the Holmes on the Range series. Gustav “Old Red� Amlingmeyer and his younger brother, Otto “Big Red� Amlingmeyer have just been fired by the Southern Pacific Railroad and find themselves in the Chinatown section of San Francisco. They run into Doctor Gee Woo Chan, who they met during their last adventure aboard the train (On the Wrong track, Book #2). When they discover that he has been murdered, they team up with Diana Corvus, the lady detective for the Southern Pacific Railroad, to find his killer. This leads them throughout Chinatown where they meet heads of the various tongs and their henchmen, the madam of a brothel and her girls, a crooked policeman, and a charming tour guide. And a rotton green cabbage named “Old Green.� The path to their solving this crime is very indirect, with new characters, situations, dangers, and enough twists and turns to make you dizzy! An enjoyable book that I recommend highly and I can’t wait to read the next installment in the series.
June 24, 2017
Another entry in the "Homes on the Range" series. Our two cowboy/sleuths end up in San Francisco after the disaster that was their last adventure, and begin a highly dangerous and confused investigation into the death of the Chinese doctor they encountered in the previous book. The investigation quickly gets convoluted as they attempt to navigate the different political factions that govern San Francisco's Chinatown in the late 1800's, including the rampant racist anti-Chinese campaigns of some of the White police in the City. Of course the book is liberally equipped with the humor that so entertainingly marks the series.
October 25, 2021
I was looking forward to reacquainting myself with Old Red and Big Red, solving mysteries “Holmes style.� I also had the pleasure of being reacquainted with Doc Chan and Diana Corvus (from book #2). San Francisco’s Chinatown and the Barbary Coast set the tone for this adventure. Chinese tongs, hatchet men, and murder(s). Anti-Chinese sentiment, corrupt SF coppers, and prostitution. SCORPIONS! Although at times confusing, I knew Old Red would figure it out using his detecting skills. The twist at the end caught me off guard. Looking forward to the next installment!
More of my reviews at mytossiecup.blogspot.com
More of my reviews at mytossiecup.blogspot.com
January 24, 2021
Another deducifying mystery with the Amlingmeyer brothers Big Red & Old Red. This edition takes place in San Francisco's Chinatown, when the brothers encounter Mr. Chan from the last mystery. Low and behold Miss. Diana Corvus also reappears.
In this rendition the brothers must deduce what has truly happened to Mr. Chan. Did he commit suicide or was he murdered? All while trying to understand the culture and language of the Chinese that reside in the burrow.
Rest assured that Old Red gets around to cogitatin' to figure out the whole shootin' match.
In this rendition the brothers must deduce what has truly happened to Mr. Chan. Did he commit suicide or was he murdered? All while trying to understand the culture and language of the Chinese that reside in the burrow.
Rest assured that Old Red gets around to cogitatin' to figure out the whole shootin' match.
March 24, 2023
The Black Dove, a sequel to Holmes on the Range, stars my two favorite deducifyin� cowpokes, Otto and Gustav Amlingmeyer. The boys are in 1890’s San Francisco, trying to get a job with Pinkerton’s after being fired after all of three days from the Southern Pacific Railroad. On their employment applications, Gustav’s previous occupation is given as “freelance genius.� Otto gives his place of birth as “The kitchen table,� and his alias as “You Handsome Devil You.� They find a friend of theirs murdered in Chinatown and launch a disaster-prone adventure to solve the murder. Great stuff.
June 30, 2021
I picked this book at random at the library, from reading the description. It turned out to be a good booK! This is the third in a series of mysteries about the two brothers, who are detectives. It didn't matter that I had not read the first two books. This onetakes place in SanFrancisco before the earthquake of 1906. It has lots of atmosphere and was a fun read. The brothers love Sherlock Holmes and quote him frequently.
September 3, 2021
The Amlingmeyer brothers provide a fast-paced, entertaining, Sherlockian western adventure. Brother "Big Red" Amlingmeyer provides the humorous narrative in relating "Old Red's crime solving and deducifyin' story. THE BLACK DOVE, the third installment of Steve Hockensmith's "Holmes on the Range" series, is another dandy. It's "Elementary, my dear Watson", and witty with the Amlingmeyer brothers on the case. 4.5 rating including lots of western United States historical references.
November 7, 2023
Brothers, Otto and Gustav, who are obsessed with Sherlock Holmes and want to become part of Pinkerton’s posse, are in San Francisco after the big train fiasco from the previous book. They run into the Chinese man that they met on the train only to find his dead body later. They team up with Diane, female detective, and roust out the prostitution ring and try saving one of the syphillis infected girls, hence The Black Dove. Very keystone caper-ish, silly series with adult themes.
March 20, 2024
I purchased the third installment in this series because the cover was appealing as was the description of cowboys who solve mysteries in the style of Sherlock Holmes, their inspiration who is real in the series. I assumed Sherlock's influence would lead to a well-written fusion of Holmes and the American West. Rather, it's cozy mystery for men. Never judge a book by its cover and take time to read the opening paragraphs. At least I bought them at resale stores and book sales.
March 27, 2020
Although still rife with crude humour and adventure, volume 3 is much more serious than the previous two books, dealing with prostitution and racial tensions (among other things) in 1890s California. Cracks begin to appear in Gustav, making him more human than in books 1 and 2. Overall a brilliant novel.
July 31, 2017
Funny, clever book. Every book in the series has been so entertaining. Love the narrator as well. He brings this book to life and his distinct acting/narrating abilities make this book more entertaining than any movie I've seen this past year.
August 14, 2018
Entertaining historical mystery set in the Bay Area of California. Learned about Chinatown and the Barbary Coast. Since the main characters are modelling their detecting after that of Sherlock Holmes, the narrative is modelled on that of John Watson.
October 10, 2019
Tragicomic, as per usual with this fun but morose series:). The Watson character and narrator of this book lightens the mood, but Hockensmith always does such a powerful job showing the human cost of murder that the books in this series never leave you feeling entirely easy.
July 30, 2020
Interesting read.
Have read the first three books in this series, found them all entertaining. I enjoy the humor and word play. Don't buy these books if you're looking for the usual western with lots of shootouts and gun play. These are mystery novels set in the old west.
Have read the first three books in this series, found them all entertaining. I enjoy the humor and word play. Don't buy these books if you're looking for the usual western with lots of shootouts and gun play. These are mystery novels set in the old west.
August 30, 2022
Best book of the trilogy. The brothers find themselves in 19th century San Francisco’s Chinatown, facing down language barriers, corruption, worldly women & the Tong. Listening to these reminded me of old time radio shows but this one, in particular, smacked of Keystone Kops!
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