The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes – The Haunting of Torre Abbey

Holmes and Watson are back at it, cracking puzzling mysteries and saving the innocent from dastardly (and creative) evildoers. This time around, they’re off to Torre Abbey, home of Lord Cary and his family, who are under siege from persistent hauntings that turn sinister when the cook dies, apparently of terror. Will Holmes and Watson prove this to be the work of man, or has the spirit world truly revealed itself as an enemy of the Carys?

The Haunting of Torre Abbey returns to the well of “family mansion with ghosts and many secrets,” and honestly, it feels a little lackluster, particularly in comparison to Unquiet Spirits, which revitalized the trope quite recently (and successfully). The tricks used in the haunting itself are by far the most interesting part of the story, adding flare to the affair.

Unfortunately, the story’s faults are exacerbated by Watson himself, who proves supremely annoying throughout the novel. His infatuation with one of the female characters paints him as a lovesick puppy rather than an interested man, and it’s to the detriment of both his character and the novel itself.