Young Sherlock: Stone Cold

Mycroft sends Sherlock to Oxford to complete his studies. Matty and Sherlock go up together on Matty’s barge. On their way into the city, they notice a strange house that seems to be built at odd angles. It gives them both a strong feeling of foreboding.

A few days later, Sherlock meets his new tutor – the professor who is going to teach him mathematics and logic. It is the eccentric genius Charles Dodgson. Sherlock really enjoys their unorthodox lessons, but he is also preoccupied by something else. Sherlock has heard that various body parts are being stolen from the mortuary.

Sherlock is intrigued and decides to investigate. This investigation leads Sherlock and Matty back to the strange house they saw on their way to Oxford – Gresham Lodge. It also leads them to two men – Weston and Maberly – old friends of Mycroft’s who desperately need help to solve a mystery that is threatening to send one of them mad. Can the manor house really be moving or is it just a trick of the mind? Once again, everything is not as it seems, and Sherlock and Matty must follow a dangerous path in order to unravel the mystery.

This is the seventh book in the Young Sherlock series. It certainly lives up to the expectations set by previous titles. It is exciting and fast-paced as well as being fascinating and puzzling. It consists of two mysteries – and once the first one is solved, the second one is revealed. Why steal body parts and how can a house move? Andrew Lane has also successfully evolved Sherlock’s character in this book. The transition from boy to young man works very smoothly, and all the characters remain interesting and believable. It is simply an excellent read.