The Affair of the Mysterious Letter by Alexis Hall
Published by Ace on June 2019Genres: Young Adult
Pages: 352
Format: eBook
Source: Publisher
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In this charming, witty, and weird fantasy novel, Alexis Hall pays homage to Sherlock Holmes with a new twist on those renowned characters.
Upon returning to the city of Khelathra-Ven after five years fighting a war in another universe, Captain John Wyndham finds himself looking for somewhere to live, and expediency forces him to take lodgings at 221b Martyrs Walk. His new housemate is Ms. Shaharazad Haas, a consulting sorceress of mercurial temperament and dark reputation.
When Ms. Haas is enlisted to solve a case of blackmail against one of her former lovers, Miss Eirene Viola, Captain Wyndham finds himself drawn into a mystery that leads him from the salons of the literary set to the drowned back-alleys of Ven and even to a prison cell in lost Carcosa. Along the way he is beset by criminals, menaced by pirates, molested by vampires, almost devoured by mad gods, and called upon to punch a shark.
But the further the companions go in pursuit of the elusive blackmailer, the more impossible the case appears. Then again, in Khelathra-Ven reality is flexible, and the impossible is Ms. Haas' stock-in-trade.
My favorite part of this book is John Wyndham, our narrator. I love the tone and style of this narration and character, bringing the book to a charming and stylized level. Add in some magic and a mystery and this book has a lot going for it that is both nostalgic for crime detective enthusiasts and fantasy readers alike.
The rich and lively world that this book inhabits is creative. I like the individual adventures the two go on as they investigate each of the suspects in the case. There’s a lot of creative sub cultures and world building done, but I wish there was more. Some of the descriptions are too light and easy for my taste, Wyndham our narrator glosses over some of this new world’s history stating that he doesn’t want to bore us. While there is some history involved, I think for this level of intricate world, I needed more history and background on the setting.
Hall does a wonderful job creating sub tensions through the book, whether they are personal or political.
That said, while the mystery itself is interesting and then characters leap from the page, the book felt long. The book started off at a strong pace as we investigate each of the seven suspects in their own sub world, and Haas is a great Holmes’s type, reinforced by the solid and true Wyndham (our Watson). These two together and their scenes together were the best parts of the book. I love their interactions and Wyndham seeing Haas for who she is, and accepting her idiosyncrasies. Both of their character’s voices were very clear and pitch perfect, I could see each of them in their clothing, walking about their fantastical streets.
But for me, the mystery dragged and halfway through I started skimming. I wanted to know what happens but the plot stalled for me. The ending was clever and thought provoking though so I’m glad I satisfied my curiosity.
Kimberly majored in Songwriting and currently works full time in the music industry. When she's not listening to music, knitting or writing, you can find her outside reading her favorite genres: Young Adult, Adult Fiction, Mystery, and Romance.
