Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John H Watson are the world’s best detective duo. Not so in this version and in its predecessor. Because of this this book fails in what should be another demonstration of Holmes skill and cunning. Holmes is great because he can see through the smoke and mirrors. This story has him to slow to see what is in front of him. This overly complex weave is designed to show Holmes as slow to grasp what and who. Holmes has no such weaknesses he is relentless and unfailing not so in this story. Holmes and Watson can always be counted upon to make a straight line to the evil doers. The glitter cannot confound Holmes for more than a few moments. He is normally able to discard fools gold almost instantaneously. In this story he gets lost in it and says so. Sorry Sherlock Holmes is not that slow nor so easily distracted. That is one of his greatest skills he is able focus his mind and see what is real. Plus not every story can be his greatest challenge. Nor his most narrow escape. Mr Millett is an excellent writer but if he is going to take someone else’s characters he should at least allow them to be whom they are. If he wants to write stories with Holmes and Watson like characters that is okay. But he should not try to remake them. He does what so many movie productions do he believes he knows best. A story made into a movie rarely needs the story changed. If you don’t think the story is a good one then make certain you say in the beginning you are changing it to suit your vision. If you can’t write Holmes and Watson as they were don’t pretend you are doing so. This story is overly long like this review because Millett suffers from he can make better stories of Sherlock Holmes than Author Conan Doyle. He can’t! Holmes as previously stated is great because he goes straight to the the criminal. The reason things are Elementary are because the clues are obvious if you pay attention. Holmes does this better than anyone. This story forgets that and fails as a result. Happy reading/ listening.