The Secret Journal of Dr Watson

This is a difficult book to review. The fantastic nature of the story told makes it almost unbelievable. Unfortunately, the events recounted occurred in a century of unprecedented espionage and trickery that began with the appointment of an enemy agent as head of intelligence services for the Austro-Hungarian Empire and ended with the routine computer monitoring of all cell phone conversations across the world by the NSA. During that century, such intelligence ‘coups’ as the Zimmerman Telegram, the Coventry air raid non-warning and the routine killing of marked individuals by umbrellas that shoot tiny, poisoned balls have become commonplace. Further, from my extensive readings in Twentieth Century history, I must conclude that, however fantastic the details of this adventure, all of the persons involved could have performed their reported roles, especially those of historical note.The book begins with Sherlock and Dr. Watson being escorted to a meeting with Prime Minister David Lloyd George and then with King Edward V. They are charged with an intensely secret mission and directed to leave the country with no explanations to friends or family. From this point, the story becomes a study in the double-cross. At any given time, it is impossible to say who is currently friend and who is foe, as people seem to change orientations so frequently.The task requires intense concentration and heavy sacrifice by all involved. The results are kept secret and the participants are silenced, either by guilt, by death or by other Government action. Dr. Watson’s account is given to his lawyers in a sealed package only to be read by his descendants after seventy five years.The narrative is engrossing and the characters are well-drawn. I was impressed by the realistic representations of several historical characters and I found that the mystery and tension of the narrative carried right up to the final page. The book is certainly worth reading and it is an interesting Sherlockian mystery. The presentation of events and personalities is carefully done and seems quite consistent with the known history of the times. I repeat, things could have happened this way and the people involved could have acted this wayThere are surely some flaws in the book. The most irritating is the software used to translate the text into book format. Apparently many end-of-lines were changed, in error, into hard paragraph indicators, so new paragraphs in the narrative creep out in the midst of sentences with embarrassing regularity. Another embarrassment is the author’s complete confusion about the armament and capabilities of light cruisers and destroyers as well as about other, less important nautical matters. Aside from these items, the spelling, usage and terminology seem appropriate to the time and place.Reviewed by: Philip K. Jones, May 2012