Wednesday, February 08, 2006

Holmes on the Range -- Steve Hockensmith

I went to Steve Hockensmith's signing at Murder by the Book last night and picked up a copy of the hardcover, though I did a blurb for the book and had already read an ARC. So you can tell I liked it.
Though this book is set in Montana around 1892, St. Martin's is wisely marketing it as a mystery novel, which it is, and not as a western, which it also is. Old Red and Big Red Amlingmeyer are a couple of cowboys who admire the exploits of Sherlock Holmes (who's a real person as we all know). Old Red decided to emulate the Holmesian method in solving the murder of the general manager of their ranch, and the fun begins.

If you've read Steve's stories in EQMM about the Amlingmeyer brothers, you know you're in for a good time with this well-plotted mystery. And plenty of laughs as well. Check it out.

3 comments:

Steven said...

I couldn't agree more. Not only do you get a good mystery and a good western all in one book, you also get some wry humor and some very skillful writing. I like all of Steve's series for AHMM and EQMM - I understand it breaks down to a total of four series. A talented man.

Steve Hockensmith said...

Awww, shucks. Thanks for the kind words, guys! Amd thanks for coming out to the Murder By the Book signing, Bill. I still haven't come up with a good catch phrase for inscribing in books. How does "Happy trails!" strike you? Roy's not using it anymore....

-Steve

Unknown said...

I like "Happy trails." Roy wouldn't mind even if he were still around.