Review: Death Cloud - Young Sherlock Holmes

After receiving a recommendation from a librarian about it being an interesting read for middle graders, I read the first book in the Young Sherlock Holmes series called Death Cloud by Andrew Lane. I’ve never really been a huge fan of Sherlock Holmes and thought it might be a bit stuffy and slow moving, but I was wrong. Death Cloud has fast paced action that begs the teenage Sherlock to decipher a trail of intriguing clues to solve his first mystery. In Death Cloud, Lane presents Sherlock as a likeable teen full of curiosity and with a desire for adventure that often gets him into more trouble than he can handle on his own. But with the help of his friends and his own overactive brain power, Sherlock manages to escape several close calls with death and solve the mystery.

 In addition to making the English countryside come alive in the reader’s mind, Lane creates a world that most kids can easily relate with – one where adults rule and think they know everything, even though it’s a kid that actually has the right answers to save the day as well as save the adults from their own foolishness. Death Cloud by Andrew Lane is an enjoyable read that will capture the interest and imagination of inquisitive young minds.