The Disappearance of Edwin Drood (A Thomas Dunne Book)
Poor Sherlock Holmes is assigned yet another case that Conan Doyle never thought to offer him: When Edwin Drood's uncle, Jasper John, appears in the Baker Street digs, he indicates that his nephew vanished one year ago, and he suspects that Neville Landless--the young man's rival for the affections of Rosa Bud- -murdered him. Holmes and Watson take on the case and, in short order, meet up with all the pertinent Dickens characters, including: the Reverend Septimus Crisparkle; the Dean of Cloisterham; the opium princess; Dick Datchery; and the stone mason. All know something about the disappearance of young Edwin not one year ago--but 25 years back. As Holmes picks and paces and pontificates his way to a not-very-surprising conclusion, there's one semi-bright spot: Rowland's interpretation of the mysterious Mr. Datchery's true identity. A somewhat lifeless addition to the Conan Doyle and Charles Dickens pseudoliterature. --Copyright ©1992, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.