The Case of the Invisible Dog: A Shirley Homes Mystery
By: Diane Stingley
Rating: 5 of 5
I am a fan of the Sherlock Holmes novels and short stories as well as books, movies, and television series that are based on the original tales. I was happy to pick up “The Case of the Invisible Dog” on that basis alone. It was also the first time I had read a book by Diane Stingley, so I had no idea of what her style would be like.
I laughed my way through the book. I also chortled, guffawed, snorted through almost every speech Shirley Homes made in the book. Yes, speech, because Shirley does not merely have a dialog or a response or a question – no, she waxed poetic on every subject.
I realize that with my common and simple mind, I might have missed some of the nuances but I had a blast with this book. The author has taken the essence of Sherlock and placed him in Shirley in modern day with hilarious results.
Tammy, a has-been actress who has moved home from LA, has become Shirley’s “Watson.” It takes Tammy a bit to realize what is going on and to stop being offended by the condescending attitude she has to deal with (hence, the reference to “common” and “simple” above.) Once she figures it out, she gets on board and assists Shirley in ways Watson never dreamed of.
The story is really about an invisible dog, so never fear, the mystery will be solved. Also, the murder and mayhem, too. The story was every bit as funny as the concept. The characters were also humorous. The author’s ability to capture her characters gave me a wonderful visual of the story. I think that it would make a fantastic comedy movie. The descriptions of hats and various disguises had me laughing uncontrollably.
It’s a good thing that the author already has a second book on tap. Otherwise, I don’t know how such a commonplace mind as my own could have dealt with the end of such a funny story. I look forward to reading the second book in the next year. If the author can stay true to what she has written in this first tale, I will be right there reading follow-on books in this series.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher, Alibi (Random House), via Netgalley.
I am a fan of the Sherlock Holmes novels and short stories as well as books, movies, and television series that are based on the original tales. I was happy to pick up “The Case of the Invisible Dog” on that basis alone. It was also the first time I had read a book by Diane Stingley, so I had no idea of what her style would be like.