Friday, March 28, 2025

The Crack in the Lens by Steve Hockensmith

 

The plot:  October, 1893. Gustav "Old Red" Amlingmeyer, Sherlock Holmes-loving cowboy detective, and his younger brother, Otto "Big Red" Amlingmeyer, are on another case. Only this time it's personal. Five years ago Gus's sweetheart was murdered, but back then he didn't know how to 'deducify' the truth about what happened to her. Now that he knows Sherlock Holmes' Method for solving crimes, he's hoping to track down  the real killer. Only San Marcos, Texas, is not the same town it once was; and no one there is glad to see the Amlingmeyer brothers. But they're about to stir up some trouble, because Gus isn't going anywhere until he finds out the truth. 

My thoughts:  What a fun read! Otto, who narrates their adventures with amusing sarcasm and homespun humor, and his much more serious, even grumpy, brother, Gus, are the best characters. I loved getting a glimpse into Gus's past in this book. And the way these two get into and out of impossible situations is always entertaining. They're such a great team. And the time period is one of my favorites. Plus, I find the whole premise of these two cowboy sleuths acting like a Western version of Holmes and Watson irresistible. This is the fourth book in this series (though it could easily be read as a standalone), and just as good as all the others. 

My rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Happy Reading!

Other Steve Hockensmith reads:

24 comments:

  1. That sounds like a really good one.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I really enjoyed it. But then I love both westerns and mysteries. :D

      Delete
  2. A Western version of Holmes and Watson sounds like so much fun! Glad you enjoyed this one! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. These books always make me laugh. I love them.

      Delete
  3. Looks so good.
    Regine

    ReplyDelete
  4. My library doesn't have it. Boo!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I had to request that my library purchase the first book in this series, and then they went ahead and bough all the other books, too, which I thought was very cool of them.

      Delete
  5. I checked and the entire series is kindle unlimited. And so I have downloaded my copy of Holmes On The Range. It's such an inventive idea to mix the world of 1890's London/Sherlock with the Wild West.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. These two cowboy brothers are such great characters! I'm glad you were able to get the first one on kindle unlimited. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. :D

      Delete
  6. I haven't read any of this series. If I can find a copy at the book sale I will give it a try.

    ReplyDelete
  7. This sounds like a fun series. Sherlock Holmes Western style.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. And Hockensmith's writing is so great. He just makes me laugh. :D

      Delete
  8. I read the first book in this series years ago, from the library, and loved it. Back then, the library only had that one and it wasn't so easy to get hold of the series cheaply, but I'll see what the library has now.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Fingers crossed they have more. I had to request that my library buy them, and I'm so happy that they did. :D

      Delete
  9. This looks so fun! I need to try this series.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I might need to introduce my husband to this series, I think he would like it. Great review :)

    ReplyDelete
  11. I love the sound of a Western spin on Sherlock Holmes! This sounds like a lot of fun.

    ReplyDelete
  12. This sounds so good! A cowboy Sherlock Holmes! I'll look up the first one. Maybe they'll have it on audio. :)

    ReplyDelete
  13. Love a good fun read. Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  14. This book sounds awesome! Thanks for sharing. I'm a big fan of Sherlock Holmes, and I need a good book to read while a service is out replacing a countertop for me. This one looks perfect!

    ReplyDelete