It has been almost two decades since Sherlock Holmes and his sidekick, Dr, Watson, solved the HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES case. However, fresh large footprints of a dog lies next to a corpse on the same moor. The Reverend Baring-Gould asks his old pal Holmes to investigate. This time Sherlock is accompanied by his spouse, Mary Russell.

When the two sleuths arrive, their host, Reverend Baring-Gould asks them to also look into the sightings of a ghostly carriage being pulled by headless horses and accompanied by a large canine. Sherlock and Mary begin their methodical search for a killer and a mundane explanation for a ghost or two.

Tampering with a noted classic like THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES is a dangerous way to earn a living as a novelist. Most writers would end up being arrested by Scotland Yard for desecrating a masterpiece. However, in the hands of the brilliant Laurie R. King, fans of Holmes are treated to a nostalgic yet stand alone classy tale. The story line is crisp and very modern, the atmosphere is suitably dreary, and the two detectives make a charming couple. It is elementary that the fourth novel in the Russell series, like the previous books, is simply quite good.