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The Return of Moriarty
- Author
- Jack Anderson
- Narrator
- Kristin Atherton
- Publisher
- Bloomsbury Publishing
- Publish Date
- 6 November 2025
- Run Time
- 11 hours 35 minutes
- Format
- Audiobook
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What to expect
'An outstanding historicial murder mystery' Guy Morpuss
'Come for the title, stay for the domestic hijinks that’ll give the archcriminal a run for his money' Kirkus Reviews
Sherlock Holmes is dead. But his nemesis is not.
James Moriarty is severely wounded, his organisation has been dismantled and Sherlock Holmes is dead. Fleeing to recover, desperate to rebuild his empire, Moriarty must assume a new identity.
Months after Sherlock's death, aspiring doctor Clara Mendel returns to Schloss Alber after a six-year absence. The vast estate, which hangs high upon the cliffs of Bavaria, is home to the noble Alber family. A priceless sword, on which the family's wealth and reputation depends, has been stolen from the grave of the intended heir, Clara's step-father.
Lord Alber has placed his trust firmly in his esteemed new friend, a Mr Hugo Strahm, to find the sword and prevent the noble family's ruin. Once they have spent more time together, Clara becomes intrigued by Strahm's formidable intellect: finally she has an equal at Schloss Alber.
But Clara isn't naïve. She knows the secrets a great house like Schloss Alber can hide. And as she spends more time in Mr Strahm's company. she begins to suspect him of hiding his true identity. Can she really trust him to find the missing sword?
The start of a fiendishly inventive and enjoyable new historical mystery series. Jack Anderson’s Moriarty Mystery books see Sherlock Holmes’ iconic villain re-invented for a whole new generation of readers.
Critics Review
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Every now and then you read the first book in a new series, and you just know that you are going to end up devouring every subsequent book as soon as they land
Stylist
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Jack Anderson, author of The Grief Doctor, has resurrected the 19th century’s most charismatic supervillain. In a bravura opening ... ingenious ... the first in what promises to be an enjoyable series
Sunday Times
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The Return of Moriarty is an outstanding historical murder mystery combined with a clever reimagining of one of literature’s greatest villains. With excellent characterisation (Moriarty and Clara Mendel are a great pairing), a darkly real setting, and a clever plot, it’s a compelling read
Guy Morpuss, author of Five Minds, Black Lake Manor and A Trial in Three Acts
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The book captures the spirit of Conan Doyle and the late 19th century but presents it in a different style
Historical Novel Society Issue 114 (November 2025)
See more reviews See fewer reviews
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Come for the title, stay for the domestic hijinks that’ll give the archcriminal a run for his money
Kirkus Reviews
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Anderson provides one fascinating puzzle after another and a superb sense of time and place. He delivers a great villain, a great (if unexpected) protagonist, and a great read
Michael Robertson, author of The Baker Street Mysteries
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It shouldn’t be possible: To find a completely original spin on one of crime fiction’s most famous villains while also staying true to Conan Doyle’s legacy. And yet Jack Anderson has done exactly that in this brilliantly clever, historically vivid, and wildly entertaining adventure. Complex and resourceful, Moriarty and Clara Mendel make for a formidable crime-fighting team – and thank god, because the baffling crimes and ingenious twists in every chapter would defeat any lesser duo
Paul Bradley Carr, author of The Confessions
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The book does slot nicely into the voluminous Holmes literature produced by Gardner, Nicholas Meyer, Laurie R. King, and numerous other writers. Fans should welcome it with open arms
Booklist
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PRAISE FOR THE GRIEF DOCTOR: 'A clever game of cat and mouse . . . a striking novel'
Crime Time, Best Novels of the Month
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PRAISE FOR THE GRIEF DOCTOR: Jack Anderson has written a thriller that is as intelligent, thoughtful and humane as it is compelling and addictive. A talent to watch
Jessica Moor, author of Keeper and Hold Back the Night
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PRAISE FOR THE GRIEF DOCTOR: 'This book hooks you and doesn't let go'
Martyn Waites
User Reviews
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Details
- Author
- Jack Anderson
- Narrator
- Kristin Atherton
- Duration
- 11 hours 35 minutes
- Release Date
- 6 November 2025
- ISBN
- 9781526686374
- Format
- Audiobook
- Publisher
- Bloomsbury Publishing
- Genre
- Historical fiction, Crime and mystery: private investigator / amateur detectives, Crime and mystery: women sleuths / detectives, Fraud, Fiction: pastiche
Synopsis
Bloomsbury presents The Return of Moriarty: A Moriarty Mystery by Jack Anderson, read by Kristin Atherton.'An outstanding historicial murder mystery' Guy Morpuss'Come for the title, stay for the domestic hijinks that’ll give the archcriminal a run for his money' Kirkus Reviews Sherlock Holmes is dead. But his nemesis is not.James Moriarty is severely wounded, his organisation has been dismantled and Sherlock Holmes is dead. Fleeing to recover, desperate to rebuild his empire, Moriarty must assume a new identity. Months after Sherlock's death, aspiring doctor Clara Mendel returns to Schloss Alber after a six-year absence. The vast estate, which hangs high upon the cliffs of Bavaria, is home to the noble Alber family. A priceless sword, on which the family's wealth and reputation depends, has been stolen from the grave of the intended heir, Clara's step-father.Lord Alber has placed his trust firmly in his esteemed new friend, a Mr Hugo Strahm, to find the sword and prevent the noble family's ruin. Once they have spent more time together, Clara becomes intrigued by Strahm's formidable intellect: finally she has an equal at Schloss Alber.But Clara isn't naïve. She knows the secrets a great house like Schloss Alber can hide. And as she spends more time in Mr Strahm's company. she begins to suspect him of hiding his true identity. Can she really trust him to find the missing sword?The start of a fiendishly inventive and enjoyable new historical mystery series. Jack Anderson’s Moriarty Mystery books see Sherlock Holmes’ iconic villain re-invented for a whole new generation of readers.
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