September in London, and the city basks in a glorious Indian summer. Sherlock Holmes has more work than he can handle, and when the Home Office asks him to sniff out a plot by Russian assassins on radical politician George Dashing , Holmes and Watson find themselves distracted by more pressing cases. Meanwhile, there is scandal at the home of Dashing’s great political rival, Sir Henry Catanache . When Sir Henry’s housemaid goes missing, leaving only a pool of blood behind, his son is the prime suspect. Can Sherlock discover the truth? Or will the Catanache family be rescued by Laurence Martin , a detective newly arrived in London who is dazzling society with some remarkable triumphs? Martin proves a surprising and enigmatic figure, and Mrs Hudson and Flotsam , her intrepid helper, soon find themselves as intrigued by the detective as they are by the crime... A thrilling cosy crime thriller based in the legend of Sherlock Holmes, perfect for fans of M. R. C. Kasasian, Oscar de Muriel and Elly Griffiths.