'Skilfully mixing real history with action sequences worthy of Lee Child, this is historical crime-writing at its best' John Williams, the Mail on Sunday on The Year of the Gun

The follow-up to the acclaimed The Year of the Gun and the fourth book in 'a great new series' (Mick Herron, author of Bad Actors).

1914.

Sherlock Holmes has been murdered.

Nobody knows who did it, but Wiggins, former Baker Street Irregular and Holmes' protégée, suspects a German spy.

However, Europe is descending into the chaos of the First World War. Captain Kell of Military Intelligence has limited resources, and more pressing matters on his mind.

Wiggins is on his own. Almost. He pursues Holmes' killer across the continent, but as grief and rage close in it's not just the killer that eludes his grasp . . .

'Engaging series of historical thrillers... The story rattles along at pace, the characters are engaging and the fight scenes burst with action. But Lyle's great strength is in his depiction of time and place; from its stinking tenements, where babies cry from hunger, to its sinister docks and upmarket brothels, the Edwardian city - then still part of Britain - is brought to life in all its squalid, magnificent glory' Financial Times

'Impressive period detail and sharp dialogue add charm to the strong plot' Daily Mail (on The Irregular)

'Full throttle ... delivering entertainment in spades' Myles McWeeney, Irish Independent

(P)2023 Hodder & Stoughton Limited

"A rip-roaring and action-packed derring-do adventure that pokes tongue-in-cheek fun at modern thriller tropes. Highly recommended." - Irish Independent

"Engaging series of historical thrillers . . The story rattles along at pace, the characters are engaging and the fight scenes burst with action. But Lyle's great strength is in his depiction of time and place; from its stinking tenements, where babies cry from hunger, to its sinister docks and upmarket brothels, the Edwardian city - then still part of Britain - is brought to life in all its squalid, magnificent glory" - Financial Times

"Impressive period detail and sharp dialogue add charm to the strong plot" - Daily Mail (on The Irregular)

"Full throttle . . . delivering entertainment in spades" - Myles McWeeney

"A fast-moving thriller" - Historical Novel Society

". . . what HB Lyle has done . . . is nothing short of inspirational. There are echoes of John Buchan in these books, and enough hard-core spy stuff to keep aficionados happy. The story ends with a promise there could be more adventures with Wiggins should the author choose to record them. We can but hope." - Spybrary

"Thoroughly entertaining" - Mail on Sunday

"A rip-roaring and action-packed derring-do adventure that pokes tonque.in-cheek fun at modern thriller tropes. Highly recommended" - Irish Independent Review

"Cracking pace, tension, twists and humour. It mixes a hot plot and historical events with real and fictional characters" - Sun

"Lyle truly captures the spirit of Conan Doyle in these playful, gripping yarns" - Jake Kerridge for the Daily Mirror

"ripping fun for fans" - Peterborough Telegraph