Extraordinary Correspondence - by Robert Hutton (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

Utterly charming and ridiculously page-turning, Extraordinary Correspondance is a compelling work best described as Only Murders in the Building meets Sherlock Holmes

On Baker Street in London is an old, very private bank. For over a century letters have arrived there from around the world addressed to the fictional detective Sherlock Holmes. To respond to this mail, the bank created the office of Extraordinary Correspondence, its sole employee being one Sycamore Bell.

Sycamore Bell is a young, short, stout man of few passionate interests, primary among them is Sherlock Holmes. His bookshelves are jammed with books about Holmes, he only watches film and TV about him, and his greatest, unfulfilled desire is to be able to match Holmes' uncanny abilities at deduction.

James Watson is a temp worker at the same bank who needs a cheap room to rent. Being teased as "Dr. Watson" his entire life, he has one abiding hatred - he despises Sherlock Holmes and refuses to read, watch, or even know anything about him. But desperation has made him the unlikely roommate of Sycamore Bell.

When Sycamore receives a letter asking for Holmes's help investigating a murder in Texas, he wonders if there might be something he can do to help. He knows all of his hero's cases and techniques inside out and this is his chance to put his own powers of deduction to the test. Unfortunately, Sycamore's detective skills are terrible. When the case goes disastrously wrong, James faces a dilemma: is it really his job to, rescue Sycamore, solve the murder case and save the day?

Review Quotes

"This is a book to lift the spirits! It's a quirky, funny take on Sherlock, with a delightful twist at the end. Totally joyous." --Ann Cleeves

About the Author

ROBERT HUTTON has been Bloomberg's UK Political Correspondent since 2004. Before that he was a reporter on the Daily Mirror, and before that he built robots and taught computers to play Bridge at Edinburgh University. He's married with two sons, and lives in South East London.