The House Of Silk

Published in 2011, The House of Silk is a historical mystery novel by Anthony Horowitz. It is the first instance in which the Arthur Conan Doyle estate has authorized a Sherlock Holmes story that was not penned by Doyle himself. Set in London in 1890, the story follows Holmes and Dr. Watson as their attempt to find a missing necklace reveals first a murder and then a vast, horrifying conspiracy. Horowitz, the best-selling author of more than forty books, has been called one of "the most original and best spy-kids authors of the century" by the New York Times.

As the book opens, Dr. John Watson is an elderly widow with "two marriages, three children, seven grandchildren" to his name. Though Sherlock Holmes is dead, Watson reflects on the circumstances that brought him and the detective together, including events during the Afghan War. He also mentions a particular case that was "too shocking to be revealed until now." He begins to recount the story. However, he instructs that the tale be locked away for one hundred years because what he is about to share "would tear apart the entire fabric of society."

As November gives way to December in the year 1890, Dr. John Watson is staying with Sherlock Holmes while his wife, Mary, cares for the son of her former employer. The two receive a visit from Edmund Carstairs, an art dealer and prospective client. Mr. Carstairs reveals that he and his firm are being targeted by an Irish gang out of Boston known as the Flat Cap Gang. They have already destroyed a shipment of art and murdered one of Mr. Carstairs's agents. He believes they are out for revenge for the death of one of their own, which occurred during the robbery.



Holmes tells Carstairs that he will not be able to help him, but the next day, he receives word that Mr. Carstairs's house was robbed. Holmes reveals that he anticipated this, so he and Watson go to the house to investigate. There, they meet Catherine, Mr. Carstairs's wife. She has an American accent, and she explains that they are newly married, having met on a recent voyage from America to England. They also meet Eliza, Mr. Carstairs's sister; she warns them that Catherine is only after her brother's money.

One of the items stolen in the robbery is a necklace that had belonged to Mr. Carstairs's late mother. Holmes calls on the Baker Street Irregulars, a gang of street kids led by Wiggins, to help him find it. As Holmes sends the boys to check the city pawnshops, Wiggins reveals that he has instructed Ross to keep watch over a cheap hotel where he saw a suspicious man staying. When they arrive at the hotel, Ross, visibly frightened, reports that no one entered or left the hotel. He and Wiggins leave, but Holmes and Watson go inside and find the suspicious man murdered.

The next day, Inspector Lestrade arrives at the hotel to investigate the murder with Holmes, Watson, and Mr. Carstairs. They deduce that the man is Keelan O'Donaghue of the Flat Cap Gang. They wish to question Ross but find he has gone missing. Wiggins does not know where he is but reveals that he recently ran away from an orphanage named Chorley Grange.



Holmes and Watson visit the orphanage and meet the headmaster, Reverend Fitzsimmons. They learn that Ross only lived there for a few months and that he has a sister in London. As they leave, Holmes notices a strange building on the property; the Reverend says that it is used for performances. The pair then attempts to track down Ross in London and are shocked to find his tortured and mutilated body. Terrified, Ross's sister will say nothing, but she does mumble the words "the House of Silk."

Mycroft, Holmes's brother who works at the highest levels of government, warns Holmes that he should drop the case. Naturally, Holmes does not listen; soon he is framed for murder. While Holmes is in prison, Watson is contacted by Professor Moriarty, a criminal mastermind and Holmes’s archenemy. Moriarty gives Watson a key to get Holmes out of prison before an impending assassination can be carried out on the detective. Watson questions Moriarty's motives, but the professor will only say that he wants the House of Silk to be stopped.

Watson goes to the prison to help Holmes escape, but he finds that the detective has already escaped with the help of the prison doctor, a former client of Holmes. Holmes and Watson follow clues for the House of Silk to a traveling carnival. There they are attacked, but Lestrade arrives in time to rescue them.



The trio then returns to Chorley Grange, which they now know is the House of Silk. The Reverend rents out the boys to paying customers throughout the government, including within the royal family. Lestrade arrests the perpetrators, but none are ever taken to court due to their political influence. Holmes also reveals that Catherine Carstairs is responsible for the Flat Cap Gang crimes as she is second in command of the gang.