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| The Entertainment Review |
| By: Stephen Kendrick Publisher: Berkley Trade |
Many have grown up with the stories of Detectives Sherlock Holmes and Father Brown, but what would happen if they
were to meet in order to solve a brutal murder? The answer comes in the form of author Stephen Kendrick’s “Night
Watch.”
younger brother to investigate a murder. The rector of an Anglican Church is found dead in his church, mutilated.
When Mycroft, the older brother of Sherlock Holmes and the British government’s most indispensible man, calls his
The prime suspects in the murder are the leaders of the world’s major religions who have gathered in Britain for an
inter-religious meeting. Father Brown makes his way into the story by serving as an interpreter for a visiting Italian
Cardinal.
The storyline, the murder and its final solution are great. However, readers will be disappointed by the fact that the
story is weakened by some errors in writing mechanics of Kendrick’s part, as well as the fact that Kendrick’s story is
derailed from the original story to offer his religious agenda. It seems that the book was written to back up the fact
that his assertions in “Holy Clues: The Gospel According to Sherlock Holmes,” which seem to suggest that in the later
days Holmes became spiritual, but not religious. Unfortunately the author seemed to work too hard to sell this point
which probably will distract many readers from the main point, a murder mystery.
Kendrick’s treatment of Holmes, Watson and Brown is done fairly well, it seems to be a bit uneven. Readers will find
that some of the conversations that happen between Holmes and Watson to be a forced and out of place in a
mystery novel. Holmes isn’t nearly as strong as the Holmes in Doyle’s books and Doctor Watson seems to be a little
bit exaggerated and unrealistic. However, Kendrick isn’t in any way the first author to try this. When Arthur Conan
Doyle created Sherlock Holmes, he created him to be a mental superhero, and with any superhero, it is difficult to
create a worthy opponent. It is much easier to put the characters closer to reality.
His portrayal of Father Brown, although he doesn’t have the same flair of G.K. Chesterton, is left as a character that
is a little flat but is still essentially the same orthodox Catholic priest that readers have come to know and love. Since
Kendrick comes from a Unitarian Universalist background, he has a very different theological perspective than
Chesterton, and he deserves to be applauded for not trying to interfere with the character as other versions of Brown
had tried to do in the past.
Of course, with any story that has two heroes, one has to take a backseat to the other. In this case, Brown was the
one that drew the short straw and must let Holmes lead. Although, even in Chesterton’s books Brown often stuck to
the background until he finally came forward to present the solution of the crime.
Kendrick deserves some credits for taking two of the biggest names in murder mystery and put them together in a
single story. He also produces an interesting, though not completely satisfying story. Fans of either character will
enjoy this book, even those who like a good murder mystery will like this book. However, beware of Kendrick’s
personal interests included in the story. Why he did that to such a great story may always be a mystery to some
readers.
were to meet in order to solve a brutal murder? The answer comes in the form of author Stephen Kendrick’s “Night
Watch.”
younger brother to investigate a murder. The rector of an Anglican Church is found dead in his church, mutilated.
When Mycroft, the older brother of Sherlock Holmes and the British government’s most indispensible man, calls his
The prime suspects in the murder are the leaders of the world’s major religions who have gathered in Britain for an
inter-religious meeting. Father Brown makes his way into the story by serving as an interpreter for a visiting Italian
Cardinal.
The storyline, the murder and its final solution are great. However, readers will be disappointed by the fact that the
story is weakened by some errors in writing mechanics of Kendrick’s part, as well as the fact that Kendrick’s story is
derailed from the original story to offer his religious agenda. It seems that the book was written to back up the fact
that his assertions in “Holy Clues: The Gospel According to Sherlock Holmes,” which seem to suggest that in the later
days Holmes became spiritual, but not religious. Unfortunately the author seemed to work too hard to sell this point
which probably will distract many readers from the main point, a murder mystery.
Kendrick’s treatment of Holmes, Watson and Brown is done fairly well, it seems to be a bit uneven. Readers will find
that some of the conversations that happen between Holmes and Watson to be a forced and out of place in a
mystery novel. Holmes isn’t nearly as strong as the Holmes in Doyle’s books and Doctor Watson seems to be a little
bit exaggerated and unrealistic. However, Kendrick isn’t in any way the first author to try this. When Arthur Conan
Doyle created Sherlock Holmes, he created him to be a mental superhero, and with any superhero, it is difficult to
create a worthy opponent. It is much easier to put the characters closer to reality.
His portrayal of Father Brown, although he doesn’t have the same flair of G.K. Chesterton, is left as a character that
is a little flat but is still essentially the same orthodox Catholic priest that readers have come to know and love. Since
Kendrick comes from a Unitarian Universalist background, he has a very different theological perspective than
Chesterton, and he deserves to be applauded for not trying to interfere with the character as other versions of Brown
had tried to do in the past.
Of course, with any story that has two heroes, one has to take a backseat to the other. In this case, Brown was the
one that drew the short straw and must let Holmes lead. Although, even in Chesterton’s books Brown often stuck to
the background until he finally came forward to present the solution of the crime.
Kendrick deserves some credits for taking two of the biggest names in murder mystery and put them together in a
single story. He also produces an interesting, though not completely satisfying story. Fans of either character will
enjoy this book, even those who like a good murder mystery will like this book. However, beware of Kendrick’s
personal interests included in the story. Why he did that to such a great story may always be a mystery to some
readers.
