Kirkus Reviews praised the "rousing adventure" but conceded that "the climactic revelation of the murderer will catch some readers sheepishly admitting that they’d forgotten there was a mystery to be solved."[1]Publishers Weekly found the book "disappointing" and said "Fans of the author’s creative reimaginings of Conan Doyle’s characters will hope for a return to form next time."[2] The Associated Press praised the novel, saying it "blends old with new, giving readers familiar stories with parallels to and hints of more modern takes."[3]