Rating: 
Summary: Exciting
Review: I liked this book. Millett isn't Conan Doyle, and his Holmes is a little ruder, coarser, and not quite as brilliant. But, then, nobody will ever be Conan Doyle. The book is good historically; I enjoyed that aspect of it immensely. And it is full of action, it is a very exciting book, I thought. I guess the best compliment I can give it is that, being the first of Millett's Holmes novels that I read, it made me want to read the others, and I am currently reading "The Ice Palace Murders" and enjoying it very much as well. But, again, caveat emptor: this is NOT an exact replica of Conan Doyle's Holmes, but I do think it's a ripping good story.
Rating:
Summary: The ring of authenticity
Review: I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest that this "lost" Watsonian manuscript may well be authentic.Don't misunderstand me here; I'm not making this claim for _all_ of Larry Millett's Holmes adventures. I'm prepared to accept the possibility that Holmes got to Minnesota once -- even twice, since the first trip was supposedly at the behest of James J. Hill and it makes sense that Hill might summon him again. But four or five times, with a lost MS every time, is stretching it a bit. Nevertheless the most obvious objections don't tell against this particular tale, even if we want to be suspicious of its increasing number of sequels. So the setting "happens to be" Millett's own home turf? Well, Millett is a well-respected historian of the Twin Cities; if Holmes had been involved in a case or two in Minnesota, who would you _expect_ to come into possession of a lost MS telling the tale? The tale itself is well-told and in the Watsonian style. Oh, the characterization doesn't always quite ring true (and indeed there is at least one scene that looks suspiciously as though it has been colored by Millett's own idea of comic relief). Nor is that characterization terribly deep; Sherlockians/Holmesians looking for Holmes-Watson interaction of the "old vintage" may be somewhat disappointed. But let's remember that Watson was (allegedly) not writing this tale for publication; some of his usual touches may therefore be absent for entirely legitimate reasons. We may even entertain suspicions that Millett himself has fluffed up the writing a bit here and there and still accept that the MS itself may be authentic. And there are enough nice touches to support the claim of authenticity. I can't tell you most of them without spoiling the story for you (they involve specific clues and false starts and such), but here's one: as Holmes and Watson investigate a series of possible arsons, they adopt the names "Baker" and "Smith" -- two trades that use fire in their practice and so are eminently suitable for a pair of investigators out to tame the red demon of the title. Millett includes plenty of erudite footnotes, but neither these nor the main text mention this little Holmesian touch; it therefore tells heavily in favor of authenticity. Authentic or not, the story itself is pretty engaging. And it's told against a very realistic background, with a clear sense of the deep moral ambiguities of the nineteenth-century railroad industry. (The railroads were neither an unmixed blessing nor an unmitigated evil. They were good in some obvious respects, but the damage they did was real too -- and unfortunately the difficulty, herein described, of getting satisfaction from the courts was all too historical.) The author -- whether Watson or Millett -- keeps all this stuff in the mix without taking sides or allowing it to color the mystery itself. Nicely done, then, and worth reading. And if it's a genuine Watson manuscript, so much the better.
Rating: 
Summary: It Just Doesn't Work!
Review: Imagine! During the demolition of a 19th Century mansion a whole trove of unknown Sherlock Holmes adventures, manuscripts written in Dr. Watson's own hand, are uncovered! What a wonderful idea! Certainly there is plenty of time for such in Dr. Watson's time line. Larry Millett, unfortunately, is not the man to write those adventures. His style is dry and pedantic, and insists on making Holmes and Watson do things completely out of character. In fact, Mr Millett commits the most unpardonable of all mystery writer sins. He introduces a character in the last part of the book & "pins the rap" on him. Even if you had been carefully following the clues, you would have failed to "figger it out" because the writer cheated. All in all, very disappointing, especially for long time Sherlockians.
Rating:
Summary: It Just Doesn't Work!
Review: Imagine! During the demolition of a 19th Century mansion a whole trove of unknown Sherlock Holmes adventures, manuscripts written in Dr. Watson's own hand, are uncovered! What a wonderful idea! Certainly there is plenty of time for such in Dr. Watson's time line. Larry Millett, unfortunately, is not the man to write those adventures. His style is dry and pedantic, and insists on making Holmes and Watson do things completely out of character. In fact, Mr Millett commits the most unpardonable of all mystery writer sins. He introduces a character in the last part of the book & "pins the rap" on him. Even if you had been carefully following the clues, you would have failed to "figger it out" because the writer cheated. All in all, very disappointing, especially for long time Sherlockians.
Rating: 
Summary: A story in the true style and tradition of John H. Watson
Review: It is a historical fact that on September 1, 1894 a tremendous forest fire destroyed the town of Hinckley, Minnesota, killing over 400 people. The fire was so intense, that it can be described as a firestorm, a fire so powerful that the updrafts are capable of sucking people into the fire. As a consequence of the destruction, a forest fire monitoring program was begun in the United States. That event serves as the backdrop for this tale featuring the great fictional detective Sherlock Holmes.
A railroad baron named James J. Hill sends an agent from northern Minnesota to Baker Street in England to hire Holmes to come to Minnesota and bring an arsonist to justice. The agent succeeds in convincing Holmes to take the case, so he and his companion, Dr John Watson, journey to Minnesota. Upon arriving, they read a note sent by the arsonist, which was signed using the name Red Demon. This starts the case full throttle, where the search for the Red Demon forces Holmes and Watson to encounter a wide assortment of frontier characters. They interview and interact with a corrupt Sheriff, the local madam and some of her best girls, rough-hewn lumberjacks, townspeople and the people who run the railroad. Holmes is his usual persistent self, doing battle with those who would kill for gain and Watson is as loyal and at times as bumbling as ever. Holmes and Watson experience the great fire and emerge unscathed and victorious over their very dangerous enemy.
The author has created the appropriate mix of the history of the region as well as the style of the original stories of Sherlock Holmes. While there are a few times where you can recognize style differences and realize that this story was written nearly a century after the originals, they are not very numerous. It kept my attention from the first page to the last. If you are a fan of mysteries, especially the style used to describe the escapades of Sherlock Holmes, then I strongly recommend that you read this book.
Rating:
Summary: The best of the modern day Sherlock Holme's Mysteries
Review: Larry Millet has captured the Arthur Conan Doyle style and has integrated a very believable story that is congruent with the history and geography of the Hinkley Minnesota fire. The character development is superb. Unlike many mysteries, This one can be solved by the clues given in the text. I hope Mr Millet will write more Sherlock Holmes novels.
Rating:
Summary: This story beats anything Garrison Keillor ever wrote!
Review: Larry Millett has succeeded in convincing this reader that Sherlock Holmes indeed came to the United States to solve yet another mystery. Minnesota is an unlikely choice for a Holmes mystery but Millett's time line fits in the history of Mr. Holmes. All is tied in to the history of the Forestry industry, railroads and the state of Minnesota. The reader is introduced to several interesting characters most of which become suspects themselves. You are kept guessing to the very end when the Red Demon is actually revealed. Even the most ardent Holmes fan will be challenged and entertained with this story
Rating: 
Summary: Reasonable Holmes in an unlikely location
Review: Larry Millett's "Sherlock Holmes and the Red Demon" takes the Great Detective from his usual London haunts into the pinelands of northern Minnesota. The results are variable. The book is overshadowed by Holmes' failure to stop a massive fire that kills hundred of people. While this may seem to give away part of the story, it is plainly revealed in the blurb, broadly hinted at in the introduction, and the extent of the fire is shown on a map before the novel begins! Instead, the reader gets to watch Holmes seeking to discover who is behind the impending disaster. So, while Millett's depiction of Holmes' deductive activity is fine. Most of the clues Holmes relies upon are in plain sight of the reader, which is not always the case in a Holmes' story, so perhaps some readers can enjoy matching withs with the Great Detective. I found Millett's portrayl of Holmes a little off-key, and this is highlighted by Watson maiking references to Holmes' unusual behaviour. Not being from Minnesota (or even America!) I cannot comment of the depiction of the area and its people, but for a foreigner they seemed quite natural. Millett has written two further Holmes novels - "Sherlock Holmes and the Ice Palace Murder (hinted at in the closing pages of this book) and "Sherlock Holmes and the Runestone Mystery" - both of which I believe are also set in Minnesota. Based on this book, I believe they are likely to be worth a read.
Rating:
Summary: I learned more about Minnesota than about Holmes...
Review: Larry Millett's "The Red Demon" was a decent attempt at a Holmes pastiche. However, there were many flaws that, unfortunately, detracted greatly from my enjoyment of the book. Having myself read the entire canon and multiple pastiches, I found that Millett seemed extrodinarily intent on proving to the reader that he had done his research. Throughout the book, Millett's Watson refers CONSTANTLY to previous Holmes' cases, many of which Doyle never ever wrote! (These were explained as one of the many "unwritten Watson accounts" in the footnotes.) And speaking of footnotes, they over-ran the entire novel. They ranged from clarifying innumerable details about the Minnesota railway, to basic facts any Holmesian would know. I found both Watson's uncharacteristic voice and the many times needless footnotes distracting. Millet's Watson proves slower than usual. And as for Holmes, while the entire mystery was interesting, I believe Doyle's Holmes would have discovered the "missing motive" long before the final 30 pages of the novel. It made for a great climax to the novel -- but I felt as though I had to read 250 pages of un-Holmes' like investigation before the traditional Holmes' narrative finally shone through. The novel overall was entertaining, and the Millett paints a beautiful picture of Minnesota at the turn of the century. However, as I enjoy Holmes more than I do Minnesota history, I won't be reading any of his subsequent novels.
Rating:
Summary: Reasonable Holmes in an unlikely location
Review: Larry Millett's "Sherlock Holmes and the Red Demon" takes the Great Detective from his usual London haunts into the pinelands of northern Minnesota. The results are variable. The book is overshadowed by Holmes' failure to stop a massive fire that kills hundred of people. While this may seem to give away part of the story, it is plainly revealed in the blurb, broadly hinted at in the introduction, and the extent of the fire is shown on a map before the novel begins! Instead, the reader gets to watch Holmes seeking to discover who is behind the impending disaster. So, while Millett's depiction of Holmes' deductive activity is fine. Most of the clues Holmes relies upon are in plain sight of the reader, which is not always the case in a Holmes' story, so perhaps some readers can enjoy matching withs with the Great Detective. I found Millett's portrayl of Holmes a little off-key, and this is highlighted by Watson maiking references to Holmes' unusual behaviour. Not being from Minnesota (or even America!) I cannot comment of the depiction of the area and its people, but for a foreigner they seemed quite natural. Millett has written two further Holmes novels - "Sherlock Holmes and the Ice Palace Murder (hinted at in the closing pages of this book) and "Sherlock Holmes and the Runestone Mystery" - both of which I believe are also set in Minnesota. Based on this book, I believe they are likely to be worth a read.
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