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: Entertaining and well-researched mystery
Review: Many people who will pick up this book will be Holmes fans interested to see what Larry Millett can bring to that tradition. I came at this from the opposite end: I am a tremendous fan of Millett's books on Twin Cities history and architecture, and wanted to see another example of his work. I was not disappointed. Although he sometimes tried a little too hard to prove that he is knowledgeable about Minnesota history and the Holmes tradition--he has too many footnotes doing this--he succeeds completely in doing so. His command of Minnesota history serves him extraordinarily well here, and it works very nicely indeed as a mystery. The characters are distinctive and interesting, and I too was surprised by the identity of the Red Demon. Very satisfying reading, and you'll learn some history along the way too.
Rating:
Summary: Holmes vs. Hinkley
Review: Millett has a decent grasp of both Sherlockian lore and Minnesota history (the Hinkley Fire, Duluth, St. Paul). He tries too hard at the former, while I enjoyed the latter. The result succeeds, but not by much.
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointment's afoot
Review: Oh,dear. Mr. Millet has, I'm afraid, quite missed the mark. Let's say it right off - 'Too Long'. Over 300 dreary pages, when the story could have been told in half that. I have read many Holmes stories by authors other than Conan Doyle. Few have come close to the originals, but that's okay. Those men and women were not Doyle, so one must take what they get. But this novel was so very tedious. I think it should be noted that in the four Holmes novels by Doyle, Holmes himself was only in about half the story. Now we know why. Too much of even Sherlock Holmes can be a trial. I completed 'The Red Demon' only with great effort. I cannot recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: An interesting and exciting story
Review: Perhaps 'Sherlock Holmes and the red demon' can be claimed as one of the best Sherlock Holmes stories apart from the original canon. Although some of the details might seem inconcievable in terms of common-sense, especially if you have a very strict standard for scientific investigation, this story is still quite reasonable on the whole. The best part of this story, if it is not the heroic side of Holems, then it has to be the picturesque description of Minnesota.
Rating: 
Summary: Holmes meets "Fargo"
Review: perhaps not as drastic as that, but this will be of special interest to any Minnesotan who may also be a Holmes fan. Many of our state's locales and history are intertwined into the plot line. The author did an exceptional job of keeping to Doyle's style and is overall a very satisfying read
Rating:
Summary: Holmes wannabe story; doesn't do justice to Conan Doyle
Review: The author tries desperately to impact his own sense of style onto Homes and Watson. Although in entertainment we all expect little from imitation, this book still falls short of the mark
Rating:
Summary: The beginning of a great series
Review: The first of Millett's Sherlock Holmes in Minnesota series, I read this after "Ice Palace Murders," but the order of reading isn't crucial. If you like one, you'll like the other. This one has more adventure and is probably a little truer to the Doyle stories, though I must admit I was constantly picturing Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce as I was reading the book, and, since I love those movies, that is meant to be a compliment. As with the Ice Palace book, I found the footnotes to be bothersome, and again, the villian's identity is kept from us long after even Watson knows. The villian himself is a fairly minor character, so the ultimate unmasking, especially since it comes after a thrilling battle on a burning bridge, is anti-climactic. Still, quite enjoyable. I'll be looking forward to the next one in paperback.
Rating:
Summary: The beginning of a great series
Review: The first of Millett's Sherlock Holmes in Minnesota series, I read this after "Ice Palace Murders," but the order of reading isn't crucial. If you like one, you'll like the other. This one has more adventure and is probably a little truer to the Doyle stories, though I must admit I was constantly picturing Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce as I was reading the book, and, since I love those movies, that is meant to be a compliment. As with the Ice Palace book, I found the footnotes to be bothersome, and again, the villian's identity is kept from us long after even Watson knows. The villian himself is a fairly minor character, so the ultimate unmasking, especially since it comes after a thrilling battle on a burning bridge, is anti-climactic. Still, quite enjoyable. I'll be looking forward to the next one in paperback.
Rating:
Summary: Not as good as I would have liked
Review: The problem with some of these "new" Sherlock Holmes stories is that, with a wide variety of authors writing them, only some of them are well done. The characters are great, but, if mishandled, the imitation can grate. While Nicholas Meyer really has a way with Holmes and Watson, Millet is what I would describe as close but occasionally off the mark. Millet does what I dislike about some Holmes interpretations: he makes Holmes look smart by making Watson look stupid. Millet has Watson - an educated doctor and worldly man - missing the point to some rather obvious scenes (that I won't describe) and needing Holmes to explain the significance of them to him. Millet may have merely used this as a device to explain things to his reader, but the device was completely unnecesary in some of these cases and bordered on Millet inadvertently condescending to the reader. In the end, Sherlock Holmes & The Red Demon was an all right read, but I wish I'd had someone of my tastes around to tell me that they thought some of the characterization was off the mark.
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