Rating: 
Summary: An engaging mystery
Review: In 1899, to the excitement of many of the Twin City residents, President McKinley is coming to Minneapolis. Apparently not every one is filled with good feelings with the pending visit from the country's leader. Majesty Burke calls fellow saloon owner Shadwell Rafferty to sobbingly inform him that assailants killed and strung up her barman, union activist Michael O'Donnell. The culprits left Michael naked except for an ominous sign stating that "THE SECRET ALLIANCE HAS SPOKEN".
The police chief says that Michael was killed because he was "taking liberties" with a young girl. Maj denies that her barman was not a pediophile and persuades Shad to investigate though he knows how dangerous the Secret Alliance is with its antiunion busting. With the help from his two visiting friends from London, Holmes and Watson, Shad follows a meandering trail filled with danger.
The fourth book centering on Sherlock Holmes' Twin City cases is an engaging tale that fans of the great detective will enjoy. SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE SECRET ALLIANCE brings Holmes' American host more to the forefront of the investigation than in the previous three novels, which adds an original spry twist to the a tale loaded with copious twists and turns. Even while bringing Shad in more of a lead role, Larry Millet continues his ability to capture the essence of Holmes and Watson while providing a vivid look at America at the turn of the previous century. Harriet Klausner
Rating:
Summary: Another Winner
Review: Larry Millett has developed a character who not only rivals Sherlock Holmes, but exceeds him. Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Alliance is the best of an excellent series.
Rating: 
Summary: Millett's latest Sherlock in Minneapolis is only OK
Review: Larry Millett is a columnist for a newspaper in the twin cities. He apparently is also a Sherlock Holmes fan. Those two things seem to have combined to convince him to write these Sherlock Holmes in Minneapolis books, which are very fun. The first two were very good, but the author has introduced an American counterpart, after a fashion, for Sherlock. This is Shadwell Rafferty, a saloon keeper and veteran of the Civil War who has more street smarts than Holmes, if not quite the education and deliberation. Holmes, in Millett's hands anyway, admires Rafferty's rough detective skills. In the latest installment, Rafferty is hired by an old lady friend and competitor who owns a saloon. One of her bartenders has moved on to union agitating, and gotten himself killed. The original verdict is that he tried to rape a woman, and was lynched by a mob, but that theory soon dissipates, and is replaced by the idea that an anti-union conspiracy might be responsible. The plot takes many twists and turns before the crime is solved. One problem is that, given the title, you would expect Holmes to be more involved in the plot. Instead Sherlock and Dr. Watson are trapped in New York City, investigating some sort of controversy involving the Astor brothers. Holmes and Watson stew about this for half the book, without the reader knowing what they are upset about (it's never explained) before they terminate their business and make their way to Minnesota. For the first half of the book, Rafferty does all of the investigating. Once they arrive in Minnesota, Holmes and Watson find themselves involved in various conspiracies and scandals, involving a shady mayor and one of the most famous real life detectives of the 19th century. This part of the book is the most entertaining, to be frank. I enjoyed the book a great deal, especially the author's period detail dealing with various parts of the twin cities and their lore, and especially the buildings therein. Unfortunately, Shadwell Rafferty isn't Sherlock Holmes.
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointing Sequel
Review: Larry Millett's fourth book is easily the weakest in the series. Holmes and Watson barely make cameo appearances, it's all the annoyingly stereotyped Shadwell Rafferty. The far-left politics don't help either. Millett needs to either research other settings for Holmes and Watson or just give Rafferty his own series so those who can't stand him can avoid him. Having Holmes visit Minnesota once was a stretch, four times is ridiculous.
Rating:
Summary: Secret Alliance Revealed
Review: The true secret alliance is between the publisher and the author, as they attempt to con and bamboozle the innocent public into thinking that this is a "Sherlock Holmes" story. It is not. Not even close. Oh, sure, we're given some badly written "diary entries" by Watson, but those are filled with Holmes and Watson pining for Minnesota. Funny how Conan Doyle missed Holmes' deep love for the Midwest. The bulk of the novel is taken up with Millet's own creation, Shadwell Rafferty. Tragically, if this were a "Shadwell Rafferty" book, it wouldn't be all that bad. Rafferty is an interesting enough fellow, and the narrative voice used for him is light, but gets the job done. But, then, "Shadwell Rafferty and the Secret Alliance" wouldn't sell books, would it?
Rating:
Summary: Secret Alliance Revealed
Review: The true secret alliance is between the publisher and the author, as they attempt to con and bamboozle the innocent public into thinking that this is a "Sherlock Holmes" story. It is not. Not even close. Oh, sure, we're given some badly written "diary entries" by Watson, but those are filled with Holmes and Watson pining for Minnesota. Funny how Conan Doyle missed Holmes' deep love for the Midwest. The bulk of the novel is taken up with Millet's own creation, Shadwell Rafferty. Tragically, if this were a "Shadwell Rafferty" book, it wouldn't be all that bad. Rafferty is an interesting enough fellow, and the narrative voice used for him is light, but gets the job done. But, then, "Shadwell Rafferty and the Secret Alliance" wouldn't sell books, would it?
Rating:
Summary: Secret Alliance Revealed
Review: The true secret alliance is between the publisher and the author, as they attempt to con and bamboozle the innocent public into thinking that this is a "Sherlock Holmes" story. It is not. Not even close. Oh, sure, we're given some badly written "diary entries" by Watson, but those are filled with Holmes and Watson pining for Minnesota. Funny how Conan Doyle missed Holmes' deep love for the Midwest. The bulk of the novel is taken up with Millet's own creation, Shadwell Rafferty. Tragically, if this were a "Shadwell Rafferty" book, it wouldn't be all that bad. Rafferty is an interesting enough fellow, and the narrative voice used for him is light, but gets the job done. But, then, "Shadwell Rafferty and the Secret Alliance" wouldn't sell books, would it?
Rating: 
Summary: A disappointed Holmes fan
Review: This can not be a true review as I have not yet been able to finish the book. I loved the 1st 3 books of this series and highly recommend them. In those books, Mr. Millett captured the "real" voice of Dr. Watson (as created by Doyle.) This book is all over the place with different points of view -- a street person who catches rats, Shadwell Rafferty, an axiliary character, the author and when we hear about Holmes it's in the awful form of journal entries with initials and ampersands that slow the reading. I intent to try again to finish the book, but think I'll find the next one at the library rather than buying it as I did the first 4, just in case Millett has truly abandoned Holmes in favor of Raffety and is tired of writing in that beloved voice that he was clever enough to re-create when he chose to.
Rating:
Summary: A disappointed Holmes fan
Review: This can not be a true review as I have not yet been able to finish the book. I loved the 1st 3 books of this series and highly recommend them. In those books, Mr. Millett captured the "real" voice of Dr. Watson (as created by Doyle.) This book is all over the place with different points of view -- a street person who catches rats, Shadwell Rafferty, an axiliary character, the author and when we hear about Holmes it's in the awful form of journal entries with initials and ampersands that slow the reading. I intent to try again to finish the book, but think I'll find the next one at the library rather than buying it as I did the first 4, just in case Millett has truly abandoned Holmes in favor of Raffety and is tired of writing in that beloved voice that he was clever enough to re-create when he chose to.
Rating: 
Summary: Keeps Holmes too much of a secret
Review: Unlike the first three books of the series, Holmes and Watson are secondary characters here with Shadwell Rafferty taking center stage, which means this book will be a disappointment to all but those readers who've developed as much of an attachment to Rafferty as to Holmes. In fact, you'll need to go through more than 1/3 of the book before the Baker Street duo actually arrives in Minnesota, and even then, you'll never be reading the Watsonian-style chronicle you're accustomed to. Instead, Watson's contribution is presented in the form of hastily written journal entries, which are full of abbreviations parenthetically explained by Millett in his role as "editor." The other parts of the story are filled in with standard prose---more or less from Rafferty's point of view---but not written in his voice. This creates a somewhat disjointed narrative, and worse, an irritating rhythm, the brief, fast-paced journal material always being followed by the longer, plodding prose. It seems rather obvious that Millett used this book to shift his focus from Holmes/Watson to Rafferty and his partner, G. W. Thomas (Thomas is shown in a way that unmistakably parallels Watson), and I wouldn't be the least surprised if Millett evolves the series into one of Rafferty's own. I'd be sorry to see a decently written Holmes series end, but I do like Rafferty, and think Millett deserves some praise for his creation and development of the character. I've also grown to admire Millett's ability to weave fictional characters and elements of mystery into his state's history (If you've been reading this series, but skipping his historical notes, you've actually missed a bit). Ultimately, I rate the book only three stars because it doesn't have enough Sherlock to appeal strongly to a Sherlockian, and because if it is indeed a transitional volume between a Holmes series and a Rafferty series, it feels like an awkward transition.
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