The Last of August

As a casual Sherlock Holmes fan, I enjoyed the references to the classic detective in the first book in this series. I was a bit disappointed by this second novel as the references were either absent or much more subtle (that a casual fan of the classic wouldn't likely “get”). The relationship between Holmes and Watson deepens here and it's interesting to see how this develops. But the “mystery” of the plot was convoluted and I had a hard time understanding exactly what was happening. The set piece which is the climax is creative and engaging, but as I didn't fully get what led to it, I felt more confused than thrilled by it. Apparently a third (and final?) novel is in the works. I hope it offers a more engaging and straightforward mystery than this one did.