The Great Shelby Holmes Meets Her Match

By Elizabeth Eulberg and Matt Robertson

Being friends with a super sleuth isn't easy, especially when she's nine years old and four feet tall. But for 11-year-old aspiring writer John Watson, being friends with Shelby Holmes is just the adventure he's looking for.

In the few weeks since moving into Harlem with his mum, Shelby has been training John in the art of observation – a skill that comes in handy on the very first day of school. John's new teacher, Mr Cobb, is acting suspiciously, and Shelby knows this is a mystery worth investigating. Something important has gone missing, but as Shelby and John dig deeper into the mystery of the Cobb caper, they discover that there may be someone unexpected involved. Could Shelby Holmes have finally met her match?

Girl power comes to Baker Street in a book that's perfect for fans of Frank Cottrell Boyce and Robin Stevens.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
• Release date: Jan 11, 2018
• ISBN: 9781408871508

Elizabeth Eulberg

ELIZABETH EULBERG is not a detective (or so she claims). She is, however, the internationally bestselling author of The Lonely Hearts Club, Prom & Prejudice, Take a Bow, Revenge of the Girl with the Great Personality, Better Off Friends, and We Can Work it Out. Elizabeth lives outside Manhattan, where she spends her free time stalking English bulldogs in her neighborhood and filling her brain attic with random pop-culture facts. The Great Shelby Holmes is her first middle-grade novel. www.elizabetheulberg.com @ElizEulberg

Reviews for The Great Shelby Holmes Meets Her Match

[kmartin802_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This middle grade mystery introduces nine-year-old detective Shelby Holmes and her new friend and partner John Watson. When John and his newly divorced mother move into 221 Baker Street in New York City the first thing that happens is an explosion. Their landlady Mrs. Hudson is not at all surprised and bring Shelby down to apologize.John is used to moving around. His mother is a former Army doctor who has been transferred frequently. So John is used to being in a new place and making new friends. His mother has arranged for him to attend a school which lets him focus on being a writer. But his parents' divorce has left him with writer's block. School won't start for a couple of weeks so he's glad to meet Shelby even though she is two years younger than he is.Shelby reluctantly introduces him to the neighborhood and he is glad to take part in Shelby's latest case - a dognapping of a show dog belonging to one of Shelby's schoolmates. Shelby has no social skills and has no friends of her own age. John is determined to help her with her case and become her friend. This was a nice mystery and a great story about friendship. I liked the references to Sherlock Holmes. I liked Shelby's personality despite the fact that she is a bossy know-it-all. I liked that John was willing to work hard to be a friend to Shelby.

[albaarango · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A cute twist on the traditional Sherlock Holmes story line.11-year-old John Watson isn’t sure what to make of his new home at 221 Baker Street, in Harlem, NYC. Being a military brat, he’s accustomed to moving a lot and has always found it pretty easy to make friends. Then he meets his new neighbor, 9-year-old Shelby Holmes, and his whole life changes. A renowned neighborhood detective, Shelby is asked to solve a crime involving the disappearance of a classmate’s show dog, and somehow, John gets pulled into the mystery with her. Utilizing her smarts and his social skills, the two solve the case and along the way, become friends.What I liked: Great characters…I just love John Watson. Shelby comes across a bit egocentric and bossy, but then, that would be how Sherlock Holmes would most likely have come across as a child as well, so I understand. Her relationship with Watson develops nicely throughout the book, and the mystery was cute, even if not too dramatic. References to the original Sherlock Holmes throughout the book were fun as well.What I did not like: In trying to maintain the Sherlock story line, the author includes minor characters such as Michael Holmes, Shelby’s (also smart) brother, and Detective Lestrade. The only scene with the brother felt so forced it was uncomfortable, and Lestrade came across as not only incompetent, but also completely unnecessary to the story line.Still, all-in-all, a fun read.4 out of 5 stars