A Peter Pan + Sherlock Twist

The Adventures of Mary Darling by Pat Murphy gives us the side of the story of the mother left behind and her own adventure to save her children with the help of Sherlock Holmes. Read my 3-star review.

Out: Now

Mary Darling's three children have been kidnapped. Due to the event of being John Watson's niece, the world's greatest detective, Sherlock Holmes, gets involved. His investigation is going down a dangerous path. As to not be locked away as mad, and to save her family, she travels far and away, making allies of people from lands Britain has claimed, even Captain Hook himself.

We could call this another side to the Peter Pan story, as we experience and ultimately enjoy the adventure of the mother left behind. And blending it with a healthy dose of Sherlock Holmes is a master stroke. I relished seeing the famous detective at work, the staples of the J.M. Barrie story that are included here, and the twists on both. I will not say more so as not to spoil. But I will mention how the antithesis between Holmes's almost obsessive reliance on logic and the fairytaleness of things to do with Neverland add to the story. It smells of the internal battle of adulthood against our inner child.

The narrative has the feel of someone sharing the story with us in confidant-oriented conversation, colored with child-at-heart wonder. Its directness — tender, not strict — and delightful wit result in us breezing through the story. Descriptions here are lively and full of flair, details that spark our curiosity and imagination, transport us to the era and fantastical endeavors. While humor spirits through the storyline there is an endearing quality, but also a blunt edge that provokes our thoughts and what we believe to know. I really like how we peek into the mind of even minor or unexpected characters.

I love that Mary is a woman of fortitude, way ahead of her time. Other characters will astonish you with those same exact qualities, their extraordinary stories helping you get an idea of how their people fared in that time period. Through amicable storytelling and the musings of characters we witness the workings of the world, in some ways similar to our time. Discrimination and social inequality unfortunately still exist today, do they not?

Sometimes the switch between past and present or different characters and their tales is a bit jarring. Momentarily you may be lost. Some of those tales seem out of place or time, and the book has tangled its story threads. I do wish it had been done somewhat differently because the story is engaging. You cannot deny that the different storylines are always interesting and be wholly entertained by how they connect.

This novel is also about how your world can shift in an instant and the powerful feeling of home. Adventurous, endlessly surprising and a lot more dangerous than expected, this is a fun & contemplative team up of 2 legacies of the reading world.