COLIN FISCHER

by Ashley Edward Miller

[Blurb: SOLVING CRIME, ONE FACIAL EXPRESSION AT A TIME
Colin Fischer cannot stand to be touched. He does not like the color blue. He needs index cards to recognize facial expressions. 
But when a gun is found in the school cafeteria, interrupting a female classmate's birthday celebration, Colin is the only for the investigation. It's up to him to prove that Wayne Connelly, the school bully and Colin's frequent tormentor, didn't bring the gun to school. After all, Wayne didn't have frosting on his hands, and there was white chocolate frosting found on the grip of the smoking gun...]

Colin Fischer is a modern day Sherlock Holmes, constantly gathering facts in his little notepad. A bit unusual? ... yes, he has Aspergers syndrome, a developmental disorder that affects a person's ability to socialize and communicate effectively with others. This causes him to be alienated at school and often bullied. He is a character that grows on you. Because he is incredibly intelligent and logical he is very good at gathering clues.

This is a quick read which I think boys will particularly like.

THE HOUSE OF SILK

by Anthony Horowitz

The game is afoot! How much fun was this book to step back into the life of Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson. I grew up reading Encyclopaedia Brown and then onto Sherlock Holmes and that started my love of  'mystery murders'. Whether it's Agatha Christie, Poirot, or one of the thousands of detective stories I love them all. Little did I realise that Anthony Horowitz had been the screenwriter for Midsomer Murders, Foyles War and Poirot, featured on ABC television, all of which I adore.


This book, however, was a first Holmes novel for Anthony, who took 8 years to write it. His research and description of the characters and places were excellent and I could picture each scene. It was hard to put down and as always I wanted to find the clues at the same time as Holmes.


Unlike other Holmes novels I have read, this story is written after the death of Sherlock Holmes, Dr Watson is elderly, and he is recounting a story, which is most sinister and shocking. After he had written it it was held at his solicitor's vaults until 100 yrs had passed. It is one last portrait of the great Sherlock Holmes. I think he pulled it off very well.