Mycroft Holmes

“Mycroft Holmes” is the first novel in a series based on the character often described as Sherlock Holmes’ older, smarter brother.

Written by basketball legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Anna Waterhouse, the mystery series has been good. But I discovered their second book, “Mycroft and Sherlock,” first then read the recently released third book, “Mycroft and Sherlock: The Empty Birdcage,” last month.

Sure, I could have ordered the first novel “Mycroft Holmes” upon discovering the second book, but some times, books are worth the wait to find in a book store.

And the first book in the “Mycroft” series is well worth the hunt and the wait.

As the title suggests, the first book, unlike the second and third, focuses almost solely on young Mycroft Holmes, the assistant secretary to the British Secretary of State of War. Sherlock is here as a teenager but only for a few pages. The teen Sherlock plays a more prominent role in the “Mycroft and Sherlock” books.

The first book also introduces Mycroft’s friend and comrade Douglas, a black business owner who pretends to be an employee of his tobacco business so he can survive and thrive in white 1800s London.

The book shares how they met and how their friendship deepened as they battle a new generation of slavers in Trinidad. Mycroft follows his fiancee into a world of unexpected horror and intrigue. Spoiler alert: While readers of the later novels know the fiancee is doomed, the authors do a great job not revealing the circumstances of her fate in the later books.

Plenty of intrigue and adventure here. Abdul-Jabbar and Waterhouse may have their best book in the series with the first one — yes, the one that has little to nothing to do with young Sherlock Holmes. Though the second book is also extremely enjoyable.

The authors have hit upon a well-spring of inspiration with this little-used character in the Holmesian world of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. A good read — hopefully, Abdul Jabbar and Waterhouse have a fourth adventure in them … and it’s OK if it only features the older, smarter Holmes brother.