I don’t think I’ve ever read a sequel that made me like the previous book less, but that’s what happened with Holmes is Missing by James Patterson. The first book, Holmes, Marple, and Poe had its flaws, but it was a decent mystery. I found it odd, as I was reading the second book, that its flaws made me see the first book in a different light.

First, let’s talk about the title: Holmes is Missing. What ideas does that conjure up? That Holmes has been kidnapped, that he has disappeared, something along those lines, at least, that’s what I thought. But no. Holmes is in rehab – no surprise, considering he literally overdosed on heroin in the last book – and they all know it. He’s not with them, but he’s not exactly missing.

The mystery part is pretty intriguing. A group of newborns has gone missing from a posh hospital. It’s clear that there has been some measure of inside help, as security measures have been derailed, but how does someone spirit away six babies without anyone noticing? Then a school bus goes missing and the children are nowhere to be found; is it related? The parents are calling for the team at Holmes, Marple & Poe to get involved, even though the city’s police officials want them as far away as possible.

But there are other things that bothered me. Like the pregnancy scare, and the mother’s very strange response to it all. The suddenly-psychic office assistant who is getting other-worldly impressions during their cases. And what I thought was a completely ridiculous “I’ve always been in love with you” storyline that was so far-fetched, it knocked me right out of the story. Maybe this was the last book planned for the series (which seems unlikely, since Patterson really knows how to milk a series and string his readers along), so he wanted to throw everything at this story. Unfortunately, I was so busy rolling my eyes that I couldn’t really enjoy the book.

My copy of Holmes is Missing came from my personal library. I think I should have waited for a library copy, but you take your chances.