PROLOGUE
Sherlock Holmes had deciphered the clues that led him and his colleagues to get a step or two closer to uncovering the most sinister organization he has ever faced. However, once the threats against Queen Victoria’s son, the Prince of Wales, and her grandson, Kaiser Wilhelm II of the German Empire had been quashed, Holmes realized there were yet new and ever more devastating threats to be tackled. Assassination attempts against Queen Victoria and President Carnot of France were in the works. If successful, these events could very well result in a domino effect, wreaking havoc on the stability of all of Europe.
Again, racing against time, and this time facing challenges in England and France, Holmes realized the task was formidable. He could not be in two places at the same time. Worse still, both assassination attempts were to take place on the same day and time.
Holmes turned to his brother, Mycroft, to assist him in assembling a team of associates, in hopes they could be relied on to stop the impending events. To address the potential assassination attempt in Paris, Mycroft introduced Holmes to a young man familiar with the Surete by the name of Algernon Quartermaine. Partnered with his old friend, Ormond Sacker, the two men would have to devise a plan to identify and neutralize the assassins before they could accomplish their nefarious deeds. To nullify the impending assassination attempt on the life of Queen Victoria, Holmes assembled another cadre of associates. This included covert agents in the employ of Mycroft, Nathaniel Hobbs and Jonah Burke, and, of course, his trusted colleague, John Watson.
Notwithstanding the overwhelming odds stacked against them, the intrepid teams in England and in France succeeded in learning the identities of the assassins, placed themselves in harm’s way, and stopped the murderers from accomplishing their deadly plans.
But, despite the efforts of Holmes and his compatriots, the criminal enterprise had yet another surprise up its sleeve. Holmes once again faces a new provocation. But, if successful in thwarting this new challenge, he may finally uncover the genius behind the mayhem and learn the identity of the master of this Sinister House.
