The Improbable Tales of Baskerville Hall by Ali Standish

The Improbable Tales of Baskerville Hall series imagines the mysterious education of a classic mystery writer.

The Improbable Tales of Baskerville Hall by Ali Standish. Harper, 2023, 310 pages.

Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 10-12

Recommended for: ages 10-15

A poor boy makes good–or will he?

Young Arthur didn’t think it through on that street in Edinburgh, when he picked up that rock and hit the old gentleman on the head. It was just the quickest way to raise an alarm so the man would notice the baby’s pram rolling toward the galloping horses and avert a near-certain tragedy. In his brief conversation with Arthur’s afterward, the gentleman showed an unsettling interest in the boy. But Arthur soon logged the incident as an exciting break in his stressful life as the responsible son of an alcoholic father.

The letter arrives as he’s decided to quit school and get a job to support his five sisters and mam. With no explanation as to how or why, it’s an acceptance letter for the 1868 fall term at Baskerville Hall, “the most rigorous and innovative school in these British Isles.” His mother insists Arthur take advantage of this rare opportunity, and after token resistance the boy is off—in an airship, no less—to join a select and diverse group of young ladies and gentlemen. Irene Eagle and Jimmie Moriarty befriend him in spite of his humble background, while aristocratic Sebastian Moran and his London pals take an instant dislike. But his new situation is brimming with possibility: “We can be anything we want in this place.” The boy from Edinburgh is barely established in his quarters when rumors surface of a break-in and robbery at the school. Before he realizes it, Arthur Conan Doyle is deeply involved in his first mystery.

Classic echoes in a satisfying series-opener

Sherlock Holmes fans will start recognizing names from the first chapters, and Harry Potter fans will hear echoes of a classic plot: a poor boy called to a prestigious though secretive boarding school, a boy and a girl ally, a hostile classmate, eccentric professors, obscure villains, mysteries to solve. The engine driving the plot is science, not magic, but 19^th century science wasn’t totally divorced from magic (and well-endowed with humbug).

The plot moves along with the rollicking speed of a hansom cab and colorful characters (of the human and animal kind) throng its pages. The climax also raises interesting questions about the dangers of scientific discovery in the wrong hands. Baskerville Hall ends on a bit of a cliffhanger, promising further developments in an enjoyable series.

Consideration:

• Two uses of the d—word, from provoked professors.

Overall Rating: 4 (out of 5)

• Worldview/moral value: 3.5
• Artistic/literary value: 4.5

Read more about our ratings here.

Also at Redeemed Reader:

• Reviews: Like any indelible literary character, Sherlock Holmes has seen his share of spinoffs. See our roundup of Holmes-inspired (and one Agatha-inspired!) fiction series.
• Review: Arthur Conan Doyle was also the author of science fiction, including The Lost World. See our retro-reads review.
• Resource: Who doesn’t love a mystery? See our Mystery Booklist for elementary, tweens, and teens (soon to be updated!).

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