Bound To Stay Bound

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School Library Journal - 07/01/2016 Gr 5–7—Baskerville Academy is the locale where teenagers James Moriarty, his younger sister Moira, and Sherlock Holmes meet as new students. Immediately, something untoward happens. The irreplaceable Moriarty Bible, which belonged to the original Moriarty ancestor, goes missing. The entire student body is under suspicion, but only James receives curious red envelopes containing cryptic messages as to the Bible's whereabouts. His roommate Sherlock offers to assist him, as does Moira, but James refuses all help because he finds Sherlock arrogant, and now that he is in school, he distances himself from Moira as well. Instead, James prefers to align himself with some unsavory upperclassmen. When James and Moira's father dies, Moira asks Sherlock to do some sleuthing, because his death was not accidental. This new role for Sherlock pleases his restless spirit. On campus, there is a secret society that includes the headmaster and James's late father. The members of this clandestine organization, called The Fellowship of Scowerers, want James to join. The initiation involves tattooing James's underarm with the symbol of a tree and key as well as warning him that to reveal anything about this society could lead to his death. Pearson perfectly captures Holmes's deductive methods. He humanizes Holmes's prickly personality by creating an innocent, blossoming romance with Moira. Likewise, Moriarty's persona becomes darker and more devious as he transforms into a malevolent force. VERDICT The first installment in an exciting new series that's ideal for fans of Pearson and those looking for a more modern take on Sherlock Holmes's mysteries.—Lillian Hecker, Town of Pelham Public Library, NY - Copyright 2016 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Bulletin for the Center... - 09/01/2016 James Keynes Moriarty is furious with his father for sending him off to high school at Baskerville Academy in Connecticut, which Moriarty men have attended since the academy’s founding in Britain long ago. His younger sister, Moria, sent to the Academy’s middle school, settles in quite well, but James, being the male Moriarty heir, finds himself in the crosshairs of jealous upperclassmen. Things only get worse for him when the headmaster announces the Moriarty Bible has been stolen from its display case, and everyone is on curfew until it is recovered. The very existence of the Bible is news to the Moriarty siblings, but the urgency of its recovery is underscored by a series of clues sent to James. He’s clever, but his roommate Sherlock Holmes is even cleverer, and as Moria bonds with Sherlock, she presses her brother to seek Sherlock’s help. James regards Sherlock’s proffered assistance as an insult, though, and he instead teams up with some academy goons to bumble through a mystery that only gets blacker and deadlier when his father’s “accidental” death seems to be entangled with James’ own initiation into a sinister society that binds Baskerville’s elite alumni over the generations. Pearson skillfully dodges the worn paths of the trending “young Sherlock” genre and launches a series that handles character development as adroitly as it weaves its devilish mystery plot. Whodunnit fans will be well pleased with the twists and turns in this debut, and Holmes fans who wonder what makes Moriarty tick will be racing back for volume two. EB - Copyright 2016 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois.

Booklist - 07/01/2016 In his new Lock and Key series, Pearson reimagines the story of Sherlock Holmes and James Moriarty as set in a contemporary New England boarding school. James’ sister Moria narrates from a future vantage point, tracing the evolution of her brother from hotheaded, intelligent boy to mythic villain. James is sent to historic Baskerville Academy, where his secretive father expects him to preserve the Moriarty legacy—whatever that is. With ill grace, he endures bullying, homesickness, and his know-it-all roommate, a British beanpole named Sherlock. Then the Moriarty family Bible, on display at Baskerville for 130 years, is stolen. With Sherlock and Moria helping in secret, James uncovers a web of Baskerville staff and alumni connected to a clandestine society. The mystery is suspenseful but convoluted, obscured by hints and threats from enigmatic adults. Though James is the subject, he remains a disappointing cipher who is frequently pushed aside. Moria’s role in the story, as a Sherlock-in-training, is the most intriguing development. This novel spin on a familiar tale will pull in lots of fans. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Coauthor of the wildly popular Peter and the Starcatchers series, Pearson will be promoting his new book with an author tour. - Copyright 2016 Booklist.

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