The Fifth Heart

Following the path laid out in Drood, Simmons brings two literary luminaries together to solve a fictional puzzle. In this case, it's Henry James and Sherlock Holmes, with Holmes acting as James's companionable foil. The DC-set mystery involves the supposed suicide of Clover Adams, wife of historian Henry Adams and good friend to James. Clover's brother, refusing to believe this was his sister's final act, has hired Holmes to investigate. Holmes must rely on James to bring him into the inner circle of Washington's political and literary elite, and their captious banter provides much of the book's amusement. Too often, however, the story strays from the central mystery with excessive historical detail and a revolving door of intriguing but peripheral notables. The most tedious device belongs to Holmes, though, who, despite eating, sleeping, and physically interacting with everyone mentioned, isn't sure whether he is a real person or a fictional character.