from Rambles.net review (review copied from http://www.rambles.net/hammes_hwwt07.html)
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Kevin and Ginny are best friends in the small town of Kanapolis. They have founded a club, "The Holmes & Watson Mysterious Events & Objects Consortium," of which they are the sole members. Ginny emulates Sherlock Holmes, Kevin acts as Dr. Watson, and the two collect unusual objects, mostly odd-looking rocks and bits of scrap metal.

The first part of the story describes their friendship, their town and their relationships with each other and some of their peers. This part of the story is a bit slow, but it lays necessary groundwork for later, and for what I suspect will be a series of sequels.

What injects the excitement, action, intrigue and suspense into this story? Well, it starts when Kevin and Ginny find a dead squirrel, which disappears before they can bury it. The same happens with a dead rabbit, and the disappearances do not stop. They relate to an event that occurred centuries earlier, when a powerful, good sorcerer banished an evil witch, but not entirely successfully. Just as Sauron returned in The Lord of the Rings, Voldemort disappeared in Harry Potter and Lord Foul was not quite destroyed in The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever, so in this book we discover that evil is not easy to destroy permanently. And, as in both Rings and Potter, the evil needs something to finish consolidating power. Well, from the other stories, we know what must happen: the evil power must be defeated and the evil object must be destroyed!

The kids are very credibly portrayed. I work with children all the time, and Elmore Hammes has given us a nice sample of realistic 12-year-old characters. There are friendships, crushes, alliances and mini-feuds. Another strength is the character of the witch. This is one gleefully nasty and cruel villainness. She is not on a par with Sauron, but I would like to see her go up against Voldemort. Once the witch enters the story, the book becomes entrancing and is hard to put down. The pace goes from "a little slow" to "run-away freight-train" in a heartbeat. While the book is aimed at ages 9 to 12, it grabbed my attention and did not let go.

I am not sure that this story might not be too scary for some 9-year-olds. Much will depend upon whether the child has a firm grasp upon the fiction-versus-reality distinction. If your child has nightmares from scary movies or found the Harry Potter books or movies too scary, this tale might also cause problems. However, if your young reader can enjoy a good haunted house, this book might be just the ticket.

from top 50 Amazon Reviewer Daniel Jolley "darkgenius":

As a kid, I was totally hooked on The Three Investigators mysteries, and that has left me with a life-long love for books about young mystery solvers. That is what attracted me to this book - but there's more than a great mystery at the heart of Elmore Hammes' story, for The Holmes and Watson Mysterious Events and Objects Consortium is as much about childhood as it is sleuthing. Best friends Kevin and Ginny stand at the cusp of adolescence, but with their natural childhood curiosity still perfectly intact. Emulating the veritable Holmes and Watson, they are ever on the lookout for mysterious events or objects. This particular summertime adventure begins with a dead squirrel, which doesn't seem all that unusual, even after it disappears while they are off hunting a box to bury it in; soon thereafter, though, the kids come across a dead rabbit, and it essentially disappears under their very noses as they carry it off for a burial in nearby Sharper's Woods. That's when they know something weird is definitely going on.

What the kids do not realize is that they are about to find themselves in between an ancient witch and the talisman that holds the key to her powers, and that's not a good place to be. Kevin has had to deal with some bullying from the other kids and has even been compelled to run for his life from his neighbor Daniel's large dog, but that's nothing compared to a vindictive old bat whose evil is just waking up from a centuries-long sleep. And the threat is not limited to Kevin and Ginny, either, for Daniel and some of his friends become pawns in the witch's dangerous game. Fortunately, our two young heroes in training have some helpful reference materials on hand in their clubhouse and the assistance of an old gypsy woman intent on keeping the witch from regaining her powers. Events - and the witch - conspire to give the reader one hootenanny of an ending, which is heavy on the action and suspense.

This is certainly an interesting and worthwhile read for youngsters - and a book that parents can enjoy sharing with their children, as well. I enjoyed reading it just for myself, and my childhood days are long behind me now. Yes, it does have a witch in it, so I suppose a few loons out there might object to it, but the novel reinforces a number of positive, important lessons. Every youngster (heck, even every adult) should be as naturally curious as these youngsters are about the world around them. Kevin and Ginny also offer a great example of the meaning and value of true friendship, while the author goes on to show that there is some good in just about everyone (except the witch, of course). In this fictional world, even bullies and their victims can become friends. With books like this on the market, it's hard to see how any child can claim that reading is not fun.

By armchairinterviews.com :

Twelve-year-olds, Ginny Davis and Kevin Williams, are best friends and have been for many years. They hang out together in the summer and after school during the rest of the year. Kevin is a bit bookish, the son of a physics professor. Ginny is both bright and attractive with an active imagination. Together they form the Holmes & Watson Mysterious Events & Objects Consortium, a two-person club that meets in Kevin's tree house and tries to discover answers to questions that may present themselves as they go about their rather ordinary small-town lives.

At the opening of the book, the object they are dealing with is an apparently dead squirrel on the sidewalk between their houses. They decide to bury it, but it disappears while they search for a box. Where did it go? The same thing happens to a dead rabbit they find later that day. Then Ginny's cat disappears. What is going on?

In the clubhouse, they keep a journal to record their thoughts on these sorts of problems. They also have a collection of items they have picked up while doing investigations: snakeskins, rocks, and an odd metal thing they found in the local stream one day.

Elmore Hammes created this story for his nieces and nephews-and he did a great job. The book takes two ordinary kids and involves them in a situation worthy of Harry Potter and yet they and their friends act and react like real kids.

Besides the problems of disappearing dead animals, Kevin has to deal with hassling from a group of more athletically inclined classmates-particularly Daniel, his next-door neighbor. Kevin and Ginny are also becoming aware of special feelings for each other that they hope won't get in the way of being best friends.

I really enjoyed the book and I think it would appeal to many middle-school readers. It is suggested for 10-14 but I think down to age 8 would also greatly enjoy it.

Armchair Interviews says: Fun book for young readers.

here's the review as posted on my Amazon product page:


In this absolutely delightful read we meet two young friends who will immediately capture your heart. Kevin, who describes himself as a Geek, and his best friend Ginny. This adventurous twosome are the only members of The Holmes and Watson Mysterious Events and Objects Consortium club. The pair love to collect things of interest that they mainly find in Sharper's Woods, like that strange metal object which seemed to have no purpose, or does it? When animals on their block appear to die and their bodies mysteriously disappear, the two plunge headlong into an investigation . However, they never realized the danger they are in, nor the evil presence of a witch that is slowly closing in on them, and who will stop at nothing until she receives what she came for. Scary!


I really liked this book; it has all the elements of a great mystery read and more. The characters are well developed, the story engaging, the locals very descriptive, and the ending superb. The author draws you immediately into the life's of Kevin and Ginny, from their home life to their outside life; also giving you privy to their personal thought life, this made them personal, touchable and real. I believe Mr.Hammes did a great job allowing Kevin and Ginny freedom to solve the mystery alone, yet still added the authority figure of an adult, which to me will show children that adults have wisdom that can help them in situations.


I have found in other books in this genre that some authors totally negate any adult intervention, which to me can leave children uneasy and thinking they have to solve on their own problems they may entail, when they really might need some adult intervention or experience. In this work Mr. Hammes allowed his characters to use the wisdom given to them by an adult and their own knowledge and courage to overcome the foe and save the day. Great mix! Great read!
Recommended.

Shirley Johnson

Senior Reviewer

MidWest Book Review

POD People reviewed my book, gave it 8/10. You can read the entire review at:
POD People Review for Holmes & Watson Book

Wow, what a nice surprise! As a High School Special Education Teacher, I am excited at the potential this new author holds within his pen/keyboard. There are far to few stories written for this reading ability, yet maintaining high levels interest. I encourage book lovers to give this author an opportunity to blossom, Mr. Hammes has proven that a novel can be written in just 30 days.
Oh, by the way, I must admit that I am a very close friend of the author's. I, too, am an aspiring writer that is simply giving my support to Mr. Hammes, who has actually pulled on his boots and began to climb the story mountain. Despite that he has a long way to go before his plot and view are what he expects of himself, at least his boots are on each foot. I'm not even sure where my boots are hiding.
Take a chance on this aspiring author and buy this novel. If not for yourself, for all those who dream of writing and despite the stories they hold inside, never let them go.