The Secret Fiend

Cover of The Boy Sherlock Holmes: The Secret Fiend. Two young girls cower in terror as Spring Heeled Jack flies over them with metal claws and blue flames in his mouth

In 1868, Benjamin Disraeli becomes Prime Minister, and Sherlock Holmes gets a late-night knock on his door. It’s Beatrice, Sherlock’s poor but beautiful admirer. Beatrice is terrified because she and her friends were attacked by Spring-Heeled Jack, who kidnapped one of her friends.

Initially, Sherlock is suspicious. He thinks Beatrice just wants his attention, and that Spring-Heeled Jack is a fictional character. But the number of attacks grows, and Sherlock is drawn deeper and deeper into the mystery. In an atmosphere of paranoia and secrecy, Sherlock becomes wary of many people, including those close to him.