The saga continues--

Five years have passed since Holmes’s and Watson’s adventure with the Ghost of the Flying Dutchman.  But now the struggle between good and evil comes to a head as a most unexpected demon from the past forces them into the Search for Excalibur.  The legendary sword of King Arthur has been missing since the affair of the Dutchman, and now the daring duo must find it.  For, if they fail, it will mean certain death for the lady McBride.

Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show is in the midst of their tour of England.  And through a strange twist of fate, Annie Oakley, Frank Butler and Buffalo Bill Cody himself are swept up into the case to become Holmes’s and Watson’s most unlikely allies.  The lovely Emily Cantaville...now Mrs. Watson...is back at Watson’s side.  And she, too, is drawn into the matter to help save her friend Mary McBride. The strange and somewhat mysterious Tyler Such, (the half-brother of their old nemesis James Moriarty) appears.  And they have no choice but to include him in this most unusual and singular of quests.

What are the mysterious monsters that stalk Hyde Park?  Could there really be a werewolf of London?!  Can an old gypsy woman from Holmes’s past shed some light on the mystery?  How could the quest for the Excalibur come to shake the very foundations of time itself?  Is this Holmes’s and Watson’s last case together?

All will be revealed in, Sherlock Holmes and The Search for Excalibur.  It’s Holmes and Watson at their best...during the worst...as you have never known them before!

This is now the third book in Luke’s Sherlock Holmes trilogy.  He continues to live a simple life in Ohio with his wife and two sons.  Luke keeps busy with his literary pursuits while still managing to work with the music he so enjoys when time will allow.

Since the release of his second book in the trilogy, Sherlock Holmes and The Ghost of the Flying Dutchman, Luke continues to write more of the mystery, adventure and romance that have become the trademarks of his creations.

“This book was by far the most fun to write,” he says about this most recent novel.  “I knew the story I wanted to tell, and the characters in the tale are so colorful that it made writing the book feel more like play than work.” 

He still claims that his large family is one of the greatest joys of his life.  The middle child of thirteen, Luke talks about the fun of swapping jokes and stories with his brothers and sisters, and their own extended families.  “It was a tremendous blessing to grow up in the small town of St. Henry,” he recalls.  “Everyone looked out for everyone else.  The whole town was like one, large, extended family.”

As of the time of this writing, Luke still works with mentally and physically challenged adults, and says he will continue to, so long as he is able.

My mind was confused and whirling with conjecture as we hurried along.  I turned to Holmes and started to make my feelings known as we were forced to slow our pace a bit due to the fatigue of the horses.  “Who do you think that man was, Holmes?  How did he know about the ladies?  What in Hades is going on?!”

“I don’t know, Watson,” he answered in his usual calm manner.  “But there’s no time for thinking now.  Let’s just get to the apartment and we’ll deal with things as they are.”

I couldn’t get there swiftly enough.  But soon we rounded the corner onto Baker Street and pressed our mounts one, last time to arrive as quickly as possible.  Having finally reached the steps, we leapt from the horses and ran to the front door.

Cody then remarked to Holmes, “You open her up, and I’ll give us cover.”

“Right you are, sir,” my colleague told him.

Holmes then turned the handle and pushed the door open as Cody whisked by him, his Western American six-guns drawn and ready for action.

“Reach for the skies!” he shouted as Holmes and I moved through the door behind him, rushing into the sitting-room ready for the fight.

Suddenly, I caught sight of a small figure, in a corner seat, who was holding a pistol, and then shouted, “Blue blazes, Bill!  What the sam hill you tryin’ ta do?  I nearly shot yer ears off!”

I then realized that it was Miss Oakley who had spoken. 

It was Mrs. Hudson, who was seated on the couch with Emily and Mrs. McBride, who spoke next.  “Now see here, sir, you will have to put those away if you wish to remain in this house.”

“Mrs. Hudson!” I shouted, still a bit befuddled, “are you alright?”

“Why, yes, Doctor,” she answered, as she eyed us with some confusion of her own. “Why would you think otherwise?”

“Just then, another man came into the room from the direction of Holmes’s study. “Hi, Bill. You folks alright in here?  I just finished checkin’ the place and everything seems OK ta me.”

I recognized the man as, Frank; the man who had helped Miss Oakley with her shooting act.

“Is there a problem, Bill?” he asked, as he looked over and observed our disheveled state.

“Emily, are you sure you’re alright?” I asked, as I went to her side to relieve my concern.

“We’re fine,” was her adamant reply. “John, what is going on?”

Now we all breathed a sigh of relief, and we took a moment to calm ourselves before we began the explanations.

“There’s so much to tell,” I told her, “I don’t know where to begin.”

Holmes then walked over to Mrs. McBride and leaned down on one knee beside her.  “How are you feeling, my dear?”

“Oh, I’m fine,” she told him in a soft tone.  But I could see that she was completely exhausted from her ordeal.  It was plain to me that her illness was taking quite a toll on her.

Holmes then stood and walked over to Miss Oakley, who was still seated in the corner chair, although now, she had holstered her pistol.  “I’m not sure what has brought you to us on this odd occasion, Miss Oakley, but I wish to give my deepest thanks, once more, for having saved our beloved Majesty.”

“It’s nice of ya ta say so, slim,” she told him with a smile.  “But it looked ta me like it woulda been you who’d uh caught it if I hadn’t fired.  One uh the gutsiest things I’ve ever seen.”

Now Holmes smiled at her.  “What did bring you to us, Miss Oakley?”

“Well, Frank and I saw you and yer friend there take off with Bill after that varmint, so we thought we’d better see yer women back home safely.”  Then she stood and walked over to the man, Frank.  “This here’s my husband Frank Butler.” 

“How do you do,” Holmes and I said, very much in unison. 

And then Mr. Cody stepped forward.  “I’m glad ta see ya took care uh things, Frank--Annie,” he remarked while returning his pistols to their holsters.  “I’m sorry ta say that the varmint got away, though; darnedest thing.  He made it ta the bridge and jumped inta the river.  But before he did, he said somethin’ about the ladies here at this place.  So we mounted up and beat hoofs over here as fast as we could.”

And now Holmes went over to Mr. Cody.  “Mr. Cody, please accept our deepest thanks for your help in this matter.  I know that we were unable to apprehend the assassin, but your bravery will not soon be forgotten.”  And then he walked over to Miss Oakley and Mr. Butler.   But now he seemed a bit more awkward.  “Thank you both so much for seeing our ladies home safely--and--although things were cut short, I truly did enjoy your...animal games.”

Miss Oakley then let go with a little chuckle, “Yeah, well, slim, I think I can honestly say that we all enjoyed presentin’ our animal games ta you folks.”

Now Cody broke in on the moment.  “Well, Annie--Frank, we’d better be gettin’ back ta the show.  I don’t want the local law thinkin’ that any uh our people had anything ta do with this assassin thing.”

“Please don’t be concerned, Mr. Cody,” Holmes told him with confidence.  “I’ll see to it personally that Scotland Yard is completely informed.”

“Thank ya, Mr. Homes,” the gracious cowboy told him.  “We’re supposed ta be in Paris in two weeks, and I wouldn’t wanna be held up by anything.”

Just then, there was a knock at the door.

“I’ll get it,” I said, as I stood from where I was seated beside my Emily.  “That could just be the police right now.  Surely, half of London witnessed our precarious chase, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the beagles tracked us right back here.”

“They got the dogs out lookin’ fer ya?” Miss Oakley remarked.

“No,” I chuckled my reply, “it’s a term we use for some of our local law enforcers.”

My heart was lighter now, so I walked to the door with easy steps ready to explain all to whatever branch of the law had found us.  Surely, every man on the London force was aware of the attempt on Her Majesty’s life by now.  And I was hoping they had caught the assassin who had gotten away from us.

When I opened the door, it took a moment for my eyes to adjust to the afternoon light that was quite bright compared to the soft lighting in the sitting-room.  Then suddenly, my eyes cleared and my knees became weak; my heart leapt in my chest and I clutched the door handle to keep from dropping to the floor in a dead faint while I beheld the face of the man standing before me.

It was Professor James Moriarty.