ARTS & CULTURE
Book Club CAMBRIDGE EDITION MYSTERIES, MYTHS AND MOTHERHOOD ALL FEATURE IN THIS MONTH’S LIST OF PAGE-TURNERS
WORDS BY CHARLOTTE GRIFFITHS
The Three Locks BY BONNIE MACBIRD
Footbridge after a heavy rainstorm will be well aware of the awesome thundering power of the waterway, and the scene where a character meets their end in the murky waters, hair entangled in the Lock’s mechanism, is shudderingly well drawn. Equally disturbing is the appearance in the plot of the Spinning House, Cambridge University’s self-policed ‘house of correction’ which imprisoned (without trial) young women accused of heinous crimes, including ‘walking with members of the university’ – don’t research the Spinning House unless you’re prepared to have your outrage levels heightened considerably. An ideal winter night read, The Three Locks will no doubt leave you wanting to pick up MacBird’s other full- length Sherlock novels: TV adaptations are surely not too far away...
The game’s afoot! This splendid romp of a novel is packed with twists and turns, effortlessly capturing the chaotic energy of Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes and his anchorman, Dr John Watson. It’s the latest Sherlock novel from Bonnie MacBird, and her background in screenwriting is extremely apparent throughout the book. Perfectly paced to keep you guessing and turning pages, The Three Locks leads the duo from backstage at illusionist performances in London to the depths of the old Cavendish Laboratory, where Holmes always ‘dreamed of studying’ – crossing paths with professional magicians, university professors, pawnshop owners, physicists, archers, clergymen and a huge host of other supporting characters. Many sites around our city star in the pages: anyone who’s walked over Jesus Lock
ELEMENTARY The cinematic writing of Bonnie Macbird’s work is owed to her long career in Hollywood, including as the original writer of 1982 film Tron
CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK JANUARY 2022 21
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