The Crack in the Lens

This time it’s personal. Years before, Old Red lost his one true love to a brutal killer. Now — he hopes — he has the deducifying know-how to track down the murderer. Yet how can he and Big Red even start the search when everyone in town wants the secrets of the past buried forever...and the brothers buried with them?

“Excellent...The personal stake Old Red has in catching the murderer adds an emotional dimension to the puzzle, which Edgar-finalist Hockensmith nicely leavens with witty prose and cliffhanging chapter endings.” —Publishers Weekly

“Two late-19th-century cowboy brothers who become so caught up in ‘The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes’ that they turn themselves into Wild West ‘deducifiers’ in the manner of Holmes and Watson — how cute is that? Not only cute but clever, as Steve Hockensmith demonstrates in ‘The Crack in the Lens’ and three previous books in his idiosyncratic series… Hockensmith makes sure that readers get a lightly comic taste of Old West manners and morals, so be prepared for some lively lynchings and saloon brawls — and a whole lot of spitting.” —Marilyn Stasio, The New York Times

Buy the Book:

World’s Greatest Sleuth!

A detectiving contest brings Big Red and Old Red to Chicago during the World’s Columbian Exposition of 1893. Unfortunately, someone commits a dark deed in “the White City”: The man behind the competition is found dead. Old Red knows it’s murder, but no one seems to believe him but his brother and an old friend who could hold the key to the mystery — and their future.

“The novel is a delicate balance of mystery and humor, and its two leads, the brothers Amlingmeyer, are a real treat for fans of lighthearted mysteries. Holmesians, too, will get a kick out of Hockensmith’s frequent nods to the Great Detective.” —Booklist

“‘World’s Greatest Sleuth!’ is a hoot.” —The Washington Post

Buy the Book:

The Double-A Western Detective Agency

Big Red and Old Red Amlingmeyer’s dream has come true: The Sherlock Holmes-worshiping cowboy brothers are finally in business as professional detectives. But their fledgling A.A. Western Detective Agency faces a few challenges. Their partner, Col. Crowe, is almost as cantankerous and secretive as Old Red himself. The colonel’s daughter, Diana, insists on tagging along for the Amlingmeyers’ first assignment. And that assignment lands them smack dab in the middle of a range war — with Big Red and Old Red expected to shoot it out with rustlers rather than rustle up clues and solve a mystery. When the violence claims an unexpected victim, however, the Amlingmeyers are called upon to holster their guns (for a moment) and use their “Holmesifying” skills to track down the killer. But someone else is tracking them...someone who seems to set one ambush after another for the brothers. Will the Double-A Western Detective Agency’s first case also be its last?

“Edgar-finalist Hockensmith’s sixth mystery featuring Otto and Gustav Amlingmeyer triumphantly combines homage, humor, and fair-play…Sherlockians will hope for a shorter hiatus between books in this superior series.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“The story moves forward at a fast pace and chapters often end on a cliff-hanger that will keep you turning the pages...If you’ve not yet read any of the Holmes on the Range books then this is certainly a great place to jump in.” —Western Fiction Review

“Fans of the series will be delighted to be back in the presence of these cowboys turned detectives. This series has always been tons of fun, and this book is no exception.” —Carstairs Considers

Buy the Book:

Hunters of the Dead

The A.A. Western Detective Agency takes on a new case in 1894 Wyoming, a land of bandit gangs and rustlers, when a group of scientists heads west in the hopes of rustling up something very different: dinosaur fossils. With Big Red and Old Red Amlingmeyer stuck on guard duty, Old Red's obsession with Sherlock Holmes is forced to take a back seat. Until a human body is discovered at the excavation site, that is. As the mystery deepens, these cowboy detectives must put their sleuthing skills to the test to catch a killer stalking their clients. With death lurking around every corner, can the Double-A Western Detective Agency catch the killer before it’s too late?

“…a delight to read…many laugh-out-loud moments. … I became captivated by the twisting plot.” —Western Fiction Review

“5 out of 5 stars. ... Great to see a new book in this series. ... I’d forgotten just how much fun these books could be. Big Red narrates the books, and his wry observations on the events happening around him are a delight.” —Carstairs Considers

“The western tropes blend effortlessly with the whodunnit plot. ... It’s obvious Steve Hockensmith loves these genres, the Amlingmeyer brothers, and the peculiar range they ride through, serving them well. No corners cut, no detail ignored. Not only does he return to the series without a false beat, he delivers one of the best books in it.” —The Hard Word

Buy the Book:

Dear Mr. Holmes: Seven Holmes on the Range Mysteries

Big Red and Old Red Amlingmeyer have starred in seven novels, rustling up award nominations and fans aplenty as they cracked mysteries using the methods of their hero, Sherlock Holmes. How did these Old West drifters first discover Holmes, though? And how did their early, awkward stabs at “deducifying” turn out? These seven short stories provide the answers. In “Dear Mr. Holmes,” Old Red first gets the itch to turn detective — and just in time, too, because a killer’s stalking him and his brother along a Kansas cattle trail. In “Gustav Amlingmeyer, Holmes of the Range,” Old Red’s attempt to settle down and open his own “cafay” goes haywire when one of the customers gets a side order of arsenic with his steak and potatoes. And the adventure continues in five more stories (most originally published in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine). If you’re a fan, you won’t want to miss these rollicking peeks into the Amlingmeyers’ past. And if you’re not a fan, there’s no better place to start!

“ … fast moving stories of mystery and suspense in a western setting. All are told in an entertaining and laugh-out-loud, easy to read, style that makes it impossible to stop reading them until you’ve reached the end.” —Western Fiction Review

Buy the Book:

Partners in Crime: Five Holmes on the Range Mysteries

Saddle up for adventure with eccentric cowboy detectives Big Red and Old Red Amlingmeyer as they embark on a thrilling journey to establish their dream detective agency in the Wild West.

In this action-packed collection of five stories (four previously published in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, one new), join the brothers as they navigate disastrous homecoming trips, strange newspaper feuds, supernatural kidnappings, deadly Christmas celebrations and a high-stakes conspiracy threatening to tarnish their budding careers. Get ready to solve the mysteries with Big Red and Old Red as their western detective saga continues!

“5 out of 5 stars … Partners in Crime is the next best thing to a new novel in the series. This will please fans and hook more on this fun duo.” —Carstairs Considers

“Partners in Crime is another extremely entertaining read from Steve Hockensmith, and I can only hope he has many more adventures lined up for his fans.” —Western Fiction Review

Buy the Book:

Black List, White Death: Two Holmes on the Range Novellas

In “Black List,” the Amlingmeyer brothers ride into the Arizona Territory on a quest to unearth a buried secret, coveted by a ruthless cattle baron. Can Old Red’s deductive skills solve the mystery and protect them from the cattleman’s hired guns?

In “White Death,” the Amlingmeyers investigate mysterious deaths at a tuberculosis sanitarium deep in the Colorado mountains. As they search for clues, a sinister figure lurks in the shadows. When a sudden blizzard traps them with the patients, staff and the killer, the suspense reaches its peak.

As a special treat, enjoy the bonus short story “Expense Report: El Paso.” It’s a tall tale (aren’t most expense reports?) in which Big Red embarks on his first solo mission: collecting a Mexican bandit’s head for the reward money. But what if the head has other plans?

“5 out of 5 stars … All three stories are filled with humor, especially when the brothers are interacting. How they survive each other is a mystery at times, but I love reading these scenes. The short story is pure comedy, and I loved it.” —Carstairs Considers

“If you’re looking for fun and exciting reads, you can’t go wrong with Holmes on the Range mysteries. They’re like Sherlock Holmes meets Blazing Saddles, with a dash of Agatha Christie.” —Donadee’s Corner

Buy the Book: