Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective: The Thames Murders & Other Cases

As long as one person owns the game, and that person doesn’t mind doing a LOT of reading aloud, this works great over Zoom with the remote materials (newspapers, directory, and map) available on the Space Cowboys website. Admittedly it’s not for everybody, but if you’re a small group who enjoys narrative and story, and isn’t actually concerned about “the score” then this is a lot of fun. (Minus two cases that were sort of duds). At the end of each case, would definitely recommend taking a 10 minute break to think over the questions before discussing the final answers as a group. Loved it and great value if you finish the whole box!

Must-have for fans of Sherlock Holmes, mysteries, British period-pieces, etc. Not your typical "game," but that's what makes it great. The map & newspapers are clever & thematically immersive. Perfect game for staying in & lighting candles with a quiet backdrop of classical music on a rainy day or night. Don't expect to beat (or even match) Sherlock's unrealistically efficient solutions and you won't be disappointed. Perfect activity for a couple or small group who feel like analyzing a mystery together, proposing theories, pointing out strange clues, having sudden, breakthrough insights, etc. Can be played quickly in a single session, or better yet, slowly, so that you have time in between sessions to daydream & ponder the different possibilities as you go about your day before reconvening and tackling a given case from a new angle. Great fun!

If you feel like watching an old-timey British murder mystery, but also want to be a bit more involved, this is the game for you. Perfect for couples who want to spend a night in with tea and cookies. Know ahead of time that's it is near impossible to beat Sherlock in most cases, simply follow along with the story and make you best guess at the end and enjoy the ride!

My wife and I love playing this together. Some other games have come along that offer similar opportunities to solve mysteries with more gimmicks (and smartphone integration). While those games might be more dynamic, the simpler book-based mysteries in this box lend it an ease-of-play and Victorian charm that the others have sadly lost.

I recommend it for brainy maniacs out there. Immerge yourself into Victorian London. Greatcases!