The death in 1879 of a young mathematician, Aubrey Soames, appears to be accidental, but Sherlock Holmes suspects a cleverly planned murder may have taken place.
The son of Sir Finlay Soames, a senior official at the War Office, Aubrey was helping the intrepid aeronaut Lord Callender to design a dirigible balloon.
Adventure magazine is offering a prize of £1,000 to the first Englishman to fly across the Channel from France to England, attracting huge wagers on the outcome.
And Lord Callender has been preparing to take part.
Despite Aubrey’s death, Callender is still planning to enter and Sherlock sends his good friend Mr Stamford to spy on the test flights at Callender Hall.
And when another murder occurs, it is clear deadly secrets are being protected.
Who killed Aubrey Soames? Is someone trying to sabotage the competition?
Holmes and Stamford need to find the killer before more murders are committed.
Sherlock Holmes and the Aeronauts by Linda Stratmann is published on 5 June, 2026. It’s the 11th in her Early Casebook of Sherlock Holmes series.
For more new historical fiction, have a look at Historia’s list of over 150 books coming out in 2026.
