FINALIST FOR THE EDGAR, DILYS, ANTHONY AND SHAMUS AWARDS!

1893 is a tough year in Montana, and any job is a good job. When Big Red and Old Red Amlingmeyer sign on as ranch hands at the secretive Bar-VR cattle spread, they're not expecting much more than hard work, bad pay, and a comfortable campfire around which they can enjoy their favorite pastime: scouring Harper's Weekly for stories about the famous Sherlock Holmes.

When the boys come across a dead body that looks a whole lot like the leftovers of an unfortunate encounter with a cattle stampede, Old Red sees the perfect opportunity to employ his Holmes-inspired deducifyin' skills. Putting his ranch work squarely on the back burner, he sets out to solve the case. Big Red, like it or not (and mostly he does not), is along for the wild ride in this clever, compelling, and completely one-of-a-kind mystery novel.

What folks are saying about Holmes on the Range:

"Sherlockians, Western fans and mystery lovers who enjoy their whodunits leavened with humor should all be delighted by Hockensmith's captivating debut...." --Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"This is a great reworking of the Holmes conceit, and one suspects Hockensmith will have a steady readership as long as the Amlingmeyers are on the case." --Wes Lukowsky, Booklist (starred review)

"This first novel will keep both mystery fans and afficionados of Westerns grinning from the first page to the last." --Ken St. Andre, Library Journal (starred review)

"This fine debut delivers the goods as Western, mystery puzzle, character study, and homage to the Baker Street master." --Jon L. Breen, Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine

"Hockensmith's debut is a winning twist on a proven franchise." --Kirkus Reviews

"Grade: A-...hilarious...." --Entertainment Weekly

"Just when it seemed as if there were no more literary riches to be wrung from Sherlock Holmes, along comes Steve Hockensmith's inspired debut novel...[T]he star of this tale is a fresh narrator's voice that whoops and hollers, dazzling the reader with colorful language, vivid images, and hilarious asides. Sherlock Holmes in a Stetson turns out to be a dandy idea." --Hallie Ephron, The Boston Globe

"Holmes on the Range, the debut novel from accomplished short story writer Steve Hockensmith, is a wonderful whodunit. Well-written, fast-paced, and filled with historical atmosphere, plenty of quirky characters, and a nice sprinkling of well-placed humor (always sharper than the star-shaped rowels on a new pair of work spurs), this highly recommended adventure of the Amlingmeyer brothers will be thoroughly enjoyed by fans of classic Holmesian-style mysteries." --Tim Davis, Mystery News

"...terrific...There's a lot going on in this funny, colorful and unexpectedly touching first novel." --Kate Stine, Mystery Scene Magazine

"...a clever and comic twist on Sherlock Holmes...." --Sandy Bauers, The Philadelphia Inquirer

"...intriguing...One can't help feeling that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle would have approved of this humorous and action-packed mix of Western and mystery." --David Hofstede, Cowboys & Indians Magazine

"A wild, well-told western mystery." --Steve Forbes, Forbes Magazine

"Hockensmith's debut...is such a joy to read, thanks to the banter between the boys and the superior craft on display. This is one series off to an excellent start." --Sarah Weinman, Confessions of an Idiosyncratic Mind

"The Amlingmeyer brothers, familiar to readers of Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, are finally reaching a wider readership in Hockensmith's first novel. Holmes on the Range is a winner right out of the gate, and I hope it is the first of many full-length adventures in detectiving." --Linnea Dodson, Reviewing the Evidence

"Steve Hockensmith's debut novel is a jolly good time and thoroughly satisfying from beginning to end." --Kate Ayers, Bookreporter.com

"Overlooked as a Western novel, but praised as a mystery, Holmes on the Range delivers the goods on both genres with wit, charm and excellent writing." --Russell Davis, Westerns for Today

"If you've ever wondered just what Sherlock Holmes got up to during the Great Hiatus after his tumble off the Reichenbach Falls, wonder no more: His animating spirit took up residence in the brain of an illiterate cowpoke in the American West. Sounds unlikely? Sure, but whether because of the innate dignity of the characters or the admirable cleverness of their speech, Holmes on the Range works beautifully." --Laurie R. King, author of the New York Times bestselling Mary Russell/ Shelock Homes novels

"Holmes on the Range is a wonderful debut novel! Detecting cowboys Big Red and Old Red Amlingmeyer are delightful, and in this humorous, action-packed tale they encounter enough baffling clues to stump Sherlock Holmes himself." --Marcia Muller, national bestselling author of The Dangerous Hour

"What a cool and entertaining idea, not to mention well-written and fast-paced. I'm ready for more." --Joe R. Lansdale, author of Sunset and Sawdust

"Steve Hockensmith has ingeniously worked a new riff on Sherlock Holmes, one as unlikely as it proves inspired. His ranchery and his talk are persuasive; his cowpoke Holmes a distinct and charming addition to the genre." --Nicholas Meyer, author of the New York Times bestseller The Seven-Per-Cent Solution

"A whole lot of sly and clever fun, mixing the genres of the mystery and the Western so skillfully that fans of both forms will like it. I liked it so much I can't wait for the next one!"--Ed Gorman, author of the Sam McCain mysteries