Mycroft Holmes Holmes. Possessing deductive powers exceeding even those of his younger brother, Mycroft is nevertheless incapable of performing detective work similar to that of Sherlock as he is unwilling to put in the physical effort necessary to bring cases to their conclusions. In "The Adventure of the Greek Interpreter" Sherlock Holmes says: Though Sherlock initially tells Watson that Mycroft audits books for some government departments, he later reveals that Mycroft's true role is more substantial. While Conan Doyle's stories leave unclear what Mycroft Holmes' exact position is in the British government, Sherlock Holmes says that "Occasionally he "is" the British government
Mycroft Holmes (novel) country in the world." In choosing to write about Mycroft, Abdul-Jabbar diverged somewhat from Conan Doyle's version. Christopher Farnsworth writing for "The Los Angeles Times" said "Abdul-Jabbar and Waterhouse have created a smart origin story for Mycroft that slots neatly onto the shelves next to the original canon, but also reveals some harsh truths that Doyle probably never considered. " Mike Sager writing for "Esquire" said "The briskly written book has a delicately woven plot, bringing together such diverse elements as Trinidadian culture and folklore, the tobacco importation business in London, and a villain's elaborate scheme to bring slavery back