Devil in the Smoke: An Adventure for the Great Detective is a novella prequel to The Snowmen, and was the first of three novellas published to tie-in with episodes from Series 7. Initially published as an e-book, it was later included in the omnibus Summer Falls and Other Stories.
Publisher's summary[[edit] | [edit source]]
Madame Vastra, the fabled Lizard Woman of Paternoster Row, knew death in many shapes and forms. But perhaps one of the most bizarre of these was death by snow...
On a cold day in December, two young boys, tired of sweeping snow from the workhouse yard, decide to build a snowman – and are confronted with a strange and grisly mystery. In horrified fascination, they watch as their snowman begins to bleed...
The search for answers to this impossible event will plunge Harry into the most hazardous – and exhilarating – adventure of his life. He will encounter a hideous troll. He will dine with a mysterious parlour maid. And he will help the Great Detective, Madame Vastra, save the world from the terrifying Devil in the Smoke.
Plot[[edit] | [edit source]]
to be added
Characters[[edit] | [edit source]]
Worldbuilding[[edit] | [edit source]]
- Harry says the fictional character Sherlock Holmes is the Great Detective.
- Strax mentions recharging a probic vent.
- Vastra mentions to Strax that she thought the Rutan Host was "The Ancient Enemy."
- Strax invokes the Shadow Proclamation's protocols on hostage exchange.
- Strax mentions the Sontaran Greater Military Academy.
- Jenny, Strax and Vastra visit the Crystal Palace.
Notes[[edit] | [edit source]]
- This is the first novel that Vastra, Jenny, and/or Strax have appeared in.
- An audiobook of the story was read by Dan Starkey.
Continuity[[edit] | [edit source]]
- Vastra and Jenny display their sword fighting capabilities. (TV: A Good Man Goes to War)
- Strax mentions the Moonites. (TV: The Great Detective)
- Strax repeats the "Sontar-Ha!" battle cry on multiple occasions. (TV: The Sontaran Stratagem / The Poison Sky)
- Strax confuses Harry's gender. He had previously done this with Lorna Bucket. (TV: A Good Man Goes to War) He would also do this with two splinters of Clara. (TV: The Snowmen, Deep Breath)
External links[[edit] | [edit source]]
- Official Devil in the Smoke page at Penguin Books