I've not read this for some time but I generally enjoyed Part I, which centres on Holmes and the mystery.
Part II:
The Country of the Saints I found much less effective, primarily because Jonathan Hope simply hasn't the charisma and interest that is generated by Holmes. The Victorian reader might well have enjoyed it more as there would have been an interest in Doyle's {slanted} portrayal of the Mormons while the tragic romance and revenge-for-love plot would have been right down their alley. I think most modern readers would find the villains to be cardboard figures and the maiden is also rather a stereotype. So that section hasn't aged well. It was with some relief that I returned to Baker Street!
But the second section dealing with the Mormons did have some interesting aspects. Doyle's description of The Danites isn't completely off the mark {though clearly he has fictionalised it for dramatic effect}. If you would like to read more about this area there is an interesting study by Leland Gentry, "The Danite Band of 1838". It can be downloaded free as a 28 page pdf document and can also be read in HTML format here: {I found the pdf download much easier to read}
http://webcache.googleusercontent.co...&ct=clnk&gl=ie