Cover Image: Holmes Coming

Holmes Coming

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

Holmes Coming introduces you to Dr. Amy Winslow in the thick of trying to save the life of a San Francisco Police Captain after he is attacked by a tiger, of all things, that immediately vanishes. The next day, Amy finds herself at the Victorian estate of Mrs. Hudson, wife of a former patient, and becomes embroiled in the most peculiar and exciting mystery of her life.

This was such a wild ride and I loved every second of it. Before I get to why I loved the story, I must comment on the audiobook narration!! It is, not only, read by a full cast, but simultaneously! If you stick around for the author's note at the end (and you should), you learn that the cast read this table-read style. They didn't record it separately and piece it all together. They, including the author himself, played off each other in <i>one</i> take. That is so impressive. I highly recommend the audiobook if you can get your hands on it.

Now, for the story. I am a huge fan of the World's Greatest Detective, so I knew going in that I would either love or hate this. The book really does a wonderful job of not trying to copy Conan Doyle's original works. They're incomparable and we all know that. You can't remake them, really. You just pay homage to the impressive works and this certainly does that. It stays true to Sherlock's character and adds humor and liveliness by plopping him down in the 21st Century. It is exactly how I would imagine someone, especially someone like Sherlock who is so sure of himself, would react to suddenly being in a time that is so vastly different than his own.

In addition to the fun of reading about one of my favorite characters being so mixed up, the mysteries were reminiscent of those solved by the great detective in the 1800s. Enough so that the main character references a few of the Conan Doyle books. It's difficult to explain everything without spoilers, but if you enjoy the original Holmes books, or even the BBC Sherlock show, you definitely want to check this one out.

Was this review helpful?

I loved this book, it kept me wanting to get back to it to find out more! The narrator was really good and was able to keep the story interesting an moving. I would certainly suggest this book to anyone who likes a thriller.

Was this review helpful?

This is a fun adventure with a Sherlock out of time and a doubting woman of the current era that happens to meet him when he awakens from the past. There is a mystery, but I found the humor, romance, and historical details far more fascinating. The audiobook is well done and provided a wonderful diversion from a few mundane weekend tasks.

Was this review helpful?

Featured on the Cozy Corner on Fresh Fiction March 2023: Holmes is Where the Heart is features, Holmes Coming by Kenneth Johnson, A Tempest at Sea, A Lady Sherlock Mystery, by Sherry Thomas and A Sinister Revenge by Deanna Raybourn.

Holmes Coming by Kenneth Johnson was released November 1, 2022 and is written in a traditional style with modern day twists. Hubert Holmes, aka Sherlock Holmes, whose name wasn’t “sexy enough for author Conan Doyle,” develops a method of cryonics in the Victorian England and preserved himself to solve crimes in the future after his archenemy, Moriarty, dies at his hands. Without the stimulation of worthy challenges, Holmes’s occasional uses of addictive drugs, had turned into a habit and his new endeavor of prolonged sleep turns into his very own detox program. His humorous, (and grotesque) awakening in the modern era is not what he expected. The history he must learn and the advancements in the science of crime solving have him feeling more than a bit out of sorts and tempts him to lose himself in his addiction once more—until his passion to conquer a Moriarty descendant named Booth inspires his deductive reasoning skills. This new nemesis has escaped law enforcement for decades and he’s killing local coppers in bizarre fashion leaving law enforcement baffled. It will take an antiquated Holmes to shirk his layers of dead skin and dust, to solve the murder spree, but of course ,he has the help of Watson—or rather, Dr. Amy Winslow.
Very little in Holmes Coming is from the point of view of Holmes. Instead, it’s told in the narrative form from Dr. Winslow’s knowledge of the events. Some readers may be put off by this old-fashioned style, but I found it refreshing to capture the true essence of the brilliant consulting detective’s work. The audio book version furthers this unique experience by having multiple voice actors reading all of the scenes together. It truly is a mixture of two types of story-telling wrapped up in beautiful fashion. Best of all, there is a hint of more mysteries to come at the end of the book!

Was this review helpful?

If you’ve ever wondered how the famed Sherlock Holmes would fare if he was suddenly plopped into todays time period in a sudden leap from his own, then this is the book for you! It was even better than I expected it be. I highly recommend it!

Was this review helpful?

I was given a NetGalley widget for this one a year ago and I just got around to reading it and dangit it was so good. I am so thankful for the opportunity to have consumed this wildly relevant fictional tale, which felt not at all fictional, more like historical fiction, due to the times. The cover initially was what drew me in, but I'm so thankful to have stuck with it because the outcome was magical. I always love listening to audiobooks and when they sweep me off my feet, I'm just utterly captivated! I always really enjoy multi-cultural thrillers, for I embark on a journey through a land unknown to me, while still getting spooked.

Was this review helpful?

I really enjoyed this book it was very interesting, very well written and the characters were easy for me to connect with. It was a pretty fast read which I liked. It wasn’t boring at all. It kept me interested

Was this review helpful?

I really enjoyed this book- what an interesting premise! I only wished it was longer! I had never read anything by this author before so it was a good change of pace to what I usually read

Was this review helpful?

Stupendous, riveting, brilliance all rolled into one! Loved it from the first page and just couldn't stop! Loved the introduction of the main character and the manner in which the pair forge a friendship. Hooked

Was this review helpful?

"What most people conceive as difficult I can sort out right away. It's only the impossible that will take me a little longer."

Exactly what we would expect the brash, self centered, 19th century yet brilliant detective Sherlock Holmes to say about himself but can he truthfully say the same in the 21st century?

In the absolutely delightful cozy mystery Holmes Coming by prolific author Kenneth Johnson Sherlock Holmes has found a way to preserve his mind and body (it's too much fun to hear the how and why so I won't spoil it) and has reappeared 150 years later hoping science has caught up to his brain and he can go right back to being the"smartest detective" ever.

He finds his new Dr. Watson in Dr. Amy Winslowe, who he has a hard time accepting as a female doctor, let alone that she wears pants! He's also flabbergasted by her audacity to flush his cocaine stash. One of the funniest scenes I have ever heard.

A full cast of narrators makes this feel like a movie. Narrator Francesca Ling @chekabaer gives Amy that extra spunk that might be missing in just reading the book. Narrator @rorybarnettvo perfectly portrays the pompous ass we know Holmes can be when he believes he is the only one who can solve a case. Narrators #jennygago #thomrivera and @caryhite round out a fun cast.

The mystery involves a Bengal tiger, a mauled cop and, maybe, a Moriarty sighting. The fun is in Holmes trying to navigate modern forensic science, technology and female equality.

The author wrote a similar movie, "1994 Baker Street: Sherlock Holmes Returns." It was suppose to be a series pilot but never took off. Hopefully, Holmes Coming will be the start of a new cozy mystery series that will keep the never aging detective coming back for more adventures.

I received a free copy of this audiobook from Blackstone Publishing Audio via #NetGalley for a fair and honest review.

Was this review helpful?

Dr. Amy Winslow drops in to check on a former patient and ends up stumbling upon a secret part of the cellar in the patient’s Victorian house. She can’t believe her eyes when she discovers an old laboratory and a trunk containing a half-mummified man/creature who injects himself with something before collapsing. Amy successfully revives him.

He alleges to be a master-chemist in addition to being a detective named Holmes. He was the muse for Conan Doyle’s stories and devised a way for himself to be able to lie dormant with the hope of visiting the future and solving crimes.

Amy finds it’s hard to believe he is who he says he is, but she eventually realizes that he isn’t lying. He’s been out of touch for a century, so some new technological advances have him befuddled. His powers of deduction are hit and miss, as sometimes he’s spot on and other times his thought process is outdated. He’s able to use his deductive reasoning and introspection to realize a few cases are related and helps to ultimately solve them.

This novel doesn’t disappoint! The multiple narrators enhanced the storytelling and definitely added to the overall audio.

Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing-Audiobooks for allowing me to listen to an ARC of this novel. #HolmesComing #NetGalley

Was this review helpful?

I found this story absolutely charming! Honestly, I have never read any books about Sherlock Holmes, though I’ve wanted too. I have never even watched the movies. But if he is anything like the character I met in this story, Holmes Coming, then I have definitely been missing out all these years!

Doctor Amy Winslow is the main point of view we get to hear this tale from, and I absolutely adore her as well. She is smart, snarky, and everything I love in a female lead!

When Amy visits a former patient in her isolated Victorian house in Marin County, California, she discovers in a secret part of the schedule a laboratory, a sarcophagus, and a man who injects himself with something before falling “dead” at her feet. He claims to be the real-life Victorian detective, Holmes, who allowed Conan Doyle to write stories based on his real-life cases. He says that becoming uninspired by 1890’s crime, he devised a method to hibernate for a century in order to investigate future mysteries.

Obviously, the good doctor initially thinks this man is crazy, and because he claims that his Scotland Yard papers were stolen while he was sleeping, it takes her a good bit to realize he is telling her the truth.
Holmes is still the brash, egotistical, non-feminist that he was a century ago, so some of his “brilliant” deductions are laughingly or dangerously wrong but eventually he starts to view Amy as his new Watson, as he tries to solve a crime that seems to be a direct descendant of his archenemy, Professor Moriarty.

I loved that this audiobook had a full cast as well. I believe that I’ve listened to a prior reading by the lady who reads for Amy, and I enjoy her voice. I don’t know if there are going to be any more books, but I would love to see a series from this because the characters are so much fun and likeable. This was one of my top ten books for 2022.

Was this review helpful?

Being an ardent Holmes fan I find that many of the spinoffs done recently are only so so- Laurie R King being the exception! This book did not disappoint. While a bit steam punk in it's back story the whole thing wove together well. The characters were believable and nicely developed.

Was this review helpful?

Holmes Coming was very good. It was hilarious and very good. THe plot had both a little bit of humor and also of course mystery. It was interesting to see how the author inserted Holmes in the modern day. Definitely giving this book a 5 star rating. Would most definitely recommend this book to other readers

Was this review helpful?

This was really enjoyable and I loved all the homages to Conan Doyle's Holmes stories and tropes, but I could've done without the romantic aspects. Some of them seemed a little antifeminist with a "I'm not like other girls" narrative, and others just made me cringe out of my skin.

Was this review helpful?

This is an audio from my Net Galley shelf that took me awhile to get through. That for me is never a good sign. There were parts I found very intriguing but overall I found it a little slow going. The premise was good but this is more a set up book, the likely 1st in a series, where most of the story is taken up with getting the characters together, defining who they are and how they will interact.
The story begins when the main character, Dr. Amy Winslow, finds a strange ghostly character wandering in the home of a dear friend. The set up is a little clumsy and stretches believability yet it does work for a type of "time travel" mystery and sets Holmes cleverly in the 21st century. From there Dr Winslow and Holmes begin their partnership to solve the latest crime spree going on in San Francisco. The crime is a good one and the solution is quintessentially Holmes. This is the story's strong point. I really did love Holmes most in this story. The author uses this character so well that while he is time displaced and out of his usual element the author maintains the brilliance of Holmes while rarely missing a beat in bring him into present times.
There is also an excellent side character of Zapper, a street-smart kid who assists Holmes and does so much to bringing life to a slow mystery.
On reflection I would say that Holmes and Zapper were my favorites in this mystery. Dr. Winslow worked less well. Too often she seemed to be stumbling over ideas and her own ego to understand Holmes, who he was and what he was thinking and her dialogue was sometimes jarring in the context of the story, also. the too frequent alluding to Dr. Watson as her similar persona unnecessary and just overdone.

In all I found it a good mystery that took an awful long time to get going after the opening scene. I loved the character of Holmes and really felt the author did an excellent job of placing him in current times with his intellect intact. 3 strong stars for the story, a little less strong for the recording. The audio is read by a cast: Francesca Ling (Narrator), Rory Barnett (Narrator), Jenny Gago (Narrator), Thom Rivera. I think using a cast of readers was an excellent addition to the audio recording.

Was this review helpful?

I voluntarily listened to and reviewed an advanced audiobook of Holmes Coming by Kenneth Johnson. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for this ARC.

Before I get into the plot points, I wanted to discuss the narrators. I especially enjoyed the actor that narrated Holmes he brought a lot to the character. I enjoyed the female narrator but sometimes the nuances of the character's dialogue came across as very judgy. I also read the book and the judging vibe didn't come across as strongly.

I started this book and was not positive if it was going to work for me. Some of the scenes in the first few chapters were very graphic and I was not sure where the story was going. That changed once Winslow and Holmes started investigating together. The fish out of water aspect of the story worked for me and I had a lot of fun following the Victorian meets the modern world story. I would read another in this series and recommend it to anyone looking for something with a time-travel vibe. I give Holmes Coming 4/5 stars.

Was this review helpful?

Dr. Amy Winslow unsuccessfully tries to save the life of a man savagely attacked on a San Francisco street by a Bengal tiger. Later she went a visit the wife of a former patients who was the caretaker of a lovely old mansion. While helping her, Amy went into the basement and found a secret room which contained a laboratory and a large box. The person who emerged from the box was none other than Sherlock Holmes, who had discovered a method to put his body into a suspended animation. As the story continues, Holmes moves in with Amy and proceeds to become involved in solving a string of murders. Although the plot seems preposterous, I was soon absorbed in Holmes’ incredible powers of deduction. Thank you, NetGalley, for allowing me to listen to this audiobook in return for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

I am a big fan of the Sherlock Holmes Canon and have enjoyed many of the pastiche entries and this is another very good one. It is entertaining to see Holmes in the present and for the latter day Watson to be a female doctor.
The story has a very cinematic quality and it is easy to see that the author is a screenwriter.
Narration is very good also.

Was this review helpful?

Another advance book by NetGalley, thank you for giving me the opportunity to review.

I received the audio and paper copy and chose to listen the the audio which is narrated by Francesca Ling, Rory Barnett, Jenny Gaggo, Thom Rivera, and Cary White.

Imagine Sherlock Holmes hibernated in an Egyptian type mummification for over a 100 years and brought back in modern day San Francisco to begin anew his crime fighting skills. It seems that after nolonger having his greatest nemesis, the “Napoleon of Crime” as he called Professor James Moriarty to battle, and with calls for his crime fighting services becoming less and less in London, Holmes decides to attempt a preservation of sorts, of himself and choses SF as his rebirth site. He embarks upon a deep sleep using a concoction of chemicals, one involving cocaine, the drug he became addicted to, to preserve himself, to awaken in 2025. The goal is to come back alive in a new world, one that can use his extraordinary gifts at deciphering clues that mere mortals fail to do, to put himself in a position that will once again give him worthy adversaries like Moriarty.

This is the story the author presents, one in which we have a modern day, yet 100+ year old preserved Sherlock Holmes among us.

The story starts with the brutal killing of a San Francisco police captain out for a jog, by a Bengal tiger which vanishes, leaving no trace. But for a witness, no one would believe a tiger to be roaming in downtown SF. This murder is followed by two more and the disappearance of a SF detective. You are immediately drawn in and like the Doyle writings, you begin to think what is the connection between these events and how will Holmes play a role in solving them. And as expected, there is a Moriarty in the mix, a descendant of Professor Moriarty, Holmes original nemesis.

The story of Holmes’ arrival and his rebirth as the famous detective is told by Dr. Any Winslow, a pediatric surgeon who first attends to the dying police captain in the ER and who later awakens Holmes, by mistake I should add. It starts out with an okay narration, but soon the entire story begins to breakdown with too much time spent describing Holmes unique observation, deduction and logical reasoning skills that any fan of Holmes would already know. Dr. Winslow is a spin on Dr. Watson and there is a Mrs. Hudson, a descendent of the original English Mrs. Hudson. Other characters appear in an attempt for a more modern twist and you get the sense the author is trying to meld the old with the new and it just doesn’t work that well. The story is made more sluggish by the narrators, there are too many compounded by the narration, too many character voices and none do an exceptional job, especially that of Englishman Holmes.

It appears there will be another Homes book in the future, I hope the author gets closer to Conan Doyle's style and limit the audio book to just one narrator who can effectively switch from character to character in a believable manner.

Was this review helpful?