This is a very imaginative reinvention of Sherlock Holmes, set in 21st century San Francisco. Holmes and his new companion, a (female) Dr. Winslow, find themselves wrapped up in a perplexing case, one that just happens to involve a Moriarty! They mystery here is intriguing and I enjoyed listening to the characters solve it. There is a fair bit of banter, and many amusing sequences where Holmes tries to make his way through the modern world. The audiobook is wonderfully narrated by a talented team and I have an even greater appreciation for the production after listening to the author’s note at the end. While everything was fairly neatly tied up, I hope that there are more books planned with these characters. Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this audiobook.

Thanks to NetGalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review which I always provide! Hopefully Johnson has embarked upon a series that will entertain us for years to come, as other long-lived series have, such as Jack Reacher and Stephanie Plum, or even Kay Scarpetta. This one is of course on the light side toward Plum, but not at Plum really, because once you get past the fact that Holmes has transported himself into this century, the mystery itself is a little more complicated. The entertainment factor was high, especially given my propensity in these days to just being entertained, this has it. There is a full chorus of characters by the end that can pop in and out of future adventures. A couple of things I think could be smoothed out a bit going forward…Dr. Amy Winslow seems to have emotions/reactions that are overblown somehow. Going ballistic, or other such phrases just don’t seem to add up with the rest of her character. The author is also very proud of his full cast recording for the audiobook. I would counter that there are many women of a certain age that will only see and hear in their heads Robert Downey Jr. as Holmes, and this Holmes voice is off the mark of that happy memory. The cast is somehow too diverse in the recording - English, Irish, Latino, African American, Caucasian American. Maybe that would be expected in San Fran, but not here in rural NNY. Regardless of those shortcomings for me, I look forward to being able to plan on new releases as time goes on. It is light and entertaining.

Writing: 4/5 Characters: 4/5 Plot: 3.5/5

Pretty entertaining audio book with a fantastic radio-style cast of readers (including the author) who make it a very entertaining background for driving or long, solo walks. Part speculative fiction, part crime novel, and part literary novel, the premise is that Hubert Holmes (the real man behind Sherlock) put himself into a cryogenic hibernation and woke up a few years early in 2022 in a Marin based manor home maintained faithfully through the years by successive generations of Hudsons. With the help of Dr. Winslow (a female pediatrician who happened to be visiting the house when Holmes “woke up”), Holmes discovers not only a fresh but a world with decidedly different moral tenets, attitudes towards women, and delightful sources of data (think — Internet).

Nicely convoluted plot, some very good characters, fantastic readers (loved all of the accents), and some fun and thought tweaking contrasts between the world of 1899 and 2022 as seen through the eyes of someone who “popped” quickly from one to the other. Personally, I had a little trouble with the superior attitude of Dr. Winslow who continually pointed out Holmes’ inferior empathy / emotional engagement attributes (but oddly enough I had no problems with his superior attitude towards … everything else. Go figure!). She was actually my least favorite character but perhaps that says more about me than the book. I happen to love know-it-alls (men or women) who actually do know-it-all and don’t always like others putting them in their place for not “playing well with others.” As I said … more about me than the book!

Thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone for a chance to listen to this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
This starts a new series of Sherlock Holmes retelling. I have long enjoyed Sir Arthur Conan Doyle series and have enjoyed trying other such series.
The premise of the story is interesting to me. Sherlock Holmes finds himself transferred to the future, current day San Francisco. He is "awakened" by Mrs. Hudson and her friend Dr. Amy Winslow who is a pediatric surgeon. We have been introduced to a very bizarre murder involving a police officer and a tiger.
I felt most of the book dealt with the interaction of Sherlock and his female "Dr. Watson", Sherlock revealing his logical calculations about everything and how Sherlock was adjusting to the modern world. It was particularly interesting to see how he reacted to the changed role of women in society. The plot of the mystery seemed secondary and it was difficult to follow, including how it was solved and resolved.
The main characters were well developed and ripe for a sequel! I did not particularly enjoy the choice of villians for the story, the Pavone group just didn't fit in for me.
The audiobook route worked very well for the story. Each character had its own actor voice. I particularly enjoyed the voice of Sherlock himself.

Thank you to Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing Audiobooks for allowing me to read Holmes Coming.

First of all, Bravo to the narrative team of this book. Listening to this book was so much fun and it took me back to the days when
stories were on the radio. Each story had a time of day and it was so much better than soap operas on TV. Each of the five narrators was perfect for their role. The whole premise of the book was fun and this team made it all the more so.

Holmes Coming is the story of Sherlock, whose name isn't really Sherlock, but it sounds so much better than Hubert. Without giving too much away, through his wonderful talents of medicine, chemistry, and trickery, he manages to insert himself into the 21st century. The great-grandchildren of his enemies are also around so not much has changed. Holmes has to get used to the changes in the second decade of this century while employing his exemplary powers of observation. He is found and hosted by Dr. Amy Winslow who has to be convinced that Holmes is who he says he is and then the game is afoot. Once she is, Can you say Watson, I mean Winslow?

There was a hint of romance that makes this reader wonder if there will be a sequel to this story. I would definitely look forward to that. I think even diehard Sherlock fans would enjoy this book.

A thoroughly entertaining Sherlock Holmes mystery. Holmes awakens in the 21st Century find himself straight into a mystery. His adjustment to modern day is fun, a welcome installment into to Holmes catalogue.
The narration by the author and others contributed to a very enjoyable listen.
I received this audiobook from Blackstone audio and Netgalley for a review.

Written and narrated in part by Kenneth Johnson, this entry into the 'genre' of Holmes books will keep you reading or listening raptly until the end. Mr. Johnson is a seasoned narrator, having voiced numerous other audio books. Actros Francesca Lin and Cary Hite also took part in the narration.

Dr. Amy Winslow is fresh out of a bad break up. And she has just lost a patient who was attacked by a tiger. Amy is summoned to the home of a former patient where she discovers a secret cellar. When the power goes out, Mrs. Hudson panics and tries frantically to get the electricity running. As she does, Dr. Winslow discovers that a man, looking like a wild thing, has come out of a tomb in the cellar. He drops dead but the doctor manages to revive him.

He tells his bizarre story, claiming to be Detective Holmes who has mastered chemistry and managed to put himself to sleep for a century. He said he was bored with Victorian crimes and wanted to try to solve crimes of a different time. After he cleans up, he does look like a person of the Victorian era but Amy still finds it difficult to believe him. As attacks and deaths with some type of link to a tiger continue, Dr. Winslow begins to believe Holmes because he manages to come up with some answers to the series of crimes. He does have a staggering learning gap to catch up on and his attempts can be comical to Dr. Winslow.

Fans of mysteries, sci fi, and Holmes will enjoy this one. It even has a touch of romance.

Holmes having to adjust to the 21st century
In this case I listened to the audio version of the book and can’t image a better fitted group of narrators to present this story.
I frequently had to smile on the quarreling between Dr Amy Wilson and Holmes. Her been a fairly educated and opinionated woman and him equally hardheaded in his belief of woman capabilities and racial discrimination.
If you are looking for accuracy in the medical field, you might be a bit disappointed but then when you read that Holmes managed to keep his body frozen for over a hundred years and gets back into the action without major problems you just know that you have to take it for what it is. A very entertaining book in a style that remind you of the original Holmes books. We have seen so many adopted versions written and in films, some very good and others a big disappointment. In this case it is a welcome addition. We do not have a modern Holmes but a displaced person that has to get himself adjusted to a different world then the one he is used to.

I have not read any of the Sherlock Holmes books but after reading this book I am eager to read them now.. It was really creative and interesting how he was brought back to life and also how he adapted to the new life and way we have progressed since his time. He continued to be a great detective and was really cool that he picked up the role that he went to sleep. I love the author and narrator and will continue to look for their books.

I received this book from the publisher through netgalley.com I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I wasn't sure if I was going to like this at first but stuck with it and got sucked into the story. I loved how out of touch Holmes is which makes this all the more believable. With so much to learn about this century his powers of deduction are found lacking. However, he is still the observant and witty character we know.

Dr. Amy Winslow becomes his new Watson as she feels responsible for him since she accidentally helped wake him up. As Holmes adjusts to women doctors, people of color in prominent positions and new technology he makes humorous mistakes and faux pas but also meets an interesting band of characters that help him navigate this new world.

I don't know if this is the start to a new series but I really hope so, I would love to read more of these more modern Holmes stories. The fact that there were several narrators also really helped tell this story. I loved the interaction between them all and I learned at the end that they actually all recorded the narration together almost like a play instead of an audio book.

Books that reimagine beloved and iconic characters are always a bit hit or miss for me. This reimagining of Sherlock Holmes in the current day wasn't a complete win for me, but it was enjoyable and easy to ready.

Pros:
- Sticks with vibe of the Sherlock from the original Arthur Conan Doyle books. Think condescending know-it-all that you're constantly awed by but also irritated with. Less so the sexy Benedict Cumberbatch version.
- Amusing situations of Sherlock not understanding the way the world works now
- Amusing situations of his old skills still proving useful today
- His real name. Titter.


Cons:
- The "science" of how he survived and the story of how some people helped him do it was rather unbelievable
- The whole "Moriarty's descendants are still after me" thing was silly
- The main character came around to believing his story and identity way too quickly for a woman with a medical degree
- Um, you can't just be part of an investigation whenever you want just because you were (supposedly) famous once

Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for this ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an audio copy to listen to in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the premise of this book - Sherlock Holmes plucked into modern day San Francisco. Sherlock was written as the arrogant character he always is. Unfortunately for me the book fell flat when Dr. Winslow starts waxing on about Sherlock's looks, brilliance, etc.

It is possible that I would read another if this turned into a series, but only if any romance was removed.

I absolutely loved this story, and the cast of narrators was perfect for it!

After the loss of his archrival, Moriarty, Holmes no longer has a worthy adversary. So, inspired by his friend, H.G. Wells, he decides to put his body into stasis for 100 or so years and find new fiends to confound in the 21st century.

Little does he take into consideration how the world will have changed in that time and how much there would be to learn! But with a little help from his friend Mr. Google and a lot more from his hostess Dr. Amy Winslow, he finds renewed purpose in life, recruits a modern-day gang of Baker Street Irregulars, and foils the collaboration between two of the most powerful villains in San Francisco.

I truly hope that this is the start of a very lengthy series because this listener is hooked, especially with this cast!

Bravo to Kenneth Johnson and Blackstone Publishing. Thank you for the advance review copy!

Advanced Reader Audiobook written by Kenneth Johnson and published/audio by @blackstonepublishing 📖
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This book was so cute! Like an adult version of the Sherlock Holmes I loved as a kid. Some points I thought were too drawn out, but in the end all the details and scenes were necessary and truly made for a good book. The only reason it didn’t get five stars is because the ending was unfortunately predictable.
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Thank you so much to @netgalley and @blackstonepublishing for this audiobook. I truly loved all the different actors whom voiced many different characters!

I'm not giving too much away by revealing this stars a Sherlock Holmes resuscitated from a cold hibernation. However, the author has changed some things and reinvented Holmes somewhat. The story starts off with a couple of bizarre murders and our heroine is the ER surgeon on duty for the first. Her connection to the wife of a former patient is what gets her involved with Holmes. They become reluctant (on her part at least) partners in crime solving as they get wrapped up in murder, kidnapping, drug kingpins and other shady underworld denizens including an indirect Moriarty descendant. The audio narration was superb, utilizing multiple actors in a virtually live action reading. Holmes is portrayed as a bit of a caricature and not true to canon at all. But given that the bad guys are fairly formulaic, and the story itself is not deep, this isn't much of an issue unless it pains you to see Holmes done some injustices. He certainly would not have expected nothing to have changed, and the first thing would have been to assimilate and familiarize himself with his new surroundings. There are some bad puns and plays on words that make a story full of serious crimes perhaps more comedy than tragedy, but it gives it the overall feel of a crime-adventure action film. I thought this worked well given we have the advantage of several voice actors. Holmes aficionados like myself will enjoy the appearance of a modern day Mrs. Hudson, a descendant of the original, as well as a very well done back story as to how they all ended up in San Francisco. Add in some not really bad at heart street toughs for a contemporary gang of Baker Street irregulars, and the cast is complete for a series of future crime stories- I hope.

Some Holmes revivals can go really wrong, but this is an example of what happens when they go right. This was exceedingly well done, very enjoyable, and well written. I also enjoyed the various narrators. That was a bold choice but they pulled it off. I'd love a series!

I LOVED this book!! I’m a fan of Sherlock Holmes in just about any format. Sentimental reasons.

This is such a fun premise! Sherlock Holmes in present day San Francisco with a new Doctor … Amy Winslow MD! His 19th century chauvinism and opinions. Her feminism & intelligence is a perfect foil to his dated ideas.

There are a male & female narrator. Fantastic!

I love the deductive reasoning. A good amount of time is spent proving he is who he is & the both of them getting to know each other before the game is afoot. A tiger malling in current day SF!!

I want much more of these books!! A series please! Same narrators!

Thank you NetGalley & BlackStone Publushing

This is an enjoyable romp with some good laughs. The plot is highly improbable: a San Francisco police officer goes out for his morning jog and is mauled to death by a Bengal tiger. Two more murders-by-wildlife quickly follow.

Dr. Amy Winslowe is on a house call when she discovers a walled-in Victorian laboratory. A man emerges from the rubble, claiming he is the great consulting detective himself, reawakened from a self-induced century-long sleep. Holmes quickly involves himself in the murders, in which the grandson of his deadliest foe, Professor Moriarty, is involved.

The many mistakes Holmes makes while adjusting to the 21st century is the real plot in this fun read. There are some laugh-out loud moments. And as Dr. Winslowe and Holmes work together to solve the murders, the good doctor may become a rival to Irene Adler. I listened to the audio version of the story which was very ably narrated by Francesca Ling, Rory Barnett, Kenneth Johnson, Jenny Gago, Thom Rivera, and Cary Hite. And yes, the author of the book does narrate some of the characters—his gravelly-voiced Moriarty is wonderful. This is mind candy for any admirer of Sherlock Holmes.

Super fun twist on a beloved classic. I’m a sucker when it comes to anything related to Sherlock Holmes and Holmes Coming by Kenneth Johnson did not disappoint. Filled with classic Sherlock mystery and humor Holmes fans new and old will enjoy this rendition on a Consulting Detective.

Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

The "real" Sherlock Holmes, alive and well in the 21st century? The very idea! And yet the book Holmes Coming suggests the real possibility of such an occurrence. I absolutely love the thought of Sherlock Holmes solving today's crimes while trying to muddle through modern technology and customs. Of course, accepting the premise--that Sir Doyle based his stories on a real detective, and that real detective devised a brilliant method to preserve himself for over 150 years--requires quite a bit of disbelief suspension. So it's perhaps even more critical that the facts be accurate.

Right from the first chapter, I was thrown by some glaring inaccuracies. Dr. Amy Winslow, pediatric surgeon who for some reason spends all her time working in the ER seeing adult cases, tries to resuscitate a mauled detective by--wait for it--trying to shock him with resuscitation paddles when he is clearly flatlining. This is what I consider the #1 error in medical scenes. Shocking asystole does nothing. Even worse, Dr. Winslow tries this twice, and then gives up. Since the brain can survive without oxygen for up to ten minutes, resuscitation typically continues for at least that long (unless it is clearly futile--like, if the head is missing). I'm not entirely sure why the author chose to make Dr. Winslow a pediatric surgeon since she's never actually seen doing surgery, and her descriptions make her sound more like a pediatrician. I understand the idea was to make her a modern Dr. Watson, but it would've made more sense to the story if she'd been an ER doctor, or even a psychiatrist who continually tries to analyze the enigmatic Holmes.

Furthermore, she wants to be a writer, and so the book is told from her narrative. Again, I imagine this was intended to recreate the classic Holmes stories, which were all narrated by Dr. Watson. The problem is, this approach doesn't stand up well in modern literature. Chapters from Holmes's point of view are told "as was recounted to me by Holmes in startling detail", but it makes it difficult to connect with Holmes. And moreover, in some chapters, it jumps to the perspective of other characters, like Zapper. I presuppose this was intended to hide information that Holmes discovered from the reader, but it gets confusing with all the head hopping. And then Dr. Wilson's narrative tone threw me as well. In the first half of the book, she sounds like Holmes in her narration, using advanced vocabulary and formal phrasing that is not at all consistent with her dialogue. Again, I presume this is intended to reflect Watson's style, and maybe even suggest Holmes rubbed off on her, but in the second half of the book, her narration is not nearly as formal.

Additionally, there are long stretches of dialogue between Holmes and Wilson, mostly to give backstory about how Holmes came to decide to preserve himself and about his long history with the Moriarty family. These parts dragged and nearly made me want to quit, but I'm glad I pressed on as the turning point between him and Moriarty Booth was well done and created some excellent tension. The relationship between Holmes and Wilson felt a bit forced and at times more melodramatic than a classic Sherlock Holmes story, with some overly corny lines and exchanges.

But of course what really makes this book shine is when Holmes runs through his masterful deductions, especially when he's just plain wrong due to being unaware of changes in society over the past 150 years. It's clear this is intended to be the first book in a series, and I am curious to know what the future adventures of Holmes and Wilson will be like. The narration, which is a rare recording of multiple authors at the same time, was overall well done, although I was thrown by the fact that Zapper, a teenager, sounded like a 30 or 40 year-old man.

Thank you to the author, Blackstone, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this audiobook in exchange for a fair review.