Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Sword Princess

The Great Detective in Love, Book 1

By: Suzette Hollingsworth

Narrated by: Joel Froomkin

Victorian romantic Mystery in the humorous vein of Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer.

The Great Detective has more in store for his landlady's niece than washing jars and labeling specimens: pistol shooting, fencing, boxing, and Jiu-Jitsu. This she can master, but Mirabella Hudson must face the greatest horror of all: Miss de Beauvais' Finishing School for Distinguished Young Ladies.

Sherlock Holmes gets more than he bargained for when he hires his landlady's young ward to keep his laboratory in order. Mrs. Hudson's niece might be clever, but Mirabella Hudson is insubordinate, talks too much, is an accident waiting to happen--and, worst of all, is distractingly pretty.

Unfortunately, 'pretty' is just what Sherlock Holmes needs.

Sherlock might be a master of disguise, but pretty he is not. The Great Detective requires a female operative to go under cover at London's premier finishing school where Princess Elena Petrovic-Njegos of Montenegro is a client--and the target of an assassination plot. If the inexperienced Miss Hudson and her employer do not succeed in saving the princess, there is trouble brewing across the globe that could potentially lead to war on a massive scale. Montenegro is a small Serbian country, but she has among her allies the Mother Russia.

One unsuccessful case could ruin this young detective's career before it starts. Above all, Sherlock must have occupation. Work is the blood in his veins. Work is life.

The game is afoot! And there can be no greater puzzle than what he receives in the form of one Mirabella Hudson--who might stump even Sherlock Holmes.

©2015 Suzette Hollingsworth (P)2015 Suzette Hollingsworth

Cute but overwritten

I received this audiobook free in exchange for an honest review. I am a Holmes fan and I'm not opposed to reinterpreting him in various ways. Here is young and hunky, as is Watson, and Mrs. Hudson's niece is Holmes' new assistant. Mrs. Hudson herself is a trash-talking feminist. All this is fun and the narrator does a pretty good job with it. I thought it might be in the vein of the Amelia Peabody series from Elizabeth Peters, which is combines adventure, mystery, farce and some romance. To do that well, the story needs to move quickly. But every part of the story seems to be dragged out. It is obvious after 2 chapters that the heroine has to go undercover at a ladies' finishing school to protect a princess. But this is explained in detail more than once. There is a long scene in an orphanage that brings the story totally to a halt. There is some description of clothing and daily routines that is perhaps supposed to make the period more real. But at the same time there are some anachronisms/Americanisms (Iike 1890's British children referring to "Santa Claus") In general, I found I could listen with only one ear (half an ear?) and not really miss anything. I'm not sure if this is YA, but it could be.

The narration was good but it wasn't outstanding enough to offset the slow parts of the story. There are some series where I'll listen through just about any details because of the narrator but this isn't one of them. It seems that there is going to be more to the series and maybe the characters will develop further.

Irene Adler has competition

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes I would.

It is a fun, exciting listen with wit and humor.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

These was lots of action. The heroine was witty, gritty, spunky and intelligent.

Have you listened to any of Joel Froomkin’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

This is my first Froomkin listen. The narration was well done.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Shelock's Smarter Partner

Any additional comments?

Shelock's lab and personal abode is a mess. He needs a capable assistant. So he reluctantly hires his land lady's, niece Mirabella Hudson.

Marabella has dreams of going to university and becoming a scientist. Sherlocks latest case is in need of a young lady to work undercover. The princess of Monte Negro is attending a British finishing school and her her life is under. threat. Beside this plot there is another plot and group of villains.

Matabella proves her competency to be more than just a tea brewer and test tube washer.

She is a more than a match for the great detective.

“I was provided this audiobook at no charge by the author, publisher and/or narrator in exchange for an unbiased review via AudiobookBlast dot come”

Don't expect a normal Sherlock Holmes story

This is much more so a story of a girl who is trained by Holmes, you hardly read about his doings. Not a bad story though, just clearly geared more so towards girls as it is a sort of romance novel.

A Great new Sherlock Holmes

Where does Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Sword Princess rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

very high up ive read a lot of Sherlock Holms books but this is the first one I've listened to.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Sword Princess?

this audio was a really fun read Sherlock meets his match in Mirabella, Mrs. Hudson's niece, and I love it. I always wanted to read or listen in this case to a book where Sherlock wasn't the smartest one and had a love interest he needed one. I love the way Suzette writes her own Holmes book

Which scene was your favorite?

I loved the scenes where Sherlock and Marabella spars with each other they were funny.

Any additional comments?

I really loved this book will get more from this author

The Game's afoot!

I approached this book with more than a little trepidation, because, for most of my life, I have been a unabashed Holmsian. I’ve read the Canon, and I’ve read many modern interpretations and redesigns of Mr. Holmes and Dr. Watson. A few, such as the Mary Russell series by Laurie R. King are excellent, true to the original conception of Holmes, and yet original in their handling of not just his character, but in the creation of, and management of, a most unlikely situation. In fact, for me, the Mary Russell series is the “gold standard” of modern interpretations of Sherlock Holmes. Other books, such as “7% Solution” were extremely disappointing. Sherlock Holmes is, however, and probably always will be, one of those iconic figures all authors who write mysteries yearn to revisit, either from admiration or because they want to “improve” modernize or reinterpret him. Some attempts are serious, some are pastiche, but I will probably read all of them I can find, because, after all, it *is* Mr. Holmes.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, despite that it contained all the elements I dislike in revisitations of the Holmes Universe. Mr. Holmes traits are emphasized in ways that make him into a caricature of himself,. True, he was not overly concerned with his appearance (except when essential) but he wasn’t sloppy about anything, ever. Also, Mr. Holmes had fair hair and piercing gray eyes, not brown hair and eyes. While his relationship with women has always been a challenge to modern interpreters, that relationship was a reflection of the attitudes of his own time (extremized, certainly), and so modern writers seem determined to either explain it away by making Holmes either neurotic and psychologically flawed, or simply change it by giving him an attraction. That seldom works, and I didn’t expect it to in this book, but …it did. Perhaps it worked because the young lady in question was atypical herself, though beautiful, and the author prepares the ground well. These 2 individuals are attracted to one another on one hand, and repelled on the other, and end up fighting like 2 cats confined in one very small space. Sparks fly, but each brings out the best in the other, and each virtually forces the other to consider different perspectives that result in success.

Despite the overblown and almost cartoonish elements of this book, it is a fun romp, and if taken as such, a delightful romp, indeed. Is it true to what we have come to know about Sherlock Holmes? Despite some surface changes, exaggerations and departures (such as his physical appearance) from the original, yes, essentially, it is. This author catches the heart of Holmes’ personality and methodology, and he understands something usually overlooked in portrayals of the Detective. Despite Mr. Holmes’ anathemas against women, he showed, throughout his career, flashes of understanding and compassion. This is more visible in Sir Conan Doyle’s later stories, for example “The Veiled Woman”, but even in one of his earlier stories, called, I think, “The Face at the Window” Holmes not only showed compassion for a wife with a secret, but became her advocate. This was also one of the few riddles he did not solve successfully, and he understood that this particular failure was a reminder to himself that being human, he was also imperfect, and subject to his own prejudices and errors of judgment.

The action in this book is well done, if a bit overblown, and often comes across like “super hero” comic book fiction, not helped by the comic book elements in the text and emphasized by the narration, and yet, this book can’t quite be dismissed as a pastiche, because beneath the silliness and even sometimes in spite of it, the author has a keen eye for detail, for the portrayal of social and cultural environments, and an understanding of human nature.

Granted, I found a thoroughly English child of the 1880s referring to the giver of Christmas gifts as “Santa” jarring, since “Father Christmas” is a well known designation for British culture, but in the important things, such as workhouse conditions, and the state of charity at the time, what the author provided rang true.

I vacillated between wanting to give this book anywhere from 2 to 5 stars, depending on what I was reading at the moment, but, after sitting back and considering it as a whole, I have to decide that, while not to be taken seriously, taken on its own merits, it is a lot of fun, so I can, without many reservations, give it 4 stars.

The narrator’s performance complimented the book nicely, and he seemed to have grand fun narrating it, so for that alone, my compliments, and 4 stars.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for this unbiased review via AudioBookBlast dot com.

A young Holmes and Watson

This Sherlock Holmes story retains many of the characteristics/characters from Arthur Conan Doyle. The most delightful difference Mirabella Hudson. Holmes and Watson have been friends approximately 9 months. Holmes is still looking for cases to earn him name recognition, while Watson is a lady’s man. Now Holmes needs a laboratory assistant

We meet Mirabella Hudson, the niece of his house keeper. She is seventeen years old, opinionated, intelligent with a high knowledge of chemistry and a desire to attend university. London University was the only university admitting women. In 1880, only four women had BA university degrees and in 1881 two had BSc. Mirabella Hudson respected and admired Holmes and salivating with envy over his modern laboratory. Much like many people, after being in Holmes presence, Mirabella Hudson admiration is replaced with annoyance, aggravation, and intolerance with all that made Holmes, Sherlock Holmes.

This is Holmes’s first international case. He must protect and discover who desires to kill the Montenegro Princess, who is attending a women’s finishing school. Now Holmes promotes Hudson from, housekeeper/lab assistant to field work assistant.

The action of the story centers on the privilege women in the school and events which put their lives in danger. Holmes receives a crash course in the fire arms and martial arts training. It is her intelligent and problem-solving skills that drive the story. Hudson and Holmes verbal repartee range from insulting her intelligence and threatening to fire her. Hudson does not back down. This series involves the dynamics of their relationship as well as the solving the crime.

Many of the events and people are historically accurate. There was a Princess Jelena Petrovic-Njegos and Price Victor Emmanuel III who did marry. They were never intended for each other and it was love at first sight. This and other interesting tidbits were included in the author's notes in the book or Kindle edition.

A new and different challenge for Holmes

Cumberbatch/Sherlock meets his match! Publisher's summary outlines the plot adequately, and spoilers are inappropriate. What you really want to know that this book is great fun and has an interesting slant on Holmes and company. The characters are quite well developed by the author, but Froomkin's performance really animates them and cranks up the wiseassery level bigtime. The imagery is excellent, whether of a personage or a setting or an interaction. I found no boring or dull spots that were not backstory. If tempted to over compare this with Conan Doyle, I will advise you that Holmes is 27 and Watson is 29 here, so adjust your thinking. Also, be aware that this book is the vehicle to introduce a new character into the action: a much younger, more socially cognizant female who is more than capable of sparring with good old Sherlock. I hope for more of their adventures!
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.

An interesting look into the world of Sherlock

Where does Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Sword Princess rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This was a very good read. I will admit it was slow in the beginning as the characters introduced themselves. And I took longer to listen to this audiobook than normal. But the moment one of the main characters joined the finishing school. The story started to really change to a more exciting pace that I could get into. So if you guys find it a bit slow in the beginning - I suggest keep trecking on. You will get sucked in.

What about Joel Froomkin’s performance did you like?

I thought the narrator was amazing. He was able to differentiate many voices. From grown up characters to the children in the orphanage.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I really liked the gutsy character Mirabella was. You can see how as the book progressed she was able to put sherlock on edge.. and was not just a country bumpkin. Or whatever else she called herself in the book. She was definitely my fave character. And was quite fleshed out as someone who would go the extra step to protect those around her.

Any additional comments?

This audiobook was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review courtesy of audiobook blast.

It was different

What did you like best about Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Sword Princess? What did you like least?

I liked the narrator the best out the whole book. I also liked the young lady, can't remember her name. She was the Landlady's niece. She gave it a bit of flair.

Just over all a bit to much for me I guess, I just couldn't see Sherlock Holmes in it. Maybe I am just to use to the old books or the shows I love but it took me a while to get into it. :(

What does Joel Froomkin bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

He is a very interesting story teller even if I think he gave a bit to much flair to certain words, but over all he was the reason I kept listening.

Was Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Sword Princess worth the listening time?

It was okay, but not sure if I would try another one.

A Sherlock tale with Hepburn and Tracy flair.

Where does Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Sword Princess rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

It was very engaging. I think the narrator did a grand job bringing the characters to life - especially considering the primary character is not really Sherlock, but a feisty female protagonist. It had wit and humor to it and the sparring between the lead characters was enjoyable. The tone of the narration was well matched to the comedic energy of the book - this is a frothy, lighter spin on the Holmes character. The narration has real wit and gives Sherlock a dry, Noel Coward-esque bite that was great fun. It had the feel of a classic old Hollywood mismatched romantic comedy to me.... Hepburn and Tracy. It was charming and would really appeal to people who love the idea of a kind of Jane Austen meets Conan Doyle mash-up.

What did you like best about this story?

I think the lead character was very engaging. She was fiesty and not your typical Victorian delicate flower. It had a kind of Disney heroine whimsy that I thought was an original way to approach the classic characters.

Which character – as performed by Joel Froomkin – was your favorite?

Probably Mirabelle - he did a great job bringing her to life.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I think the final scene - during a ball - was really charming.

Any additional comments?

I think there are elements that will certainly displease die-hard Conan Doyle purists... but if you are a fan of various incarnations of the character - from Cumberbatch to Downey Jr., this novel uses the Holmes character as a springboard for an engaging heroine who has real pluck. If you're intrigued with the idea of a kind of Sherlock meets Anne of Green Gables pairing... then you'll find it a delightful diversion.