Sherlock Holmes and the Christmas Demon

By: James Lovegrove

Narrated by: Dennis Kleinman

Length: 8 hrs and 45 mins

Publisher's summary

The new Sherlock Holmes novel from the New York Times best-selling author of The Age of Odin and Firefly: Big Damn Hero.

It is 1890, and in the days before Christmas, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson are visited at Baker Street by a new client. Eve Allerthorpe - eldest daughter of a grand but somewhat eccentric Yorkshire-based dynasty - is greatly distressed, as she believes she is being haunted by a demonic Christmas spirit.

Her late mother told her terrifying tales of the sinister Black Thurrick, and Eve is sure that she has seen the creature from her bedroom window. What is more, she has begun to receive mysterious parcels of birch twigs, the Black Thurrick’s calling card....

Eve stands to inherit a fortune if she is sound of mind, but it seems that something - or someone - is threatening her sanity. Holmes and Watson travel to the Allerthorpe family seat at Fellscar Keep to investigate, but soon discover that there is more to the case than at first appeared. There is another spirit haunting the family, and when a member of the household is found dead, the companions realize that no one is beyond suspicion.

©2019 James Lovegrove (P)2020 Blackstone Publishing

Perfect, just what I wanted !

A enjoyable tale read very professionally.

At first I was afraid that the mystery wasn’t going to be all that interesting.

That being said, as the story went on questions grew and it kept getting better.

By the time act three arrived i was more than satisfied.

SETTING:
This happens in my favorite environment for a mystery… a massive old place that was built hundreds of years ago, sprawling with so many rooms and halls it’s almost a maze.
One of the wings has a bad history and is known as a place with fearful supernatural activity.
Part of it, the master warns folks never to go into.

Most of all, nothing is what it seems.

Dr. Watson is a bit too slow at times and it made me wonder if the author used him to explain plot details to the more stupid readers. (?)

I hate figuring out things before they do.

An unsettling family resides there about to celebrate a very strange Christmas.

Recommended.

Excellent story

It was an excellent mystery. I love a good mystery and this one was a little hard to put together. I enjoyed that immensely. The narrator was very skillful using all kinds of voice and tone making the English and their country dialects interesting and fun.

A fun Christmas listen

A typical Sherlock Holmes mystery. Enjoyed it immensely. Set in a castle and solved by Christmas Eve. Performances were excellent.

Great

At first, I wasn’t sure, but this is a great read. Sherlock Holmes in any form is great.

Great Sherlock storytelling

I loved the narrator for this book and the story line. Reminded me of some of ACD’s writings.

Enjoyable Christmas Tale without the Paranormal

I wish Mr Lovegrove would stick to stories like this I’m partway through the second of his Sherlock Holmes Cthulhu Chronicles and finding it very heavy going to the point I will probably give up. By contrast, I have listened to this book with pleasure. It was nice to have a “pure” mystery without any need to involve the paranormal (though after Cthulhu chronicles, there is a tendency to anticipate it) . I like the narratior but his Yorkshire accent is about as convincing as my West Country. Only the thought that Doctor Watson himself would probably have the same problem reconciled me to it.

Engaging and inventive Sherlock Holmes pastiche!

I thoroughly enjoyed the storyline, full cast of characters and narration in this convincing Sherlock Holmes pastiche. It’s great that Holmes’ adventures can continue through the skilled storytelling of authors like James Lovegrove. Thanks!

Not Unpleased

Read a lot like a Sherlock Holmes story and passed my time quite well. Recommend

good story!

I have read all the original sherlock Holmes stories and appreciate having these new ones.

Sherlock

Always good mysteries! Dr Watson as important as Sherlock Holmes! Will read more in future!