Professor Moriarty: The Hound of the D'Urbervilles

By: Kim Newman

Narrated by: Tom Hodgkins

Imagine the twisted evil twins of Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson and you have the dangerous duo of Professor James Moriarty - wily, snake-like, fiercely intelligent, terrifyingly unpredictable - and Colonel Sebastian Basher Moran - violent, politically incorrect, debauched. Together they run London crime, owning police and criminals alike. When a certain Irene Adler turns up on their doorstep with a proposition, neither man is able to resist.

An entertaining and wickedly humorous crime adventure from the best-selling author of Anno Dracula.

©2011 Kim Newman (P)2011 Audible Ltd

Critic reviews

"It's witty, often hilarious stuff. The author portrays the scurrilous flipside of Holmes's civil ordered world, pokes fun at 'guest stars' from contemporary novels and ventures into more outre territory than Conan Doyle even dared." ( Financial Times)

"Kim Newman has done something really audacious with Conan Doyle's criminal genius.... The notion of reinventing Moriarty and Moran as malign dopplegangers of Holmes and Watson may have been done before, but not with the firecracker exuberance that Newman brings to it." ( Independent)

the side of the coin that falls face down...

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

I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys mystery and a healthy dose of British wit. Hodgkins does a great job as "Basher" Moran, the narrator. His sibilant rendition of Moriarty is also very enjoyable.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I'd have to say Moriarty. We so often see things from Holme's point of view. It was refreshing to taste the "dark" side, so to speak. Interestingly, as amoral as the narrator would have us believe Moriarty is, he still is not some raging psychopath that one would have a hard time sympathizing with.

Which character – as performed by Tom Hodgkins – was your favorite?

Moriarty.

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

It made me laugh in some spots...Moran is quite descriptive.

close shave

This work employs the plot devices and style of the Flashman stories in all respects but date of writing. A modern Doyle cover can be a lot of fun. There are several authors in your collection who out- Doyle Doyle. What is the point of out- MacDonald Fraser-ing MacDonald Fraser? This work is too close a shave. I am exhausted and and left pining for the real thing -- Flashman.

A darn fine time with replay value to spare

Just a fun, fun book.

Kim Newman handles these characters in a fresh, engaging way. His writing is entertaining and feels appropriate for a 19th century narrator without falling into the frequent pitfalls of a pastiche/vintage remix-I.E., slavishly following 19th century storytelling conventions that haven't translated well, shoehorning in too much period language, etc etc. He also manages to pack in plenty of cameos from turn of the century favorites without leaving the reader feeling like he's missing something if they don't pick up on them.

I also found narrator Tom Hodgkins' performance to be excellent. The characters sound distinct, and the numerous accents that crop up are handled well.

I will say that if you hold the canonical versions/stories of some characters-particularly the thin detective of baker street and his trusty companion-to be sacrosanct you may not like how Mr. Newman portrays them. However, to paraphrase a classic TV show, if you're wondering how this all can be reconciled with the original stories, and other literary facts, just repeat to yourself its just a book I should really just relax.

In short: its great fun.

not really sure what to make of it...

I liked the story overall but the ending makes me dislike the journey. I say this because I'm not sure where to go with this is a memoir of colonel Moran's story. I as an audience member don't know if they are following the Holmes stories or going in completely different directions.

THE Professor Moriarty novel

I’ve loved villains ever since my mother read me Peter Pan and I became fascinated with Captain Hook. Villains are often far more compelling than their heroes. It’s however surprisingly difficult to make them so compelling and relatable that they stay with you forever. Kim Newman does both here. Professor James Moriarty is at different points funny, horrifying, disturbingly intelligent, and utterly capable of anything he sets his fiendish mind to. While I hesitate to say he’s relatable, Newman does an excellent job of making the reader empathize with both main characters but with Moriarty especially.
Outside of the Arthur Conan Doyle Sherlock Holmes canon I consider Newman’s work THE definitive Professor Moriarty novel. Moriarty isn’t the only villain that shows up to stake a claim to London however. The worst of the worst from literature and popular culture show up to work with and against the professor and his capable right hand Sebastian Moran. Fu Manchu, Rupert of Hentzau, Irene Adler, Raffles, Dr. Nikola, and many others are featured at different points. Particularly interesting is the war between Moriarty and his TRUE arch-nemesis where they fight for control of the criminal underworld of London and Europe. I can’t recommend this one enough. If you’re a fan of the Holmes canon or just really appreciate Victorian villainy you’ll love this book.