Sherlock Holmes: These Scattered Houses

By: Gretchen Altabef

Narrated by: J.T. McDaniel

A client forsworn, a threatened town, and a Goliath of unimaginable proportions. Sherlock Holmes has survived a three-year vendetta against him by Moriarty’s remaining henchmen. Wounded and bleeding, with Mycroft’s help, he clandestinely boards an Atlantic steamship.

At the close of his great hiatus, Holmes finds sanctuary at Vassar Women’s College. This radical challenge entangles him in the web of a nefarious mystery. Its unraveling involves New York’s most revolutionary residents: Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony.

To pluck his client from danger, he drafts the 20-year-old Harry Houdini in outrageous sleight of hand. Four villains embroil the plot. The lives of everyday citizens inexorably rise to heroism. And it all begins when a 12-year-old girl matches wits with Sherlock Holmes on Market Street.

This is a daring adventure in the style of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. As Professor Sigerson, the pansophic gentleman of justice, Holmes is confronted by the evil that lurks within the smiling and beautiful countryside.

©2019 Gretchen Altabef (P)2019 MX Publishing

Mystery in America

Told from the point of view of Holmes at the end of the hiatus. Story includes a lot of interesting historical figures.

Wonderful Story

The story was fantastic and probably much better understood if read. The narration was difficult to follow as the characters would get lost

Wonderful!

I read most Sherlock Holmes stories and enjoy stories that include real people. This book has Sherlock Holmes teaching at Vassar Women’s College as Prof Sigerson, while hiding from Moriarty’s henchmen. He encounters and works with Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony on an adventure to save an imprisoned woman. It’s an excellent book. The narrator is also wonderful. I received a free audiobook code for my honest review.

Interesting, but a bit confusing

Every Holmesian worth her salt sooner or later decides to tell a tale of the Great Hiatus. This one was interesting. But I was confused at times. For one thing, there were so many characters that I struggled to keep up.

This was also a tale from Holmes’ point of view. In this, the author did a reasonable job of not giving the game away prematurely.

However, this audiobook was hindered by the narrator. Unfortunately, all the characters sounded the same, which made it much harder to stay with the flow. And there were the all too common problems of the author misusing some words, and the narrator mispronouncing some others.

So all in all, I give this a “so-so” recommendation. You might like it, you might not.

Wonderful narration.

For the brief 5 minute sample of this new audiobook These Scattered Houses I was intrigued and left wanting more.
Having read this book prior to this listen I know Sherlock Holmes fans are in for many surprises. This book is a real page turner!!