Sherlock Holmes and the Element of Surprise: The Wormwood Scrubs Enigma

By: James Andrew Taylor

Narrated by: Steve White

When two prison guards are found beheaded in the barren countryside surrounding Her Majesty's Prison at Wormwood Scrubs, Inspector Lestrade seeks Holmes' singular powers to determine how the murders could have been committed in separate locations with the only footprints being those of the murdered guards themselves. With Doctor Watson at his side, Holmes sets out on this new adventure and uncovers deeper mysteries still; mysteries that will not only test the detectives' powers of observation and deduction, but his skepticism of the paranormal as well.

©2012 J Andrew Taylor (P)2016 MX Publishing

A decent little tale

This was a fun story, a bit more “slice of life” than most tales. But still, the crime was reasonably Holmesian, and a bit whimsical.

I must ding the narrator for misreading and mispronouncing a number of words, but other than that, he did a solid job.

In short, I did enjoy this little episode, and you may, too.

great story

A great story written in the familiar style of Sir Aurther Conan Doyle. The mystery itself is baffling and entertaining.

Hint: It's Not About Absinthe or Hospital Garb

As I read the full title of this tale—Sherlock Holmes and the Element of Surprise: The Wormwood Scrubs Enigma—the first thing that came to mind was absinthe and hospital garb. Since this is Sherlock Holmes, I don’t believe the medical attire of Victorian London was ever referred to as “scrubs.” Tantalizing as my first thought may be, I had to get into the story to learn that Wormwood Scrubs is the name of Her Majesty’s prison in Hammersmith, near Shepherd’s Bush.

Two of Wormwood Scrubs’ warders have been found dead: the first on Halloween night and the second the very next evening. Both Hollis and Jenkins had been cleanly beheaded and found in a snowy field, with no indication of who—or what—killed them. Along the way, we are treated to various supernatural possibilities, including fairies or pookas and a banshee, in the differing accounts of what several witnesses observed. Taylor ultimately invokes the very Sherlockian statement: “Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth.”

An audiobook lives or dies on the voice of the narrator. Steve White narrates many of the Sherlock Holmes stories and books in my collection. I find that I have to turn up the volume a bit to catch all his words. He does “voices” for each of the characters, and his Dr. Watson is rather gravelly. I picture his Watson looking like Nigel Bruce in the old films, yet his Holmes does not immediately convey Basil Rathbone.

Overall, Sherlock Holmes and the Element of Surprise: The Wormwood Scrubs Enigma is a jolly good tale that fits quite well within the canon—especially if you consider it alongside The Hound of the Baskervilles.

true to the style of Sir A C Doyle

What a delight to have a new Sherlock Holmes adventure that mirrors the great works of Doyle. Loved every word.

What's real

Inspector Lastrade seems the help of Sherlock Holmes on a case involving the murders of two prison guards. Lucky for Homes , Doctor Watson stops by for a visit and joins in for this adventure, involving a banshee, fairies, and even a flying elephant.