The Case of the Damaged Detective

5-Minute Sherlock, Book 1

By: Drew Hayes

Narrated by: Scott Aiello, Carol Monda

Length: 7 hrs and 49 mins

Publisher's Summary

A mystery/road trip/buddy comedy/action adventure from the author of Second Hand Curses.

A dance club full of bodies. Cause of death - a mystery. The lone survivor - a man, raving like a lunatic, wearing only a deerstalker hat.  

Now, the man who calls himself Sherman Holmes is being studied like a lab rat by a top-secret government agency. How is it he can be barely clinging to reality one minute - yet be a seeming genius the next? Within his brain might just be the greatest scientific breakthrough of the millennium, if anyone can figure out how to access it.   

Enter the agent code named Watson.   

Once a rising star, a deadly betrayal sent him spiraling into uncertainty and paranoia. Now saddled with moving Sherman to a more-secure facility, he must prove he’s still up to the task. With enemies on their heels, a whole country to cross, and Sherman ranting in his ear, the job proves to be more of a challenge than Watson ever anticipated.   

With Watson’s experience and the bizarre insights of his own twisted mind, Sherman just might survive. But can Watson survive Sherman?

©2019 Andrew Hayes (P)2019 Audible Originals, LLC.

I wish I could chain Drew to a desk and make him write for me 24/7... j/k... kind of...

I love Drew’s other books and stories, but I wasn’t sure what I would think of this one. Sure enough another homerun! It Is full of nonstop laughs, with a good story and plot, and is just a good all around nonstop laugh out loud listen.

I was a little worried about the narration, as a lot of the audible originals have a bunch of extra sound effects that often drowned out the narrator and take away from the story more than they add to it. That was not the case with this audible original. The narrator did an amazing job, and I don’t see how it could possibly have been done better.

I highly recommend this book to pretty much everybody, I also recommend you check out some of the authors other works.

A fun mix of spy noire and giggles... 100% Drew!

I've been a Drew Hayes fan for several years now. I first discovered him with his wonderful "Superpowered" series (which I am a rabid fan of), and then progressed through his "Spells, Swords & Stelth" (which I thought was good), and finally to "Second Hand Curses" (which I loved). This entry into the pantheon of the Drew Hayes library is much closer in the vicinity of "Second Hand Curses" with more of that Spy Noire meets Douglas Adams kinda feel (and no... It's not Dirk Gently... it's far better). Maybe it's better discribed as Austin Powers meet Sherlock Holmes (regardless, I'm sure you get the idea). Drew has managed to take what could have been a gritty thriller and keep it fun, irreverent and creative, yet all the while grounded in a healthy dose of believability (ok... SOMEWHAT believability 😉). The writing is top notch and showcases Drew's continued mastery of writing well above the genre's norm. The creative, hilarious, and thesaurus enhanced comments and barbs sprinkled through out the story will undoubtably find their way into most reader's own personal library of cutting verbal banter. Given the quirky characters and a budding buddy relationship (along with the primary hook of the 5 minutes of inspired brilliance on the part of the main protagonist), Drew has managed to create what promises to be a long running series worth returning to again and again. Unlike with "Second Hand Curses", the narration of "The Case of the Damaged Detective" feels less like a radio drama production and more like a modern audiobook narration. Bottom line, Drew continues to expand his writing craft and adeptly explore new fictional genres that leaves readers thoroughly satisfied. Although there are a few bits that cause an eye roll or two (I have issues with the "mad scientist" trope In general), "The Case of the Damage Detective" is easily some his best work. ...and on a side note, I think Drew is on to something... Don't trust Sparows! 😉

fun but short

This is a fun and interesting look into a genius that thinks he's both the greatest detective to ever live. . .and related to Sherlock Holmes. And for -very short intervals-, he really *IS* the greatest detective on Earth. I was expecting another take on the Holmes saga and something done in that Sherlock style. This wasn't really it, But it is it's own interesting story line and has possibilities.
There are several bits that foreshadow future adventures, and I for one am on board for the ride.
Looking forward to the next adventure. Should be fun to see what Drew Hayes has in store for us.

What a Wild Ride

There are starting to be two things Drew Hayes is known for. The first is incredible character development where the characters jump off the page and find a way into your life. Sherman and Watson are two well-rounded characters who you could imagine meeting while walking down the street. Sure, you'd say one of them was sort of an odd-ball, but they are very believable as humans. As he book develops, I grew to like these once throw-away blog post characters and hope they can get out of the dire straights they find themselves in.
The second thing Drew is becoming known for is taking a genre and turning it on its ear He's taken the superhero genre, LitRPG, supernatural vampire, a second swipe at superheroes, fairy tales, and now mysteries and made it his own. Sure, he uses some common tropes but those are stepping stones to get to a place where he is doing something completely different. I thoroughly enjoyed the ride from strangers to friends, all while learning some of the mystery of who is Sherman Holmes. Knowing Drew, there are many more secrets and twists coming in the books to come.

Great new look on the classic

I paused the book I was in the middle of to listen to this when it released. Drew Hayes is in my top three favorite authors, and he didn't disappoint with this one. I enjoyed that he has created the classic set up of Holmes and Watson, and instead of just modernizing it, he tweaked the dynamic. Like most Sherlock remakes it has good humor, good action and leaves you with plenty of good questions and resolutions

Drew is on the trail of a great new series!

At this point, any book by Drew Hayes is on my auto-buy list and this one did not disappoint! The characters were fun, the story line was interesting and I enjoyed every minute of it. Can't wait for the next one!

Not for everyone

I am over two hours into this audio book and still cannot get a clear thread of a story. It isn't helped by the narrator. Because the ratings are so high, I'll just say that this book is not written in a style I can relate to. I'm returning it.

Absolutely Delightful

First of all, Scott Aiello's performance was flawless. Sherman and Watson truly come to life, and their interactions had me laughing out loud. And some parts, I cannot imagine how he was able to do a straight performance.

Of course, Drew Hayes has written another absolute gem. This story was so funny, the first time I've used my audible bookmarks. It was also intriguing and exciting as the pair dealt with each new obstacle, with a dose of heartfelt warmth bringing it all together. I can't wait to continue on this journey with Sherman and Watson.

Clever idea, well executed

It's a fun listen, and definitely a potentially great start to a fun series.

Most variations on the Sherlock Holmes idea - the world's greatest detective, who notices everything and effortlessly puts it all together into a coherent analysis that "regular people" have no hope of managing - generally suffers from trying to deal with the fact that such a superhuman intellect wouldn't actually need a Watson, much less anyone else.

Putting the twist on that that the main character has such an ability, but only for a few minutes at a time and is largely non-functional in any meaningful way, requiring not just a sidekick, but a keeper, and then adding the fact of how he got the abilities and putting extremely high stakes on keeping him alive in a plot that endangers all of humanity makes it all work.

And, in classic Drew Hayes style, it's fun, funny, and a wild ride full of twists and turns. Don't expect a new Classic of Modern Literature, but it's a genuinely diverting story, extremely well performed, that keeps you interested right until the end, including a good hook for future stories without leaving this one unresolved. Well worth a listen!

A new Sherlock and Watson for everyone to love

I have listened and read to all of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock stories and have to say this one is a perfect addition for me. It takes a lot of the little things that made Sherlock such a great literary figure and brings them to a new generation. Seeing Sherman and Watson develope their friendship was exciting. And all the little adventures they had together, savings lives, defeating the bad guys. Can't wait for more from this pair. Drew Hayes does it again

A great bit of escapism and fun.

This is a great book. Generally fun and often funny. It isn't a nitty gritty grim detective novel but rather an enjoyable romp that is right on the edge of being silly. I was recommending it to people before I'd even finished it. Thoroughly enjoyable and a good length. The narration was top notch too.

Enjoyable

I enjoyed the book, the premise was quite fun, and the scene descriptions vivid and enjoyable. It's not a series of which I would buy a second book from and I won't listen to this one to for a second time - the plot was fairly simple with very little twists, the voice that the narrator used for Sherman Holmes was a bit annoying, and especially towards the end the book could have done with a bit stricter editing (a few too many repetitions of nearly the same ideas and repeatedly over-explaining jokes) - but I liked Watson, laughed during quite a few scenes and enjoyed myself over all.

Drew Hayes, Legend

Grabbed everything from Drew Hayes after first reading Corpies. Although not of the same vein, this is still a fantastic listen. Narrators bring all the characters to life and the story itself is a bolt from the blue. Excellent.

I loved it!

Such a fun tale, and the characters were brought to life by the narration. I especially loved Sherman's outbursts and the way Watson grew into his role. I bought the second book as soon as I finished this one.

Definitely worth a read

I don’t normally read or enjoy detective novels, but this one was excellent - quirky personalities, but enjoyable plot and good character development. I definitely recommend!

Different but good,

A very different take on the original. Took a while to get into but was ok. The story wasn't gripping or "by the edge of your seat thriller" but ok if you wanted to listen to it before bed while you drifted off. It left a lot more questions unanswered as to why things happened, which was frustrating. Indeed there was no "cases" to solve it or any detective work, but an introduction to the characters and a back story. Hopefully, the next one will be more crime fighting -Sherlock Holmes way.

Unsympathetic ego-driven main character

Zero Point One Stars, actually.

Mind you, I do like Drew Hayes' writing. His "Fred the Vampire" series is both charming and appealing, and I eagerly await each new book with an enthusiasm previously reserved for David Weber, Ben Aaronovitch, or Glynn Stewart. Which is why, on a sleepless night, I finally gave in and purchased "The Case of the Damaged Detective." Bad call. Returned within an hour.

Most authors get forgiven the books they wrote whilst learning their craft, and this one sounds like it belongs squarely in that category. The style might improve later in the book, and Scott Aiello gives his usual excellent performance, but even he couldn't save this one.

TL;DR: Save yourself the aggro; read a different Hayes, or a Conan Doyle instead.

Excellent book.

I loved this book, funny at times. Both men had problems, although different problems, they helped each other. They became true friends. I highly recommend this book.

A new Holmes is in town but just for 5 min

Thanks to the effects of a new drug, humans are able to improve their brain power to become super humans. Unfortunately, people under its affects die soon after unlocking those amazing analytical powers. Sherman Holmes is the one person that survived and his brain is now a prized possession for anyone who can get him. When a secret agency decides to move him to another facility, agent 221 is assigned as his bodyguard. The roadtrip starts and the game is afoot!

Drew does it again. Enjoyable buddy spy novel

Drew is one of my favourite authors and I’m always impressed with the variety of novels he writes.

The case of the damaged detective is a mix of buddy, road trip and odd couple mixed with a spy thriller. I’ve listened to this a couple if times now and it is still enjoyable after each listen

I enjoyed the mixture of humour and plot. The characters are engaging and the story interesting enough to keep me entertained. The narration is excellent with different voices for each character.

The ending set up future novels and I hope this happens.