The Merchant of Menace: A Sherlock Holmes Adventure

By: Richard T. Ryan

Narrated by: Nigel Peever

Length: 6 hrs and 39 mins

Publisher's summary

Reluctantly, Sherlock Holmes agrees to assist Inspector Lestrade who is being hounded by an obnoxious nobleman whose jewel-encrusted dagger has gone missing. However, what Holmes initially believes to be a simple theft turns out instead to be his first encounter with a master criminal, who is as ruthless as he is brilliant and whom Watson dubs "The Merchant of Menace".

Soon, Holmes finds himself matching wits with a man who will steal anything - if the price is right. Moreover, this thief will go to any lengths, including blackmail and murder, to achieve his desired goal.

As Holmes comes to understand his adversary, he also begins to realize he can only react to the Merchant because he has no idea where this criminal mastermind will strike next. All Holmes knows for certain is the Merchant seems to specialize in priceless, one-of-a-kind articles. Will that be enough information for the great detective to outwit his foe?

From the British Museum to the Louvre to Blenheim Palace, Holmes finds himself in a deadly game of cat-and-mouse. Set against the backdrop of early Edwardian England, the detective and his Boswell encounter an array of luminaries from the Duke and Duchess of Marlborough to a young Winston Churchill.

For fans of Conan Doyle's immortal detective, the game is always afoot. However, this time around, Holmes must try to bring to justice a villain who might well be the next Napoleon of Crime.

©2019 Richard Ryan (P)2019 MX Publishing

A Worthy Holmes & Watson Tale

This clever story nestles right in with the Holmes mythos. The neat prose feels over a hundred years old, the setting and characters are vividly familiar, and the plot is a fine study in the realm of detective fiction. This is one slick production. Not to be missed by any Holmes fan.
Nigel Peever is a deft narrator, a versatile performer, and artful audio producer. His employment of voices and music makes this audiobook a rare treat. So, treat yourself and get it!
I was given a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Another clever and intriguing listen. Brava

With the sound effects that fans of vintage Holmes BBC dramas love drawing us in, this story blends beautifully into the corpus of Doyle's original works. I really adore Peever's voice performance, and the story itself is a perfectly and classically engaging and intricate mix of interpersonal interaction and pure, logical mystery-solving in the style of Doyle himself (which, in my book, is high praise). This and Ryan's other works have gone on my Comfort Reads shelf. I highly recommend it.

Another great Holmes mystery..

Great Holmes mystery that is rich in historical references. An exciting and entertaining read! If you’re a Sherlock fan or mystery lover, would definitely recommend!

not the worst Sherlock Holmes story I've heard

the story itself is okay, there aren't too many twists and turns but there are some head scratchers but definitely not the best Sherlock Holmes book I've ever read... But this is by far the worst narrator I've ever heard... This narrator is as big of an overactor as Jim Carey is when he plays Ace Ventura Pet Detective!
Every time the narrator laughs when he's playing Sherlock Holmes, he sounds like some dastardly villain and it is horrendous to listen to, but the story is good, it's just the narrator is horrible. I am very surprised that any audiobook production company would hire this narrator

Another great mystery

A winding tale by Richard Ryan. As strong a weave of storytelling as one would find in the Holmesian canon, Ryan shows his history knowledge and a devious chess match.

Fun

Loved the little sound effects. Fine series. An enjoyable listen. Hope there will be more stories to come.

A fun listen! Enjoyed it a lot!

At first I found the Sherlock Holmes voice a little overdone, more like Count Dracula than Holmes, but decided to give it a chance because the story was good and I really liked the historical detail. Then I thought hey this is a pretty good cast and then looked again and realized it is just one narrator talented enough to give the impression of an entire cast! The sound effects help give the impression of a full cast recording and really enhance to story. Give it a chance and remember that you are listening to just one person! Clever story, talented narrator & a great touches of humor.

Dare I say 5 star

The Merchant of Menace.
I like the author's style. He certainly writes in the Conan Doyle style. And the language is beautifully Victorian.
And gives a high quality Holmes experience, great entertainment for anyone who likes the worlds most famous detective.
I received a free copy of this audio book at my own request and voluntarily leave this honest review. .

Classic Grand Mystery!

I love all things Sherlock...this was Watson telling the story which was cool. This story actually led me to do some research on Faberge eggs... I could almost see the sitting room.. the long library..the estate. I love Nigel Peever narrations..for instance the clattering on the stairs cracked me up..and the constant ticking of the clock..the horses hooves..I find the sound effects add so much! I truly enjoyed this story and definately recommend it!!

The best entry in the Richard Ryan series

I've been critical of the previous books in the Richard Ryan series of pastiches for a number of reasons. However, this book is the best entry yet. It reminds me of the original Conan Doyle stories more than any previous Ryan book does.

Perhaps because most of the action takes place in England, rather than other faraway places. Perhaps I've finally accepted the "Count Dracula" quality of Holmes' voice, or perhaps I've come to appreciate that Nigel Peever's Watson is the best part of the work.

Whatever the reason, this is a top shelf book with a very pleasing narration. Watson truly carries the weight of the story-telling, which in itself is quite pleasing. Overall, this book comes with my high recommendation.