The Tarleton Murders

Sherlock Holmes in America

By: Breck England

Narrated by: Charles Huddleston

Length: 9 hrs and 59 mins

Publisher's summary

The Tarleton Murders: A corking good early Sherlock Holmes story that any mystery reader or listener will love.

Find out the answers to many tantalizing Sherlock Holmes questions in The Tarleton Murders, the book that takes you into the dark place in the life of Sherlock Holmes B.W. (Before Watson), or, as he said, “before my biographer came to glorify me.”

• Who really was Moriarty?
• Where did Sherlock Holmes go to school?
• How did Holmes know so much about the Ku Klux Klan?
• Was Uncle Remus actually Sherlock Holmes?
• Did you know Holmes saved both General Sherman and the Pope from assassination?
• How did Holmes acquire such a rich acquaintance with America?
• Did he ever go to America?
• Did he really prevent a Second Civil War?
• And what role did he play in the families of Martin Luther King, G.K. Chesterton, Scarlett O’Hara, and Singin’ Jimmy McCartney of Liverpool?

Historical Fiction Thriller: The Tarleton Murders, the record of “one of those pretty little problems” Holmes solved in the pre-Watson years, has never been brought to light until now. The discovery of this previously unknown manuscript opens a window onto the mysterious early years when Holmes was struggling to set himself up as a “consulting detective”, a previously unknown profession. “I have often wished that I had notes of those cases,” Watson said of Holmes’s early work, and so do we! But in The Tarleton Murders we have an account written by a Watson before there was a Watson. An old schoolmate, now a Jesuit priest, comes to Holmes with an alarming coded message that menaces a respectable nun.

The Early Sherlock Holmes: So begins a frantic journey that takes Holmes and his friend from Rome (where they save the Pope) to Paris to London to Liverpool, across the Atlantic during the most dangerous hurricane in 20 years, to the backwoods of Georgia (infested by the Klan), and eventually into the midst of Atlanta’s highest society - with growing awareness of a plot that threatens the very existence of the United States. What Holmes called in his usual understated fashion “a pretty little problem” turns out to be “a pretty big problem” indeed! Along the way we encounter George Bernard Shaw, Joel Chandler Harris, Pope Leo XIII, the artist Mary Cassatt, Moriarty himself - and Moriarty’s wife! And in the midst of the fun we make some astounding discoveries, such as the true identity of Moriarty, the fate of the Vatican Cameos, and to top it all off, Mycroft’s schoolboy nickname.

©2017 Mango Publishing (P)2018 Mango Publishing

Exceptional plot line and stellar narration!

I am an avid Sherlock Holmes fan, and have listened to hundreds of SH stories. This one, which seemed far fetched when I first read the premise, turned out to be one of the most thoroughly researched and well-constructed SH novels I’ve ever heard.

I always appreciate it when the author weaves in historically relevant characters to expand the authenticity of the story, and this author certainly exceeded my expectations.

Finally, the narration from Mr. Huddleston was truly superb. He believably conveyed a broad range of dialects and personalities. Throw in a highly believable speech impediment, and you hear his skill with the spoken word taken to an entirely new level.

A very good story and an entertaining listen

Overall, it was a very enjoyable book. Although I was initially skeptical of a Sherlock Holmes story without Watson, the author did a good job of introducing a Jesuit priest as Holmes' partner and narrator of the story. And it was interesting to see Holmes investigating a murder in the post Civil War south. There were plenty of plot surprises and action to keep me interested. Charles Huddleston did an outstanding job as the reader, and he expertly handled a large variety of characters and accents: southern gentlemen, genteel ladies, Irish, cockney, Italian, and Holmes himself. I have listened to all 6 volumes of Stephen Fry's Sherlock Holmes stories, and The Tarleton Murders doesn't disappoint.

Tarleton Murders

Excellent historical fiction with Holmes and Father Simon. Learned more about usual characters and where Doyle found them most importantly Adam Werth aka Professor M. Hope we see many more by mr. England with Holmes and others.

Very well researched

I'm a fan if Sherlock and clearly this author is much more so. The hooks into the original lore are well-placed and secure. The stage and case is interesting tough I do feel that there was a LOT going on which made sections difficult to follow if your listening sessions are not consistent.

Overall, would listen to again and would recommend

Least Favorite Holmes Story

I've listened to nearly every Holmes story available on Audible, and this one is, by far, my least favorite. It's barely a Holmes story at all, as if the author shoehorned it into the Holmes canon. The story meanders all over the place, as does the geography. There are long sections where Holmes isn't in the story at all. It's a bad book with or without Holmes, and excruciatingly bad with Holmes forced into it.