Review: Blue Descent

Blue Descent by David Wood
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Book: ***
Performance: ***

All the elements were there for a casual summer read that was entertaining, but not particularly deep. The narration made it easy to just let the story develop from a simple mystery to some more … paranormal. Not exactly believable, but still interesting and fun way to pass the time with a little treasure hunting mixed in with a few legends (rumors of the fountain of youth and monster sea creatures play a significant role here) and conspiracies (standard missing persons) that sort of magically all work out (almost predictably). That also makes it easy to come and go pretty much at will and not really miss much. As an intro to the series, it was okay … a little choppy, but a good introduction to the characters and story telling style that might be hit or miss for some folks.

I was given this free advance review/listener copy (ARC) audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

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Review: Unfinished Business: Pursuit of an Antarctic Killer

Unfinished Business: Pursuit of an Antarctic Killer by Theodore Jerome Cohen
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Book: **
Performance: **

A Mostly Boring Thriller

Generally I consider myself a fan of mysteries/thrillers and having been to some of the places in the story, I was hoping for a bit of nostalgia to boot … but it was not to be. The story itself had a little action, but much of it was told in passive voice taking away from any suspense that would have made it interesting and not something that sounds like reading a police report. Even the detailed court proceedings were extremely prediction and not that interesting. Perhaps it would have been better if I had read the first of the series, but this was billed as a potentially stand alone sequel that really wasn’t. Without a solid foundation it was just too easy to drift away and miss parts of the narrated story … but when my attention returned, it never really felt like I missed much. At 5 hours for 250+ pages, it is a bit on the short side, which limited how complex the plot could be … which seemed like it just faded out in the end … or I missed something in the rush for it to be over. I am sure this works for some folks … but not for me.

I was given this free advance review/listener copy (ARC) audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

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Review: Wheel of Fortune

Wheel of Fortune by Theodore Jerome Cohen
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Book: ***
Performance: ****

An Ole Timey Mystery for Today

Another mystery in the Martelli NYPD series that should appeal to folks that like the noir style and police procedurals (think of a 60’s style in today’s NYC). The book itself is pretty standard for the genre (so take it all with a grain of salt) with little to raise it above the pack, but that still leaves it as decent entertainment, especially with the solid narration performance. Standard tropes and stereotypes apply … As mentioned, we get the standard murder mystery with a grizzled, veteran police detective with a Jane Doe and a mysterious connection to an archrival in the FBI who has his own case dealing with the “Boy Scouts” (ref Rodney Dangerfield in Back to School) that run NYC trash hauling business. To solve the case, they both play fast and loose with the rules to collar the bad guy(s) which might prompt an eye roll to two, but nothing that was out of place considering what is typical. The End comes up a little quick. but the Epilogue gives an okay summary to wrap everything up.

I was given this free advance review/listener copy (ARC) audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

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Review: Danger Beneath The Surface

Danger Beneath The Surface by Jon Sniderman
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Book: ***
Performance: ***

A Short Trip Down Memory Lane

I wanted to give this a listen based almost entirely on a bit of nostalgia … and on that point it delivers. Of all the places I have lived, AK was the best experience that I have had. It is a short vignette that, as near as I can recall, is more or less solid on location and science, so props for that. However, the story itself was pretty slow … a simple mystery plot that might have been a science thriller in a longer format, but there was not really a lot of suspense (most of this was just confirming details on why animals were getting sick and dying … and given the science theme was reasonably predictable). Still … the narration was decent and I enjoyed the trip down memory lane.

I was given this free advance review/listener copy (ARC) audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

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Review: House of Cards: Dead Men Tell No Tales

House of Cards: Dead Men Tell No Tales by Theodore Jerome Cohen
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Book: **
Performance: ****


A Silly Ole’Timey Detective Story

The best thing this recording has going for it is the narration; from a completely nostalgia aspect it reminds me of the old radio detective dramas in the 50-60's ... which I still listen to. That was what hooked me when I listened to the sampe and what ultimately saved the book. The series follows an NYPD detective (and military vet with a prosthetic leg) who plays fast and loose with the rules to get the bad guys ... not a plus in my book as it typically lends to lazy writing. 

In this episode, Martelli falls into a conspiracy involving a terrorist organization and a fraudulent hedge fund scheme Collateralized Debt Obligation (CDOs) and Credit Default Swaps (which were at the center of the financial crisis of 2008 ... of which the author apparently needs to go into great detail using info dumps thinly disguised as dialog. Too much unneeded detail is the watchword for this piece as the author shows off his mastery of jargon and testosterone replacements. 

For some reason not completely clear to me (outside a typical manly measuring contest), the Martelli also needs to stay clear of the FBI (they guys that would normally get involved in this kind of thing) , so he engages in various hijynx to make them the rube here while he himself engages in extrajudicial activities that somehow never taint the case. Just for fun, he also throws in a few pontifical monologues a a jab or two at the HYPD administration ('cause they got nuttin' better to do than get in the way of real police work). Then you have the cheesy ending that is cleaned up in the Epilogue …

I was given this free advance review/listener copy (ARC) audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

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Review: The Big Four

The Big Four by Agatha Christie
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Book: **
Performance: ****

A Departure from the Usual Fare

This story was originally published as 12 short stories for “The Sketch” magazine and latter cobbled together with an overarching plot based upon a cabal of “The Big Four” (4) uber villains bent on world domination … with the elusive Number Four (4) being an English master of disguise showing up in most of the stories. The other three (3) are a Chinese master mind, a French scientist and an American tycoon. Considering these were written at a time when the author was struggling to write, these were actually pretty good … if you are not a stickler for how Poirot was previously portrayed (the style here is less criminal detective and more international espionage similar to the famous Sherlock vs Moriarty matchup) … or if you don’t particularly like short stories (I actually find these classic detective stories well suited for the short story format). The benefit of the short format is that each part almost stands on its own with just the conspiracy of The Big Four tying it all together … the disadvantage is that there is very little discernible plot movement until the very end which feels a little forced and not really all that clever … making this story a fairly average classic (not her best work) that is actually made much better with the solid audible narration.

I was given this free advance review/listener copy (ARC) audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

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Review: The Secret of Scripture

The Secret of Scripture by Felix Alexander
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Book: ***
Performance: ****

A History Book Disguised as a Mystery

This is the second of the series following The Secret of Heaven; however, it can be read by itself (just don’t think too hard about any of it).

Preach Brother … This book is a historical conspiracy wrapped in a mystery presented through pontificating data dumps thinly veiled as dialog. There is no doubt that a lot of research went into this story; unfortunately the author seems compelled to beat the reader about the head and shoulders with all of it. The plot itself revolves around a murder of a mathematics professor on the eve of a tech conference in Tel Aviv … and apparently sets in motion events that are designed to bring about the fall of the Zionist State of Israel. While a fair amount of the information presented was accurate (more of less), there was little to no nuance and/or context presented with it, allowing the author to weave an entertaining, if improbable, conspiracy that subscribes to a number of obscure and mostly heretical interpretations (you have been warned). With historical and scriptural interpretations designed to titillate more than to inform (much like National Treasure and The Da Vinci Code), it can be fun to play with these "what if" concepts so long as you don’t take anything at face value. Of course … with all of this exposition, the plot moves at a glacial pace that is mostly saved by an excellent audio performance. With an awesome array of character voices and near perfect delivery, the only [minor] critique I would raise about the narration simply highlights some imaginative pronunciations that didn’t conform to the more conventional forms that I am familiar with … but this didn’t detract from my enjoyment at all.

I was given this free advance review/listener copy (ARC) audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

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Review: The Legendary Detectives

The Legendary Detectives by Jean Marie Stine
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Book: ***
Performance: ***

Decent Shorts from the Age of Great Detective

I am a big fan of the great detectives/mystery narratives; however, I am also not much of a fan for short stories that don’e have enough time to develop a more interesting storyline. It seems the later tempered my enjoyment of these works. Still, it was a tremendous opportunity to encounter some of the characters that did not survive into the current age … and now I may understand the reason to some extent … some just didn’t age very well. The generally average narration was just not able to pull many of these up as the narrator obvious struggled to differentiate the character voices. Over all it was a nice escape if you don’t have unrealistic expectations based on reputation.

- The Fenchurch Street Mystery (49m) **
- The Long Barrow (60m) ***
- The Mystery Of The Scarlet Thread (77m) **
- The Magic of Fear (40m) **
- The Ghost at Massingham Mansions (71m) ***
- The Eye of Apollo (44m) ****
- The Ghouls (55m) ***
- The Ivory Statue (50m) ***
- The Adventure of the Lion's Mane (51m) ***


I was given this free advance review/listener copy (ARC) audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

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Review: Christmas on the Nile: A Sherlock Holmes and Lucy James Mystery

Christmas on the Nile: A Sherlock Holmes and Lucy James Mystery by Anna Elliott
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Book: ***
Performance: ****

The is the finale of the storyline begun in "The Curse of Cleopatra's Needle” and left hanging in "The Coded Blue Envelope.” The fact that it is a continuation of a cliffhanger means this story starts in the hole (not only because I dislike cliffhangers, but because the mid-story start was a tad disorienting). This is now my 12th Lucy James adventure and the two voices on the narration is very enjoyable and pretty much continues to “save” there series. If you are truly looking for a Sherlockian mystery, this series won’t be very satisfying (they seem to be more adventure and international intrigue for most of them). Strangely enough, even though this is a continuation from a previous story, it still takes awhile to get going as it tries to weave two distinct plot lines together … one in England with Flynn, Becky, Jack and Mycroft chasing down plans by the Sons of Ra to throw the government into Chaos (in a rehashed and somewhat unbelievable conspiracy) while Watson, Lucy, Holmes and Zoe prose their new arch nemesis to Egypt to foil a similar plan there. Frankly it seems that the series is a bet long in the tooth now (as it is repeating elements from previous stories now); however, as previously indicated, the narration was good, the characters are fun and the over all story unmemorable if suitable for a quick diversion.

I was given this free advance review/listener copy (ARC) audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

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Review: The Coded Blue Envelope

The Coded Blue Envelope by Anna Elliott
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Book: **
Performance: ****

By now it should be clear that I am a fan of the series; this my review here is primarily on how it sits within the corpus. With that in mind … it is decidedly average and more or less what I have come to expect as Sherlock and the Sons of Ra under Lord Sonneborne (the big bad for this trilogy) maneuver around a plot to throw the empire into disarray so that Egypt might gain their independence. The story begins in Milan Italy with Lucy’s mother Zoe before moving back to London to secure the help of Sherlock and Lucy … and it is a marvelous opportunity to explore more of Zoe’s history and personality (and perhaps learn a bit more about how she hooked up with Sherlock so long ago). Jack, Becky and Flynn, as part of the expended caste, make a few minor contributions just so we can stay in touch while the blue envelope macguffin holds an important clue to the ultimate overarching plot that will remove itself one way or another on the next story … and for some reason, that was not enough of an incentive, this story ends in a surprising cliffhanger (minus 1 star) that makes the beginning of the next book more confusing than it should have been. Still it was fun and I continue to recommend this trilogy and the series over all.

I was given this free advance review/listener copy (ARC) audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

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Review: Magic Mirror

Magic Mirror by Sean Ellis
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Book: **
Performance: ***

A simple and boring mystery

The story centers around the mysterious disappearance of a creative genius and the subsequently finding of his car in the middle of a lake far away from his last known location. The primary characters are the diver that found the car, who for some reason becomes a key part of the reopened investigation … and an FBI agent sent in to ride herd. The diver has a dark past and the FBI agent some personal drama that provide nearly all of the conflict until the end, where the story does pick up the pace somewhat. For most of the story, the only villain in sight is a tech billionaire that provides the author with an opportunity to preach and moralize about society today and they are some issues with how some of the tech actually works that seem to defy conventional science. There are also some new agey elements that bookend the story and a few minor plot surprises, but this is unfortunately undermined by the complete lack of any reader suspense for most of the book. In fact, there is way too much of the “narrator” within the story talking (aka info dumping) that there is actual action or true dialog, making the whole about as exciting as a Great Courses lecture. The performance was solid though.

I was given this free advance review/listener copy (ARC) audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

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Review: The Tainted Cup

The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the first book in a new series by this author; and like his “founders trilogy,” it is off to great start. Where the previous trilogy opened with a “great heist” trope, this one begins with the “great mystery” trope that makes it hard to avoid a direct comparison to the my favorite detective adventures by the likes of Sherlock Holmes, Nero Wolfe and Hercules Poirot. Here the great detective is an eccentric, Imperial Investigator, recently assigned to the boondocks of the outer regions. In a world where everybody is trying to move to the interior, it is presumed that some mysterious reversal of fortune is the reason for her exile. To aid in her investigations, she selects a local assistant/sidekick to serve as her “eyes and ears” and subsequently provides the PoV for the story (think Mr Watson’s diary) … but Din has a few secrets of his own, which only adds to all of the mystery … and there is plenty here: Why was Ana, the investigator transferred to the borderlands? How did Din suddenly and unexpectedly do well enough to finally get the success his so desperately needed? Who assassinated the military officer while he was visiting a villa of one of the most powerful families in the empire? Why and how did they do it? Of course, Ana is up to the task and solves mystery after mystery, often without leaving the confines of her own room (using just the observations reported back to her by her assistant Din). It is all a well worn and effective plot that still works for me when told as well it is here.

As good as the murder mystery is … I though the world-building was even better. The driving force behind the empire, is the destruction wrought by “Leviathans “ that periodically come ashore during the wet season. To defend against these “attacks,” the empire is divided up into walled cantons where the outer cantons use increasingly powerful bombards, guns and walls to turn back these sea titans. This whole scene had me making favorable comparisons to “Pacific Rim.” This adds yet another mystery to the plot (what are these abominations and why are they attacking). Next up is what could arguably be seen as the magic system, which could just as easily be seen as quasi-scientific biohacking. As part of the respond to these attacks, many people has augmented themselves to give them incredible (aka superhero) powers. Some of these alterations are temporary and some are permeant (and a few are inheritable, although the most extreme render the host sterile). The ones most frequently encountered in this story were Cracklers (strength), Axioms (human calculators), and Engravers (eidetic memory) … the later is what Din, the assistant investigator, is and the vivid description of his ability (and the his subsequent disability) helped make he a very relatable character. Additionally, the population was also divided upon by social function, with soldiers, engineers and iudex (justices) being the most prominent. All of this contributes to a very entertaining and natural feeling story that pulls you quickly through to the end (almost reading this in one sitting).

I was given this free advance reader copy (ARC) ebook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

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Review: Refractions

Refractions by M.V. Melcer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book as earned a place on my favorites shelf after reading through the more that 400 pages in one sitting.

In the near future (approx. 200 years), the world has changed in profound ways as it struggles under increasing human population until a global pandemic kills off enough to give us some time to plan.  The current hegemonies were reorganized with China ascendent on earth with an aggressive American Union that has lost its way and devolved into a quasi Christian theocracy in all but name, while the powerful elites escape to space orbitals owned and run by competing business conglomerates.  The advent of Chinese interstellar engines, a closely guarded monopoly, enables earth to attempt colonizing worlds in other star systems; so the Americans, with Chinese help, build and launch several colonies ships, leveraging cryogenic tech to help the crew through the decades long journeys and keep resources manageable for such a voyage.  The first colony at Bethesda landed and seemed to be doing well when it suddenly goes silent.  Quickly finding out what happened to the 5000 colonists may hold the key to the success of the remaining colony ships, so an international “rescue” is launched to find out.

The world building here was absolutely fantastic, with a hard science feel without the typically long, and potentially boring, tech descriptions that gave everything a natural feel.  That said, this story is almost completely character driven, with just enough action to maintain the dramatic tension.  The main character is an orbital pilot that was recruited at the last minute to replace the second in command for the rescue mission.  As a Canadian, with a Russian brother-in-law, working at the top of a Chinese space elevator in Kenya Africa, she quickly finds her “neutrality” the key to keeping the paranoid, multinational crew of the rescue mission together after the captain dies enroute in a “suspicious” compartment fire.  Everybody is keeping secrets and trying to figure out each mystery is really what drives this story forward … what happened to the colonists on Bethesda … who “sabotaged” the cryogenic chamber where 7 of the crew died and why … what are the secretive Chinese engineers (the only team allowed to maintain the interstellar drive) hiding … and who is the mysterious spy electronically watching over everything.  Each character is broken in some way and this is hinted at or revealed through crew interaction (reminiscent of a good murder mystery).  Some of the secrets are progressively revealed through flashbacks as we get the backstory of why the MC volunteered for the trip where everybody she knows will likely forget all about her before she returns (if they are even still alive by then).  Some become red herrings and feints that totally pulled me in (well done) with some great twists at the end that I didn’t see coming.  There is a light touch on a few philosophical questions on capitalism, human nature, and environmental depredation that, for me, added a lot to the story but are easily skimmed over if that is not your bag.

I was given this free advance reader copy (ARC) ebook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

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Review: The Mysterious Affair At Styles: Queen of Mystery's First Published Novel

The Mysterious Affair At Styles: Queen of Mystery's First Published Novel by Agatha Christie
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Performance: ***

The narration was fairly standard for a who done it mystery. Additionally, the story itself was also basic considering the series as a whole; although that probably should have been expected given that this is where Christie introduces her famous Belgium detective who was quite obviously developed in the tradition of another famous detective … Sherlock Holmes … with perhaps more eccentricities without any apparent connection to the reason he was so successful as a detective. 

 In this story, we get Poirot working through what was an apparent murder by poison where he keeps everyone, including the reader (and even his companion Hastings), in the dark as to what he is doing and what he is thinking … going so far as to intentionally allow his companions to come to erroneous conclusions without correction until we get to the final reveal at the end where Poirot shows us all how clever he is. Despite the red herrings and shadows, I thought the story to be quite smart, interesting and entertaining in a genre I typically always enjoy when done intelligently … which this was. While perhaps not the best of the series, it is still worth the read ...

I was given this free advance review/listener copy (ARC) audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.


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Review: Die Again, Mr. Holmes

Die Again, Mr. Holmes by Anna Elliott
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Performance: ****

Story: **

A Mixed bag and Missed Opportunity

Another solid performance from this narrating duo; and frankly that is was saves this story.  By now it is de riguour to present two mysteries that converge toward the end.  Lucy investigates a missing person while Holmes tries to unravel a similar case that appears to involve an opium smuggling scheme … which is the first misstep.  As noted several times in the story, selling opium was actually legal at the time, so such an operation must therefore take huge risks just to avoid the custom fees (which I am sure would be able to fund such a powerful cartel </sarcasm>).  Stir in a bit of moralizing and preaching about the evils of said legal product and it all seems quite out of place for the time period.  To make matters so much worse … the story appears to glorify torture and kidnapping (by the good guys) that is very nearly a bridge too far for me; I expected a lot more perception and deduction for a Holmes story (it is after all what lifts such stories above its peers).  To be clear … the story is not too bad, I was just expecting better so it was an overall disappointment.

I was given this free advance review/listener copy (ARC) audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

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Review: The Return of the Ripper

The Return of the Ripper by Anna Elliott
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Performance: ****
Story: **

An Interesting Mystery amid the Hollywood Drama

I remain a fan of the audible series even thought the quality of the stories has been slipping. With two narrators for the two PoV(s) still putting in a solid performance overall. The story here kicks off with what appears to be a Jack the Ripper copycat (or is he) that draws in Lucy and her father, who was otherwise involved in a case concerning stolen diamonds. As could be expected, the two cases quickly converge. While the portrayal of Sherlock is not particularly good, as a general mystery for Lucy is good enough to entertain and the weepingly relationship with her fiancee Jack (a police Sgt) has a Hallmark network feel to it. One minor quibble would be the typical Hollywood profession of love et al that happens in the middle of a mortal threat where time is an important factor (so yeah … lets hug and kiss and cuddle and then worry about the bomb on a timer … seriously can we please not do that?). So once again … not the strongest performance but after the last episode it was not the weakest either.

I was given this free advance review/listener copy (ARC) audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

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Review: Death at the Diogenes Club

Death at the Diogenes Club by Anna Elliott
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Performance: ****

Story: **

Trigger Warnings:  Mass Shooting, Torture

I continue to be impressed with the narration and it remains the best part of this series.  Unfortunately missteps in the story itself get in the way here, so I can’t recommend this specific episode unless you are (like me) a completionist.  The primary issue for me was the strange moral lapse of the main characters in the middle of the story that was completely out of place to the general wholesome tone of the story.  Once that irritation settled, it only increased with each little apparent inconsistency … such as the relatively weak portrayal of Sherlock Holmes himself (yes, I understand the need for others to participate in the plot, but that is not how Sherlock works, so it would have been better for him to remain mostly in the shadows and allow this to be more Lucy’s story).  

For somebody who was so famous for his perception, Sherlock was frequently second on the scene so to speak.  Unlike the previous stories, there was much less international intrigue here as the plot unfolded with a more domestic feel.  The mystery itself was well done if also fairly simple and Lucy’s relationship with her father and Constable Kelly (James) advances satisfactorily.

I was given this free advance review/listener copy (ARC) audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

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Review: The Jubilee Problem

The Jubilee Problem by Anna Elliott
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Performance: ****

Story: ***

Another Fantastic Addition to the [Pseudo]Canon

First and foremost I really liked the paired narration by PoV (John Watson and Lucy).  The over all performance was fantastic and makes a good mystery adventure story much better (you can also get the book on kindle unlimited and have Alexa read it, but I think the audible narration is worth the premium).  This is my 5th Lucy Mystery, so I am obviously a fan of the series ...

The story builds on the idea that a gathering of elites for the Queen’s Jubilee celebration makes a very tempting target for international intrigue (with a presumed nod to Guy Fox and the Gun Power Plot).  Rather than just stumbling into the mystery this time, Lucy, as Sherlocks previously unknown daughter, is recruited by the powers that be to help with uncovering the plot.  Like many of the Lucy stories, there is a mystery man along with the expected misdirections and betrayals.  While you could read these little adventures in any order, there are some developing themes that work better when read in order … not the least of which is the developing relationship of Lucy with Jack and Becky that was surprisingly sweet.  However, the mystery portion may not work for hard core Sherlock fans as he as his prodigious perceptions stay pretty much in the background (so this is actually similar to the Enola Holmes movies that I also find very enjoyable).

I was given this free advance review/listener copy (ARC) audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

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Review: The Secret Adversary

The Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Performance: ****
Story: ***

A Fun Mystery From a Master

A solid 7+ hour narration for a decent cast of characters involved in a mystery along with a dash of political espionage. This is my first read of the Tommy and Tuppence Mysteries and I very much enjoyed the young protagonists as they are drawn into a growing plot to topple governments following the First World War. The key hinges on finding a young American woman who disappeared in London after surviving the sinking of the Lusitania. Like most in the genre, the plot at the center of everything was a bit of a stretch, but didn’t detract so much that I could not enjoy the story. As T & T stumble toward revealing the secret plot being directed by a mysterious Mr Brown, you get the typical reversals of fortune, red herrings, and surprising betrayals (if you aren’t paying attention … there are enough clues to guess a fair amount before it was revealed). All in all … although some may find this one of the weaker mysteries from Agatha Christie, the audible performance pulls it up to be a fun introduction.

I was given this free advance review/listener copy (ARC) audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

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Review: The Wilhelm Conspiracy

The Wilhelm Conspiracy by Charles Veley
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Performance: **
Story: ***

This is the 4th Lucy James mystery for me, having started out of order with Remember, Remember and then the Crown Jewel Mystery … and this is the weakest of the bunch. More action/adventure than mystery/thriller, the story inserts an average spy story on to the world stage of international politics between England and Germany before WWI … and doesn’t really return to its roots until the end after telegraphing where the mystery was ultimately headed well before that. Frankly the Uber weapon trope is way overdone, especially in an historical setting and where nominal details take up way too much time and space. Stir in a bewildering cast of famous/historical characters and we just don’t get much in the way of development for the title characters … which is why I tuned in. 

However, unlike the consensus that thought we had too much of Lucy here, I actually wanted more of her and less of Sherlock and/or Watson … especially as the portrayal of Sherlock just didn’t seem very good for me .. the ease with which the good guys appeared to be ineffectually running around and getting betrayed or duped or drugged et al. so often that it just seemed so out of character I had a hard time connecting. Keeping everybody straight was a little more difficult by the apparent lack of vocal range and limited diction applied to all characters by the narration, which was fairly average over all.

I was given this free advance review/listener copy (ARC) audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

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