The Irregulars

Becoming Sherlock #2

by Sarah J. Naughton, Anthony Horowitz (based on an idea of), Alfred Enoch (Narrator)

Raymond Bannister is a wealthy man living a secure life, but the day that he receives a single slipper in an envelope his world falls apart. He seeks out a place in the bad part of town - is he looking for his own demise? He is found slashed down in a dirty alleyway. The crime and the crime scene are inexplicable to Lestrade, and he seeks the help of his new consultant detective, Mr. Sherlock Holmes. This beginning will lead us back in time, to India, and it will lead us to the strange origin of a group of children that call themselves the Irregulars. Is the answer to this case also the answer to the big question - who is Sherlock Holmes? Meanwhile the emotions between Missy Hudson and John Watson are stirring, as a certain Mary Morstan seeks the help of Sherlock. A mysterious and cruel new player has entered the London underworld, his signature is just the letter M.

Genres: Audiobook, Crime, Mystery, Fiction, Fantasy, Thriller

Audiobook

First published January 1, 2024

About the author

See also Sarah Naughton

Sarah worked as an advertising copywriter for ten years before her first book was published in 2013. A supernatural thriller for teens, The Hanged Man Rises (Simon and Schuster) was shortlisted for the Costa Book Awards. A second thriller for teens, The Blood List (Simon and Schuster) came out in 2014. Her first adult thriller, Tattletale (Trapeze) is due out in March 2017.
Sarah lives in London with her husband and two sons.

Reviews

[Mike Finn · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘The Irregulars’ is the second book in the 'Becoming Sherlock' trilogy, which started with the excellent ‘Becoming Sherlock: The Red Circle‘. The trilogy takes place in a decaying near-future London. The London of this story is as relatable and as alien as Doyle’s London. The story is populated with characters who are like but different from the names they bear: John Watson, Mrs Hudson, Lestrade, Mycroft Holmes, Irene Adler, and Mary Morstan, all of whom revolve around the central enigma of the series, a man rescued from the Thames by a gang of feral children known as The Irregulars. A man with a head wound that has robbed him of his memory. A man of extraordinary abilities who, after Watson nursed him back to health, took on the name Sherlock Holmes.

I enjoyed the second installment of 'Becoming Sherlock,' although I didn't think it worked as well as the first book. 

The opening chapters didn’t seem as tightly written as the first book, but after the first couple of chapters, the writing seemed to hit its stride, the dialogue improved, and I became immersed in the story. I think the novel suffered from being structured around two closely linked stories, the first of which delivered rather less than the second. 

The first story was an investigation into the death of an apparently successful businessman who was killed when he ventured into the wrong part of town and got into a fight with a band of feral children. The investigation was a little thin. The backstory that gave the genesis of the death in a robbery gone wrong was beautifully done, adding pathos to the outcome. Yet it felt to me that, at the end of this, the novel almost restarted so that the second story, one in which the feral children were less tangentially involved, could be told. It left me feeling that the first story could have been omitted or cut back, with no damage to the narrative. 

The second story began as an investigation into the death in India many years earlier of Mary Marston's father and became an investigation into the origins of the feral children known as The Irregulars and perhaps into Sherlock Holmes' own origins. This story worked very well. It captured the spirit of a Conan Doyle story but one that was updated to include leading-edge biopharma research carried out by British scientists in labs in India. It was a story of intrigue, corruption, privilege, poverty. abuse, imprisonment, murder and revenge. It was told with style and kept me guessing. I loved that The Irregulars in this story are not at all like the band of street urchins turned spies-for-hire in the Conan Doyle stories, but something stranger and much more dangerous. These Irregulars are clever, scary, lethal, and closely linked to Sherlock’s own obscured by amnesia origins. 

I enjoyed watching the core characters and the relationships between them grow and develop during both investigations. I admired how the two stories advance the trilogy's story arc and left me looking forward to the big reveal in the final book, 'Becoming Sherlock: The Magician.'

'Becoming Sherlock' was conceived as an audiobook and lends itself well to the medium. It's performed by talented Alfred Enoch. Click on the YouTube link below to hear a sample.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YghFl...

[Sahil Aery · Rating 3 out of 5]

For some reason the original English language book is not on Goodreads so I have to add the Turkish translation.

The book was... so so. While I quite like the futuristic setting of this series, I find Watson's mannerisms very Victoria which do not go along with the kind of city London has degenerated into.
The story was thrilling but nowhere near as good as Horowitz's usual writing. There were several grammatical errors and the whole romantic plotline between Watson and Hudson adds nothing to the story.

I will stick with the series for now but if the third book is similar, then Sherlock Holmes will have to continue on his journey to find himself without me.

[Miglė · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jaučiasi, kad parašyta specialiai audioknygos formatui, nes klausosi itin lengvai. Truputį Victorian, truputį sci-fi, manau, viena mano mėgstamiausių Šerloko Holmso interpretacijų!

[Eti · Rating 3 out of 5]

Тази част не ми допадна толкова, може би защото Джон Уотсън беше представен като влюбен мрънкач... Или защото историята беше една идея по-отвлечена от нужното... Или защото Шерлок беше твърде unconnected с останалия свят... Не знам...

[ElaF · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audiobook

[Chantelle Marshall · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.3 🌟 (Audible)
Starting to get into these!

[Lucía · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesante enfoque

[Jooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it, despite Sherlock seeming to be a self-centered prick with a very weird perception of importance and priorities. But the little snippets reffering to his forgotten/erased past are really intriguing...

[Arno Ruusalepp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Täitsa kuulatav. Ekskurss geneetikasse oli muidugi veits lihtsustatud ja müstifitseeritud.

[Mercy Sakes · Rating 5 out of 5]

A different spin on a classic detective

[Петър Керкелов · Rating 3 out of 5]

По-слаба от първата, някакси чарът се е позагубил. Шерлок се отклонява от образа, на който сме фенове всички (приемам за даденост, че подобна книга ще предизвика интерес само у хора, които вече са запалени по историите за Холмс - независмо дали става дума за оригиналните или тези от филмите и сериалите). Историята е вариация по една (или няколко) от оригиналните истории за Шерлок - в случая не е помогнало много, не е и навредило. За мен е предимство това, че тук няма много много обяснения как точно се е стигнало в 22-ри век светът да бъде на равнището от оригиналните истории т.е. това от края на 19-ти век с няколко технологии от началото на 21-ви век. Не знам за колко следващи книги са сключили договор Сторител с авторското дуо, но определено не беше добра идея да се издава кой е Мориарти в средата на тази книга, при положение, че той дори още не е въведен като главен герой.
Чакам третата книга с по-малко вълнение от тази, но я чакам.

[Bulent · Rating 4 out of 5]

Doyle'un zihni insan ötesi şekilde çalışan dedektifi Sherlock ve arkadaşlarını ve düşmanlarını gelecekteki Londra'sının karanlık, yozlaşmış dünyasına taşıyan Becoming Sherlock serisinin ikinci kitabı iki uzun macerayı birleştiren ortak bir şey etrafında dönüyor: Başıbozuklar.

Türkçesi İngilizcesinden daha önce okur/dinleyici ile buluşan kitap Anthony Horowitz'in kurguladığı distopik Londra'ya bir kez daha götürüyor bizi ve heyecanlı maceralar ile Sherlock'un gizemli geçmişini bir parça daha aralıyor.

[#seslikitap]

[Biana]

*I review, not rate*

I find myself thinking about this incarnation of Sherlock Holmes. I wonder about the idea, the concept at times when I'm not reading. This second book in the series was a welcome balm for my weary soul.

Last book had John being in charge, seeing to the events lay out, and finding his happily ever after. Sort of. It was fun to read, looking for connections to the Sherlock that I'm familiar with. This book took a turn. Apparently Sherlock is better and is now the brilliant jerk so familiar to most folks. The way that he bosses John around, exposes the secret feelings of others, and runs roughshod over every one is very familiar.

To say that Sherlock Holmes is a character we all love and enjoy is an over statement. This Sherlock is an ass. Yes, there are the observations: the chalk at the knee leads to the deduction that the person was playing pool; the child wasn't crying but adjusting his brown contact lessons; etc. But most of his deductions are extreme. The gift of the shoe was to remind the man that he let his best friend get captured by the cops over 20 years ago? Oh yes, I see. NOT. Plus there is a sci-fi aspect to it...aliens, monsters, superpowers, mutant children, talking cats, plants trying to eat late night tube riders...some of these for sure. How am I suppose to figure it out with my excellent deducing skills when it boils down to the interception of an alien report? (it doesn't, but that's my point. Too far out to consider.

Plus....John is an idiot. I do not like.

[Vedat Guven · Rating 3 out of 5]

Zengin bir banker Londra'nın tekin olmayan sokaklarında öldürülmüştür. Orada ne işi vardır? Yanında tabanca olmasına rağmen niye sadece bir el kullanmıştır? Ve yanındaki bir terlik tekinin anlamı nedir? Banker, bir oyuncakçıya ortaktır. Ancak oyuncakçı hiç ciro yapmamaktadır. Sanki para aklama gibi gözüken bu durumun aslı nedir acaba? Bir sonraki hikayede ise genç kızın babası Hindistan'daki kimya fabrikasında 4 kişilik ekip olarak büyük bir buluş yaptıkları gün yılan ısırması neticesinde ölüyor. Diğer arkadaşları çok kazandıkları paradan dolayı annesine her ay para ödüyorlar. Ancak annesi de ölünce bu yardımlar kesiliyor. Olayı araştırırken Londra sokaklarında dış görünüşleri garip olan 10-12 kişilik 10-12 yaşlarında çocuklardan oluşan bir çete ile de mücadele ederler. Bu çocuklar aşırı zeki, aşırı yırtıcı, çok hızlı, çevik ve yabaniler. Hindistan'daki 4 kişilik ekipten birisi kanser ve ölmek üzeredir. Ölmeden önce vicdani sebeplerle kızla buluşup bir şeyler itiraf edecektir. O buluşmada çocuk çetesi karambol yaratıp adamı yanıcı bir madde ile baştan aşağı sıvayıp yakmışlardır.

[Cosovsky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wciąga jak poprzednia część, aczkolwiek nie do końca jestem zwolennikiem historii rodem z Sci-Fi (mutacje dzieci i... Bez spojlerów). Jednak historia dzieje się w przyszłości nawet dla Nas, więc przyjmuję to oczywiście. Troszkę przewidywalny. Dodatkowo mam wrażenie, że Londyn jest mniej post apo i niebezpieczny. W pierwszej części był bardziej mroczny. Oczywiście jak tylko usłyszałem (słuchałem audiobooka), że Klientka ma na imię Marry to już wiedziałem, że John nie będzie z Missy. Ogólnie polecam 4/5.

[Aneta Batakchieva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Хареса ми повече от първата част. Задълбочава се мистерията около самоличността на Шерлок. Каква е връзката му с Майкрофт Холмс и кой е този Мориарти? Финалът беше доста интересен. Не видях да има обаче друго продължение, може би все още не е готово, което е лошо, тъй като ще отмине ентусиазма от проследяване на нишката.

[David Miraut · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sin hacer spoiler este relato es un retelling del signo de los cuatro, aderezado con notas de sabor de "hijos de un Dios binario", black mirror y las guerras eugenéticas de Star Trek.
El final abre la puerta una idea muy interesante sobre la relación entre Moriarty y Sherlock Holmes. Pero no comentó nada más para no chafarle a nadie el libro, ni la tercera parte que espero que salga pronto.

[Йорданка Илиева · Rating 4 out of 5]

Хареса ми,имах усещането,че едновременно съм и в бъдещето и в миналото.Холм с неговото загадъчно минало,на моменти абсолютно безчувствен и дори гаден и същевременно наивен като дете. Ще видя и третата част😁

[Arzu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gelecekteki Sherlock ilginç

[Birna Sigurlaugsdottir · Rating 4 out of 5]

Las hana á íslensku en þetta er eina útgáfan á Goodreads

[Akiko · Rating 4 out of 5]

I definitely liked the first one better but it was still quite entertaining. I cringed with Watson’s relationship saga which I’d have liked to skip. I look forward to reading the 3rd nevertheless.

[Katharina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Can someone please relieve Watson of his miserable love life...

[Bj Olsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read it in English. I like the modern twist on old Sherlock stories. Enjoyable.

[Elitsa Zhekova · Rating 3 out of 5]

По-слаба от първата част и със същите плюсове и минуси - безинтересната основа и добрата идея за произхода на Холмс. Най-вероятно няма да я запомня.

[Ida Hagen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Liked the first one a little bit more. But a great retelling of Sherlock Holmes in a futuristic world. Even tho it has that old timey feel to it, with I love.

[Carla Leemans · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastische reeks.

[Annika · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5. Słyszałam, że drugi tom jest słabszy, a mnie podobał się bardziej niż pierwszy 😝

[Memento Maryn ౨ৎ · Rating 3 out of 5]

6/10 - Still really enjoyable, but missing the spark the first book has. The subplots weren't my favourites and I feel like The Red Circle had a more solid plot and structure than this sequel.

[George · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exciting twist on the classic tales!!!

[Joosep · Rating 3 out of 5]

Second story of futuristic Sherlock Holms. Even if the story was its own, the similarities with The Sign of Four were bothering me a little. I wasn't also a fan of romantic miscommunications between Missy and Watson.
But non-the-less, like the first story, it's an excellent representation of Sherlock. And the dystopian London is an interesting world. Irregulars and their part of the story was also excellent.