The Hounding

Shirley Combs and Dr. Mary Watson series #1

by Sandra de Helen

Shirley Combs is the world's greatest living detective. She uses the methods of Sherlock Holmes to solve crimes in Portland, Oregon. Her sidekick Dr. Mary Watson narrates. Here they investigate the death of Priscilla Leoni. Shirley, aware Cilla is a descendant of Sir Charles Baskerville, believes the case correlates with The Hound of the Baskervilles. Elementary, Dr. Watson?

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Crime, Mystery Thriller, Ebooks

ebook

First published October 1, 1999

About the author

I still have the book from which I learned to read at the age of four. It is Now We are Six by A. A. Milne. I am a voracious reader, and now I write and read every day.

Reviews

[Pragya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ah, to say it from the very beginning, the title put me off track. In the sense, that I may not have picked up this book based solely on the title. However, I'm extremely glad I did pick it up.

This book hooked me from the very start and its lovely pace made sure to hold my attention. Taking Shirley and Mary as the main characters, it immediately reminded me of The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith. But it is entirely different from it, more like a Sherlock Holmes, but fully unique and innovative.

The mystery is well done, the characters are nicely built and the pace is breathtaking. I could not identify the killer till the very end and although I hoped the killer's reason for the act was more substantial, the overall beauty of this book nudged me over.

I loved the writing style and look forward to more of the author's work.

4/5 stars - I really really liked it.

[Alexes · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Hounding is a sweet little cozy written after the style of Arthur Conan Doyle and the Sherlock Holmes stories. The detective in this case is a woman—the cleverly named Shirley Combs. Her sidekick is Dr. Mary Watson. I think it would help to have read the Holmes books to appreciate the device the author is using, and also to understand what might seem like a slow pace to a reader expecting a more ordinary, contemporary mystery.

The story begins with a horrific murder in which a woman is killed by dogs—the one thing she feared most in life. The remainder of the book follows Shirley and Mary as they puzzle out the Whodunit mystery. I did find myself occasionally wishing the author would speed things up, and occasionally things strained credulity, but then I would settle back down into the rhythm and enjoy the careful piecing together of clues to unmask the killer.

This book would be a nice read on vacation or a rainy afternoon with a pot of tea handy. Three and a half stars.

[Naomi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Complete Review on A Book and A Review: http://bit.ly/MURe12


A comfortable lil' cozy, I felt that The Hounding was a really well written Indie book. Keep in mind that it is a cozy mystery, but it doesn't beat the reader over the head with the traditional definition of the "silly" cozy mystery! The book offered an excellent storyline, awesome twists and turns and wonderfully developed characters. Being a fan of Sherlock Holmes, I love to read "plays" on his character and Ms. de Helen did a wonderful job!

What made me smile most about this book is the underlying play and obvious research that Ms. de Helen did in comparing The Hounding to Doyle's "The Hound of the Baskervilles". For example, the murder victim, Priscilla Vandeleur, is a direct descendant of Sir Charles Baskerville. She has the same phobias regarding dogs as in "The Hound of the Baskervilles". It was a hoot to read!

[Lara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though tagged as a lesbian/gay title the content here is straight up mystery. The lgbt elements simmer around the edges with a bisexual deceased woman (she was married a man and having an affair with a woman). Still this novel has much more in common with the Holmes/Watson stories off which it riffs for its leading lady detective and sidekick. Lovers of Holmes-like mystery solving should enjoy this one. the sidekick is the narrator, with a long-suffering but heeled admiration of her detective leading lady's many quirks. There were also echoes of Adrian Monk in the characterization of the Holmesian detective, Shirley Combs.

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shirley Combs and Dr. Mary Watson are drawn into a fascinating mystery in Sandra De Helen’s The Hounding. Set in and around a very convincing Portland Oregon, filled with realistic characters, twisting through red herrings and mysterious clues, and pleasingly logical, this novel is first in the author’s Shirley Combs/Dr. Watson series. And yes, the connection with England’s famous Sherlock Holmes is deliberate—it also works very well.

There are plenty of suspects, all nicely organized, to keep the mystery alive. There’s rain, forest, zoo and more to make the scenery real. There are all the modern-day issues Oregon delights in being famous for. And there’s a nicely journalistic tone that evokes the more ancient Dr. Watson perfectly.

With just enough mystery to intrigue, just enough logic to entice, just enough homage to the past to feel right, and just enough of the present to make it new and exciting, this feels like the beginning of a thoroughly enjoyable series and I’m looking forward to reading more.



Dislcosure: I read about this on the internet and jumped at the chance of an ecopy when they were offered free.

[Linda Pettit · Rating 5 out of 5]

DeHelen's clever concept and thorough development of the unique characters, combined with a writing style that kept the story moving through all its unexpected twists and turns, made this a thoroughly enjoyable read. A bonus, at least for me - an occasional visitor to the beautiful city of Portland, OR -- was DeHelen's inclusion of local places and geography. As a feminist I am always happy to read literature that includes that viewpoint; for it to be included in one of my favorite genres was a pleasant surprise.

This book could easily be read in one long sitting, but I enjoyed reading it gradually over the course of several days, as my schedule allowed at that point. I liked coming back to it as my reward for persevering, at the end some difficult days I was experiencing. I am looking forward to the next book in the series! Hurray for the continuing adventures of Shirley Combs and her sidekick, Dr. Watson!!

[Advait Borate · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Holmes-esque mystery novel set in Portland. Though I found the plot to be simplistic and the end hap hazard I must say that the narration was good. The similarities to Sherlock, more so to Dr Watson are both funny and provide respite from an otherwise monotonous narrative. I am not sure if Shirley Combs would be the greatest living detective, but Dr Mary Watson would certainly get my vote for the best side-kick to a detective!!! :)

[Erik Sapp · Rating 1 out of 5]

Too Long and Boring

A modern day Holmes and Watson? Sounds great! Too bad the author does not have any of the talent of Doyle. The narrator is whiny and pathetic. Combs comes across like Holmes, but the author does not give her the charm of Holmes. The story drags on and is too long.
I tried to read this book, but I just could not do it. I ended up flipping to the end, just to be able to put this book behind me.

[Tom Park · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I liked the work for the most part, near the end I was becoming disenchanted with Dr. Watson. Not having read and of the Sherlock Holmes stories, I don't know if the author was trying to clone The Hound with the Hounding. It takes a little getting used to, but on the whole, I would read more of her work.

[Victoria Lovell · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book and following the clues. I did find it dragged a little. It was a little hard for me to get into reading from a narrators perspective, but after a little while you get used to it. Didn't know who the killer was until the end!

[Tam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again, de Helen has delighted and wowed me! Mary & Shirley are a modern day, feminine play on Holmes & Watson without being hokey or gimmicky. Actually, their personalities, behaviors and interactions, with not only each other but the clients and suspects, put me in mind of a female version of the comedy duo of Leonard & Sheldon from the show The Big Bang Theory.

Mild-mannered Mary drew a parallel of the easygoing, underappreciated, longsuffering Leonard. Shirley, for me, cleverly parodied the anal-retentive, detail-oriented, routine-driven, obliviously-narcissistic Sheldon with the trademark brusque manner and superiority complex to boot. And, seeing these characters in this personally-assigned comparative light made everything they said and did ten times more amusing and hilarious for me.

I liked how Mary & Shirley's friendship, work relationship and appreciation of and for each other grew and developed as this case was being investigated and solved. There was a genuine acceptance of the other's personal quirks and perceived flaws that put me in mind of the unconditional friendship between me and my best friend. For me, the mystery part of this story took a back seat (deservedly so) to the discovery of another crucial layer of "self" experienced by both Mary & Shirley. And, I think the overall story was enhanced by that. It added a level of depth and substance that made this book more than just another "Whodunit?" Not only was the killer a surprise, but so too was a glimpse a more vulnerable side of Shirley and a more assertive and confident side of Mary.

Although they had known each other for years, by the end of the book Shirley and Mary felt the bond of their friendship deepen and fill their hearts with agape' love at its purest and most elemental level. (agape love: "Unconditional love that is always giving and impossible to take or be a taker.) And, in learning how to truly work together as a TEAM, it set the stage for more stories to come featuring these two dysfunctional but loveable clue hounds.

This book was a smart combination of mystery, suspense, humor and contemporary sleuthing with that little "something extra" that makes you sincerely hope to visit with these characters, again.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book in order to read and provide an honest, unbiased and voluntary review, should I choose to do so.

[Concordia West · Rating 2 out of 5]

Shirley Combs and Dr Watson are out to solve the usual murder case: random woman dead in a park. With some effort, I bet even this premise could have been enjoyable. Unfortunately, it was not.

[Megan]

Pastiche: “ a literary, artistic, musical, or architectural work that imitates the style of previous work." For decades, the word pastiche was commonly used to refer to stories about Sherlock Holmes that were not written by A. Conan Doyle. Perhaps the most famous is The Seven-Percent Solution, which was a best seller for Nicholas Meyer in 1974. More recently, Laurie R. King (who also writes lesbian mysteries featuring Kate Martinelli) has created the Mary Russell Mystery Series, which features the iconic sleuth. Holmes also appears in Carole Nelson Douglas’ Irene Adler series. In fact, Amazon.com lists over 7000 paperbacks inspired by Holmes.

As far as the lesbian mystery genre goes, characters based on Holmes and Watson appear in Nene Adams’ Gaslight Series, Olivia Stowe’s Charlotte Diamond Series, Debra Hyde’s Charlotte Olmes Series. There is more than a subtle similarity to Holmes and Watson in Iza Moreau’s The XYZ Mysteries, with Xande Calhoun as Holmes and her sister Yolande as Watson. There are stories about Holmes and Watson as lesbians and Holmes and Watson as gay. Now, Sandra de Helen has become one of the latest pasticheurs with her series about Shirley Combs and her friend Dr. Mary Watson. In the first novel, The Hounding, neither character is either gay or lesbian, or even hetero. But we’ll get to that in a paragraph or two.

We don’t hear the word pastiche much any more. Today, it’s called “fan fiction.” I suspect that The Hounding began as fan fiction, and perhaps that’s why it isn’t as strong as it could be. For one thing, the author makes over 15 references to Sherlock Holmes himself. A couple of the characters joke about the Sherlock Holmes/Shirley Combs vocal similarity. And the language sometimes is just too Holmesian (despite the story being set in modern-day Oregon) to be anything but fan fiction. Here are a couple of for instances:

“I have been engaged by Miss Goldenhawk Vandeleur to enquire into the circumstances surrounding the death of her mother, Pricilla Leoin.”

“Only a slight upward movement of Shirley’s left eyebrow would have given away her surprise, and only an observer as keen as Shirley herself would have seen it.”

Now there’s nothing wrong with fan fiction, which may be the newest literary genre. In The Hounding, the writing is strong and the mystery is worthy of the master himself. In short, a woman is mauled by dogs, causing her to have a heart attack and die. But who set the dogs on her and where are they now? Shirley Combs, private investigator and portfolio analyst, takes on the job of finding the answer. But unless an author is actually writing about the real Holmes and Watson, it is not a good idea to stick too close to the original.

There is little backstory about either Shirley or Mary. Both consider themselves asexual and both live alone; Shirley in Portland, Oregon and Mary in nearby Lake Oswego. And neither, unfortunately, seems to have a very interesting personality. Of the two, though, it is Mary—the primary narrator—who has the most promise. It is she who gets an odd feeling when she sees an attractive woman and it is she who continually questions her strange relationship with Shirley. Shirley seems to question nothing.

And I can’t let this review go without discussing point of view. As you will remember, most—but not all—of the original Sherlock Holmes stories are narrated in their entirety by Watson, who sees all and hears all. Holmes includes him in his adventures just so that Watson is in attendance, not only as a friend, but as an observer. De Helen knows this well, but often finds it difficult to insert her Watson into the action, although this action is important to the story. Here’s how Mary Watson explains her ability to do it. Evidently, like Archie Goodwin in Rex Stout’s Nero Wolfe detective series, Shirley has a photographic memory and is able to give a thorough account of her outings, as when Mary says, “she dictated her word by word account for me.” Then, Mary continues, “I use my creative license to add what I imagine to be the thoughts and emotions of all the players.” She adds later, “It’s easy to imagine what happened next.” This is one of the cleverest point-of-view ploys I’ve ever seen, but it’s still a glitch in the artistry.

But that’s enough skating around. As fan fiction, The Hounding is as good as most; as creative literature, not so much. But despite everything, it is an interesting and well-developed mystery. I recommend it for any Holmes/Watson obsessives.

Note: I read the 4-16-2017 e-book version of this novel.

Another Note: This review is included in my book The Art of the Lesbian Mystery Novel, along with information on over 930 other lesbian mysteries by over 310 authors.

[Peggy Bird · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shirley Combs (works best when you say it out loud) and her reluctant assistant Dr. Mary Watson form a team of crime-solving Portlanders who rival their London idols in their skills of deduction. And what a crime they have to solve. A wealthy woman who wants to use her money to turn the Northwest logging industry on its ear is frightened to death by vicious dogs, something she has feared all her life. The story winds through Portland and its suburbs as Combs and Watson investigate a collection of suspects and finally, in the classic manner, confront the killer.

deHelen has done a wonderful job of paying homage to Conan Doyle's famous sleuth with "The Hounding" even to the extent of creating a family tree that connects the two stories. If you're a Sherlock fan, you'll be satisfied with how she does it. If you know nothing about Sherlock, other than his name, you'll enjoy the story for its clever twists and interesting characters.

[Amy Jesionowski · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting retelling of The Hound of the Baskervilles with reimagined, uber characters. I think the facts and clues surrounding the case could have used a little work, and with a couple re-reads and re-writes it would have been a great little story (I say this because the original and all subsequently reimagined characters implied to be Sherlock Holmes (that I'm familiar with) are known for their deductive reasoning skills; some of the jumps made in this book would have been much better and not look so much like guesswork and out of the blue had there been a couple things included along the way). I thought the characters were a little flat (I had the feeling that when they were written, many assumptions were made that the audience would just get who they are and less detail was employed than necessary to really make the characters come alive) but they were fun and I did enjoy their lively banter. Solid 3-star story (which really isn't bad!)!

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a rather odd book. Shirley Combs and Dr. Mary Watson (notice the name resemblance to Sherlock Holmes and Watson and you can guess the premise of the story). A wealthy woman is attacked and killed by a pack of dogs. Shirley Combs and Dr. Watson look into the incident (which again bears a strong resemblance to Hound of the Baskervilles)and find that the victim is a descendant of the original Baskerville family and had a fear of being attacked by dogs. The victim was worth over a billion dollars and had left her money to her husband, daughter and then the local ballet company. There is a whole list of suspects: the husband, stepson, an animal welfare group, a logging company executive, and her lesbian lover. The story is done rather well but it did stretch the reader's imagination a bit thin in places.

[Lilmissmolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to the Audio version of this story. Needing to take a business trip this week, I was looking for a story between 3-4 hours to help pass the time while traveling. This was 4 hours well spent. Jesus Reed's narration was very good. She had good pace, inflections, and tone. I also liked the differing voices between the genders.

The Hounding is a story that is written in the vein of the Sherlock Holmes stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, with the same mysterious characters, several of whom have motivation to commit the crime being investigated. What's more, the story is written in the first person and from the perspective of Shirley Holmes' sidekick and soon to be partner, Dr. Watson. The characters in the Hounding are aware of their similarities with Sir Arthur's more famous fictional characters, which I appreciated.

[Trish · Rating 3 out of 5]

This wasn't quite what I was expecting. The title and description made me think that wolves or werewolves were going to be involved with a bit of action. It didn't have any of that.A couple of times I almost gave up on it because there wasn't really any of the action that I thought it would have and I almost got bored. The ending almost seemed anti-climatic. I don't think mysteries are for me but if you are into mysteries, it's a decent read.

[Deirdre S. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd give this 3.5 stars, with the potential for sequels to rate higher. A minor few instances where I felt the author pulled things out of her hat rather than laying the groundwork, but none were fatal flaws. If this becomes a series, I'd read the next one out with a hopeful outlook.

[Alexandra]

Free for Kindle

[LVLMLeah · Rating 3 out of 5]

The mystery unfolding process was done well in this book; I didn't guess who did it. But I disliked the main characters and some of the situations were a bit too hokey for me.

[Anne Michaud · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not normally a reader of mysteries, but I do love a good literary story. The author used Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's characters of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson to create a modern-day female crime-solving duo. Her introduction of the characters was quite deft, humorous and believable. Character development is paramount in this first of the series, and I also appreciated the setting of the Pacific Northwest, which became a character in itself. I learned a great deal about the value of old growth forests... but not in a preachy way. This is a stylish and clever mystery, and the author makes it easy to follow as suspicion shifts from one person to another. Mystery lovers will enjoy this book, and I recommend it as well to anyone who likes a smart, fast-paced work of fiction.