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5-Minute Sherlock #1
The Case of the Damaged Detective
A MYSTERY/ROAD TRIP/BUDDY COMEDY/ACTION ADVENTURE FROM THE AUTHOR OF 'SECOND HAND CURSES.'
A dance club full of bodies. Cause of death - a mystery. The lone survivor - a man, raving like a lunatic, wearing only a deerstalker hat.
Now, the man who calls himself Sherman Holmes is being studied like a lab rat by a top-secret government agency. How is it he can be barely clinging to reality one minute - yet be a seeming genius the next? Within his brain might just be the greatest scientific breakthrough of the millennium, if anyone can figure out how to access it.
Enter the agent code named Watson.
Once a rising star, a deadly betrayal sent hin spiraling into uncertainty and paranoia. Now saddled with moving Sherman to a more-secure facility, he must prove he's still up to the task. With enemies on their heels, a whole country to cross, and Sherman ranting in his ear, the job proves to be more of a challenge than Watson ever anticipated.
With Watson's experience and the bizarre insights of his own twisted mind, Sherman just might survive. But can Watson survive Sherman?
©2019 Andrew Hayes (P)2019 Audible Originals, LLC.
A dance club full of bodies. Cause of death - a mystery. The lone survivor - a man, raving like a lunatic, wearing only a deerstalker hat.
Now, the man who calls himself Sherman Holmes is being studied like a lab rat by a top-secret government agency. How is it he can be barely clinging to reality one minute - yet be a seeming genius the next? Within his brain might just be the greatest scientific breakthrough of the millennium, if anyone can figure out how to access it.
Enter the agent code named Watson.
Once a rising star, a deadly betrayal sent hin spiraling into uncertainty and paranoia. Now saddled with moving Sherman to a more-secure facility, he must prove he's still up to the task. With enemies on their heels, a whole country to cross, and Sherman ranting in his ear, the job proves to be more of a challenge than Watson ever anticipated.
With Watson's experience and the bizarre insights of his own twisted mind, Sherman just might survive. But can Watson survive Sherman?
©2019 Andrew Hayes (P)2019 Audible Originals, LLC.
8 pages, Audible Audio
First published June 13, 2019
288 people are currently reading
688 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 224 reviews
December 5, 2019
The Case of the Damaged Detective
5-Minute Sherlock, Book 1
By: Drew Hayes
Narrated by: Scott Aiello, Carol Monda
This is about a guy that survives a weird event and makes him a genius but very manic and annoying! Everyone is after him for his brain.He thinks he is a descendent of Sherlock Holmes and his body guard is Watson. This story is of their travels from one place to another.
The narration was good regardless of the the book.
5-Minute Sherlock, Book 1
By: Drew Hayes
Narrated by: Scott Aiello, Carol Monda
This is about a guy that survives a weird event and makes him a genius but very manic and annoying! Everyone is after him for his brain.He thinks he is a descendent of Sherlock Holmes and his body guard is Watson. This story is of their travels from one place to another.
The narration was good regardless of the the book.
February 3, 2020
February 1st, 2020 Mini-Review:
Rating Raised from 3.5 Stars to 4 Stars
4.5 Stars for Narration by Scott Aiello
4 Stars for Characters
4 Stars for Story
The story was better 2nd time around. Going in blind into this story makes it easy to be disappointed due to whatever expectations you may have from the author's previous work. That was a part of what happened to me the first time I read the book.
By this point, I've read a fair share of Hayes' work. The one book I could not get into ended up being worth the effort to finish because the rest of the series has the mix of elements I expect to get when I read one of his books.
I know DH writes in a way where all of the details matter in one shape or form. There are no wasted words. The first time I read this story, if I had taken it in as it was told without expectations, I would have enjoyed it a lot more.
Why does this book get mixed reviews? Because Sherman is kind of crazy and totally weird. He does a lot of things that make no sense within a regular day. His actions are so off the wall that they are frustrating and tsk-worthy. That's the way the readers are suppose to respond. You're suppose to think he is totally crazy and bizarre. You're suppose to be frustrated and confused by Sherman's antics. We fall into the author's clever little trap and that colors the way we see the story.
It was cool to see how Hayes created a character out of thin air and loaded expectations with all the pop references (Sherlock, Blues Brothers, etc). He did a great job! By the end of the book, I know Sherman and Watson. They are fully developed characters with miles more to discover.
This is an quirky adventure story that you will experience with the characters and by your reactions to the events. Good times! The story has a nice blend of humor, the weird, action and good guy values.
It's still a teaser and I am waiting for the next book. =)
July 9th, 2019 Mini-Review:
4 Stars for Narration by Scott Aiello
3.5 Stars for Story
4 Stars for Characters
Solid start for a new series. The only downside was that I felt like I read a teaser. It's just enough to get you into the story but not enough to make you feel satisfied. I look forward to the next book.
Rating Raised from 3.5 Stars to 4 Stars
4.5 Stars for Narration by Scott Aiello
4 Stars for Characters
4 Stars for Story
The story was better 2nd time around. Going in blind into this story makes it easy to be disappointed due to whatever expectations you may have from the author's previous work. That was a part of what happened to me the first time I read the book.
By this point, I've read a fair share of Hayes' work. The one book I could not get into ended up being worth the effort to finish because the rest of the series has the mix of elements I expect to get when I read one of his books.
I know DH writes in a way where all of the details matter in one shape or form. There are no wasted words. The first time I read this story, if I had taken it in as it was told without expectations, I would have enjoyed it a lot more.
Why does this book get mixed reviews? Because Sherman is kind of crazy and totally weird. He does a lot of things that make no sense within a regular day. His actions are so off the wall that they are frustrating and tsk-worthy. That's the way the readers are suppose to respond. You're suppose to think he is totally crazy and bizarre. You're suppose to be frustrated and confused by Sherman's antics. We fall into the author's clever little trap and that colors the way we see the story.
It was cool to see how Hayes created a character out of thin air and loaded expectations with all the pop references (Sherlock, Blues Brothers, etc). He did a great job! By the end of the book, I know Sherman and Watson. They are fully developed characters with miles more to discover.
This is an quirky adventure story that you will experience with the characters and by your reactions to the events. Good times! The story has a nice blend of humor, the weird, action and good guy values.
It's still a teaser and I am waiting for the next book. =)
July 9th, 2019 Mini-Review:
4 Stars for Narration by Scott Aiello
3.5 Stars for Story
4 Stars for Characters
Solid start for a new series. The only downside was that I felt like I read a teaser. It's just enough to get you into the story but not enough to make you feel satisfied. I look forward to the next book.
April 17, 2021
This is one of those cases where I took a chance on a book based on liking the only other work I've read by the author and that it had been given positive reviews by a couple friends. I am so glad I did. The Case of the Damaged Detective by Drew Hayes is a fun re-imagining of Sherlock Holmes with a scifi/thriller twist and a healthy dose of comedy.
Someone dumped a biological weapon into a nightclub killing all but one man who woke up with no memory of his past calling himself Sherman, an off the charts IQ and believing himself to be the descendant of the fictional character Sherlock Holmes. Naturally the government wants to study Sherman's newfound genius and needs to transfer him to a different facility. Assigned to the task is agent code-name Watson. Watson is in for a more difficult than expected task as the government aren't the only ones looking to study the survivor's brain.
Sherman and Watson are a great odd couple. Sherman's condition has given him a superiority complex where he disdains the common man. What Sherman lacks in people skills he makes up for with his quick insights into everything going on around him. This leads to some hilarious conversations that would be utterly horrifying to hear in real life, though I'm right there with him on his logic to why cats secretly rule the world. As we grow to understand the nature of Sherman's condition it's easy to sympathize with the guy as he attempts to manage not going insane while staying relatively functional. Watson is an extremely competent special agent with a high level of paranoia and severe trust issues due to both his chosen profession and his recent past. Dealing with Sherman's unique requirements forces Watson to leverage his agent training in creative ways. It was great seeing these two unlikely companions grow into a good working relationship and friendship by the end.
I suspect enjoyment of this book will depend on how well you tolerate Sherman's quirks. I enjoyed it and found him entertaining though I can see how someone would find him incredibly irritating.
I listened to the audio book narrated by Scott Aiello. Aiello does a wonderful job bringing the characters to life.
This was such a fun listen. The series has lots of potential. I'll be rotating the second book into my audio cycle soon.
Someone dumped a biological weapon into a nightclub killing all but one man who woke up with no memory of his past calling himself Sherman, an off the charts IQ and believing himself to be the descendant of the fictional character Sherlock Holmes. Naturally the government wants to study Sherman's newfound genius and needs to transfer him to a different facility. Assigned to the task is agent code-name Watson. Watson is in for a more difficult than expected task as the government aren't the only ones looking to study the survivor's brain.
Sherman and Watson are a great odd couple. Sherman's condition has given him a superiority complex where he disdains the common man. What Sherman lacks in people skills he makes up for with his quick insights into everything going on around him. This leads to some hilarious conversations that would be utterly horrifying to hear in real life, though I'm right there with him on his logic to why cats secretly rule the world. As we grow to understand the nature of Sherman's condition it's easy to sympathize with the guy as he attempts to manage not going insane while staying relatively functional. Watson is an extremely competent special agent with a high level of paranoia and severe trust issues due to both his chosen profession and his recent past. Dealing with Sherman's unique requirements forces Watson to leverage his agent training in creative ways. It was great seeing these two unlikely companions grow into a good working relationship and friendship by the end.
I suspect enjoyment of this book will depend on how well you tolerate Sherman's quirks. I enjoyed it and found him entertaining though I can see how someone would find him incredibly irritating.
I listened to the audio book narrated by Scott Aiello. Aiello does a wonderful job bringing the characters to life.
This was such a fun listen. The series has lots of potential. I'll be rotating the second book into my audio cycle soon.
June 20, 2019
First the Blues Brothers remake cover is an insult . Readable but suspension of disbelief gets seriously dislocated.
Drew Hayes is a better author than this. Some of his books are really excellent ( Pears and Perils). He writes a number of different tropes so he does not get stale. But this book was written in a hurry without adequate feedback. You would wish he could listen to people who would say comedy can become stretched beyond humor. Comedy is a careful blend of reality and absurd, not just more and more absurd.
When find yourself screaming at the author "stupid, stupid, stupid!" And skip forward because super competent hero and super competent villian must make amateur mistakes to give central character opportunity to reveal crazy talent--- come on! He could have laid a more reasonable trap. Now the book needs an intervention.
I would consider reading the sequel ( introducing Moriarty, geez) with reservations. Sometimes over-the-top is just over the top.
PS. Don't you hate it when fanboys have to vote down your review because they don't want their pet to take some advice and do better?
Drew Hayes is a better author than this. Some of his books are really excellent ( Pears and Perils). He writes a number of different tropes so he does not get stale. But this book was written in a hurry without adequate feedback. You would wish he could listen to people who would say comedy can become stretched beyond humor. Comedy is a careful blend of reality and absurd, not just more and more absurd.
When find yourself screaming at the author "stupid, stupid, stupid!" And skip forward because super competent hero and super competent villian must make amateur mistakes to give central character opportunity to reveal crazy talent--- come on! He could have laid a more reasonable trap. Now the book needs an intervention.
I would consider reading the sequel ( introducing Moriarty, geez) with reservations. Sometimes over-the-top is just over the top.
PS. Don't you hate it when fanboys have to vote down your review because they don't want their pet to take some advice and do better?
June 16, 2023
Entertaining mystery listening 🎶🔰
I picked this series because I am a Sherlock Holmes fan and I am away looking for something a little different. The story line is a little futuristic with a scientist making a drug 💉 that will allow the person to rule the world 🌎. It effects one person Sherman Holmes who with an agent named Watson they go on a wild adventure. It ends with them setting up a detective agency. I would recommend this series and author to 👍 readers and fans of Sherlock Holmes and mystery novels 👍🔰. 2023 😀😯😡😮
This is my first novel by this author. Happy reading and have fun 🌙
To many authors and series and not enough time.
I picked this series because I am a Sherlock Holmes fan and I am away looking for something a little different. The story line is a little futuristic with a scientist making a drug 💉 that will allow the person to rule the world 🌎. It effects one person Sherman Holmes who with an agent named Watson they go on a wild adventure. It ends with them setting up a detective agency. I would recommend this series and author to 👍 readers and fans of Sherlock Holmes and mystery novels 👍🔰. 2023 😀😯😡😮
This is my first novel by this author. Happy reading and have fun 🌙
To many authors and series and not enough time.
May 8, 2020
As usual from this author, I really liked this book. It's different from his other books, with just a little bit of sci fi, but more of an action and adventure type of thing with an interesting premise. This book felt like it was a prequel to an already established series. You could just tell that things were being set up for many adventures in the future.
The two main characters both grew on me by the end of the book. There was a lot of good development to lead them to where they ended up. I also thought some of the side characters were really well fleshed out, and I can see a lot of them turning back up in future stories.
The plot itself was straightforward, but just reading the blurb, you should expect more adventure and wackiness than a unique plot. I've always connected with the author's humor, so I loved a lot of the crazy things that happened as the story went on. Leave your disbelief at the door and you will have a lot of fun with it.
This is the kind of book I would recommend to anyone who likes the author already, or anyone who wants a fun change of pace adventure.
The two main characters both grew on me by the end of the book. There was a lot of good development to lead them to where they ended up. I also thought some of the side characters were really well fleshed out, and I can see a lot of them turning back up in future stories.
The plot itself was straightforward, but just reading the blurb, you should expect more adventure and wackiness than a unique plot. I've always connected with the author's humor, so I loved a lot of the crazy things that happened as the story went on. Leave your disbelief at the door and you will have a lot of fun with it.
This is the kind of book I would recommend to anyone who likes the author already, or anyone who wants a fun change of pace adventure.
April 29, 2022
I listened to this audiobook narrated by Scott Aiello and Carol Monda. If you read the premise, it could have gone any number of ways, and if you're a Holmes purist, you might turn your nose down on this. But I just finished reading the entire Holmes canon, and I've read at least one other retelling lately, so I was looking forward to this if only to see what someone else might be inspired to write in the Holmes and Watson universe.
Sherman was a guy who some might find annoying, and while the potential was there for me, and I wasn't exactly charmed by him, I found myself laughing at the lunacy of some of the situations Sherman and Joel found themselves in. And yet, this wasn't a ridiculous book, entertaining though it was. I was actually drawn into the action as Joel puts his spy skills to use to keep Sherman and himself alive, and I was always reluctant to stop listening because I wanted to see what would happen next. I love how Joel was essentially forced into this relationship (and identity) but his interactions with Sherman ended up changing his life for the better (and probably saving his life at least twice I think--I lost count).
When I first saw the title, I thought it was a short story collection of 5-minute mysteries, but when I found out where the title came from, it made it so much more interesting. As I said the potential for Sherman being annoying was definitely there, but I loved getting into this head and learning just what he was going through at any given moment and I loved Joel learning not just about Serhman, but also about himself. I am definitely moving the second book up in my queue!
Sherman was a guy who some might find annoying, and while the potential was there for me, and I wasn't exactly charmed by him, I found myself laughing at the lunacy of some of the situations Sherman and Joel found themselves in. And yet, this wasn't a ridiculous book, entertaining though it was. I was actually drawn into the action as Joel puts his spy skills to use to keep Sherman and himself alive, and I was always reluctant to stop listening because I wanted to see what would happen next. I love how Joel was essentially forced into this relationship (and identity) but his interactions with Sherman ended up changing his life for the better (and probably saving his life at least twice I think--I lost count).
When I first saw the title, I thought it was a short story collection of 5-minute mysteries, but when I found out where the title came from, it made it so much more interesting. As I said the potential for Sherman being annoying was definitely there, but I loved getting into this head and learning just what he was going through at any given moment and I loved Joel learning not just about Serhman, but also about himself. I am definitely moving the second book up in my queue!
January 18, 2020
Absolutely Brilliant
October 29, 2024
Simple, quick, joyful and playful. Worth a minute of your time.
January 16, 2020
3.5/5 - Not my favorite Drew Hayes work, but a pretty good start to a promising series.
May 19, 2020
This book was one wild ride. It was so crazy and nuts and I really enjoyed it. Both characters were fantastic and complimented each other well. Definitely will read more cuz it was fun!
January 29, 2024
Modestly interesting, not very fun
I'm a huge fan of Drew Hayes, so I snapped this up as soon as I saw it. I love Drew for his quirky empathetic under dog characters and situations that don't absolutely require violence as the only solution. In a Drew Hayes book the hero is not the character with the biggest gun and first to shoot, but the person who assess the situation first to see if any shooting is even necessary.
The Damaged Detective meets all the criteria: quirky main character who sees the world differently, a supporting cast who come to see the world as a better place through interacting with the hero. an emphasis on wacky adventures over blood shed and carnage, and Ultimately a disarming charm.
The damaged Detective fell short in two ways. I just couldn't make myself like the main characters, and I didn't feel the usual Drew Hayes charm.
The background and plot are intellectually engaging for a time, but I grew tired of spending time with the people in the story. I suspect the culprit was the dialog. Witty banter is a fine spice, but it makes a lousy main ingredient. Holmes may be a genius, but I wouldn't want to share a cross town taxi with him let alone a cross country road trip. After a wile, if a person is an insufferable ass I don't care how smart, rich, or handsome they are, I just want to get away.
UPDATE: 5 years later
The next two books in this series have come out, but it's been 5 years since I read book 1. So I thought I'd reread the first one before getting caught up with books 2 & 3. The flaw in that plan is that I more strongly disliked this book the second time. Or should I say I more strongly disliked the main character. I just couldn't do it. DNF because I just can't stand that guy, and I knew it doesn't get any better. If you like or hate the first few chapters, that's what your going to get the whole book through.
Kinda weird, because I love everything else by Drew Hayes. -Go figure
I'm a huge fan of Drew Hayes, so I snapped this up as soon as I saw it. I love Drew for his quirky empathetic under dog characters and situations that don't absolutely require violence as the only solution. In a Drew Hayes book the hero is not the character with the biggest gun and first to shoot, but the person who assess the situation first to see if any shooting is even necessary.
The Damaged Detective meets all the criteria: quirky main character who sees the world differently, a supporting cast who come to see the world as a better place through interacting with the hero. an emphasis on wacky adventures over blood shed and carnage, and Ultimately a disarming charm.
The damaged Detective fell short in two ways. I just couldn't make myself like the main characters, and I didn't feel the usual Drew Hayes charm.
The background and plot are intellectually engaging for a time, but I grew tired of spending time with the people in the story. I suspect the culprit was the dialog. Witty banter is a fine spice, but it makes a lousy main ingredient. Holmes may be a genius, but I wouldn't want to share a cross town taxi with him let alone a cross country road trip. After a wile, if a person is an insufferable ass I don't care how smart, rich, or handsome they are, I just want to get away.
UPDATE: 5 years later
The next two books in this series have come out, but it's been 5 years since I read book 1. So I thought I'd reread the first one before getting caught up with books 2 & 3. The flaw in that plan is that I more strongly disliked this book the second time. Or should I say I more strongly disliked the main character. I just couldn't do it. DNF because I just can't stand that guy, and I knew it doesn't get any better. If you like or hate the first few chapters, that's what your going to get the whole book through.
Kinda weird, because I love everything else by Drew Hayes. -Go figure
September 13, 2020
I didn't find this book as enjoyable as his NPC series, which I really like.
Basically this is an origin story for yet another new series, though I don't want to interfere with his writing process I have some concerns that Mr. Hayes may be spreading himself thin over his other ongoing serials.
I'd give the 2nd book a chance, but the characters and plot-lines were not engaging.
Basically this is an origin story for yet another new series, though I don't want to interfere with his writing process I have some concerns that Mr. Hayes may be spreading himself thin over his other ongoing serials.
I'd give the 2nd book a chance, but the characters and plot-lines were not engaging.
September 17, 2019
What a fun, fun novel from Audible! Narrator Scott Aiello does a wonderful job of bringing Sherman Holmes and Joel Watson to hilarious life! Light and breezy, with dashes of emotional depth, it's a delightful road trip of a story that made me laugh out loud at times. I'm soooo glad I gave a listen!
July 2, 2024
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. In fact, I find it a perfect example of the reason I've become an apologist for indie published books versus traditional, big house books. In sum, it all lies on creativity. Originality. Pure entertainment. The big houses rarely ever take chances. They publish by formula. A book is either 1) the same as the last big seller with minor differences, 2) written by a proven name, and 3) adheres to the agenda propagated by the editor. This, of course, leads to the production of a myriad of books I wouldn't want cluttering any bookshelf of mine, let alone the shelves of my mind.
Enter a book like The Case of the Damaged Detective. A story with one goal in mind...to entertain. Not only that, but to do so without concern of how similar books might have done it in the past. Or how those books performed. The author simply had a story he wanted to tell and he did so admirably.
I've read a few reviews that disparage the character of Sherman Holmes as 'unbearable' and 'annoying'. Many of these reviews have given low ratings because of those characteristics. I argue that these readers have missed the point of Sherman altogether. Of course, he's unbearable. Of course, he's annoying. The man is insane. His brain is damaged. In fact, as I read/listened to this book, I couldn't help wonder if the author might not be close to someone with dementia or a traumatic brain injury of some kind. He wrote Sherman and his annoying traits with such accuracy, it was an assessment I couldn't help but think. Why? Because of the way in which, despite all those annoying traits, once you get past that bristly wall--the way Watson does toward the end of the story--you find a gentle, compassionate man. A good man. A man willing to sacrifice all for the sake of a friend. Or a stranger. And vice versa, you find Watson developing true feelings for this damaged man despite how difficult he is to be around.
I took a chance on The Case of the Damaged Detective and I'm glad I did. I can't wait to move onto the next book. If nothing else, this book cemented my perception that indie books are far superior to traditional any day of the week.
Enter a book like The Case of the Damaged Detective. A story with one goal in mind...to entertain. Not only that, but to do so without concern of how similar books might have done it in the past. Or how those books performed. The author simply had a story he wanted to tell and he did so admirably.
I've read a few reviews that disparage the character of Sherman Holmes as 'unbearable' and 'annoying'. Many of these reviews have given low ratings because of those characteristics. I argue that these readers have missed the point of Sherman altogether. Of course, he's unbearable. Of course, he's annoying. The man is insane. His brain is damaged. In fact, as I read/listened to this book, I couldn't help wonder if the author might not be close to someone with dementia or a traumatic brain injury of some kind. He wrote Sherman and his annoying traits with such accuracy, it was an assessment I couldn't help but think. Why? Because of the way in which, despite all those annoying traits, once you get past that bristly wall--the way Watson does toward the end of the story--you find a gentle, compassionate man. A good man. A man willing to sacrifice all for the sake of a friend. Or a stranger. And vice versa, you find Watson developing true feelings for this damaged man despite how difficult he is to be around.
I took a chance on The Case of the Damaged Detective and I'm glad I did. I can't wait to move onto the next book. If nothing else, this book cemented my perception that indie books are far superior to traditional any day of the week.
April 19, 2024
The Case of the Damaged Detective is an absolute delight of a story which is perfect for fans of the “quirky detective.” It is equal parts comedy, mystery, espionage thriller, and road trip novel.
There is only one survivor of the massacre at a dance club. One amnesiac survivor, naked save for a deerstalker hat, who claims to be the descendent of legendary — and quite fictional — detective Sherlock Holmes. The man, who calls himself Sherman Holmes, has been given an experimental drug which enhances his cognition to a remarkable level, but only for five minutes at a time. This, naturally, makes him extremely valuable not only to the government, but to any number of other shadowy agencies including the creators of the drug.
He must be escorted to a new safe location. The man picked for the job is a recently disgraced agent who suffers from paranoia. He will have to put up with Sherman’s quirks, his lack of memory, and his incredible insights. For the duration of this mission, he will go by Watson.
Drew Hayes blends espionage and humor extremely well. The reader is able to connect with the characters and fear for them as they are hounded by various contractors dedicated to capturing Sherman Holmes. The Case of the Damaged Detective is a fun story and I look forward to reading the other books in the 5-Minute Sherlock series.
There is only one survivor of the massacre at a dance club. One amnesiac survivor, naked save for a deerstalker hat, who claims to be the descendent of legendary — and quite fictional — detective Sherlock Holmes. The man, who calls himself Sherman Holmes, has been given an experimental drug which enhances his cognition to a remarkable level, but only for five minutes at a time. This, naturally, makes him extremely valuable not only to the government, but to any number of other shadowy agencies including the creators of the drug.
He must be escorted to a new safe location. The man picked for the job is a recently disgraced agent who suffers from paranoia. He will have to put up with Sherman’s quirks, his lack of memory, and his incredible insights. For the duration of this mission, he will go by Watson.
Drew Hayes blends espionage and humor extremely well. The reader is able to connect with the characters and fear for them as they are hounded by various contractors dedicated to capturing Sherman Holmes. The Case of the Damaged Detective is a fun story and I look forward to reading the other books in the 5-Minute Sherlock series.
June 27, 2023
The premise here is that a random civilian, Sherman, is drugged with a mind altering chemical that a) makes him believe he is a descendent of Sherlock Holmes, and b) gives him unparalleled short bursts of intelligence that the government is keen to study, is entrusted to a paranoid but capable government agent, codenamed Watson, who has to transport him across the country to a secure laboratory facility. This is a madcap setup, complete with a cackling evil scientist antagonist, but as the story progresses it slowly begins to take itself more seriously, which is a bit of a double-edged sword. The book gets less funny (the first few chapters had a bit of a Christopher Moore vibe, but it wasn't maintained) but it also gets less frustrating, as you begin to relate to and root for Sherman as he becomes more of a three-dimensional character and less of a caricature.
September 6, 2023
So far I loved all the books I´ve read by Drew Hayes (Fred the vampire accountant series and the Super Powereds series), but with this one I had a harder time. I lost the plot halfway through. Maybe I wasn´t paying attention, maybe it just wasn´t my "cup of tea", but apart from the main idea of the book I can´t recount anything of what this book was about. By no means is it written badly. I guess, I simply wasn´t in the right mood for it.
June 23, 2019
I love Drew Hayes, but this boook was unfortunate. The writing was extraordinarily pedestrian, the characters uninteresting and irritating, and the story appearing to be a simple money-making, poorly thought-out venture on a popular and overly saturated genre.
July 7, 2024
The Case of the Damaged Detective was a fast, fun, buddy mystery. The references to Sherlock Holmes were fun. This is a great quick listen, and I'll definitely be checking out other books in the series.
December 2, 2024
I got this on an audible deal and it was a fun story. Interesting characters with a quick pace. Definitely worth picking up the next one.
December 15, 2024
Fun, enjoyable, wild ride
July 16, 2019
Another great series, based on Holmes property that I look forward to reading. Drew Hayes uses his witty banter to give an excellent buddy cop portrayal with much more fun to come.
November 16, 2022
This was a really enjoyable short lived audiobook. I enjoyed the characters and the events and my expectations were very well met.
March 20, 2025
Such a fun story
January 28, 2022
Some books are better to be read than heard in audio form, and some are as good in either form, assuming you're an audio fan. But books like this? I can't see them enjoyed as a written form nearly as much. It's written like a drama comedy type show. Narration is excellent and makes this clear. The plot serves it's purpose to make itself a vessel for a comedy. Much like the movie Planes, Trains and Automobiles, the point is never the plane or train ride, but what funny things happen on the plane and train.
July 20, 2019
I generally like the author;s work. It wasn't terrible, but I think it would be half as long if you took out the internal monologues of every character thinking about how extremely talented they themselves are, and how highly skilled the opposition must be, in every single scene.
November 6, 2020
If you haven’t read any of Hayes other books you might give this one 4 stars. The thing is, his characters don’t feel fresh or distinct from his previous novels. Also...at least 100 pages of introspection could have been cut out. A nice light read but I can’t recommend it.
April 1, 2021
Unsure about this line of novels by the author. Compared to his other works this one reflects poorly in my opinion, or perhaps I was hoping for more than I got. Still a decent read to pass away the hours.
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