The Strange Case of Eliza Doolittle

by Timothy Miller

Sherlock Holmes has retired to the Sussex countryside . . . that is, until a most formidable puzzle is dropped upon his doorstep by a certain Colonel Pickering.

One Miss Eliza Doolittle, once nothing more than a cockney guttersnipe, has been transformed into a proper lady of London—perhaps even a duchess?—as if overnight. When Col. Pickering recovered from a bout of malaria, he was astounded at the woman before him. Is it possible this transformation is due to nothing more than elocution lessons and some splendid new hats? Or has Professor Henry Higgins surreptitiously traded one girl for another? And for God’s sake, why?

As the case unfolds, Holmes and Watson find themselves in ever stranger territory. Who are the four identical “Freddies” pursuing Miss Doolittle? What part do the respected Dr. Jekyll and his malevolent associate, Mr. Hyde, long thought dead, have to play in this caper? And who the devil is the devilish Baron von Stettin?

The Strange Case of Eliza Doolittle is an enthralling escapade starring some of Victorian literature’s most beloved characters—a historical mystery that will leave you delighted, perplexed, and positively bewildered.

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical Mystery, Adult, British Literature, Audiobook

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 19, 2021

About the author

Timothy Miller is a native of Louisiana, a graduate of Loyola University in New Orleans. He has three Sherlock Holmes novels under his belt, all published by Seventh Street Books. His screenplays have placed in several contests, including five times as a semifinalist in the Academy’s prestigious Nicholl Fellowship. He tended bar for twenty-five years everywhere from Bourbon St. in New Orleans to Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco. When not mourning over his beloved New Orleans Saints he is mourning over his beloved Chicago Cubs. His favorite superhero is Underdog.

Reviews

[Mogsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2021/02/28/...

What, me say no to a Sherlock Holmes retelling? Never! Even better when they come in the form of a mashup, pulling in characters from a few other classics, such as George Bernard Shaw’s play Pygmalion (which is also popularly known by its musical film adaptation, My Fair Lady) as well as a certain Robert Louis Stevenson novella about a respected physician and his evil alter ego.

The Strange Case of Eliza Doolittle begins some years after both Holmes and Watson have announced their retirement from detective work—officially, anyway. Watson, however, can hardly wait to be on the investigative trail again after he is contacted by Colonel Hugh Pickering, his old friend from his British Army days, with a bizarre story about a former cockney guttersnipe flower girl who has seemingly transformed into a right proper duchess overnight. While it may be true that Henry Higgins, the man claiming responsibility for such a miraculous transformation, may have been spurred on by a wager with Pickering, surely such an extreme change couldn’t have been the result of just a few elocution lessons?

Suspecting foul play, Pickering even goes as far as to suggest that the girl, Eliza Doolittle, may have been substituted with a doppelganger. In any case, Watson decides the circumstances are curious enough to bring in his old partner Sherlock Holmes, who agrees there are enough oddities about Pickering’s story to warrant a closer look. And as ever, the brilliant detective’s instincts prove correct: something strange is definitely afoot.

Literary mashups seem to be all the rage these days, but what clearly sets The Strange Case of Eliza Doolittle apart is Timothy Miller’s intimate knowledge of the source material. Granted, this novel took me longer than expected to read, mostly due to the writing style, i.e., dense and full of Victorian literature affectations. And yet, I think it says a lot about the author’s talent and attention to detail that he was able to capture so well the original tone of the source that inspired him, and eventually, the ride did smooth out as I gradually grew accustomed to the prose. Miller perfectly emulates Watson’s voice from the original Sir Arthur Conan Doyle tales, complete with all the stylistic traditions which were popular at the time.

Still, while the prose might be somewhat clunky at times with Victorian vocabulary and long descriptive phrases, it was also surprisingly easy to get used to. As well, the sardonic humor was a welcome element. More than once, I found myself laughing out loud at the mix of cleverness and comedy. Then there’s the incredibly ambitious yet creative idea of throwing all these literary characters together. After all, many of us are at least passing familiar with these classic stories, and I had wondered how Miller was going to present his novel in a way that was both unique and interesting while remaining faithful to the original works.

To my delight, the results were extremely entertaining. While I won’t be going into too much detail in case of spoilers, I’ll share some of the more outrageous scenarios, which range from Sherlock Holmes posing as an American gangster, an appearance by actor William Gillette who became quite famous for his portrayal of Sherlock Holmes on stage in the early 1900s, and of course, what investigation involving the possibility of a doppelganger would be complete without Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde? The story became even stranger, funnier, and twistier as time went on, but throughout it all, not only did the characters stay amazingly true to themselves, the narrative also delivered a proper mystery with clues to follow as well as a satisfying conclusion.

If you’re curious to see the world of Sherlock Holmes transformed in a way you’ve never seen before, you’ve got to check out The Strange Case of Eliza Doolittle. Well-written and well-conceived, this book has definitely earned the distinction of being one of the most intriguing and quirky literary mashups I’ve ever read! Not to be missed by fans of fun, creative reimaginings of classic characters and stories.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second Sherlock Holmes pastiche novel I read recently that brings Holmes together with fictional characters, both with mixed results.
Here, the year is 1912, and Watson is visited by an old army friend, Colonel Pickering, who tells him that the young street girl, Eliza Doolittle, who was taken in by Pickering's linguist friend, Henry Higgins, has undergone a baffling change in behavior and even appearance that make Pickering think it may not even be the same girl.
Watson calls in a retired Sherlock Holmes who presents himself to Higgins as a prospective pupil, the coarse American, Morello (with Watson as his valet) and the two use this cover to shadow Miss Doolittle. The tale brings in not only Shaw characters such as Freddy Eynsford-Hill and Alfred Doolittle, but also the real life William Gilette and fictional Edward Hyde.
Unfortunately, while the mystery of Eliza's odd behavior is very well paced, with a good mix of suspense and humor, when you reach the point where the mystery is explained, that explanation is implausible, over-complicated and pretty much of a let down. The payday was definitely not up to the build-up, and the interest that the tale had developed for the first 3/4 of the book just fell off at the end.
The four stars are for the writing. Miller does a very good job of writing in Conan Doyle's style, Watson's "voice" is very authentic. Definitely one of the better written Sherlock Holmes novels - disappointed that there wasn't much punch in the finale.

[Nancy Bilyeau · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a highly entertaining story that imagines a mystery that connects Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson with Eliza Doolittle and the men who are trying to teach her. (And some other characters from turn of the century literature you may recognize.) This novel would reward those who are aficionados of Holmes as well as those who might not be. If you are the former, there are lots of fun discoveries and moments in the author's richly imagined world. If not, you will still enjoy the well-paced plot, which features some exciting action sequences. The best part is the rich atmosphere drawn of London just before World War I.

[Rusty Dalferes · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable book that smashed together the characters of Arthur Conan Doyle, George Bernard Shaw, and Robert Louis Stevenson, in a quirky mystery full of the main themes of those authors' most famous stories. I give it a hefty recommendation for fans of Victorian literature and British detective stories.

The story is set in 1912, finding narrator Dr. John Watson some years after the retirement from active detective work of his friend and partner, Sherlock Holmes. Watson is contacted by an old friend from his time in the British Army in Afghanistan, Colonel Hugh Pickering, mere months after he and Professor Henry Higgins presented former flower girl, Eliza Doolittle, at the embassy ball, delighting in the reactions that her bearing and speech had caused among the peers and nobility of Europe. Pickering is worried about certain changes he has noticed in Eliza, even going so far as to wonder if she had been sent away and replaced by a lookalike. Throughout the story, the main characters cross paths with characters out of the past, including Eliza's father, Alfred, and suitor, Freddy Eynsford-Hill; some now-adult former members of the Baker Street Irregulars; and foes and associates of Holmes's past cases. They also run across evidence of some others who had been presumed dead, including the infamous and monstrous Edward "Ned" Hyde, thought dead since his counterpart Dr. Jekyll had disappeared years before. Holmes and Watson, in disguise as an Italian-American gangster and his English "secretary," worm their way into staying at the house of Professor Higgins, while following a confusing trail of clues about Eliza's past, present, and future.

The idea of sewing other authors' characters into a motley blanket to form a new story is not a terribly original concept, but the story here was mostly well-executed, with each of the characters' traits coming through as originally written by their creators for the bulk of the narrative. Watson is a stalwart, but somewhat fumbling sidekick always one step behind Holmes in deductive reasoning, but always standing shoulder-to-shoulder with him in physical life. Holmes retains his infuriating deductive skills and intolerance of those without them, as well as his ability to hide himself in a character. Pickering is the model of a good-hearted British soldier and gentleman, always quick to defend the honor of a lady. Higgins is the same arrogant and boorish dictator in his own little phonetics world, loathe to view anyone else as his equal. Eliza is the same intelligent, defiant spitfire that Higgins's tutelage has transformed into an intelligent, defiant Lady. They all have their secrets, but they all retain the central characteristics granted them by the original authors. The investigation proceeds clue-by-clue, with a good deal of action and plot progression, with the same degree of satisfying "whodunit" mystery typical of other Holmesian stories.

I did think that the end (which I won't spoil here) became a little confusing, with the present author concluding the epilogue in a way that might be construed as ruining whatever positive character growth might have been achieved in the original source material, especially for Higgins and Holmes. I will just say that any fans of the Pygmalion story who know it primarily from My Fair Lady will bristle that the happy ending teased by the musical is not followed through in this novel. That said, the escapades of Holmes, Watson, Eliza, and even Freddy the love-struck man haunting the street outside the Higgins house, are as enjoyable to read as any of the other Holmes mysteries.

I was very pleased to find the novel well-written and -edited from a mechanics standpoint, without any terribly glaring grammar, punctuation, or typesetting errors. It's even full of some great Victorian vocabulary that should send most readers to the dictionary a few times. Kudos to the author and his editors for putting out a very clean product.

Overall, this is an enjoyable book in the style of Doyle's well-known works, featuring familiar characters from other authors. I give it a strong recommendation for fans of Holmesian detective novels, fans of early-twentieth-century novels set in England, and fans of mash-ups of characters from different authors.

Thanks to Seventh Street Books (and my Queen of the Book Fairies) for providing me a copy of this book.

[Tim Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not just a crossover but a double crossover: Sherlock Holmes meets Eliza Doolittle meets ... but that would be telling. A deep and moving narrative, though the truth is not hard to guess.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I simply loved every page of this book. Timothy Miller is a genius!

The story follows an ailing Sherlock Holmes and a still faithful John Watson trying to unlock the mystery that is Ms. Eliza Doolittle. There is something strange about the young lady's behavior and her connection to a Mr. Hyde.

The book is basically fanfiction of all my childhood favorite literature!

[Kris McCracken · Rating 2 out of 5]

Two stars. Not one, because it isn’t an outright car crash, but no more, because it never rises above being a parlour trick in a waistcoat. It’s the literary equivalent of a novelty T-shirt. You smirk when you first see it, then realise you wouldn’t be caught dead wearing it in public.

The whole thing rests on its mash-up gimmick. Holmes meets Eliza Doolittle, with guest appearances from Jekyll and Hyde. Sounds fun if you pitch it after a few drinks, but stretched into a full novel it quickly wears thin. Instead of a story, you get a jumble of borrowed toys tipped out on the floor. Fan fiction with a publishing deal.

Credit where it’s due: Miller has clearly done his homework. His fidelity to Watson’s voice is consistent. But a decent impression is still just an impression. The prose is dense, clunky, and dripping with Victorian affectations. Reading it feels less like being immersed in a seamless world and more like watching someone doing a very earnest turn at a theatre restaurant. Good mimicry should be invisible. This feels like a man waving at you from behind Conan Doyle’s curtain shouting “look how authentic I am.”

Yes, there is a mystery, and yes, it is tied up with clues and a conclusion. On that front, it delivers more than the average Holmes pastiche. But the mystery itself is contrived to the point of parody. The only reason events unfold the way they do is to shuffle Eliza, Higgins, Hyde and co. into the same room. It’s not deduction, it’s stage management. Less a puzzle, more an awkward crossover episode.

The characters are utterly lifeless, cardboard cutouts shambling through the motions without a spark of genuine humanity. They're frozen in amber. They're kept "authentic," but authentic to what? Being absolutely bloody tedious? There's not a single moment of actual growth or surprise, just the same dreary puppets being wheeled out to perform a predictable little dance. It's not character development, it's character taxidermy. Literary grave-robbing dressed up as a novel, and about as exciting as watching paint dry on a corpse.

Yes, it’s competent in places. Miller knows his sources, and he can build a facsimile that ticks the boxes. But cleverness is not enough. A mash-up is only worthwhile if it creates something new. This doesn’t. It’s all gimmick, no spark.

"The Strange Case of Eliza Doolittle" is fine as an idea, hollow as a novel. If you want Holmes, read Conan Doyle. If you want Eliza, read Shaw. If you want both at once, maybe have a lie down until the urge passes.

[Ed DeJesus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Terrific Sherlock Holmes tale with two amazing twists!

I've read all the original Sherlock Holmes stories, and many of the recent novels featuring the great detective's continuing adventures. This is one of the best. Miller has woven Holmes and Watson together with -- believe it or not -- Eliza Doolittle from "My Fair Lady" and "Pygmalion"! Who is this young woman? Can a common flower-girl really change her speech and manner so completely as to fool London's high society? Or is something else going on here?

The tone of this novel is absolutely perfect, emulating Watson's writing style to a T. It sounds and feels just like the original Holmes stories, with a few Easter Eggs thrown in for fun.

And that second twist I mentioned? No, I'm not going to give it away. Suffice it to say that Miller weaves in yet another famous Victorian tale into this amazing story.

If you like Holmes and Watson -- or "My Fair Lady" -- you have to give this book a read!

Bonus question: Do you know how actor Jeremy Brett is connected to both Sherlock Holmes and "My Fair Lady"?

[Aundrea Newman-Waterhouse · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun mix of classic stories but I found myself confused at different times.

[Steve Goble · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent mash-up of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, George Bernard Shaw and Robert Louis Stevenson. Very entertaining.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's 1910 and Col. Pickering has approached Dr. Watson with a problem that he hopes Sherlock Holmes can solve. Holmes is retired and is now a beekeeper in Sussex, but as a favor to Watson he will look into this case that will bring him in contact with Eliza Doolittle and Henry Higgins. This mystery is the characters-of-My-Fair-Lady meet a retired Sherlock Holmes and thought-to-be-dead Mr. Hyde. Miller does a good job bringing the characters and the setting together. Fans of reimagined Sherlock Holmes stories will enjoy this one.

[William Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Highly satisfying, well researched, and fun pastiche. Sherlock Holmes sequels etc are plentiful; some work, others fall flat. This one works. While the particular premise, a Pygmalion/Jekyll & Hyde/Sherlock mashup, may sound silly at first, it really comes off. While one plot point is, perhaps inevitably, too easy to anticipate, a quality, recommended read.

[Wesley Britton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sherlock Holmes pastiches, of course, are nothing new. In stories penned by literary descendants of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the fictional detective has encountered actual historical figures from Aleisteir Crowley to Winston Churchill to the Dalai Lama. He has been portrayed alongside literary characters created by other authors like Count Dracula, Fu Manchu, and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

I admit, when I first saw that Timothy Miller was merging the realms of Holmes and Watson with the characters George Bernard Shaw introduced in his play, Pygmalion, later adapted by Lerner and Loewe into their classic musical, My Fair Lady, I suspected I was about to experience a real stretch. At best, a humorous mash-up. I couldn't have been further off the mark.

In fact, The Strange Case of Eliza Doolittle is a inventive pastiche true enough, but it's no laughing matter. Mostly. I must say Miller did a very credible job at capturing the well-known and oft-imitated cadence of Dr. John Watson as demonstrated in all the original Sir Arthur Conan Doyle yarns. Miller does mix into that well-established style comic touches, especially his use of similes and metaphors. one humorous scene featured actual American actor William Gillette. Known for his portrayal as Holmes in the London theatre (it was Gillette, not Conan Doyle, who gave Holmes the trademark of wearing a deerstalker hat), Gillette plays Holmes in a scene where Holmes bemusedly looks on and Watson is surprised to see the real and fictional detectives together in the same living room with Henry Higgins.

Throughout, Miller shows a very detailed knowledge of the historical milieu when the Victorian era was giving way to the Edwardian period when motor cars were replacing hansom cabs. There's a strong tone of danger as Holmes and Watson try to find out just how Eliza Doolittle had been so transformed. Was she in fact a continental princess taking on a secret identity to avoid assassination? Had the original Eliza Doolittle been replaced by a doppelganger? Or had something sinister happened to completely transform a flower girl into a proper English lady beyond phonetic tutoring?

Along the way, we don't just see Holmes and Watson being inserted into Henry Higgins cantankerous environment where we might expect Rex Harrison breaking into song. Not for the first time in the Holmes canon, we see the transformative formula of Dr. Henry Jekyll and his alter ego Edward Hyde, sort of, becoming a major thread of the complex plot. Because of that plot line, we have many dark and bloody scenes.

In short, The Strange Case of Eliza Doolittle is full of surprises and no shortage of twists and turns in the multi-layered plot. The book has a rich vitality with it's inclusion of many tones and in-depth characterizations and vivid descriptions. In addition, there are many passages, notably the fast-paced chase scenes, that show a strong influence of more recent high-octane screen versions of Holmes adventures.

You don't have to be a Sherlock Holmes aficionado to enjoy The Strange Case of Eliza Doolittle although Doyle fans will get to see many references to events and characters from the Holmes canon updated into a sort of sequel to the original stories. So, on many levels, the novel is a lot of fun. I enjoyed this book more than many a title I've read of late. A perfect diversion from the weird world of 2020.


This review first appeared at BookPleasures.com on Dec. 11, 2020:

https://waa.ai/tHuR

[Bev · Rating 2 out of 5]

So--why mess about with one author's characters when you can mess about with three? So, we have Holmes and Watson taking up a case that not only brings in characters from My Fair Lady but also shadows of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Oh, goody! How much damage can we do in 248 pages to other people's characters since we don't really want to develop main characters of our own? Well...quite a bit, actually.

First of all--Holmes and Watson. They aren't really. Holmes doesn't really sound like Holmes even if he does spout standard Holmes phrases (The game's afoot! Do you have your service revolver? Good old, Watson! etc.). And Watson has been turned into a sort of grown version of a Baker Street Irregular with Holmes ordering him to follow people and whatnot. If Holmes were truly Holmes, I can't imagine how the incoherent babblings of Pickering would have interested him so greatly that he would abandon his bees in Sussex and go back to London to investigate the mysterious transformation of Eliza Doolittle. Especially considering the list of cases he's turned down since retirement--according to Watson. Pickering's story makes very little sense as he tells it and not one phrase stands out to me as something that would pique Holmes' interest.

Then we have Henry Higgins and Eliza Doolittle. George Bernard Shaw through the lens of the 1964 film has been done a great disservice. Eliza bears little resemblance to the original in either form. The only time she's "delightful" (as she is often described) is when she is under the influence of Dr. Guest, which isn't necessarily a good thing. And, finally, there is the way we shoe-horn the Jekyll/Hyde story into the whole thing. I can't say more about that without spoiling the story--and, judging by the ratings on Goodreads--there's a possibility that some of you will enjoy this WAY more than me (lots of people did and apparently think the depictions herein are just dandy). So, I won't spoil it for you. As for me, not a huge fan.

Oh--and lest I forget--suddenly, at the end of the story, our logical Mr. Holmes seems ready to follow in his creator's footsteps (Doyle) and wants Watson to join him in investigating the supernatural and what lies "behind the veil." Seriously? 🙄 Not my favorite Holmes pastiche by a long shot. ★ and 1/2 [rounded up here]

[Connie Senior · Rating 4 out of 5]

Will we ever lose our hunger for stories of Sherlock Holmes? I hope not! The Strange Case of Eliza DoolittleThe Strange Case of Eliza Doolittle makes for a satisfying snack. The book is set in the early years of the 20th century, when Sherlock Holmes has retired to keep bees in Sussex and John Watson has returned to his medical practice in London. Watson is pulled back into the game by curious events related to him by an old army friend. So curious, in fact, that he tempts Holmes out of retirement, and the game is afoot.
The tale is narrated by Watson, as it must be. The author strikes the right balance, I think, in Watson’s character. John Watson isn’t a stupid man, just a man who lacks the extraordinary and peculiar mind of Sherlock Holmes. Watson is a good observer of human nature, even though he lacks Holmes’ skill of deduction. Thus, the characters are well drawn and distinct as recounted by Watson. Although not being familiar with GB Shaw’s Pygmalion, I can’t say if the characters drawn from it are true to the work. London is itself a character in the book. We’re taken on a tour of the city that spans posh Harley Street to sketchy working-class pubs, which seems believable to me (though I am not an expert on early 20th century London).
Once Holmes and Watson are on the case, the story unfolds in unexpected ways. However, to even begin to recount the plot, which slithers and twists eel-like, would give too much away. The author weaves into the story themes and characters from other literary works, particularly the themes of doubles and of the duality of good and evil fighting to co-exist in each of us.
I don’t want to imply that the book is heavy on philosophy, however. The narrative moves along quickly and the key plot twists were surprising and interesting. All in all, I enjoyed the book and look forward to the author’s next chronicle.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to author Timothy Miller for a signed copy of his novel via Goodreads giveaway in exchange for my honest review!

3.5 STARS

"Loveliness is a trait of the soul, which shines forth in spite of any outer device." (248)

This was such fun to read! It has been awhile since I've read a London based novel, so outside of it taking me just a couple of chapters to settle into the language, I devoured this book. It is the quirky mystery Eliza Doolittle, an unrefined flower peddler who is plucked from the streets by Mr. Higgins, in hopes of turning her into an upstanding woman with impeccable speech and mannerisms. She is brought to Higgins home to undergo lessons in transformation, yet Col. Pickering, who also resides with Higgins, notices after he falls ill for several weeks that upon his recovery, Eliza Doolittle has made a complete transformation. It seems the original Eliza has changed so drastically, that he fears something has happened to her and she has been replaced by a completely different woman. To get to the bottom of the mystery, he seeks out the help of Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson. Holmes and Watson, under the guise of student needing formality training and secretary sidekick, move into Higgins household as well in this wonderful, and at times comedic, head scratcher. It is sometimes hard to follow the aliases of Holmes and Watson, so I did find at times I had to go back and reread a couple of pages, but the aliases really actually added to the fun of the novel. Along the way we bump into a myriad of characters from British literature, including the infamous Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Enjoy the ride along this fast paced, fun caper of a novel that will keep you guessing until the very end.

[kenneth m gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Timothy Miller's novel The Strange Case of Eliza Dolittle is one wild runaway Hansom cab ride through the streets of London hell of a great read!
Miller has a unique ability to breathe life into established literary characters as well as historical figures. Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson shine.
The way the author weaves the tales of Holmes, Eliza Dolittle, Henry Hyde, and Edward Hyde into the same time and place is masterful.
The dialogue is sharp and witty, and Miller never forgets the mentality of these characters' time periods.
At one point in the story the phrase "The game is afoot." appears. I swear I got a chill and could not stop reading from that point on.
There are chases through the streets of London so well written that they rival any Hollywood action flick!
Some high points for me were the trip to the Castor's Pubs, William Gillette's appearances, and Watson's line "Holmes has a long fuse but his powder is black."
All said and done the novel is an awesome Sherlock Holmes tale with a dash of romance and I thought a sad feeling of an era coming to an end with characters whose like we may never experience again (unless Timothy Miller keeps writing hint hint)
the story comes to a phenomenal conclusion tying everything up in that typical Holmesian fashion.
I read The Strange Case of the Dutch Painter first so hurry up miller I need more!

[Cynthia · Rating 2 out of 5]

A weird mash up of Sherlock Holmes, My Fair Lady, and Jeckyll & Hyde. Fan fiction, and while I love me some fan fiction, this was only meh. I know other people may (and some actually have) said this exact same thing to me about my own fan fic, but just because you call your character by a name (Sherlock Holmes, in this case) and give them similar mannerisms (The Game Is Afoot, Watson!) that does not make them them. This was not Sherlock Holmes, nor was it Dr. Watson, so their adventures just ended up irritating me. The very best part was when the new Dr. Jekyll (not the original, just an admirer who came up with the same potion), cornered by 'Holmes' and 'Watson' kept warning them that Hyde was coming! They kept looking around nervously and listening for the footfalls of this mad animalistic murderer and then 'Jekyll' shouts out, in a terrible voice, "Hyde is here!" and transforms, much to their horror and physicial danger. That was the best scene in the book. For me. But, in the immortal words of Miss Jean Brodie, 'for those who like this type of book, this is the type of book they will like'.

[A.C. Sherman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Masterfully written, masterfully narrated.


The Strange Case of Eliza Doolittle brought iconic literary figures for a smoke and mirrors mystery peppered with irony and misunderstandings that those familiar with the main characters would find amusing and engaging. Timothy Miller skillfully brings us into the world of the story, with a tone and word choice that brings us to the doorstep of 21 Baker Street. They say there are no small parts in stage plays. Neither are there in novels. I am thinking of when the narrator spoke of the "mild as a kitten" prostitute who had no memory of killing her own child and two other people. The narrator was indeed the perfect choice. I would have chosen him over Martin Freeman or Benedict Cumberbatch. The masterful storytelling and impactful word-pictures of the author, combined with the spot-on narration, made for a very engaging listen. It is difficult to not see this getting made as a movie.

[Sheila Samuelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 4.5 Stars!!
Review:
Thank you to Goodreads and Timothy Miller for picking me to win this book in a giveaway on here a few months ago!!

Ive read about Eliza Doolittle, Dr Jekyl and Mr Hyde and Sherlock Holmes before but never in the same book which made me intrigued to read this one. I loved the consept of it but i feel like Timothy came up a little short with this one.

The Characters were interesting to read about. Too much talk about Eliza between Sherlock Holmes and one of the Doctors tho which i think took away from the whole story.

The Setting was perfection as well as the time zone that it was in.

Overall an OK Read it just needed a little more mystery and it would of been perfection!! Can't wait to read more by Timothy in the future!!

[Aimee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would call this "My Fair Lady" meets "Sherlock Holmes" meets "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde." Yes, you read that right. Sherlock Holmes is brought out of retirement to help solve a baffling case involving Henry Higgins and Eliza Doolittle herself. Colonel Pickering is questioning what Higgins has done—wondering if he has really transformed Eliza so completely with elocution lessons, or if he has switched her with another person completely. And for what purpose? The plot thickens as several other Victorian-era characters come into play, including Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. A fun and interesting take on the story that reads more like a murder-mystery, give this one a try if you are hankering after a slightly darker version of My Fair Lady.

[Nadina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was over all very average. I actually considered giving up at some point (when it was taking forever to have Jekyll/Hyde to come into the picture).
I love watching Sherlock Holmes (many different versions) but have read an original Sherlock Holmes story before and wasn't a huge fan. It felt as if it dragged. This was the same way, it felt likenit dragged a bit. So potentially good for people who like reading the origina Sherlock Holmes, the only catch is you have to allow for a bit of fantasy/suspension of reality.
I found the ending to be a bit disappointing too.
Very average over all.

[Shannon Green-Kingery · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a weird and wonderful alchemy of literary figures lies herein! It's a case of Eliza Doolittle meets Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson meets Jekyll and Hyde. Who would have thought they could all interact so successfully in one literary adaptation? Timothy Miller has constructed a novel that has the true feel of a Sherlock Holmes tale, but he has interwoven so many clever allusions to real and literary events and figures of the time period throughout. He has created a labyrinthian tale that keeps the reader on his/her toes. Well done!

[Angie S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Highly enjoyable story set during Holmes' post-detective beekeeping days. He and Watson are called out of "retirement" by Col. Pickering to find out what the heck is going on with Eliza Doolittle. Yep, it's bonkers...in a good way. This Pygmalion, Holmes, and Jekyll/Hyde mash up is really good fun. Timothy Miller's book has quite a few Easter eggs and moments of interest for fans of late Victorian and early 20th century history and literature.

[Lorie Ham · Rating 5 out of 5]

While in some ways this book is odd, just because of the unusual mix of stories (Sherlock Holmes, My Fair Lady, and Jekyll and Hyde), it was so well done that I really enjoyed it. Holmes and Watson were true to character and the mystery was very interesting. Never saw that ending coming.

[Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cleverly written story! Shaw, Doyle, and Stevenson would congratulate you, Mr. Miller! Even Gilbert and Sullivan would be applauding you! Golly, I even spotted a reference to ‘Wind in the Willows’...possibly...I think...

[GERRY Hermans · Rating 4 out of 5]

Watson describes what might have been Jekyll & Hyde, Eliza Doolittle & Henry Higgins & Freddy & Pickering. But there's murder, drug abuse, a strange doctor, a German aristocrat, the possibility of a princess for Holmes to uncover. One of the most perplexing cases for the ageing Duo.

[Kimberly Christianson Kennedy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this delightful take on Sherlock and Watson investigating Eliza Doolittle's amaIng transformation. With vivid details, lively dialog, and intriguing mystery, this story has it all. Very enjoyable!

[Sue Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting take on Sherlock Holmes coming out of retirement to do a perplexing case. It's a good mash up of the Sherlock Holmes mysteries and Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion. It was a pleasant diversion!

[Robin perez]

Sherlock Holmes mystery

Love the use of other characters from other books. Different way about My Fair Lady and Sherlock Holmes. Like his books lots of twists and turns with Sherlock.