Holmes Coming

by Kenneth C. Johnson

The genius reappears, but is the twenty-first century ready for him?

Dr. Amy Winslow tells the story: in foggy, nighttime San Francisco a jogging SFPD captain is savagely attacked by a Bengal tiger which then vanishes. In her ER, Amy labors unsuccessfully to save the captain’s life, then consoles his aggrieved closest friend, Lt. Luis Ortega. Neither suspects their lives will intertwine in a life-or-death mystery.

The next day, checking on former patient Mrs. Hudson at her Victorian house isolated in Marin County’s forest, Amy discovers in the cellar a secret, cobweb-covered 1899 electrochemical laboratory containing a Jules Verne-esque steam-punk sarcophagus out of which springs a wild-eyed, half-mummified, crypt-keeper-like man who injects himself with something before falling dead at her feet. Amy barely revives him.

He claims to be a real-life Victorian master chemist and detective named Holmes, who allowed Conan Doyle to write stories based on his cases, though was slightly annoyed when Doyle changed his real first name to the catchier Sherlock. Becoming uninspired by 1890s crime, Holmes devised this method to hibernate for a century to investigate future mysteries.

Amy assumes he’s a lunatic. His Scotland Yard identity papers were stolen while he slept, so it takes her a while to realize his amazing story is true.

Respectably handsome when cleaned up, Holmes is still the same brash, egoistic, uber-English, cocaine-addicted, non-feminist genius -- but now a century out of sync -- so his still-brilliant deductions are sometimes laughingly or dangerously wrong. Holmes and Amy, his reluctant new Watson, find themselves unexpectedly attracted to each other while perilously involved in reclaiming his proof of identity, aided by cybersavvy street teen Zapper. It’s all connected to the horrific death-by-tiger, only the first of several bizarre, mystifying murders being committed by an exquisitely fiendish descendant of Holmes’ Victorian archenemy, Professor Moriarty.

The tone is classic Holmes -- plus a refreshing twist of fish-out-of-water humor with a surprising spark of real romance.

Genres: Mystery, Crime, Fiction, Audiobook, Science Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Time Travel

350 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 2022

About the author

Creator of V, The Incredible Hulk, Alien Nation, The Bionic Woman and other
Emmy Award Winning shows.

Director of numerous TV movies and the feature films Short Circuit 2, and Steel.

Winner of the prestigious Viewers for Quality Television Award, multiple Saturn
Awards, The Sci-Fi Universe Life Achievement Award, plus nominations for
Writers Guild and Mystery Writers of America Awards, among others.

Reviews

[Trisha · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun recreation of a Sherlockian mystery, inclining heavily on the historical details but missing out on the mystery by a mile.

This book is for all the Sherlock fans! Johnson recreates the master detective Sherlock Holmes in the twenty-first century, and I’d say he did a decent job of it. The story starts with a strange murder: an ex-cop is attacked by a Bengal tiger while on his morning run right in the middle of San Francisco. He is treated briefly by Dr Amy Winslow (our present-day Watson) before succumbing to his injuries. Before Dr Winslow can make sense of what seems to be the first of ‘the tiger murders’, she witnesses the great Sherlock Holmes waking up from his self-imposed hibernation of 130 years. As she slowly starts to trust the weird guy who calls himself Holmes, they both get somehow involved with the murders and now have to work together to bring it to an end.

Loved the premise! Kudos to Johnson for conceiving the idea of Holmes scientifically preserving his living body through a combination of cryotherapy and other chemical processes so that he could time-travel to the future. I enjoyed how Holmes, although being brilliant, is outsmarted quite a few times in the present day by not-so-brilliant people simply because his thought process is outdated and not in line with the times. The story has a comic tone to it which is pleasing most of the time.

What I didn’t like: To begin with, the writing is way too detailed, especially when describing the changes in San Francisco’s architecture from the late 1800s to the present day. Additionally, the conversations between Holmes and Winslow eventually become more redundant and exhausting. Furthermore, the mystery barely makes up for one-fourth of the book and takes place mainly in the background, narrated to us later by Dr Winslow, so we, as readers, don’t get to witness Holmes pulling off his brilliance. A mystery with no thrill. When you have Holmes for an MC, that’s a huge missed opportunity!

Overall, a fun experience if you love Holmes, but don’t expect much from the mystery.

Thanks to Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC.
Publication Date: November 1st, 2022.

3.5/5🌟 (rounding down).

[Kerry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to Net Galley for the audio book in exchange for an honest review.

This is an audio from my Net Galley shelf that took me awhile to get through. That for me is never a good sign. There were parts I found very intriguing but overall I found it a little slow going. The premise was good but this is more a set up book, the likely 1st in a series, where most of the story is taken up with getting the characters together, defining who they are and how they will interact.
The story begins when the main character, Dr. Amy Winslow, finds a strange ghostly character wandering in the home of a dear friend. The set up is a little clumsy and stretches believability yet it does work for a type of "time travel" mystery and sets Holmes cleverly in the 21st century. From there Dr Winslow and Holmes begin their partnership to solve the latest crime spree going on in San Francisco. The crime is a good one and the solution is quintessentially Holmes. This is the story's strong point. I really did love Holmes most in this story. The author uses this character so well that while he is time displaced and out of his usual element the author maintains the brilliance of Holmes while rarely missing a beat in bring him into present times.
There is also an excellent side character of Zapper, a street-smart kid who assists Holmes and does so much to bringing life to a slow mystery.
On reflection I would say that Holmes and Zapper were my favorites in this mystery. Dr. Winslow worked less well. Too often she seemed to be stumbling over ideas and her own ego to understand Holmes, who he was and what he was thinking and her dialogue was sometimes jarring in the context of the story, also. the too frequent alluding to Dr. Watson as her similar persona unnecessary and just overdone.

In all I found it a good mystery that took an awful long time to get going after the opening scene. I loved the character of Holmes and really felt the author did an excellent job of placing him in current times with his intellect intact. 3 strong stars for the story, a little less strong for the recording. The audio is read by a cast: Francesca Ling (Narrator), Rory Barnett (Narrator), Jenny Gago (Narrator), Thom Rivera. I think using a cast of readers was an excellent addition to the audio recording.

[Chloe Frizzle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Here is the premise of this book:
Sherlock Holmes (real historical figure) decided to freeze himself for over a hundred years in order to solve the crimes of the future (he got bored with the crimes of his own time). Doctor Amy Winslow finds Holmes — recently thawed in 2022 — and decides to take this (insane?) man in. Holmes quickly finds himself a case to solve: a person murdered with an attack tiger, and goes in search of a new nemesis to entertain himself with.

The writing style of this book is highly reminiscent of the classic Sherlock Holmes stories. It is narrated by Dr. Winslow with all of the Victorian flair.

How goofy! How amusing! Yes, it is those things. However, this book is so much more. It is also a story about characters.
This is a story where Holmes has gone from being the smartest man in the room to the most ignorant one. This is a story where Holmes is now obsolete due to modern CSI. This is a story with him coming to terms with his Grand Plan of travelling to the future to save the world failing miserably, as he realizes that the world doesn't need him.

I loved this book. I loved the characters. I loved the writing style. The classing Sherlock Holmes stories didn't work for me (too dry), but this novel certainly did.

Booktone = Celadon Green (intellectual, character/atmosphere focus). https://youtube.com/watch?v=AD4WKlAB0Jw

A video review including this book will premiere on my Youtube channel in the coming weeks, at https://www.youtube.com/ChloeFrizzle

Thanks to Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing for a copy of this book to review. All opinions are my own.

[Sarah-Hope · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm usually up for any sort of riff on Holmes, but Holmes Coming just didn't work for me. The writing was stiff and the characters two-dimensional. The opening sequence—jogging police office mauled by tiger—was attention getting, but the momentum wasn't maintained.

I received a free electronic review copy from the publisher the opinions are my own.

[Peter Staadecker · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well, I loved the premise - Sherlock Holmes transported to modern day San Francisco. Nice build up and I was ready to give this 4 stars when it descended into closing scenes more suited to Batman and Robin (pow, kerthunk, take that).

Let's contrast a Conan Doyle ending with a K. C. Johnson ending. Here's Conan Doyle's ending from the League of Red-Headed Men:

'The light flashed upon the barrel of a revolver, but Holmes’ hunting crop came down on the man’s wrist, and the pistol clinked upon the stone floor.

“It’s no use, John Clay,” said Holmes blandly. “You have no chance at all.”
...
“I beg that you will not touch me with your filthy hands,” remarked our prisoner as the handcuffs clattered upon his wrists. “You may not be aware that I have royal blood in my veins. Have the goodness, also, when you address me always to say ‘sir’ and ‘please.’”

“All right,” said Jones with a stare and a snigger. “Well, would you please, sir, march upstairs, where we can get a cab to carry your Highness to the police-station?”

“That is better,” said John Clay serenely. He made a sweeping bow to the three of us and walked quietly off in the custody of the detective.'

Now here's K.C. Johnson's ending:

'The tough guys shrieked as the huge tiger plowed over Ponyail and bashed Pavon's bow guy down with its meaty claw.

... Ortega, having already cut his bonds simultaneously sprung around and surprised Curly with a powerful roundhouse right. The heavy took it full on and crumpled - down and out.

... the remaining crew man on the deck became the tiger's target. The beast pounced clawing the screaming man down to the deck.

...Holmes dashed up onto the flying bridge, quickly deducing how to operate the controls. He slammed into gear and gunned the yacht ...'

The other standout cliche is the choice of bad guys for the plot. Immediately after WWII the US choice of bad guys in fiction was evil German, Italian or Japanese. During the cold war the cliche, lazy choice of bad guys in fiction was Soviets or traitors working for the Soviets. As with much of US fiction these days, the current bad guys in fiction are drug smugglers. [I remember that even in Crocodile Dundee II there were US drug smugglers running around the Australian outback!]. I was looking for something more imaginative from a Holmes-styled novel.

[Spiritedbookishbabe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book a lot. I was hooked from the very beginning. I couldn’t put this down. The story was well written and the plot was well thought of. I don’t have any complaints on this book. I will definitely get a physical copy

[Kelly Wagner · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great premise! It is not giving away anything to tell you that this is Sherlock Holmes in the 21st century - but it isn't what you would think! Interestingly, at the same time as I was reading this e-ARC (thank you, NetGalley, for the opportunity!), I was finally getting around to watching the 2010-2017 TV series (starring Khan and Bilbo Baggins 😁) so I could compare versions as things roll along - I read a little more slowly than I might otherwise, as I stopped to compare points in the book, and I suspect other people might enjoy doing the same thing.

As with the TV series, there are things that reference various episodes in Conan Doyle's original books without actually being exact re-enactments of them. Some are obvious, others less so - part of the fun is looking for those echoes.

Slight spoiler here:
Some of the funniest parts are when Holmes' deductions from observations run up against the many things he doesn't know about the 21st century.

The ending of the book leaves open the possibility of sequels, and I would look forward to seeing further developments! Despite a few things that didn't appeal to me (see below), the fact that I want to read more made this a 5-star book!

A small quibble or two: our protagonist made it through medical school and is a pediatric surgeon, so it's pretty annoying to have her be really stupid about an ex-boyfriend, freaking out if anyone even mentions his name. (Note: the guy was just a jerk, not abusive or anything else traumatic.)

Also, I never thought I would say something like this, but, especially at the beginning, there was too much description, if that's a thing, with every street corner, no matter how irrelevant, being described, and every person receiving adjectives as they are introduced. (A mall was described as both "new" and "recently built" in the same sentence.) However, some people may find that this helps them see the scene, rather than finding it, as I did, distracting from the action. I mention it so that you can decide whether that's a good thing for you.

At the end of the book, there's a note that says that "a portion of the author's proceeds from this work goes to benefit Doctors Without Borders," a charity which is also mentioned in the book, as protagonist Dr. Winslow's parents were in Sumatra with Doctors Without Borders after an earthquake.

[Ravindu Gamage · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an almost-brilliant Sherlock recreation which takes a novel approach to stay true to the historical details of the Doyle books while modernising the story and the setting. A well-paced well-written novel that I immensely enjoyed reading, despite several minuscule flaws dragging me out of immersion several times, namely;

1. The way Winslow presents details of the incidents, at which she wasn't present with Sherlock, to the audience is a bit jarring. Conversations between Sherlock and Winslow where Sherlock recounts the details to Winslow would have worked better, as they do in the original Doyle books with Watson and Sherlock. Come to think of it, a real-time story from Winslow's perspective would've worked better overall, than getting to hear the story as narrated later by Winslow.

2. Who the hell uses Siri and Apple Maps over Google Maps? Unforgivable. Total immersion-breaker.

If you're a fan of the OG Sherlock character, you would enjoy the story despite the mystery plot not being much of a mystery. The writing felt a bit too detailed at times, and some conversations between Winslow and Sherlock felt redundant.

I loved the premise and the author's take on bringing the classic Sherlock to modern times, and am looking forward to reading more of these.

[Charles Francis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another advance book by NetGalley, thank you for giving me the opportunity to review.

I received the audio and paper copy and chose to listen the the audio which is narrated by Francesca Ling, Rory Barnett, Jenny Gaggo, Thom Rivera, and Cary White.

Imagine Sherlock Holmes hibernated in an Egyptian type mummification for over a 100 years and brought back in modern day San Francisco to begin anew his crime fighting skills. It seems that after nolonger having his greatest nemesis, the “Napoleon of Crime” as he called Professor James Moriarty to battle, and with calls for his crime fighting services becoming less and less in London, Holmes decides to attempt a preservation of sorts, of himself and choses SF as his rebirth site. He embarks upon a deep sleep using a concoction of chemicals, one involving cocaine, the drug he became addicted to, to preserve himself, to awaken in 2025. The goal is to come back alive in a new world, one that can use his extraordinary gifts at deciphering clues that mere mortals fail to do, to put himself in a position that will once again give him worthy adversaries like Moriarty.

This is the story the author presents, one in which we have a modern day, yet 100+ year old preserved Sherlock Holmes among us.

The story starts with the brutal killing of a San Francisco police captain out for a jog, by a Bengal tiger which vanishes, leaving no trace. But for a witness, no one would believe a tiger to be roaming in downtown SF. This murder is followed by two more and the disappearance of a SF detective. You are immediately drawn in and like the Doyle writings, you begin to think what is the connection between these events and how will Holmes play a role in solving them. And as expected, there is a Moriarty in the mix, a descendant of Professor Moriarty, Holmes original nemesis.

The story of Holmes’ arrival and his rebirth as the famous detective is told by Dr. Any Winslow, a pediatric surgeon who first attends to the dying police captain in the ER and who later awakens Holmes, by mistake I should add. It starts out with an okay narration, but soon the entire story begins to breakdown with too much time spent describing Holmes unique observation, deduction and logical reasoning skills that any fan of Holmes would already know. Dr. Winslow is a spin on Dr. Watson and there is a Mrs. Hudson, a descendent of the original English Mrs. Hudson. Other characters appear in an attempt for a more modern twist and you get the sense the author is trying to meld the old with the new and it just doesn’t work that well. The story is made more sluggish by the narrators, there are too many compounded by the narration, too many character voices and none do an exceptional job, especially that of Englishman Holmes.

It appears there will be another Homes book in the future, I hope the author gets closer to Conan Doyle's style and limit the audio book to just one narrator who can effectively switch from character to character in a believable manner.

[Maureen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review which I always provide! Hopefully Johnson has embarked upon a series that will entertain us for years to come, as other long-lived series have, such as Jack Reacher and Stephanie Plum, or even Kay Scarpetta. This one is of course on the light side toward Plum, but not at Plum really, because once you get past the fact that Holmes has transported himself into this century, the mystery itself is a little more complicated. The entertainment factor was high, especially given my propensity in these days to just being entertained, this has it. There is a full chorus of characters by the end that can pop in and out of future adventures. A couple of things I think could be smoothed out a bit going forward…Dr. Amy Winslow seems to have emotions/reactions that are overblown somehow. Going ballistic, or other such phrases just don’t seem to add up with the rest of her character. The author is also very proud of his full cast recording for the audiobook. I would counter that there are many women of a certain age that will only see and hear in their heads Robert Downey Jr. as Holmes, and this Holmes voice is off the mark of that happy memory. The cast is somehow too diverse in the recording - English, Irish, Latino, African American, Caucasian American. Maybe that would be expected in San Fran, but not here in rural NNY. Regardless of those shortcomings for me, I look forward to being able to plan on new releases as time goes on. It is light and entertaining.

[Jules The Book Junkie Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed Kenneth Johnson’s take on a Sherlock Holmes mystery. Bringing the renown detective into the 21st century after a 130 year cryogenic snooze is a fun premise. His side kick Dr. Watson is replaced by a modern-day pediatric doctor named Dr. Winslow.

I have to admit that I have only read one of the original novels by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, however, I have thoroughly enjoyed many spin-off movies and television series about the famous detective. I enjoyed Sherlock’s bumbling through modern-day social mores and technologies; it made me think about an Austin Powers movie, but Homes Coming has more sophistication than that.

This work of fiction does require a significant suspension of disbelief, but it is a fun, campy read.


I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. For more reading recommendations, visit Book Junkie Reviews at
www.abookjunkiereviews.wordpress.com

[Manda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holmes Coming introduces you to Dr. Amy Winslow in the thick of trying to save the life of a San Francisco Police Captain after he is attacked by a tiger, of all things, that immediately vanishes. The next day, Amy finds herself at the Victorian estate of Mrs. Hudson, wife of a former patient, and becomes embroiled in the most peculiar and exciting mystery of her life.

This was such a wild ride and I loved every second of it. Before I get to why I loved the story, I must comment on the audiobook narration!! It is, not only, read by a full cast, but simultaneously! If you stick around for the author's note at the end (and you should), you learn that the cast read this table-read style. They didn't record it separately and piece it all together. They, including the author himself, played off each other in one take. That is so impressive. I highly recommend the audiobook if you can get your hands on it.

Now, for the story. I am a huge fan of the World's Greatest Detective, so I knew going in that I would either love or hate this. The book really does a wonderful job of not trying to copy Conan Doyle's original works. They're incomparable and we all know that. You can't remake them, really. You just pay homage to the impressive works and this certainly does that. It stays true to Sherlock's character and adds humor and liveliness by plopping him down in the 21st Century. It is exactly how I would imagine someone, especially someone like Sherlock who is so sure of himself, would react to suddenly being in a time that is so vastly different than his own.

In addition to the fun of reading about one of my favorite characters being so mixed up, the mysteries were reminiscent of those solved by the great detective in the 1800s. Enough so that the main character references a few of the Conan Doyle books. It's difficult to explain everything without spoilers, but if you enjoy the original Holmes books, or even the BBC Sherlock show, you definitely want to check this one out.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pediatric surgeon Amy visits a friend in Marin County, and the combination of earthquake and power outage puts her face-to-face with Sherlock Holmes, who had had himself frozen so he could experience the 21st century. Coincidentally, there have been a series of mysterious, gory murders that Holmes recognizes as bearing the signature of the Moriarity family, his hereditary enemies. Amy shows him some of the wonders of modern tecnology and a gang-banger named Zapper, who is an electronics genius, completes the good work, enabling Holmes to solve the murders and rescue a crusading police lieutenant.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Boring title, great book.
I loved the full cast audio. I enjoyed Holmes attempt to learn and adapt to the modern world. The mystery/crime actually took a backseat but I didn't hate that.
Glad I grabbed this one before the end of the year!

[Lillie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve read worse. I’ve read better. Depending on your tolerance for Victorian men with Victorian attitudes, this is probably fine.

[Jay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sherlock Holmes.

Perhaps the greatest literary creation of all time. Certainly the character lives up to his nickname of 'The Great Detective'.

But what if Holmes wasn't just a character on the page and up on the screen? What if Sherlock Holmes was real, actual and true?

That's the starting point for what I can only hope is a long-running series from author Kenneth Johnson.

HOLMES COMING opens in modern day San Francisco. It's 2022 and Dr. Amy Winslow is going about her shift when a man is brought into the ER having been reportedly attacked by a tiger that promptly disappeared. The man is a legendary retired detective and Amy is unable to save him. Little does she realize that she will soon be catapulted headlong into what can only seem to be a completely unbelievable adventure.

When Amy visits the wife of a patient she helped, she is surprised when the wife offers to sell the house to her. Knowing she can't afford to do it, she instead takes the woman up on her offer of lunch. But when an earthquake rattles the area, Amy soon discovers that the basement holds a secret she could never have imagined. Prodding around a room full of antiques, she discovers what is essentially an old coffin just as it is opening. Inside is the body of a man. Just what has she stumbled into? But the old woman knows nothing about the coffin either. But when the "dead body" returns to life, an already dramatic situation becomes something straight out of fantasy novel.

The man inside, none other than Sherlock Holmes himself! Or so he says. Amy is convinced that he's a lunatic. After all, Holmes is a fictional character. Isn't he?

As things begin to settle down, Amy soon realizes that the man isn't crazy. That he just might actually be who he says he is. But how that is possible is quite the amazing tale in and of itself.

With the aim to keep an eye on him medically, Amy brings Holmes to her home. But he's a man out of time and soon his Victorian Age haughtiness irritates her enough to throw him out. On his own, Sherlock soon orients himself to modern day San Francisco, stops Amy's car from being broken into and "makes up" with Amy.

But Holmes is Holmes and soon he's intrigued by the case of the phantom tiger. Off and running, with Amy trying to keep him out of trouble in this modern age, he soon crosses paths with an enemy tied to his past. If Holmes isn't careful, his presumed death could soon become a reality.

When I discovered this book existed, I knew the first thing required would be the ability to set aside the more skeptical side of myself. After all, the stuff talked about as to how Holmes could have not only been real but figured out how to hibernate for more than 100 years all in the name of finding challenges for his prodigious intellect sounds more science fiction than mystery.

But as I read the story, I soon found myself casting aside doubts and just moving quickly through this fast moving and free flowing narrative. Kenneth Johnson does a marvelous job of providing the man out of time version of Holmes and giving him a foil-slash-companion in Dr. Amy Winslow. You get all of the condescending nature of Holmes who doesn't suffer fools gladly and then you get Amy who is simultaneously frustrated and fascinated by the man who should not be but truly is Sherlock Holmes. In fact, much like Joan Watson in the TV series 'Elementary', the addition of a female confidant for Holmes pays great dividends quickly. Amy is an incredible creation, fully versed in life as a pediatric surgeon but looking for more, being a guide for Holmes is sure to challenge her in ways we can only guess at this point. I like how she refuses to take his more Victorian attitudes, particularly as they related to women without giving him a ration of her own mind at the same time. The duo are well matched from the start and it shows.

But you get some interesting supporting characters as well. A young street kid named Zapper has a certain charm that will makes him a valuable part of the story. And as Holmes goes about proving he is who he says he is, you get an enemy that is not only cunning and vicious but also far more well-versed in everything 2022 has to offer.

In fact, part of why this book was such a great read was seeing how Holmes would get, as he put it in the story, hoisted on his own petard, because of his lack of knowledge about how the world is 1o0 plus years after his supposed death. Watching him discover airplanes, TV and Google are freaking hilarious...not to mention endlessly entertaining because you realize that with access to the entire history of man thanks to the Internet, he's going to be that much more adept at his observations. Oh, and some of his observations...gawd they were funny. There's a non-spoiler plot point where he commends a police detective for his commitment to "little people" after seeing a certifcate of apppreciation. And that's how Holmes discovers Little League. Man, I roared at that.

And it was that fish out of water humor combined with an intriguing mystery that helped make HOLMES COMING such a smashingly good read. Kenneth Johnson brings his version of Sherlock Holmes to life in such a way that as soon as I was done reading this first Holmes/Winslow adventure that I wanted more...much more!

Whether you are a fan of mysteries or a diehard adherent to 'The Canon', I think readers will come to find that HOLMES COMING is one hell of a read that will only serve to whet the appetite for many more stories featuring Holmes and Winslow!

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a huge fan of the show Sherlock (BBC), I really enjoyed Holmes Coming. It's such fun to read. The spin of this one is Victorian-era Sherlock is transported to modern times. The fish-out-of-water aspect combined with his intellectual confidence is a hoot. It was one of my favorite reads of 2022. I recommend to all Sherlockians both casual and super-fan level. I look forward to Kenneth Johnson's next book.

I am a library associate and received an advance copy from #NetGalley.

[Bookreporter.com Mystery & Thriller · Rating 5 out of 5]

HOLMES COMING opens with a premise that on the surface seems completely implausible and is submitted for the full buy-in of the reader: Sherlock Holmes was actually a real person by the name of Hubert Holmes, whose adventures were retold by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle via the diaries and notes shared by Dr. Watson.

The second and more unbelievable part is that Holmes, calling upon his masterful powers of deep meditation coupled with a great deal of chemical aid, has been in a form of hibernation stasis with orders to be awoken sometime a century after he was last seen in London. However, with the extremely knowledgeable and skillful guile of author Kenneth Johnson, a successful writer-producer-director of film and TV, this storyline is totally believable.

When the latest iteration of the Hudson family, Mrs. Hudson of San Francisco, calls on Dr. Amy Winslow to come to her house, she is confronted with a mummified and apparently deceased body that is entombed there. But after a deftly placed adrenaline shot, the white-eyed “corpse” slowly begins to breathe and awaken from his slumber, only to be revealed as Holmes, whose body was brought from London essentially to get him away from the relatives of his arch-enemy, James Moriarty, who were still seeking revenge for his death at Holmes’ hands at Reichenbach Falls in Switzerland.

Before this occurs, there is a startling bit of action that opens the novel. An SFPD captain is jogging along the streets of San Francisco, only to be attacked and mauled to death by what appears on surveillance cameras to be a large Bengal tiger. Once the now-awakened Holmes learns of this situation by familiarizing himself with the local newspaper, he fears that something more sinister may be at play. As you can imagine, the reanimated Holmes has a lot to catch up on when it comes to the 21st century --- the least of which is convincing his initially unwilling new caretaker, Amy, that he is indeed the Sherlock Holmes that the world knows so well and continues to love.

When a San Francisco court judge is killed inside a tank of piranhas at an aquarium, Amy begins to see a connection between these two high-profile murders. Holmes even tries to convince the SFPD of his theory, only to be laughed out of the office as a lunatic from London. With the assistance of Zapper, a local street thug, he finds a way to amass his own army against the combined lords of the San Francisco underworld: Pavon and Moriarty Booth, the latter of whom is a relative of the same Moriarty who he rid the world of a century ago.

Taking up residence with Amy at her flat, which ironically is sitting on Baker Street in San Francisco, the two of them join forces in much the same way that Holmes did with Watson to take on this case and its far-reaching criminal ties. When a third individual is killed by a bunch of tiger beetles, it is no longer a coincidence. Holmes and Amy must act fast --- with the aid of Zapper and his street gang, playing the role of modern-day Baker Street Irregulars --- to use all of their wit, guile and influence to stop the criminal baddies while also preventing a cherished member of the SFPD from becoming the fourth victim.

There is much to savor in HOLMES COMING. The action is non-stop, and what could have been played purely as a comic theme regarding Holmes adjusting to the modern world is treated with respect and in such a way that accurately mimics how he actually might respond to this situation. Johnson obviously knows his stuff regarding the source material, and there is plenty of historical references on the entire Holmesian tome to keep true fans leaping for joy. The plot is handled well, with plenty of surprises and opportunities for Holmes to do his stuff. We also are treated to the occasional sexual tension and potential romance between Holmes and Amy, which in no way takes away from the narrative.

Since Sherlock Holmes is my favorite literary character, I try to read everything that is written about him or inspired by him. Some of these works miss the mark, others contain the basic foundation of a Holmes mystery, and then there are those that hit the mark so squarely you would swear they were penned by Conan Doyle himself. HOLMES COMING clearly falls into the latter category. Not only does it keep the spirit of the original Holmes adventures, it deftly and quite successfully adapts them for our current century. I cannot wait to see what new adventures await Holmes in modern-day San Francisco!

Reviewed by Ray Palen

[Joel]

The "real" Sherlock Holmes, alive and well in the 21st century? The very idea! And yet the book Holmes Coming suggests the real possibility of such an occurrence. I absolutely love the thought of Sherlock Holmes solving today's crimes while trying to muddle through modern technology and customs. Of course, accepting the premise--that Sir Doyle based his stories on a real detective, and that real detective devised a brilliant method to preserve himself for over 150 years--requires quite a bit of disbelief suspension. So it's perhaps even more critical that the facts be accurate.

Right from the first chapter, I was thrown by some glaring inaccuracies. Dr. Amy Winslow, pediatric surgeon who for some reason spends all her time working in the ER seeing adult cases, tries to resuscitate a mauled detective by--wait for it--trying to shock him with resuscitation paddles when he is clearly flatlining. This is what I consider the #1 error in medical scenes. Shocking asystole does nothing. Even worse, Dr. Winslow tries this twice, and then gives up. Since the brain can survive without oxygen for up to ten minutes, resuscitation typically continues for at least that long (unless it is clearly futile--like, if the head is missing). I'm not entirely sure why the author chose to make Dr. Winslow a pediatric surgeon since she's never actually seen doing surgery, and her descriptions make her sound more like a pediatrician. I understand the idea was to make her a modern Dr. Watson, but it would've made more sense to the story if she'd been an ER doctor, or even a psychiatrist who continually tries to analyze the enigmatic Holmes.

Furthermore, she wants to be a writer, and so the book is told from her narrative. Again, I imagine this was intended to recreate the classic Holmes stories, which were all narrated by Dr. Watson. The problem is, this approach doesn't stand up well in modern literature. Chapters from Holmes's point of view are told "as was recounted to me by Holmes in startling detail", but it makes it difficult to connect with Holmes. And moreover, in some chapters, it jumps to the perspective of other characters, like Zapper. I presuppose this was intended to hide information that Holmes discovered from the reader, but it gets confusing with all the head hopping. And then Dr. Wilson's narrative tone threw me as well. In the first half of the book, she sounds like Holmes in her narration, using advanced vocabulary and formal phrasing that is not at all consistent with her dialogue. Again, I presume this is intended to reflect Watson's style, and maybe even suggest Holmes rubbed off on her, but in the second half of the book, her narration is not nearly as formal.

Additionally, there are long stretches of dialogue between Holmes and Wilson, mostly to give backstory about how Holmes came to decide to preserve himself and about his long history with the Moriarty family. These parts dragged and nearly made me want to quit, but I'm glad I pressed on as the turning point between him and Moriarty Booth was well done and created some excellent tension. The relationship between Holmes and Wilson felt a bit forced and at times more melodramatic than a classic Sherlock Holmes story, with some overly corny lines and exchanges.

But of course what really makes this book shine is when Holmes runs through his masterful deductions, especially when he's just plain wrong due to being unaware of changes in society over the past 150 years. It's clear this is intended to be the first book in a series, and I am curious to know what the future adventures of Holmes and Wilson will be like. The narration, which is a rare recording of multiple authors at the same time, was overall well done, although I was thrown by the fact that Zapper, a teenager, sounded like a 30 or 40 year-old man.

Thank you to the author, Blackstone, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this audiobook in exchange for a fair review.

[Carlos Mock · Rating 4 out of 5]

Holmes Coming (Hardcover) - by Kenneth C. Johnson

Dr. Amy Winslow is a pediatric surgeon at Saint Francis Memorial Hospital who moonlights at their trauma center. As Donald Keating, a retired SFPD lieutenant, is rushed in after suffering a horrible mauling by a B1engal Tiger, she tries desperately to save him to no avail. She ends up consoling Keating's mentee, Lt. Luis Ortega.

Amy receives a frantic call from one of her ex-patients, Mrs. Estelle Hudson who lives at her Victorian house isolated in Marin County’s forest. Her house is up for sale and Estelle would like for Amy to buy it. As they are inside the house, the electricity goes out, distressing Estelle greatly. As Amy goes to the basement, she discovers a secret laboratory that contains a huge copper sarcophagus. Out of the sarcophagus springs a wild-eyed, half-mummified, crypt-keeper-like man who injects himself with something before falling dead at her feet. Amy barely revives him.

As it turns out, this is none other than Sherlock Holmes - whose real name is Hubert Holmes - and he reveals to Amy that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle used their investigations to write his books after changing Hubert's name to Sherlock. Amy assumes he’s a lunatic. There was a case owned by Holmes that would prove his identity and provide income from the sale of the diamonds stored inside. However, the case is missing. Mrs. Hudson recalls how two people had entered their house and stolen the case, as her diseased husband Douglas (Doggie) killed the older of the two burglars. The younger one escaped with the case. Same thing with Scotland Yard - a fire destroyed all their documents, including the proof that Holmes needs.

Amy thought that her ex-boyfriend - He who must not be named, Max - sent Holmes to make her suffer. But after talking to Max, she realizes that this is not the case, and she is a convert to the story and the man - whom she invited to stay with her and her Golden Retriever, Lucy.

Soon thereafter, Louisa Chang, a judge and friend of Luis Ortega, is killed and dropped in a tank of piranhas. This is quickly followed by the death of Assistant DA, Jacob Weiss by a mysterious bettles that eat him alive. He was also a friend of Lt. Ortega.

Respectably handsome when cleaned up, Holmes is still the same brash, egoistic, uber-English, cocaine-addicted, non-feminist genius - but now a century out of sync - so his still-brilliant deductions are sometimes laughingly or dangerously wrong. Holmes and Amy, his reluctant new Watson, find themselves unexpectedly attracted to each other while perilously involved in reclaiming his proof of identity, aided by cybersavvy street teen Zapper (Julius Castaneda). Holmes deduces, after some investigating, that all three cases are related.

As Detective Ortega disappears, Holmes is determined to conquer the new age technology (after Amy lectures him on how to never give up). Will the new team be able to save Lt Ortega before the new criminals in San Francisco - James Moriarty Booth (descendant of Holmes's archenemy Professor James Moriarty) and Enrique Pavon - end Lt Ortega's life? To do this, Holmes will need to adapt to the 21st century and find a logical connection between the three murders and Lt. Ortega.

Narrated from Amy's first-person point of view, this is an easy, fast-paced read. Hard to put down. The characters are alive and I identified with them quickly. The plot is very smart and entertaining. It grabs you from the beginning and does not let go until the climactic end.

My only problem with the book is it's first-person point of view. Mr. Johnson narrates the scenes where Amy was not present as they were related to her by Holmes. Wouldn't it be better if he had just used the third person point of view - from both Amy and Holmes?

Nevertheless, I enjoyed the book and I highly recommend it.

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really fun, unique and clever story that takes an iconic fictional character - Sherlock Holmes - and drops him into the present day. Admittedly, a reader must be willing and able to suspend disbelief enough to accept this main premise, but anyone who can is in for a really fun adventure!

Through a series of circumstances (which you should read the book if you want to learn them) Sherlock Holmes has unexpectedly arrived in the current time. While Watson and Mycroft and pretty much everyone else in his life are long dead, he is the same Sherlock he's always been and is raring to get right back to doing what Sherlock does. All he needs is a new partner - enter Dr. Amy Winslow.

I won't spoil anything by giving too many details. What I will say is there are some absolutely hilarious scenes with Holmes learning about the 20th century and acclimating to the many things that are completely foreign to his 18th century experience. I laughed out loud more than once at these "fish out of water" moments.

The one thing I absolutely did NOT care for in this book is the suggestion, albeit a very brief suggestion based on a specific interaction between Holmes and Amy, that the two of them may consider having a romantic relationship at some point. I'm sorry, but literally everything in the Holmes pantheon makes this unbelievable and it's also unnecessary for the world the author has created. It annoyed me because it absolutely does not need to be part of this story while the rest of the book is just terrific. Still this is the only thing I didn't love about this story.

Format note: I had this as an audio book from my library, and while most audio books have just a single narrator, this book has multiple narrators voicing the characters, including the author who voices Holmes among other characters. Having multiple voices telling the story really brings an extra layer of reality and enjoyment to the story. If you are at all into audio books, this is a great book to listen to.

I do not see any indication the author is considering making this a series so I assume this is a standalone story. While I wish the author had left out the item in my hidden spoiler above, in every other way this was a very unique and enjoyable addition to the books starring Sherlock Holmes and I enjoyed it very much!

[Linda McCutcheon · Rating 4 out of 5]

"What most people conceive as difficult I can sort out right away. It's only the impossible that will take me a little longer."

Exactly what we would expect the brash, self centered, 19th century yet brilliant detective Sherlock Holmes to say about himself but can he truthfully say the same in the 21st century?

In the absolutely delightful cozy mystery Holmes Coming by prolific author Kenneth Johnson Sherlock Holmes has found a way to preserve his mind and body (it's too much fun to hear the how and why so I won't spoil it) and has reappeared 150 years later hoping science has caught up to his brain and he can go right back to being the"smartest detective" ever.

He finds his new Dr. Watson in Dr. Amy Winslowe, who he has a hard time accepting as a female doctor, let alone that she wears pants! He's also flabbergasted by her audacity to flush his cocaine stash. One of the funniest scenes I have ever heard.

A full cast of narrators makes this feel like a movie. Narrator Francesca Ling gives Amy that extra spunk that might be missing in just reading the book. Narrator Rory Barnettvo perfectly portrays the pompous ass we know Holmes can be when he believes he is the only one who can solve a case. Narrators Jenny Gago Thom Rivera and Cary Hite round out a fun cast.

The mystery involves a Bengal tiger, a mauled cop and, maybe, a Moriarty sighting. The fun is in Holmes trying to navigate modern forensic science, technology and female equality.

The author wrote a similar movie, "1994 Baker Street: Sherlock Holmes Returns." It was suppose to be a series pilot but never took off. Hopefully, Holmes Coming will be the start of a new cozy mystery series that will keep the never aging detective coming back for more adventures.

I received a free copy of this audiobook from Blackstone Publishing Audio via #NetGalley for a fair and honest review.

*This Review Is For The Audiobook*

[Joel Robert Ballard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kenneth C. Johnson , "Has There been A Holmes Coming?

Enjoyable read, but more so if one is especially partial to the famous "consulting detective", his loyal side-kick, and his occasional acerbic personality. However, in crafting a narrative involving Herbert (AKA Sherlock) Holmes return, Kenneth Johnson's "Holmes Coming", and the solving of the Tiger Murders case, success was dubious in the beginning. The dramatic reveal of Holmes being alive, and the initial mystery of how and why, should have been savored and preserved with clues a little longer (Holmes would have advocated patience and observation).

Next, we watch a handicapped Holmes, and his mixed progress in exercising his talents with an unfamiliarity of twenty-first century knowledge of culture and technology. So to compensate, the first half of the story leans over backwards in recreating his more familiar environs and allies; including a new "Watson"relationship (another doctor), the trust of a rescued SF police detective, and a Baker Street address as new home base. These clever coincidences do give the novel charm, and the detailed sweeping San Francisco landscapes a visibly dynamic stage for both excitement and action. And romance?

However, the supporting cast quickly undermines the true timbre of an intriguing, engaging, and genuine A.C. Doyle mystery. Sadly it also plays to a twenty-first century smart phone, suri savvy, American literary audience; quickly becoming a slapstick of witty barbs and similes, token episodes of hijinx, gender based power struggles, and ultimately, into a predictable romantic comedy that no doubt sets up for a story sequel. The orchestrated pun by a minor character in the final chapter sums this up best:

"The dude might be more humble, but there's no police like Holmes."

[Annette Jordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Holmes Coming by Kenneth Johnson is a clever take on the character of Sherlock Holmes and I book I would recommend to fans of the original books who are looking for something new with a nod and a wink to the earlier works.
Set in modern day San Francisco , the book focuses on paediatric surgeon Amy Winslow, who makes the shocking discovery that over a century ago a man now claiming to be the real Holmes, on whom Arthur Conan Doyle based his stories, created a steampunk style laboratory and preserved himself in a suspended state. When the electrical supply to the property housing the lab is disrupted, Holmes is awoken ahead of schedule and is deeply perturbed to discover that all the proof of his identity has been stolen. Of course Amy is suspicious, at first thinking he is delusional , but over time she becomes more convinced that he is telling the truth about his identity, so she agrees to try to help him recover his lost possessions. That hunt will lead them both into danger as they uncover a series of murders with a connection to Holme's past and his greatest nemesis.
There is much for fans of the original Holmes character to enjoy about this book, with many little nods to those stories scattered throughout the book. Taking the Victorian era detective and transplanting him abruptly to the current day is ripe with comedic potential and Johnson does not disappoint, These passages were among my favourite things about the book, especially when we see Holmes making assumptions that are soon proved incorrect because of his lack of knowledge about popular culture. I liked the dynamic between Holmes and Amy, but I did not think the suggestion of a potential romantic relationship between them was necessary, a platonic relationship would be more interesting and less expected. I see potential for this to develop into a series and I would certainly read more books from this author
I read an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this story absolutely charming! Honestly, I have never read any books about Sherlock Holmes, though I’ve wanted too. I have never even watched the movies. But if he is anything like the character I met in this story, Holmes Coming, then I have definitely been missing out all these years!

Doctor Amy Winslow is the main point of view we get to hear this tale from, and I absolutely adore her as well. She is smart, snarky, and everything I love in a female lead!

When Amy visits a former patient in her isolated Victorian house in Marin County, California, she discovers in a secret part of the schedule a laboratory, a sarcophagus, and a man who injects himself with something before falling “dead” at her feet. He claims to be the real-life Victorian detective, Holmes, who allowed Conan Doyle to write stories based on his real-life cases. He says that becoming uninspired by 1890’s crime, he devised a method to hibernate for a century in order to investigate future mysteries.

Obviously, the good doctor initially thinks this man is crazy, and because he claims that his Scotland Yard papers were stolen while he was sleeping, it takes her a good bit to realize he is telling her the truth.

Holmes is still the brash, egotistical, non-feminist that he was a century ago, so some of his “brilliant” deductions are laughingly or dangerously wrong but eventually he starts to view Amy as his new Watson, as he tries to solve a crime that seems to be a direct descendant of his archenemy, Professor Moriarty.

I loved that this audiobook had a full cast as well. I believe that I’ve listened to a prior reading by the lady who reads for Amy, and I enjoy her voice. I don’t know if there are going to be any more books, but I would love to see a series from this because the characters are so much fun and likeable. This was one of my top ten books for 2022.

[Danielle Lloyd · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review is for the audiobook. I'm not giving anything away by revealing this stars a Sherlock Holmes resuscitated from a cold hibernation. However, the author has changed some things and reinvented Holmes somewhat. The story starts off with a couple of bizarre murders and our heroine is the ER surgeon on duty for the first. Her connection to the wife of a former patient is what gets her involved with Holmes. They become reluctant (on her part at least initially) partners in crime solving as they get wrapped up in murder, kidnapping, drug kingpins and other shady underworld denizens including an indirect Moriarty descendant. The audio narration was superb, utilizing multiple actors in a virtually live action reading. Holmes is portrayed as a bit of a caricature and not true to canon at all. But given that the bad guys are fairly formulaic, and the story itself is not deep, this isn't much of an issue unless it pains you to see Holmes done some injustices. He certainly would not have expected nothing to have changed, and the first thing would have been to assimilate and familiarize himself with his new surroundings. There are some bad puns and plays on words that make a story full of serious crimes perhaps more comedy than tragedy, but it gives it the overall feel of a crime-adventure action film. I thought this worked well given we have the advantage of several voice actors. Holmes aficionados like myself will enjoy the appearance of a modern day Mrs. Hudson, a descendant of the original, as well as a very well done back story as to how they all ended up in San Francisco. Add in some not really bad at heart street toughs for a contemporary gang of Baker Street irregulars, and the cast is complete for a series of future crime stories- I hope.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written and narrated in part by Kenneth Johnson, this entry into the 'genre' of Holmes books will keep you reading or listening raptly until the end. Mr. Johnson is a seasoned narrator, having voiced numerous other audio books. Actros Francesca Lin and Cary Hite also took part in the narration.

Dr. Amy Winslow is fresh out of a bad break up. And she has just lost a patient who was attacked by a tiger. Amy is summoned to the home of a former patient where she discovers a secret cellar. When the power goes out, Mrs. Hudson panics and tries frantically to get the electricity running. As she does, Dr. Winslow discovers that a man, looking like a wild thing, has come out of a tomb in the cellar. He drops dead but the doctor manages to revive him.

He tells his bizarre story, claiming to be Detective Holmes who has mastered chemistry and managed to put himself to sleep for a century. He said he was bored with Victorian crimes and wanted to try to solve crimes of a different time. After he cleans up, he does look like a person of the Victorian era but Amy still finds it difficult to believe him. As attacks and deaths with some type of link to a tiger continue, Dr. Winslow begins to believe Holmes because he manages to come up with some answers to the series of crimes. He does have a staggering learning gap to catch up on and his attempts can be comical to Dr. Winslow.

Fans of mysteries, sci fi, and Holmes will enjoy this one. It even has a touch of romance.

[Anthony · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 stars. Maybe because I am not the target audience of women who are into Sherlock Holmes a little TOO much.

The story was fine I guess. Sherlock went around appearing super smart because he can snoop around a room and draw up basic conclusions. Not a lot of deductions based on complex interactions between clues. More "I know his name because I saw it written down in the corner". A little disappointing.

I am baffled by how some criminal managed to kill multiple people with incredibly complex methods, with only 2 weeks prep time. It boggles the mind. Somehow the criminal releases a tiger close to a man, and it kills him and then comes back to its cage, as if it was a willing accomplice? In what world does this happen?

Even more baffling is how Sherlock Holmes managed to freeze himself for decades. Somehow successfully conducing a human trial of immense magnitude and impact on himself. As if that wasn't enough, he is walking around a room showing how smart he is withing literally seconds of being un-frozen. You really have to swallow a lot to like this book.

And the romance...oh god the romance. Anime-like levels of cringe here, with the main character literally falling onto Sherlock, and then both of them staying that way for a long, long time. Without talking. Cringe-inducing to say the least.

[Shelley Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an enjoyable romp with some good laughs. The plot is highly improbable: a San Francisco police officer goes out for his morning jog and is mauled to death by a Bengal tiger. Two more murders-by-wildlife quickly follow.

Dr. Amy Winslowe is on a house call when she discovers a walled in Victorian laboratory. A man emerges from the rubble, claiming he is the great consulting detective himself, reawakened from a self-induced century-long sleep. Holmes quickly involves himself in the murders, in which the grandson of his deadliest foe, Professor Moriarty, is involved.

The many mistakes Holmes makes while adjusting to the 21st century is the real plot in this fun read. There are some laugh-out loud moments. And as Dr. Winslowe and Holmes work together to solve the murders, the good doctor may become a rival to Irene Adler. I listened to the audio version of the story which was very ably narrated by Francesca Ling, Rory Barnett, Kenneth Johnson, Jenny Gago, Thom Rivera, and Cary Hite. And yes, the author of the book does narrate some of the characters—his gravelly-voiced Moriarty is wonderful. This is mind candy for any admirer of Sherlock Holmes.