Book Review: Sherlock Holmes: The Case of the Undead Client

Sherlock Holmes: The Case of the Undead Client Book Review 

"Sherlock Holmes has only been deceased a month when Dr. John Watson, still grieving, recounts his final case with Holmes. A terrifying mystery, it sends Watson and Holmes into the dark reaches of London's back alleys - and the human soul.

It begins when Anne Prescott, a lovely Scottish nurse, begs Sherlock Holmes and Watson to help her find her fiance and her sister, who have gone missing in the teeming streets of London. Immediately, Watson feels an attraction to her that shocks him. Newly married to Mary, and deeply in love with her, he struggles to put Anne out of his mind. As Watson and Holmes dig into the slums and sewers of London looking for Anne's fiance and sister, they uncover a deadly web of bloody murders, horrific medical experiments, and even voodoo ritual that threatens not only London, but the entire British empire, and beyond Watson must call on his unique combination of expertise in the medical sciences, as well as his military training to stop this killer before London - and Anne - are lost to the killer's bloody plan. But time is short and the mystery ever more complex. How can he manage his feelings for Anne? What about his loyalty to Mary? He can't have both." 

Truthfully, I did not think this novel stood up with the other Sherlock Holmes novels originally by Arthur Conan Doyle. I had just finished the original Sherlock Holmes novels the week before reading this one which may have caused this opinion but I had high hopes that this would be a good one to join in the series.

Unfortunately, for me it did not.

Things i did like:
I liked that it was told my Watson's point of view which is the same as the originals. I also didn't mind the mystery aspect. There is a Jack the Ripper story which was interesting and added a little something to the overall mystery.

Things i didn't like:
I really didn't like the Watson issues in this novel, with Anne and Mary. In the original stories, Mary wasn't a huge character and Watson never thought of another woman. However, this novel may be more like the BBC TV show than the original novels as Mary was not only a larger character but had a background that was very interesting. This Watson didn't seem like the same Watson that was in the original novels.

I am giving this novel ⭐⭐ review. I decided to give it two as Downing's writing was still very well done. Unfortunately the story itself was not one i would recommend if you love the original novels.


#Sherlockholmes #NetGalley

Sherlock Holmes: The Case of the Undead Client by M.J. Downing 

Released on June 1, 2019

Thank you to Burns & Lea Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this novel!