The Last Moriarty
Series: The Sherlock Holmes and Lucy James Mysteries, Book 1
By: Charles Veley / Narrated By: Edward Petherbridge
Length: 7 hrs and 28 mins
The first I listened to this week -AND- quite a grand listen
I kinda feel all jack-duddery stupid for saying this, seeing as, you know, I’ve only listened to one, count ‘em: ONE Sherlock Holmes compilation from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle himself. -BUT- even tho’ The Last Moriarty was the first audiobook I listened to in this week of All Things Sherlock Holmes, I dooo believe that I can say that the writing stays true to the original’s intent. I know! And hey, I feel I AM able to say this because just before I wrote this review, I finished The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. So there….
That said, I felt no compunction in kicking back, flopping on m’ bed with a passel o’ cats, and musing to m’self: Gee, the writing here is pretty stellar; why, it feels like Doyle wrote it himself (This based upon ZIPPO experience with the man… I KNOW!). I guess what I’m trying to say is that based upon my exTENsive Listening of audiobooks set in the Victorian and Edwardian eras, this feels true to time and place.
Just sayin’…
The book opens with Dr. John Watson’s disclaimer that he agreed NOT to tell this particular tale until all major players were dead, not until into the 21st century. Which I found charming as it made it feel as tho’ we all were gifted a Here You Go Last Gift from Watson, most loyal sidekick, most effusive amanuensis of Sherlock Holmes.
Holmes and Watson are summoned in the dead of night to determine How Things Were before a man committed suicide. The waterlogged body is on display as various big wigs sit silently, saying nothing, keeping mum. NOT SO! Sherlock calmly declares. After his thorough observations, with a bit o’ corpse manipulation, he says the man had been murdered. Gasps and a bit of outrage are heard.
This corpse is all that is left of who was once a very important man and Danged if Holmes Ain’t Tasked With Solving It All before national (AND global!) interests go to hell in a handbasket. However, Holmes and Watson are not to say ANYthing to ANYone, and here are a few itty bitty bits o’ partial clues to go on.
Following clues, the dynamic duo are led to a theater where they encounter a young and stunning American actress. Soon they’ll be helping HER outta a big ol’ jam, and soon they’ll even be helping out a violinist from the orchestra.
Tho’ all this takes place after Sherlock’s supposed death, it is clear that his nemesis, the now-dead Professor Moriarty, left plenty of avid monkey wrenches to throw into the works, and there are even daring escapes of some of the evil master’s minions, now on the loose, plotting international mayhem.
Noted actor Edward Petherbridge does the narration honors, and tho’ he was absoLUTEly WONderful? Uhm, his American accents leave a bit to be desired. Plus, no spoilers here, so I’ll just be annoyingly vague: I reeeeally wondered about why some characters had some accents, as in: I don’t think Petherbridge got the nationalities right for a couple of key players. Still, after the Mighty Near Miss with Patrick Tull? Oh gosh, Watson was a complete delight! The women were grand, and the pacing was aaalmost perfect tho’ I DID have to jack up my already jacked up Listening Speed.
Plenty of twists and turns, MEGA pressure put on Holmes where being wrong could bring not only a horror show of death and catastrophic financial/global crises, but could also taint his reputation irrevocably.
A jolly good show, my first Listen of the week, and good cow! was this delightful, or what?!
Am sooo looking forward to the next book, and sooo looking forward to the third where author Charles Veley is joined by his daughter, Anna Elliott (Think J. Austen Diaries reviewed here on Audiobook Accomplice)!
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