The Case of the Damaged Detective

Read Time: 2 Minutes

The Case of the Damaged Detective, written by Drew Hayes, is a fun new take on homages to Sherlock Holmes. There have been plenty in the past, and no doubt more in the future. This one sees a man, Sherman Holmes, who believes himself to be a descendant of the fictional detective.

He has no memory of who he used to be, but he’s damn sure he’s now the world’s greatest detective. The only survivor after exposure to an unknown chemical, Holmes’ claim isn’t without merit. Well… for five minutes per day at least. Other times, he’s a lovable madman screaming his way through life like Daffy Duck on acid.

Agent 221… er, Joel Watson that is, is assigned as his bodyguard while Sherman is transported across the country. What starts out as an act of redemption for Watson, soon grows into something much more.

Both Holmes and Watson have the familiar traits you’re looking for from these characters, with subtle twists and subversions to make them unique in their own right. The villains (Tom and Jenny) plus a host of others on their tails make for an interesting story filled with plenty of humour and twists to keep it all moving forward at a leisurely clip.

Hayes has delivered a completely enjoyable addition to the wider world of Sherlockian fiction. Filled with loads of action, plot twists, humour and loads of heart, this is a series I’ll be enjoying more of. I’ve already picked up the second book in the series!

The narration by Scott Aiello was fantastic, his voice of Sherman reminded me a lot of his voicework in Second Hand Curses. He’s got a voice that’s easy to listen to, and of course, being produced for Audible, the quality was absolutely top-notch.

TL;DR – Fun new Holmes and Watson adventures to get into! I’ll be investigating more of these for sure.

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