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Benedict Cumberbatch Reads Sherlock Holmes' Rediscovered Railway Stories: Four Original Short Stories
Benedict Cumberbatch reads these four new Sherlock Holmes stories by John Taylor
'An Inscrutable Masquerade'/ 'The Conundrum of Coach 13'/ 'The Trinity Vicarage Larceny'/ 'The 10.59 Assassin'
Inspired by Arthur Conan Doyle’s original Sherlock Holmes stories, John Taylor has written four more mysteries featuring the world’s greatest detective. Read by acclaimed actor Benedict Cumberbatch, these new adventures share all the suspense of the original tales.
In a drawer in his bureau, Dr Watson keeps a locked cedarwood chest � a ‘box of secrets�. It contains an archive of notes referring to some of Holmes� cases that, for one reason or another, never saw the light of day. Now, for the first time, Watson has decided to reveal the truth to the world... In these four thrilling stories, Holmes experiments with the science of ballistics, locates some missing gold bullion, investigates the theft of a large amount of money and solves the baffling mystery of the Stovey murder.
'An Inscrutable Masquerade'/ 'The Conundrum of Coach 13'/ 'The Trinity Vicarage Larceny'/ 'The 10.59 Assassin'
Inspired by Arthur Conan Doyle’s original Sherlock Holmes stories, John Taylor has written four more mysteries featuring the world’s greatest detective. Read by acclaimed actor Benedict Cumberbatch, these new adventures share all the suspense of the original tales.
In a drawer in his bureau, Dr Watson keeps a locked cedarwood chest � a ‘box of secrets�. It contains an archive of notes referring to some of Holmes� cases that, for one reason or another, never saw the light of day. Now, for the first time, Watson has decided to reveal the truth to the world... In these four thrilling stories, Holmes experiments with the science of ballistics, locates some missing gold bullion, investigates the theft of a large amount of money and solves the baffling mystery of the Stovey murder.
3 pages, Audio CD
First published November 4, 2010
71 people are currently reading
1,443 people want to read
About the author
John Taylor
12books5followersJohn Taylor is a writer and former BBC radio producer. He now runs The Fiction Factory production company, an established supplier of programs to the BBC.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 651 reviews
May 3, 2018
2.5 Stars
After my past encounters with some disappointing pieces of Sherlock Holmes pastiches, I started running away from them like I avoid calls of notorious telemarketers. But as always, there are times when I let myself get stupidly wooed by irresistible offers, and this was one of them. I mean, who can resist Benedict Cumberlord?
Here was the offer: My generation's embodiment of Sherlock Holmes (sorry, Robert Downy .Jr) reading Sherlock Holmes stories! This must be what readers who grew up watching Basil Rathbone's version felt when literary world produced Sherlock Holmes audiobook read by him!
Alas, my excitement was beaten down by the set of average Holmes pastiches written by John Taylor. It's a shame actually, like getting a great cast together and messing up the script.
Four stories are presented in this audiobook, and we find ourself among murderers, victims, robbers and of course, trains.
But none of the stories stand out or leave a mark on the reader, and that is indeed a tragedy. There are no memorable characters, and there are no unbreakable riddles. And without them, we are left with Benedict Cumberbatch's smooth voice and thankfully, that makes everything bearable.
After my past encounters with some disappointing pieces of Sherlock Holmes pastiches, I started running away from them like I avoid calls of notorious telemarketers. But as always, there are times when I let myself get stupidly wooed by irresistible offers, and this was one of them. I mean, who can resist Benedict Cumberlord?
Here was the offer: My generation's embodiment of Sherlock Holmes (sorry, Robert Downy .Jr) reading Sherlock Holmes stories! This must be what readers who grew up watching Basil Rathbone's version felt when literary world produced Sherlock Holmes audiobook read by him!
Alas, my excitement was beaten down by the set of average Holmes pastiches written by John Taylor. It's a shame actually, like getting a great cast together and messing up the script.
Four stories are presented in this audiobook, and we find ourself among murderers, victims, robbers and of course, trains.
But none of the stories stand out or leave a mark on the reader, and that is indeed a tragedy. There are no memorable characters, and there are no unbreakable riddles. And without them, we are left with Benedict Cumberbatch's smooth voice and thankfully, that makes everything bearable.
April 14, 2012
I am not going to pretend that I read err.. listened to this audio book for any reason other than, well him
sigh But, this book did surprise me as it was fairly decent. Of course it was nothing like the original, yet the mysteries sometimes managed to draw my attention away from Cumberbatch’s voice. Now that is an achievement because he is such a brilliant actor. I am not that keen about audio books but with him as the narrator�*sigh*..you get the point.
Sherlock fans, check it out!
sigh But, this book did surprise me as it was fairly decent. Of course it was nothing like the original, yet the mysteries sometimes managed to draw my attention away from Cumberbatch’s voice. Now that is an achievement because he is such a brilliant actor. I am not that keen about audio books but with him as the narrator�*sigh*..you get the point.
Sherlock fans, check it out!
June 18, 2018
'An Inscrutable Masquerade' - 3 stars
'The Conundrum of Coach 13' - 2.5 stars
'The Trinity Vicarage Larceny'- 2 stars
'The 10.59 Assassin' - 3 stars
Narration: 5 Stars.. Benedict Cumberbatch is pretty good as a narrator for this. He voices everyone wonderfully and I didn't have trouble falling into the stories. I was wondering if I'd be distracted by his voice but that wasn't the case. Like Alan Cumming narrating Specimen Days , it was just an added bonus:).
*points to ratings* As for the stories themselves, two were pretty good but the others were just "okay." Not bad, just "meh." Nothing special *shrugs*
My favorite was the last one, especially the ending. :)
Would recommend the audiobook, a quick read at just over 2 hours.. something good for a rainy day perhaps:)
'The Conundrum of Coach 13' - 2.5 stars
'The Trinity Vicarage Larceny'- 2 stars
'The 10.59 Assassin' - 3 stars
Narration: 5 Stars.. Benedict Cumberbatch is pretty good as a narrator for this. He voices everyone wonderfully and I didn't have trouble falling into the stories. I was wondering if I'd be distracted by his voice but that wasn't the case. Like Alan Cumming narrating Specimen Days , it was just an added bonus:).
*points to ratings* As for the stories themselves, two were pretty good but the others were just "okay." Not bad, just "meh." Nothing special *shrugs*
My favorite was the last one, especially the ending. :)
Would recommend the audiobook, a quick read at just over 2 hours.. something good for a rainy day perhaps:)
June 4, 2012
I'm not a fan of audio books, because I truly love reading at my own pace, and you can't do that when someone is reading to you. I'm a control freak like that, and I love being able to turn pages back and forth, particularly when I've missed something or am in awe or something. This is the first audio book I've ever listened to, and only because it contains the voice of one very [insert every possible variant of 'remarkable' or 'amazing' available to the English language] Benedict Cumberbatch. Yes, I've been Sherlocked, Cumberbatched, what have you. But the voice - I'm a mere mortal and like everyone else, am unable to resist the one with a voice like a jaguar hiding in a cello.
That said, I have no freaking idea why he sounds so ancient in this. It's like a super power - him adding years to his voice. And I giggle every time he changes it to fit characters.
Sorry for such a fangirl review in which I mentioned nothing about the content but the delivery (this is my first audio book, after all!), but Sherlock reading Sherlock? Sold.
(If you have no idea what the hell I am going on about, Cumberbatch plays Sherlock in the BBC Sherlock series. And it is brilliant.)
That said, I have no freaking idea why he sounds so ancient in this. It's like a super power - him adding years to his voice. And I giggle every time he changes it to fit characters.
Sorry for such a fangirl review in which I mentioned nothing about the content but the delivery (this is my first audio book, after all!), but Sherlock reading Sherlock? Sold.
(If you have no idea what the hell I am going on about, Cumberbatch plays Sherlock in the BBC Sherlock series. And it is brilliant.)
September 22, 2023
Eh, the stories were fine. I'm sad that Cumberbatch didn't have the opportunity to say "penguin," though.
March 24, 2012
I don't usually 'read' audio books and I wouldn't even start listening to this one if it weren't for the fact that Benedict Cumberbatch was reading it. The highlight of the entire work is, for me, Mr. Cumberbatch's excellent reading. I'm not even going to deny that I'm a fan of his sexy baritone, but what convinced me to stick through this whole audio book experience and not give up on it the way I did the other audio books was HOW Cumberbatch read it.
Proving what an excellent actor/reader he is, he gave nuances to the characters in the story. I could distinguish between his Holmes (who somehow reminds me of the personality of Robert Downey Jr's Holmes from Guy Ritchie's movies) and his Watson (who sounds entirely his own). Thanks to him, the other characters, clients and villains alike, sound like they had personalities.
The stories themselves are quite Conan Doyle-esque. They are what I call "official fanfiction". Sir Arthur is probably the "most adapted" male British author from his era (or from the entire history of English literature) and thankfully for him, many of the people adapting his works into various forms never really do a poor job. Likewise with this collection of stories by John Taylor, they are in Sir Arthur's style and there are only very minor differences from the canon.
In other words, this audio book is perfect for when you're looking for more Holmesian entertainment outside the canon with a voice that could caress your ears.
* A more complete review of this audio book can be found on .
Proving what an excellent actor/reader he is, he gave nuances to the characters in the story. I could distinguish between his Holmes (who somehow reminds me of the personality of Robert Downey Jr's Holmes from Guy Ritchie's movies) and his Watson (who sounds entirely his own). Thanks to him, the other characters, clients and villains alike, sound like they had personalities.
The stories themselves are quite Conan Doyle-esque. They are what I call "official fanfiction". Sir Arthur is probably the "most adapted" male British author from his era (or from the entire history of English literature) and thankfully for him, many of the people adapting his works into various forms never really do a poor job. Likewise with this collection of stories by John Taylor, they are in Sir Arthur's style and there are only very minor differences from the canon.
In other words, this audio book is perfect for when you're looking for more Holmesian entertainment outside the canon with a voice that could caress your ears.
* A more complete review of this audio book can be found on .
March 8, 2016
More like 2.5: The mysteries were Ok, sometimes a little boring. But Cumbertbatch narration was, as expected, fabulous. I really hope someone pays him to read the original Sherlock.
November 13, 2019
Πρώτη επαφή με το Sherlock Holmes (ούτε βιβλία, ούτε ταινίας, ούτε σειρά) κι ενώ δεν είμαι σίγουρος ότι είναι το καλύτερο μέσο για να ξεκινήσει κανείς, η υπέροχη αφήγηση από το Benedict Cumberbatch και η δεύτερη Gymnopédie του Satie που έπαιζε εμμονικά στο μπακγκράουντ με έκαναν να μην τη μετανιώσω.
January 3, 2016
I'm in a Sherlock Holmes mood at the moment, partially due to the book I'm reading about the character's evolution and partially due to the NYE special. So when this popped up as a suggestion on my audiobook app I had to listen to it.
It's a very short book - much like Conan Doyle's tales about this great detective - but the four stories included in this audiobook were not all as good as the original. Entertaining, yes, but most of the time the deductions were easy for the listener to make themselves. Benedict Cumberbatch reading the stories was, however, a big plus and a major cause for me rating this book at four stars.
It's a very short book - much like Conan Doyle's tales about this great detective - but the four stories included in this audiobook were not all as good as the original. Entertaining, yes, but most of the time the deductions were easy for the listener to make themselves. Benedict Cumberbatch reading the stories was, however, a big plus and a major cause for me rating this book at four stars.
April 25, 2013
I was so excited to find that Benedict Cumberbatch had done the reading for an audio-book version of Sherlock Holmes. However, I was a little sad to realize that it is not one of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s novels, but instead a new author who was attempting to write as the characters. I went and found a copy of this and started listening. I was cautiously optimistic. Honestly, how bad could it be, I thought!
There are four separate mysteries that are supposedly rediscovered by Dr. John Watson in one of his old trunks, and being inspired he has decided to share them with us now. The four stories are titled; An Inscrutable Masquerade, The Trinity Vicarage, The Conundrum of Coach 13 Larceny, and The 10:59 Assassin. All the stories appear to be set before Watson gets married and moves out of 221 B Baker Street.
The Inscrutable Masquerade is a case where Sherlock is trying to help the police gather enough evidence to convict a man they know committed murder. The police have had to release the convict, and now Sherlock is running top secret experiments to gain the evidence they need. In order to protect him, Holmes asks Watson to stay inside 221 B Baker Street, and not open the door or go out, but surly there can be no bad consequences of Watson letting an old friend in?
The Trinity Vicarage is a more straight forward mystery. A bishop, who has meet Holmes before, arrives in London to request help with a very strange robbery. The local vicar had been keeping some cash, after finding and selling an old relic, in the crypt of the church. A strange figure in a hat has broken in and taken the money, and in the process left whitewash footprints across a field as the vicar chased him off. It is now up to Holmes to figure out who stole the money and how they disappeared.
The Conundrum of Coach 13 Larceny starts with a flustered American business man arriving to employ Holmes (who has been grumpy from a lack of cases). The American had been paid to provide 5 million in gold bullion to the British government. With very careful planning he had it loaded on a train, the boxes could only go in through the door (not out a window), the doors locked from the outside, and a guard was on duty. But, when the train arrives in London, there is no gold, and only a guard that fell asleep. Can Holmes solve the case and find the 5 million?
In The 10:59 Assassin the story of Holmes being asked to help a pub owner who helped put a man in prison. The pub owner’s son has been accused of murdering the son of the man the pub owner helped convict. At the time of the murder the pub owner’s son was on a train to buy a suit for his wedding, but that doesn’t keep the local police from locking him up. Can Holmes prove the soon to be groom is innocent, or is the pub owner’s faith in his son misplaced.
I have very mixed feelings about the audiobook. I found that when looking at the original Doyle stories of Holmes there was no comparison. These mysteries were too easy. The first two I solved easily and the last two, I pretty much had the answer, and defiantly had the person who committed the crime. However, that being said, it was nice to see a bit more of Holmes and Watson in the Victorian era.
If it had not been Cumberbatch reading it to me I might not have made it past the first mystery. I found that the first one was the weakest story of the four. It was obvious what had happened and worse yet was that Watson (a medically trained doctor) was completely clueless. I really dislike a trope that some people use in Sherlock Holmes stories of a stupid Watson. Instead Watson should be a very intelligent man, who is still completely overshadowed Holmes. I can’t really say if Watson is less dense in the later stories as he plays a much smaller part in these stories than he does in the first.
As far as Cumberbatch’s voice, I think he is really able to bring Holmes alive for me. Not only that, but he does a very good job doing all the different voices, making it easy to tell who is speaking. This is no easy feat, and I have listened to some people that cannot do this. One of my favorite bits of the audio-book was listening to Cumberbatch attempt an American accent. While it is good at first, it slips a bit as the story progresses, and actually I loved this. It helps me understand what Americans who attempt a “British� accent sound like to a British person.
To be honest, I probably would listen to Cumberbatch read a phonebook (although I really recommend him reading poetry), so having it be a Sherlock Holmes mystery, no matter the caliber, is a treat. The stories are enjoyable, if you can get past the first one. For a morning commute, it is not a bad way to pass the time.
Final Verdict: Too easy for hardcore Sherlock Holmes fans, but in the end, a good way to spend the morning commute.
Review originally posted at:
There are four separate mysteries that are supposedly rediscovered by Dr. John Watson in one of his old trunks, and being inspired he has decided to share them with us now. The four stories are titled; An Inscrutable Masquerade, The Trinity Vicarage, The Conundrum of Coach 13 Larceny, and The 10:59 Assassin. All the stories appear to be set before Watson gets married and moves out of 221 B Baker Street.
The Inscrutable Masquerade is a case where Sherlock is trying to help the police gather enough evidence to convict a man they know committed murder. The police have had to release the convict, and now Sherlock is running top secret experiments to gain the evidence they need. In order to protect him, Holmes asks Watson to stay inside 221 B Baker Street, and not open the door or go out, but surly there can be no bad consequences of Watson letting an old friend in?
The Trinity Vicarage is a more straight forward mystery. A bishop, who has meet Holmes before, arrives in London to request help with a very strange robbery. The local vicar had been keeping some cash, after finding and selling an old relic, in the crypt of the church. A strange figure in a hat has broken in and taken the money, and in the process left whitewash footprints across a field as the vicar chased him off. It is now up to Holmes to figure out who stole the money and how they disappeared.
The Conundrum of Coach 13 Larceny starts with a flustered American business man arriving to employ Holmes (who has been grumpy from a lack of cases). The American had been paid to provide 5 million in gold bullion to the British government. With very careful planning he had it loaded on a train, the boxes could only go in through the door (not out a window), the doors locked from the outside, and a guard was on duty. But, when the train arrives in London, there is no gold, and only a guard that fell asleep. Can Holmes solve the case and find the 5 million?
In The 10:59 Assassin the story of Holmes being asked to help a pub owner who helped put a man in prison. The pub owner’s son has been accused of murdering the son of the man the pub owner helped convict. At the time of the murder the pub owner’s son was on a train to buy a suit for his wedding, but that doesn’t keep the local police from locking him up. Can Holmes prove the soon to be groom is innocent, or is the pub owner’s faith in his son misplaced.
I have very mixed feelings about the audiobook. I found that when looking at the original Doyle stories of Holmes there was no comparison. These mysteries were too easy. The first two I solved easily and the last two, I pretty much had the answer, and defiantly had the person who committed the crime. However, that being said, it was nice to see a bit more of Holmes and Watson in the Victorian era.
If it had not been Cumberbatch reading it to me I might not have made it past the first mystery. I found that the first one was the weakest story of the four. It was obvious what had happened and worse yet was that Watson (a medically trained doctor) was completely clueless. I really dislike a trope that some people use in Sherlock Holmes stories of a stupid Watson. Instead Watson should be a very intelligent man, who is still completely overshadowed Holmes. I can’t really say if Watson is less dense in the later stories as he plays a much smaller part in these stories than he does in the first.
As far as Cumberbatch’s voice, I think he is really able to bring Holmes alive for me. Not only that, but he does a very good job doing all the different voices, making it easy to tell who is speaking. This is no easy feat, and I have listened to some people that cannot do this. One of my favorite bits of the audio-book was listening to Cumberbatch attempt an American accent. While it is good at first, it slips a bit as the story progresses, and actually I loved this. It helps me understand what Americans who attempt a “British� accent sound like to a British person.
To be honest, I probably would listen to Cumberbatch read a phonebook (although I really recommend him reading poetry), so having it be a Sherlock Holmes mystery, no matter the caliber, is a treat. The stories are enjoyable, if you can get past the first one. For a morning commute, it is not a bad way to pass the time.
Final Verdict: Too easy for hardcore Sherlock Holmes fans, but in the end, a good way to spend the morning commute.
Review originally posted at:
January 2, 2020
These were great little stories that fit very well within the Sherlock world. Of course they were wonderfully narrated by Benedict Cumberbatch.
My only complaint is that they felt way too short and sometimes very rushed to the conclusion.
My only complaint is that they felt way too short and sometimes very rushed to the conclusion.
January 21, 2022
I got this because Benedict Cumberbatch reads it. Cozy mysteries, with a good narrator.
March 8, 2018
Who said I only listened to this audiobook because of a certain Benedict Cumberbatch? Well, if you did, YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. This is my first audiobook and the fact that I'm going to listen to Ben's voice for two hours earned this book a special place in my heart (and ears). I didn't want this book to end. HIS VOICE IS SO EXQUISITE I COULD LISTEN TO IT FOREVER. Anyway I should stop fangirling now.
Aside from being a Cumberperson, I am also a huge Sherlock Holmes fan. The stories were good but they were just a little too predictable. I was also craving for more thrill like I felt in the original Holmes stories but I scarcely felt anything (except two hours of euphoria because of Ben's golden voice). Despite these points, I liked the book still. It was nostalgic to hear more Holmes stories and my heart inflated to hear them from B's mouth.
This was a great first audiobook for me. I'm off now hunting for more Benedict-narrated audiobooks. By the way, what is your favorite audiobook? Have you read other audiobooks read by B? Let me know 😉
Aside from being a Cumberperson, I am also a huge Sherlock Holmes fan. The stories were good but they were just a little too predictable. I was also craving for more thrill like I felt in the original Holmes stories but I scarcely felt anything (except two hours of euphoria because of Ben's golden voice). Despite these points, I liked the book still. It was nostalgic to hear more Holmes stories and my heart inflated to hear them from B's mouth.
This was a great first audiobook for me. I'm off now hunting for more Benedict-narrated audiobooks. By the way, what is your favorite audiobook? Have you read other audiobooks read by B? Let me know 😉
December 12, 2012
John Taylor is enormously fortunate to have Benedict Cumberbatch read these stories, as are we. The stories themselves range from pretty good---especially the fiirst--to pretty lame (the third), but Cumberbatch's narration is masterful. Taylor has done a very good job of capturing the personalities of the original Dr. Watson and Holmes (perhaps occasionally imbuing Holmes with a little more warmth and social ease than Conan Doyle did) and Cumberbatch renders their voices and personalities flawlessly. Every character is distinct and believable, and Cumberbatch's voice as Holmes is an indulgence in and of itself. I went in fully warned that the stories wouldn't blow me away, and while that's true I think they were more competent and believable as part of a lost canon than many other similar attempts. I bought the audio book because I wanted to listen to something enjoyable, and I got it.
March 27, 2012
I listened to the audiobook. I admit it: I was only interested in it because it's narrated by Benedict Cumberbatch (mmm...Benedict Cumberbatch). I think everyone who's listened to this listened to it precisely because it was read by Benedict Cumberbatch (mmm...Benedict Cumberbatch). People can't be listening to it for the stories. The stories are not up to snuff. Sherlock is not as brilliant as Doyle's original, the dialog is trite, and the mysteries themselves are not all that, well, mysterious. The redeeming quality of being narrated by Benedict Cumberbatch (mmm...Benedict Cumberbatch) is also somewhat diminished in that most of the time, he's not using his real voice or accent. However, he is a phenomenal actor and that shows through in his narration. So do like the rest of us have done, and listen to it solely for Benedict Cumberbatch (mmm...Benedict Cumberbatch).
February 6, 2017
Well, that wasn't really some Sherlock Holmes mysteries, in fact, I didn't feel the genious in it, I wasn't expecting it to be just like Sir Conan Doyle's S.H, but at least, just a little bit.
The narrator's voice was really pleasant and did limit the damages :D
The narrator's voice was really pleasant and did limit the damages :D
November 10, 2017
Benedict Cumberbatch might read obituaries or the phone book and I'd still sit back and enjoy it. Here he's reading four Sherlock Holmes stories, which are very entertaining.
October 17, 2019
A collection of four short stories; unfortunately none of them were very intriguing. An Inscrutable Masquerade probably stayed with me the most, because of having a somewhat original twist, but at the same time Watson's behaviour felt the least like Watson in this one. The other three stories were all some variant of the same concept , which was both unoriginal and predictable. The 10.59 Assassin at last provided us with a murder, but seemingly inspired by The Boscombe Valley Mystery mixed with The Problem of Thor Bridge, it once again provided nothing exciting. This book just failed to capture the fun personalities of Holmes and Watson and the thrill of the original cases.
This being said, I'm not an audiobook person - this was my first ever - but man, Benedict is such a great narrator. He does such an amazing job at creating different voices for every character, using different accents and even different pitches without overdoing it. It made the mediocre stories actually a lot of fun to listen to. Such a shame he doesn't narrate the original stories.
This being said, I'm not an audiobook person - this was my first ever - but man, Benedict is such a great narrator. He does such an amazing job at creating different voices for every character, using different accents and even different pitches without overdoing it. It made the mediocre stories actually a lot of fun to listen to. Such a shame he doesn't narrate the original stories.
October 19, 2020
Audible version: These were pretty predictable, but I liked them well enough. The real draw was the reading by Benedict Cumberbatch. A nice read while I sat doing a puzzle on a day I couldn't go paddle boarding.
April 5, 2019
Honestly only listened to this because of Cumberbatch. Most of the mysteries were pretty predictable, but Cumberbatch makes up for the predictability with his phenomenal voice acting. Twas enjoyable.
October 2, 2020
Benedict Cumberbatch can have my soul.
June 8, 2012
Frankly, not that impressive. The stories are mediocre at best, and a few of the clues and deductions are much too close to ones in Doyle's original stories.
audiobook note: Yes, Cumberbatch offers strong and expressive readings, but the producers have relied too much on the good will with which his ardent fans will color their critiques. Since Holmes stories are always presented from the POV of Watson, it would have made more sense to cast Martin Freeman as the narrator, and I found myself bothered by the disconnect.
audiobook note: Yes, Cumberbatch offers strong and expressive readings, but the producers have relied too much on the good will with which his ardent fans will color their critiques. Since Holmes stories are always presented from the POV of Watson, it would have made more sense to cast Martin Freeman as the narrator, and I found myself bothered by the disconnect.
January 23, 2022
I love how I can never guess how the crime was solved. I actually listened to the audiobook for this one and it was impossible not to as Benedict Cumberbatch was the voice author. Why would you not listen to Sherlock reading Sherlock??
June 19, 2017
Book: 3 stars
Narrator: 5 stars
Review to come
Narrator: 5 stars
Review to come
January 3, 2023
I love Sherlock and when my favorite celebrities read books I love! So this was a win-win for me! The stories were good too!
June 22, 2020
I love all things Sherlockian, and best of all this book was narrated by my favorite modern day Sherlock Holmes, Benedict Cumberbatch. This short two hour book is great for a drive or puttering around the house. I had not read anything by Taylor before now, and if I had I don’t know that the lure of Mr. Cumberbatch himself would have let me download the title. I was underwhelmed by the eminent predictability in the plots, but the quick pace of the narration almost made up for it. For those, like me, that love the updated works of Anthony Horowitz and of course the original works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle himself, you mostly likely won’t be impressed, but for me, hearing Benedict Cumberbatch read to me for two hours was worth it.
March 25, 2020
3.5 stars
I enjoyed this, but I think that was 90% because Benedict Cumberbatch narrated the audiobook. The stories lacked Doyle's finesse, and became very flat and repetetive. They were also very predictable, and only the last one had me puzzled at the ending.
I would recommend this for major Sherlock Holmes (or Benedict Cumberbatch) fans, but not as a standalone work.
I enjoyed this, but I think that was 90% because Benedict Cumberbatch narrated the audiobook. The stories lacked Doyle's finesse, and became very flat and repetetive. They were also very predictable, and only the last one had me puzzled at the ending.
I would recommend this for major Sherlock Holmes (or Benedict Cumberbatch) fans, but not as a standalone work.
December 20, 2022
3.5 � Fun, little stories of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson! It was great getting to listen to Benedict Cumberbatch read them too. I do think one of the stories would have lost my interest had I been reading from an actual book, but listening to the audiobook while cleaning kept my attention enough.
March 20, 2025
Stories get a 3, Cumberbatch's narration gets a 5.
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