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The Daughter of Sherlock Holmes Mysteries #1
The Daughter of Sherlock Holmes
1914. Joanna Blalock’s keen mind and incredible insight lead her to become a highly-skilled nurse, one of the few professions that allow her to use her finely-tuned brain. But when she and her ten-year-old son witness a man fall to his death, apparently by suicide, they are visited by the elderly Dr. John Watson and his charming, handsome son, Dr. John Watson Jr. Impressed by her forensic skills, they invite her to become the third member of their investigative team.
Caught up in a Holmesian mystery that spans from hidden treasure to the Second Afghan War of 1878-1880, Joanna and her companions must devise an ingenious plan to catch a murderer in the act while dodging familiar culprits, Scotland Yard, and members of the British aristocracy. Unbeknownst to her, Joanna harbors a mystery of her own. The product of a one-time assignation between the now dead Sherlock Holmes and Irene Adler, the only woman to ever outwit the famous detective, Joanna has unwittingly inherited her parents’ deductive genius.
Caught up in a Holmesian mystery that spans from hidden treasure to the Second Afghan War of 1878-1880, Joanna and her companions must devise an ingenious plan to catch a murderer in the act while dodging familiar culprits, Scotland Yard, and members of the British aristocracy. Unbeknownst to her, Joanna harbors a mystery of her own. The product of a one-time assignation between the now dead Sherlock Holmes and Irene Adler, the only woman to ever outwit the famous detective, Joanna has unwittingly inherited her parents’ deductive genius.
305 pages, Hardcover
First published June 6, 2017
About the author
Leonard Goldberg
42 books400 followersLeonard Goldberg is an American physicist, professor of medicine, and the author of the Joanna Blalock series of medical thrillers.
His novels have been translated into a dozen languages and sold more than a million copies worldwide. Leonard Goldberg is himself a consulting physician affiliated with the UCLA Medical Center, where he holds an appointment as Clinical Professor of Medicine. A sought-after expert witness in medical malpractice trials, he is board certified in internal medicine, hematology and rheumatology, and has published over a hundred scientific studies in peer-reviewed journals.
Leonard Goldberg's writing career began with a clinical interest in blood disorders. While involved in a research project at UCLA, he encountered a most unusual blood type. The patient’s red blood cells were O-Rh null, indicating they were totally deficient in A, B and Rh factors and could be administered to virtually anyone without fear of a transfusion reaction. In essence, the patient was the proverbial "universal" blood donor. This finding spurred the idea for a story in which an individual was born without a tissue type, making that person’s organs transplantable into anyone without worry of rejection. His first novel, Transplant, revolved around a young woman who is discovered to be a universal organ donor and is hounded by a wealthy, powerful man in desperate need of a new kidney. The book quickly went through multiple printings and was optioned by a major Hollywood studio.
Dr. Goldberg is a native of Charleston and a long-time California resident. He currently divides his time between Los Angeles and an island off the coast of South Carolina.
His novels have been translated into a dozen languages and sold more than a million copies worldwide. Leonard Goldberg is himself a consulting physician affiliated with the UCLA Medical Center, where he holds an appointment as Clinical Professor of Medicine. A sought-after expert witness in medical malpractice trials, he is board certified in internal medicine, hematology and rheumatology, and has published over a hundred scientific studies in peer-reviewed journals.
Leonard Goldberg's writing career began with a clinical interest in blood disorders. While involved in a research project at UCLA, he encountered a most unusual blood type. The patient’s red blood cells were O-Rh null, indicating they were totally deficient in A, B and Rh factors and could be administered to virtually anyone without fear of a transfusion reaction. In essence, the patient was the proverbial "universal" blood donor. This finding spurred the idea for a story in which an individual was born without a tissue type, making that person’s organs transplantable into anyone without worry of rejection. His first novel, Transplant, revolved around a young woman who is discovered to be a universal organ donor and is hounded by a wealthy, powerful man in desperate need of a new kidney. The book quickly went through multiple printings and was optioned by a major Hollywood studio.
Dr. Goldberg is a native of Charleston and a long-time California resident. He currently divides his time between Los Angeles and an island off the coast of South Carolina.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,129 reviews
August 26, 2020
This is basically masturbatory fanfiction in all its cringy glory.
Not that there's anything wrong with that...
But it isn't what I expected when I borrowed this one from my library. However, if you are aware of it going in, you may fare better than I did with this one.
Now, I knew there were going to be parallels. Because...duh!
I mean, I was reading this specifically for that reason. The idea that there could be another Sherlock Holmesesque character really appealed to me. A daughter? Whooo-hoo!
And not only Sherly's offspring but Irene Adler's as well?
Warning: don't go into it expecting a steamy Holmes/Adler secret love story.
You will be SORELY disappointed.
Of course, Dr. Watson has a son - Dr. John Watson Jr. And he and Joanna make moon eyes at each other because we've needed a Holmes/Watson love affair since Doyle wrote the original stories. <--I heartily approved of this.
However.
The problems stemmed from the daunting amount of overkill that came along with too much of a good thing.
Sherlock & Irene had a secret daughter who has the combined intelligence and craftiness of her biological parents, making her a better detective than her father.
And (thanks to the infusion of Adler's genes) she is without Holmes grating lack of social graces.
Plus, she's beautiful.
Oh, and her (super intelligent) son looks exactly like a young Sherlock Holmes.
Remember the bloodhound, Toby?
Well, he's dead. <--because dogs die eventually
But the offspring of Toby (Toby 2.0!) is even better.
Everyone - everyone - in the story is the child of one of Doyle's original characters. In fact, I'm pretty sure the guy delivering the packages in this book to 221B Baker Street is the son of the guy who delivered packages to Sherlock when he and Watson were roommates, and the woman selling flowers on the corner was probably the daughter of the woman selling flowers when Dr. John Watson Sr was courting Dr. John Watson Jr's mother.
This means thatnot so shockingly even the bad guy is the descendant of one of Holmes' bad guys.
The plot was even too much like a Sherlock plot if that makes sense?
I mean, back in the day, you could get away with the whole people are born bad because their ancestor was evil, but that sort of thing just sounds stupid now.
Yes, it is a Sherlockish theory - but not EVERYTHING in the whole damn book needed to match up to the old stuff.
I could only (personally) take so much before the story felt like fanfic written by an obsessed 12 year old.
I listened to the audiobook version, and the plot worked as a decent time suck. So. It wasn't a total wash for me. And there were times that I thought something was cool. But none of it made up for the overall bombardment of old characters with slightly new DNA.
Not that there's anything wrong with that...
But it isn't what I expected when I borrowed this one from my library. However, if you are aware of it going in, you may fare better than I did with this one.
Now, I knew there were going to be parallels. Because...duh!
I mean, I was reading this specifically for that reason. The idea that there could be another Sherlock Holmesesque character really appealed to me. A daughter? Whooo-hoo!
And not only Sherly's offspring but Irene Adler's as well?
Warning: don't go into it expecting a steamy Holmes/Adler secret love story.
You will be SORELY disappointed.
Of course, Dr. Watson has a son - Dr. John Watson Jr. And he and Joanna make moon eyes at each other because we've needed a Holmes/Watson love affair since Doyle wrote the original stories. <--I heartily approved of this.
However.
The problems stemmed from the daunting amount of overkill that came along with too much of a good thing.
Sherlock & Irene had a secret daughter who has the combined intelligence and craftiness of her biological parents, making her a better detective than her father.
And (thanks to the infusion of Adler's genes) she is without Holmes grating lack of social graces.
Plus, she's beautiful.
Oh, and her (super intelligent) son looks exactly like a young Sherlock Holmes.
Remember the bloodhound, Toby?
Well, he's dead. <--because dogs die eventually
But the offspring of Toby (Toby 2.0!) is even better.
Everyone - everyone - in the story is the child of one of Doyle's original characters. In fact, I'm pretty sure the guy delivering the packages in this book to 221B Baker Street is the son of the guy who delivered packages to Sherlock when he and Watson were roommates, and the woman selling flowers on the corner was probably the daughter of the woman selling flowers when Dr. John Watson Sr was courting Dr. John Watson Jr's mother.
This means that
The plot was even too much like a Sherlock plot if that makes sense?
I mean, back in the day, you could get away with the whole people are born bad because their ancestor was evil, but that sort of thing just sounds stupid now.
Yes, it is a Sherlockish theory - but not EVERYTHING in the whole damn book needed to match up to the old stuff.
I could only (personally) take so much before the story felt like fanfic written by an obsessed 12 year old.
I listened to the audiobook version, and the plot worked as a decent time suck. So. It wasn't a total wash for me. And there were times that I thought something was cool. But none of it made up for the overall bombardment of old characters with slightly new DNA.
April 11, 2018
This book is not only awful, it is insulting to human intelligence.
First, though, two things I didn’t mind. As a general lover of Sherlock Holmes and all related pastiches, I like the idea of Holmes having a daughter that follows in his footsteps. Also the central mystery itself would have been perfectly acceptable in another book.
But those two mediocre and misused points do not make up for the plethora of short-comings. Shall I list them? I shall. The dialogue is incredibly stilted. The next time I need to ask “What happened?” I will instead say “What has transpired?” just to see the strange looks I receive. There were apparently only ten or twelve people living in London at the turn of the 20th century, because every single character is a child of a character that had the exact same profession and personality in an original Holmes story (sometimes the same name, too!). Other than the title character, they all the same gender, as well. They’re all here: Holmes’ daughter, Watson’s son, Lestrade’s son, Mrs. Hudson’s daughter, the criminal’s son, etc, etc. There is a even a dog that only appears once that is the descendent (with the same name) of a dog in a Holmes story. What a lack of orginality. Everyone except Ms. Holmes/Blalock and her impossibly composed & intelligent ten-year-old son is an absolute idiot. I’m surprised they can find their own shoelaces upon their feet.
But my primary complaint is that this book assumes that the reader is just as stupid as those characters. In the course of the investigation, we are treated to multiple lengthy explanations to things that a person of average intelligence already knows. Being able to see up close but blurred at a distance is called near-sightedness? Shocking. (Note the word myopic does not appear in this text, which the original Holmes would no doubt know and use.) And it possible to determine if someone is near-sighted by asking them to both read and look across the street without glasses and have them tell what you they see? The field of ophthalmology is no doubt rocking from that revelation. Did you know that blood passes through both the heart and lungs in circulation? I never heard tell! Would you have ever guessed that a walking stick with solid silver ball on the top would cause a round fracture in a human skull? Probably not because John Watson, Jr. - a pathologist!!! - doesn’t believe it until Ms. Holmes/Blalock gives him a demonstration! Brace yourselves for this one, because not only is a whole chapter devoted to explaining it, but it also gets a paragraph long rehash in a later chapter in case you forget: the letter E is the most commonly used letter in the English language!
Why then, you’re probably asking, did I finish this book? Because my cat had dental surgery and was recovering on my lap. I was trapped without another book within arm’s length. I shall never forgive my veterinarian.
First, though, two things I didn’t mind. As a general lover of Sherlock Holmes and all related pastiches, I like the idea of Holmes having a daughter that follows in his footsteps. Also the central mystery itself would have been perfectly acceptable in another book.
But those two mediocre and misused points do not make up for the plethora of short-comings. Shall I list them? I shall. The dialogue is incredibly stilted. The next time I need to ask “What happened?” I will instead say “What has transpired?” just to see the strange looks I receive. There were apparently only ten or twelve people living in London at the turn of the 20th century, because every single character is a child of a character that had the exact same profession and personality in an original Holmes story (sometimes the same name, too!). Other than the title character, they all the same gender, as well. They’re all here: Holmes’ daughter, Watson’s son, Lestrade’s son, Mrs. Hudson’s daughter, the criminal’s son, etc, etc. There is a even a dog that only appears once that is the descendent (with the same name) of a dog in a Holmes story. What a lack of orginality. Everyone except Ms. Holmes/Blalock and her impossibly composed & intelligent ten-year-old son is an absolute idiot. I’m surprised they can find their own shoelaces upon their feet.
But my primary complaint is that this book assumes that the reader is just as stupid as those characters. In the course of the investigation, we are treated to multiple lengthy explanations to things that a person of average intelligence already knows. Being able to see up close but blurred at a distance is called near-sightedness? Shocking. (Note the word myopic does not appear in this text, which the original Holmes would no doubt know and use.) And it possible to determine if someone is near-sighted by asking them to both read and look across the street without glasses and have them tell what you they see? The field of ophthalmology is no doubt rocking from that revelation. Did you know that blood passes through both the heart and lungs in circulation? I never heard tell! Would you have ever guessed that a walking stick with solid silver ball on the top would cause a round fracture in a human skull? Probably not because John Watson, Jr. - a pathologist!!! - doesn’t believe it until Ms. Holmes/Blalock gives him a demonstration! Brace yourselves for this one, because not only is a whole chapter devoted to explaining it, but it also gets a paragraph long rehash in a later chapter in case you forget: the letter E is the most commonly used letter in the English language!
Why then, you’re probably asking, did I finish this book? Because my cat had dental surgery and was recovering on my lap. I was trapped without another book within arm’s length. I shall never forgive my veterinarian.
December 28, 2019
It was pure willpower (and guilt since I got the library to buy the book) that got me through this book. I love reading (well-written) Sherlock Holmes pastiches like those by Laurie R. King and Sherry Thomas, but that's not the case with this book. The only thing that was good about this book is that it was so easy to read because you could skim the pages. The book lacks well-developed characters and an interesting story. Most of the characters in this book is a new generation of the classical books, so it's Dr. John Watson Jr, Miss Hudson, hell even Toby the dog's offspring is named Toby (or Toby two or something I don't have the book here so hard to check), as well. Even the villain is Moran is related to one of the villains in the original stories. As for Joanna Blalock (yeah imaginative to give her a LOCK name), what can I saw, all through the book she shows how clever she is (not hard when everyone else around her are slow) and then there is the instant attraction between her and John Watson Jr (who btw is so bland that I want to scream) is making me gag.
Just not, I managed to finish this book, but will not read any more books in this series!
Just not, I managed to finish this book, but will not read any more books in this series!
August 26, 2021
The Daughter of Sherlock Holmes
(The Daughter of Sherlock Holmes Mysteries #1)
by Leonard Goldberg
Great story/mystery in the style of Holmes. Plenty of twists and turns. Great characters and dialogue. A nice change to have the woman with the answers.
(The Daughter of Sherlock Holmes Mysteries #1)
by Leonard Goldberg
Great story/mystery in the style of Holmes. Plenty of twists and turns. Great characters and dialogue. A nice change to have the woman with the answers.
June 29, 2020
I was so disappointed with this book.
I started the book fully expecting a Sherlock fanfic, but I expected it to be entertaining at least. Sadly it was not as entertaining as I would have hoped.
Goldberg is writing a continuation of Sherlock's adventures: every character was a descendant of a character from the original Sherlock Holmes stories, which for me seemed a little over the top. Even the police detective Lestrade was the son of the original Lestrade. If Sherlock's daughter and Watson's son were the only descendants of the originals that would have been fine, but every single character was the son or daughter of an original character and it just didn't work for me.
Still the story could have been interesting if the writing had been better. The dialogue was incredibly stilted and often seemed formal, even when the characters were on familiar terms with one another. This made the characters seem stiff and the sentences were often a mouthful. I was not able to connect to any of the characters because I couldn't get past their dialogue. Aside from the characters' dialogue, the dialogue tags and even the rest of the writing was convoluted and sentences were often awkward. At times I felt Goldberg was talking down to me as the reader, making it more difficult for me to enjoy the story.
The one upside was that I was able to skim the whole book without missing the story.
I started the book fully expecting a Sherlock fanfic, but I expected it to be entertaining at least. Sadly it was not as entertaining as I would have hoped.
Goldberg is writing a continuation of Sherlock's adventures: every character was a descendant of a character from the original Sherlock Holmes stories, which for me seemed a little over the top. Even the police detective Lestrade was the son of the original Lestrade. If Sherlock's daughter and Watson's son were the only descendants of the originals that would have been fine, but every single character was the son or daughter of an original character and it just didn't work for me.
Still the story could have been interesting if the writing had been better. The dialogue was incredibly stilted and often seemed formal, even when the characters were on familiar terms with one another. This made the characters seem stiff and the sentences were often a mouthful. I was not able to connect to any of the characters because I couldn't get past their dialogue. Aside from the characters' dialogue, the dialogue tags and even the rest of the writing was convoluted and sentences were often awkward. At times I felt Goldberg was talking down to me as the reader, making it more difficult for me to enjoy the story.
The one upside was that I was able to skim the whole book without missing the story.
June 16, 2018
Boring trash. The biggest joke is that the author thanks two "superb editors, who managed to find the best novel in my manuscript." I'm amazed that there was any editing at all involved in this poorly written book. The best editing that could have been done would have been to burn the manuscript.
Read
August 24, 2022Sadly this is a DNF after 30 percent.
While I really liked the premise, especially the inclusion of Dr Watson’s pathologist son, the actual implementation just didn’t work for me.
Every puzzle solved by Joanne was either obvious (if you know Sherlock’s talents) or sometimes too simplistic, and this reader guessed stuff pages before our detecting trio.
Well-written and obviously an homage to Holmes and Watson, this just didn’t work for a serious lover of mysteries and 19th century intrigue.
So, so disappointed but other new mystery series await discovery so I’m moving on.
While I really liked the premise, especially the inclusion of Dr Watson’s pathologist son, the actual implementation just didn’t work for me.
Every puzzle solved by Joanne was either obvious (if you know Sherlock’s talents) or sometimes too simplistic, and this reader guessed stuff pages before our detecting trio.
Well-written and obviously an homage to Holmes and Watson, this just didn’t work for a serious lover of mysteries and 19th century intrigue.
So, so disappointed but other new mystery series await discovery so I’m moving on.
February 11, 2018
Proposed alternate title: Sherlock for Dum-Dums
2nd proposed alternate title: Death by Dialogue Tags
2nd proposed alternate title: Death by Dialogue Tags
July 11, 2019
***The Summer of Sherlock 2019***
I am quite amazed at the sheer number of authors who can’t resist writing about the great detective! In this offering, it is a male author, giving us his version of a daughter of Sherlock Holmes.
I rather like the enhanced role it gives to Dr. Watson, the surviving member of the duo. He and his dashing son, also a doctor, set about solving a mystery which Joanna Blalock has witnessed. She is soon part of the investigative team and very much on Watson Junior’s mind.
The story is a bit on the predictable side. There is a cunning criminal, a Lestrade Junior as a foil for the Watson team, a developing romance between Joanna & John Junior, and a plot line very reminiscent of The Sign of the Four.
There are two more books in the series, both of which are available through my public library. However, I am in no rush to get them--there are so many other Holmes pastiche books to be sampled during my summer project and I found this one a bit on the dry side.
I am quite amazed at the sheer number of authors who can’t resist writing about the great detective! In this offering, it is a male author, giving us his version of a daughter of Sherlock Holmes.
I rather like the enhanced role it gives to Dr. Watson, the surviving member of the duo. He and his dashing son, also a doctor, set about solving a mystery which Joanna Blalock has witnessed. She is soon part of the investigative team and very much on Watson Junior’s mind.
The story is a bit on the predictable side. There is a cunning criminal, a Lestrade Junior as a foil for the Watson team, a developing romance between Joanna & John Junior, and a plot line very reminiscent of The Sign of the Four.
There are two more books in the series, both of which are available through my public library. However, I am in no rush to get them--there are so many other Holmes pastiche books to be sampled during my summer project and I found this one a bit on the dry side.
June 19, 2018
DNF @50% - review to come
RATING: 1 STARS
(Review Not on Blog)
I REALLY wanted to like this. I even crossed my fingers hoping I would be approved for this book on NetGalley and was declined but ended up bein approved for the second book. I love the cover on this book, and it has a female lead as Sherlock's daughter. (Side note: Joanna Blalock, Sherlock and Adler's daughter is also the great grandmother to Joanna Blalock from Goldberg's contemporary series). I didn't have any expectations for this book other than it would be Sherlock-esque and entertaining. Watson is still alive, but seems to have lost some personality. He has a son who is a doctor as well, and is the one that writes his and Joanna's case. Mrs. Hudson has a daughter and owns the same building. Moran and Lestrade also have sons that...surprise surprise do the same thing. The dog is also an offspring of the original dog. The stories all seem to be recycled as well. It does not have the atmosphere that the original novels and stories have, nor is it well characterized or well-written. I feel like they had an idea for a spin-off but didn't think it through. I was to review the second book, but I can't even get past this one. I did try the first chapter of the second book and it seem reminiscent of the first book.
RATING: 1 STARS
(Review Not on Blog)
I REALLY wanted to like this. I even crossed my fingers hoping I would be approved for this book on NetGalley and was declined but ended up bein approved for the second book. I love the cover on this book, and it has a female lead as Sherlock's daughter. (Side note: Joanna Blalock, Sherlock and Adler's daughter is also the great grandmother to Joanna Blalock from Goldberg's contemporary series). I didn't have any expectations for this book other than it would be Sherlock-esque and entertaining. Watson is still alive, but seems to have lost some personality. He has a son who is a doctor as well, and is the one that writes his and Joanna's case. Mrs. Hudson has a daughter and owns the same building. Moran and Lestrade also have sons that...surprise surprise do the same thing. The dog is also an offspring of the original dog. The stories all seem to be recycled as well. It does not have the atmosphere that the original novels and stories have, nor is it well characterized or well-written. I feel like they had an idea for a spin-off but didn't think it through. I was to review the second book, but I can't even get past this one. I did try the first chapter of the second book and it seem reminiscent of the first book.
June 12, 2017
I really like Holmes pastiches for the most part; it is a really high bar of expectations though. I wanted to like this one, I wanted it very much. But, oh dear gods, this was potential unrealized.
The narrator is Dr. John Watson, Jr who works as a pathologist for a London hospital. His father, the redoubtable Dr. Watson, is still living at 221B Baker Street and Miss Hudson, the daughter of Mrs. Hudson serves as housekeeper. Sherlock Holmes has passed away and in doing so has ascended the pedestal of logical, unemotional sainthood. Called by an acquaintance of the elder doctor, the two Doctors Watson meet him and his widowed daughter-in-law, Joanna Blaylock, and her son. Her prodigious brain and logical mind are soon in evident and the game is soon afoot, as a gentleman is dead, an apparent suicide.
The elder Watson tells his son Joanna's backstory: Holmes and The Woman (Irene Adler, the only woman to outsmart him) spent one night together; and fueled by cognac and cocaine they conceived a daughter. She was adopted out under the careful eye of Dr. Watson and the indifferent disinterest of Sherlock Holmes. And here we are in their present day, still Victorian England. There is still an Inspector Lestrade, though it is the son of the Holmes' contemporary. The name Holmes still has the power to open doors, overcomes obstacles, and allow women to go where they were not allowed to go.
The mystery was interesting enough but it seems that the logical, unemotional deductive way of thinking and feeling has infected all the characters. All they do is talk, talk, talk. It's been a long time since I've read Doyle's Sherlock Holmes but I don't remember Watson as this logical automaton. Even the love story is talked about rather than demonstrated beyond a few chaste kisses that weren't so exciting. The story was told rather than shown. There was one exciting scene.
The narrator is Dr. John Watson, Jr who works as a pathologist for a London hospital. His father, the redoubtable Dr. Watson, is still living at 221B Baker Street and Miss Hudson, the daughter of Mrs. Hudson serves as housekeeper. Sherlock Holmes has passed away and in doing so has ascended the pedestal of logical, unemotional sainthood. Called by an acquaintance of the elder doctor, the two Doctors Watson meet him and his widowed daughter-in-law, Joanna Blaylock, and her son. Her prodigious brain and logical mind are soon in evident and the game is soon afoot, as a gentleman is dead, an apparent suicide.
The elder Watson tells his son Joanna's backstory: Holmes and The Woman (Irene Adler, the only woman to outsmart him) spent one night together; and fueled by cognac and cocaine they conceived a daughter. She was adopted out under the careful eye of Dr. Watson and the indifferent disinterest of Sherlock Holmes. And here we are in their present day, still Victorian England. There is still an Inspector Lestrade, though it is the son of the Holmes' contemporary. The name Holmes still has the power to open doors, overcomes obstacles, and allow women to go where they were not allowed to go.
The mystery was interesting enough but it seems that the logical, unemotional deductive way of thinking and feeling has infected all the characters. All they do is talk, talk, talk. It's been a long time since I've read Doyle's Sherlock Holmes but I don't remember Watson as this logical automaton. Even the love story is talked about rather than demonstrated beyond a few chaste kisses that weren't so exciting. The story was told rather than shown. There was one exciting scene.
April 4, 2019
It was a struggle to get through this one which is such a downer because I wanted to love it so much!
First off, this is about John Watson Sr. being asked to investigate a suspicious death that has been ruled a suicide. John Watson Jr. decides to help his father along and through a few twists and turns they meet Joanna Blalock. Joanna, it turns out is the illegitimate daughter of Sherlock Holmes and and actress. She was adopted and has been married, widowed and is mother to a young son.
Her ravenous curiosity leads her to help the Watson's with their investigation.
It also sounds not that bad, right?
Except I got tired of Watson Sr.'s constant moments of fascination with Joanna (and later with Joanna's young son). The times he exclaims awe in light of her "powers of deduction" got OTT and started looking and sounding really obnoxious. Watson Jr. isn't much better. Joanna is made out to be just as cold and calculating as her predecessor and there was nothing charming or endearing about her clinical know-it-all-attitude.
I'm being biased because I've never read a Sherlock Holmes mystery. My exposure to this character is probably misleading and erroneous - I am a huge fan of Elementary and BBC's Sherlock because those Holmes characters could also be cold and calculating but they also had some vulnerability, some innate charm that pulled at your curiosity and you can't help but warm up to them.
TDoSH portrays Sherlock as an unfeeling, emotionless genius who can't even love a dog, let alone another human being. There is a messed up theory in the book that you basically are good or evil depending on your genetic makeup. I thought this was BS and so needless to say, I zoned out everything the Watson's marveled at their own genius for voicing this theory. The fact that they use Joanna as an unknowing source for their theory was eye-roll inducing!
Then there's the romance. Joanna and Watson Jr. somehow develop romantic feelings for each other during this dry and lack luster story and I totally didn't understand it. The Where, When, How and Why of this surprise romance left me baffled. I am a romance reader. I always root for a romance to happen. But it felt so forced and out of place. There was no build up, no romance, no chemistry. Sometimes I literally felt like Joanna was just a fascinating oddity being observed by two bumbling idiots.
But somehow this blossomed into a mutual love between these two???
Hugely disappointed in this and wont' be reading the next one.
First off, this is about John Watson Sr. being asked to investigate a suspicious death that has been ruled a suicide. John Watson Jr. decides to help his father along and through a few twists and turns they meet Joanna Blalock. Joanna, it turns out is the illegitimate daughter of Sherlock Holmes and and actress. She was adopted and has been married, widowed and is mother to a young son.
Her ravenous curiosity leads her to help the Watson's with their investigation.
It also sounds not that bad, right?
Except I got tired of Watson Sr.'s constant moments of fascination with Joanna (and later with Joanna's young son). The times he exclaims awe in light of her "powers of deduction" got OTT and started looking and sounding really obnoxious. Watson Jr. isn't much better. Joanna is made out to be just as cold and calculating as her predecessor and there was nothing charming or endearing about her clinical know-it-all-attitude.
I'm being biased because I've never read a Sherlock Holmes mystery. My exposure to this character is probably misleading and erroneous - I am a huge fan of Elementary and BBC's Sherlock because those Holmes characters could also be cold and calculating but they also had some vulnerability, some innate charm that pulled at your curiosity and you can't help but warm up to them.
TDoSH portrays Sherlock as an unfeeling, emotionless genius who can't even love a dog, let alone another human being. There is a messed up theory in the book that you basically are good or evil depending on your genetic makeup. I thought this was BS and so needless to say, I zoned out everything the Watson's marveled at their own genius for voicing this theory. The fact that they use Joanna as an unknowing source for their theory was eye-roll inducing!
Then there's the romance. Joanna and Watson Jr. somehow develop romantic feelings for each other during this dry and lack luster story and I totally didn't understand it. The Where, When, How and Why of this surprise romance left me baffled. I am a romance reader. I always root for a romance to happen. But it felt so forced and out of place. There was no build up, no romance, no chemistry. Sometimes I literally felt like Joanna was just a fascinating oddity being observed by two bumbling idiots.
But somehow this blossomed into a mutual love between these two???
Hugely disappointed in this and wont' be reading the next one.
June 2, 2017
There are just some tag words that have me reaching for a book without doing much preliminary investigation whether a book is for me. 'Sherlock Holmes' in title or blurb would we one of those. Pair that with the idea that he has a daughter and she, a keen observer, setting out on her first mystery and I'm all in.
The Daughter of Sherlock Holmes takes place after the death of Holmes with Watson in his old age. Watson's son, Dr. John Watson, Jr. is the narrator of the story explaining how they got the case and met Joanna Blalock, the daughter of Holmes. There was more than a nod toward Holmes' original creator, Arthur Conan Doyle's writing style and the fun inclusion of a whole younger generation representing the familiar cast of supporting characters in the Holmes' universe.
I got the feeling this was a homage to the great detective and Watson so I allowed the story to wink and grin at me when it came to all the characters being a junior version of the original cast. They aren't all identical shadows, but a fan will easily recognize this cast of characters and even the story line with the mystery bearing resemblance to The Sign of the Four.
I did feel poor Lestrade, the detective was a tad too inept and there were moments when I thought Joanna wasn't as keen an observer and analytic as her famous father, but I thought both the Watsons were just right. And Toby Two... that was fun to get the hound back on the scent. I would have loved to have seen Joanna's son, Johnnie get a larger role. The young genius made his appearances and bore a stronger resemblance to Holmes than his mother.
The mystery was not that difficult. They knew who it was quickly enough, but they needed solid proof and they needed to head him off before he did further trouble. There was some plodding along as they tracked down each clue and discussed how it was deduced. It took its time and built to an ending that paid-off the earlier time taken to line up all the ducks and work a trap for a cunning fish.
There is a whiff of romance, but it is not the focus of the story by any stretch. Their chemistry was more as a detecting team first and foremost.
I would equate The Daughter of Sherlock Holmes to a historical cozy mystery in style, pace, and format. It was a good one to curl up with, offer some light entertainment, and great fun for the Holmes' fan.
I received this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
The Daughter of Sherlock Holmes takes place after the death of Holmes with Watson in his old age. Watson's son, Dr. John Watson, Jr. is the narrator of the story explaining how they got the case and met Joanna Blalock, the daughter of Holmes. There was more than a nod toward Holmes' original creator, Arthur Conan Doyle's writing style and the fun inclusion of a whole younger generation representing the familiar cast of supporting characters in the Holmes' universe.
I got the feeling this was a homage to the great detective and Watson so I allowed the story to wink and grin at me when it came to all the characters being a junior version of the original cast. They aren't all identical shadows, but a fan will easily recognize this cast of characters and even the story line with the mystery bearing resemblance to The Sign of the Four.
I did feel poor Lestrade, the detective was a tad too inept and there were moments when I thought Joanna wasn't as keen an observer and analytic as her famous father, but I thought both the Watsons were just right. And Toby Two... that was fun to get the hound back on the scent. I would have loved to have seen Joanna's son, Johnnie get a larger role. The young genius made his appearances and bore a stronger resemblance to Holmes than his mother.
The mystery was not that difficult. They knew who it was quickly enough, but they needed solid proof and they needed to head him off before he did further trouble. There was some plodding along as they tracked down each clue and discussed how it was deduced. It took its time and built to an ending that paid-off the earlier time taken to line up all the ducks and work a trap for a cunning fish.
There is a whiff of romance, but it is not the focus of the story by any stretch. Their chemistry was more as a detecting team first and foremost.
I would equate The Daughter of Sherlock Holmes to a historical cozy mystery in style, pace, and format. It was a good one to curl up with, offer some light entertainment, and great fun for the Holmes' fan.
I received this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
August 4, 2019
This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
Read It, Rate It and Record
A short review to update challenges
When this came to my attention, I knew it was for me. First of all, the narrator is Steve West! I really enjoy Sherlock Holmes style mysteries so that was also a plus.
The Daughter of Sherlock Holmes is the start of a new The Daughter of Sherlock Holmes Mysteries series. I enjoyed the mystery as well as the setup of the world and the characters. It is set in England, and features the progeny of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson, working the case. I loved the smart deductions made with excellent observations. There was even a bit of a romance.
I can't wait to go on with A Study of Treason to have another case with these engaging sleuths. And more Steve West!
Narration:
I chose to listen this story because STEVE WEST!!!!!! He's a favorite favorite. I loved listening to this story at my usual 1.5x speed. I appreciate his work with both male and female voices. But honestly, I could listen to him read anything probably. His performance definitely enhances my enjoyment.
Listen to a clip:https://soundcloud.com/macaudio-2/the...
COYER: Read a book set in a foreign country. England PTS:2
Read It, Rate It and Record
A short review to update challenges
When this came to my attention, I knew it was for me. First of all, the narrator is Steve West! I really enjoy Sherlock Holmes style mysteries so that was also a plus.
The Daughter of Sherlock Holmes is the start of a new The Daughter of Sherlock Holmes Mysteries series. I enjoyed the mystery as well as the setup of the world and the characters. It is set in England, and features the progeny of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson, working the case. I loved the smart deductions made with excellent observations. There was even a bit of a romance.
I can't wait to go on with A Study of Treason to have another case with these engaging sleuths. And more Steve West!
Narration:
I chose to listen this story because STEVE WEST!!!!!! He's a favorite favorite. I loved listening to this story at my usual 1.5x speed. I appreciate his work with both male and female voices. But honestly, I could listen to him read anything probably. His performance definitely enhances my enjoyment.
Listen to a clip:https://soundcloud.com/macaudio-2/the...
COYER: Read a book set in a foreign country. England PTS:2
August 7, 2019
A fun foray that updates the Sherlock Holmes franchise with a fun twist.
June 16, 2017
Originally published at Reading Reality
This book is absolutely charming, and I was utterly charmed.
The title does give just a bit of it away, as well as the reason why I picked it up in the first place. I find Sherlock Holmes pastiches completely irresistible, and with that title, well, it couldn’t be anything but. The protagonists of this lovely little mystery are the esteemed Dr. John H. Watson, friend and chronicler of the original Sherlock Holmes stories, his son, John H. Watson the younger, also a physician, and Mrs. Joanna Blalock, the aforementioned daughter of the, by this point in time, late and very Great Detective.
This is story for those who love the Holmes stories, but don’t mind playing a bit with the stories and the characters. While the mystery itself is a callback both to The Adventure of the Dancing Men and particularly to The Adventure of the Empty House. This case in our present story parallels much of Empty House, most especially in their villains. Just as our detective is Holmes’ daughter, our villain is Sebastian Moran’s son.
And Inspector Lestrade’s son is now himself a Scotland Yard detective. And the son is just as willing to let an easy solution lay, and to allow Holmes’ daughter to solve the case while he takes the official credit, as ever his father was with hers.
Some things never change, and that is definitely part of the charm of this story.
The case itself stems from the Second Afghan War, where Watson Sr. and both Morans served. (A war that seems to never end. Dr. Watson in the contemporary Sherlock series was also wounded in the Afghan War).
But in this case, a young man appears to have committed suicide while playing cards with Dr. Christopher Moran, and losing disastrously. His family does not believe that it was suicide, even though they absolutely cannot believe that their son’s good friend Dr. Moran could possibly have had anything to do with it.
Mrs. Joanna Blalock, a friend of the family, finds herself at Dr. Watson’s door, which is still 221b Baker Street, in search of assistance with the case. Watson knows precisely who she is, and is more than willing to assist her in her endeavors, first by cudgeling his memory, and second by assisting her with her case – with the help of his son, who is smitten with the young widow.
As the case unravels we follow this intrepid trio, as chronicled by Dr. Watson the younger, as they form a tight-knit partnership and eventually solve this string of terrible murders that would have all passed as accidents without their timely assistance.
The case is a worthy successor to the canon from which it sprang.
Escape Rating A-: This was the right book at the right time. The Daughter of Sherlock Holmes was calling my name from the top of my TBR pile, and I simply decided to answer the call. I fell right into this Edwardian continuation of the Holmes stories, and I sincerely hope that there are more.
As far as the Holmes canon goes, it has to be said that this story ignores the events of His Last Bow, the final Sherlock Holmes story which is set on the eve of the First World War. The Daughter of Sherlock Holmes is set in 1910, and by this point in its history, Holmes has been dead for several years.
But one part of the canon that is surprisingly tastefully handled is the birth, or rather the creation, of his daughter Joanna. Yes, Irene Adler was her mother. It’s nearly always Irene Adler when someone tries to continue the Holmes tradition by providing him with a child. The problem is that Holmes in the original stories is such a cold and seemingly unemotional character. It is difficult to imagine that thinking machine indulging in the pleasures of the flesh, let alone having a torrid, or even a tepid, affair.
The problem is often handled by changing some of the nature of Holmes, making the actual person of Holmes a considerably warmer character than the fictional version, and this is not implausible. The author of this story takes another tack. Here, we have Joanna as essentially the product of a one-night stand between two lonely people who mostly valued each other for their minds. It feels more plausible than some of the other possibilities.
One of the other parts of the story that is handled well is the inclusion of both Drs. Watson. Watson Sr. is in his 80s, and time and age are catching up to him. But he lives at 221b and occasionally helps people who still drop by searching for Holmes. It is not an attempt to recapture past glory. Instead, as he says himself, it is out of a desire to remain relevant. The case presented by Joanna Blalock provides him with that. It takes all three of them to solve this puzzle and Watson Sr. feels not merely relevant, but invigorated. It was good to see this often undersung sidekick get one last chance to shine.
I truly hope that this is the start of a series, because I want MORE!
This book is absolutely charming, and I was utterly charmed.
The title does give just a bit of it away, as well as the reason why I picked it up in the first place. I find Sherlock Holmes pastiches completely irresistible, and with that title, well, it couldn’t be anything but. The protagonists of this lovely little mystery are the esteemed Dr. John H. Watson, friend and chronicler of the original Sherlock Holmes stories, his son, John H. Watson the younger, also a physician, and Mrs. Joanna Blalock, the aforementioned daughter of the, by this point in time, late and very Great Detective.
This is story for those who love the Holmes stories, but don’t mind playing a bit with the stories and the characters. While the mystery itself is a callback both to The Adventure of the Dancing Men and particularly to The Adventure of the Empty House. This case in our present story parallels much of Empty House, most especially in their villains. Just as our detective is Holmes’ daughter, our villain is Sebastian Moran’s son.
And Inspector Lestrade’s son is now himself a Scotland Yard detective. And the son is just as willing to let an easy solution lay, and to allow Holmes’ daughter to solve the case while he takes the official credit, as ever his father was with hers.
Some things never change, and that is definitely part of the charm of this story.
The case itself stems from the Second Afghan War, where Watson Sr. and both Morans served. (A war that seems to never end. Dr. Watson in the contemporary Sherlock series was also wounded in the Afghan War).
But in this case, a young man appears to have committed suicide while playing cards with Dr. Christopher Moran, and losing disastrously. His family does not believe that it was suicide, even though they absolutely cannot believe that their son’s good friend Dr. Moran could possibly have had anything to do with it.
Mrs. Joanna Blalock, a friend of the family, finds herself at Dr. Watson’s door, which is still 221b Baker Street, in search of assistance with the case. Watson knows precisely who she is, and is more than willing to assist her in her endeavors, first by cudgeling his memory, and second by assisting her with her case – with the help of his son, who is smitten with the young widow.
As the case unravels we follow this intrepid trio, as chronicled by Dr. Watson the younger, as they form a tight-knit partnership and eventually solve this string of terrible murders that would have all passed as accidents without their timely assistance.
The case is a worthy successor to the canon from which it sprang.
Escape Rating A-: This was the right book at the right time. The Daughter of Sherlock Holmes was calling my name from the top of my TBR pile, and I simply decided to answer the call. I fell right into this Edwardian continuation of the Holmes stories, and I sincerely hope that there are more.
As far as the Holmes canon goes, it has to be said that this story ignores the events of His Last Bow, the final Sherlock Holmes story which is set on the eve of the First World War. The Daughter of Sherlock Holmes is set in 1910, and by this point in its history, Holmes has been dead for several years.
But one part of the canon that is surprisingly tastefully handled is the birth, or rather the creation, of his daughter Joanna. Yes, Irene Adler was her mother. It’s nearly always Irene Adler when someone tries to continue the Holmes tradition by providing him with a child. The problem is that Holmes in the original stories is such a cold and seemingly unemotional character. It is difficult to imagine that thinking machine indulging in the pleasures of the flesh, let alone having a torrid, or even a tepid, affair.
The problem is often handled by changing some of the nature of Holmes, making the actual person of Holmes a considerably warmer character than the fictional version, and this is not implausible. The author of this story takes another tack. Here, we have Joanna as essentially the product of a one-night stand between two lonely people who mostly valued each other for their minds. It feels more plausible than some of the other possibilities.
One of the other parts of the story that is handled well is the inclusion of both Drs. Watson. Watson Sr. is in his 80s, and time and age are catching up to him. But he lives at 221b and occasionally helps people who still drop by searching for Holmes. It is not an attempt to recapture past glory. Instead, as he says himself, it is out of a desire to remain relevant. The case presented by Joanna Blalock provides him with that. It takes all three of them to solve this puzzle and Watson Sr. feels not merely relevant, but invigorated. It was good to see this often undersung sidekick get one last chance to shine.
I truly hope that this is the start of a series, because I want MORE!
July 31, 2017
I liked this book at the beginning, then the monotonous writing began to grate on my nerves.
It tells the story of Dr. Watson Sr. and his son Dr. Watson. A young woman comes to Watson Sr. and asks him to look into her brother's death, which has been ruled a suicide. Long story short, he agree only because the witness is, unknown to her, the daughter of Sherlock Holmes and Irene Adler. The storyline is interesting at first, but the writer feels the need to mansplain everything to the reader as if we were three year olds. Then, the phrase "because she was the daughter of Sherlock Holmes" is said again and again in secret glances between the two Watsons. It was incredibly annoying. Finally, the murder is resolved in a rather predictable manner.
It tells the story of Dr. Watson Sr. and his son Dr. Watson. A young woman comes to Watson Sr. and asks him to look into her brother's death, which has been ruled a suicide. Long story short, he agree only because the witness is, unknown to her, the daughter of Sherlock Holmes and Irene Adler. The storyline is interesting at first, but the writer feels the need to mansplain everything to the reader as if we were three year olds. Then, the phrase "because she was the daughter of Sherlock Holmes" is said again and again in secret glances between the two Watsons. It was incredibly annoying. Finally, the murder is resolved in a rather predictable manner.
May 23, 2024
Review from 2017
I've given this a B+ for narration and a C- for content at AudioGals. That should technically bring the rating up to 3.5 stars rounded up, but I'm leaving it at 3 stars because the story was so weak.
I’ll confess straight off that I’m not what I’d call a Sherlock Holmes “aficionado”. I’ve read some of the books and stories, and have enjoyed his various celluloid iterations, from Basil Rathbone and Peter Cushing to Jeremy Brett and Benedict Cumberbatch, and Sherry Thomas’ re-imagining of Sherlock as Charlotte in A Study in Scarlet Womenwas one of my favourite books and audiobooks of last year. But I can’t quote chunks of text or even remember all the plots of the stories I’ve read, so I’m most definitely not a card-carrying member of the Sherlock Fan Club.
But I was definitely up for the idea of a story featuring The Daughter of Sherlock Holmes, although now I’ve finished it, I can’t say if it’s the sort of book that will appeal to diehard Sherlockians or to the relatively uninitiated. Speaking as a member of the latter group, I’m not sure whether the style adopted by author Leonard Goldberg is akin to Conan Doyle’s or if it was his intention for the entire book to seem like averagely-written Sherlock Holmes fanfiction. Reviews of the book on Goodreads certainly indicate that those more familiar with Conan Doyle’s work appreciated the writing in this, but I found it plodding and unimaginative.
When Charles Harrelston falls to his death from a third floor window, the now elderly Doctor John H. Watson – who still resides in rooms at 221b Baker Street – is approached by the dead man’s family to ascertain whether his death was suicide or murder. Watson is informed that Harrelston’s fall was witnessed by a young widow and her son, and, together with his son (also named John), a doctor who works as a pathologist at St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, goes to interview the woman, Mrs. Joanna Blalock. Watson senior knows exactly who the woman is, and later explains to his son that she is the product of a drug and alcohol fuelled encounter between Sherlock Holmes and “the woman”, Irene Adler, the only woman ever to outwit him, and someone whose mind he recognised as being (almost) the equal of his own. After her birth, Joanna was adopted by a childless couple Watson knew, and he has kept an eye on her over the years. From her pertinent comments about the dead man and his fall, it’s immediately apparent that she has inherited her considerable intellect and powers of observation from both her parents.
Harrelston had been playing cards with Doctor Christopher Moran immediately before he fell to his death, and had suffered heavy losses. The police believe he killed himself because he had lost so much money, but it quickly becomes apparent that that is not the case, and when a second victim – who had served in the army with both Moran and Harrelston and who had also spent time with Moran shortly before his death – is found, Joanna and the two doctors realise that the deaths are linked. To prove Moran guilty of murder, they need to delve back into his past and, specifically, to association formed between him, the victims and a fourth man during the Second Afghan War (1878-80).
The Daughter of Sherlock Holmes is much more of a whydunnit than a whodunnit, as the murderer is immediately identified; so the story is about how Joanna and the Doctors Watson gather the evidence to prove the suspect’s guilt and uncover his motives. There are nods to other Holmes stories – most notably The Sign of Four – and it was a nicely tongue-in-cheek touch to have many of the players be the offspring of some of the original characters. In addition to Joanna, Watson’s housekeeper is Mrs. Hudson’s daughter, Inspector Lestrade’s son is the investigating officer – and even the villain is the son of one of Holmes’ original enemies. I don’t have a problem with that or with the nature of the story – my problems with the book are all to do with the execution, which, as I’ve said above, leaves much to be desired. The writing is simplistic, the pace is pedestrian – there’s lots of talk and not much action – the characterisation is superficial at best, and I really couldn’t like Joanna, who is just perfect and knows everything. Every time she makes a deduction, the reaction of those around her is one of awe and incredulity. For example; Joanna finds a rubber strip hidden beneath the cushion on a chair occupied by the second victim. I knew what it was – yet TWO experienced medical men don’t work it out until Joanna tells them. And later, during an interview with Moran’s secretary, Joanna makes the observation that he is fluent in French. The secretary is astonished that she could know this, but the room they’re in is littered with French novels – and when she explains this to him, he is utterly astonished at her perspicacity. Going back to what I said earlier about my not being a Holmes devotee – perhaps the great man himself was treated in much the same way (I suspect so), and had I been more familiar with the original tales, perhaps this attitude wouldn’t have struck me as being quite so ridiculous that my eyes hurt with all the rolling. This sort of thing happens repeatedly; Joanna pronounces and the two Watsons – supposedly intelligent men, the both of them – simply stand there in open mouthed shock. Even Doctor Watson Snr., who is living through it a second time.
[As a side note; by complete coincidence, I was reading a review copy of the second instalment of Sherry Thomas’ Lady Sherlock series on the same days I was listening to this, and the contrast was stark. The sophistication of Ms. Thomas’ writing and her ability to fashion a complex, multi-layered plot and wonderfully rounded characters really highlighted the deficiencies in the writing, plotting and characterisation in this novel.]
Steve West is a very experienced narrator and I’ve enjoyed listening to him in the past, but even his superb narrating skills couldn’t turn The Daughter of Sherlock Holmes into an entertaining listen. Given the main protagonist is a woman, it might seem odd to have chosen a male narrator, but Joanna operates in a male-dominated world, and other than Miss Hudson and a couple of bit parts, the cast is predominantly male. Fortunately, Mr. West is extremely good at portraying female characters; his female voices always impress me and his interpretation of Joanna, whether she’s wowing everyone with her incredible powers of deduction or being smilingly flirtatious with John, is very good indeed. All the other characters are clearly delineated; the story is narrated by John Watson Jnr., and the two Watsons are contrasted by means of adding a gruffer note to the elder doctor’s voice so the listener is always able to differentiate between them. Moran’s deeply resonant tones are bluff and aptly convey the man’s ruthless over-confidence; LeStrade’s slightly nasal delivery makes him sound a alternately unpleasant and obsequious, and overall, Mr. West delivers a well-paced, polished performance. But the story didn’t engage my attention and I found it a very easy audiobook to set aside; had I not been listening for review, I would almost certainly have DNFed it and moved on to something else.
I've given this a B+ for narration and a C- for content at AudioGals. That should technically bring the rating up to 3.5 stars rounded up, but I'm leaving it at 3 stars because the story was so weak.
I’ll confess straight off that I’m not what I’d call a Sherlock Holmes “aficionado”. I’ve read some of the books and stories, and have enjoyed his various celluloid iterations, from Basil Rathbone and Peter Cushing to Jeremy Brett and Benedict Cumberbatch, and Sherry Thomas’ re-imagining of Sherlock as Charlotte in A Study in Scarlet Womenwas one of my favourite books and audiobooks of last year. But I can’t quote chunks of text or even remember all the plots of the stories I’ve read, so I’m most definitely not a card-carrying member of the Sherlock Fan Club.
But I was definitely up for the idea of a story featuring The Daughter of Sherlock Holmes, although now I’ve finished it, I can’t say if it’s the sort of book that will appeal to diehard Sherlockians or to the relatively uninitiated. Speaking as a member of the latter group, I’m not sure whether the style adopted by author Leonard Goldberg is akin to Conan Doyle’s or if it was his intention for the entire book to seem like averagely-written Sherlock Holmes fanfiction. Reviews of the book on Goodreads certainly indicate that those more familiar with Conan Doyle’s work appreciated the writing in this, but I found it plodding and unimaginative.
When Charles Harrelston falls to his death from a third floor window, the now elderly Doctor John H. Watson – who still resides in rooms at 221b Baker Street – is approached by the dead man’s family to ascertain whether his death was suicide or murder. Watson is informed that Harrelston’s fall was witnessed by a young widow and her son, and, together with his son (also named John), a doctor who works as a pathologist at St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, goes to interview the woman, Mrs. Joanna Blalock. Watson senior knows exactly who the woman is, and later explains to his son that she is the product of a drug and alcohol fuelled encounter between Sherlock Holmes and “the woman”, Irene Adler, the only woman ever to outwit him, and someone whose mind he recognised as being (almost) the equal of his own. After her birth, Joanna was adopted by a childless couple Watson knew, and he has kept an eye on her over the years. From her pertinent comments about the dead man and his fall, it’s immediately apparent that she has inherited her considerable intellect and powers of observation from both her parents.
Harrelston had been playing cards with Doctor Christopher Moran immediately before he fell to his death, and had suffered heavy losses. The police believe he killed himself because he had lost so much money, but it quickly becomes apparent that that is not the case, and when a second victim – who had served in the army with both Moran and Harrelston and who had also spent time with Moran shortly before his death – is found, Joanna and the two doctors realise that the deaths are linked. To prove Moran guilty of murder, they need to delve back into his past and, specifically, to association formed between him, the victims and a fourth man during the Second Afghan War (1878-80).
The Daughter of Sherlock Holmes is much more of a whydunnit than a whodunnit, as the murderer is immediately identified; so the story is about how Joanna and the Doctors Watson gather the evidence to prove the suspect’s guilt and uncover his motives. There are nods to other Holmes stories – most notably The Sign of Four – and it was a nicely tongue-in-cheek touch to have many of the players be the offspring of some of the original characters. In addition to Joanna, Watson’s housekeeper is Mrs. Hudson’s daughter, Inspector Lestrade’s son is the investigating officer – and even the villain is the son of one of Holmes’ original enemies. I don’t have a problem with that or with the nature of the story – my problems with the book are all to do with the execution, which, as I’ve said above, leaves much to be desired. The writing is simplistic, the pace is pedestrian – there’s lots of talk and not much action – the characterisation is superficial at best, and I really couldn’t like Joanna, who is just perfect and knows everything. Every time she makes a deduction, the reaction of those around her is one of awe and incredulity. For example; Joanna finds a rubber strip hidden beneath the cushion on a chair occupied by the second victim. I knew what it was – yet TWO experienced medical men don’t work it out until Joanna tells them. And later, during an interview with Moran’s secretary, Joanna makes the observation that he is fluent in French. The secretary is astonished that she could know this, but the room they’re in is littered with French novels – and when she explains this to him, he is utterly astonished at her perspicacity. Going back to what I said earlier about my not being a Holmes devotee – perhaps the great man himself was treated in much the same way (I suspect so), and had I been more familiar with the original tales, perhaps this attitude wouldn’t have struck me as being quite so ridiculous that my eyes hurt with all the rolling. This sort of thing happens repeatedly; Joanna pronounces and the two Watsons – supposedly intelligent men, the both of them – simply stand there in open mouthed shock. Even Doctor Watson Snr., who is living through it a second time.
[As a side note; by complete coincidence, I was reading a review copy of the second instalment of Sherry Thomas’ Lady Sherlock series on the same days I was listening to this, and the contrast was stark. The sophistication of Ms. Thomas’ writing and her ability to fashion a complex, multi-layered plot and wonderfully rounded characters really highlighted the deficiencies in the writing, plotting and characterisation in this novel.]
Steve West is a very experienced narrator and I’ve enjoyed listening to him in the past, but even his superb narrating skills couldn’t turn The Daughter of Sherlock Holmes into an entertaining listen. Given the main protagonist is a woman, it might seem odd to have chosen a male narrator, but Joanna operates in a male-dominated world, and other than Miss Hudson and a couple of bit parts, the cast is predominantly male. Fortunately, Mr. West is extremely good at portraying female characters; his female voices always impress me and his interpretation of Joanna, whether she’s wowing everyone with her incredible powers of deduction or being smilingly flirtatious with John, is very good indeed. All the other characters are clearly delineated; the story is narrated by John Watson Jnr., and the two Watsons are contrasted by means of adding a gruffer note to the elder doctor’s voice so the listener is always able to differentiate between them. Moran’s deeply resonant tones are bluff and aptly convey the man’s ruthless over-confidence; LeStrade’s slightly nasal delivery makes him sound a alternately unpleasant and obsequious, and overall, Mr. West delivers a well-paced, polished performance. But the story didn’t engage my attention and I found it a very easy audiobook to set aside; had I not been listening for review, I would almost certainly have DNFed it and moved on to something else.
January 2, 2021
Yeah, this was bad.
I love when authors/movie directors make classics in a whole new light. What I mean by that, is I love when books/movies add their own take/characters/perspective/retelling to a well loved world, and cast of characters. I loved the Charlotte Holmes series by Brittany Cavallaro. In fact it was one of my favorite series of 2019. I also loved the Netflix Original movie Enola, which was one of my favorite movies of 2020. And I was enjoying this book up until page 200. Before that it felt like a bad fan fiction. After that, it felt like I had to suspend my disbelief while I read an elaborate fan fiction.
One of my problems with this book, was the fact that everyone, and when I mean everyone, I’m talking everyone is descended from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s OG Sherlock characters in this novel. It was fine when we had Joanna, who is descended from Sherlock Holmes and Irene Adler. That sounded so cool, and was what interested me in this book. I mean Sherlock Holmes and Irene Adler?! The baby has to be a super genius. And she was, but not in a good way. It was also fine that Watson had a son, Dr. John Watson Jr., but then it got dumb. Watson’s maid is the daughter of his original maid. The main Scotland Yard detective is the son of the Scotland Yard detective in the OG Sherlock. Hell even Toby the dog found love and reproduced, and had puppies. They named one of them Toby Two who is the dog sniffer in this book. It got ridiculous and stupid.
Then we have the awful, stomach roiling, barf induced romance. I’m a person who loves romance. Give me a cheesy, cringey romance? I will most likely, still root for it. I’m a person who will romanticize just about anything (except serious topics). I love romance. But this, this my friends is where I draw the line. The insta-lovey, eye rolling, stomach turning, attraction in here was disgusting. I literally gagged from how gross Joanna and John are together. Ugh I’m getting PTSD just thinking about it. After having one conversation together they say to each other,
”You’re so beautiful.”
You’re so handsome.”
Ugh, gag me with a spoon
The romance in here could have easily worked if the characters had more chemistry, and longer build up. I love a romance that goes through the installments in the series, and this romance could have done exactly that. We could have still had the instant attraction, but them actually getting to know each other, and the build up between books. But this is not acceptable. God give holy water to thee, and as much strength as you can muster, to help me out of the troubling time. I don’t how long my memories with be tainted so, with this awful romance, but I beg of your assistance. Amen.
Moving on...
The way the author wrote Watson in here is absolutely unforgivable. Watson, in this book is so slow. It didn’t feel like Watson’s character at all, and his son didn’t have a bulb any brighter either. Joanna was ultimately the only smart character in here, and it didn’t make sense. Watson is very smart, and I’d imagine his son to be as well. Writing Watson to be stupid is an act of treason.
Anyways, overall this was bad. I might still continue on because I like to suffer, but this was just really bad. To be fair I did enjoy myself for the first 200 pages, but idk we shall see.
I love when authors/movie directors make classics in a whole new light. What I mean by that, is I love when books/movies add their own take/characters/perspective/retelling to a well loved world, and cast of characters. I loved the Charlotte Holmes series by Brittany Cavallaro. In fact it was one of my favorite series of 2019. I also loved the Netflix Original movie Enola, which was one of my favorite movies of 2020. And I was enjoying this book up until page 200. Before that it felt like a bad fan fiction. After that, it felt like I had to suspend my disbelief while I read an elaborate fan fiction.
One of my problems with this book, was the fact that everyone, and when I mean everyone, I’m talking everyone is descended from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s OG Sherlock characters in this novel. It was fine when we had Joanna, who is descended from Sherlock Holmes and Irene Adler. That sounded so cool, and was what interested me in this book. I mean Sherlock Holmes and Irene Adler?! The baby has to be a super genius. And she was, but not in a good way. It was also fine that Watson had a son, Dr. John Watson Jr., but then it got dumb. Watson’s maid is the daughter of his original maid. The main Scotland Yard detective is the son of the Scotland Yard detective in the OG Sherlock. Hell even Toby the dog found love and reproduced, and had puppies. They named one of them Toby Two who is the dog sniffer in this book. It got ridiculous and stupid.
Then we have the awful, stomach roiling, barf induced romance. I’m a person who loves romance. Give me a cheesy, cringey romance? I will most likely, still root for it. I’m a person who will romanticize just about anything (except serious topics). I love romance. But this, this my friends is where I draw the line. The insta-lovey, eye rolling, stomach turning, attraction in here was disgusting. I literally gagged from how gross Joanna and John are together. Ugh I’m getting PTSD just thinking about it. After having one conversation together they say to each other,
”You’re so beautiful.”
You’re so handsome.”
Ugh, gag me with a spoon
The romance in here could have easily worked if the characters had more chemistry, and longer build up. I love a romance that goes through the installments in the series, and this romance could have done exactly that. We could have still had the instant attraction, but them actually getting to know each other, and the build up between books. But this is not acceptable. God give holy water to thee, and as much strength as you can muster, to help me out of the troubling time. I don’t how long my memories with be tainted so, with this awful romance, but I beg of your assistance. Amen.
Moving on...
The way the author wrote Watson in here is absolutely unforgivable. Watson, in this book is so slow. It didn’t feel like Watson’s character at all, and his son didn’t have a bulb any brighter either. Joanna was ultimately the only smart character in here, and it didn’t make sense. Watson is very smart, and I’d imagine his son to be as well. Writing Watson to be stupid is an act of treason.
Anyways, overall this was bad. I might still continue on because I like to suffer, but this was just really bad. To be fair I did enjoy myself for the first 200 pages, but idk we shall see.
June 6, 2020
This was entertaining for the most part. There were interesting puzzles to solve between the threesome of the two Dr. Watsons and Joanna Blalock, daughter of Sherlock Holmes and Irene Adler. It is good hearted fun as the three get to know each other starting with the event of Blalock and her son witnessing the death of a prominent Londoner as he fell from a roof.
It holds together well and provides a pleasant trip down memory lane to Baker Street, but at about the 80% mark of the book one almost wants to give up with the level of self congratulating as they pursue clues that might result in conviction of a master mind criminal behind many deaths.
The close collaboration also leads to romance quite early on.
Library Loan
It holds together well and provides a pleasant trip down memory lane to Baker Street, but at about the 80% mark of the book one almost wants to give up with the level of self congratulating as they pursue clues that might result in conviction of a master mind criminal behind many deaths.
The close collaboration also leads to romance quite early on.
Library Loan
January 4, 2022
Overall Rating : C+
Underwhelmed but not a total disappointment - at least with the Watsons. 😉
Underwhelmed but not a total disappointment - at least with the Watsons. 😉
March 29, 2022
I like to think I’m a forgiving reader. I’m usually optimistic about the books I read and tend to overlook various flaws here and there and simply enjoy the reading experience. But every once in a while, a novel comes along that I can’t believe made it through the editing process, much less got published. Methinks Minotaur Books let this one slip through the cracks and accidentally published the rough draft.
Simply put, this is among the worst written novels I’ve read in the past 10 years (if not more). It will rank among my bottom 5 of all time. I’m sure the author is a fine fellow, but this book reads like it was written by a retired physician who enjoys the Sherlock Holmes stories so figured he would write one of his own because, why not? Anybody can write one. (Note: the author is a clinical professor of medicine).
Frankly, I’ve read better fan fiction. The very premise of Sherlock Holmes and Irene Adler having a child is…OK (has this sort of thing ever been done before?). I was hoping for something unique here but was doomed to disappointment.
The plot is as predictable as can be. The culprit is known early on and the plot simply involves finding clues to prove his guilt. Joanna Blalock is the daughter of Sherlock Holmes but even though that is clear from the first mention of her, the author tries to hold that factoid in suspense for as long as possible. I mean, it's right there in the title of the book! She comes across as snobbish and erudite and not particularly interesting. Both Dr. Watson and his son (the creatively named Dr. John Watson Jr.) come across as absolute stooges whose only function is to exclaim (with an exclamation point every time in case we are in doubt) about how smart Joanna is. Just about every page seems to have one of them ask Joanna how she could possibly know what she knows based on the clues provided. Sherlock, of course does this all the time in his stories but here, the author gets completely carried away with such trivia.
The author also commits the cardinal sin of talking down to us readers. Every little detail is explained, and explained again, in case we don’t get it. Even obvious things like don’t touch the murder weapon as it might have important clues as to the identity of the perpetrator of the crime. Oh, of course! exclaims Watson. There may be fingerprints! And then Dr. John Watson Jr has to add something about the fact that it may be possible to capture those fingerprints and thereby lead us to the identity of the perpetrator! So, father, make certain you do not touch the murder weapon! Right you are son! We wouldn’t want to befoul any clues that might lead us to further clues as to the identity of the perpetrator! Joanna, tell us, how did you know there might be such clues on the murder weapon?
Yes, I am being sarcastic here and stretching things to make a point. But the whole book really does read like this. I kept reading sections aloud to my wife so we could laugh together.
I could go on and on about the amateur writing style, but I’ve spent too much time on it already. There are numerous other problems as well including the thin plot which could have been contained in a short story but was stretched to novel length. The romance that ensues between Joanna and Jr. was cringeworthy, sparked by the most overacted, sugary scenes in memory. And don’t get me started on the lengthy scenes describing the completely unnecessary details of a clinical procedure near the end of the book. Almost as if this was written by a clinical professor of medicine…
Sigh…there are more books in this series so I can only presume they improve as they go along. Needless to say, I won’t be sampling them.
Simply put, this is among the worst written novels I’ve read in the past 10 years (if not more). It will rank among my bottom 5 of all time. I’m sure the author is a fine fellow, but this book reads like it was written by a retired physician who enjoys the Sherlock Holmes stories so figured he would write one of his own because, why not? Anybody can write one. (Note: the author is a clinical professor of medicine).
Frankly, I’ve read better fan fiction. The very premise of Sherlock Holmes and Irene Adler having a child is…OK (has this sort of thing ever been done before?). I was hoping for something unique here but was doomed to disappointment.
The plot is as predictable as can be. The culprit is known early on and the plot simply involves finding clues to prove his guilt. Joanna Blalock is the daughter of Sherlock Holmes but even though that is clear from the first mention of her, the author tries to hold that factoid in suspense for as long as possible. I mean, it's right there in the title of the book! She comes across as snobbish and erudite and not particularly interesting. Both Dr. Watson and his son (the creatively named Dr. John Watson Jr.) come across as absolute stooges whose only function is to exclaim (with an exclamation point every time in case we are in doubt) about how smart Joanna is. Just about every page seems to have one of them ask Joanna how she could possibly know what she knows based on the clues provided. Sherlock, of course does this all the time in his stories but here, the author gets completely carried away with such trivia.
The author also commits the cardinal sin of talking down to us readers. Every little detail is explained, and explained again, in case we don’t get it. Even obvious things like don’t touch the murder weapon as it might have important clues as to the identity of the perpetrator of the crime. Oh, of course! exclaims Watson. There may be fingerprints! And then Dr. John Watson Jr has to add something about the fact that it may be possible to capture those fingerprints and thereby lead us to the identity of the perpetrator! So, father, make certain you do not touch the murder weapon! Right you are son! We wouldn’t want to befoul any clues that might lead us to further clues as to the identity of the perpetrator! Joanna, tell us, how did you know there might be such clues on the murder weapon?
Yes, I am being sarcastic here and stretching things to make a point. But the whole book really does read like this. I kept reading sections aloud to my wife so we could laugh together.
I could go on and on about the amateur writing style, but I’ve spent too much time on it already. There are numerous other problems as well including the thin plot which could have been contained in a short story but was stretched to novel length. The romance that ensues between Joanna and Jr. was cringeworthy, sparked by the most overacted, sugary scenes in memory. And don’t get me started on the lengthy scenes describing the completely unnecessary details of a clinical procedure near the end of the book. Almost as if this was written by a clinical professor of medicine…
Sigh…there are more books in this series so I can only presume they improve as they go along. Needless to say, I won’t be sampling them.
July 11, 2018
*Source* Library
*Genre* Mystery, Detective, Historical
*Rating* 3.5
*Thoughts*
Leonard Goldberg's The Daughter of Sherlock Holmes is the first installment in the series by the same name. The year is 1914, Joanna Blalock’s keen mind and incredible insight lead her to become a highly-skilled nurse, one of the few professions that allow her to use her finely-tuned brain. But, after she and her ten-year-old son witness a man falling to his death, apparently by suicide, they are visited by the elderly Dr. John Watson and his charming, handsome son, Dr. John Watson Jr.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews
http://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/201...
*Genre* Mystery, Detective, Historical
*Rating* 3.5
*Thoughts*
Leonard Goldberg's The Daughter of Sherlock Holmes is the first installment in the series by the same name. The year is 1914, Joanna Blalock’s keen mind and incredible insight lead her to become a highly-skilled nurse, one of the few professions that allow her to use her finely-tuned brain. But, after she and her ten-year-old son witness a man falling to his death, apparently by suicide, they are visited by the elderly Dr. John Watson and his charming, handsome son, Dr. John Watson Jr.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews
http://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/201...
July 14, 2023
The Daughter of Sherlock Holmes (The Daughter of Sherlock Holmes, #1) by Leonard Goldberg.
I took this as a tongue in cheek romp for the fun of it with the offspring of Dr. Watson and Sherlock Holmes & Irene Adler. That is to say Dr. John Watson Jr. and Joanna. This was for me light hearted enjoyment. A relaxing read and nothing more.
3 1/2 stars.
I took this as a tongue in cheek romp for the fun of it with the offspring of Dr. Watson and Sherlock Holmes & Irene Adler. That is to say Dr. John Watson Jr. and Joanna. This was for me light hearted enjoyment. A relaxing read and nothing more.
3 1/2 stars.
October 17, 2023
This was very good. It felt like a short fast paced read and very good. The mail female character was extremely, extremely smart.
January 14, 2020
“A fun filler when life gets heavy.” This is how I described this book to a friend. Not great literature that’s going to have me thinking about it in the future, but a nice diversion. At this time there are two more books in the series. When I first started this book, volume one, I didn’t expect to want to read further. But now I think that I’ll probably read the next two at a time when I want to take a break from the world and not think too deeply.
December 30, 2017
Meh meh meh. For a mystery, there was no mystery here. Holmes Jr is supposed to be just as smart as her father, but 99% of her observances and deductions were predictable and obvious. Add in the fact that all the characters were as boring as sin, and I'm glad I got this from the library instead!
May 1, 2019
The characters were boring and flat. The mystery was not engaging. Will not be continuing the series.
October 10, 2020
DNF @ 40%. I was bored af.
May 21, 2022
I absolutely adored this book and cannot wait for more! The legacy of Sherlock Holmes continues with his daughter partnering with the doctors Watsons, senior and junior. I have always felt that Sherlock’s one true love, his soul mate if you will, was John Watson. We get to see that love manifest through their children, and it makes me ridiculously happy. The mystery isn’t a typical whodunnit since we know early on whodunnit. The heart of this mystery is seeing Joanna Blalock solve this case just as her father would and bring the scoundrel down. Joanna is magnificent and a perfect embodiment of her biological parents—Irene Adler and Sherlock Holmes. I’m looking forward to the rest of the books!
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