Reviewed by Tim Suddeth
Holmes, Marple, and Poe by James Patterson and Brian Sitts (Little, Brown and Company, 2024)
Holmes, Marple, and Poe walk into a bar. Sounds like the makings for a cheesy joke, or a plot rip-off. And maybe so in lesser hands. But in Holmes, Marple and Poe, what could have been a stale trope, in the hands of Patterson and Sitts become three amazing, living characters. Although they each bring gifts and strengths tied to their namesakes, they also come off as being their own personalities.
The Story
Instead of the trio walking into a bar—although the book has plenty of bar scenes—they walk into a vacant industrial building that becomes the offices of Holmes, Marple, and Poe Investigations.
There’s Brenden Holmes, a smart, ultra-logical scientist with a keen sense of smell and a heroin addiction. Margaret Marple, who is a charming snoop who possesses incredible powers of psychology and observation. And the weapons expert, Auguste Poe, with a weakness for muscle cars and beautiful women. He also has a tendency to hit the bottle to deal with the death of his wife.
Do they sound like anyone we know? (Sherlock Holmes, Miss Marple, and Edgar Allan Poe. I know. Captain Obvious. Sorry.) The authors do a fine job of walking the tightrope between mimicking their namesakes and having their own identities. And by giving each such a devastating flaw, it shows the strength of the unit. I really liked that dynamic.
The three hit the ground running when they solve a high-profile case that had stumped the NYPD. Unfortunately, that also brings them under the critical eye of the police, especially NYPD detective lieutenant Helene Grey.
The pace flies by with suspense, Patterson’s signature short chapters, and a plot full of twists and turns. Instead of one case, we watch them work several simultaneously.
The Authors
James Patterson is a publishing industry in his own right. He has multiple books coming out annually with several co-writers and his name is in all the magazines. He’s the one writer who everyone has seen his commercials on network TV.
One of the amazing parts of his work that I found on his website is he has donated more than a million books to schools and youth programs. The Patterson Family Foundation has awarded over seven million dollars in scholarships to students in 25 colleges. What a worthy endeavor. We may not all be able to do the same, but we can do something.
Brian Sitts is a television writer and an award-winning advertising creative director (Patterson got his start in advertising. For a good reference on how he started, read Patterson on Patterson where he tells stories of his life.) He has collaborated with Patterson on eight books for adults and children.
A review of Holmes, Marple and Poe by @JP_Books and Brian Sitts @TimSuddeth #OpeningaMystery, #mystery, #HolmesMargaretandPoe Share on XAnalysis
As I’ve already noted, Holmes, Marple and Poe was a fun read with engaging characters. Each character could carry a series on their own, but they are better together. I enjoyed the echoes back to mysteries written in the Golden Age of Mysteries and when they refer to other classic writers.
I’m glad to see that book two of the series came out this month, Holmes Is Missing, which may give us a little more about their hidden pasts.