Dr. Watson's Charge Audiobook By Patrick Mercer cover art

Dr. Watson's Charge

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Dr. Watson's Charge

By: Patrick Mercer
Narrated by: Barnaby Edwards
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About this listen

The enigmatic army officer Captain JAC Smethwick is a veteran of the The Charge of the Light Brigade. But when he visits Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson he has more on his mind than the conflict in the Crimea. There is a mystery surrounding the death of his former employer, Lord Cardigan. Smethwick believes that the man responsible for his death is none other than the former Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli.

Holmes sends Watson off to Deene Park, Lord Cardigan's estate, to investigate and question the victim's widow - the colourful and flirtatious Adeline de Horsey. But Watson starts to uncover an altogether more sinister and complex conspiracy. And rather than unmask the murderer, Watson may become his next victim. The game's afoot - but who is the hunter and who will be the prey?

Patrick Mercer is author of the Doctor Watson series, as well as Men of Honour. A military historian by training, he was decorated four times as an infantry officer and then was the defence correspondent for BBC Radio 4's Today Programme.

©2013 Patrick Mercer (P)2014 Audible Studios
Cozy Mystery Traditional Detectives

Critic reviews

Praise for his novel To Do and Die:

"A finely drawn depiction of battle and the camaraderie of war." (Daily Mail)
"A tremendous achievement by a storyteller who knows the humour, the fear, and the frenzy of men in battle." (Bernard Cornwell)

All stars
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I liked the narrator and storyline. All in all, a good experience. Patrick Mercer continues the Sherlock Holmes tradition.

Superb!

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A new look at Holmes/Watson and seemingly the first appearance of the demonic Moriarty! Hilarious in places and a little too saucy for some reviewers but I thought the flirtatious widow added humor and a feminine touch.

Charming tale of our favorite detective

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1) Too much use of foul language
2) Too much animosity on Watson’s part
Neither of the above are in keeping with the spirit of Conan Doyle’s creation.

Not impressed

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This book was written in a style that seemed easier to understand. I liked this book, but it didn't make me excited about the story.

Dr. Watson's charge

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I don’t think the characters are particularly representative of the originals. The ‘real’ Holmes would never leave Watson to potentially freeze to death all night long, nor publicly ridicule him. And Watson is supposed to be a gentleman, not a thinly disguised bro. Not my favorite.

Holmes is too much of a jerk and Watson has no subtlety

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We are supposed to believe that the Sherlock Holmes was happy to drive an older woman out of a carriage by claiming to have smallpox. Not to mention the descent into carnality that Sherlock Holmes mysteries are usually above.

Shame on the writer. Shame on the publisher.

Insulting

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This is a raunchy complete insult to the Listener and to Sherlock. Yuck is all I can muster to say.

don't bother

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Listened to well over 100 Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson books on Audible. This one is without question the worst. Bad story, unlikeable characters. Watson character shallow, openly jealous of Holmes. Ends with Watson getting a “handy” in carriage by 58 year-old woman…wth?!?!

Worst Holmes & Watson Audiobook

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Ghastly. Holmes, Watson and even Mrs.Hudson were off. The dialogue was poor and the sexual remarks off-putting. This was not a re-invention but rather a clumsy disappointment. I would have liked to give it zero stars.

Does not know the characters or how to write

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This is an insult to all the works of Arthur Conan Doyle. Except for the basic characters it doesn’t resemble the Sherlock Holmes story. The language was bad, and the characters were not true.

Appalling

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