
The Devil and Sherlock Holmes
Tales of Murder, Madness, and Obsession
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Narrated by:
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Mark Deakins
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By:
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David Grann
About this listen
Acclaimed New Yorker writer and author of the breakout debut bestseller The Lost City of Z, David Grann offers a collection of spellbinding narrative journalism.
Whether he’s reporting on the infiltration of the murderous Aryan Brotherhood into the U.S. prison system, tracking down a chameleon con artist in Europe, or riding in a cyclone- tossed skiff with a scientist hunting the elusive giant squid, David Grann revels in telling stories that explore the nature of obsession and that piece together true and unforgettable mysteries.
Each of the dozen stories in this collection reveals a hidden and often dangerous world and, like Into Thin Air and The Orchid Thief, pivots around the gravitational pull of obsession and the captivating personalities of those caught in its grip. There is the world’s foremost expert on Sherlock Holmes who is found dead in mysterious circumstances; an arson sleuth trying to prove that a man about to be executed is innocent; and sandhogs racing to complete the brutally dangerous job of building New York City’s water tunnels before the old system collapses. Throughout, Grann’s hypnotic accounts display the power—and often the willful perversity—of the human spirit.
The Devil and Sherlock Holmes is a brilliant mosaic of ambition, madness, passion, and folly.
Critic reviews
"A gifted storyteller, Grann has a Sherlock Holmesian gift for unearthing facts that are hidden in plain sight, presenting a crystal-clear narrative and letting his compelling cast of characters speak for themselves.....Easily worth the price of admission, a visit to Grann's rogue's gallery is likely to leave you with a sense, at once awful and awesome, of the profound desire we all have for recognition." --Portland Oregonian
"Grann's obsession with how narratives are told is complex and compelling...But it's the basic stories themselves -- bizarre and fascinating, bolstered by exhaustive research -- that make the book so gripping." --TimeOut New York
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OK, but not overly interesting
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I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I awaited each new chapter wondering what the next topic was going to be. The narrator did an excellent job. I was sad when it ended.An excellent listen!
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Highly recommend this one!
True Crime with a Twist
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excellent collection
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Some are much better than others
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Interesting style
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My hats off .... again to David Grann and all of us lucky enough to share his work.
Richard
A masterful set of stories from David Grann
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I felt it rather dragged on and on (I’m not a news junkie). Some of it was interesting but it went on far too long......
Wanted to love it but.....
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The book is a collection of articles/stories, each of which reports on some odd tale of madness or murder. I found the book fascinating and readable, and a wonderful way to start off my 2019 Month of Horror (aka October). I recommend to any true crime fan. This was a page turner.
True Crime reporting at its best
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One good story, but mostly ho hum.....
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