Tall, thin, androgynous Shirley Combs considers herself the world's greatest living detective because she uses the methods and casebook of Sherlock Holmes to solve crimes of the gentry of the American city most closely resembling London, England -- in terms of the weather, at least. Sidekick/narrator Dr. Mary Watson both delights in and is frustrated by her partner's behavioral resemblance to Sherlock. Combs is unemotional, analytical, and given to pacing through the night in the streets of the almost perfectly livable city of Portland, Oregon. Her ability to observe details and understand their relationship to a case is unmatched; her demands on Watson's time are too.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
Review
The Hounding is an excellent read for those who hold Sherlock Holmes near and dear to their hearts. With a taste of the old detective and plenty of references to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's most beloved character, this novel is just the right mix of modern happenings and classic twists. -- Portland Book Review
A confident, meticulously detailed mystery that would have made Shirley's pipe-smoking idol proud. --Kirkus Review
A confident, meticulously detailed mystery that would have made Shirley's pipe-smoking idol proud. --Kirkus Review
From the Author
THE HOUNDING is the first in a series of novels featuring sleuth Shirley Combs and her sidekick/narrator Dr. Mary Watson. If you like Sherlock Holmes, you may like this pair. Or, if you were a Nancy Drew fan as a kid, you may find this is a satisfying evolution for the grown-up you. The next book in the series is THE ILLUSTRIOUS CLIENT. I'm writing it now.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
A detective procedural au style du Sherlock Holmes, but with two funny and sometimes irritating female detectives of 2012. Shirley, a vegan with a "bony rump," is abrupt, single-minded and slightly rude. Mary, a naturopathic doctor who inexplicably eats disgusting hamburgers, is her Watson. Mary has more spit and fire than the original Watson, getting in her little digs about Shirley's commandist work style.
With references to old growth logging, breed-specific dog biases and lesbian CPAs, the book is thoroughly modern, yet on every page the detective mystery fan will laugh out loud at the callbacks to Conan Doyle. This book was a delight to read.
With references to old growth logging, breed-specific dog biases and lesbian CPAs, the book is thoroughly modern, yet on every page the detective mystery fan will laugh out loud at the callbacks to Conan Doyle. This book was a delight to read.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
By Kate K.
Format:Paperback
Congratulations to Sandra de Helen for her achievement with The Hounding! Chapter One was a great beginning. It really grabbed me by the throat (no pun intended). The modern-day Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson sidekick angle works well, and unlike the original, there's a lot of humor--characteristic of de Helen's writing in general (e.g. "When she called at 3:00 am, she said I should come and observe her methods." "...I heard nothing inside. I was tired of hearing nothing. When I got home, if I got home, I was going to make a tremendous amount of noise and listen to it.") I also liked the well-drawn locale in Portland to stand in for Holmes's London, and plenty of plausible suspects to ponder. The elevator incident is gripping. I was with Mary all the way as she did a Zen run up 22 flights of stairs. Although I've never been much of a detective fiction reader, it was a pleasure to read this unique slant on the genre.
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
By C. Penn
Format:CD-ROM
Shirlock Holmes fans will delight in this mystery by Sandra De Helen. Combining the sleuthing skills of Holmes and Watson with female protagonists, De Helen presents an original, fascinating mystery with ties to the tradition of Holmes and yet with a modern twist.
Shirley Combs and her assistant Dr. Mary Watson solve mysteries much as their predecessors did, using logic and facts to arrive at a conclusion. Tall, thin, androgynous Shirley has thoroughly studied the method and casebook of Shirlock Holmes, using Holmes' exploits for "solutions to modern day crimes." She relies upon the Mary to chronicle their investigations. So when attack dogs murder heiress Priscilla Vandeleur Leoni, thereby enacting her worst fear, Holmes and Watson use their investigative skills to solve the case. Ironically, Cilla is a direct descendant of the Baskervilles; that is, those cursed to be killed by dogs as recorded in Holmes famous case, THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES.
The suspect list begins, of course, with Cilla's immediate family. Her husband Walter Leoni's ongoing financial losses and his son Tony's gambling habits make them suspect, and even her loving daughter Goldenhawk Vandeleur must be questioned. There are others, such as her lesbian lover. Pat Riley, her long time friend who runs the opera house Cilla delighted to support doesn't escape scrutiny. Likewise, the awesome character of Melody Pepper who has a gift for animals and is able to approach them in the wild and even stop animals in mid attack also bears investigation. As careful examination of the clues lead to a Holmesian deduction, the reader still may be in for surprises.
The solving of this case is anything but elementary as De Helen leads the reader through a maze of suspects and motives.
... Read more ›5 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By N. Blackburn
Format:Kindle Edition
Complete Review on at: [...]
A comfortable lil' cozy, I felt that The Hounding was a really well written Indie book. Keep in mind that it is a cozy mystery, but it doesn't beat the reader over the head with the traditional definition of the "silly" cozy mystery! The book offered an excellent storyline, awesome twists and turns and wonderfully developed characters. Being a fan of Sherlock Holmes, I love to read "plays" on his character and Ms. de Helen did a wonderful job!
What made me smile most about this book is the underlying play and obvious research that Ms. de Helen did in comparing The Hounding to Doyle's "The Hound of the Baskervilles". For example, the murder victim, Priscilla Vandeleur, is a direct descendant of Sir Charles Baskerville. She has the same phobias regarding dogs as in "The Hound of the Baskervilles". It was a hoot to read!
A comfortable lil' cozy, I felt that The Hounding was a really well written Indie book. Keep in mind that it is a cozy mystery, but it doesn't beat the reader over the head with the traditional definition of the "silly" cozy mystery! The book offered an excellent storyline, awesome twists and turns and wonderfully developed characters. Being a fan of Sherlock Holmes, I love to read "plays" on his character and Ms. de Helen did a wonderful job!
What made me smile most about this book is the underlying play and obvious research that Ms. de Helen did in comparing The Hounding to Doyle's "The Hound of the Baskervilles". For example, the murder victim, Priscilla Vandeleur, is a direct descendant of Sir Charles Baskerville. She has the same phobias regarding dogs as in "The Hound of the Baskervilles". It was a hoot to read!
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
The Hounding is a thoroughly enjoyable murder mystery/detective story that is a contemporary take on the Sherlock Holmes/Dr. Watson model. Shirley Combs is an amateur detective who bases her methods on Holmes himself as she investigates the death of a wealthy heiress, aided by none other than Dr. Mary Watson. The plot is complex, filled with red herring surprises and issues relevant to today's world. De Helen lets the suspense build to an astonishing and satisfying ending.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By cajuntw
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
I had read "The Hounds of the Baskervilles" a long time ago and so I wanted to read this book to see how close it would be, if any. I really enjoyed the chemistry between the two women. I recommend this book for an easy weekend read. I can picture myself reading this again over a rainy weekend. Sandra, you did a great job. Two thumbs up!!!!
4 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By FAMOsa
Format:Paperback
What a great feminist take on Holmes and Watson. They're vegan and homeopathic. They care about issues; They even care about each other. But that doesn't stop them from breaking all the rules, commandeering an animal activist van, breaking into the zoo to steal a baby chimp (whom they both fall in love with), and arriving unannounced at billionaires' homes.
De Helen has done her homework. Holmes enthusiasts will not be disappointed. In fact the victim, Priscilla Vandeleur Leoni, is a descendant of the Baskervilles inheriting both their fortune and their curse. And she dies of a heart attack after being attacked by pit bulls.
A feminist take, but nothing too heavy. A truly modern Watson and Holmes.
De Helen has done her homework. Holmes enthusiasts will not be disappointed. In fact the victim, Priscilla Vandeleur Leoni, is a descendant of the Baskervilles inheriting both their fortune and their curse. And she dies of a heart attack after being attacked by pit bulls.
A feminist take, but nothing too heavy. A truly modern Watson and Holmes.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Sherlock in Portland
Shirley Combs (works best when you say it out loud) and her reluctant assistant Dr. Mary Watson form a team of crime-solving Portlanders who rival their London idols in their... Read more
Published 2 months ago by peggy bird
4.0 out of 5 stars
Fun mystery and pleasing Holmesian homage
Shirley Combs and Dr. Mary Watson are drawn into a fascinating mystery in Sandra De Helen's The Hounding. Read more
Published 2 months ago by S. Deeth
4.0 out of 5 stars
New take on Holmes
I didn't feel this to be another "cash-in" by an author to ride on the coat-tails of the famous sleuth, and I quite enjoyed that she didn't slavishly follow the formula... Read more
Published 5 months ago by H. S. Miller
2.0 out of 5 stars
I DIDN'T LIKE THE BOOK
The book rubbed me the wrong way. I did not like the characters or the plot of the story. Others may like it, but I did not.
Published 5 months ago by Z. J. Garcia
1.0 out of 5 stars
Could not finish
I can typically read enough of a book to get into it, but not this one. I felt like I was reading a disaster written by a child. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Lizzie424
4.0 out of 5 stars
A cozy set in Portland, Oregon
The Hounding is a sweet little cozy written after the style of Arthur Conan Doyle and the Sherlock Holmes stories. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Isobel DuSharm
4.0 out of 5 stars
liked it
Nice mystery on the Sherlock Holmes kind of thing with 2 women - Shirley Combs and Dr. Mary Watson. Keeps your interest.
Published 7 months ago by katcoo
4.0 out of 5 stars
THE HOUNDING
Good story, fairly believable characters although I would definitely NOT want to be one of DR. Watson's patients since she never seems to be available for any medical stuff. Read more
Published 7 months ago by larson e. whipsnade
5.0 out of 5 stars
Clever, enjoyable read!
DeHelen's clever concept and thorough development of the unique characters, combined with a writing style that kept the story moving through all its unexpected twists and turns,... Read more
Published 7 months ago by Linda S. Pettit
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not quite what is was expecting
This wasn't quite what I was expecting. The title and description made me think that wolves or werewolves were going to involved with a bit of action but it didn't have any of... Read more
Published 7 months ago by P. Hanson
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More About the Author
Hey BOOK CLUBS! I love book clubs and I'm AVAILABLE to visit either in person or via Skype. Laredo Public Library runs a mystery book club, they read THE HOUNDING and invited me to visit via Skype. They had questions, and we all had a great time. I live and write rainy Portland, Oregon. If you're in driving distance, I'll drive to your club for a stipend that covers car rental and gas. I'll Skype for free wherever you are if we can find a time that works for both of us, and I'll bet we can. If you need me to fly to you, let's talk. If your club can cover the budget, I do love to travel, and I'm not afraid to fly even in this day of TSA and Air Marshalls and crazy pilots. :)
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