Review of Mrs Hudson’s Olympic Triumph

“As anyone who knows me can tell you, I’m a fanatic for the traditional and authentic and Canonical Sherlock Holmes. As a rule I avoid anything with parody, or that presents Holmes as anything but a hero. I simply ignore most of these Alternate Universe tales, while other I actively despise. (Hint: I’m referring to the BBC show “Sherlock”.)

But there are a very few non-traditional versions that I acknowledge for being very well done, even if they aren’t about The True Sherlock Holmes. For instance, I truly enjoy watching and re-watching the film “Without a Clue” (1988) starring Michael Caine and Ben Kingsley. It isn’t the True Holmes, but it’s excellent nevertheless. The same can be said for M.J. Trow and his skewed and wrong (but funny) look at a very defective Holmes through the eyes of his series hero, Inspector Sholto Lestrade. And another Alternate Universe version of The World of Holmes that I can recommend is the Mrs. Hudson series by Barry S. Brown.

There have been a number of other Mrs. Hudson adventures over the years. For instance, Sydney Hosier wrote four books in his own Mrs. Hudson series – but what makes those different from Barry Brown’s is that she is still the landlady of 221 Baker Street who just happens to become involved in mysteries. Barry Brown’s books are something different … .

The premise is simple: It’s Mrs. Hudson who is the true sleuth of Baker Street, rather than Holmes. Through the entire series of books, she leads the way, with Holmes, Watson, and even Mycroft in support. In some ways, these books mimic the scheme of “Without A Clue”, with Mrs. Hudson as the behind-the-scenes brains instead of Dr. Watson. Still, it’s a very fresh perspective on the Holmesian world.

In “Mrs. Hudson’s Olympic Triumph”, the fifth in Barry Brown’s series, the Baker Street Triumvirate – Hudson, Holmes, and Watson – travel to Greece at the behest of Mycroft Holmes – the only man who is in-the-know about their unusual arrangement – in time for the 1896 Olympics, the first to be held since ancient times. Of course, as is the way of these things, their mission is immediately complicated by murder. They each play their parts, and the truth is revealed in a most excellent manner!

I’m glad that MX Publishing is issuing these volumes anew, and in handsome uniform editions. MX is the premier Sherlockian publisher in the world, and can give these books the home that they deserve.”

Reviewed by David Marcum

Mrs Hudson’s Olympic Triumph is available from all good bookstores including The Strand Magazine,  Amazon USA, Barnes and Noble USA, Amazon UK, Waterstones UK and for free shipping worldwide Book Depository.  In ebook format it is in Kindle, Kobo, Nook and Apple iBooks (iPad/iPhone). Also available on Audio.