Sherlock Holmes has been portrayed in countless books, movies and TV series as a sophisticated genius, sometime opium addict and intriguing enigma but rarely, if ever, do we see a Sherlock Holmes such as the one that has sleazed himself out of the mind of author Chris Wood.
The Holmes and Watson which Woods conjures up are horny, foolish teenage boys in grown-up men’s bodies but be warned, this book is not for teens!
From the start Watson is the more intelligent, more debonair of the two comrades, though only by a hair's breadth. He narrates the world and the actions of the utter fool Holmes with wit and foul language. It is not only Watson who is constantly bemused and derisive of Holmes as many of the colourful characters and clients he meets along the way share the same view. His incompetent reputation really does precede him and as Watson says, “those in direst need who rely on Holmes for assistance are, generally speaking, screwed.”
The offices of Holmes are painted as being just as professional as the man himself, with an assortment of paraphernalia such as rubber chickens, poorly made disguises and death threats.
Though the book is comprised of four separate adventures, throughout the stories runs a similar thread – that of the bane of Holmes life at this point, Flying Zombie Death Monkeys. Though they start out in small numbers as Senior Civil Servants and Members of Parliament, by the end of the book they have made their merry, brain eating way across many more pages and most of England. Despite their horrific appearance and eating habits, however, most of the nice English folk they meet treat them with a stiff upper lip and terribly good manners and etiquette. Right up until the point where the poor Brits get their heads ripped off.
The well described gore the monkeys leave in their wake along with the quintessentially British humour and one liners delivered by Holmes and Watson will make readers feel as if they have stumbled into a bizarre world which could only be created if Monty Python's Flying Circus, the Wizard of Oz and Shaun of the Dead were to collide.
This book is a treat for anyone who fancies a good old fashioned juvenile belly laugh. The only down side is that most of the most humorous lines involve imaginative swear words or euphemisms for men’s genitals and so therefore cannot be quoted here!
About the Author
Chris Wood is a journalist and book reviewer turned author who is based in the North West of the UK. His past books include the non-fiction The Ingredients of a Good Thriller and the first in his Sherlock series, Sherlock Holmes and the Underpants of Death
In 2010 Chris spoke to Suite 101 about his work and his comedy influences.
Dulcinea Norton-Smith - Dulcinea is a writer, an avid reader, a loving wife, a terrible housewife, a mother of two, a Civil Servant and of course a freelance ...
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