Holmes, Marple, Poe (Daily React)

1.31.2025

First James Patterson

Chapters 1 thru 20

This is the first James Patterson book I’ve experienced. I know he’s written like a gazillion books. I think I’m only familiar with Cross and The Women’s Murder Club, neither of which I read, I have seen the TV shows based on them. I really miss Women’s Murder Club and mainly because I absolutely ADORE Laura Harris and have had a crush on her since the teen soap Fifteen/Hillside in 1991. (That was also the show that Ryan Reynolds was on).

I chose this book because of the title and because I listened to the sample and I thought that Christina Lakin was a really good narrator. I’ve never heard her work before so this is a first for me. I didn’t realize she was the same actress from the 90’s sitcom “Step By Step”. I’d never watched it but my roommate recognized her name. She has a wonderful voice and does great line reads in her narration. Again, as I always say, actors make extraordinary narrators often. I can usually tell if someone has a theatrical background when I am listening.

The concept of the book is a little … I don’t have the right word but I think the gif I chose for this is approximately how I feel about it. There are three private detectives – Brendan Holmes, Margaret Marple, and Auguste Poe – who work out of a refurbished bakery in New York which serves as their office, library (where they have all the collected and priceless works of their respective authors), and also their shared living space. Every single person who they give their business card to or introduce themselves to has the exact same reaction to their names like … “Are you serious?”

They don’t seem to really embody their namesakes at all … I think they just took the names because they seem really into them or something? Holmes is at least very Holmesy, but Poe and Marple … I don’t really see any kind of connection. It’s weird. Why do they have these names? It doesn’t make sense. The characters are just … blah.

Not much has happened so far beyond the introduction to the team as they solve their first case rather dramatically with absolutely no explanation as to how they arrived at the conclusion of who the murderer was. They just “know” and all of the sudden they are the superstars of New York and Alicia Keys shows up at their celebration party. I really am unsure if all of James books are this … ridiculous and unrealistic but if so I have no idea how he’s so popular.

This isn’t to say the book is BAD. It’s a fine listen in the way that Kim Stone books are fine and Jackman and Evan’s books are fine. It’s something to listen to as I fall asleep but it’s not anything – so far – that’s interesting enough to keep me awake and riveted to. It’s just OK.

It would be easy for me to delete this book and never listen to it again. It wasn’t that interesting.

Story this session: 2.5 out of 5.0 stars
Narration: 5.0 out of 5.0 stars

See also >  The Jigsaw Man (Daily React)

Current Review

Subject to change as I continue to experience the book …

Holmes Marple and Poe by James Patterson
Holmes, Marple, Poe (Daily React)
Sound Quality
Narration (Emotion)
Narration (Characters)
Narration (Line Reads)
Writing (Plot)
Writing (World)
Writing (Characters)
Standouts! 🥰
Christine Lakin is GREAT!
Disliked 😒
The story is ... silly.
The characters have ZERO development.
Why are they named after people they are nothing like?
2
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