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A Scandal in Brooklyn
A classic Holmesian detective untangles a locked-room mystery with a very modern twist in this venomously diverting short story by Lauren Wilkinson, the Washington Post bestselling author of American Spy.
A top-secret experiment at a restricted virtual-reality compound pulls attorney Tommy Diaz back into the orbit of Irene Adler, an old friend with an eidetic memory, a love of true-crime podcasts, and a knack for solving the unsolvable. But this? At a remote warehouse, a VR trial goes awry when a willing test subject, alone in the observation room, drops dead of anaphylaxis—from the sting of a virtual bee. Though the tech titan behind the research believes in the power of the outrageous, Irene relies on clues, hard facts, and a level head. However, in a case this peculiar, how elementary can it be?
A top-secret experiment at a restricted virtual-reality compound pulls attorney Tommy Diaz back into the orbit of Irene Adler, an old friend with an eidetic memory, a love of true-crime podcasts, and a knack for solving the unsolvable. But this? At a remote warehouse, a VR trial goes awry when a willing test subject, alone in the observation room, drops dead of anaphylaxis—from the sting of a virtual bee. Though the tech titan behind the research believes in the power of the outrageous, Irene relies on clues, hard facts, and a level head. However, in a case this peculiar, how elementary can it be?
46 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 30, 2022
466 people are currently reading
525 people want to read
About the author
Lauren Wilkinson
3 books730 followersLauren Wilkinson earned an MFA in fiction and literary translation from Columbia University, and has taught writing at Columbia and the Fashion Institute of Technology. She was a 2013 Center for Fiction Emerging Writer’s Fellow, and has also received support from the MacDowell Colony and the Djerassi Resident Artists Program. Lauren grew up in New York and lives on the Lower East Side. American Spy is her first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 124 reviews
July 10, 2022
'The Woman' in Brooklyn
Review of the Amazon Original Kindle eBook (June 30, 2022) released simultaneously with the Amazon Original audiobook.
Describing con-woman/grifter Irene Adler from the story 'A Scandal in Bohemia' from Arthur Conan Doyle's The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1892) as a 'classic Holmesian detective,' as this story's synopsis does, is a bit of a stretch. A Scandal in Brooklyn does not feel very Holmesian at all, except for the title flip, the character name steal and the narration by a substitute 'Watson'. You would expect a lot more from a character based on the single opponent who outwitted Sherlock Holmes and whom he called 'The Woman' ever after.
There are so many characters with so little background information packed into this 46 page story (based on a Kindle page count) that you end up not really caring about any of them, let alone the lead protagonist. This 'Irene Adler' is called in at first to hunt down a missing husband, who is found to have been participating in a virtual reality experiment (in Brooklyn) where he has apparently died from a virtual bee sting. For whatever reason, she is the wife of the tech-guru who is behind the experiment and she brings her own 'Watson' along to assist. It all gets wrapped up quickly without much suspense.
I enjoyed author Lauren Wilkinson's historical fiction American Spy (2019) when I read it through to its nomination for Best First Novel in the 2020 Edgar Awards. A Scandal in Brooklyn feels like a placeholder until she comes up with something more further developed in the future.
Review of the Amazon Original Kindle eBook (June 30, 2022) released simultaneously with the Amazon Original audiobook.
Describing con-woman/grifter Irene Adler from the story 'A Scandal in Bohemia' from Arthur Conan Doyle's The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1892) as a 'classic Holmesian detective,' as this story's synopsis does, is a bit of a stretch. A Scandal in Brooklyn does not feel very Holmesian at all, except for the title flip, the character name steal and the narration by a substitute 'Watson'. You would expect a lot more from a character based on the single opponent who outwitted Sherlock Holmes and whom he called 'The Woman' ever after.
There are so many characters with so little background information packed into this 46 page story (based on a Kindle page count) that you end up not really caring about any of them, let alone the lead protagonist. This 'Irene Adler' is called in at first to hunt down a missing husband, who is found to have been participating in a virtual reality experiment (in Brooklyn) where he has apparently died from a virtual bee sting. For whatever reason, she is the wife of the tech-guru who is behind the experiment and she brings her own 'Watson' along to assist. It all gets wrapped up quickly without much suspense.
I enjoyed author Lauren Wilkinson's historical fiction American Spy (2019) when I read it through to its nomination for Best First Novel in the 2020 Edgar Awards. A Scandal in Brooklyn feels like a placeholder until she comes up with something more further developed in the future.
July 4, 2022
I know better than to read the free Amazon short stories/novellas... I'm 0 for however many I've read. I was hoping to enjoy this one, since I love Sherlock Holmes and read tons of the fan pastiches. This one fell flat for me.
It's set in modern times - great. However, the author was hitting us over the head about how it was modern. The first half of the story was all name dropping. "The Lyft had rap playing and then Siri interrupted to give directions" "I checked Twitter". It kept taking me out of the story since I felt like I was being slapped over the head with someone saying "IT'S MODERN TIMES!!!" every other sentence.
I struggled to differentiate the characters. At the beginning, I kept getting mixed up with if Martin was the missing scientist or Jeff Bezos. Then, when Irene was investigating, I could not keep track of who was who. They acted similarly and didn't have clear personalities to separate them. This might have been more successful as a longer story, where everyone can be developed more.
The characters' behavior also drove me nuts. Irene says "I don't want my husband to know I was here" and then immediately scans her all access badge and talked to a computer - you don't think that's logged (especially after saying how he's always watching you?)? Or when they reveal themselves to the scientists, they don't even act surprised that 3 people got into the secret warehouse. Or they're investigating and Irene is about to talk about the guy who Tommy thinks is cute and Tommy says he doesn't want to hear it - yeah, good investigator there.
I did appreciate the murder weapon - that part was clever. The other bits related to the murder, less so. But the actual murder weapon got this book a 2nd star.
It's set in modern times - great. However, the author was hitting us over the head about how it was modern. The first half of the story was all name dropping. "The Lyft had rap playing and then Siri interrupted to give directions" "I checked Twitter". It kept taking me out of the story since I felt like I was being slapped over the head with someone saying "IT'S MODERN TIMES!!!" every other sentence.
I struggled to differentiate the characters. At the beginning, I kept getting mixed up with if Martin was the missing scientist or Jeff Bezos. Then, when Irene was investigating, I could not keep track of who was who. They acted similarly and didn't have clear personalities to separate them. This might have been more successful as a longer story, where everyone can be developed more.
The characters' behavior also drove me nuts. Irene says "I don't want my husband to know I was here" and then immediately scans her all access badge and talked to a computer - you don't think that's logged (especially after saying how he's always watching you?)? Or when they reveal themselves to the scientists, they don't even act surprised that 3 people got into the secret warehouse. Or they're investigating and Irene is about to talk about the guy who Tommy thinks is cute and Tommy says he doesn't want to hear it - yeah, good investigator there.
I did appreciate the murder weapon - that part was clever. The other bits related to the murder, less so. But the actual murder weapon got this book a 2nd star.
July 2, 2022
A scandal in Brooklyn by Lauren Wilkinson is available now.
Check out my websites for a giveaway and an interview with the author.
http://lianareads.home.blog/2022/07/0...
It’s a very short story, around 50 pages. But one that kept me glued to my kindle because I loved how quickly I was immersed in the story and how fast paced it moves.
The suspenseful moments were so on point and I just think everyone should read it.
Very grateful to the publisher for my review copy and my place in the blog tour.
Check out my websites for a giveaway and an interview with the author.
http://lianareads.home.blog/2022/07/0...
It’s a very short story, around 50 pages. But one that kept me glued to my kindle because I loved how quickly I was immersed in the story and how fast paced it moves.
The suspenseful moments were so on point and I just think everyone should read it.
Very grateful to the publisher for my review copy and my place in the blog tour.
July 14, 2022
Sherlock Holmes readers will recognize the short, clipped dialogue, dropped clues, narrator POV. This locked room mystery is updated to involve AI technology and lots of references to Twitter. However, it seemed like a prequel or epilogue of a book I missed reading. The characters lack depth and have a strange, sudden familiarity but keep asking “ who are you” and “ what do you do”? Readers of mysteries will be able to quickly figure out who did it and how despite all the technology jargon.
July 6, 2022
I was excited to read A Scandal In Brooklyn because I'm a massive fan of Sherlock Holmes mysteries. The story is told from the POV of a lawyer who is the Watson-like character to the sleuth, in this case, Irene Adler. They're looking for a missing man who is involved in a virtual experiment trial at a technological company.
While I liked the locked-mystery aspect and the reveal of the perp, I thought the worldbuilding was lacking. Irene seems to know everything without explanation. And why are they tasked with solving a murder when they were not supposed to be there in the first place? I think this would have worked better as a novella or a book because there's potential here for a twisty, suspenseful tale. But it's too brief to leave an impression.
Thank you to the publisher for a review copy.
book blog | twitter | instagram
While I liked the locked-mystery aspect and the reveal of the perp, I thought the worldbuilding was lacking. Irene seems to know everything without explanation. And why are they tasked with solving a murder when they were not supposed to be there in the first place? I think this would have worked better as a novella or a book because there's potential here for a twisty, suspenseful tale. But it's too brief to leave an impression.
Thank you to the publisher for a review copy.
book blog | twitter | instagram
July 3, 2022
When I saw the description of this - a short story featuring a modern Irene Adler getting to the roots of a devilish crime in contemporary Brooklyn - I couldn't resist reading it, I love a Holmesian inspired mystery and wanted to see what Wilkinson would do with Adler.
A Scandal in Brooklyn is a short, fast-moving story. Adler is a woman with remarkable memory abilities which she's honed through practice and training ('To Irene, her memory is a physical place that look like her childhood home') and in this story, she teams up with an old friend, Tommy Diaz, to use them to solve a crime involving a tech billionaire. In the best Holmes and Watson style, the story is Diaz's write-up of a notorious case done at Adler's suggestion ('While some of the interest in the Victor Stein mystery has subsided, it's still a popular story in some corners of the Internet...'). It all begins when Adler recommends him to her friend Priya to help investigate the disappearance of Priya's husband, who has gone missing.
The two quickly find themselves, together with Priya and Irene's sort-of housekeeper Shinwell, in the secret laboratory of said billionaire... who just happens to be Adler's husband... and who just happens to have another mystery he'd like them to solve.
As Adler gets to work, it becomes clear that her talents go much deeper than a killer memory. The case is a tricky one, with one obvious suspect, but also with perplexing clues, several witnesses with their own agendas - and other potential criminals on site. It's not just a matter of who and why, but also of how - a classic Holmesian mystery, and a situation where there may still be danger.
I really enjoyed seeing Adler put through her paces here in something which is far from a pastiche or rewriting of a Holmes story, but rather a tale with a very modern ambience and at the same time, a familiar sense of devilish mystery. Great fun to read, great characters, and Irene Adler - in any incarnation - is of course a must-read. I'm hoping to hear more about this version of her!
A Scandal in Brooklyn is a short, fast-moving story. Adler is a woman with remarkable memory abilities which she's honed through practice and training ('To Irene, her memory is a physical place that look like her childhood home') and in this story, she teams up with an old friend, Tommy Diaz, to use them to solve a crime involving a tech billionaire. In the best Holmes and Watson style, the story is Diaz's write-up of a notorious case done at Adler's suggestion ('While some of the interest in the Victor Stein mystery has subsided, it's still a popular story in some corners of the Internet...'). It all begins when Adler recommends him to her friend Priya to help investigate the disappearance of Priya's husband, who has gone missing.
The two quickly find themselves, together with Priya and Irene's sort-of housekeeper Shinwell, in the secret laboratory of said billionaire... who just happens to be Adler's husband... and who just happens to have another mystery he'd like them to solve.
As Adler gets to work, it becomes clear that her talents go much deeper than a killer memory. The case is a tricky one, with one obvious suspect, but also with perplexing clues, several witnesses with their own agendas - and other potential criminals on site. It's not just a matter of who and why, but also of how - a classic Holmesian mystery, and a situation where there may still be danger.
I really enjoyed seeing Adler put through her paces here in something which is far from a pastiche or rewriting of a Holmes story, but rather a tale with a very modern ambience and at the same time, a familiar sense of devilish mystery. Great fun to read, great characters, and Irene Adler - in any incarnation - is of course a must-read. I'm hoping to hear more about this version of her!
July 7, 2022
This short story brings together every aspect of a locked-room mystery that you would expect to find in a longer book. The information is shared quickly and you have to pay attention to catch the clues and decipher what they mean and who is the guilty party.
I enjoyed this short story and the characters that set out to solve the mystery of how someone could have been killed if all the doors were locked and the number of people that are suspects is limited. Irene with eidetic memory is fascinating. She is able to sort clues faster than anyone I have seen. There is her friend Tommy, a disgraced lawyer, that could be considered her sidekick at least for this short story, but the stories they could tell from the past could be illuminating even if not relevant to the story.
There are several secrets that are revealed throughout the book and some are quite surprising but impact the story keeping the momentum flowing. I admit that I didn't figure out who the killer was but enjoyed the banter of the characters and the willingness to throw others under the bus.
I don't know if the author plans to write any longer books featuring Irene, but I think she should.
We give this story 5 paws up.
I enjoyed this short story and the characters that set out to solve the mystery of how someone could have been killed if all the doors were locked and the number of people that are suspects is limited. Irene with eidetic memory is fascinating. She is able to sort clues faster than anyone I have seen. There is her friend Tommy, a disgraced lawyer, that could be considered her sidekick at least for this short story, but the stories they could tell from the past could be illuminating even if not relevant to the story.
There are several secrets that are revealed throughout the book and some are quite surprising but impact the story keeping the momentum flowing. I admit that I didn't figure out who the killer was but enjoyed the banter of the characters and the willingness to throw others under the bus.
I don't know if the author plans to write any longer books featuring Irene, but I think she should.
We give this story 5 paws up.
July 30, 2022
I got this free through Prime Reading and read it on my Kindle. I had to page back many times to identify which character was speaking. This caused me to read this story more slowly. My reading experience was also interrupted a great deal because I was busy.
I was puzzled to find that a character was killed by digital bees. A digital bee can only sting digitally. It can't be a real threat.
ASMR is mentioned in this story. It's an acronym for Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response. This is a mild euphoria that can be achieved through ordinary experiences that are pleasurable to the person involved. I get euphoric from picking up a book that sounds really good. I didn't get euphoric from reading this story, but I did like it.
I was puzzled to find that a character was killed by digital bees. A digital bee can only sting digitally. It can't be a real threat.
ASMR is mentioned in this story. It's an acronym for Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response. This is a mild euphoria that can be achieved through ordinary experiences that are pleasurable to the person involved. I get euphoric from picking up a book that sounds really good. I didn't get euphoric from reading this story, but I did like it.
February 20, 2023
It's a short story, but the ending was wrapped up too easily. A couple of the characters have potential for a novella or full-length book. Changed from four stars (I might have meant 3.5) to three after the second reading.
July 17, 2022
Meh. Not terribly Holmesian, not terribly interesting. The fact it took about 20 minutes to read is really the only reason I finished it.
July 2, 2022
3.5 stars—A SCANDAL IN BROOKLYN by Lauren Wilkinson is a contemporary, adult, short story focusing on mystery, murder, and a top secret experiment.
Told from the first person perspective and account by attorney Tommy Diaz, A SCANDAL IN BROOKLYN follows Tommy Diaz as he is tasked, along with Irene Adler, to investigate the whereabouts of a missing man. Priya Stein’s husband had been acting erratically, and hadn’t returned home for several days. On the advise of her friend and amateur sleuth Irene Adler, Priya contacted attorney Tommy Diaz, to help uncover the truth about her missing husband but Tommy and his team never expected to encounter the virtual murder of a real-live person, the person being Priya’s husband Victor Stein. For a ten million dollar payout, Victor had enrolled in a questionable experiment sponsored by the Avisa Tech Company, an experiment that would eventually result in Victor’s death. A few hours, a few clues, and one true-crime enthusiast would result in a solved murder, and another questionable oligarch potentially getting away with murder.
A SCANDAL IN BROOKLYN is a quick read; a fast paced short story of murder and mystery with a little bit of science fiction thrown into the mix. The premise is intriguing but the world building is lacking for any true reader involvement. The discovery of, and the solving of clues is done mostly behind the scenes thusly keeping the audience at a disadvantage. A little more detail and world building would be greatly appreciated.
www.thereadingcafe.com
Told from the first person perspective and account by attorney Tommy Diaz, A SCANDAL IN BROOKLYN follows Tommy Diaz as he is tasked, along with Irene Adler, to investigate the whereabouts of a missing man. Priya Stein’s husband had been acting erratically, and hadn’t returned home for several days. On the advise of her friend and amateur sleuth Irene Adler, Priya contacted attorney Tommy Diaz, to help uncover the truth about her missing husband but Tommy and his team never expected to encounter the virtual murder of a real-live person, the person being Priya’s husband Victor Stein. For a ten million dollar payout, Victor had enrolled in a questionable experiment sponsored by the Avisa Tech Company, an experiment that would eventually result in Victor’s death. A few hours, a few clues, and one true-crime enthusiast would result in a solved murder, and another questionable oligarch potentially getting away with murder.
A SCANDAL IN BROOKLYN is a quick read; a fast paced short story of murder and mystery with a little bit of science fiction thrown into the mix. The premise is intriguing but the world building is lacking for any true reader involvement. The discovery of, and the solving of clues is done mostly behind the scenes thusly keeping the audience at a disadvantage. A little more detail and world building would be greatly appreciated.
www.thereadingcafe.com
July 2, 2022
A very good short story with clues so subtle only the best will put this one together before the big reveal.
“A Scandal in Brooklyn”, is my first experience reading anything by author, Lauren Wilkinson. Good short stories are tough to write but Wilkinson nailed this one, for the most part. Her characters are diverse and have as much depth as an hour long story could expect. The dialogue is smart and snappy and in the case of this storyline, a bit techie but not so much that we who were born prior to the computer age will glaze over. Because of the overall length of this work, there’s not an huge amount of prose but what is there is well written and delivers a good feeling of time and place.
All that said, and remembering it’s a short story, I do still think the ending was too compact. No quibble with the WHO & HOW - that part was fine and I didn’t pick up on 50% of it so in my mystery world, that’s a roaring success; However, the storytelling happened to quickly. I wasn’t looking for 2 more chapters but maybe 3-4 more pages and some input and reactions from more characters.
It was a great short story/cozy mystery and it’s free for PRIME members, so enjoy while you’re relaxing for an hour. I am being a little critical but hey, this is a review - so I did📚
“A Scandal in Brooklyn”, is my first experience reading anything by author, Lauren Wilkinson. Good short stories are tough to write but Wilkinson nailed this one, for the most part. Her characters are diverse and have as much depth as an hour long story could expect. The dialogue is smart and snappy and in the case of this storyline, a bit techie but not so much that we who were born prior to the computer age will glaze over. Because of the overall length of this work, there’s not an huge amount of prose but what is there is well written and delivers a good feeling of time and place.
All that said, and remembering it’s a short story, I do still think the ending was too compact. No quibble with the WHO & HOW - that part was fine and I didn’t pick up on 50% of it so in my mystery world, that’s a roaring success; However, the storytelling happened to quickly. I wasn’t looking for 2 more chapters but maybe 3-4 more pages and some input and reactions from more characters.
It was a great short story/cozy mystery and it’s free for PRIME members, so enjoy while you’re relaxing for an hour. I am being a little critical but hey, this is a review - so I did📚
September 23, 2022
Meh. For me, it seemed like it should’ve been fleshed out into a longer novel. There was a lot of information dumped onto me that would’ve made more sense if more time had been put into giving certain details more background. Especially the characters. They weren’t memorable enough to remember who was who and what they did. Irene seems like a great character and I’d like to see more of her and Tommy’s shenanigans as a team like Holmes and Watson. Her husband Martin also seemed interesting although he actually never made an appearance. It read so fast that I had to keep rereading to understand or to see what clues/info I missed. The plot idea is a good one though and I liked how we found out what happened. I could see it going another way though, like what if Grace actually did it? 2.5/5 stars.
July 9, 2022
A closed room mystery with an interesting plot. The plot has a mysterious tone, although, it is a short story. Still, the author has done a good job. The story has everything to turn itself into a full book of 200- 300 pages. The most fascinating are the characters like Irene Adler and Martin Krall. I really enjoyed the story. Hope to read more from the author.
I would like to give 4 stars to the story. Thanks Lauren Wilkinson for providing me an opportunity to read and review the book.
Read more https://bibliophileverse.blogspot.com...
I would like to give 4 stars to the story. Thanks Lauren Wilkinson for providing me an opportunity to read and review the book.
Read more https://bibliophileverse.blogspot.com...
July 4, 2022
I think I would hav liked this more in print, as the reader’s voice sounded too young for the part. Also, due to the short length, I felt like there was a lot of information dumped— especially characters being introduced— very quickly. This made it feel rushed and also made it harder for me to keep track of everyone and everything, at least in the audio format. That said, I was pleasantly surprised by the complexity of the resolution to the mystery. It had a Hercule Poirot feel to the reveal. I do feel like this story could have benefited from being a little longer so everything didn’t have to feel so rushed.
December 27, 2023
Too much information for a short story
I did not enjoy this story because it was too short to properly develop the characters, and there were too many of them. I did not feel that it was very well written. Some details were included that really had nothing to do with the story. Also, the story really didn’t are a lot of sense.
I did not enjoy this story because it was too short to properly develop the characters, and there were too many of them. I did not feel that it was very well written. Some details were included that really had nothing to do with the story. Also, the story really didn’t are a lot of sense.
July 10, 2022
3.5 ⭐️
June 30, 2022
A really impressive start to I hope a new set of tales with a sensible brilliant re-invented Irene Adler in a fascinating hi-tech locked room mystery
July 9, 2022
7/6/2022 Full review as part of the book tour on the 9th at TheFrumiousConsortium.net.
7/9/2022 This fun new short story puts a modern-day Irene Adler center stage where she belongs! Told through the eyes of her old friend Tommy Diaz, A Scandal In Brooklyn follows Irene as she answers another friend's request for aid.
Priya Stein hasn't seen or heard from her husband Victor in days. Turns out that he's volunteered to participate in a cutting edge tech experiment sponsored by none other than Irene's estranged tech mogul husband himself. Irene uses her connections to get Priya, Tommy and herself onto the compound so that at least one couple can be happily reunited.
Priya's relief at learning of her husband's safety is, alas, short lived. While undergoing a virtual experiment, Victor is stung by digital bees and dies. Neither Irene nor Tommy believes that Grace, the AI responsible for running the simulation, is responsible for his death. Besides, how could a digital bee possibly cause someone to go into anaphylactic shock?
The characterization was the strongest part of this short story, for me. While the mystery was decent, I felt like the story hadn't been polished enough action-wise, as things just sort of happened one by one. The experience was more like watching dominoes falling than enjoying a story unfold organically. That said, I really did like the characters of Irene and Tommy, and would love to read more of their exploits together. It was fun to hang out with the two of them in this vaguely Holmesian short story. Perhaps more importantly, I really want to see Irene stick it to her hopefully soon-to-be-ex-husband.
The good people behind this story and its accompanying book tour have also provided us with a short interview with Lauren Wilkinson, as well as an excerpt and a chance to win a $50 Amazon gift card! Check it all out at TheFrumiousConsortium.net!
7/9/2022 This fun new short story puts a modern-day Irene Adler center stage where she belongs! Told through the eyes of her old friend Tommy Diaz, A Scandal In Brooklyn follows Irene as she answers another friend's request for aid.
Priya Stein hasn't seen or heard from her husband Victor in days. Turns out that he's volunteered to participate in a cutting edge tech experiment sponsored by none other than Irene's estranged tech mogul husband himself. Irene uses her connections to get Priya, Tommy and herself onto the compound so that at least one couple can be happily reunited.
Priya's relief at learning of her husband's safety is, alas, short lived. While undergoing a virtual experiment, Victor is stung by digital bees and dies. Neither Irene nor Tommy believes that Grace, the AI responsible for running the simulation, is responsible for his death. Besides, how could a digital bee possibly cause someone to go into anaphylactic shock?
The characterization was the strongest part of this short story, for me. While the mystery was decent, I felt like the story hadn't been polished enough action-wise, as things just sort of happened one by one. The experience was more like watching dominoes falling than enjoying a story unfold organically. That said, I really did like the characters of Irene and Tommy, and would love to read more of their exploits together. It was fun to hang out with the two of them in this vaguely Holmesian short story. Perhaps more importantly, I really want to see Irene stick it to her hopefully soon-to-be-ex-husband.
The good people behind this story and its accompanying book tour have also provided us with a short interview with Lauren Wilkinson, as well as an excerpt and a chance to win a $50 Amazon gift card! Check it all out at TheFrumiousConsortium.net!
July 30, 2022
terrible story line
To many unanswered questions. Characters not like able or relevant.
Margot is the killer and Alex helped her to do it.
To many unanswered questions. Characters not like able or relevant.
Margot is the killer and Alex helped her to do it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 2, 2022
What worked for me in this story:
> This short story has one of the best premises I have ever encountered. A man getting stung by a bee in a VR simulation and dying IRL from a bee sting? How could I not read it! I'm super impressed by how unique and outside the box thinking that premise is.
> The diversity!!!! Irene Adler is a black woman in this iteration and her sidekick is a queer, indigenous man. Both their driver and client, though their races are not specified, are implied to be non-white based on their names. There's also another queer character (exact orientation unspecified) and I'm happy to report that . It’s exciting to see diversity in any story but it was especially satisfying to find a Sherlock Holmes story, the original works which were notoriously lacking in this area, reimagined to finally have representation.
What did not work for me:
> The murder suspects and employees of the top secret project were way too casual. They were unrealistically nice, supportive, caring, and helpful and it was jarring. My coworkers in retail are ruder and more self absorbed than these characters are, and you would expect the employees of a top secret project who are , not to mention potential murderers, to be way more irritable and self righteous than these people were. Plus the murder disrupting their project should have been an inconvenience (at least on some level) to them, but everyone was unrealistically compliant with the investigation and surprisingly fine with their jobs being jeopardized.
> Most murder mysteries in this Sherlockian style are brought to the detectives after the fact, but Irene and Tommy were present when this one occurred. That happens regularly in thrillers, since the genre tends to follow ordinary characters that are unwillingly involved in the mystery, but it felt odd for official detectives to coincidently be present as this murder occurred. Plus the circumstances leading to them being present felt forced and unnatural; a client came to the detectives worried about her missing husband, which Irene immediately knew where he was, so they all went to visit him (even though he was in a super secretive location) and Irene conveniently had access to the site, and they all slept over (not to mention they were unrealistically never discovered crashing at the super secret site) and hung around until he died the next day. Having the detectives and reader spend time with the victim before he died made his death more impactful, but emotional impact is not what most readers seek when they pick up a murder mystery (especially a Sherlock Holmes one). The circumstances felt forced and unrealistic, and either the events leading to their presence at the scene of the crime should have been smoothed out or the case could have been brought to the detectives after the fact in order to alleviate this disjointed element.
> We never got an explanation for why
What’s worth noting:
> The Sherlock Holmes element. This is technically inspired by Conan Doyle’s work since our main detective is Irene Adler. I liked how Sherlock Holmes was not actually present (or even mentioned) in this iteration, and how Irene Adler has the mind palace and impressive puzzle solving abilities. I like how the know-it-all man (even though he’s a beloved character) was removed from this story and instead the awe-inspiring, admirable, highly impressive skills were given to a female character. I adore that. In Holmes’ place is a man named Tommy who acts similarly to Irene Adler as Watson did to Holmes; he accompanies her on the case and tries to figure it out too but ultimately just inspires her to solve it. This dynamic worked for me but I strongly encourage any fans of Sherlock Holmes to go into this story with a blank slate of expectations. If you’re expecting the original cast of characters you will be disappointed, but if you see this story for what it is — a reimagining that redistributes the best qualities of the original work to female, queer, and racially diverse characters — it is highly admirable.
IN SUMMARY:
> There are some elements to this story I highly admire. The unique premise, diverse cast, and redistributing the best qualities of the original characters to female, queer, and non-white characters are all excellent and I highly recommend the story for these strengths. But the murder mystery itself was mediocre, with several elements detracting from my overall enjoyment. It's hard to invest in a story when most of its cast of characters and plot progression feel unrealistic.
> While this mystery may have been underwhelming, I’m sure I would pick up another installment by this author since all my criticisms were specific to this case and the two detectives themselves were great.
> This short story has one of the best premises I have ever encountered. A man getting stung by a bee in a VR simulation and dying IRL from a bee sting? How could I not read it! I'm super impressed by how unique and outside the box thinking that premise is.
> The diversity!!!! Irene Adler is a black woman in this iteration and her sidekick is a queer, indigenous man. Both their driver and client, though their races are not specified, are implied to be non-white based on their names. There's also another queer character (exact orientation unspecified) and I'm happy to report that . It’s exciting to see diversity in any story but it was especially satisfying to find a Sherlock Holmes story, the original works which were notoriously lacking in this area, reimagined to finally have representation.
What did not work for me:
> The murder suspects and employees of the top secret project were way too casual. They were unrealistically nice, supportive, caring, and helpful and it was jarring. My coworkers in retail are ruder and more self absorbed than these characters are, and you would expect the employees of a top secret project who are , not to mention potential murderers, to be way more irritable and self righteous than these people were. Plus the murder disrupting their project should have been an inconvenience (at least on some level) to them, but everyone was unrealistically compliant with the investigation and surprisingly fine with their jobs being jeopardized.
> Most murder mysteries in this Sherlockian style are brought to the detectives after the fact, but Irene and Tommy were present when this one occurred. That happens regularly in thrillers, since the genre tends to follow ordinary characters that are unwillingly involved in the mystery, but it felt odd for official detectives to coincidently be present as this murder occurred. Plus the circumstances leading to them being present felt forced and unnatural; a client came to the detectives worried about her missing husband, which Irene immediately knew where he was, so they all went to visit him (even though he was in a super secretive location) and Irene conveniently had access to the site, and they all slept over (not to mention they were unrealistically never discovered crashing at the super secret site) and hung around until he died the next day. Having the detectives and reader spend time with the victim before he died made his death more impactful, but emotional impact is not what most readers seek when they pick up a murder mystery (especially a Sherlock Holmes one). The circumstances felt forced and unrealistic, and either the events leading to their presence at the scene of the crime should have been smoothed out or the case could have been brought to the detectives after the fact in order to alleviate this disjointed element.
> We never got an explanation for why
What’s worth noting:
> The Sherlock Holmes element. This is technically inspired by Conan Doyle’s work since our main detective is Irene Adler. I liked how Sherlock Holmes was not actually present (or even mentioned) in this iteration, and how Irene Adler has the mind palace and impressive puzzle solving abilities. I like how the know-it-all man (even though he’s a beloved character) was removed from this story and instead the awe-inspiring, admirable, highly impressive skills were given to a female character. I adore that. In Holmes’ place is a man named Tommy who acts similarly to Irene Adler as Watson did to Holmes; he accompanies her on the case and tries to figure it out too but ultimately just inspires her to solve it. This dynamic worked for me but I strongly encourage any fans of Sherlock Holmes to go into this story with a blank slate of expectations. If you’re expecting the original cast of characters you will be disappointed, but if you see this story for what it is — a reimagining that redistributes the best qualities of the original work to female, queer, and racially diverse characters — it is highly admirable.
IN SUMMARY:
> There are some elements to this story I highly admire. The unique premise, diverse cast, and redistributing the best qualities of the original characters to female, queer, and non-white characters are all excellent and I highly recommend the story for these strengths. But the murder mystery itself was mediocre, with several elements detracting from my overall enjoyment. It's hard to invest in a story when most of its cast of characters and plot progression feel unrealistic.
> While this mystery may have been underwhelming, I’m sure I would pick up another installment by this author since all my criticisms were specific to this case and the two detectives themselves were great.
June 29, 2022
In her short story, Lauren Wilkinson creates an updated Holmesian story. It takes Irene Adler and places her in a world of tech and murder. When a test subject is seemingly killed in a virtual reality simulation, Irene must investigate the employees at a tech company. A tech company that just happens to be owned by her husband. She is faced with creepy employees, codes and AI. Can The Woman solve a murder with the help of her former roommate, Tommy Diaz? Or was he really killed by virtual bees?
This is a short but very sweet story. It goes into just enough depth to give you the context you need. The mystery itself is an interesting one. I'm always a little suspicious of books that focus on AI and technology but this works pretty well. It doesn't try to shoehorn it in but brings these elements in organically. The tech company is certainly creepy and I can see a lot of potential in carrying on with these characters in this world. I'd love to see a full-length novel in this series.
Mostly because the only disappointing thing for me was the big reveal at the end. It all feels a bit rushed. The investigation is pretty swift and you don't really get to see Irene really looking for clues. She mostly figures stuff out with revelations and intuition. I get that Irene is a genius but I would have liked more visual evidence of this. It ends up being a tell rather than show kind of genius. Don't get me wrong, the character is interesting. She's Irene Adler but more so. She has the keen detective skills of Sherlock Holmes but without his dislike of humanity.
If you're looking for a fun and speedy read then this is a great one to pick up. It doesn't take a long time but it is exciting and thrilling enough to keep you hooked. I look forward to seeing if there are more books to come in this series.
This is a short but very sweet story. It goes into just enough depth to give you the context you need. The mystery itself is an interesting one. I'm always a little suspicious of books that focus on AI and technology but this works pretty well. It doesn't try to shoehorn it in but brings these elements in organically. The tech company is certainly creepy and I can see a lot of potential in carrying on with these characters in this world. I'd love to see a full-length novel in this series.
Mostly because the only disappointing thing for me was the big reveal at the end. It all feels a bit rushed. The investigation is pretty swift and you don't really get to see Irene really looking for clues. She mostly figures stuff out with revelations and intuition. I get that Irene is a genius but I would have liked more visual evidence of this. It ends up being a tell rather than show kind of genius. Don't get me wrong, the character is interesting. She's Irene Adler but more so. She has the keen detective skills of Sherlock Holmes but without his dislike of humanity.
If you're looking for a fun and speedy read then this is a great one to pick up. It doesn't take a long time but it is exciting and thrilling enough to keep you hooked. I look forward to seeing if there are more books to come in this series.
July 7, 2022
Tommy Diaz is a lawyer, and he gets a text message from Priya Stein seeking help.
Irene Adler had told Priya to connect with Tommy, her old friend and roommate during her college days.
Priya's husband Victor hasn't come home for the last four days, and he is the test subject (100 days, 10 million dollars deal) in a secret scientific experiment conducted by Avisa, a tech company owned by Martin Kral.
[Irene is Martin's wife, but they're planning for a divorce. In addition, she has an autobiographical memory, which comes in handy during the investigation.]
As Priya, Tommy, and Irene along with Shinwell Johnson, Irene's cousin-like, land in Avisa House to see what the experiment is all about, they are greeted by Grace, an AI-based computer.
When they enter that luxurious lab, five other members are involved apart from Victor in the secret project: Margot Ulrich, lead engineer; Jack Edwin, roboticist; Tyler Morse, doctor; Carol Manning, chef; and Alex Matusov, software engineer.
Priya is finally happy to see her husband. He promises her he will be back in another 96 days, with this million-dollar-deal mission accomplished.
However, the very next morning, Victor is no more — he had died of bee sting. The project is called off.
This death had shocked all those who were involved in the experiment. However, Martin is convinced that it is not a natural death but a planned murder, a ploy by one of his rivals.
That's when Tommy and Irene investigate this murder mystery and reveal who is the spy behind this act and what their motive is in typical Sherlock Holmes style.
At just 45 pages, this short story keeps you engaged until the last page. However, since there were too many characters involved for a short piece, one may find it difficult to grasp it at first read.
Irene Adler had told Priya to connect with Tommy, her old friend and roommate during her college days.
Priya's husband Victor hasn't come home for the last four days, and he is the test subject (100 days, 10 million dollars deal) in a secret scientific experiment conducted by Avisa, a tech company owned by Martin Kral.
[Irene is Martin's wife, but they're planning for a divorce. In addition, she has an autobiographical memory, which comes in handy during the investigation.]
As Priya, Tommy, and Irene along with Shinwell Johnson, Irene's cousin-like, land in Avisa House to see what the experiment is all about, they are greeted by Grace, an AI-based computer.
When they enter that luxurious lab, five other members are involved apart from Victor in the secret project: Margot Ulrich, lead engineer; Jack Edwin, roboticist; Tyler Morse, doctor; Carol Manning, chef; and Alex Matusov, software engineer.
Priya is finally happy to see her husband. He promises her he will be back in another 96 days, with this million-dollar-deal mission accomplished.
However, the very next morning, Victor is no more — he had died of bee sting. The project is called off.
This death had shocked all those who were involved in the experiment. However, Martin is convinced that it is not a natural death but a planned murder, a ploy by one of his rivals.
That's when Tommy and Irene investigate this murder mystery and reveal who is the spy behind this act and what their motive is in typical Sherlock Holmes style.
At just 45 pages, this short story keeps you engaged until the last page. However, since there were too many characters involved for a short piece, one may find it difficult to grasp it at first read.
January 2, 2025
Priya’s husband Victor went missing and she seeks the help of Irene and her mind palace. Irene invites her old friend Tommy Diaz along to the tech research facility for the confrontation. Victor hastily agreed to a 100 day experiment for a large financial payout but dies in the VR environment after suffering anaphylaxis from a virtual bee.
* * * * *---------------* * * * *---------------* * * * *
This locked room mystery is intended as a Sherlock homage. Every character has a scheme, motive, or angle. There are coded tech messages, clever poison diffusion systems, and bantering amateur detectives. It does not work well as a short story. There are too many characters and parts. Chefs, assistants, housekeepers, tech billionaires, scientists, and programmers face cybernetic implants, eidetic memories, blackmail, budding and ending relationship, corporate espionage, body disposal, and more. It’s overwhelming and only days later it is hard to remember the plot or themes. Readers don’t have time to bond to anyone or care about their fate. It also cheats on the world building to achieve the required plot points. Our genius doesn’t think door access is logged at a restricted compound or get her agreements signed. Meanwhile Priya is unoffended her husband elected to leave her for months without explanation after insisting he be located and dragging these people this far.
* * * * *---------------* * * * *---------------* * * * *
This locked room mystery is intended as a Sherlock homage. Every character has a scheme, motive, or angle. There are coded tech messages, clever poison diffusion systems, and bantering amateur detectives. It does not work well as a short story. There are too many characters and parts. Chefs, assistants, housekeepers, tech billionaires, scientists, and programmers face cybernetic implants, eidetic memories, blackmail, budding and ending relationship, corporate espionage, body disposal, and more. It’s overwhelming and only days later it is hard to remember the plot or themes. Readers don’t have time to bond to anyone or care about their fate. It also cheats on the world building to achieve the required plot points. Our genius doesn’t think door access is logged at a restricted compound or get her agreements signed. Meanwhile Priya is unoffended her husband elected to leave her for months without explanation after insisting he be located and dragging these people this far.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 18, 2022
interesting premise, but had a few major flaws in my opinion. there were too many characters introduced and with how short this was, there wasn't enough time to flesh them out and i kept getting them mixed up. also Irene saying she wanted to get away from her husband and didn't want him to know where she was then IMMEDIATELY using her (essentially) tracking device to get into this supposedly "super-secret" warehouse??? like wtf? not to mention if it's this top-secret place doing top-secret experiments, then how the hell were they just okay with 3 randos waltzing into the building like it's nothing? and then to tell said strangers EVERYTHING they're doing despite there being a NDA? (that was pretty stupid even if one of them weren't already going to be going to jail for murder you know?!) while the murder weapon was kinda interesting, i know enough about allergic reactions (especially to bee stings) that if someone were going into anaphylaxis, you wouldn't be using a needle and vial, not in a setting like that! it's called a fucking EPIPEN you ding-dongs! that's kind of the point where the author lost me. i get why she wrote it like that, but the minute they mentioned that it took me out of the story and i only finished reading it to see who killed Victor and why (dumb person for a dumb reason).
August 2, 2022
The Worthy Opponent
Sherlock Holmes said he had great respect for Irene Adler. She was one of the few people who bested Holmes and he commended her for it. Irene Adler is the Holmes of this tale and her estranged friend, Tommy, is her Watson. The story takes place in Brooklyn (duh!), and it begins, as Doyle's often did, with someone of desperate need comes to Irene for help.
I am a sucker for anything Sherlock Holmes related. I read all the books and stories as an adolescent and I sometimes go back and read them again. I love the old movies and many of the later ones, too, so I find it great fun the writer used the character of Irene and the plot style in her story.
I gave it four stars because I thought the reveal could have been a bit more interesting. Holmes often contrived a trap to catch the murderer or thief so he would incriminate him/herself. Just makes things a bit more fun.
I like the short story format and I thought MS Wilkinson does a fairly good job at it.
Sherlock Holmes said he had great respect for Irene Adler. She was one of the few people who bested Holmes and he commended her for it. Irene Adler is the Holmes of this tale and her estranged friend, Tommy, is her Watson. The story takes place in Brooklyn (duh!), and it begins, as Doyle's often did, with someone of desperate need comes to Irene for help.
I am a sucker for anything Sherlock Holmes related. I read all the books and stories as an adolescent and I sometimes go back and read them again. I love the old movies and many of the later ones, too, so I find it great fun the writer used the character of Irene and the plot style in her story.
I gave it four stars because I thought the reveal could have been a bit more interesting. Holmes often contrived a trap to catch the murderer or thief so he would incriminate him/herself. Just makes things a bit more fun.
I like the short story format and I thought MS Wilkinson does a fairly good job at it.
June 30, 2022
This was such a brilliant detective short story by acclaimed author, Lauren Wilkinson. Presented in the spirit of a true Sherlock Holmes mystery, this one comes with a clever technological twist - the main murder suspect is a hologram. Yes, like in Star Wars.
With brilliant character building and a fast paced storyline, this is a fun, but surprisingly satisfying read that you can quickly finish during your lunch break.
In A Scandal in Brooklyn, Lauren Wilkinson introduces us the classic character of Irene Adler. Yes, from the Sherlock Holmes story, A Scandal in Bohemia. Aaah, lightbulb moment for the latest title. Of course Irene Adler is just slightly modernized and she's now addicted to true crime podcasts, but she still has a knack to solve the unsolvable. I do hope that this will not be our last encounter with Irene and Tommy Diaz.
Full review available @ Elza Reads
With brilliant character building and a fast paced storyline, this is a fun, but surprisingly satisfying read that you can quickly finish during your lunch break.
In A Scandal in Brooklyn, Lauren Wilkinson introduces us the classic character of Irene Adler. Yes, from the Sherlock Holmes story, A Scandal in Bohemia. Aaah, lightbulb moment for the latest title. Of course Irene Adler is just slightly modernized and she's now addicted to true crime podcasts, but she still has a knack to solve the unsolvable. I do hope that this will not be our last encounter with Irene and Tommy Diaz.
Full review available @ Elza Reads
August 1, 2022
I’m new to using a Kindle and excited about free access and perks that involve more books to read. This short murder mystery was one such perk. It was a very quick read (perfect as I wait at the shop for the car to be repaired).
My 3 stars is really a 3.5, by the way.
I think the mystery just felt a little underdeveloped to me, but I also think Wilkinson developed everyone (and everything) as much as would be reasonably possible for a story of this length. So while I didn’t absolutely love it, I also understand why it is the way it is.
It held my interest because there was something about it that reminded me a little of bits and pieces of Westworld. Martin Kral makes me think of Engerraund Serac. I’m not sure that anyone else would feel that way, maybe it’s just me.
My 3 stars is really a 3.5, by the way.
I think the mystery just felt a little underdeveloped to me, but I also think Wilkinson developed everyone (and everything) as much as would be reasonably possible for a story of this length. So while I didn’t absolutely love it, I also understand why it is the way it is.
It held my interest because there was something about it that reminded me a little of bits and pieces of Westworld. Martin Kral makes me think of Engerraund Serac. I’m not sure that anyone else would feel that way, maybe it’s just me.
August 31, 2022
With a main character named Irene Adler and the narrator a Waston-esqe sidekick, the influence of Sherlock Holmes was very clear. However, in dealings with the characters I sometimes had trouble remember who was who with how similar they seemed, and overall I felt like the story was crammed crammed full of details that had nothing to do with the plot other than to reinforce that the story was in the present day--because I definitely was wondering how each detail would tie into the murder case. The murder itself was a clever plan, but didn't make up for feeling like a bit of a classic locked room story. Maybe it's because it was so rushed being a short story and would have worked if it was longer and had room to breathe.
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