I really liked the story and loved the characters. I would’ve liked to have some trigger warnings to know that a certain scene was going to happen and that it would become quite relevant to the plot. But it was a nice book with a lot of references to Sherlock Holmes that I enjoyed

2.5 stars

"I didn't want the first time I opened up to someone to be my autopsy."

[TW: suicide/suicidal ideation, talk of death, cancer diagnosis, homophobia, hate crime/physical violence, blood]

This book definitely had its moments. Andrew is an intriguing main character and is supported by a diverse cast. I laughed. I got angry. I teared up.

Trying to tackle so many complex issues in a relatively small number of pages is a challenge. Ultimately, I think more page time was needed for multiple plot points.

It was well written, but I found that the plot was a bit muddled. (And I'll admit that I'm not a huge fan of insta-love; however, I didn't appreciate the use of insta-love here since the relationship felt rushed into only for it to lack substance.)

This book is difficult to describe because it weaves together very different threads. Andrew Thomas, our MC, is obsessed with Sherlock Holmes dying of lung cancer, falling in love for the first time, and experiencing hallucinations of Holmes and Elton John. Thomas is also newly out of the closet as gay and reads as neurodivergent. While that may sound like a lot, Knop does a good job of navigating all these different aspects of Thomas's character. He is an eccentric, but not more so than Holmes, with whom he is obsessed.

This book definitely is a romance, but I think that's the weakest part of the novel. Everything moves entirely too fast with a love-at-first-sight and a typical 3rd act break up. In fairness, both of these tropes are handled pretty well and perfectly in character, but they're more interesting because of how Thomas approaches them than interesting in themselves.

The more interesting parts of the book are the existential crises Thomas faces, either directly or through his interactions with his hallucinations, and the mystery of a tiny piece of paper that Thomas carries around. Truthfully, I could have done without any romance at all and would have enjoyed the book just for these elements. I'm also a huge Holmes fan, so I enjoyed those aspects.

This is really a book you have to read for yourself to decide if you like or not. I would not necessarily recommend it as a romance, but I do think the other aspects of the book make it worth a read.

Rating 3.5/5

After being let go from his job, Andrew has to come to terms with his life, or lack thereof. To solve these mysteries, Sherlock Holmes (the fictional character Andrew has been obsessed with his whole life) appears in Andrews’s living room. The case is on, and Andrew must determine if his life is worth living. Is there hope for him to find himself? Maybe even a chance at a happy ending?

I overall enjoyed this book. It reads like fan fiction (I mean this as a compliment). The writing style is strange, but it works for the character of Andrew and the brain of a forty-year-old man obsessed with Sherlock Holmes and Victorian England. The first half of the story was fantastic and well-paced. On the other hand, the second half felt rushed and, at times, out of character. This was a fun, fast read, but it had its downfalls.

Pros:
- Imperfect characters who are, at times, painfully human
- Adult male main character (not some high school kid or young college kid. Andrew is forty in this story)

Cons
- Pacing becomes a mess by the second half
- So many side characters. Enough that I didn’t know who was who at times
- This story could have been a bit longer to let the characters get to know each other and to allow the readers to see more of the dynamic between the characters

4.5 stars! What a great surprise this book was! I did not expect to enjoy this book as much as I did. Andrew, the main character, is so quirky and endearing. I just wanted to know if he had a happy ending. This has been, so far, the most "can't put down" book this year.

Sometimes I scoff when I read a summary where a character has a list of issues because it feels like the author is trying to appeal to so many marginalized groups without being genuine. This book does not feel like that at all. Andrew is closeted gay, has cancer, has been fired from his job, and starts hallucinating Sherlock Holmes. But this book is truly about accepting yourself, finding it within yourself to see you deserve love, and learning to live. The romance was a bit of instant love, but it was cute and fit the fast-paced of the book. I wish we had a little more romance before the end, but it was still delightful.

I do wish the ending had a bit more of what happened next. I wanted to know how the illness progresses and if Andrew gets the physical and mental help he needs. Also, we never learn what caused the Sherlock delusion, if it was caused by his cancer or something else. Overall, a great read, and I would love to return to these characters again.

If you’re a Sherlock Holmes fan, this will be quite an enjoyable story! In complete transparency, the first few chapters are rough to get through. The main protagonist is written in a flat and unlikeable way. While I understand that his character is meant to be aloof, it initially comes off as robotic and uninteresting. There is also a lot of minor events explained quickly (and honestly quite unnecessary in the first place) that happen in the first handful of pages. It’s clear that Yvonne Knop’s writing becomes more concise as the novel continues, so please give this a chance because after the first few chapters, you’ll start to enjoy the story. The last 3 chapters had one-liners that made me burst out-loud laughing and I both wish there was more of that in the story, but also don’t know if I would change how the main protagonist talks/thinks. There are some lingering questions that aren’t addressed, making this lean more towards a fantasy than anything, but overall, it was a unique concept I’ve not come across before.

While I enjoyed reading this novel and found the story interesting, I found that part of this book fell flat. I thought the story linked with Sherlock Holmes entertaining, I found that the additional storyline with Matt and his friends needed some more work to round it out. I felt like I was missing half of a book.

What a clever book. I found each character distinctly different and well thought out. This book has such a tender love story, while also being a slight mystery. I enjoyed watching the character journey unravel for Andrew. I wish I could pat him on the back and wish him luck.

On the Fence

I'm a bit on the fence about this one. I did enjoy a lot of it but there were also things that I didn't enjoy. In the end though, I'm glad I read it. Please mind the trigger warnings for this.

"Without you, I would only be
a figure pressed between yellowed pages."
📚
If you are Sherlocked like me, you will love this book! It's queer and sweet and relatable and sad and uplifting, everything you'd want from a book, and a bonus: character who is obsessed with Sherlock Holmes.
My whole life I was only once attending a party, I wasn't having fun because it wasn't my thing, but I found a bookshelf and while I was browsing I noticed Arthur Conan Doyle section and spent the whole evening reading in that room, that's when my obsession started.
I am obsessed with everything Sherlock Holmes too, not on the same level as main character, Andrew, but I've read and watched most of the books and shows/movies about him and can never have enough!
I'm just like the MC, I'd rather avoid all interactions altogether and read at home.
"Introverts have rechargeable batteries and
mine is empty." He was exactly describing me when he said that about himself.
And the found family 🥹 the best queer found family! They all were so different and so loving and supportive, I wished I had that too.
And the love interest is the cutest cat dad who deserves everything best and I would hug him if I could.
I devoured this book and left no crumbs, I even loved the acknowledgement section, especially the last part 🥹
This book is a little bit madness, little bit awkwardness and a whole lot of captivating and lovable story with diverse cast of characters and a cat named Hercules!(I love that cat!)
Also while Andrew was thinking about writing a book, I got so excited, he was right, Dracula Holmes is definitely a bestseller material, I'd read that.
I loved this book and will definitely reread again, and will look forward to new books from the author 🥰

I would like to thank Yvonne Knop/Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this fabulous book before its release on 20/03/2023. Pre-order it now and a donation will be made to mindoutlgtq, an organisation based in Brighton (UK) providing mental health services to LGBTQIA+ communities.

This sweet little romcom was a delight to read. I gotta be honest, I was never a person that wanted to read Sherlock Holmes, but boy, I want to now. I would think if you have read Sherlock Holmes, you would really appreciate this novel.

What can I say about the MC Andrew. A hero, a survivor, a nerd? Maybe all three, ah YES. He is such a strong character, and an inspiration. Come on, the man has cancer, lost his job and is hallucinating (Sherlock Holmes, and even Sir Elton John)! And is still able to get out of bed and find love. I love the message this sends! Showing that through the worst times and circumstances, you can and should fight for what you want!

Yvonne touches on some of the current LGBTQIA+ topics and gives insight to what they go through on a regular basis. The POV that Yvonne approached these topics from is that of an older gentleman (Andrew). Both endearing and informative.

This was a great 4/5 stars for me. Personally, I was left with so many questions at the end but I think it is more curiosity than anything else. I’m not sure what Yvonne’s plans are but I think they have left room for a sequel.

3.5 ⭐ This book was painful.

It made me cry. And while it's not the first time that's happened, and I'm sure it won't be the last, I usually end up loving those books. This one, though, was just sad and depressing for the most part. A Case of Madness is a truly apt name for this. It's such a weird book. Odd in good ways and in bad. I'm still unsure about it. I think I hated it. I think I loved it. I think Andrew's metal health is hardly talked about, even when the book is based on him having wild hallucinations about Sherlock Holmes. Is it autism mixed with a cancer that has spread to his brain? Is it schizophrenia? We shall never know.

This is a sit down and cry about the state of our society and civilisation kind of book. Maybe you'll find some reprieve in the literal final sentence of the book. Or maybe not (like me). The ending hardly feels satisfactory enough to make up for the rollercoaster of pain that the book puts you through.

Here's the list of the TWs I can think of (but there's probably more): depression, anxiety, cancer, homophobia, abuse, violence, blood, near death experiences, suicidal thoughts, suicide attempt, hospitals, divorce, unemployment, abusive/ dismissive familial and romantic dynamics, alcohol abuse, addiction, etc.

This was an eARC -so thank you so much to the author and Net Galley for providing it for me!
This review has already been uploaded to Goodreads :)

This is one of those books that just has me wanting to make inarticulate happy sounds just thinking about it. Not particularly the best headspace to be in when you’re trying to write a coherent review, but definitely the place you want to be from a reader’s perspective.

A Case of Madness is one of those books I just kept hearing about. No matter when I was scrolling on Instagram, there it was! Calling to me. Reminding me there, there was a book I told myself I would read.
Like most things, I took my time about picking it up because my memory is shot full of holes, even when I’m being constantly reminded of something. I’m so glad A Case of Madness kept showing up on my feed. If it hadn’t, I would have missed out on a great read that gave me the happy feels for days, and left me bitterly wanting more when it ended.

I think what instantly grabbed me about A Case of Madness was the main character, Andrew Thomas. He reminds me so much of myself in so many ways: completely obsessed with and in love with fictional characters, adores pens, has exactly one real life friend who loves him and would kill for him, is utterly socially awkward (Oh, the horror of it all), just wants to be home in his own pajama all the time. Oh. And he’s gay. So totally, and sweetly gay.

A few paragraphs in and I was hooked by this fictional character that resonated with my soul. And that was fantastic because a few pages in and he swept me off on a grand adventure about life, love, and finding our place in a world that feels too big and scary for us. A world we just might not understand and that makes us want to go home and read a book in our pajamas.

Reading this book was like finding bits of my own life strewn across paper, and it made me feel I just might be strong enough to maybe face some of the heartache going on in my own life.

Thinking he’s going to die, knowing he’s gone mad, but going on despite it, Andrew Thomas talks with Sherlock Holmes, meets a whole cast of fabulous, queer found family, and delights with his anxious wit (Oh, the horror of it all). I spent a good three days (nights, actually) reading this book for hours on end and smiling like an idiot at my phone.

Honestly, my only complaint was that the ending seemed to come too soon and had a slightly rushed feel to it. There were a few story threads that I felt weren’t fully wrapped up and an extremely limited amount of confusion around the ending that I felt a couple extra pages could have remedied. The beginning of the book is incredibly detailed and exquisitely paced; some of that was lost near the end. I will say, I was privileged enough to read an advance reader copy (an ARC), so these issues could very well be resolved in the fully edited version. I have no way of knowing, until I get a physical book in my hands.

But let’s face it, if my biggest complaint is, “I wish there was more of this!” it isn’t much of a complaint.
A Case of Madness is well written, absolutely delightful, and something I highly recommend for anyone who just wants to read a beautifully crafted book and feel good while doing it. (Oh, the pleasure of it all.)

I wish i could give half ratings. I'd say this was a 3.5/3.75 to be ultra specific. This was a wonderful story that i could happily read more of. I loved the mc (most of the time) and all the side cast. I knew next to nothing about Sherlock and this was a nice way to read about it. I enjoyed the writing too. It was so full of life!
The only thing is that i found it too fast paced i guess, i was shocked it was only a few days. I wish there were more of the side characters too as i thought they were pretty interesting.

I've hung up on this one, although I don't think it's a bad read. In fact, I think it's a good fic.
I think my main problem comes down to three things:
1. Too much Sherlock Holmes. The protagonist is too obsessed and I have become saturated at a certain point from hearing so much about the character.
2. The mystery Sherlock wants Andrew to solve... It's not a mystery at all. It is rather as if Sherlock served as an excuse for the protagonist to advance his romance plot. Because I don't see any other use for it. I mean, I don't see any use in it in the sense of, why did he have to imagine Sherlock? The plot would have worked just the same if Andrew were an obsessed fan of, idk, BTS or the Pink Panther. I think it´s a waste to use Sherlock and not write a real mystery here.
3. The romance was forced. And disclaimer here, I liked both of the main characters, I liked their interactions, but still... I felt they got together pretty fast and for no reason.
I´m giving the book a good score regardless because I liked the writing style and how Andrew´s illness played a part in this all. But I truly think this was more a book half its way to an original novel to a fan fic. And that doesn´t work for me.

Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC.

This a romance about a man who's imagining that Sherlock Holmes is helping him work through some things (including coming out). It is lighthearted and feels a little bit retro as far as gay romances go. I'm not sure the Sherlock thing works because the imagined character is not very "Sherlockian," (not a word) and the mystery part isn't much of a mystery. The rest of the characters are lovely, and it feels true to the emotional state of someone who has to work through powerful emotions in order to find happiness.

Ah, this book! This book right here is a precious, underrated, little gem that needs to be added to everyone's TBR.
I really want to do the book justice and write an intelligent review, but my brain won't cooperate today. So here's some rambling instead.

I love how clever this story is. It's also so freaking funny (I don't think I've ever saved so many lines in a book before), and sprinkled with several deeper emotions like fear, sadness, regret or shame.

I read somewhere that this is a Sherlock Holmes retelling, but even if we get a lot of great info about the detective and his cases/life and Andrew's relationship with Mina (his best friend) is reminiscent of the Sherlock/Watson dynamic, I didn't see it as that. I actually thought of it as a self discovery/coming to terms with your sexuality journey.

The main character, Andrew, is the most precious human ever. He's extremely introverted, he hates socialising, he has cancer, he's just got fired from his job, and on top of that, he's hallucinating and trying to solve a case with Sherlock Holmes himself. I think that idea was brilliant, honestly. To have Andrew's fictional hero as the catalyst and main device for this journey of self acceptance.

I did have a bit of trouble with the insta love vibes that I was getting from Andrew and Matt, but I decided it wasn't a major inconvenience. I do wish Matt was a little bit more fleshed out as a character, though. Because he is a sweetheart and he deserves the world.

The diversity in the book is amazing. The side characters were all wonderful and played a very important role in Andrew's development.

Thank you to NetGalley and Yvonne Knop for an ARC of this book in exchange for a honest review.

I should start with saying i haven't read any Sherlock before (however i have seen their stories in other media) but after reading this story it has definitely got me interested in checking out the original stories themselves.

Back to this book though, i had a very good time reading it and was surprised by how deep it managed to reach me. The characters were endearing and felt like real people you would meet and as a gay man, the struggles with identity and love felt all too real. I would be very interested in checking out future work by this writer.

A Case of Madness is a MM romance like no other!

Peep the blurb:
Andrew Thomas just got sacked. He's permanently drunk. He's got cancer. Is inescapably gay. Was hit by a bus. And he's fallen in love with a stranger whose life he saved.

As a newly-unemployed Sherlock Holmes scholar, Andrew knows only Holmes can help him untangle the madness his life has become, but Holmes isn't real. Except he absolutely appeared in Andrew's house, told him he's in love with a man he just met…and then in a fit of pique Andrew sent him away. Sure Holmes is probably a hallucination or a specter or a ghost, but now Andrew desperately needs his help. So to find the answer to his case and the man of his dreams, Andrew takes to chasing a fictional character through London with his very own Watson.

This book has everything: London, free pens, hallucinations, London, falafel shops, did I mention London?

While I can’t think of a single character I didn’t like, the MC, Andrew was a delight. Although dark his thoughts and personal antics will seem relatable to many neurodivergent people (I LOL’d when he told that story about ripping a pen from a child’s hand and throwing it over a balustrade, because he hates repetitive noises. Honestly, same. I also enjoyed the part where he stuffs his pocket with free pens while the volunteer is talking to him. I just realized these are both scenes involving pens. I LOVE PENS.)

There were so many variations of queer representation in this! And lots of imagery of London that now makes me want to go back. I’m also a big fan of star-crossed lovers, love at first sight, and HEA, and boy did this book deliver!

Rating: 4.5/5 rounded to 5 on NG
This book is out now!

2 / 5 ⭐️‘s

"A Case of Madness" by Yvonne Knop

This one wasn't for me. While the book's synopsis promised an intriguing plot with elements of mystery and romance, I found myself struggling to connect with the story due to the heavy reliance on the hallucination of Sherlock Holmes.

As a self-proclaimed Sherlock Holmes scholar, Andrew Thomas, the protagonist, is depicted as a complex character with a slew of challenges including being unemployed, battling cancer, and struggling with his sexual orientation. However, when Holmes appears in Andrew's life as a hallucination, claiming to be in love with a man he just met, the story takes a bizarre turn.

The concept of chasing a fictional character through London with his own Watson could have been an interesting twist on the classic Sherlock Holmes narrative, but it didn't resonate with ME. The constant blurring of reality and hallucination left me feeling disconnected from the story, and I found it difficult to fully immerse myself in Andrew's journey.

The book's writing style was well-crafted, and the author's creativity in weaving together elements of mystery and romance was commendable. However, the overarching theme of Andrew's obsession with a hallucinatory version of Sherlock Holmes didn't resonate with my personal reading preferences.

While this may appeal to readers who enjoy unconventional narratives and are fans of the Sherlock Holmes idea, it ultimately wasn't a book that I vibed with.

This ARC audiobook was provided by @Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.