Member Reviews

When I first saw the title of this book I knew I had to read it as I’m a huge Sherlock Holmes fan! I was so honored to get to read the Arc copy and had a lot of fun with these characters! The concept of the book was great, but it lacked the cliffhangers I’ve come to know and love from James Patterson. I’m giving it a solid 3 stars as it was really good but it didn’t have me obsessed like I thought it would. It just felt like it was missing something. Anyway, thank you @Netgalley for approving me for the ARC!

Was this review helpful?

I love Jame Patterson books and this one is no exception. The way that this one started made me think that it was going a different way than it ended up going. I thought that the characters were well developed and turned out to be ones that you could like, despite them being PI's. The plot kept you moving along and didn't have any dead spots for me really. This book was easy to keep up with as well.

When an old bakery that is supposed to be haunted goes up for sale, Gretchen doesn't think that it will sell during her open house. With minutes to spare, she has someone come in asking about the place as well as 2 others right behind him. She thinks that this has got to be a joke. There can't be 3 people interested in this old bakery. Gretchen soon finds out that they are all 3 together and they are a group of PI's that are looking for a new home for their business. Not only are they looking for a home for their business, but homes for themselves as well. The bakery is big enough to make it happen. They buy it!

Brendan Holmes, Margaret Marble and Auguste Poe are three PI's that are trying to make a name for themselves and get some work. They are terribly expensive but people seem to want them and end up paying their fee. The cases that these PI's get an opportunity to investigate are in no way easy ones but somehow these three end up getting information that no one else gets. How do they do it? What is up with their names too? When their backgrounds are investigated, nothing strange shows up which is even more strange to those that are trying to find what these three are up to.

I enjoyed the adventures we got to go on with these three and was sad to see their story come to an end. I hope that there will be more of their shenanigans in the future. I know you will enjoy this book as I did. Easy reading and easy to follow,

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book and all opinions are my own. Thanks to NetGalley, the authors and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book!

Was this review helpful?

First things first. This NEEDS to become a series!!!!

There are no books that come before this one. I say that b/c there were several times that I felt liked I'd been dropped into an established series.

This was fast-paced and there was a lot going on. Many different cases, crimes, characters to keep track of. One of the crimes was so gruesome that I've knocked an entire star off the review.

Slight nitpick here -- why are the chapters so short? I found that to be very distracting. Also, I would have liked to know how Annabel and Baskerville got on together and maybe to have seen their first meeting.

I really liked our main characters!

Pleeeeease let this become a series! I would read more in a hot second, but maybe less gruesome crimes. Please and thanks.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Little, Brown and Company through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you, Little, Brown and Company.

Was this review helpful?

Holmes, Marple & Poe is, hopefully, the first in a new series by James Patterson and Brian Sitts. Brendan Holmes, Margaret Marple and Auguste Poe are quirky PI's based in NYC. They help the police solve different crimes, each of the characters have different strengths and weaknesses that allow them to work together well. . The book is fast paced and fun.
Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Co for my review copy of this book.

Was this review helpful?

Holmes, Marple, and Poe is about a trio of private investigators who open a business in New York City. Each of the three PIs brings unique and exciting skills to their agency. Brendan Holmes has hyperosmia, Margaret Marple is an introvert, and Auguste Poe loves muscle cars and beautiful women. Together, they form an unstoppable team personally requested by the mayor to solve the toughest crimes. Whether they're tracking down an art thief, solving a kidnapping, or delving into the decades-old death of an immigrant, nothing seems to get in their way. They also befriend NYPD Detective Helene Grey during the course of their investigations, and she attempts to uncover details about their mysterious pasts.

In typical James Patterson fashion, the book features short chapters that make the pages fly by. I hope that this is the beginning of another long series by these two authors. If you enjoyed NYPD Red or Private, you will certainly relish this series! It's undoubtedly deserving of 5 stars, and I'm eagerly anticipating my next read by this duo.

Thanks to Little, Brown and Company, the authors, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC and provide an honest review!

Was this review helpful?

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of Holmes, Marple & Poe.

I used to be an avid reader of James Patterson and one of his trademarks are short, brief chapters which makes the narrative move quickly.

I love the idea of Holmes, Marple & Poe, keen PIs with famous last names somehow tied to their legendary literary characters.

The trio are keen, intelligent, and savvy, and very, very mysterious, but something was lacking; more depth and character development, like, how did they meet? Where did they come from?

The three of them deal with several varied cases; kidnapping, art theft, murders, but the cases lack background and information about the people involved,

Holmes' drug addiction and Poe's alcoholism are noted as standard character weaknesses, like their literary namesakes, but we don't really know anything about the three of them except their very, very good at what they do.

I would have preferred the PIs focus on one case and delve deeply into the investigation, offering insight into their personalities, how they work, and how their strengths and weaknesses work with one another.

The cases/mysteries were abrupt, lacking emotional connection and I found it hard to care about what happened.

I love the premise, it had great potential but could have been better.

Was this review helpful?

Holmes, Marble & Poe was a surprising and fun read. It is about three people, Brendan Holmes, Margaret Marble and Auguste Poe who are the main characters in the story. It opens with Gretchen Wik, a realtor, who is trying to sell an old bakery building. Brendan, Margaret and Auguste come to see the building and buy it. They renovate it and set-up their business in the Bushwick neighborhood of Brooklyn called Holmes, MarbleI & Poe Investigations. They are all PI's.

This is where I will leave the story to the reader to enjoy. There is so much going on in the story that it would be hard to put all on paper. Each chapter deals with one of the PI's complex personality as well as the disappearance of people and how it is solved. The supporting characters add to the story that make it so much more interesting. The ending makes the reader hope that there will be more adventures of Brendan, Margaret and Augluste.

Thank you NetGalley and Little Brown and Company for this ARC.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
Wow what an awesome book. Plenty going on and just a great read. I would love to see this end up as a series instead of just one book.
Really great job by the authors!

Was this review helpful?

I sincerely hope that Holmes, Marple & Poe Investigations by James Patterson and Brian Sitts is just the first in a series of books. Unfortunately, the feeling of the book is that it will be a standalone, which leads me to my only complaint. This book had an unusually large number of subplots, which made it a little hard to follow along with, and also made the narrative feel rushed. I would have preferred it if the authors had only focused on two or three subplots and really fleshed them out in detail. Since they didn't, it seems likely that this is a one and done mystery. Overall, Holmes, Marple & Poe Investigations was an excellent read, especially if you are a fan of Arthur Conan Doyle, Agatha Christie, and/or Edgar Allan Poe. The three investigators were fascinating, making for a unique premise. More, please, Mr. Patterson!

Was this review helpful?

Wow! A quick read with tons of action leaves you wanting more. Patterson a Stitt have created some interesting and mysterious characters in Brendan Holmes, Margaret Marple and Auguste Poe. Three interesting and secretive private detectives that keep the New York Police jumping through hoops as they try to solve three cases. Holmes, Marple and Poe have been called on to solve a kidnapping of a rich stepfather and stepdaughter, an art heist of the Gutenberg Bible and a Shakespearean folio and finally a cavern of old and new skeletons. Will our three private detectives be able to solve all of these cases. Writing is straightforward, short chapters to make a quick read and it makes you feel like you're watching a TV show. I really enjoyed reading this book and how well Patterson and Stitt developed these characters off the originals: Sherlock Holmes, Miss Jane Marple and Edgar Allan Poe. You need to pick up this book and have some fun going down memory lane with our three entertaining and crime solving trio. Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for providing an advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

Holmes, Marple, and Poe--that's Brendan Holmes, Margaret Marple, and Auguste Poe--are three well-to-do NYC private investigators working and living together to solve crimes. Their individual skills will remind the reader of their famous namesakes, but how they got together and why their names don't appear on any government records remains a mystery.

This book is clearly intended to be the first in a series, and I expect the format will be similar in future books. Together and separately, the PIs are working on a few cases simultaneously--here they are a cold-case murder in their new digs, a kidnapping, an art theft, and a plethora of human skeletons discovered in a subway tunnel. Their methods may not always be strictly legal, but they have good connections and seem to operate with little fear. The story is told in a mostly breezy manner using Patterson's signature short chapters, so it is a quick, easy read.

There will be a lot of opportunity to expand on the backgrounds and idiosyncrasies of each of the trio, as we end the book without knowing much about any of them. I think the book would have benefited by including more depth about the protagonists and what makes them tick. I also look forward to learning more about their amazing new assistant, as well as the female NYPD police lieutenant who used to be an FBI agent. Just a minor detail--two of the PIs are named after fictional characters and one after a real author. Making them all one or another would have made more sense (to me, at least). I will be interested to see where the series goes and whether Brendan, Margaret, and Auguste are fleshed out further into complex characters to engage with and root for.

My thanks to Little, Brown and Company and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this book.

Was this review helpful?

A cozy mystery that grabs your interest almost from the beginning, as many James Patterson novels do. This one centers on a detective agency founded by the mysterious trio of Brendan Holmes, Margaret Marple, and Augustus Poe.

The trio work to solve a series of crimes and mysteries; sometimes working with local and federal law enforcement, and sometimes at cross purposes with them. I found myself wanting to start another and hoping for more. A solid 4 stars.

Was this review helpful?

I loved this book. It’s quirky characters grabbed my heart from the beginning.They are all flawed and fighting demons. The cases the three detectives worked on were all very interesting. I was so engrossed in the plot and the characters. I really hope they write another book about these characters. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced free copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I received a copy from the publisher through Net Galley.

Was this review helpful?

4 stars

This is sure to be the beginning of a new and wonderful series by Patterson. The title alone caught my eye. It was a lot of fun. However it could have done with a bit more character development. Either way, I already know there are more to come, it’s the Patterson way, and I can’t wait.

Was this review helpful?

Brendan Holmes, Margaret Marple, and Auguste Poe have opened a new private investigations agency in NYC. They take on tough cases that often have the police baffled and manage to get themselves into trouble with the police and in danger along the way. They have their own methods for uncovering the truth that aren’t always in line with the law, and they each have their own area of expertise. Their actual identities are a mystery.

This was an enjoyable story and I hope that more follow.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Was this review helpful?

Holmes, Marple and Poe have formed a new detective agency. They aren't necessarily who they seem to be and catch the eye of Detective Grey, who works to find their true origins.
In the meantime three separate mysteries must be solved - which keeps the entire book hopping along at a fast pace.

Set in New York City, the entire book pounds with the rhythm of the city.

I hope this is a new series - it is too good not to be

Was this review helpful?

As a lover of the mystery genre, the title of this book instantly had me hooked! The book follows three private investigators who are opening up a new PI firm in New York. Holmes, Marple and Poe gain the immediate attention of the PD when they help solve the case of a missing woman. As a result, they immediately start getting cases and the book follows as they solve different mysteries. Each of the PI’s shared some of the characteristics of their namesake, but wasn’t too over the top. I loved the premise of the book and the relationships between Holmes, Marple and Poe. Sometimes I would get lost in the details of how they connected the dots as they were solving cases, but overall I really enjoyed reading the book. This would be a great series and I really hope that is the direction James Patterson and Brian Sitts are headed with the characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Was this review helpful?

There is a lot going on in this novel — a newly formed private investigation firm with diverse cases. A missing person investigation, a kidnapping, art theft and forgery, murder, campaign finance irregularities, an aspiring model in New York City and conflicts with the police department and the FBI are a few of the events depicted. Unfortunately, the characters are not clearly defined and they are somewhat dull. The book is overly long and the reader can easily become distracted — especially with the scenes depicting drug use. I found the only likable character to be the efficient secretary/office administrator Virginia. It would be difficult for me to recommend this book despite being a ardent reader of Mr. Patterson’s novels.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you to @netgalley and @LittleBrownandCompany for this ARC. Holmes, Marple & Poe are modern day detectives that have formed a partnership to help solve crime in NYC. They each have their own talents and each have their own demons. I love this new series @JamesPatterson has created. I also liked how he made the characters with both strengths and weaknesses that make them human. James Patterson does it again! #HolmesMarple&Poe #JamesPatterson #Jan2024 #LittleBrownandCompany

Was this review helpful?

I enjoyed this book, the cases that are solved are interesting, although I knew the outcome of the kidnapping case from the beginning. I did think it was ending before it actually did, it just kept going, lol. I do wish there was more character development of the PI’s. You really don’t get to know much about them except for Poe’s drug use. I’d definitely read the next in the series. #HolmesMarpel&Poe #NetGalley

Was this review helpful?