Thanks to #NetGalley and #LittleBrownAndCompany for the book #HolmesIsMissing by #JamesPatterson and #BrianSitts. I absolutely loved this book and the series and cannot wait for the next installment to come out. Babies and children are being abducted and Holmes, Marple and Poe are called on to help locate them. Holmes is fresh out of rehab and has decided to leave the firm after this case. Can they find the children in time? And can someone from Holmes past resurface?

This second in the series is just as enjoyable as the first, but a bit darker in tone. Our three PI's are on the case of abducted children both in the United States and the UK. It's a fast paced page-turner with multiple plot lines coming together for resolution but also sets up the next in the series with the reveal of an additional character. We learn precious little about the background of the titular PI's which is disappointing. Otherwise, it's everything you would expect from a Patterson novel.

Sensitive readers should be aware that a baby dies off-page and there is a brief funeral scene.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book. As with the first book in this series, Holmes is Missing is fast-paced, fun, thrill ride of a book. The story jumps right in and doesn't stop. While Poe & Holmes make me crazy, Marple keeps me wanting more. I enjoyed the character growth and look forward to the next installment since (like the first one) this ends on a cliffhanger.

"Holmes Is Missing" by James Patterson and Brian Sitts is a thrilling 5-star mystery! Private Investigators Holmes, Marple, and Poe return in this second installment featuring the brilliant crime-solving trio. This time, Marple and Poe are called in by Detective Helene Grey to assist the NYPD with a chilling case: the kidnapping of six newborn babies. However, the rest of the NYPD isn’t exactly thrilled to have them on board, forcing the PIs to work even harder to prove their worth. Meanwhile, Holmes is distracted with his own string of crimes that he is struggling to solve.

Much like the first book in the series, this one is wonderfully written. I thoroughly enjoyed the witty banter among the PIs as they flaunt their intelligence and assert their authority over anyone daring to get in their way. The short, alternating chapters between the three PIs keep the pace brisk and the story engaging, with no unnecessary lulls. The book ends on a tantalizing cliffhanger that will leave readers eagerly anticipating the next installment in the series!

Thanks to Little, Brown and Company, James Patterson & Brian Sitts, and NetGalley for providing me with the opportunity to read this ARC and share my honest review.

Holmes is away on personal business when Poe and Marple are called to a private hospital because 6 newborns have been kidnapped from the nursery. Although they were hired by the parents of the babies, there is tremendous pushback from the police.

In this book we learn more about the personal lives and histories of all of the PIs in the 4 person firm. And while their techniques might not always be within the limits of the law, they are highly effective. While investigating the 6 missing newborns, the PIs uncover two similar crimes and a previously undetected series of murders.

I was especially tickled that some of the action takes place in a state park 10 miles from my home and I am well acquainted with the specific area of the park. The book grabs your attention and keeps you riveted. I hope there are more books in the series coming. These are imperfect characters, yet very intriguing.

Holmes is Missing is the second book in the Holmes, Margaret & Poe series by James Patterson and Brian Sitts. Am I tripping or was this series supposed to be called Marple instead of Margaret? Anyhoot, my new favorite trio of crime solvers are back! I was so hoping this would become a series as I was not quite ready to let go of Holmes, Margaret or Poe last year. In fact, I had been stalking the author's website for news of this release. Imagine my glee when the advance digital copy arrived on my Kindle! A happy holiday indeed.

Holmes, Marple & Poe Investigations is an elite team of three most-celebrated private investigators with famous names and mysterious pasts. Auguste Poe and Margaret Marple rush to the scene of a crime. Six babies are missing. So is their partner, Brendan Holmes. Add rehab, life-changing news and a touch of romance, and this dynamic team is spinning heads, taking names, making shit happen.

While Holmes is Missing was not as gripping as the first book, I still very much enjoyed this page-turner. Patterson and Sitts make a great writing duo. The multiple storylines are not confusing or drawn out. The clues are there but not obvious. The twists are what every mystery should have, including a "cameo" of another of my real-life favorite authors. Hilariously done!

What I love the most about this series are the characters. My goodness! These three investigators are multi-layered and so damn flawed they are perfect! From their famous names to their personal struggles, they are original and exciting. Their empathy, patience and teamwork when working with each other is admirable. Dare I say Holmes, Margaret and Poe are my favorite Patterson characters ever! Doubt me? Start the new year reading Holmes is Missing to see why.

Happy Early Pub Day, James Patterson and Brian Sitts! Holmes is Missing will be available Monday, January 6, 2025.

Disclaimer: An advance copy was received directly from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins. ~LiteraryMarie

Another fun mystery from the current king of the genre. This second entry in the series takes things to a darker, more intense level while still having some moments of levity. These are characters I want to continue to get to know and I can't wait for the next one.

Holmes is Missing by James Patterson and Brian Sitts is a whirlwind of a novel that keeps readers on their toes. The authors are not shy about dropping names and taking the story in unexpected directions, making for a reading experience that's all over the place, but in a compelling way.

Patterson and his co-authors can be hit or miss for me. Some series captivate me, despite occasionally showing signs of the authors' boredom, while others are one-and-done. I enjoyed the first book in this series and was curious if the sequel would maintain that energy. To my delight, it did not disappoint. Although there were moments where the pace lagged, the authors consistently introduced new elements that pulled me back into the complex web of storylines.

The novel is packed with a variety of intense themes: child abductions, addiction, xenophobia, abandonment, a serial killer, psychological taunting, new romance, and family dynamics. It's all here, creating a tapestry of intrigue and suspense. When you think you have a handle on where the story is going, Patterson and Sitts throw another curveball, and the last words of the book reveal that this writing duo is far from finished. The cat-and-mouse game they've set up promises more excitement in the future.

Overall, Holmes is Missing is an unpredictable and gripping sequel that left me eager for more. The varied plotlines and rich themes make it a compelling read, and I'm excited to see where the story goes next.

Its the trio's biggest case yet...

...but at present they're unfortunately operating as a duo.

When the three partners who form a detective agency are named Holmes, Marple and Poe, they certainly have set a high bar to meet for their clients. Despite their (nearly) impossible to discover backgrounds, they have developed a high profile reputation for cracking cases that have the police stymied. They consequently are none to popular with most of the men and women in blue, although they did form a connection with Detective Helene Grey during their last case (and which has led to a more personal relationship between her and Poe). it is Helene who contacts them when an horrific crime happens at a prestigious local hospital...six newborn babies have been stolen from the maternity ward and there is little in the way of evidence left behind. With six sets of frightened, angry parents crying out for help, the NYPD needs all the assistance they can get. With Holmes "away" (in fact, he is in a clinic trying to shake his opioid dependency), it is Marple and Poe who agree to help. It soon becomes apparent that Holmes' unique abilities are needed and his partners persuade him to join in the hunt...but he swears it will be his last case ever. As more children go missing both in the US and overseas, it is clear that this is a coordinated and highly professional criminal enterprise. Poe and Helene confront their own set of challenges, and Marple has her hands full with Poe's emotional crisis and Holmes' personal/professional one. Can the sleuths set aside their personal dilemmas and demons, get to the root of this child trafficking group and bring the innocent children home before they are lost forever?
in this second outing of the smart but flawed group of private detectives whose names and skill sets harken back to some of the most famous names in the annals of mysteries, an unimaginable crime has ripped apart six families and shocked even the members of the hardened NYPD. With a new and antagonistic head of the Major Case Squad with whom they must deal (or find a work-around), an important part of the Holmes Marple and Poe agency MIA and reluctant to return, and a major complication in the Helene/Poe relationship, the team is confronting major obstacles over and above the stolen children. A wannabe detective who latches on to Holmes at a mystery convention sets the still vulnerable off on a different case which will lead him to probe a major loss he suffered as a boy. and through which the reader learns some of his troubled backstory. The characters are more developed in this installment than they were in the first, and the mystery itself is intriguing and full of twists. Fans of author James Patterson will certainly enjoy Holmes Is Missing (especially if they read the first book in the series), as will fans of classic whodunnits by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Agatha Christie and Edgar Allan Poe. Some unexpected turns add to the enjoyment of this fast-paced read. Many thanks to NetGalley and Little Brown and Company for allowing me early access to the latest in a clever new series.

Holmes Is Missing is the thrilling second book in the Holmes, Margaret, and Poe series, and it only keeps getting better. These books are a rollcoaster of a ride filled with friendship, suspense, and the endless pursuit of justice. Holmes has return from rehab determined to end his partnership with the group since he feels that he has lost his sleuth abilities even though he gets sucked into a side investigation with a shady character that seems to be pursuing Holmes. Meanwhile, Marple and Holmes are on the trail of a kidnapper who just abducted six newborns from a private NY hospital. While Marples is jetting off to London to follow leads, Poe is trying to come to terms with the fact that his new lady love has a huge secret that could change the course of his life. Now all the friends seem to be pulled in all different directions, but when trouble starts to head their way, they always seem to pull together while having each others backs and solving the case. However, some things change between the group that I'm not sure will end to happily for the Homes, Marple, and Poe Investigations. I'm a sucker for a James Patterson Thriller, and he definitely delivers a perfect blend mystery and emotion. If you adore crime-solving adventures and the power of friendship, this is your next 5 STAR READ!

Note: I received a DRC from NetGalley in exchange for a review.
“It’s their toughest case yet. And their best detective is missing. Holmes, Margaret and Poe run the private detective agency that solves the crimes no one else can. Or they did – until Holmes said he wanted to leave the business and fell off the radar. In New York City, they are called to investigate the abduction of six newborns from a private hospital. Without Holmes, they try to investigate this terrible crime. They hear word of more missing babies in London, and Margaret follows the trail across the pond. But they need Holmes. To solve the crime of the century, first they must save their friend”.

I read the first book last year, and I absolutely loved it. However, this book was even better than the previous. Holmes, Marple, and Poe are such fun characters to follow, with each of them getting their own problems to face in this book. The mystery was really interesting, and I absolutely loved this book from start to finish. If you enjoyed the first book, then you are really going to love this book as well.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I would like to thank NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for allowing me to read an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Holmes is Missing is the 2nd book in the Holmes, Marple & Poe series, and I would highly recommend reading (and/or re-reading) the first book before jumping into this one. The first book provides a lot of Holmes' backstory, as well as for the other characters and the development of their company and relationships, which is crucial in this book.

That being said, this book hits the ground running! There is a new case to solve involving kidnapped babies, and Marple & Poe have to try to solve it alone without the illustrious Holmes, as he is "missing". The case takes a lot of twists and turns, and even teams up with The Scotland Yard in London. The stakes in this book are high, and the plot twists are sharp and on point. There are even a few red herrings thrown in for good measure. The foreshadowing and suspense in this book puts you on the edge of your seat, and makes you unable to stop until you figure out the case. It took me until 70% to figure this one out, and even then, there was still a few surprises I didn't see coming.

Also --- HOLY CLIFFHANGERS!! If ever there was a perfect setup for a third book, this is it. I can't wait to read the next one and find out how these "new developments" from this book play out! SO GOOD! I will definitely be recommending this book (and series) to my friends and book club!

This favorite author has written a page turner. From the beginning, I wondered what happened. With several red herrings, guessing was impossible. Realistic characters kept the story moving quickly. Mystery and intrigue at its best, I look forward to more of the same from this duo,
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC to read and review. All opinions are my own,

Second book with Poe, Marple and Holmes - hoping for many more!

Stolen babies and young children bring horrible thoughts of trafficking. Can they find them before they are too late. Not if the NYPD can stop them. Or if a crazy man can cause enough distraction! So much going on in this book - can stop reading til the last page!

When a hospital's nursery has 6 newborns kidnapped the parents hire Holmes Marple and Poe Investigations. Holmes meanwhile is hiding out in rehab but the team needs him to help with this case. While at a seminar Holmes is approached by a man who has proof of 23 murders that no one has put together since they all take place in different cities and are made to look like accidents. Holmes feeling he has lost his touch begins to investigate these murders on his own to see if he still has the knack for solving crimes.
I love the characters in the story and the way they all interact, it makes the story flow. There are so many twists and turns in the book that you just keep turning pages to find out whats going to happen next. Hoping to hear more from this group of investigators. Thanks to Netgalley and the authors plus the publishers Little Brown and Company for the chance to read this awesome book.

This is the second book in the series and I hope there are more. There are babies being kidnapped from the hospital nursery and Holmes, Poe and Marple are on the case.much to the dismay of the police. Another fun read.

Another great mystery from the dynamic oddball trio faced with a kidnapping nightmare it's a terrific read and these characters are just beginning their adventures

Another great book from James Patterson. I love this trio of characters. Always an exciting adventure happening.

So excited to read book #2 in the (Brendan) Holmes, Margaret (Marple), and (Augustus) Poe series by James Patterson. This 3-person PI firm tackles a new case of abducted babies from the hospital. But Holmes is largely absent until later in the book, and so Margaret and Augustus jump into investigating on their own.

This book felt a little more serious and dark because of it being baby-centric, plus Holmes has some demons he is battling. There is a romance angle I don't feel is necessary, and somehow they have an assistant/cook who can basically read minds (doesn't feel authentic). There is a lot of action and it also seems like Patterson is trying to humanize these characters, but it doesn't come as naturally through in the dialog and plot as one would hope.

Unfortunately I did not love this one as much as the first novel, despite being a big Patterson fan. But I'll definitely be a reader of the next book and will still recommend this book to crime fans. 3.5 stars rounded up.

Thank you NetGalley for providing this ARC.

This was a second book in a series, where I enjoyed the first book a lot. This takes the story of Holmes, Margaret and Poe and their private investigation company. This develops the characters much more, and the story of each of their lives is deepened, while there is a great mystery for them to solve as well. Very action packed and enjoyable.

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