Posts tagged review

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Posted 5 months ago

Book Review: "Holmes And Watson: End Peace" by David Ruffle

Hello friends, I’ve recently finished “Holmes And Watson: End Peace” by David Ruffle. I couldn’t wait to share my thoughts on this very innovatively written little masterpiece. So here goes…

End Peace is filled with nothing but my favorite part of any Sherlock Holmes pastiche, dialogue. This fascinating book is literally 100% dialogue, it reads like an actual transcript of one long conversation and is completely delightful to digest.

The book takes place at the very end of Holmes and Watson’s years together. What we have here is a retrospective look at their career and adventures together from the vantage point of a “final’ conversation between our two beloved characters. However while that premise may seem pretty straightforward, Ruffle manages to throw in some VERY original and captivating twists and turns that keep you absolutely rapt. I do not exaggerate in the least when I say this.

Aside from the oh so curious way in which this conversation takes place and the mystery that encapsulates it, we have even more to be excited about. Answers to many questions and light shed on many stories from the canon! Who doesn’t love that idea?

During this retrospective conversation the duo go about discussing the fate of many characters from the original Conan Doyle stories as well as some of those cases that Watson often mentioned yet never chronicled. For example we learn what became of Detective Inspector Lestrade, Mrs. Hudson, Mary Morstan and many more characters that impacted the lives of Holmes and Watson. Call it literary closure if you will and masterfully done if I may say so myself.

Holmes and Watson also take the time to finally say things to each other they’ve always wanted and/or needed to, yet never have due to pride, respect or perhaps both. They are very candid with each other and “let some things out” that have been building up all these years. They also finally express some sentiments that will leave any Sherlockian/Holmesian, touched. Don’t worry, David does this perfectly and their “honest moments” are done with elegance and tact. You’ll have to read for yourself to see exactly what I mean.

David Ruffle is no stranger to writing brilliant books and this one follows suit. Given the majority of the subject matter in this book there is not much else I can say about the content without the risk of spoiling it for those of you who have yet to read it. On that note I will leave you with this:

If you love Sherlock Holmes, buy this today. If you love good books, buy this today. If you ever wondered what happened to any of your favorite characters, buy this today. If you would be interested in listening in on a “final” retrospective conversation between Holmes and Watson, then seriously, buy this today.

This book is well worth its weight in gold. It is fun, mysterious, emotionally captivating, full of twists and did I mention it’s 100% dialogue! . No filler, no fluff, just the words of our beloved Sherlock Holmes and Doctor John Watson. Well done Mr. Ruffle, well done…

“Holmes and Watson: End Peace” is available from bookstores including in the USA Barnes and Noble andAmazon, in the UK Waterstones, Amazon and Book Depository (free worldwide delivery).

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Joe’s book (raising funds for Save Undershaw) ‘The Real Sherlock Holmes’ is available all good bookstores including Barnes and Noble, Amazon, and in all formats including Amazon Kindle and now on the iPad too. Fans outside the US and UK can get free delivery from Book Depository

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Posted 6 months ago

Book Review: "The Secret Journal of Dr. Watson" by Phil Growick

Friends, I am excited to begin what shall be a series of reviews. I am currently digesting a slew of Sherlock Holmes related books and will be reviewing each one upon its completion. The first of which is Phil Growick’s “The Secret Journal of Dr. Watson.”

This premise of this book is rather pleasing, one last Holmes adventure chronicled by of course Dr. Watson. However unlike other novels with the same premise, this one stands apart in several ways, all of which are nothing less than enthralling. While elements of the book must be kept secret for the to-be, I can tell you that a descendant of the good Doctor finds himself in possession of this secret journal, and this, is by Dr. Watson’s own design. A wonderful hook right at the start of this book and yet only the beginning of what shall be a most epic journey.

Mr. Growick’s attention to detail and intricate knowledge of geography and world history is staggering, throughout this book we find Holmes and Watson in the middle of a series of world events. Events that due to his superb writing style marry fiction and non-fiction in such a way that you begin to believe that not only did Holmes exist, that he may have had a hand in the course of our natural history. This is a rather pleasant sensation and one that will remain with you throughout the book.

Growick clearly loves to take you down a path, then throw you off the path only to then make you wonder if that path ever existed at all. The ploys, ruses and plots that constantly unfold throughout the book are brilliant, well crafted and nothing less than what we would expect of Holmes. As most of us know I adore the deductions of Holmes and draw many of my conclusions from the authors use of them as well as their plausibility and substance. Phil Growick does not disappoint.

The deductions of Holmes in this book are beyond excellent, extremely engaging and worthy of re-reading quite a few times, I certainly did. However some of the best deductions and moments of logical thinking come to us in a contemplative form. We peer in to see Holmes thought process quite often as he often confides to Watson what is going through his mind. Seeing as how Sherlock is rightfully suspicious of nearly ever character he comes into contact with on this journey, we are fed plenty of well crafted deductions and extremely elegant breakdowns.

As you follow Holmes and Watson through this non stop adventure you find yourself right there with Sherlock, asking questions, developing answers which lead you to even more questions. You begin to read faster, the sound of the turning pages ever increasing like an out of control metronome.

While some books end with a sense of closure, others with a feeling of confusion, this wonderful tale leaves you literally begging for just a few more pages. You find  yourself examining the back cover closely to see if Mr. Growick has sealed inside some hidden envelope with the answers to a few tantalizing cliffhangers. Something, upon reading his work I would not put it past him to do.

Get this book, download it to your favorite device or sit back on the couch with the paperback copy as I did. However you prefer to read it, just do so and you will not be disappointed. This is an epic journey that spans the time frame of nearly a century. As I sit here typing this I still find myself with the urge to contact Mr. Growick and offer him bribes for an envelope with just one more page in it…

-Joe Riggs

Follow Phil Growick on Twitter.

Buy “The Secret Journal of Dr. Watson” on Amazon.

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Joe’s book (raising funds for Save Undershaw) ‘The Real Sherlock Holmes‘ is available all good bookstores including Barnes and Noble, Amazon, and in all formats including Amazon Kindle and now on the iPad too. Fans outside the US and UK can get free delivery from Book Depository.

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Posted 11 months ago

New Review from WellReadSherlockian.com! A VERY Interesting Look at my New Book!

This is one of the most interesting reviews of my book I’ve received so far. Not only did Leah take her time to dive deep into my life, she also dove very deep into her own as well as the canon; all which culminate in a most fascinating and thrilling review. I am extremely honored and deeply flattered by the words she obviously put an immense amount of thought and feeling into. Thank you so much Leah Guinn! 

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Posted 11 months ago

Touching Review: Ignorance is the curse of God; knowledge is the wing wherewith we fly to heaven.

I generally do not personally comment on reviews of my own book(s); however, I have to make an exception. All the reviews have been touching, none is better than another, yet this one moved me in a very specific way. Having been raised by psychic charlatans, this review really hits home. It tells me that not only is the content of my book what I wished it to be, it is accomplishing exactly what I set out to do. Thank you, Jim Hoy; editor and writer extraordinaire. Your work is an inspiration to me. I am honored that you, of all people, bought and read my humble offering.

Review by: Jim Hoy

 Ignorance is the curse of God; knowledge is the wing wherewith we fly to heaven—Shakespeare

The human brain. The most powerful tool in the universe. Humans have used it to create beautiful art, incredibly destructive weapons and technologies that would stun the most advanced minds of a generation ago. In your mind you have created fantastic worlds and solved all the problems on the planet. Your brain–your mind–stores and nurtures your hopes and dreams. And, unfortunately, some have chosen to use their mind to prey on those same hopes and dreams you possess. Whether they be scammers, “psychics” or simply overly aggressive sales people, some people have developed skills that allow them to be seemingly a step ahead all the time, or to claim to have the power to speak with the dead or even control your mind.

You may even know, inside, that their claims are nonsense. But the question remains: How do they do that? In this book, Joe Riggs invites you behind the scenes, to no longer ignore that man behind the curtain and to take back your power from those who would take advantage of your inherent goodness.
In two separate sections, Riggs shows us what “they” think. And, importantly, how “they” think. Learn the secrets of T.H.E. S.C.A.M. Discover the secrets behind having a superhuman memory. Learn to interpret, with chilling accuracy, the body language, facial tics and word choices that charlatans observe in us that gives them such seemingly impressive “powers”. Know when someone is lying to you, without asking them a single question. Detect sincere emotional responses from those designed simply to elicit a response in you. Discover how neuro-linguistic programming can be used to guide the choices you seemingly make of your own free will. These skills are not just for the Derren Browns of this world.

Yes, skills. Not special gifts or anointings. They haven’t been blessed with any gifts, other than a lack of conscience. Joe Riggs has chosen to shine a light where several people probably wish he wouldn’t. Knowledge is power, and it is there for you to take it, if you want it. Your mind need not be a source of amusement or profit for scoundrels. Your mind is a sacred place, the repository for all that is good about you. It is worth defending from those who wish to mislead you.

Wow. Here is a link to Jim’s review on Amazon: Ignorance is the curse of God;

(Source: amzn.com)

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Posted 1 year ago
bakerstreetbabes: Want to learn how to think and deduce people like Sherlock Holmes? Well then, Psychic Lies & Mental Spies by Joe Riggs may be the book for you! “Psychic Lies & Mental Spies” by Joe Riggs Reviewed by Maria Fleischhack The Baker Street Babes Have you ever wanted to think like Sherlock Holmes? Have you wondered how that “mind palace” or “memory attic” works which has recently been mentioned in Sherlock BBC’s “Hounds of Baskerville”, and which Doyle wrote of in “A Study in Scarlet”? Have you been impressed by the great detective’s deductive powers and been envious of his abilities? Joe Riggs, who is sometimes called the “real Sherlock Holmes,” has written a book to show us how we can do it, too. Joe Riggs begins his book with congratulating the reader on even coming as far as reading the first lines of it; and in a sense that is very understandable. From a first impression, the book might seem like just another weird pamphlet about psychic powers and mentalists; something which one might find in a New Age book shop in a little side street. But once you get reading, it becomes obvious very quickly that the author is not trying to teach us any supernatural powers and explain how to communicate with the dead; no, quite the opposite is true. Having grown up among mentalists and psychics and having witnessed how they often use their abilities to play with the emotions of those asking for their help, Riggs decides to show us how they work. And not only does he let us look in his cards, so to speak, but he also teaches us some tricks to further our own mental abilities and observational skills. Riggs uses Sherlock Holmes’s character both as an example and an inspiration to show how capable we all are of using our minds way beyond what we think we can do. He talks about the tools he uses in his work as a mentalist, giving each of us a chance to enhance our learning abilities and become better observers. “It‘s time to learn some wonderfully mental things,” he writes; and this is what the book offers us. It is a wonderful guide working with Riggs’s own experiences, scientific discoveries and logical explanations in a way which is not at all patronising, but helpfully suggesting how we can become more aware, healthy and perceptible of our surroundings. Read more… Thanks so much for the wonderful review. ;-) Zoom

bakerstreetbabes:

Want to learn how to think and deduce people like Sherlock Holmes? Well then, Psychic Lies & Mental Spies by Joe Riggs may be the book for you!

“Psychic Lies & Mental Spies”
by Joe Riggs
 Reviewed by Maria Fleischhack
The Baker Street Babes

Have you ever wanted to think like Sherlock Holmes? Have you wondered how that “mind palace” or “memory attic” works which has recently been mentioned in Sherlock BBC’s “Hounds of Baskerville”, and which Doyle wrote of in “A Study in Scarlet”? Have you been impressed by the great detective’s deductive powers and been envious of his abilities? Joe Riggs, who is sometimes called the “real Sherlock Holmes,” has written a book to show us how we can do it, too.

Joe Riggs begins his book with congratulating the reader on even coming as far as reading the first lines of it; and in a sense that is very understandable. From a first impression, the book might seem like just another weird pamphlet about psychic powers and mentalists; something which one might find in a New Age book shop in a little side street. But once you get reading, it becomes obvious very quickly that the author is not trying to teach us any supernatural powers and explain how to communicate with the dead; no, quite the opposite is true. Having grown up among mentalists and psychics and having witnessed how they often use their abilities to play with the emotions of those asking for their help, Riggs decides to show us how they work. And not only does he let us look in his cards, so to speak, but he also teaches us some tricks to further our own mental abilities and observational skills.

Riggs uses Sherlock Holmes’s character both as an example and an inspiration to show how capable we all are of using our minds way beyond what we think we can do. He talks about the tools he uses in his work as a mentalist, giving each of us a chance to enhance our learning abilities and become better observers.

“It‘s time to learn some wonderfully mental things,” he writes; and this is what the book offers us. It is a wonderful guide working with Riggs’s own experiences, scientific discoveries and logical explanations in a way which is not at all patronising, but helpfully suggesting how we can become more aware, healthy and perceptible of our surroundings.

Read more…

Thanks so much for the wonderful review. ;-)

via bakerstreetbabes
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Posted 1 year ago

Baker Street Babes Review: Psychic Lies & Mental Spies

A special thanks to Maria Fleischhack and all  the wonderful Baker Street Babes for this delightful review of my new book ‘Psychic Lies & Mental Spies.” Here is a link to the review on their site: