Moriarty: The Hound of the D'Urbervilles

Moriarty: The Hound of the D'Urbervilles presents the untold story of Professor Moriarty and his right-hand man Colonel Sebastian Moran, the notorious villains from Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories. The novel takes the form of Moran's personal memoirs, chronicling his adventures alongside the criminal mastermind Moriarty. The narrative unfolds as a series of interconnected episodes that mirror the structure of the original Holmes stories, but from the perspective of the criminals rather than the detectives. Set in Victorian London's criminal underworld, the book features encounters with familiar characters from the Holmes canon while introducing new adversaries and schemes. Through Moran's voice, the story creates a darker version of the Holmes-Watson dynamic, examining the relationship between a brilliant criminal genius and his devoted but dangerous associate. The novel explores themes of loyalty, ambition, and the thin line between order and chaos in Victorian society, while playing with the conventions of classic detective fiction.

Readers consistently note the clever premise of telling Sherlock Holmes stories from Moriarty's perspective through Colonel Moran's narration. The writing style effectively mirrors Watson's voice while adding darker humor. Readers appreciated: - The depth added to Moriarty's character and criminal empire - References to other Victorian literature beyond Holmes - The humor and wit throughout - The authenticity to Conan Doyle's writing style Common criticisms: - Episodic structure feels disconnected - Some stories drag or feel repetitive - Sexual content and violence put off some Holmes purists - Several readers found Moran's voice grating over a full novel Ratings: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (2,100+ ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (180+ ratings) "A clever pastiche that captures both the tone and spirit of the original stories while turning them deliciously dark" - Amazon reviewer "Sometimes tries too hard to be clever and loses the plot" - Goodreads reviewer

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♦️ The title blends two Victorian literary classics - Sherlock Holmes's "The Hound of the Baskervilles" and Thomas Hardy's "Tess of the d'Urbervilles" ♦️ Author Kim Newman is known for his Anno Dracula series, which similarly reimagines Victorian literature by creating an alternate history where Dracula won ♦️ Colonel Sebastian Moran, the narrator, first appeared in Conan Doyle's "The Adventure of the Empty House" as Moriarty's chief of staff and skilled marksman ♦️ The book's structure mirrors Watson's chronicles of Holmes, with Moran serving as the narrator of Moriarty's adventures - a deliberate parallel to the original stories ♦️ Newman incorporates numerous characters from other Victorian literature beyond the Holmes canon, including personalities from works by Bram Stoker and Robert Louis Stevenson