The Adventures of Inspector Lestrade

There are many pastiches and spin offs featuring the world’s greatest detective, though nothing quite like this, with Sherlock being a minor player of pompous nature, while the much beleagued and made fun of in the books Inspector Lestrade takes the center stage. And that’s the premise and the main gimmick of this book, the first in series, featuring the memorably named Sholto Lestrade as an intrepid crime solver in his own right. The main thing with that is that while Sherlock is a genius, Lestrade is a mere man, so he plods diligently and methodically, lacking panache and pizazz of deductive method and spectacular powers of observation. And so it takes him quite a while to find the serial killer terrorizing London in 1891, all too soon after the Ripper case. And so as a murder mystery it’s a pretty standard serial killer story, murders occur according to child cautionary rhymes and the ending twist is a doozy, not to mention exceptionally progressive for the times. But as a work of fiction it’s a delight, the way the author disposes with Sherlock alone is worth the entire read. But then there’s the use of real life historical figures, woven in pretty cleverly. And it’s surprisingly funny, at times almost laugh out loud so. Made the entire read very…charming. Mind you, there’s plenty of murder and suspense for genre fans, but for me it was all the bonus extras that made the book. Lestrade is the proverbial straight man who isn’t in on the joke, he isn’t well read, he’s terribly serious (although not at all humorless), he’s very dedicated to his job. Not world’s greatest, not even close, but a respectable leading man doing a credible, if not extraordinary, job. This book’s characterization of his doesn’t exactly make one go…oh wow, time to rethink the (fictional) historical accounts, but it’s a clever and interesting twist. The twist that outshines its subject, actually. Thanks Netgalley.

Really enjoyed this rendition of a Sherlock Holmesian mystery story. You never really learn much about Lestrade during the Holmes sagas and in the older movie versions he was a bit of a buffoon. In this story he is a serious, hard working policeman dealing with some horrific crimes. The mystery is very compelling and has quite an ending. I am anxious to read more about this intrepid detective who seems to have come in to his own in this book.

This books is fun to read and really enjoyable.
i liked the idea of giving the main role to Lestrade and Sherlock Holmes taking the back seat.
It's full of humour and an interesting mystery.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC

What fun! I had read this years ago, nice that it's being re-released. M.J. Trow's version of Sherlock Holmes is far from the genius we have come to expect. This Holmes is cocaine addicted, full of bad disguises and silliness. Fans of P.G. Wodehouse might love this series. Lestrade finally gets his due.

A bit different from the run of the mill mysteries, with a series of chapters all leading to the final conclusion. It was an enjoyable read, and one that once started, you want to continue to the end. The story was a little farfetched and reminiscent of a bygone era in writing, and it is very interesting in as such prospective.

I love all the story of Jack the Ripper. This was a unique look on something that has been done a lot lately. This is not simple "another Jack the Ripper" book. This would be like reading an actual biography of the investigator.

Thankyou to NetGalley, Thistle Publishing and M J Trow for the opportunity to read The Adventures Of Inspector Lestrade.
I enjoyed reading this novel. The storyline was well thought out and grabs your attention. If you enjoy reading about Sherlock Holmes, give this book a go. Will definitely be on the lookout for more in the Inspector Lestrade series.

This book is a tale of Inspector Lestrade of Scotland Yard as a stand alone character. Lastrade is famous for his Sherlock Holmes connection. He is known for coming to the detective for help in some of Lestrade’s more baffling cases. Sherlock Holmes always makes fun of the bumbling detective but solves his cases and lets him take the credit, thereby establishing Lestrade’s credentials as a famous Inspector. In this particular story Holmes makes a brief appearance but is in no way part of the narrative or the solution. As Lestrade struggles with a series of murders he is sure he can solve, he accepts a new constable to teach the ropes to and takes on murder after murder with only the wrong conclusions. The story is meant to absolve Lestrade of the contempt of Holmes and show he can do what he needs to do eventually. This makes him less of a hero and more of a laughing stock in the story, as the author intends. This is not a serious mystery but a good read if you are looking for something light and funny.

Inspector Lestrade is fresh off the Ripper case when he is once again thrown into the middle of a bizarre mystery. He is called to a murder scene in which the victim was sealed up behind a wall. When he returns to the Yard, he finds a letter on his desk containing an excerpt from a book of poetry, the content of which bears a striking resemblance to the murder scene he just visited. When a second body is discovered and then a third, also followed by peculiar letters, Lestrade knows he is facing a very adept foe. As the body count rises and the pressure to catch the killer mounts, Lestrade will be tested to the very limit of his abilities.

"The Adventures of Inspector Lestrade" by M.J. Trow features not Holmes but a supporting cast member of the Holmes stories, Inspector Sholto Lestrade of Scotland Yard. Although portrayed by Doyle as something of a misfit, Trow allows Lestrade to shine in the way he solves a series of murders without the help of Holmes. I've been a Holmes fan most of my life and thoroughly enjoyed the first entry in this spinoff series. Anyone who enjoys mysteries should check out this series. I give it 4/5 stars.

*A copy of the ebook was the only consideration received for this review.*

I thank my lucky stars that made me decide to pick up this excellent book, and whether you’re a fan of Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes, love good crime fiction, or simply enjoy a well-written novel with a good dose of humor, do not let this pass you by.

Inspector Lestrade is probably the best known of all of Holmes’s police contacts, and like most of them, frequently bumbles his way through a case without the ability to see past his own nose. M.J. Trow decides to turn things on their head, certainly not a novel (ho-hum!) idea. After all, Sherlock Holmes wasn’t all he was made out to be in the fabulously entertaining comedy, “Without A Clue,” starring Michael Caine and Ben Kingsley. In the movie, Dr. Watson is the actual sleuth who invents a fictional detective to allow him to solve crimes incognito. He hires Michael Caine’s character, an unemployed actor, to step in as Holmes. Inspector Lestrade, played by Jeffrey Jones, is the familiar jealous doofus.

M.J. Trow, however, not only gives his Lestrade a first name (Sholto), but also a personal life and enough smarts to successfully navigate his career in the police force. If anyone finds Sholto reminiscent of an Adventure of Sherlock Holmes, you are not mistaken. “The Adventures of Inspector Lestrade” is peppered with literary allusions harking back to the Conan Doyle canon. I won’t give any others away in order to not spoil your fun, but I’d like to say that I enjoyed finding them strewn throughout the text.

There is also an imposing cast of characters, from Conan Doyle, Holmes, and Watson as themselves, to familiar faces such as Athelney Jones and Inspector Gregson. A few real-life writers of the time make an appearance in smaller roles, like Oscar Wilde and Alfred, Lord Tennyson. They may be small details, but they imbue the story with a wonderful sense of playfulness, while at the same time betray Mr. Trow’s background as a historian. A couple of scenes center around misadventures with surnames. I thought those were quite funny and not overdone.

Readers familiar with European children’s literature will cotton on quickly to the fact that the murder series Lestrade must investigate is apparently based on Heinrich Hoffmann’s “Struwwelpeter” (Shock-headed Peter) stories. On a side note: As someone who loves those frequently gruesome tales to this day, I am more than a little appalled at the clunky and inelegant English translations which lack a lot of the charm of the originals, but I understand that in order to preserve the rhyme, certain linguistic sacrifices had to be made.

Lestrade takes more than a few literal and proverbial beatings in the course of his investigation, as the murderer seems to remain a solid step ahead of the police, while pressure to solve the case mounts as the months drag on. Red herrings abound, and the conclusion is a well thought-out surprise (at least that’s what I felt). I feel utterly satisfied on many levels by this wonderful book!

“The Adventures of Inspector Lestrade” is published by Thistle Publishing. I snagged a free copy for review via Netgalley. All opinions are absolutely my own, unless otherwise stated.

I have read other novels by Trow and enjoyed them. Was delighted to find this one was up to par. I liked reading more about Lestrade, who never really got a lot of play time in the original Sherlock books, or was made out to be a bit of a moron. This was a thoroughly enjoyable read, surprisingly funny at times, and full of lots of good mystery.

I very much enjoyed this read, quite surprising really. I read a wide assortment of historical crime accounts, which is why I was thrilled to find another author to pursue. Too sorry about Sherlock dying in the Alps, but never mind. M J Trow May fill
a void. An enjoyable romp through some rather disagreeable.
Times.

As any fan of Sherlock Holmes, I had to read about Lestrade.
In a period where Jack the Ripper awful crimes are in the minds and mouth of everyone, Lestrade is sent to the Isle of Wright, thinking it could be less stressful than London. But he was wrong.
Lestrade uses tricks and his genius to get a hold of the "Agrippa".
A wonderful fresh- air book in the era of Sherlock Holmes.

It is 1891 and Londoners are still coming to terms with the unsolved mystery of Jack the Ripper. Melville McNaghten, the head of C.I.D. tries to hide the file containing information about Ripper from Lestrade. Lestrade has played an important role in finding clues and suspects in the Ripper case and now, Lestrade is not allowed to proceed further. However, Arabella, McNaghten’s daughter, steals the file from her father’s desk and hands it over to Lestrade. Lestrade is happy to see the list of the final four suspects in the Ripper case.

The story is then divided into chapters where each chapter corresponds to an unsolved murder case. The first story is The Man in the Chine – the gruesomely murdered and decomposed body of a man is found in the Shanklin Chine and Lestrade is sent to investigate the case as it closely resembles the M.O. of Ripper. After a series of investigations – from a poet to the military, Lestrade is not able to find the murderer.

The second story is Ball of Lightning. Lord Frederick Herstmonceux is found brutally murdered while on a hunting trip. A pack of 40 or so foxhounds gores him to death. Frederick was notoriously known for torturing and killing animals in the gruesome way possible. Was someone trying to avenge the killing of these animals?

The vicar’s daughter is the story of Harriet Elizabeth Wemyss, a 17-year-old girl who is found burned to death in her house. The vicar and Harriet’s father – Wemyss, believes that his daughter was murdered. But why? Although Lestrade knows that the girl did not die as a result of instant human combustion, he cannot find the murderer.

Three of Spades – Atlanta Washington, an ex-slave is humiliated in public by three men. The three men are then found dead in the Battersea Park, covered from head to toe in black paint. This sinister-looking murder case takes a turn when Lestrade finds out that the paint was stolen from a renowned painter – Alma Tameda.

The subsequent deaths of Albert Mauleverer, Forbes, Augustus, Philip Faye, and John Torquil increase the body count to eleven. Who will be the next victim? Will Lestrade be able to solve the mystery behind these killings?



This is the second book by M.J.Trow that I have read and I absolutely loved it! Be it his writing style – which is weird, quirky and one of a kind, be the story – a Patische of Sherlock Holmes, or the characters – Lestrade, Dew, Bandicoot (yes, you read it right!), Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Artur Conan Doyle and Dr.Watson, everything in this book is interesting.

The story is a mixture of murder mystery and humor, and a little bit of romance – just a teeny-weeny bit of it. Never imagined Lestrade to be of the romantic kind, but one does get to see his cheesy side in this book. The characters are absolutely marvelous – the conversations between Lestrade and Sherlock Holmes are not to be missed!

There’s a whole lot of clues and good detective work, with a bit of silly humor here and there, which makes the story even more interesting. The ending is unexpected. With the most famous characters being on the list of suspects, the story takes a 180-degree turn in the end. The murderer, well, even Lestrade couldn’t believe his eyes when he knew who it was! And, nor could I!



My favorite part of the book is when Lestrade gets the name of the painter – Alma Tameda wrong. Initially, he says it right – Alma Tameda. Then it is Mala-Teda, followed by Alma-Mater and finally, Alda-Tamer. Then the conversation between Dr.Watson and Lestrade where Watson accuses Conan Doyle of copying his work and Lestrade points out that he is termed as an ‘imbecile’ in the book, which is of course not true because he just recognized the old-hag downstairs as Sherlock Holmes.



If you love to read a good pastiche of Sherlock Holmes, then This is The Book! I have decided to read all the books in Inspector Lestrade series. It is super funny, super quirky and super interesting.

I'm a huge Sherlock Holmes fan, so I was so glad to get my hands on a copy of #TheAdventuresOfInspectorLestrade. It's what I have been reading on my commute. I really enjoyed it - some of the historical characters seemed a little shoe-horned in for the sake of namedropping, but the mystery was creative and enthralling! Recommended for fans of historical mystery and Conan Doyle. Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy for review.