The Isolated Séance

tl;dr
A well-paced Victorian mystery that pays faithful homage to the Sherlock Holmes canon while introducing new characters. The young leads still have a lot to learn, leaving some of the solutions to feel more like luck than skill.

Thoughts
The author's notes briefly touch on the myriad Sherlock Holmes spinoffs that introduce new family members, include robot dinosaurs, or have him wake up in the 22nd century. To my pride/shame, I have seen all of those adaptations. And I am as surprised as the author that so few of them touch on the beloved Baker Street Irregulars (For completeness' sake, I will note I've seen the short-lived Netflix series "The Irregulars," but that one leaned very hard into supernatural elements and less into crime solving). And so I was delighted to see the start of a new series featuring Timothy Badger, a former irregular who was inspired to follow in Holmes' footsteps and become a private detective. His partner in crime solving is Benjamin Watson (no relation), a brilliant young man with a varied work history and the skills to show for it. Holmes believes in them enough that he's decided to sponsor them, and he's even sent them their first case - a complicated problem involving a man murdered in the dark of a seance.

This first book reads a lot like a pilot episode. The mystery is a tight one with a clean solution. Clues and reveals lead to more clues and reveals, with each piece fitting into the others very nicely. Our two leads still have the proverbial training wheels on, though. Holmes has to give them a hint more than once, and more reveals come from listening at the right time rather than the art of deduction. A few brief discussions about the racism, classism, and sexism common to this era don't come to any particular conclusion. The inclusion of a somewhat grating reporter (who's set up to maybe become a friend eventually) is also a point of frustration. The pilot-like feel of this book makes it a hard one to review on its own. There's a very purposeful "more to come" ending (despite it not being a cliffhanger), that makes this reader feel very dissatisfied. But it seems to be working, since I will definitely be tuning in for the next installment.

Like many a reader, I fell in love with the Sherlock Holmes stories in my early teens and have remained a fan ever since. I can happily reread the original stories, but I also like discovering new riffs on Holmes. The Isolated Séance is a new entry in the riff category, the first volume in a series featuring one of Holmes' Baker Street Irregulars and a friend who have decided to become private detectives themselves.

The Baker Street Irregular, now in his early 20s, is Tim Badger, who raised himself on the streets of London after his mother's disappearance. He's devoted to Holmes' process of deduction, but prone to acting on a whim and coming to conclusions without full information. Badger's partner is Ben Watson, a young Black man who has held a number of different jobs, his favorite being working as a chemist's assistant. The reader is given less information about this Watson than about Badger. Who are his parents? Are they still living? What has led him to his many different types of employment? How did he and Badger meet?

At the novel's start, Badger and Watson share an apartment in an unsalubrious London neighborhood, and have had little opportunity to work as the private detectives they hope to become. They're approached by a Thomas Brent, a servant whose master, a Mr. Quinn, was murdered during a seance. The room went dark, a strange mist appeared, and when the room's lamp was relighted, Quinn was found with a letter opener sticking out from his chest. Now Brent is accused of the murder and wants his name cleared.

Brent has come to Badger and Watson as a second choice. He first approached Holmes, who was too busy to take on an addition case, but who recommended Brent try this pair of young detectives. Brent is disheveled from being on the run, but Badger and Watson appear to be in no better state. Nonetheless, Brent hires the two, giving them his four remaining ha'pennies and Badger and Watson do solve the mystery—that's the way the genre works.

I have two complaints regarding The Isolated Séance. First, Badger and Watson tell those they approach that they are working in cooperation with the police, which seems like a claim that could get them in a great deal of trouble, but doesn't. I can, however, embrace their successes through my own willing suspension of disbelief. My second complaint regards the lack of correct identification of asphyxiation as evidenced (or as it should have been evidenced) by petechial haemorrhaging. I'm being a fuss budget, but there you have it: I expect mystery novels to reflect the scientific knowledge of the time in which they're set.

All in all, though, I have to say that I enjoyed The Isolated Séance a great deal. I'm curious to learn more about Badger and (particularly) Watson and to observe the development of their relationship with Holmes. These are characters I would willingly spend more time with.

I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via Net Galley; the opinions are my own.

This is a generally light-hearted romp through the Victorian streets of Sherlock Holmes’ London. Badger and Watson (not that one, confusingly) are protégés of the great man and are trying to solve their first murder case before an innocent man gets hanged.

The story tells of their emerging partnership and their coming to the attention of the press, all the while coming under the gaze of Mr H to help them in their way.

A Sherlock Holmes pastiche with an original twist; one of the Baker Street Irregulars is all grown up and setting himself up as a private detective, along with the aptly named Watson as his partner. Victorian London is marvelously recreated with all its flaws, faults, and dangers. Timothy Badger and Benjamin Watson receive help from Holmes, who sets them up in better lodgings and watches them while in disguise, nudging them in the right direction as needed. It is great fun following the mystery as well as the development of these intriguing characters. Waiting for the next one!

This was an enjoyable entry in the long line of pastiches built on Sherlock Holmes. What makes this fun is that Holmes is just a side character and the main focus is on a former Baker Street Irregular, Tim Badger, and his friend, Ben Watson, a black man. They’ve opened up a detective agency and are barely scraping by. With the help of Holmes, both with finances and some key clues, the two try to solve a somewhat closed-door murder mystery. While the mystery wasn’t that great, it was fun seeing the scene through the eyes of Tim and Ben as they face class and racial prejudice in trying to figure out their first big case. Add in some incipient romantic interests and this made a fun start to what I hope will be a continuing series.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book that I received from Netgalley; however, the opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation for my review.

A nice start to a new series! Sherlock Holmes doesn't take the case of Brent, accused of killing his employer, but instead sends him to young Timothy Badger and Watson, who are living together in a dreadful part of London while they get their detective agency on its feet. They won't make a lot of money from Brent (he has 4 ha'penny) but it's a beginning, This isn't too twisty and fans of the Holmes mysteries might quibble about various things but it's fun and it's fresh. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this book

badger and watson two of sherlock holmes's baker street irregulars are set on a case after a man is stabbed at a seance by none other than the man himself sherlock holmes

its a tricky case but with everything they have learnt from holmes and with sherlocks help they get to grips with the case

it was a fun read and within keeping with what we know about sherlock and his many disguises

will be interesting in the next book in this series

Many thanks to NetGalley and Severn House for this Advanced Reader Copy and the opportunity to review “The Isolated Seance.” All opinions and comments are my own.

The author of the well-received Crispin Guest series has decided that it’s time for a Sherlock Holmes pastiche, and Jeri Westerson has accomplished that with “The Isolated Séance,” in which a former Baker Street Irregular and his partner have Mr. Holmes as a mentor (and financial benefactor) for their private detective agency. Good thing, too, as this case involves missing information from a dead man (need a séance for that, doncha know) and then a “locked room” murder. All of which will be satisfactorily explained away by the end of the book. But not before you get a lot of investigating, a lot of introspection from our detectives, Tim Badger and Benjamin Watson, and a lot of interesting information about Victorian London. There’s even a glossary at the beginning of the book, to help out.

Benjamin Watson is almost the more interesting of the two; a black man in a time when it was still an anomaly, obviously. He has faced discrimination, and relates it in the course of the book. But author Westerson has both him and Tim Badger (who has also not had an easy time) facing life and coming out on top, so far. (The chapters go back and forth between the two men.) They are both three dimensional, interesting characters who readers will want to continue to follow. Oh, and did I mention the young, female reporter who’s trying to make a name for herself? Maybe I should. The story line also includes mentions of women’s rights, the rights of the poor, and as noted, the treatment of people of color while providing a fast-paced murder investigation with plenty of twists and turns.

The end is tied up very neatly, with Tim and Ben working everything out. Hopefully Mr. Holmes will consider his investment money well spent, beginning with “The isolated Séance.”

London 1895. Timothy Badger, ex Baker Street Irregular, and Benjamin Watson are employed by valet Thomas Brent to prove him innocent of the murder of his employer Horace Quinn. The death occurred at a séance at Quinn's home. Their investigations and life are helped by Sherlock Holmes. Can they find the motive and therefore the guilty party before any more deaths.
An entertaining and well-written Victorian mystery. A good start to this new series with its interesting and likeable characters.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

One-time Baker Street Irregular Timothy Badger has found himself a partner-in-crime, Benjamin Watson, and has set out to tackle intriguing and unusual cases Sherlock Holmes doesn’t have time for. Their first case is a tricky one when a man is brutally murdered during a séance. Their client is a man accused of committing the crime. Can they prove their client innocent and catch a cold-blooded killer?

As someone who fell in love with the original stories at a young age, I am always looking for a good pastiche. This one had an interesting premise: what if one of Holmes’ street urchins, a Baker Street Irregular, grows up and takes the things he’s learned from Holmes to solve crimes on his own? The writing style is similar to the original stories, but there were phrases and words that did not fit the time period.

The two main characters were interesting, though I found Badger to be extremely frustrating. Almost as frustrating as a side character, intrepid journalist Ellsie Littleton. Any time those two shared a scene (which was often) I did not enjoy it.

Overall, the mystery was interesting. I liked when Sherlock Holmes appeared, though he wasn’t quite the detective I love from the original stories. I would recommend this to readers looking for an unusual spin-off adventure set in the world of Sherlock Holmes.

I'm a huge fan of all things Sherlock Holmes, so when I heard about this book, starring one of the former Baker Street Irregulars turned detective, I knew I had to read it.

I must say that I really enjoyed the story, both for the mystery plot, which I found well-developed and entertaining, and the characters. I loved Sherlock's occasional appearances, of course, but our Irregular (Tom) also seemed like a fairly well-defined character: an orphan of humble background, a fervent admirer of Holmes and his method, which he tries to apply, but still a tad too impulsive and green to get the same results as his teacher (who, however, has a lot of faith in him).

And our Irregular is accompanied by his particular Watson, a character who, despite being half of the leading detective duo, is still surrounded by quite a bit of mystery. What we know of him is rather less than what we know about Tom. Does he have any direct relation to Holmes' Watson? We don't know, but taking into account that he is a black man in Victorian London, and taking into account how little we are told about his life, which seems to have been interesting up to now, the truth is that it causes me a great deal of curiosity. I suppose it will be a mystery that will be solved little by little in the following books. Also, because of his circumstances, he is more serious and more cautious, which creates a necessary contrast with Tom.

We also have a rather interesting female character (although frustrating at first), a journalist who I think will end up giving rise to a romantic dynamic in the following instalments. I’m curious to see how her relationship develops with Tom.

The mystery also engages, it takes a few turns, but it keeps you trapped because of how much is at stake for our main characters: their reputation as detectives and the possibility (especially economic) of being able to continue being so.

In short, a fairly solid first book of a new series, whose characters make you want to continue reading future instalments to find out more about them. In addition, the setting in Victorian London and the sporadic appearances of Holmes are a plus.

Sherlock Holmes was such a towering figure of investigative genius that it takes not one but two men to even think of stepping into his shoes. Someday, when they’ve got a little more experience under their belts and are a bit more confident in their ability to even hold a clue-seeking magnifying glass up to the ‘Great Detective’s’ bootprints.


Sherlock meets the Irregulars in A Study in Scarlet, as illustrated by Richard Gutschmidt.
Once upon a time, and not all that long ago in the year 1895, Tim Badger was one of the many street urchins that Holmes employed as his Baker Street Irregulars, beginning in Holmes’ very first adventure, A Study in Scarlet, back in 1881.

In 1881, the Irregulars were all children – or at most teens. Inevitably, they grew up. Well, some of them at least, as the game afoot on the streets of London in the late 19th century in their circumstances was that of survival of the fittest – and the Irregulars all entered that game with the deck stacked against them.

But it’s not a surprise that one of those survivors would outgrow the Irregulars with a talent for detection and the same burning need that drove their mentor Holmes, a desire to make a living by righting wrongs and pursuing criminals. Even though there are better ways to make a living and the odds are still stacked against them.

Tim Badger is just one of those ragamuffin boys who has aged out of being invisible and now has to make a living for himself. He’s chosen to follow in his mentor’s footsteps, with the assistance of his very own Watson. But unlike Holmes’ Dr. Watson, Mr. Benjamin Watson is in every bit the same poverty-stricken circumstances as Badger.

Ben Watson is a young black man with a penchant for chemistry and an oddly assorted collection of surprisingly useful odd jobs in his past. A past that isn’t nearly as checkered as Badger’s.

Their first big case is a desperate one, and so are they, even though they’re handed that case on Holmes’ silver salver, for reasons that Badger and Watson have yet to determine. Holmes claims he’s too busy, but that’s pure balderdash and Badger knows it. For Holmes the case would be easy as pie, but for the two fledgling detectives in a race to prove that a young man was wrongfully accused of murdering his employer – it’s the chance of a lifetime.

Or the end of more lives than just their client’s, including, quite possibly, their own.

Escape Rating A-: Surprisingly and delightfully, The Isolated Séance is a story of Sherlock Holmes, of all people, paying it forward – in spite of that phrase not being in common parlance until more than a century later.

As a way of making the leap from Holmes himself to a ‘new generation’ it’s an excellent way of shifting the focus of this Holmes pastiche from the great man to a couple of young men just getting their start – as Holmes and his Watson were when they first took rooms together at 221b.

We get just enough of a glimpse of Badger and Watson’s original circumstances to see just how much the two young men are in over their heads when Holmes steps in and gives them not just a case but an astonishing hand up in their attempts to follow the path he has already broken and solve a case that is every bit as convoluted as anything Holmes himself took on.

Holmes calls his starting grant to them an investment in his legacy, and so it proves. It also helps kick the story into a higher gear as it removes many of the external impediments to their possible success, giving both the characters and the reader a chance to focus on those impediments that are inherent to the case itself and to their maturity – or rather its lack. Particularly in Badger’s case.

(Although both men are very young, Watson’s circumstances as a black man in a city that is prejudiced against him at every turn gives him a bit of caution and maturity that Badger sadly lacks. Watson’s perspective as someone who will always be considered an outsider even before he opens his mouth reminds this reader of the relationship between a young Mycroft Holmes and the more mature Cyrus Douglas in Kareem Abdul Jabbar’s Mycroft Holmes series. Please consider this a readalike recommendation as the Jabbar series is marvelous.)

The case itself is a farrago of mysterious circumstances, wild conjectures, police intractability and mistaken identity from its murderous beginning in the midst of a seance to its tragic, justly unjust ending. Elements which are present in much of Holmes’ canonical casebook as well.

But the way that Badger and Watson come to their solution – and wrestle with their consciences along the way – stands on its own merits. As do they. I look forward to watching their career continue in the second book in this series, The Mummy of Mayfair, hopefully this time next year!

The Isolated Séance Earns 5+/5 Spooky Séances … Engaging & Clever Gem!

It’s 1895, London. Two young men, Timothy Badger, once a Baker Street Irregular, and his friend, Benjamin Watson, hope to be success detectives. But, their first client, sent to them by Tim’s mentor Sherlock Holmes, is leery of the men’s abilities, but what they lack in funds, they gain in street smarts and determination. Thomas Brent explains his employer, Horace Quinn, has been murdered, and he fears he’s the prime suspect. He reports that Quinn held a private séance hoping to contact his recently departed business partner to get an answer to a question only Quinn is privy. The eerie situation is very intense with Quinn’s anger and demands for answers, then … the room goes dark, someone screams, and a misty glow appears. Thomas rushed to light a match to illuminate the room only to reveal his employer is dead. Are Tim and Ben over their head on this one?

Jeri Westerson is a favorite author brilliant at recreating eras centuries in the past with a very descriptive writing style and banter that adds the realism I expect; her late nineteenth century portrays well the societal quirks and class separations. The two young wannabes have Sherlock Holmes as a benefactor and with his occasional intervention, it gives them one up over other London detectives. One white and one black, the two young men vary in style and demeanor as well as experience and skill, and navigating their “equal” partnership with strengths that compliment, yet, outweigh their weaknesses. Their efforts to solve this locked-room murder mystery are hampered by a dogged reporter, Miss Ellsie Moira Littleton, who leans more toward sensationalism than accurate reporting. She may be a valuable resource, but is she only in it to promote herself? The investigation reveals some interesting details about the victim’s past and his interactions with others which leads to some shocking connections, identities, and a surprise conclusion. A couldn’t put it down experience worthy of a nomination for my best of 2023!

An interesting take on the Holmes legacy, for all the obvious box-ticking efforts in the direction of modern 'diversity and inclusion attitudes, doubtless in an effort to appease the expectations of the modern reader, although, in my opinion, if this is what you want, then don't choose a historic setting, where such attitudes scream out incongruity and inauthenticity.

The story was entertaining and well-paced, and the characters engaging enough for the reader to be interested in what happens to them next, therefore to read future books in the series. Although most would admire her 'spirit', the female reporter got my back up straight away. Why is it that whenever a writer tries to write a 'female character kicking against her traditional gender constraints, they always make her behave like a man. There is more to being a strong woman than acting like a man in a dress.

While the story bobbed along nicely on a relatively even keel, the backstory of the main characters seemed to enter choppy waters from time to time. At one point it is clearly stated that the central pair have been together 5 years, but then the story clearly portrays them as beginners at the game of detection. This needs clarification. Strangely, since she is a veteran mystery fiction writer, the author also seems to write as though she is a beginner at times. While playing an observation game at a restaurant, she has one character claim to have spotted tiny hairs on the hem of a coat from across the room. Surely he would need to have telescopic vision for this to be true!

Also the author's sense of time and place seem to be off on occasion. She writes the main character's new abode as a Victorian terraced house, then describes high arched entrances to rooms. Not in any London terraced house that I've every been in, and I've been in many (and live in one!) She also uses the term 'pixilated'. In a novel set in Victorian London? Also, what is with the constant mis-spelling of the word 'alright' as 'alwight'? If this is an attempt at cockney dialect, then why with only one word, and why make Watson and Badger use it, when only one of them is a cockney? Then Inspector Hopkins uses the same word, and it is spelt correctly as 'alright'. Most perplexing.

All told, this is a good beginning to a new series from Jeri Westerson, albeit with a few teething issues that one finds surprising from such an old hand, but roll on the next book in what should prove to be an exciting series.
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My thanks to Severn House for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘The Isolated Séance’ by Jeri Westerson.

This historical mystery set in 1895 is a pastiche of Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes stories. It features former Baker Street Irregular Tim Badger. He is determined to follow in the footsteps of his great mentor, Sherlock Holmes, and so has opened his own consulting detective agency with his partner, Benjamin Watson. They are poised to make a name for themselves . . . now if only they had clients!

Their luck changes when Holmes recommends his protégés to Thomas Brent, who is eager to find out who killed his master, Horace Quinn, during a séance at Quinn's house. As they begin to investigate it seems that everyone in Quinn's household had a reason to want him dead. They seek to step out of Sherlock's shadow, though a determined lady reporter, Ellsie Moira Littleton, is complicating matters. No further details to avoid spoilers.

Overall, I found ‘The Isolated Séance’ a lot of fun and despite its modest length certainly contains plenty of mystery as well as atmospheric period detail. There are also references to Holmes’ previous cases scattered throughout that is sure to please fans. The author opens the book with a handy glossary of late Victorian slang used in the narrative.

‘The Isolated Séance’ is also the opening novel in her new Irregular Detective Mysteries series. An upcoming second novel, ‘The Mummy of Mayfair’ is listed, though no publication date as yet. After this promising opening, I certainly will be on the lookout for it.

I like Jeri Westerson's novels and this one, the first in a new series, was excellent and brilliant.
There's a lot about the world of Sherlock Holmes and it was great to read about the irregulars grown up.
A solid mystery, well plotted and well researched. I liked the fleshed out characters and the vivid historical background
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I love anything based on or including Sherlock Holmes so this was went to the top of my TBR when I saw it being released. I was not disappointed with this brilliant original mystery.

Badger and Watson are my new favourite crime fighting duo and I hope we see more of some of the stand out characters from this book in the next book in the series.

Eagerly awaiting a release date for book 2 and would highly recommend this one to anyone who is a fan of detective books.

With a perplexing puzzle at its heart and a pair of engaging and resourceful sleuths on the case, Jeri Westerson’s The Isolated Séance is a lovingly crafted pastiche of Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes stories.

It’s 1895 and former Baker Street Irregular Tim Badger and his friend Benjamin Watson are trying to make an honest(ish) living as private detectives. However, when the people of London find themselves in need of an investigator, only one name springs to mind: Sherlock Holmes. This has the unfortunate consequence of business being decidedly bad for Badger and Watson.

Fortunately for the pair of would-be sleuths, Holmes himself sends a client their way. Thomas Brent is on the run from Scotland Yard following the murder of his former employer, Horace Quinn, during a séance when Quinn attempted to contact his recently deceased business partner. It’s all very peculiar, but Brent maintains his innocence and Badger and Watson are keen for any opportunity to make a name for themselves.

It soon emerges that a number of people had reason to wish Quinn dead, and Badger and Watson find themselves in dangerous pursuit of a nefarious killer.

The Isolated Séance is a historical murder mystery featuring an admirable number of twists and turns. The fact that Quinn’s murder took place during a séance adds a sense of spookiness to the atmosphere of the story, although Badger and Watson apply Sherlockian logic to eventually identify the very human killer.

The characters are well developed and the sense of place is strong. Although the dialogue sometimes feels out of place in the era and setting, the historical elements of the story are largely convincing, as are the various tributes to and appearances of Sherlock Holmes. The Isolated Séance is a promising start to Westerson’s series featuring Tim Badger and Benjamin Watson, and it’ll be interesting to see what future books have in store for them.

London, 1895. Former Baker Street Irregular Tim Badger is determined to follow in the footsteps of his great mentor, Sherlock Holmes, by opening his own consulting detective agency with his partner, Benjamin Watson. The intrepid duo are ready to make a name for themselves . . . if only they had clients! Their luck changes when Sherlock recommends his protégés to Thomas Brent. Brent is eager to find out who killed his master, Horace Quinn, during a séance at Quinn's house. What was Quinn desperately trying to find out from his deceased business partner, Stephen Latimer, before he was stabbed through the heart? It seems that everyone in Quinn's household had a reason to want him dead. Can Tim and Benjamin step out of Sherlock's shadow to navigate dark secrets and unexpected dangers in their pursuit of a cold-blooded killer? This book continues the Holmes mythology in a new and different way. Loved the characters and hope to see a lot more of them. Had me hooked until the end.

This is an original story, taking the familiar world of Sherlock Holmes and Baker Street but focusing on some new characters – ex Baker Street Irregular Tim Badger and his associate Ben Watson – as they set up their own (mostly) independent detective agency and begin with an investigation into a stabbing at a séance. With a little help and interference behind the scenes from a familiar master of disguise and detection!

There is some humour in the way that the two amateur sleuths attempt to emulate their mentor’s methods, often unsuccessfully. And there is plenty of romance potential too, with a certain irrepressible reporter and a somewhat intractable housemaid who respectively catch the main characters’ eyes. In fact, to some extent the mystery took a back seat to the establishment of the agency and their extra-curricular shenanigans!

While a little unevenly paced at times, with some dialogue that felt a little stilted occasionally (would everyone really monologue eloquently about their individual social struggles?), this is a fun first book in a series that shows good potential for ongoing adventures and is bound to appeal to Holmesian mystery fans looking for a new twist on an old favourite.