Booklog 3/2025: Tom Baker: Scratchman – a Dr Who novel – Audiobook

Written and narrated by Tom Baker, as you would expect this audio version brings the 4th Doctor to life beautifully.  There's a framing story. The Doctor is being interrogated on Gallifrey and is being asked to account for his actions. The main story emerges in which the Doctor, Sarah Jane and Harry land on a remote island where people are turning into scarecrows. But this quickly turns into something more surreal as the Doctor, Sarah and Harry end up in a strange dimension where the enemy is the Scratchman, i.e. the Devil. I'm a little perturbed when the narrative focus slips. This is largely written in the Doctor's first person point of view, but sometimes shifts into what Harry and Sarah Jane (and secondary characters) are getting up to and thinking. Am I being too persnickity? Is it something only an author would notice? To be honest it doesn't really spoil the enjoyment, but it is noticeable.

Booklog 4/2025: Arthur Conan Doyle: A Study in Scarlet – Sherlock Holmes #1 – Audiobook

Read by Stephen Fry with introductions by Stephen Fry.

Fry's voice is perfect for the Holmes stories and his introductions are fascinating. This is a L_O_N_G audiobook encompassing several stories, so I'm reviewing them one at a time. A Study in Scarlet covers Holmes and Watson's meeting and their first case together where Holmes is using his powers of forensic investigation to the full. Holmes and Watson are introduced and agree to share a suite of rooms at 221B Baker St. Shortly after, Holmes is called in to help solve the murder of an American name Drebber and then Stangerson. There's obviously a connection. Holmes find the murderer, Jefferson Hope and then we are treated to a long digression to Salt lake City, Utah, where we discover Hope's motive for the killings. When Inspectors Gregson and Lestrade are credited with solving the crime, Watson determines to put it right in print and this the adventures of London's only consulting detective begin.

Booklog 5/2025: Arthur Conan Doyle: The Sign of Four – Sherlock Holmes #2 – Audiobook

Read by Stephen Fry With introductions by Stephen Fry.

Fry's voice is perfect for the Holmes stories and his introductions are fascinating. This is a L_O_N_G audiobook encompassing several stories, so I'm reviewing them one at a time. The Sign of Four is the second Holmes book in which Watsom meets Mary Morestan, the love of his life. Mary comes to Holmes (and Watson) for back-up in the matter of a strange letter received from a stranger. Holmes is at a loose end, falling back into his drug habit due to boredom, but Mary's case snaps him out of it. It seems that Mary's missing father, an ex army officer, had come into some treasure, but had been cheated out of it and now John Sholto, the son of the now deceased 'cheater', wishes to restore Mary's half of the jewel box lately belonging to an Indian Maharajah. But John's brother Bartholomew is killed in deeply mysterious circumstances and the jewel box is stolen. Inspector Athelney Jones immediately gets the wrong man while Holmes and Watson track down the right one. This all goes as you might expect with a few twists and turns, and yes, Watson gets the girl in the end.

Booklog 6/2025: 6. John Scalzi: Constituent Service – A Third District Story - Audiobook

Audiobook read by Amber Benson.

Ashley Perrin, fresh out of college, takes a job as Community Liaison for the Thi8rd District - the only area of the city with more aliens than humans. Right from Day One she's fielding weird complaints and strange requests from requests to cancel the annual Lupidian parade to a Kamikaze chicken con against the city's buses. She's just about keeping up with things when an illegal alien import, a swarm of dangerous, flesh-eating hornets, threatens the whole city at parade time. (Note: and the chicken is not what she seems.) Ashley has to come up with a Plan B when there isn'r even a Plan A - either that or lose her job. Short and quirky, this is nicely read.