book review

“A Man Named Baskerville” reviewed at Melisende’s Library

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A Man Named Baskerville by Jim Nelson

This slipped by me in February, but today I learned A Man Named Baskerville is reviewed positively at Melisende’s Library:

This is the much needed backstory of the character of Stapleton from Conan Doyle’s “Hound of the Baskervilles”. It is exceedingly well done and in keeping with Conan Doyle’s original story. … Heartily recommended for lovers of Holmes and those looking to add to their own Sherlock Holmes collections.

Thanks, Melisende! Full review here, more information on the book here, and Amazon page here.


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I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere reviews “A Man Named Baskerville”

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Another review rolls in for A Man Named Baskerville, this time from the podcast and web site I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere:

While this tale is intended to be Stapleton’s counter to what Watson’s published version of the events would be, it rather exposes a horror within that cannot be saved by the loyalty of a good friend, the love of a woman or the faithfulness of a dog.

The full review is here. More information on the book is here, including links for reading sample chapters in your browser.


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Kay’s Hidden Shelf reviews “A Man Named Baskerville”

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Over the weekend, BookTuber Kayla of Kay’s Hidden Shelf offers a gracious and positive review of A Man Named Baskerville. It was a wonderful Fourth of July surprise.

If you’re a fan of science fiction, fantasy, and/or historical fiction, I highly recommend checking out her channel, where she offers patient and thoughtful views on a wide range of fiction. Thanks, Kayla!

Kay's Hidden Shelf

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A MAN NAMED BASKERVILLE reviewed at My Murmuring Bones

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A Man Named Baskerville by Jim Nelson

Viktorija over at My Murmuring Bones reviews A Man Named Baskerville as one of the last legs of the Escapist book tour. She offers an enthusiastic review of the book, and I’m more than grateful for it:

Nelson’s style is convincing and engaging, and places his novel firmly shoulder-to-shoulder with the Sherlock Holmes canon. The attention to detail and careful references to the established course of events are striking, and the character of Baskerville is portrayed with startling humanity. By far best of all is the way Baskerville refers to Holmes and Watson, and those passages are delightful to read.

This well-researched, carefully crafted, and absorbing read will delight mystery aficionados and Sherlock Holmes fans, and would very likely give Doyle himself immense joy, not least of all for the treatment of his storied detective. “It’s time someone said it,” he would surely exclaim.

I’m blushing! Check out the full review is at My Murmuring Bones, along with Viktorija’s other reviews of books and film.


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Interview and review of A MAN NAMED BASKERVILLE at FanFiAddict

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A Man Named Baskerville by Jim Nelson

The final stop of the A Man Named Baskerville tour is at FanFiAddict, where they’ve graciously published an interview and book review.

The 8 out of 10 review by Victoria Gross is wonderful and offers a lot of grist to consider:

Having a villain as a protagonist is a bold choice. I found myself almost rooting for Baskerville as he continued to make questionable choice after choice. I was still in his corner after LITERALLY MURDERING PEOPLE. I don’t know what that says about me as a person, but it definitely cements the fact that Nelson is a damn good writer. It also posits Sherlock as a kind of dimwit (and if you love Benedict Cumberbatch as I do, it was hard to swallow—at first) which is certainly an interesting take on the famed sleuth. His deductive reasoning had holes and it wasn’t something I was used to seeing in representations of the character. I found it as almost a Wizard of Oz moment, the proverbial pulling back of the curtain to reveal that the Wizard is only a man.

In the interview with Justin Gross, I discuss the making of Baskerville and what led me to write it in the first place. One example:

Were there any specific challenges with writing A Man Named Baskerville? Or, did you find anything to be easier?

The most significant challenge was writing in the style of the nineteenth-century British, as well as researching language, technology, and history, so as to be true to the time and place. As the book is told in Rodger Baskerville’s voice, I didn’t have to imitate Arthur Conan Doyle, but I did use The Hound of the Baskervilles as a primary source for so many things, including diction. I also did a considerable amount of research into more esoteric topics, especially the British peerage system and the baronet title, subjects very important to Rodger.

Was anything easier here than my other books? Actually, it was the character of Rodger that made one thing easier: He’s an audacious fellow, and quite confident. In my other books, the main character would often have to think through doing something outrageous or daring. Not Rodger! He’s the kind of person who barrels into a situation and bluffs his way out of it. That made for some fun chapters.

Thank you Victoria and Justin!


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A MAN NAMED BASKERVILLE reviewed at Steve’s Book Stuff

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Today’s stop of the virtual book tour is at Steve’s Book Stuff, which offers a four-star review of A Man Named Baskerville:

It is not a straightforward journey, but an adventure of the wrongs done to young Roger and the criminal path they set him on. From Brazil the story continues on into Costa Rica, then to Yorkshire in England, and finally to Dartmoor and Baskerville Hall, where the events of Conan Doyle’s Hound unfold.

As the story progresses, Nelson makes sure to incorporate pieces from the Stapleton life story that Sherlock Holmes relays in the final chapter of The Hound of the Baskervilles. But Nelson also fills in many of the blanks. The result is some adventurous storytelling.

Thanks, Steve! The full review is here. Pick up your copy of A Man Named Baskerville at Amazon.


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“Man in the Middle” reviewed by Salty Air Publishing

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Man in the Middle, by Jim Nelson

Over at Salty Air Publishing, Paul Raymer reviews my COVID-19 novel Man in the Middle:

It is interesting that both Nelson and his character are unsure of what to do—how to react to the pandemic. Back in March of 2020 it was all new in terms of how to confront the disease, whether it was going to be short term and over in six months or long term and be with us for a long time. Some of the characters don’t seem to care—and that’s still true. …

The world is portrayed as gray, as a world after the apocalypse—stores closed, streets empty of cars and people. All that adds to the fact that the protagonist works the night shift. …

Read the full review here. Visit Salty Air Publishing’s web site for more books and reviews. And get your copy of Man in the Middle while you’re at it.

As a side note, Raymer adds, “Writing about the pandemic while it is going on was a bold challenge.” For those interested, I described this challenge a while back in “Why I wrote a novel about COVID-19”.


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