Blog Tour: The Accidental Detective – Melvyn Small

Steph Warren - Bookshine

Nov 8

*I received a free copy of this book with thanks to the author and Rachel Gilbey at Rachel's Random Resources blog tours. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.*

Blurb: Thrown together by the British legal system, Holmes and his court appointed psychologist, Dr John Watson, seem an unlikely pairing... but sometimes the stars align.

Our two heroes are soon drawn into a series of riotous adventures that both bewilder and beguile. Holmes' mastery of data, deduction and logic combines with his gin-dry wit and a casual contempt for life-threatening danger to ensure there is never a dull moment as he and the good doctor battle the mysteries that have the local constabulary baffled.

The game is afoot... oh yes!

What an enjoyable read!

I am a big fan of detective fiction and have read all of the original Sherlock Holmes stories many times, so am always on the lookout for new takes on those old favourites, and this one is a cracker.

Melvyn Small brings Holmes and Watson into the modern world, as an unemployed hacker and court-appointed psychologist respectively and I wouldn't have thought that would work but it actually does, as long as you activate your sense of humour before reading, because this is a funny homage to the source material, rather than a faithful retelling.

Watson still tries hard to follow what is going on, but struggles to make the connections and Holmes drinks heavily, plays the guitar and produces startling observations out of seemingly nowhere (although he makes far more mistakes and errors in judgment here). Both characters are still recognisable, but Small has made them his own. And for fans, there are other new-old cameos: Martha Hudson, Mary, Irene Adler, Mycroft. All different to their namesakes, but with plenty of respectful hat tips in that direction.

Similarly, in these short stories - that are each separate but connected to a 'bigger picture' story - parts of the cases can be recognised from Conan Doyle's tales (and occasionally even Dame Christie's!) but the alterations and twists make them delightfully unpredictable and completely distinct.

The writing is light and quick, and full of sharp humour and the dialogue is peppered with (some terrible!) jokes. Yet there is an undercurrent of tension as a potential arch-nemesis lurks in the shadows, unseen and unnamed, but clearly vindictive. And the book ends on a cliffhanger leading directly towards book two in the series, The Song of the Swan.

This may not suit some Sherlockian purists, but anyone who likes their mysteries witty, clever and full of allusions to the greats will enjoy this book as much as I did.

We slumped in silence in one of the booths of the Irish bar with our beers. Holmes broke the silence. "It's like it's the perfect crime, because there's no apparent motive and no fucking crime. It's like alcohol-free fucking lager. Completely fucking pointless. You see, Doc, when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."
"So we've eliminated the impossible?"
"Yup."
"And we've not missed anything?"
"Nope."
"So what's left?"
"Nothing. Absolutely bugger all."

- Melvyn Small, The Accidental Detective

About the author

Born in Stockton-on-Tees and raised in nearby Billingham, Mel left Northfield Comprehensive School at 16 to train as a civil engineering technician at Cleveland County Council Surveyor and Engineer's Department. It was during this time, spent either at a drawing board or on the clever end of a theodolite that, following a rather sharp haircut, he was bestowed the nickname Melvis. Thanks go out to Joan the tea lady for that one. Fortunately Mel is not a vengeful chap and has not once even considered informing HM Revenue and Customs of Joan's illicit below-the-tea-trolley line in Kitkats and Marathons. Whether Mel retains any likeness to the King of Rock 'n' Roll is debatable, however even the most imaginative would now concede he is less GI Blues and more the Vegas years. Mel loves a parmo.

On the completion of his traineeship at the council, which included BTEC qualifications studied on day release at both Cleveland Technical College and Teesside Polytechnic, Mel relinquished his unused right to countersign passport applications and photographs, and left local government for a period of employment in the private sector. This included stays at WS Atkins, WA Fairhurst and, perhaps his spiritual home, the now defunct Bullen Consultants Limited. During this period, interrupted by a bachelor's degree in civil and structural engineering at the University of Sheffield, Mel undertook a lot of modelling work. Three-dimensional ground modelling work to be precise, Mel's use of isopachyte analysis being now the thing of legend.

A natural engineer, Mel expanded his capability into that of hydraulic engineering soon forming quite a reputation in the fields of both storm water drainage and sewerage design, his skills in this area being such that he soon earned the honorary title of the Shitman. It's no exaggeration to state that Mel has forgotten more about storm water attenuation than most people will ever know.

Feeling more inclined to a digital era the modelling shitman left the world of roundabout entry deflection and balancing ponds to embark on a career in information technology. Following a master's degree in information processing at the University of York, he gained employment in the IT department of a large financial services organisation. It wasn't his fault. None of it. Honest.

With respect to the written word, Mel's efficient writing style is perhaps the requirement of both engineering and computer science to communicate in a concise manner. The comedy in his literary output being more of a function of a Teesside upbringing. Mel's first foray into the world of creative writing came in the form of slogans for leading tee shirt retailer Shot Dead In The Head. Mel's work included the popular "What Part Of Theoretical Physics Do You Not Understand?" and "If You Can Read This You Are Too Close".

Upping the word count considerably into that of fictional crime writing, Mel's first printed work Holmes Volume 1 and the imaginatively titled Holmes Volume 2. The reviews for this reimagining of Sherlock Holmes a dry-witted, working class northerner plying his trade in current day Middlesbrough have been amazing. If you would like a copy of these classics including their cult cover art, act quickly, They will soon disappear to be republished as The Accidental Detective series in November 2022. This will include a new volume of stories including The Darlington Substitution. and two new feature length stories.

And it doesn't end there. Mel has now turned his writing skills to music and Project Melv!s. The debut single from this initiative, Provisionally Yours, was released in September 2021 and was followed up with The Perfect EP at the end of 2021. Work on an album of original music is currently underway. It's shaping up to be something quite special.

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