Premier Batchelor - A Modern Sherlock Holmes Story

Anne Walters Charlotte

Description

The second adventure in a series of five which update original Sherlock Holmes stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle to our modern world. Based on The Noble Bachelor, this story provides a 21st century spin on the original scenario of an aristocratic man, his disappearing bride and an unsuitable love affair. Now we have a footballer, his missing glamour-model wife and secrets blown into the open thanks to Holmes's brilliant reasoning. Persuaded to take the case by Watson, who shares a literary agent with the missing girl and is desperate not to get dropped, Holmes reluctantly wades into the epicentre of modern celebrity culture. Can he find the runaway bride and help Watson rescue his failing literary career?

Informations

• Publié par: Andrews UK
• Date de parution: 05 février 2014
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781780925820
• Langue: English

Extrait

Title Page
The Premier Batchelor
-
A Modern Sherlock Holmes Story


Charlotte Anne Walters



Publisher Information
First edition published in 2013
© Copyright 2014 Charlotte Anne Walters
Digital conversion by Andrews UK Limited
www.andrewsuk.com
The right of Charlotte Anne Walters to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by them in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1998.
All rights reserved. No reproduction, copy or transmission of this publication may be made without express prior written permission. No paragraph of this publication may be reproduced, copied or transmitted except with express prior written permission or in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright Act 1956 (as amended). Any person who commits any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damage.
All characters appearing in this work are fictitious or used fictitiously. Except for certain historical personages, apopony resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. The opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and not of MX Publishing.
Published in the UK by MX Publishing
335 Princess Park Manor, Royal Drive,
London, N11 3GX
www.mxpublishing.co.uk
Cover design by www.staunch.com



Acknowledgements
Thank you to Sherlockology, The Undershaw Preservation Trust and MX Publishing for including Charlie Milverton in their publication Sherlock’s Home, The Empty House.
Thank you to my husband Tim who patiently reads everything I write, also Janice and Louise who probably think I’m mad but support me anyway, and of course, the genius of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
The story within this book has been inspired by an original Sherlock Holmes adventure created by Conan Doyle. I have simply updated it to 21st century scenarios and settings. Therefore, I cannot take full credit for all the plot twists, clues and concepts the story contains, just its re-working into modern equivalents. The original story I have used is The Adventure of the Noble Bachelor.



The Premier Bachelor
“It’s no good John,” uttered the seasoned literary agent, his weary expression betraying his general lack of interest in Watson’s proposition. “I can’t get you another book deal when sales of the first one are stagnating. You’re competing in a tough market, up against celebrities like Kathy Rice. I’ve just negotiated a three-book-deal for her. An advance as big as her breasts.”
“But she can’t write for toffee!”
“No, but her ghost-writer can. And she’s got a 30HH chest, that’s a lot of boob John. Glamour models sell books. Especially ones with their own reality TV show who are about to marry a premiership footballer. An unknown doctor doesn’t quite attract that level of attention, I’m afraid. In fact, you and your book haven’t attracted much attention at all. Except for that fuss about Scotland Yard but everyone’s forgotten it now. I have to be honest; I’m not sure how much longer I can go on representing you. Perhaps you should just stick to the day job Doctor Watson, eh?”
***
It wasn’t supposed to be like this , Watson thought as he walked home from his agent’s office. It had been five years since he left the army due to injury and found himself alone in one of the world’s most exciting cities. He had felt an exhilarating sense of freedom, of possibilities to be explored. He would get work, save enough to pay for his GP exams and start working for a good practice, get a lovely house, marry, have children. Between patients he would write that bestseller he’d always dreamt of producing. A lucrative publishing contract would follow and he could retire early from medicine, spend his days writing books and being the toast of the literary world. Little did Watson realise that his dreams would be hampered by a lack of fake boobs. Or not raising the money for his GP exams and having to work in ‘no-win-no-fee’ hell.
His journey into the literary world had been fraught with difficulties from the start.