The Seven-Per-Cent Solution: Being a Reprint from the Reminiscences of John H. Watson, M.D.

Written by Nicholas Meyer

Narrated by David Case

This "rediscovered" Sherlock Holmes adventure recounts the unique collaboration of Holmes and Sigmund Freud in the solution of a mystery on which the lives of millions may depend.
Illustration by David K. Stone.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Penguin Random House Audio
• Release date: May 26, 2009
• ISBN: 9780307702449

Nicholas Meyer

NICHOLAS MEYER is the author three previous Sherlock Holmes novels, including The Seven-Per-Cent Solution, which was on the New York Times bestseller list for a year. He's a screenwriter and film director, responsible for The Day After, Time After Time, as well as Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, and Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country among many others. A native of New York City, he lives in Santa Monica, California.

Reviews for The Seven-Per-Cent Solution

[steve12553 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Quite far-fetched for the Holmesian world but closer to canon than any other non-Doyle book I've read.

[unclebob53703 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

First rate Sherlock Holmes pastiche that gets to the bottom of who Moriarty really was, and has Holmes and Watson meeting Sigmund Freud. A crackerjack adventure ensues. He wrote two more of these, The West End Horror and The Canary Trainer, but this one is by far the best.

[junipersun · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Not being a Sherlock fanatic, I can't say how closely this book mimics A C Doyle's style, but it is an interesting read and the image of Holmes undergoing Freudian analysis is intriguing. Plenty of action to make a movie out of.

[darthdeverell · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Nicholas Meyer's Sherlock Holmes pastiche, The Seven-Per-Cent Solution retroactively changes Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's "The Final Problem" while confronting Holmes's cocaine addiction and explaining what drives the man. To this end, Meyer dethrones Moriarty and recasts him as Holmes's childhood math tutor who became the focus of Holmes's cocaine addled delusions, for which Watson took the detective to Austria in order to receive the aid of Sigmund Freud. Meyer, like many authors of Holmes pastiche, presents the narrative as a recently discovered manuscript of Watson's writing and, in presenting it in this manner, he adds the occasional footnote with references to other Holmes works or scholarly works based on Sherlockiana as if it were an annotated manuscript. Though Freud is a problematic individual historically, Meyer uses him and his theories in a manner that fits with some of the other pseudoscience in Doyle's original stories. The climactic train chase and sword fight make for a fun action scene. Overall, Meyer's Holmes pastiche entertains and replicates the tone of some of Doyle's writing so that it will entertain fans of the originals.

[ehines_20 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A worthy continuation of the Holmes stories. Not anachronistic, but very 1970s (perhaps written a bit too much with an eye to Hollywood?). With Freud and much focus on cocaine, as implied by the title.

[marsap_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In this discovery of an "unpublished" Holmes adventure, we find Sigmund Freud attempting to cure Sherlock Holmes of his cocaine addiction, forcing him to deal with his issues regarding Professor Moriarty, and Freud getting involved in Holmes' case of a young woman with amnesia, complete with battle on the roof of a train. What more could you ask for? 3 1/2 out of 5 stars.

[librisissimo · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Substance: Watson reveals at the end of his life that Holmes disappearance at the Reichenbach Falls was total fiction, invented to cover his treatment by Freud for cocaine addiction. The first half is "vintage" Holmes, the second half over-the-top adventure.Style: Meyer poses as the editor of Watson's manuscript, as he supposes Doyle would have done. A fairly successful device. The story itself is quite readable, except for the second half decline into farce.

[benjclark · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A fun Sherlockian romp. The mystery is really secondary in the story and far more revealing the relationships of Sherlock Holmes with the people around him. Were there some annoying, unnecessarily non-canonical issues, sure, but

[simon_carr_18 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A pastiche but not a parody. Meyer certainly knows his Holmes and he writes like ACD too. Unlike many other non-canon stories, Meyer's Holmes is suitably focused on detection rather than action (although perhaps not the end) and it is interesting to see Holmes' weaknesses explored. Recommended.

[raegroup · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

One of the best example of another author taking over an existing character I have ever read. I think Meyer does a wonderful job of sounding like Doyle, and of maintain the believability of the characters while putting them into new situations. The main "plot" of the store is perhaps the weakest element, including as it does the modern fiction requirement if a "chase". Where the book is strongest is in the relationships described, and in the exploration of the characters. It is a wonderful idea to match up Sherlock Homes and Sigmund Freud. I just wish the relationship was explored even more.

[redon_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It was an interesting idea to have Watson bring Holmes to Freud for help in overcoming his cocaine addiction, and I think that was my problem with this book; Holmes being psychoanalyzed by Freud could have been a fascinating insight into his character and into Victorian treatment of addiction, but the actual treatment is covered relatively quickly in favor of a generic mystery that seemed more like an excuse to get Holmes and Freud together on a high-speed train chase than anything insightful. Admittedly, the idea that a challenge was the only thing that could truly bring Holmes back to himself is in character enough, and it wasn't bad, as high-speed train chases go, but still, I felt cheated. The end was what cemented my displeasure; after sedulously avoiding any actual analysis of Holmes when it would have been appropriate, Meyer slapped in a quick angsty backstory, then merrily proceeded to end the book almost immediately, without actually addressing any of the issues raised. It was extremely cheap and brought back all the bad feelings from the first half that had mostly dissipated after I decided to accept the book for what it was rather than what it could have been. This isn't to say it's all that bad; it was a decent read once I stopped expecting it to be anything special - the wasted potential is what really bothers me.

[tripleblessings_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A parody of Conan Doyle's works. A recently discovered manuscript by Watson describes Sherlock Holmes' battle with cocaine addiction, and support from his friend Sigmund Freud. Was made into a movie. A good story, but I never enjoy these pastiches as much as the original Conan Doyle stories.

[crowyhead · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is a real kick! Meyers knows his Sherlock Holmes canon, and the way he writes Watson and Holmes is utterly believable. It's funny and peppered with in-jokes for Sherlockians, but it never turns into a parody.

[Doug Wilkes · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

As if Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote his greatest Sherlock sequel. Clever and authentic.

[drchevalier · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Rather long, departs from canon. Follows the thinking that ACD was just the pen name of John Watson and that Holmes had a mental disorder

[tobinelliott · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Gotta say, I enjoyed this just as much as the original Arthur Conan Doyle stories, despite Meyer taking some liberties with the Holmes canon.

This was a well-written, true to Doyle's voice continuation of the Holmes/Watson partnership, but it also added some dimension to their relationship, as well as building on to Holmes' past.

I honestly thought this book was a one-off, so imagine my surprise to find out there's two more to read, and a fourth volume coming in Oct 2019.

I'll eagerly read them all.

[doondeck · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Good adaptation of the Holmes genre

[kmartin802_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book makes a good addition to the wealth of stories featuring Sherlock Holmes, the world's greatest detective. This is supposed to be based on a manuscript discovered in a cluttered attic. It was transcribed by a secretary-typist the Dr. Watson encountered while he was in a nursing home. He is telling this tale at the age of eighty-seven and only then because the principals had passed away. The story begins with a cocaine-addicted Holmes who is certain that mild-mannered Mathematics tutor Professor Moriarty is in fact a kingpin of crime. He has been following Moriarty in an attempt to prove his assertion. Moriarty comes to Watson to see if there is a way to get Sherlock out of his life. Watson has been concerned with his friend's dependence on cocaine and is determined to find a way to help him.An article in a medical journal points the way to a doctor in Vienna named Sigmund Freud but getting Holmes to Vienna becomes only the first of many problems. After plotting with his wife, Watson decides that they need to bring in someone who has a chance to outwit Holmes. Watson recruits Mycroft Holmes who has also been concerned for his brother.Their plotting works and Holmes comes under Freud's care where a combination of hypnosis and what sounds like a cold turkey withdrawal manages to clear the drugs from Holmes' body. The cure has also seemed to remove Holmes' curiosity which was not what Watson wanted.It wasn't until Freud is called in to evaluate a new patient and takes Watson and Holmes along that the true Holmes reappears. As Holmes tries to solve the problem of the young woman found after an attempted suicide and who is both starved and mute, his investigative powers are resurrected.The poor young woman is the focus of a plot that could bring war if Holmes, Watson, and Freud can't find a way to stop it. An exciting train chase, including a duel on the top of a moving railroad car, adds a lot of excitement to the story. This was an engaging and entertaining addition to the Sherlock Holmes legend.

[cecrow · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

You need to be a Sherlock fan to properly appreciate. Nicolas Meyer marries several fan theories to see what the result looks like in narrative, capped with a brief mystery for Sherlock to solve. From the standpoint of fan service, Nicholas Meyer did his homework and delivers several favourite elements, while inserting other things in passing that he helpfully highlights with "see what I did there?" footnotes. From the standpoint of a reader (e.g. myself) lacking in Sherlock knowledge, it was only sporadically engaging and the mystery feels tacked on. I didn't find the drug rehabilitation very convincing (Sherlock is magically relapse-resistant). Freud's appearance was possibly the best element for me, not a spoiler so much as an open secret. As a Star Trek fan I'm glad this novel was successful enough for Meyer to win Hollywood's attention, and I'm happy for him that he could follow it up with several sequels.

[jbd1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A decent Holmes pastiche in which Holmes and Watson go to Vienna and meet Freud. A good romp, but I think I still prefer my Holmes in the original.

[pgiunta_3 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A lost journal by Doctor John H. Watson—discovered by Nick Meyer’s uncle in the attic of a home in Hampshire, England—tells the tale of Watson’s desperation to permanently exorcise Sherlock Holmes of the demons of cocaine addiction. In seeking advice from a fellow physician, Watson learns of the unorthodox methods of a Viennese psychiatrist.Meanwhile, Holmes—has been spending his days and nights in the dogged pursuit and stalking of Professor James Moriarty, the “Napoleon of crime!” as the famous detective has come to consider him. Surely, the fiend is up to something and must be stopped.For his part, Moriarty, a math professor, has no idea why Holmes is shadowing him and implores the assistance of Watson who believes the genteel man to be honest. Together with Sherlock’s older brother, Mycroft, Watson convinces a reluctant Moriarty to travel to Vienna hoping that Sherlock will follow.The plan works perfectly, and Watson “guides” Holmes to the residence of Doctor Sigmund Freud where both physicians attempt to rehabilitate the master detective and cure him of his hideous addiction through hypnosis. Needless to say, Holmes’s withdrawal and convalescence is torturous to both himself and Watson.At the same time, a young, catatonic woman is brought into the local hospital and Freud is summoned to look in on her. Holmes and Watson decide to join him. Freud again employs hypnosis to discover that the woman is actually Nancy Slater, the American widow of the late Baron von Leinsdorf and had spent her honeymoon in an attic!Holmes, as usual, applies his extraordinary powers of observation to determine, based on her physical condition, that the Baroness had been abducted, bound, and imprisoned in an attic somewhere near the river among closely constructed factories and warehouses.From here the game is—as Holmes would say—afoot as our intrepid trio attempts to solve this nefarious crime.I’d first read The Seven Per-Cent Solution over 15 years ago, but no longer had my copy. I was fortunate to meet Nicholas Meyer at the Farpoint convention in February 2017 wherein I purchased a newer edition and had it signed. Meyer is, of course, the director of many excellent films including Time After Time, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, and Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. He also co-wrote those Star Trek films along with Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. He also wrote the screenplay based on the novel I am currently discussing.The Seven Per-Cent Solution is a thoroughly enjoyable read that felt like a solid Sherlock Holmes tale. Narrative, pace, and dialog were mostly faithful to Doyle’s work, and a young Sigmund Freud was represented in a way that honored his reputation and abilities.

[dinadansfriend · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A novel which is a pleasant pastiche of Conan Doyle by a skilled writer. Though the sensibility is modern, the spirit of the original creation isn't violated, even though Sigmund Freud is introduced.

[booksfordinner · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Fantastic job by Meyer. Many writers have penned new Holmes books, but precious few has inhabited Watson like this. Just wonderful.

[vincentdarlage · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed this book from the man who brought us Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.

[jonarnold_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

One of the more successful Holmes pastiches in that the writer has a distinctive take on Holmes rather than simply replicating Conan Doyle’s version. It’s a version of Holmes recognisable from the original stories but which takes account of psychological theories and analysis over the years – Nicholas Meyer is even kind enough to point to his particular influences in the acknowledgements. There were perhaps moments which don’t convince, but these can be explained away by the fug of addiction and, perhaps, bravado.Meyer actually incorporates the most obvious influence, Freudian analysis, into the story itself. The collision of Holmes and Freud makes for an entertaining contrast, even if the Freudian analysis of the last few pages comes across as too pat to be convincing. It’s marginally the weaker part of the book, but only because it’s Holmes pastiche at heart. The first section (‘The Problem’) is far more interesting as it’s a thorough exploration of Meyer’s take on the character which cheekily upends a couple of Conan Doyle’s stories. Perhaps it’s simply a case that showing, not telling, is more engaging. Ultimately what raises this above standard pastiche is Meyer’s playful wit, particularly with regards to his use of Moriarty, use of footnotes to comment on inconsistencies in the original stories and inserting Holmes, Watson and Freud into the margins of established history. Holmes’ uncanny foresight of an imminent war might be stretching things a touch far and strays into the guesswork Holmes professes to despise, but it’s forgivable when the author’s clearly having fun. Perhaps the zealous application of Freudian theory dates this a touch but it remains good fun.

[dougwood57 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The first of two Sherlock Holmes pastiches authored by Nicholas Meyer, The Seven Percent Solution expands on the original works’ brief references to Holmes’ cocaine use and undertakes a full-blown examination of what turns out to have been his very severe addiction. Turns out Holmes didn’t really plunge over Reichenbach Falls in a deadly tussle with Professor Moriarty after all. That story was just Watson’s smoke screen to cover for Holmes’ addiction and cure. OK, interesting twist.Watson has to trick Holmes into going to Vienna to be treated by a controversial doctor with controversial ideas, Sigmund Freud, of course. Meyer does a nice job keeping the reader guessing whether Holmes is in a drug-induced paranoid state or is pulling the wool (again) over Watson’s eyes. That question is resolved once they arrive in Vienna. Of course, once in Vienna, Holmes and Watson become enmeshed in solving a heinous, but clever, set of crimes involving Viennese society. Along the way Meyer works in a number of answers to unsolved issues raised by the original works but left unanswered. Early in the book the references to these conundrums are so frequent that the book begins to take on a scholarly feel. [That is not a plus, in my view. If you want scholarly (if somewhat tongue-in-cheek) analyses, they are available.] As a confirmed addict of the originals and of numerous knockoffs, that sort of thing would seemingly appeal to me, but it struck me as a bit overly cute. And much of the story itself was decidedly unlike the Doyle tales – too much action for one thing. Meyer does not, I hasten to add, totally distort Holmes and Watson like the recent abomination of a movie. Most Holmes fans will enjoy this effort and may want to proceed to the [[ASIN:0393311538 The West End Horror: A Posthumous Memoir of John H. Watson, M.D.]].