The Final Problem

A Novel

By: Arturo Perez-Reverte, Frances Riddle - translator

Narrated by: Derek Perkins

In this locked-room mystery set in 1960, a washed-up actor puts his on-camera detective skills to the test when a suspicious death shatters the quiet peace for a group of strangers staying at an isolated Greek island resort. Perfect for fans of White Lotus, Benjamin Stevenson, and Anthony Horowitz.

June, 1960. Rough weather at sea leaves a group of strangers stranded on the idyllic Greek island of Utakos, all guests of the only local hotel. Nothing could prepare them for what happens next: Edith Mander, a quiet British tourist, is found dead inside a beach cabana. What appears at first glance to be a clear suicide reveals possible signs of foul play to Ormond Basil, an out-of-work but still well-known actor who in his glory days portrayed the most celebrated detective of all time. Accustomed to seeing him display Sherlock Holmes’ amazing powers of deduction on the big screen, the other guests believe that the actor is the best equipped to uncover the truth.

This clever, whip-smart, locked-room mystery from internationally bestselling author Arturo Pérez-Reverte is a love letter to golden-age detective novels. The Final Problem delights in exploring the tension between an investigator and his suspects, as well as a writer and his reader. The final reveal will surprise even the sharpest mystery lover in a truly satisfying conclusion.

Critic reviews

Praise for Arturo Perez-Reverte:

“John Le Carre meets Gabriel Garcia Marquez…Pérez-Reverte has a huge following…and it’s spreading.”—The Wall Street Journal

“The Da Vinci Code and The Rule of Four…pale in comparison with Pérez-Reverte novels.”—Time Out New York

“A heart-stopping narrative…It’s a rare novelist who can create a literary page-turner. Pérez-Reverte is one of those rarities.”—The Denver Post

“High-level intrigue and double-dealing in the tradition of Alexandre Dumas.”—Los Angeles Times

An imaginative exploration of the Sherlock Holmes story

An imaginative exploration of the Sherlock Holmes story. Set at a small resort on a Greek island the actor who played Holmes is asked to try and discover the killer. One amusing touch is to give the actor the last name of Rathbone. I find listening to this tempts e to again read Connan Doyle.

Fun and clever book

I loved the way the book not only tipped. It’s hat to Sherlock Holmes, but other mystery writers. It was very fun and I enjoyed it. The narrator was fantastic. One of the best. His reading of the book made it all the better.

Such a Fun Audiobook

Fantastic storytelling. Interweaving an actor famous for playing Sherlock Holmes that finds himself stranded with a group of strangers and an expected death. Of course he has to investigate! So many details about theater, Hollywood, WW2 and golden age murder mystery rules!