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Welcome! Like the book of the same name, this blog is an eclectic collection of Sherlockian scribblings based on more than a half-century of reading Sherlock Holmes. Please add your own thoughts. You can also follow me on Twitter @DanAndriacco and on my Facebook fan page at Dan Andriacco Mysteries. You might also be interested in my Amazon Author Page. My books are also available at Barnes & Noble and in all main electronic formats including Kindle, Nook, Kobo and iBooks for the iPad.

Friday, May 25, 2012

Sherlock Holmes, Mentalist

If Sherlock Holmes wrote a book (other than The Whole Art of Detection and The Practical Handbook of Bee Culture), it might be something like Joe Riggs' Psychic Lies & Mental Spies.

In fact, Holmes did write some of it in the sense that quintessential quotes from the Master are spread throughout this little book. Riggs, a mentalist, psychological performer, and consultant, has been called "the real Sherlock Holmes" for his ability to read people. A Sherlockian, he wears the label proudly.

In the first part of the book, Riggs calls upon his upbringing as the child of psychics to expose the tricks of the trade. He discusses the seven subjects that are on people's minds all the time, cold reading (no preparation), hot reading (advance work needed), something called the Forer/Barnum effect, and how psychics cover up when they go wrong. He names names.

Part II is perhaps more practical for most of us. Here, Riggs offers advice on how to develop a supermemory, how to read body language, and how to detect lies. "Much like Sherlock Holmes," he writes, "an adept Mentalist can gather a wealth of information from a person or place within minutes, or even seconds. Sherlock may be fictional, but his tools and powers are not. Let’s develop them."

That's hard to do with a 30-page book as your guide. I would have loved a much longer volume exploring these subjects in greater depth. Perhaps a sequel would be good. Meanwhile, the book is available on Amazon.  Also, check out Joe Riggs's website.

3 comments:

  1. Thank you so much for your amazing words. Also, a sequel is already 2/3 written. It is much, much longer however "PL&MS" is definitely a prerequisite to it's coming counterpart. Again, thank you so much.

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  2. Hey Dan, a quick little update. Well so much for the sequel, just received a contract for the real thing. Commissioned for no less than 300 pages which will be coming out through MX Publishing in September! Thanks so much for taking the time to read and review my short book. I look forward to sending you a gift later this year.

    My Review: A prolific writer with a blog to match. I can only hope you find the time to write, and post, much much more. ;)

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