Gaslight Arcanum: Uncanny Tales of Sherlock Holmes

Sherlock Holmes Gaslight

by Charles Prepolec (Editor), Kim Newman, Kevin Cockle

MY NAME IS SHERLOCK HOLMES.IT IS MY BUSINESS TO KNOW WHAT OTHERS DO NOT.In the dark lurk horrible secrets. Long buried and hidden from prying eyes are the twilight tales of the living and the dead - and those that are neither. The stink of a Paris morgue, the curve of a devil's footprint, forbidden pages torn from an infernal tome, madness in a dead woman's stare, a lost voice from beneath the waves, and the cold indifference of an insect's feeding all hold cryptic clues. From the comfort of the Seine to the chill blast of arctic winds, from candlelit monasteries to the callous and uncaring streets of Las Vegas are found arcane stories of men, monsters, and their evil...

Gaslight Arcanum includes works

Stephen Volk, Christopher Fowler, Kim Newman, Paul Kane, Simon K. Unsworth, Tom English, Tony Richards, William Meikle, Fred Saberhagen, Kevin Cockle, Lawrence C. Connolly, and Simon Clark.

About the

Charles Prepolec has contributed articles and reviews to All Hallows, Sherlock Magazine, Scarlet Street, and Canadian Holmes. An active Sherlockian for more than 20 years with The Singular Society of the Baker Street Dozen, Charles lives in Calgary with his wife Kristen and their cat Karma.

J. R. Campbell’s fiction has appeared in a wide variety of publications including Spinetingler Magazine, Wax Romantic and Challenging Destiny. From time to time his writing can also be heard on radio’s Imagination Theater and The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.

About the cover

Dave Elsey has demonstrated an extraordinary ability to create memorable characters using make from the fantastical creatures in the television series Farscape to his planet-wrangling skills in The Little Shop of Horrors. Dave is the cover artist for the Australian comic book The Dark Sherlock Holmes, and he recently won an Oscar for his special FX work for the movie The Wolfman.

About the Interior

Mike Mignola is an American comic book artist and writer, famous for creating the comic book series Hellboy for Dark Horse Comics. He has also worked for animation projects such as The Lost Empire and the adaptation of his one shot comic book, The Amazing Screw-On Head.

Luke Eidenschink is a 2009 winner of the International Illustrators of the Future Award. His work includes book and magazine illustration, custom design, fine art, and most recently graphic novel illustration.

About the

Book 1: Gaslight Fantastic Tales of Sherlock HolmesBook 2: Gaslight Nightmare Tales of Sherlock HolmesBook 3: Gaslight Uncanny Tales of Sherlock HolmesBook 4: Gaslight Strange Tales of Sherlock HolmesThese anthologies have received critical acclaim from prominent reviewers such as National Post, Library Journal, Booklist, Globe & Mail, etc.

Genres: Mystery, Horror, Anthologies, Short Stories, Fiction, Supernatural, Fantasy

280 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 15, 2011

About the author

Charles Prepolec is a former Mystery bookshop owner, currently freelance editor, writer, artist and reviewer with published contributions in a variety of books and magazines. He is co-editor of Professor Challenger: New Worlds, Lost Places (2015) and seven Sherlock Holmes anthologies (with J. R. Campbell) - Curious Incidents Vols. 1 & 2, Gaslight Grimoire: Fantastic Tales of Sherlock Holmes (2008), Gaslight Grotesque: Nightmare Tales of Sherlock Holmes (2009), Gaslight Arcanum: Uncanny Tales of Sherlock Holmes (2011), Gaslight Gothic: Strange Tales of Sherlock Holmes (2018) and Gaslight Ghouls: Uneasy Tales of Sherlock Holmes, Monsters and Madmen (2022); as well as co-editor (with Paul Kane) of Beyond Rue Morgue: Further Tales of Edgar Allan Poe’s 1st Detective (2013) for Titan Books. At the turn of the century he served as news editor for actor Christopher Lee’s official website. Charles has been an active Sherlockian for more than 35 years and holds memberships in The Bootmakers of Toronto, The Sherlock Holmes Society of London, The Sydney Passengers of Australia and an investiture in The Baker Street Irregulars (The Man with the Twisted Lip). He lives in Calgary, AB, Canada with his wife Kristen and their cat.

Reviews

[Karl]

Contents:

001 - Introduction: I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere" by Charles Prepolec
007 - "The Comfort of the Seine" by Stephen Volk
037 - "The Adventure of Lucifer's Footprints" by Christopher Fowler
051 - "The Deadly Sin of Sherlock Holmes" by Tom English
075 - "The Color that Came to Chiswick" by William Meikle
089 - "From the Tree of Time" by Fred Saberhagen
101 - "The Executioner" by Lawrence C. Connolly
117 - "A Country Death" by Simon Kurt Unsworth
141 - "Sherlock Holmes and the Great Game" by Kevin Cockle
156 - "Sherlock Holmes and the Diving Bell" by Simon Clark
176 - "The Greatest Mystery" by Paul Kane
192 - "The House of Blood" by Tony Richards
212 - "The Adventure of the Six Maledictions" by Kim Newman

[Ken B · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just finished reading the anthology Gaslight Arcanum: Uncanny Tales of Sherlock Holmes. Reviews of each story are below.

As with any collection, there were highs and lows. Fortunately, the highs greatly outpaced the lows.

As a collection, this is a hearty 4 STARS.



"The Comfort of the Seine" by Stephen Volk

Young Holmes, Edgar Allan Poe and the origins of Holmes as a detective. Great Story!

5 STARS



"The Adventure of Lucifer's Footprint" by Christopher Fowler

This story was missing something.

The flow between scenes was awkward. One second you are in London, the next Devon. One second you are in the local tavern, the next walking a field. There is little or no mention of means of conveyance.

The author also missed the descriptive scenes that help make Holmes stories. Holmes and Watson are sitting in front of a fire with a brandy. You are offered little more description than that.

Additionally, I believe there are references to a failure of one of the characters in the Charge of the Light Brigade. I am not a British military history scholar and didn't feel it worth my while to fill in the blanks where the author failed to do so.

Another reviewer suggested that "The Adventure of Lucifer's Footprint" was just an outline of a story and not the completed work. I think that is accurate.

1 STAR



"The Deadly Sin of Sherlock Holmes" by Tom English

English's Holmes and Watson are note perfect. The setting was right on. This one hit all of the proper notes with one glaring exception, the resolution of the mystery lacked explanation.

Holmes for certain figured it out. He had resigned to the fact that he was dealing with something supernatural. A dangerous experiment was conducted providing Holmes with the proof he needed. But, there was never any hint as to how or why the experiment that would prove the case worked and no clue as to why Holmes made the conclusions that he made.

Fill in the blanks and this story is top notch. Without that....meh.

2 STARS



And now we come to the reason I bought the anthology to start with:

"The Color that Came to Chiswick" by William Meikle

Having read Holmes, Carnacki and Professor Challenger pastiches by Meikle, I knew this one would be a win. I like to be proven correct.

Holmes and Watson are dispatched to investigate a case of industrial sabotage at a local brewery. What they discover may have other-worldly origins.

As is often the case with short stories, you find yourself enjoying the story, setting or mystery so much that you feel a slight sense of disappointment at its end. That is the case here. My only complaint is selfish. I wish it were longer.

4 STARS



"From the Tree of Time" by Fred Saberhagen

Saberhagen is known best to me as the author of his Dracula series of books.

In this tale, Sherlock Holmes employs his friend, the vampire Count Dracula, to assist him on a blackmail case. Holmes feels that Dracula's knowledge of vampires could be particularly helpful in this instance.

The first third of this short story is Dracula dispelling for the narrator the myths surrounding vampires. It seemed overdone. But, it was relevant to the conclusion of the story.

3 STARS



"The Executioner" by Lawrence C. Connolly

This short story is a different view on the moments after the death of Sherlock Holmes and Moriarty at Reichenbach Falls.

There was very little mystery to the story. But, the premise is good and makes an interesting retelling of those vague events. It would probably also make a strong starting point for a new series.

4 STARS



"A Country Death" by Simon Kurt Unsworth

A consulting detective is called in to investigate a mysterious death...the death of Sherlock Holmes.

This one is more of a horror story than a Sherlock Holmes mystery. But, that is just fine. It is very well written and touches on a well documented hobby of Sherlock Holmes in his retirement.

4 STARS



"Sherlock Holmes and the Great Game" by Kevin Cockle

I am not usually a fan of Holmes outside of Victorian Great Britain. I feel that part of the appeal of Sherlockian stories is that specific setting and often can't abide any deviation. I found this story though a bit intriguing.

Set in frozen rural Canada, Holmes and Watson, armed with an ancient relic are hunting killers that may have some ancient, dark origin. The hints given as to Holmes' role in this mystery may also indicate something darker and more aged in our hero.

This tale left me wanting to know more about what was merely hinted at.

4 STARS



"Sherlock Holmes and the Diving Bell" by Simon Clark

"Watson. Come at once. That which cannot be. Is."

With this message, Holmes summons Watson to join him in a mystery five years in the making.

A marine salvage tragedy has left one man on the ocean floor, stranded in his diving bell with no chance for rescue.

Five years later, diving on the same wreck, the salvage crew suffers yet another tragedy resulting in the deaths of two more divers, who appear to have died of fright after hearing calls from their comrade lost five years earlier.

Enter Holmes and Watson.

4 STARS



"The Greatest Mystery" by Paul Kane

Holmes and Watson are faced with a series of seemingly random murders committed by some close acquaintance or loved one of the victims. Only Holmes is able to discern a pattern to the crimes and only Holmes, with the aid of Watson, is equipped to face his greatest foe.

This short story got a little long-winded in both the first few and last few pages. But, the meat of the story was fantastic!

4 STARS



"The House of Blood" by Tony Richards

The immortal Sherlock Holmes investigates a series of murders in modern day Las Vegas.

Again, I am not usually a fan of Holmes outside of Victorian Great Britain. But, in this case it seemed to work.

Richards leaves just enough questions about Holmes to have piqued my interest in this story line. How, for instance, did Holmes become immortal? What type of immortal is he, as when responding to a comment about vampires, he says, "There are no such creatures."?

I would be interested in reading further along these lines if Richards chose to write it.

4 STARS



"The Adventure of the Six Maledictions" by Kim Newman

This tale is told in the first person from the point of view of Colonel Sebastian Moran, the right hand man of Moriarty. Holmes and Watson do not make an appearance in this story.

I found it a little rough getting into the flow of Moran's colloquialisms. But, once I got the groove, this story was actually quite good.

Moriarty's scheming stole the show and the tidbits of humor hidden in Moran's colorful language flavored every paragraph.

I have a couple of Kim Newman's novels that have been deep in the to-be-read stack for quite some time. Those books just moved closer to the top of that mountain.

4 STARS

[J K · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very impressive collection, all enjoyable and all, to my interpretation anyway, seem to nail the character of Holmes, Watson and Moriarty within a collection of supernatural mysteries. Highly recommended indeed.

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gaslight Arcanum is actually the third anthology in a series edited by Campbell and Prepolec, its predecessors being Gaslight Grimoire (2008) and Gaslight Grotesque (2010). It is not (with one exception) a reprint anthology. Nothing wrong with those, but in Arcanum, Campbell and Prepolec have brought together a collection of new stories by very talented and respected writers. Some stories may be familiar to you, as they have since been reprinted elsewhere, but here they mark their débuts. Let’s venture down this dark, dusty hallway and meet them, shall we?

The editors start out on a high note with Stephen Volk’s “The Comfort of the Seine,” a Sherlock Holmes “origins” story which is juuuusssst plausible enough that some readers may make it a part of their personal head canons. It begins with the “if you’re reading this I must be dead” trope, but then immediately leaps into much more original territory. Here the reader sees Sherlock Holmes as an intense twenty year-old student with scientific leanings, accompanying a group of classmates to Paris to explore that city’s art scene. Despite his relationship to Vernet, the young Sherlock is not all that interested in art, but who doesn’t want to leave his books for Paris? Besides, his friends need him–or rather, his fluency in French. While his classmates roam the galleries, he roams the city, becoming infatuated with a young flower-seller. When she turns up missing–and then dead–he is completely shattered. It takes C. Auguste Dupin to show him the way out of his overwhelming grief.*** And if you’re currently thinking, “well, that sounds predictable,” you would be wrong. I truly cannot say enough good things about this story–the dark opulence of the author’s style, its characterizations, its evocation of mid 19th-century France, and most particularly Volk’s Dupin, a man who cross-crosses the edges of genius and madness so adroitly that you’ll change your mind about him more than once before the story is over. “Comfort” is not precisely a horror story in the way that its companions are, but it is both suspenseful and sad–and of all of these, I think, the most likely to haunt you when Arcanum goes back to your bookshelf.

Christopher Fowler’s “The Adventure of Lucifer’s Footprints” is a more traditional tale. It’s in Watson’s voice and recounts a strange case the detective and his Boswell investigated in Devon in February of 1888. They’re there at the urgent behest of Lucy Woodham, who with her father, Crimean war hero General Sir Henry Woodham, has recently moved to the family’s run-down ancestral home, Belstowe Grange. Belstowe Downs is an isolated spot, and its villagers swear that Satan himself sends a pack of lost souls to carry off area wrong-doers–sinners such as Woodham’s groom, attacked and killed during a storm, his body found surrounded by hoofprints which seem to have appeared out of nowhere. The solution–at least as Watson sees it–puts a rift between himself and his skeptical friend which he fears will never completely heal. “Footprints” is a very competent tale which uses several favorite Conan Doyle tropes. It’s a little clipped, style-wise, and Holmes and Watson don’t engage in their usual banter. Its main difficulty, however, most likely lies in the fact that it immediately follows Volk’s tour de force. Readers should still find it entertaining.

I will confess to at first being a bit put out with “The Deadly Sin of Sherlock Holmes.” Despite my desire to be less dogmatic about AU stories, there are a very few Canon facts about which I find it difficult to be flexible, and when I saw this adventure is set in May of 1891, well, I was just not having it.† It turns out, however, that author Tom English has a very good reason for placing his story so close to the fatal event at Reichenbach (which, of course, I cannot reveal). “Deadly Sin” is a creepy tale about a Codex which inspires its readers to murder, and is shot through with witty exchanges between Holmes, Watson, and their clients–a group of monks who’ve travelled to London from Rome. The Canon references fly fast and furious, and in the end, even the Hiatus is accounted for–after a fashion.

William Meikle is the well-known author of hundreds (Really! Hundreds!) of stories in the supernatural and science fiction genres–and he’s a great fan of what is typically known as “pulp.” In “The Color that Came to Chiswick,” he sets Holmes and Watson up against a lethal green substance found in a brewery vat. It’s so hard so say more without spoiling the whole thing, but this particular adventure would probably be Holmes’ own favorite as it involves science–and caustic chemicals.

As I stated above, all but one of the stories in this anthology are original contributions. That exception is “From the Tree of Time,” by Fred Saberhagen, who passed away in 2007. Mr. Saberhagen was a well-known science fiction and fantasy author, and many Sherlockians are well-acquainted with his fondness for teaming the Great Detective with Count Dracula. This is a lively, tightly-written story, in which the Count remembers a time in which he served as Holmes’ own consultant in a blackmail case gone wrong. Like Lady Hilda in “The Adventure of the Second Stain,” the client (whom Dracula chivalrously refuses to name) was a bit “sprightly” before her marriage, and now wishes to hide the evidence. Or maybe the body. If she could find it, that is. The two men in her study are the only ones in the world who can tell her if she stands to lose her marriage–or her freedom. The denouement is both surprising and satisfying, making “Tree” my “second favorite” in the collection.

Classic nineteenth-century horror makes another appearance in the next story. In “The Adventure of the Empty House,” Holmes tells Watson, “about that chasm. I had no serious difficulty in getting out of it, for the very simple reason that I never was in it.” But what if that weren’t exactly true? What if he had fallen into the Aare River–and Watson wasn’t the first one on the scene? In “The Executioner,” Lawrence C. Connolly reveals what really happened at that fatal encounter, and why Holmes need three years to sort himself out afterward. It’s a fascinating story which takes an abrupt, dark turn at the end–and as someone who likes abrupt, dark turns, I enjoyed it greatly. That being said, I didn’t really share Holmes’ doubts in the final paragraphs, but you, as better, more sensitive people, may find yourselves in agreement.

If I were to give a prize for the most horrific story in this collection, Simon Kurt Unsworth’s “A Country Death” would win the blue ribbon, hands down. Again, it’s difficult to review a short story without giving the whole thing away, and Unsworth works so hard to hide the main facts from you that it feels wrong to provide even the slightest hint. Let’s just say that it is extremely well-written…and so disturbing that–if you wish to enjoy sweet dreams–it should not be the last thing you read before you go to bed.

Many pasticheurs like to explore what cases Sherlock Holmes may have taken on for his brother, The British Government–more familiarly known, of course, as Mycroft. In Kenneth Cockle’s “Sherlock Holmes and the Great Game,” the detective and his Boswell find themselves in Canada, investigating what appears to be a particularly dangerous Russian move in her proxy war with Britain. It’s soon revealed as a maneuver in an actual war–between the true source of Holmes’ powers and another enemy, just as ancient and just as powerful. I actually found the first explanation very clever, but I am still a little conflicted about the origins of the proffered nemesis. Holmes is right–Watson does have his work cut out for him when he goes to lay this one before the public. Perhaps Russians would be a more plausible explanation, after all.

From the Canadian north, Holmes and Watson next travel to the darkest depths of the ocean. In “Sherlock Holmes and the Diving Bell,” by Simon Clark, Holmes summons his erstwhile flatmate with one of his cryptic telegrams: “Watson. Come at once. That which cannot be. Is.” Or is it? Between the horrific account of a salvage ship disaster, the weird twin sisters, and our heroes’ claustrophobic trip down to a five year-old tomb, Clark serves up an atmospheric tale with subtle Canon overtones in which Holmes’ deductive ability ultimately proves a double-edged sword.

In “The Greatest Mystery,” Paul Kane commits one of the most common of the venial Sherlockian sins–well, I hope it’s common, as I’ve done it plenty of times myself. At the the story’s conclusion, Watson recalls (fuzzily, it must be said) that, while unraveling the case of the Six Napoleons, his friend mused: “I am just contemplating the one mystery I cannot solve: Death itself.” As happens so many times (to me, at least), Watson has inserted a Granada moment into the Canon. I have to suspect that it was done purposefully, as it is a superb quote and fits the story perfectly. While most “Holmes confronts the supernatural” adventures depict the detective either finding a rational explanation for the spooky doings, or being shaken in his logical boots, not many show him using the spirit realm to his advantage. Here he does just that, as he and Watson seek the mastermind behind a series of seemingly motiveless murder-suicides.

Tony Kane’s “The House of Blood” is unique in this collection, because it features a 21st century Sherlock Holmes. No, not either of those–this Holmes was still born circa 1854, but (as we know) he’s immortal, and he’s trying to avoid the sometimes oppressive memories of London by traveling the world…and solving crimes.†† In this episode…er, story, he’s found himself in Las Vegas, helping the police investigate a series of murders in which recent casino winners have been found dead–and drained of their blood. Vampires? Or something else? The solution is quite creative, but the best part of this entertaining offering is watching Holmes navigate modern-day Vegas–with his usual competence, and a wry sense of humor.

The final story, Kim Newman’s “The Adventure of the Six Maledictions,” I’d already read, as part of Newman’s own later collection, Moriarty: Hound of the D’Urbervilles. A complex riff on an actual poem, J. Milton Hayes’ “The Green Eye of the Little Yellow God,” it’s told in Colonel Sebastian Moran’s irresistible–if irreverent–voice. If Volk begins Arcanum with melancholy and (possibly) madness, Newman brings it to a breathtaking end with humor–and Moriarty’s own special brand of psychopathology. Even if you’ve read it before, don’t skip it–with an author like Kim Newman, there’s always something new to discover. Besides, it’s funny, and once you finish, you won’t have to leave the lights on and waste electricity. The editors are thoughtful like that.

A good many Sherlockians are not in favor of pitting Holmes against the supernatural. Not even Conan Doyle, who loved a good “creeper” would go that far. Others have no problem watching him face the uncanny in all of its many forms. If that’s you–or if you think you’re ready to take the plunge, I can’t recommend Gaslight Arcanum highly enough. Each story is well-written, respectful of the Canon, and there is enough variety in subject matter and style that you are bound to find several stories you’ll particularly enjoy. Our agency may rest “flat-footed upon the ground,” but it’s ok to stand on your tiptoes every once in awhile.

[Riju Ganguly · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the "Gaslight...." series, this third offering appears to be the weakest, despite a few bright spots. Its contents, and my personal thoughts concerning them, are:

(*) Introduction by Charles Prepolec: a candid view of the origin of this series of Holmes-dealing with-supernatural books, and some thoughts.

1) The Comfort of the Seine by Stephen Volk: a sad piece that suggests why & how Sherlock Holmes might have caught the fever (addiction?) of solving mysteries. Very gothic, very Poe-esque. "A".
2) The Adventure of Lucifer’s Footprints by Christopher Fowler: good mystery, but not even an ambiguous solution, only a few scattered thoughts. "B"
3) The Deadly Sin of Sherlock Holmes by Tom English: a chilling & succinctly told tale of Holmes pursuing a deadly grimoire. "A"
4) The Colour that Came to Chiswick by William Meikle: an adventure that belongs to the "X-Files" genre unabashedly, and is a 'fun' read. "A"
5) A Country Death by Simon K. Unsworth: another grim & unrelenting story that is well told, but which uses Holmes only for his name, and in connection with bees. This is more sci-fi horror than a mystery as such. "A"
6) From the Tree of Time by Fred Saberhagen: a short, compact, muted and beautiful piece, from the pen of a master. "A+"
7) Sherlock Holmes and the Diving Bell by Simon Clark: a superb mystery squarely fitting the "X-Files" genre. As a matter of fact, the publishers should seriously rechristen the series as "Holmes-meets-X Files" rather than "uncanny tales of Holmes", if these stories are going to be staple in future (since even in the previous volume Niel Jackson's "Celeste" was one of the high-points). "A+"
8) The Executioner by Lawrence C. Connolly: a gentle, serious, somewhat philosophical story dealing with "what might have happened if Holmes had indeed fallen down at the Reichenbach falls". "A"
9) Sherlock Holmes and the Great Game by Kevin Cockle: an incompetent piece of mystic hotchpotch that undermines this volume substantially. "B-"
10) The Greatest Mystery by Paul Kane: another mystic piece with too many open ends. Not good. "B"
11) The House of Blood by Tony Richards: a proper gothic horror story that surprisingly manages to blend Sherlock Holmes into present-day Vegas rather neatly. Good pastiche, good horror. "A+"
12) The Adventure of the Six Maledictions by Kim Newman: the best piece in the entire collection, without a single mention of Sherlock Holmes, but with lots of 'arcane' stuff thrown around for pure fun & adventure. If you feel tempted by this piece to read more Moriarty & Moran adventures, then I would like to recommend [[ASIN:0857682830 Professor Moriarty: The Hound of the DUrbervilles (Professor Moriarty Novels)]]. "A+"

So, if "A+" is 5, "A" is 4, "B" is 3 and "B-" is 2, then what is the weighted average score of this book? 4.0 out of 5! Recommended, obviously.

[Philip Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection is the fifth by this pair of editors and it is, perhaps, their best yet. The first two collections consisted mostly of more conventional writings that told some of the Untold Tales. The three later collections lean strongly toward the eerie and outré. A few of the tales in this book can be explained by modern science and rational circumstances, but even that is not always comforting. All are interesting, some are exceptional and a few are unpleasant.

“The Comfort of the Seine” is a novella by Stephen Volk. In it we watch a painfully young Sherlock Holmes take a vacation from his studies at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge (where I have always believed he studied) to visit Paris with friends. There Sherlock falls in love, acquires a mentor and selects a profession, all with a large dose of adolescent angst. Strict Sherlockians may disagree with the author’s premise, as do I, but it is still an interesting and insightful tale. “The Adventure of Lucifer’s Footprints” is a short story by Christopher Fowler that tells of an evil done during the Crimean war and its ghastly punishment in Devon. “The Deadly Sin of Sherlock Holmes” is a imaginative novella by Tom English that provides an alternative cause for “The Great Hiatus” and a name source for the “Napoleon of Crime.”

“The Color That Came to Chiswick” is a short story by William Meikle that tells about sabotage in a brewery, or of something in a brewery. What is really going on or growing up in Chiswick is open to question. “From the Tree of Time” is a short story by Fred Saberhagen that tells an incident in his ‘life of Dracula’ series. The Count is asked by Holmes to lend his expertise to an investigation and his comments lead to a quick solution. “The Executioner” is a short story by Lawrence C. Connolly that takes place following events in “The Final Problem.” There seems to be an unnamed book by the original Dr. Frankenstein, known to Sherlock but not to the reviewer, that explains much about the central character in this tale. In the end, Sherlock sets out on “The Great Hiatus” for far different reasons than those given in “The Adventure of the Empty House.”

“A Country Death” is a short Novella by Simon Curt Unsworth that describes the death of Holmes and its investigation by some unfortunate policemen. Sadly, a countryman or a biologist would find serious problems with the evidence and events as presented. “Sherlock Holmes and the Great Game” is a short story by Kevin Cockle that tells of a mission by Holmes and Watson to the Canadian Arctic at the behest of the Crown, or of some Higher Authority. “Sherlock Holmes and the Diving Bell” is a short story by Simon Clark that is a bit confusing and disjoint.

“The Greatest Mystery” is a short story by Paul Kane that pits Holmes and Watson against their greatest opponent. While final victory is unsure, a small battle is won. “The House of Blood” is a short story by Tony Richards. It presents Holmes in 21st Century Las Vegas and is a more interesting story than one would expect from the premise. “The Adventure of the Six Maledictions” is a novella by Kim Newman that is worth the price of the entire book. It is an even more hilarious narrative by the Colonel Moran of “A Volume in Vermillion” that tells the problems he and Professor Moriarty encounter dealing with the minions of ‘a one-eyed yellow idol.’

This compilation is certainly worth the price. If all of the stories are not to your taste, some certainly will be. The variety of tales is wide, with something (or things) for everyone’s tastes.

Reviewed by: Philip K. Jones, November 2011
Published in “Doctor Watson’s Formulary,” [#21, 09/2012]

[Winry Weiss · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have put off reading "Gaslight series" forever, and I really don't know why had I done that. Those are fantastic, amongst the best holmesian anthologies I've ever read. Sure, as in any anthology, there are both superb and somewhat-weak stories, but overall, they suit very well together and it is a pleasure to read.

Continuing in the vein of supernatural stories, Holmes is once again facing adversaries outside of his comfort zone of cold logic.

The Comfort of the Seine by Stephen Volk - Weakest opening piece so far, and yet, it is quite a page-turner. Interesting premise of Holmes' origin story featuring E.A. Poe himself. 4/5
The Adventure of Lucifer's Footprints by Christopher Fowler - Weird one, quite reminiscent of Carnacki's Horse of the Invisible in theme, but failing to deliver the creeping sense of dread. 2/5
The Deadly Sin of Sherlock Holmes by Tom English - A book that is said to compel those who read it to commit hideous deeds is stolen from a locked room. Interesting reimagination of the canonical events that lead to Reichenbach. 3/5
The Color that Came to Chiswick by William Meikle - Hats off, now I'd like to read some of Meikle's holmesian novel. Industrial sabotage in local brewery turns out to have more... otherwordly origin. Lovely lovecraftian. 5/5
From the Tree of Time by Fred Saberhagen - By the merest coincidence I've read both Saberhagen's Holmes-featuring novels from his Dracula series a couple months before taking up this book. Quite literary 2 months before. Not bad as a stand-alone, but you'd certainly appreciate it more had you read The Holmes-Dracula File as well. 4/5
The Executioner by Lawrence C. Connolly - Not a mystery, but a slow, almost philosophical atmospheric piece that deals with the premise that Holmes indeed fall down at Reichenbach. And had been rescued by none other than Frankenstein's monster. 4/5
A Country Death by Simon Kurt Unsworth - I love how misleading this story is. You expect one thing, it plays along, only to twist everything around and deliver a killing-blow. Not only once, but twice. A detective is called to investigate a death of an old recluse. Holmes is very arrogantly in character, the murderer strikes again and bees are restless and displeased. 5/5
Sherlock Holmes and the Great Game by Kevin Cockle - I want a whole series of this. It's not as breath-taking as James lovegrove the cthulhu casebooks series 3 books collection set, but it plays along the same idea, and it's delightful. 4/5
Sherlock Holmes and the Diving Bell by Simon Clark - The ending was a tad let-down, but overall, the atmospheric built-up of this story is creepily beautiful. 5/5
The Greatest Mystery by Paul Kane - Well, we don't get many stories where the culprit is the Death itself. 3/5
The House of Blood by Tony Richards - Immortal Sherlock Holmes investigates a string of murders in contemporary Las Vegas. Again, I'd appreciate a whole series build upon this premise. 4/5
The Adventure of the Six Maledictions by Kim Newman - My absolute favourite from 'Basher' Moran stories. A delightful mess of literary references, many famous antagonists from various Victorian stories in chase of titular cursed objects. *mwah* 5/5

[Sem · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a better collection than Gaslight Grimoire but I can't give more than 3 stars to a multi-author work as the quality is invariably uneven and the weaker offerings drag the others down. As you can tell, I don't like short story collections on the whole but I'm always up for a Holmes pastiche. One criticism I have that applies to several of the stories concerns the abrupt or inadequate conclusions. The end should be the place where the story naturally stops rather than where the author seems to have run out of ideas about how to finish. This has nothing to do with the nature of the short story and everything to do with the skill of the author. A quick overview:

1. Stephen Volk, 'The Comfort of the Seine': Nicely done and the kind of story I can't resist (even if I have trouble with Holmes' implausible taste in women).
2. Christopher Fowler, 'The Adventure of Lucifer's Footprints': Weak.
3. Tom English, 'The Deadly Sin of Sherlock Holmes': A good idea but it's hard to read and wince at the same time. The story should have been Britpicked for Americanisms. Having said that, it needs to be a novel.
4. William Meikle, 'The Colour That Came to Chiswick': Too much deliquescence. Oh lord, how I do hate deliquescence. Rather good otherwise but see above comment about endings.
5. Fred Saberhagen, 'From the Tree of Time': Light - and meant to be so - but I've enjoyed Dracula's various outings by this author.
6. Lawrence C. Connelly, 'The Executioner': Very good and likely to be enjoyed by readers who enjoyed Volk's story as it pushes the same button.
7. Simon Kurt Unsworth, 'A Country Death': I admit that I hated this one. Predictable all the way through, boring, not really a Holmes pastiche, oh boy did I ever see that end coming. YMMV.
8. Kevin Cockle, 'Sherlock Holmes and the Great Game': There was a good idea in here somewhere but the author didn't find it. Pulp pulp pulp.
9. Simon Clark, 'Sherlock Holmes and the Diving Bell': Atmospheric and finely done until the last moment when a bit of sentiment from Holmes came out of left field and utterly deflated the end.
10. Paul Kane, 'The Greatest Mystery': Good.
11. Tony Richards, 'The House of Blood': By this point in the volume I appreciated the wit and the setting.
12. Kim Newman, 'The Adventure of the Six Maledictions': This is where I say that I'm a big Newman fan so if you like him, you'll like this. If you don't, you won't. Gaslight Grimoire would have been unmemorable without his contribution. That wasn't the case with this book but it's all the better for his presence.

And that was more than I needed to say or anyone needs to read.

[Bailey Marissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an anthology so bear with me.

THE COMFOR OF THE SEINE - Just skip the first half. Holmes is portrayed as a wimpy guy with a crush. I was having flashbacks to Sherlock in Love: A Novel and about threw the book across the room. (Also avoid that book as much as you can.) The second half however, it's great; there's a special guest and a mention of Phantom of the Opera. (What? I'm a phangirl. Sue me.)

THE ADVENTURE OF LUCIFER'S FOOTPRINTS - Acts and sounds canon; nothing bad about it.

THE DEADLY SIN OF SHERLOCK HOLMES - This one is the obligatory Jack the Ripper story, mixed with a FINAL PROBLEM AU. (But it has a twist, so it's interesting)

THE COLOR THAT CAME TO CHISWICK - This one is pretty intense, but worth it.

Both FROM THE TREE OF TIME and THE EXECUTIONER are awesome and have fun special guests.

A COUNTRY DEATH - HOLY PLOT TWIST BATMAN.

SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE GREAT GAME - This is great. Read it.

SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE DIVING BELL - YES This one is really great.

THE GREATEST MYSTERY - Again, acts and seems canon.

THE HOUSE OF BLOOD - YEEEEESSSSSS. This one is my fave. Also, STAR TREK.

Ok, with just these: Recommended for 11+ for mild language (no more than five words I'm pretty sure.), violence, and creepy things.

THE ADVENTURES OF THE SIX MALEDICTIONS - So this one shoots the rating up pretty high, but it's an interesting story.

Now recommended for 15+ for ADULT SITUATIONS, so much language, and violence.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here is a new collection of fantasy/mystery stories about that most famous of detectives, Sherlock Holmes.

Who was Sherlock Holmes before he became a famous detective? He was a student at Cambridge University, who, while living in Paris, learned the art of detection from another famous person, Edgar Allan Poe. Holmes and Watson travel to the English countryside, where, according to the locals, the Devil himself is causing hoofprints from invisible horses to appear in the turf during frequent storms.

A book, but not just any book, has disappeared from the monastery where it has been under lock and key for several hundred years. It is a compnedium of evil, hideous acts; when anyone reads from the book, they are compelled to enact what they have read. The passage then disappears from the book. Can a book actually be a malevolent, living thing?

Despite Holmes' well-known disbelief in the supernatural, a strange green slime may be legitimately alien. It hypnotizes its victim, before it turns them into a mass of green protoplasm. In another story, Holmes is assisted by a certain Count named Dracula. Another tale takes place in 21st Century Las Vegas.

Five years previously, a disaster on a salvage ship left a man on the ocean bottom in a diving bell. Now, he seems to be alive and communicating from the diving bell. Is it possible, or is the explanation more down-to-earth?

This is a gem of a collection. Fantasy fans will love it, and so will Holmes fans. Those who enjoy good writing, in general, will also love it.

[El · Rating 4 out of 5]

As always in an anthology of stories, some appeal and some don't. The best story by far was Kim Newman's 'The Adventure of the Six Maledictions' - part of his Moriarty & Moran Victorian mash-up series - but unfortunately I'd already read it. Still, it's an excellent story (without it, I'd have given this 3 stars). I also enjoyed Christopher Fowler's effort - he has a good knack for Holmes stories. I also liked the story he wrote told from Mrs Hudson's point of view.

I enjoyed most of them, but at least two of the stories really, really irritated me by once again getting the drugs thing wrong. It's not complicated. Holmes uses cocaine and sometimes morphine when he hasn't got a case - when he's bored. He never uses it on a case. And he never takes opium. There's a whole sequence in (I think) The Man With the Twisted Lip where he assures a concerned Watson that he'd never touch the stuff because it clouds the mental faculties. Pedantic irritations aside, I enjoyed all the stories (apart from possibly the one with the magic knife that solves all of Holmes' cases for him...) a lot more than many Holmes pastiches I've read in the past. I was reading this concurrently with 'A Study in Sherlock' and it's this one I've kept reading and the other that has got left on a table to finish later.

[Eddy · Rating 4 out of 5]

My full review is on Flames Rising: http://www.flamesrising.com/gaslight-...

Conclusion: Every anthology ends up having a few stories that don’t appeal, and this one is much the same. But most of the stories are good for a variety of reasons, and the last two stories are absolutely worth the price of admission. If you are a fan of Sherlock Holmes and novel approaches to well-loved characters, this anthology is well worth a look.

[Danny Dunn · Rating 5 out of 5]

In my opinion very true to the characters of Holmes and Watson, at least as close as possible given the setting.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good stories by good authors. An anthology well worth reading if you like Sherlock on the dark side.

[Josh Hitch · Rating 3 out of 5]

Its a fairly uneven collection with really good tales starring Holmes and tales that seem to drag out. The better ones include Stephen Volk's tale of a young Sherlock being taught by a presumed dead writer that just happened to have faked his death. Also William Meikle's Lovecraftian tale where Holmes stumbled across a cosmic blob in some beer. Fred Saberhagen's tale of Dracula recounting a meeting with Holmes where another vampire may have been the culprit was also well done. Finally another good one is by Lawrence C. Connolly, a story of how Holmes survived his quick descent from the falls, it involves a monster that was created by a mad man that you have heard about before. So out of twelve tales, I really enjoyed four, not great, though several of the others were ok, with only two or three I just didn't care for.

I would recommend the four I mentioned, as far as the collection overall I can't recommend. If you are just a lover of Holmes pastiche then this could scratch your itch. The final novella by Kim Newman is actually a Moriarty story without Holmes, its written like a bad Nero Wolfe novel, though its somewhat humorous just too long for the payoff.

[Lesley Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Though the stories were entertaining, the quality of storytelling felt less professional than the previous Gaslight series. I was mildly hooked throughout, but once you came to the "The Six Maledictions" by Kim Newman at the end, you can see that this particular story out-classes the entire rest of the collection. This ends up harming the rest of the stories by showing their weaknesses in the narrative as a whole. It's a shame. But, still entertaining for those who like their Sherlock mixed with some supernatural.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really good and varied collection of supernatural Holmesiana by a wide range of authors.

[Paul SWITZER · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great collection.

Hardly any misfires. I particularly liked the Moriarty & Moran tale, and will buy one of their novels soon. Recommended.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Comfort of the Seine - Stephen Volk (2/5): So really Holmes was a normal guy until he met up with the so totally not dead Edgar Allan Poe and learned his mad skills of deduction from him. That's basically it and I just didn't particularly like it.

The Adventure of Lucifer's Footprints - Christopher Fowler (3/5): Rather average mystery with the supernatural twist. Just sort of happened and then ended and then it's alluded that there's some great rift between Holmes and Watson because of their differing opinions but really it's just Holmes telling Watson that he can't believe this because he's a man of science. Hardly a rift.

The Deadly Sin of Sherlock Holmes - Tom English (4/5): A book that makes even the most noble men do horrible things. It is fantastic and creepy and then Holmes actually needs to remove himself from England to get over (or reconcile) what happened. Loved that idea as an explanation for the Hiatus. there are also some lovely Holmes one liners here - commenting that the book must have flown up the chimney was snort worthy as well as his longing to put his bed on top of the huge hearth. I shall never be cold again! lol

The Color that Came to Chiswick - William Meikle (5/5): I love this one. Lovecraftian, pulpy, just damn odd. We have a creepy green substance that has turned up at a brewery. Is it intelligent? What happens to its victims is simply ghastly. Lovely spine chilling read

From the Tree of Time - Fred Saberhagen (2/5): Holmes and Dracula solve a mystery together. *shrug*

The Executioner - Lawrence C. Connolly (4.5/5): Holmes actually does die from the Fall and he is brought back by some obvious and not obvious all at once. Very well done and very faithful to both stories mentioned here. The conclusion with what became of Moriarty ends the story perfectly, and gives a more accountable reason for Holmes' three year absence.

A Country Death -Simon Kurt Unsworth (3.5/5): Holmes and another man are dead, bodies absolutely a mess. We find out exactly what Holmes was doing with the bees on the downs. Creepy is certainly the word.

Sherlock Holmes and the Great Game - Kevin Cockle (2/5): We're in the canadian arctic but really this is about how Holmes' powers really come from a zulu knife. That's about it, though I did like that watson got to be a crackshot in this one.

Sherlock Holmes and the Diving Bell - Simon Clark (5/5): come at once, the impossible is. The solution may seem easy enough but that glorious tension its just that. The real reason Holmes took the case as well is also very heartbreaking and well done.

The Greatest Mystery - Paul Kane (5/5): Murder suicide epidemic and Sherlock Holmes takes on death. Literally. Read this for that alone.

The house of blood - Tony Richards (1/5): immortal holmes in the modern day. Just too weird for me thw manitou made more sense.

The adventure of the six maledictions - Kim Newman (4/5): Moran and Moriarty get their hands on as many cursed objects as possible. Moran as the narrator is delicious. It is funny, creepy, and oh so well done.

[Cris · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was expecting a collection of mystery/detective stories featuring supernatural/paranormal features. That's not what this collection contains, though. Several of the stories are mysterious, but only one or two are actual mysteries.

I prefer Watson to accompany my Holmes, so I wasn't thrilled with "The Comfort of the Seine" from the start. But Holmes was so out-of-character that I couldn't finish the story.

"The Adventure of Lucifer's Footprints" by Christopher Fowler is weak at best. It's a sketch or outline of a story rather than the finished product. And even though Fowler included an explanation, I *still* don't understand the antagonists' motivation.

"The Deadly Sin of Sherlock Holmes" by Tom English is much better. It's a decent mystery, and I like the characterizations of both Holmes and Watson.

"The Color That Came To Chiswick" by William Meikle isn't really a mystery, even if it's a bit mysterious. I really liked the characterization of Watson in Meikle's story. The ending's a bit abrupt and leaves too many unanswered questions in comparison to Doyle's stories. But I liked the story, nevertheless.

"From the Tree of Time" by Fred Saberhagen was another enjoyable story. And I liked the twist at the end, especially that it was Holmes who spotted the clue.

"The Executioner" by Lawrence Connolly was serviceable, I suppose.

"A Country Death" by Simon Kurt Unsworth was kinda mean, to both Holmes and the Holmes fan. It starts as a mystery, but overall I'd call it horror. *shivers*

"Sherlock Holmes and the Great Game" by Kevin Cockle -- Odd. It reads like an excerpt from a longer story with lots of unexplained reference. No mystery here, unless you're like me trying to figure out what happened in this story.

"Sherlock Holmes and the Diving Bell" by Simon Clark offers a half-decent mystery with a paranormal/supernatural bent.

"The Greatest Mystery" by Paul Kane. Well done! This is what I was expecting from this story collection. Kane offers a mystery with a supernatural bent.

"The House of Blood" by Tony Richards. Well done! This is the kind of story I was looking for, a well-written paranormal mystery. And I like the fact that Holmes hasn't forgotten Watson.

"The Adventure of the Six Maledictions" by Kim Newman. Rather more humorous than I expected. Our narrator, thief and murderer Sebastian Moran, offers his thoughts as he tells a story of crimes created rather than solved. For example, he advises against the stealing of heathen idols for "any cult which can afford to use priceless ornaments in church decoration can extend limitless travel allowance to assassins. They have on permanent call the sort of determined, ruthless little sods who'll cross the whole world to retrieve their bauble and behead the infidel who snaffled it."

[robyn · Rating 1 out of 5]

As a horror OR a Holmes collection, this is so-so. Its best horror story left me disgruntled, due to an unexpected but unwelcome twist, and its best overall story doesn't contain Holmes at all, it's about Moriarty and Moran. The best story ABOUT Holmes was probably the first one, The Comfort of the Seine, and that's less because I actually liked it than because it was original and presented a dark, interesting slant on Holmes' emotional distance.

Here and there, there was a line or a story plot that I thought good, but more often I got the impression that these stories were written quickly, to meet a deadline. I've read two of these Gaslight compilations now, and I'm not terribly impressed; most of the short stories contained are neither fish nor fowl, neither horror nor mystery, and too often not all that good.

To the used book store with 'em.

[Anna Lord · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love a book of short stories for lots of reasons but the main one is the bringing together of different authorial voices. Here, some tales are more gripping than others but none are disappointing. Genres you wouldn't normally wade through in a large novel take you quickly to new worlds when served up short and sweet - science fiction, horror fiction, gung-ho adventure - they are all here. Sherlock and a Satanic diving bell, Sherlock and Poe, Sherlock and some mutant bees, and the tongue-in-cheek tale of Colonel Sebastian 'Sardonic' Moran. So easy to enjoy.

[Jenny T · Rating 3 out of 5]

This anthology of paranormal-themed Sherlock Holmes tales was a bit lukewarm, except for the first and last stories. The Comfort of the Seine by Stephen Volk proposed an intriguing idea for Holmes's origins and captured the language of the originals beautifully. The Adventure of the Six Maledictions by Kim Newman was an absolute treat, told from the point of view (and in the unique voice) of one of Moriarty's henchmen.

Worth requesting from the library for those two stories!

[Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Any multi-author anthology is likely to be uneven. Mixing the macabre with Sherlock Holmes adds to that, as it may places Holmes in an environment that you are uncomfortable with. A few of the stories were pretty good (especially the one about the very young Holmes and the one the one with no Holmes at all, written by Sebastian Moran), but several of them were just a little too weird for my tastes.

[Leslie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I would have given this book three stars, but I found the last story to be just so excruciatingly long and dull that it knocks a star off for me. It seems that a lot of reviewers don't agree with me, since quite a few seem to be citing that story as the best, but I kept wondering if it would ever end. De gustibus non est disputandum!

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nowhere near as good as the precious entries in this series. Saved only by the inclusion of gems like Kim Newman's "The Adventure of the Six Maledictions"

[Kris Ivy · Rating 4 out of 5]

amazing short stories that bring into question how Sherlock Holmes would respond to the supernatural. Some where he is actually a part of it himself.