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The Untold Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
In the year 1933 an elderly Dr John Watson is looking back over his life and his time spent with his brilliant friend and master of deduction Sherlock Holmes. He writes in a letter to the reader that he has assembled a list of seven untold adventures that span from his and Sherlock's early years until the time of Sherlock's retirement. Watson explains that he wishes to leave, not only his family but the public with a final compilation of Adventures that he and Sherlock shared while he is still able. In these seven stories Holmes and Watson are caught in the middle of multiple Government Scandals (Acquitted Client & Diamond Jubilee) cold blooded murders (Poisoned Affair & Saint Mary's Murder) and Terrorist groups (The Yellow Handkerchief). As well Holmes and Watson come face to face the spirits of darkness (The Haunted Hotel) and in a story that works through over a decade of Holmes's cases, we learn the truth about Watson's marital life and what happened to his wife Mary after Holmes's apparent death at Reichenbach (The Solved Problem).These Untold Adventures of Sherlock Holmes will engage Holmes fans from all over and will bring them deeper into the world of Sherlock Holmes and the complexities within.
215 pages, Paperback
First published August 2, 2012
5 people are currently reading
1176 people want to read
About the author
Luke Benjamen Kuhns
17 books52 followersLuke Kuhns is an international crime writer and reviewer. He is a master storyteller with a wonderful sense of the macabre which has captivated audiences around the world. His two best selling novellas Sherlock Holmes Studies in Legacy and The Scarlet Thread of Murder have been praised by critics and fans of Sherlock Holmes. Luke has also authored two graphic novels including Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Crystal Blue Bottle and the critically acclaimed bone chilling horror Sherlock Holmes & The Horror of Frankenstein, the world’s first Sherlock Holmes and Frankenstein graphic novel.
He has contributed to several crime fiction and academic collections inducing Beyond Watson, The MX Book of New Sherlock Holmes Stories Vol 1, and Fan Phenomena Sherlock Holmes.
His latest title, Welcome to Undershaw: A Brief History of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle The Man Who Created Sherlock Holmes, is a move into biographies. Luke has written a wonderful and unique history about Conan Doyle, his writings and his time living at his Surrey home, Undershaw.
Luke has spoken at the University College London’s Past and Present Conference, debated in the Great Sherlock Holmes Debate 3 and 4, and has been featured on Japanese TV Network NHK. Luke’s official website is a multimedia platform where he releases exclusive short stories and reviews popular tv series, films, books and more.
He has contributed to several crime fiction and academic collections inducing Beyond Watson, The MX Book of New Sherlock Holmes Stories Vol 1, and Fan Phenomena Sherlock Holmes.
His latest title, Welcome to Undershaw: A Brief History of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle The Man Who Created Sherlock Holmes, is a move into biographies. Luke has written a wonderful and unique history about Conan Doyle, his writings and his time living at his Surrey home, Undershaw.
Luke has spoken at the University College London’s Past and Present Conference, debated in the Great Sherlock Holmes Debate 3 and 4, and has been featured on Japanese TV Network NHK. Luke’s official website is a multimedia platform where he releases exclusive short stories and reviews popular tv series, films, books and more.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
November 23, 2021
I really enjoyed this collection of Sherlock Holmes stories.
Told by Dr. Watson and very much in the style of the original Arthur Conan Doyle tales, they cover a wide variety off mysteries to puzzle the intrepid duo. From a haunted hotel to a taxi scam that preys on rich, young women to visits with the Queen nothing baffles the great detective, which is exactly what fans of the investigating detective expect.
If you're a Holmes fan, this one's a must.
Told by Dr. Watson and very much in the style of the original Arthur Conan Doyle tales, they cover a wide variety off mysteries to puzzle the intrepid duo. From a haunted hotel to a taxi scam that preys on rich, young women to visits with the Queen nothing baffles the great detective, which is exactly what fans of the investigating detective expect.
If you're a Holmes fan, this one's a must.
August 29, 2021
A pastiche wrote in the traditional style, a collection of good stories based in great ideas, some of them greatly executed, others... not so much :P
I particularly enjoyed 'The Solved Problem' which deals with Mary Watson's death and 'The Adventure of the Haunted Hotel'
A writer to keep an eye on.
I particularly enjoyed 'The Solved Problem' which deals with Mary Watson's death and 'The Adventure of the Haunted Hotel'
A writer to keep an eye on.
September 28, 2012
This is a really good attempt to recreate the voice and magic of the original Sherlock Holmes stories. The plots of each short story are the true strength of this book and contain some very clever and imaginative ideas. My particular favourite is The Adventure of St Mary's Murder because I think that the deductions in this one are very strong and Holmesian, for example (spoiler alert) 'The broken window provided an interesting clue. We were told someone broke in, though in all reality Leonora was trying to break out. Down on the lawn lay hundreds of pieces of glass. Glass that, if someone was trying to break into the church from the outside, would have fallen on the floor of the sanctuary.' My only criticism would be that there are a few typing errors scattered here-and-there, and at times the odd phrase sounds a bit too contemporary but don't be put off by this - the stories are great and I would highly recommend this book to any Holmes fan. A very enjoyable read.
February 10, 2013
Maybe I received an mis-printed copy of an early draft because my reading experience was very different from the other reviewers here.
The writing is horrible. The misplaced and missing punctuation and improper capitalization could be the result of bad copy-editing, but other grammar issues (such as confused verb tenses) lead me to believe the punctuation issues also originate with the author.
I don't mean to be be cruel, but I wouldn't judge The Untold Adventures of Sherlock Holmes to be professional-level writing. It reads more like an early work of an amateur writer. Someone who needs a really, *really* good editor.
I can't say anything about the plots of the stories because I was too distracted by the grammar issues to follow the plots.
The writing is horrible. The misplaced and missing punctuation and improper capitalization could be the result of bad copy-editing, but other grammar issues (such as confused verb tenses) lead me to believe the punctuation issues also originate with the author.
I don't mean to be be cruel, but I wouldn't judge The Untold Adventures of Sherlock Holmes to be professional-level writing. It reads more like an early work of an amateur writer. Someone who needs a really, *really* good editor.
I can't say anything about the plots of the stories because I was too distracted by the grammar issues to follow the plots.
March 21, 2016
Some research on best Sherlock Holmes Pastiches would've told me this book isn't up there. While the stories are almost enjoyable, the lucid verbiage of ACD and those explanations made of compound sentences are absent. When I picked this one, I thought I'm hungry for more Holmesian adventures, but after reading it I understood my hunger. It was for ACD's simple and eloquent writing technique.
To it's benefit, the book has an interesting connection between Mary, Moriarty, Moran and Doctor. The last story.
To it's benefit, the book has an interesting connection between Mary, Moriarty, Moran and Doctor. The last story.
March 3, 2020
I don't know whether to blame the author or the publisher, but there were parts of this book that were hard to read because I was distracted by errors. Twice the author used the word 'etched' when it was clearly meant to be 'edged'. There were other grammar and typographical errors.
Overall, the stories were okay.
Overall, the stories were okay.
January 17, 2022
The first thing I did after reading this was see if he had written any other books. Usually there is one or two you don’t enjoy. This one had none. Every story was new and captured the Holmes world beautifully.
Great pastiches. Loved this one.
Great pastiches. Loved this one.
May 27, 2022
My dad used to read the books of Sherlock Holmes and for me they have the plots well written. :3
June 22, 2025
The Untold Adventures of Sherlock Holmes is a collection of short stories that dares to fill in the gaps, the whispers, and the silences of the great detective’s long, storied career. Luke Benjamen Kuhns captures the tone of Doyle’s canon with admirable skill—Watson’s voice feels steady and true, and Holmes is as maddeningly brilliant and unpredictable as ever. But what sets this collection apart is its willingness to explore territory Doyle only hinted at: political intrigue, occult overtones, psychological complexity, and darker moral quandaries. Some stories stretch the boundary of traditional pastiche into bold reimagining, while others sit snugly beside the originals, like long-lost cousins returning home. Not every tale is a masterpiece, but the ambition behind the collection is deeply satisfying.
I picked up this book on a day that had gone all wrong—late rain, lost papers, a cold cup of tea. But by the third page, I was back in Baker Street, and nothing else mattered. Holmes was deducting, Watson was narrating, and the world felt orderly again. There’s a kind of comfort in returning to familiar footsteps, even when they lead into new shadows.
I picked up this book on a day that had gone all wrong—late rain, lost papers, a cold cup of tea. But by the third page, I was back in Baker Street, and nothing else mattered. Holmes was deducting, Watson was narrating, and the world felt orderly again. There’s a kind of comfort in returning to familiar footsteps, even when they lead into new shadows.
September 13, 2024
Doctor Watson now elderly, decides to tell some of the stories he would not disclose till all concerned had past away and no harm would occur upon their release. Some of the stories are a bit darker than usual. Loved them!
November 18, 2014
This collection includes seven novellas drawn from a variety of times during Holmes’ career. The letter by Dr. Watson that precedes the stories explains that these tales were not told earlier for a variety of reasons but mostly to prevent further harm to the victims. There seems to be no common thread or theme among the tales included.
“The Adventure of the Poisoned Affair” tells of Holmes’ involvement, at the request of the new widow, in the investigation of an apparent suicide by poison. Anomalies at the scene convince Holmes that the ‘suicide’ is actually a murder. “The Adventure of the Yellow Handkerchief” leads Holmes and Watson into the world of Thuggee. Inspector Lestrade asks Holmes to help with a series of murders that are otherwise unrelated except for yellow handkerchiefs left at the scenes. The story also presents a selection of other potential clients and their problems.
“The Adventure of the Haunted Hotel” presents a mystery with its roots firmly placed in the past. Holmes and Watson are faced with hatreds and superstitions based on a pirate raid carried out at the beginning of the Eighteenth Century. The solution requires drastic action and careful planning. “The Adventure of the Acquitted Client” details a well-organized and executed scam based on common legal practice in Victorian England. Again, the solution calls for a great deal of planning and active detective work.
“The Adventure of St. Mary’s Murder” has Holmes called in to help the local police on another series of murders. Attractive young women are being murdered and left in churches in the Manchester area. There seems to be no connection except the youth and attractiveness of the victims. Holmes and Watson manage to identify and trap the monster responsible, along with evidence to convict for multiple murders. “The Adventure of the Diamond Jubilee” has Inspector Lestrade seeking Holmes’ help in dealing with an apparent threat by Muslim extremists against the Queen at Her Diamond Jubilee. A resurrected Moriarty seems to be at the base of this problem and Holmes must persuade the Queen to accept his advice and control of events in order to ensure Her safety.
The final story, “The Solved Problem,” rewrites some elements of “The Empty House” and reveals the details of the death of Mary Morstan Watson. In addition, the elements of the renewed Moriarty presence mentioned in earlier stories is explained and examined. Many elements of this tale are quite personal and painful for Watson and telling it is difficult and revealing.
This book was fairly well edited. I found only a couple of spelling errors, but there were a number of homonym errors. For example, writing “past” for “passed” and visa-versa occurred several times, along with various, similar errors. There were also odd errors in subject/predicate agreement and a few other such problems. Another problem for Sherlockians is the difference between these tales and those from the Canon. I cannot put my finger on the stylistic details, for Watson is kept thoroughly in the dark by Holmes, but the difference is one of taste and viewpoint, so don’t look for new Canonical tales. On the other hand, these are interesting and puzzling mysteries and the author worked to recreate the world of The Canon.
Reviewed by: Philip K. Jones, October 2012
“The Adventure of the Poisoned Affair” tells of Holmes’ involvement, at the request of the new widow, in the investigation of an apparent suicide by poison. Anomalies at the scene convince Holmes that the ‘suicide’ is actually a murder. “The Adventure of the Yellow Handkerchief” leads Holmes and Watson into the world of Thuggee. Inspector Lestrade asks Holmes to help with a series of murders that are otherwise unrelated except for yellow handkerchiefs left at the scenes. The story also presents a selection of other potential clients and their problems.
“The Adventure of the Haunted Hotel” presents a mystery with its roots firmly placed in the past. Holmes and Watson are faced with hatreds and superstitions based on a pirate raid carried out at the beginning of the Eighteenth Century. The solution requires drastic action and careful planning. “The Adventure of the Acquitted Client” details a well-organized and executed scam based on common legal practice in Victorian England. Again, the solution calls for a great deal of planning and active detective work.
“The Adventure of St. Mary’s Murder” has Holmes called in to help the local police on another series of murders. Attractive young women are being murdered and left in churches in the Manchester area. There seems to be no connection except the youth and attractiveness of the victims. Holmes and Watson manage to identify and trap the monster responsible, along with evidence to convict for multiple murders. “The Adventure of the Diamond Jubilee” has Inspector Lestrade seeking Holmes’ help in dealing with an apparent threat by Muslim extremists against the Queen at Her Diamond Jubilee. A resurrected Moriarty seems to be at the base of this problem and Holmes must persuade the Queen to accept his advice and control of events in order to ensure Her safety.
The final story, “The Solved Problem,” rewrites some elements of “The Empty House” and reveals the details of the death of Mary Morstan Watson. In addition, the elements of the renewed Moriarty presence mentioned in earlier stories is explained and examined. Many elements of this tale are quite personal and painful for Watson and telling it is difficult and revealing.
This book was fairly well edited. I found only a couple of spelling errors, but there were a number of homonym errors. For example, writing “past” for “passed” and visa-versa occurred several times, along with various, similar errors. There were also odd errors in subject/predicate agreement and a few other such problems. Another problem for Sherlockians is the difference between these tales and those from the Canon. I cannot put my finger on the stylistic details, for Watson is kept thoroughly in the dark by Holmes, but the difference is one of taste and viewpoint, so don’t look for new Canonical tales. On the other hand, these are interesting and puzzling mysteries and the author worked to recreate the world of The Canon.
Reviewed by: Philip K. Jones, October 2012
April 3, 2016
The Untold Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Luke Benjamen Kuhns
My thanks to Steve and Timi at MX Publications for my review copy of this book.
The seven stories in this volume are cases never given to the public by Dr. Watson…
“The Adventure of the Poisoned Affair” involves adventurer Jackson Hardy’s sudden death. Although it is ruled a suicide and a note has been found, the man’s wife believes that he has been murdered. The neighbor and friend of the Hardys, a Mr. Timothy Strong is advising the widow to return to South Africa. As for the poison, Mr. Hardy was doing a study on poisons and almost everything in the house was poison; plants, animals, and minerals.
“The Adventure of the Yellow Handkerchief” involves several murders where a yellow handkerchief is the only clue left behind. Targeted are members of the Sleeman family. Years ago, Mr. Sleeman Sr. had put down a rebellion of the Thuggee and adopted an Indian girl. And the yellow handkerchief is the calling card of the Thuggee, a cult of fanatics from India...
“The Adventure of the Haunted Hotel” sends Holmes and Watson to Porlock in October of 1885. A local man, Mr. Bradson, has had strange things happen in the hotel his wife inherited and that they are remodeling as both their home and a business. Mrs. Bradson is said to be cursed…
“The Adventure of the Acquitted Client” takes place in the summer of 1887. Miss Tabitha O’Neil has been jailed and taken to court on the flimsy accusation that she was trying to bilk a cabdriver out of his fare. She had told him she had to go inside to get the money, but as she was a bit drunk, she was arrested by the police. She then was given a lawyer and has been appearing before a judge to have her record cleared…
“The Adventure of the St. Mary’s Murder” takes Holmes and Watson to Manchester. A young woman has been found murderer on the altar of St. Mary’s church with her wrists slit. And she makes the third woman to die in various area churches over several years…
“The Adventure of the Diamond Jubilee” finds Holmes and Watson working directly for Queen Victoria. Her carriage on the train exploded killing two guards. A third barely leaped to safety. The Queen had been warned and wasn’t on the train.
This story has the side issue of Holmes’ fear that an heir to Moriarty is pulling strings of crime anew. Suspicion falls on the Muslim Patriotic League (MPL,) who has a man very close to the Queen named Abdul Karim as a member…
“The Solved Problem” deals directly with the death of Mary Morstan. Due to the circumstances described, Watson was careful about saying who his second wife was or exactly where they lived…
All of the stories have elements that make them rather unique! I felt that Mr. Kuhns did a fair job of imitating Conan Doyle. There were minor discrepancies, but nothing major wrong with the stories. The book gets four stars!
Quoth the Raven…
My thanks to Steve and Timi at MX Publications for my review copy of this book.
The seven stories in this volume are cases never given to the public by Dr. Watson…
“The Adventure of the Poisoned Affair” involves adventurer Jackson Hardy’s sudden death. Although it is ruled a suicide and a note has been found, the man’s wife believes that he has been murdered. The neighbor and friend of the Hardys, a Mr. Timothy Strong is advising the widow to return to South Africa. As for the poison, Mr. Hardy was doing a study on poisons and almost everything in the house was poison; plants, animals, and minerals.
“The Adventure of the Yellow Handkerchief” involves several murders where a yellow handkerchief is the only clue left behind. Targeted are members of the Sleeman family. Years ago, Mr. Sleeman Sr. had put down a rebellion of the Thuggee and adopted an Indian girl. And the yellow handkerchief is the calling card of the Thuggee, a cult of fanatics from India...
“The Adventure of the Haunted Hotel” sends Holmes and Watson to Porlock in October of 1885. A local man, Mr. Bradson, has had strange things happen in the hotel his wife inherited and that they are remodeling as both their home and a business. Mrs. Bradson is said to be cursed…
“The Adventure of the Acquitted Client” takes place in the summer of 1887. Miss Tabitha O’Neil has been jailed and taken to court on the flimsy accusation that she was trying to bilk a cabdriver out of his fare. She had told him she had to go inside to get the money, but as she was a bit drunk, she was arrested by the police. She then was given a lawyer and has been appearing before a judge to have her record cleared…
“The Adventure of the St. Mary’s Murder” takes Holmes and Watson to Manchester. A young woman has been found murderer on the altar of St. Mary’s church with her wrists slit. And she makes the third woman to die in various area churches over several years…
“The Adventure of the Diamond Jubilee” finds Holmes and Watson working directly for Queen Victoria. Her carriage on the train exploded killing two guards. A third barely leaped to safety. The Queen had been warned and wasn’t on the train.
This story has the side issue of Holmes’ fear that an heir to Moriarty is pulling strings of crime anew. Suspicion falls on the Muslim Patriotic League (MPL,) who has a man very close to the Queen named Abdul Karim as a member…
“The Solved Problem” deals directly with the death of Mary Morstan. Due to the circumstances described, Watson was careful about saying who his second wife was or exactly where they lived…
All of the stories have elements that make them rather unique! I felt that Mr. Kuhns did a fair job of imitating Conan Doyle. There were minor discrepancies, but nothing major wrong with the stories. The book gets four stars!
Quoth the Raven…
December 26, 2021
Beautifully done !!!
Winter have arrived:
A perfect time for going on adventure with Sherlock Holmes.
The author have accomplished amazingly to create awesome 7 short stories in 7 hours audio ( each one hour average ).
Truly amazing how he managed a crime, investigation and an arrest, all beautifully and quickly done !
Narration also was perfect with a different voice for each character.
This one is pure fun and recommended.
Oded Ostfeld.
Winter have arrived:
A perfect time for going on adventure with Sherlock Holmes.
The author have accomplished amazingly to create awesome 7 short stories in 7 hours audio ( each one hour average ).
Truly amazing how he managed a crime, investigation and an arrest, all beautifully and quickly done !
Narration also was perfect with a different voice for each character.
This one is pure fun and recommended.
Oded Ostfeld.
November 4, 2012
This book gets about a 3.5 from me. I won this as a Goodreads first reads book. I have never actually read a Sherlock Holmes mystery, but I thought that most of the stories in this collection were enjoyable. There are seven cases total, with the third case being the longest. They are all told by Dr John Watson, looking back on his most personal cases with his friend Sherlock Holmes.
The cases are predictable for the most part. If I had to pick a favorite mystery from the collection, I would go with The Adventure of the Saint Mary's Murder, which centers around a murder in a church.
One problem that I had was that there were many parts of the book that required you to have previous knowledge of the Sherlock Holmes stories. If you never read any of the stories (like me, for instance) you'd probably be lost on some of the references.
I don't know if true Holmes fans will enjoy this as I am not familiar with the original material, but for me, it at least got me interested in reading the original Conan Doyle mysteries.
The cases are predictable for the most part. If I had to pick a favorite mystery from the collection, I would go with The Adventure of the Saint Mary's Murder, which centers around a murder in a church.
One problem that I had was that there were many parts of the book that required you to have previous knowledge of the Sherlock Holmes stories. If you never read any of the stories (like me, for instance) you'd probably be lost on some of the references.
I don't know if true Holmes fans will enjoy this as I am not familiar with the original material, but for me, it at least got me interested in reading the original Conan Doyle mysteries.
October 18, 2012
This book contains several really well written Sherlock Holmes short stories. The author does extremely well in capturing the atmosphere of the original books, while also adding in his own originality. Often while thinking about Sherlock Holmes stories I would get confused and think that one of these stories was an original Conan Doyle, so well is the tone, the time period and the character of Sherlock Holmes captured by the author! However, it also contains some really well thought out, new, original and imaginative plot ideas which to me, are the key to the book's success. Both of these things put together make for a very enjoyable read.
October 14, 2012
I quite enjoyed this book. It had a very intriguing perspective on the famed legendary detective, and was combined with a clever set of shorts which I felt kept me turning pages. Recommended for any Sherlock fan young or old.
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November 19, 2012loved it
May 16, 2013
Unfortunately, the edition I read was littered with grammatical errors, wrong words and missing words. Very disappointed. The cover design though is amazing.
January 29, 2014
I liked the stories but it needed better editing.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews