The Mammoth Book of the Lost Chronicles of Sherlock Holmes

Lost Chronicles of Sherlock Holmes #1

by Denis O. Smith

Sherlock Holmes is one of the most beloved detectives ever created and many have been inspired to continue his adventures after Sir Conan Doyle's death. In that spirit, The Mammoth Book of The Lost Chronicles of Sherlock Holmes brings together some of the more than two dozen stories that Denis O. Smith—regarded as the best Holmes storyteller after Doyle—wrote since the publication of “The Adventure of the Purple Hand” in 1982.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Short Stories, Crime, Anthologies, 19th Century, British Literature

512 pages, Paperback

First published January 16, 2014

About the author

In the 1980s I published five Sherlock Holmes short stories in individual booklets: The Purple Hand, The Unseen Traveller, The Zodiac Plate, The Secret of Shoreswood Hall and The Christmas Visitor.
In the 1990s, these stories were collected, with the addition of one new story, The Green Umbrella, as the first two volumes of The Chronicles of Sherlock Holmes. Two further volumes of The Chronicles followed, containing a further eight stories.
In 2014 and 2016, two volumes of The Lost Chronicles of Sherlock Holmes were published, containing a mixture of new stories and older stories which had appeared over the years in magazines, anthologies etc.
Now, forthcoming in December 2016, is my first Sherlock Holmes novel, The Riddle of Foxwood Grange.

Reviews

[Carson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Literally felt like I was reading a Sir Arthur Conan Doyle collection, and I do not say that lightly. "The Adventure of the Willow Pool" was my favorite in this book, but all were excellent. The barometer by which I judge a non-Conan Doyle Holmes work is Holmes' dialogue: "Pray, continue" and his banter with Watson are musts. Absolutely a must-read for Holmes fans.

[Bev · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Mammoth Book of the Lost Chronicles of Sherlock Holmes by Denis O. Smith (2014) is an outstanding collection of non-canonical stories featuring the great detective. Smith manages to duplicate Watson's narrative voice with great skill--slipping only occasionally. The stories are very reminiscent of the original short stories without appearing to be mere copies of Doyle's work. I thoroughly enjoyed the stories and finding myself once again on the fog-shrouded streets of Holmes's London. I have two minor quibbles. First, there are two longer stories--almost novella-length--included (making this a mammoth-sized book, indeed!) and Smith seems to lose his narrative voice most in these. He maintains Doyle's style much better in the shorter works. Second, I'm not certain what dictated the order of the stories--whether they were published as short stories elsewhere first and then gathered in publication/writing order or if some other criteria was used--but I would have enjoyed them a bit more if the stories had appeared chronologically per the Holmes/Watson relationship. We skip from them have roomed together for some time to Watson being married and longer sharing rooms to a story from the earliest days of their shared rooms and then back forth between the first two options mentioned. Again, minor quibble that didn't prevent me from enjoying myself, it just caused a bit of a disruption in the flow of the work as a whole. Four and 1/4 stars. [finished late last night: 4/13/14]

Here is a run-down of the stories included:
"The Adventure of the Crimson Arrow": A man is killed with a certain archer's arrow. Holmes shows how it is possible that the archer in question is innocent.

"The Adventure of Kendal Terrace": Mr. Claydon comes home unexpectedly to find his entire household (wife & servants) missing and strangers in possession of the house as if they had always lived there. Holmes gets to the bottom of it all.

"A Hair's Breadth": Holmes uses a single hair to find the killer of a harmless old lady.

"The Adventure of the Smiling Face": A professor of Classical Archaeology is plagued with ominous notes and a tile with the face of a smiling woman. When the professor is found dead with only one set of footprints leading to the spot where he was found, the authorities are quick to call it accident. But Holmes knows better.

"The Adventure of the Fourth Glove": The Latchmere diamond has been stolen and Holmes must find the culprit. The clue is the fourth glove. (That's no spoiler...and I challenge you to figure out what the glove means.)

"The Adventure of the Richmond Recluse": Mr. David Boldero's brother has gone missing--apparently at the hands of their uncle who scooped the family fortune when their grandfather died. But there is no proof. Holmes discovers what happened to the brother...and who really should have inherited.......

"The Adventure of the English Scholar": Mr. Rhodes Harte meets a learned English Scholar on the train. When Dr. Kennett alights from the train, he leaves his satchel behind. Harte, a kindly good citizen, attempts to return the property...only to find himself in the middle of an international intrigue. He, of course, consults with Holmes who soon finds the truth of the matter.

"The Adventure of the Amethyst Ring": Holmes investigates the disappearance of Jack Prentice, a former dealer of stolen goods who has since gone straight.

The Adventure of the Willow Pool": Captain returns from India to find that his father and all of the townspeople have inexplicably taken against him. No one will tell him why (they all assume he knows what despicable thing he has done). Holmes finds the answer....and a murderer.

"The Adventure of Queen Hippolyta": Mr. Godfrey Townsend is abducted one morning on his way to the dentist and taken to a deserted house. His abductors leave for a short time (locking him in a room)...and fearing that he might be robbed of his expensive cigar case, he hides it under a floor board. The men return with a woman who is furious when she sees Townsend--they have grabbed the wrong man! He is knocked out and awakens in Hyde Park with no clue where the abandoned house might be. He comes to Holmes hoping he can help him find his case. Holmes does--and moreover discovers the secret behind the abduction.

"The Adventure of Dedstone Mill": Holmes takes on one of his youngest clients when Miss Harriet Borrow, age 14, engages him to help discover several things: who is trying to kill her younger brother, where their lovely aunt may be, and what happened to their friend, the tutor. It is a diabolical plot indeed.

"An Incident in Society": The military's secret codes have been copied and it's up to Holmes to stop the information from being passed to an infamous international spy.

First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks.

[Suica · Rating 1 out of 5]

“The Adventure of The Crimson Arrow”: C
“The Adventure of Kendal Terrace”: B-
“A Hair’s Breadth”: D
“The Adventure of the Smiling Face”: C
“The Adventure of the Fourth Glove”: C
“The Adventure of the Richmond Recluse”: C-
“The Adventure of the English Scholar”: B-
“The Adventure of the Amethyst Ring”: C
“The Adventure of the Willow Pool”: C+
“The Adventure of Queen Hippolyta”: C
“The Adventure of Dedstone Mill”: C-
“An Incident in Society”: C

=.=

[Adoptry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been a Holmes fan for over two decades and also enjoy related fan fiction. All of the stories are as if written by Watson and all are set in the late 19th century. What I liked most about this book is the writing style - it was quite like the original penned by AC Doyle.

While the first few stories were okay with guessable endings, the second half of the book proved stellar, with some really good stories that were built up really well to their climaxes. Overall, one of the better fan fiction books about Holmes and I have no hesitation in recommending it to any Holmes fan.

[Prp · Rating 1 out of 5]

I had appreciated the holmesian Denis O. Smith's "The Adventure of the Silver Buckle"
but I dropped this book upon reading the second story: "The Adventure of Kendal Terrace " which is
is a rip-off of "Strangers in the House" by Richard Deming first published in 1953.

No more comments are neeeded.

[Krishna Kulkarni · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you have finished reading the original Arthur Conan Doyle books and want to read Sherlock Holmes written by other authors similar to Doylean style, this is one of the books you can pick up!

[Barbara Gregorich · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading this book was an interesting experience. On the one hand, I found the first three or four stories so transparent, so easily solved, that I considered giving up on this book. (I, the reader, shouldn't be able to solve Sherlockian problems so easily.) In addition, I found the early stories a bit talky and repetitive, with the whole mystery seemingly taking place in the recounting of it.

On the other hand, I very much enjoyed the writing style and the setting and wanted more of it. Denis Smith really captures the sentence structure of 19th century English literature (particularly Doyle's works) as well as the atmosphere of the times. In addition, I love the ways in which he has Holmes explain observation skills and reasoning skills.

I found the longer stories more enjoyable than the shorter ones. The longer ones weren't necessarily more complex mystery-wise, but they did have action, movement, more dialogue, and more characters. In "The Adventure of the Willow Pool" and "The Adventure of Dedstone Mill," Holmes speaks powerfully about matters such as mercy, truth, and justice. These pronouncements flow out of the stories organically and enrich the reading experience.

[Buckley Fountain · Rating 4 out of 5]

Satisfactory.

As Nero Wolfe, likely Holme's ofspring would say, "Satisfactory." These were all quite enjoyable, none had me questionable diction or era details, nor was any dialog out of place or particularly non-Conan-Doylian. so...Satisfactory. That all one can ask for in Sherlock Holmes fanfic. Au revoir, mes amis!

[Fred Hughes · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great collection of Sherlock short stories

Full review to follow

[AilsaOD · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was OK, though I suspect some people would very much enjoy it. I have never read any of the original Sherlock Holmes stories so I cannot verify the blurb's claim that the stories here are "of the sort loved by true fans of the greatest of all detectives". If these stories are like the works by Sir Conan Doyle then I think I am too accustomed to more modern interpretations with more action and more emphasis of the relationship between Sherlock and Watson.

This author's version of Sherlock is rather out of character in comparison to what I have previously encountered, being mostly polite and enthusiastic - though he is suitably dramatic about revealing the truth behind each case. On one occasion Watson says that his experiment smells and Sherlock is apologetic rather than abrasive which was unusual but not necessarily a complaint. Watson however, was sadly rather characterless (which is not unexpected given that Sherlock is the focus of the story but I still would have preferred to see more of him than the fleeting glimpses at the start of the stories).

I am not an experienced reader of mysteries but I would judge those in these short stories to be a mixed bag. Some - often but not necessarily the shorter ones were not as good - and one in particular gave me awful secondhand embarrassment at the predicament the victim ended up in. However a couple were quite enjoyable and one even contained a sword fight!

There is a singular bizarre passage in one of the later stories where completely out of the blue the reader is told at length of how the appearance of a women at a gathering is "odd and unsettling" and has "a mysterious species of magnetism". I am very puzzled by why this passage is there as it quite disrupts the narrative and is presented as a highly relatable experience but I suppose from now on I must endeavor to do my best to induce feelings of uneasiness and horror in men when at gatherings.

[Leew49 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Arthur Conan Doyle wrote only 60 Sherlock Holmes stories: 4 novels and 56 short stories. But there are many, many Holmes stories, or pastiches, by other authors. Adrian Conan Doyle, Sir Arthur's son, was one of the first to try his hand at emulating his father's masterpiece. Over the years there have been many others of widely varying quality. Point of view has ranged from Watson to Holmes to Mrs Hudson and even Professor Moriarty. There have been science fiction stories featuring Holmes and adventures in which the master detective pitted his skills against Jack the Ripper and even Dracula. Some of my favorites include Nicholas Meyer, August Derleth and HF Heard.

This 12-story collection by Denis O. Smith compares well with any Sherlock Holmes imitator I have encountered. Smith's depiction of Holmes and his relationship to Watson is true to the original stories. The feeling of the Victorian era seems authentic, and Smith, like his inspiration, does an excellent job of describing physical settings and important characters. His writing echoes Doyle in style and vocabulary. In most cases the mysteries are well constructed and provide a true challenge to Holmes's amazing abilities. In "The Willow Pool," Smith winks at the reader when Watson meets John Reid, Holmes's new client: "You have been in Afghanistan, I believe," Watson tells his fellow veteran.

One story, "The Dedstone Mill," seemed a bit too melodramatic for this reader, though there were occasions (the Mormon back story in "A Study in Scarlet" for example) when Doyle could be overly sentimental. I had no problem with any of the other stories in this collection, and would have no hesitation about delving into more of Smith's writings.

[Robert M. Roth MD · Rating 3 out of 5]

OK

The author does a credible job in resurrecting some of the elements embodied in the style of Arthur Conan Doyle. Unfortunately,the stories are of uneven quality. The shorter ones take SH less than a day to resolve and are lacking the characteristic deductive powers. The longer stories are similarly lacking in demonstrating Holmes' forte. The character of John Watson is nicely recreated.

[Outlander · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not the worst SH pastiche collection of 12 short stories that I have read but not close enough to the Canon to impress me. Nothing in particular stands out as a favourite but the overall impression of the whole is middling to acceptable, but no more than that. I think the main reason is due to the excessive padding of the stories with wordy 'verbal diarrhea' which is prevalent throughout the collection.

[WhatShouldIRead]

I think this book is not for me, even though Sherlock Holmes is one of my favorite literary characters. I read 4 stories and only really enjoyed one of them. The others I didn't find all that much engaging. This book will be put aside and maybe picked up at a later date to see if my opinion changes.

[Jennie · Rating 4 out of 5]

These are generally well done. Collection is a bit awkward, as they are not arranged chronologically and some openings are rather repetitive. A few very long stories and some quite short ones. Some stories were a bit disappointing, but overall they capture the flavor well.

[Pamela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Smith is one of, if not the, best Sherlock pastiche writers around. Always enjoyable with the only drawback being he doesn’t write more and quicker.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the familiar feel to how these stories read. It had an authentic feel and I appreciated that the author was able to accomplish that. They were fun to read and a good diversion.

[sharon s stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tried to read it slowly to make it last

Such a good read for a Sherlock Holmes fan...loved how everything fit the time period. Sorry when I finished the book it was that good.

[David Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slow and ponderous read, but very entertaining

[Graham Robertson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this anthology. Not quite Conan Doyle, (no one is of course) but a very good continuation of the genre. Recommended.

[Graeme Newell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been a longtime fan of Sherlock Holmes, having read and reread all of Conan Doyle's original works multiple times. My lifelong hunger for more of the great detective has led me to explore pastiches by various authors. As you might expect, the quality of these stories varies widely. There are plenty of abysmal knock-offs, but there are also gems that manage to capture the essence of Holmes and bring fresh scenarios to the table.

Some authors put Holmes into science fiction, magic, or even love affairs, which can be interesting, but call me a traditionalist - I prefer sticking to the classic style.

Denis O. Smith has a standout ability to mimic Conan Doyle's original voice. He captures that peculiar late 19th-century style of writing with remarkable accuracy. It's almost like stepping back in time to read new adventures of Holmes and Watson straight from the pages of The Strand Magazine. It makes it easy to get lost in his stories.

Smith's stories also tend to stick to the original short story format, which I find preferable. In a world where many pastiches balloon into full-length novels with overly intricate plots, it's refreshing to have bite-sized pieces of Holmesian intrigue to brighten my day. The brevity of Smith’s tales allows for a quick, satisfying read whenever I need a pick-me-up. He’s written quite a number of these stories, and each one manages to capture the essence of what makes Sherlock Holmes so compelling.

The collection features a variety of cases, each with its own unique twist. From bizarre disappearances to curious murders, Smith's plots are well-crafted and bring out the best parts of Sherlock’s amazing skills. There’s a certain charm in how he weaves together the mystery and the methodical genius of Holmes’s deductions. The pacing is generally excellent, with most stories delivering a satisfying resolution without feeling rushed.

In particular, I appreciate how Smith handles the relationship between Holmes and Watson. Their camaraderie and mutual respect shine through in every story, grounding the more fantastical elements in a deep and enduring friendship. This dynamic is at the heart of what makes Sherlock Holmes stories so enduring, and Smith nails it.

However, not every story in the collection hits the mark. There are a few that feel somewhat derivative, as if they are rehashing familiar territory rather than exploring new ground. While Smith is excellent at capturing Conan Doyle's style, there are moments when the stories lack the originality that made the originals so groundbreaking. This is a minor quibble, though, as even the less inspired stories are still enjoyable reads.

Another slight downside is the occasional over-reliance on certain tropes. For instance, there are several stories where the resolution hinges on a piece of obscure knowledge or a minute detail that feels a bit forced. While Holmes’s incredible intellect is a staple of the series, these moments can sometimes feel like convenient plot devices rather than organic parts of the story.

If you long for more original Conan Doyle stories, this book is a pretty good substitute. These are well-written, classic-style Holmes stories that stay true to the original spirit. It’s the perfect collection for a quick read or a leisurely afternoon spent unraveling the mysteries of Baker Street.

[bookwyrmemma · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had actually gotten this book firstly at the library. Unfortunately, I couldn’t finish it in it’s entirety at that point in time. I made a note to purchase my own copy so I could finish the book. I enjoyed the first half of the stories so I was optimistic that I would enjoy the rest of them. While they are not Conan Doyle stories, they were still a very good read. It only reaffirms my love for anything and everything Sherlock Holmes related (well, with the exception of Sherlock/Watson fanfiction of course).

Rated: 4.0/5.0—Overall, a wonderful entertaining read that made the book hard to put down. I’m interested into looking into another book of anthologies by Denis O. Smith of other Sherlock Holmes related stories.

[Joe White · Rating 3 out of 5]

This could rate a 4 star if it were read as the original Doyle stories were published - short stories in time published segments, rather than as a singular "book" of disjointed chapters.

As presented here, some of the stories were somewhat long and drawn out unnecessarily, and the turn of the century England atmosphere and social characteristics became somewhat depressing. At some points I was reading quickly just to reach the end of a given story, and had lost the appreciation for any suspense and mystery, as presented by Doyle in the originals.

The copy of the Doyle style was very good, particularly for the volume presented.

[Godlarvae · Rating 3 out of 5]

Being a Jeremy Brett/Sherlock fan, I found myself ordering this book on the off chance it would be as entertaining. I was in error for the first bit. It started with 2 or 3 of a certainly pedestrian selection of short stories and I found myself pretty well disappointed. Biting the bullet, I carried on and was pleasantly surprised that the stories became much better as we read deeper into the book. (It may very well be that it took me that long to sync myself with Smiths' pattern and tempo of writing.) On the whole it was rather readable and was enjoyed by myself from about the third story in.

[LuAnn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of the best pastiches I have ever read--truly capture the feel of the original Canon, though this Holmes is slightly less acerbic than the original--Holmes playing Christmas carols on the violin?! I did find the last two disappointing, one being rather dark and Holmes getting himself, Watson and his rather helpless clients in a dangerous situation with little recourse and both relying less on detection to reach a solution. The rest were more robust. All in all, worth reading, especially if you crave more Holmes.

[Charlotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent compilation of non-canonical Sherlock Holmes stories, but so well plotted and true to character that you wouldn't have thought they weren't written by Conan Doyle himself. The narrative voice of Dr Watson is spot on, the scenes of Victorian London thoroughly researched and well-drawn, and the description of the relationship between Holmes and Watson is exactly as would be expected by anyone familiar with its portrayal in the canon. An enjoyable read.

[Cynthia]

Definitely this is, as promised, a really good copy of sherlock holmes. But somehow these stories felt dull and lifeless to me, like kissing a mannequin. I read a couple of the stories and that was enough. I often wonder why someone cant just ... write more stories with my favorite characters. I guess its like trying to bring back a loved one from the dead. Reading these stories makes me understand why new sherlock stories are better with a twist.

[Arun Divakar]

I could not get through it. Perhaps they were a tad too bland or uninspired for my taste. From a total of 12 stories, if I could figure out the perpetrator in three of them then it was time for me to call it quits. It was not a feat I had managed ever before in reading Holmes pastiches.

The style of writing is pretty solid. This was perhaps a close resemblance to Holmes of the Conan Doyle kind.

[Nick Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vastly superior in every way to June Thompsons efforts. Complex, interesting and certainly a definite must for any Sherlock Holmes reader. Some stories even appear better compared to the originals in complexity and construction.

[Dani Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

A treat , tidbits for classic Holmes fans.

Bite sized bits of classic style Sherlock Holmes mysteries.
A treat that is satisfying and enjoyable. New stories that slip between the pages of classic Holmes as easily as a bookmark.