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MX New Sherlock Holmes Stories #2
The MX Book of New Sherlock Holmes Stories Part II: 1890 to 1895
Part two of a record breaking three volume collection bringing together over sixty of the world's leading Sherlock Holmes authors. All the stories are traditional Sherlock Holmes pastiches.
This volume covers the years from 1890 to 1895 including contributions from Ann Margaret Lewis, Vincent W. Wright, William Patrick Maynard, Matthew Booth, J.R. Campbell, Robert V. Stapleton, Sam Weibe, Jeremy Branton Holstein, Bill Crider, Peter Calamai, Lyndsay Faye, Marcia Wilson, Jack Grochot, Bert Coules. Christopher Redmond, Mike Hogan, Carl Heifetz, Wendy C. Fries, Richard Gillman (and a poem from Carole Nelson Douglas).The authors are donating all the royalties from the collection to preservation projects at Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's former home, Undershaw.
This volume covers the years from 1890 to 1895 including contributions from Ann Margaret Lewis, Vincent W. Wright, William Patrick Maynard, Matthew Booth, J.R. Campbell, Robert V. Stapleton, Sam Weibe, Jeremy Branton Holstein, Bill Crider, Peter Calamai, Lyndsay Faye, Marcia Wilson, Jack Grochot, Bert Coules. Christopher Redmond, Mike Hogan, Carl Heifetz, Wendy C. Fries, Richard Gillman (and a poem from Carole Nelson Douglas).The authors are donating all the royalties from the collection to preservation projects at Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's former home, Undershaw.
440 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
June 18, 2017
“The Affair of Miss Finney”: B. I enjoyed the way the author built the characters and the plot development was really smooth. However, it just felt... different from the original stories, the solving of the crime was too simple, and the title could have been more catchy.
“The Adventure of the Bookshop Owner”: B-. I quite enjoyed the plot development, but it got weaker towards the end.
“The Singular Case of the Unrepentant Husband”: B-. I liked the beginning of the mystery, it was similar to one episode of “Elementary”, but the solution was disappointing and the pacing of the plot was problematic.
“The Verse of Death”: B. The writing was good, but again, the crime was too simple.
“Lord Garnett’s Skulls”: B+. I liked it! The writing was appropriate, the plot development was quite good, and the crime was quite well justified. It could have been more atmospheric, and the “skulls” part could have been explored more cos I was waiting to read more about that, since it’s in the title?!
“Larceny in the Sky with Diamonds”: B. I enjoyed the POV of Moriarty and the plot development. However, it seemed unfinished and some events just happened so easily.
“The Glennon Falls”: C. Dragging and boring.
“The Adventure of the Sleeping Cardinal or the Doctor’s Case”: B+. This was quite cute, but the mystery could have been more interesting.
“The Case of the Anarchist’s Bomb”: B+. Lovely, but I found it very hard to believe that Watson did not recognize Albert.
“The Riddle of the Rideau Rifles”: C+. Quite boring.
The Adventure of the Willow Basket”: B. The crime could have been more exciting, but I enjoyed the plot development and the way the author delved into the relationships between the characters.
“The Onion Vendor’s Secret”: C-. 4 minutes left in the chapter but I didn’t see where this was going so I DNF this.
“The Case of the Murderous Numismatist”: C+. Bad action.
“The Saviour of Cripplegate Square”: C+. I had such high hope for this but this was really, really unconvincing and not exciting at all.
“A Study in Abstruse Detail”: C+. I could see what the author was trying to do but it was really incoherent.
“The Adventure of St. Nicholas the Elephant”: C. Boring as hell.
“The Lady on the Bridge”: C. I just didn’t care.
“The Adventure of the Poison Tea Epidemic”: C+. The plot development was really weak and the mystery was unconvincing.
“The Man on Westminster Bridge”: B+. I liked it, the atmosphere and the flow of the story were very good. But the mystery was so meh.
“The Adventure of the Bookshop Owner”: B-. I quite enjoyed the plot development, but it got weaker towards the end.
“The Singular Case of the Unrepentant Husband”: B-. I liked the beginning of the mystery, it was similar to one episode of “Elementary”, but the solution was disappointing and the pacing of the plot was problematic.
“The Verse of Death”: B. The writing was good, but again, the crime was too simple.
“Lord Garnett’s Skulls”: B+. I liked it! The writing was appropriate, the plot development was quite good, and the crime was quite well justified. It could have been more atmospheric, and the “skulls” part could have been explored more cos I was waiting to read more about that, since it’s in the title?!
“Larceny in the Sky with Diamonds”: B. I enjoyed the POV of Moriarty and the plot development. However, it seemed unfinished and some events just happened so easily.
“The Glennon Falls”: C. Dragging and boring.
“The Adventure of the Sleeping Cardinal or the Doctor’s Case”: B+. This was quite cute, but the mystery could have been more interesting.
“The Case of the Anarchist’s Bomb”: B+. Lovely, but I found it very hard to believe that Watson did not recognize Albert.
“The Riddle of the Rideau Rifles”: C+. Quite boring.
The Adventure of the Willow Basket”: B. The crime could have been more exciting, but I enjoyed the plot development and the way the author delved into the relationships between the characters.
“The Onion Vendor’s Secret”: C-. 4 minutes left in the chapter but I didn’t see where this was going so I DNF this.
“The Case of the Murderous Numismatist”: C+. Bad action.
“The Saviour of Cripplegate Square”: C+. I had such high hope for this but this was really, really unconvincing and not exciting at all.
“A Study in Abstruse Detail”: C+. I could see what the author was trying to do but it was really incoherent.
“The Adventure of St. Nicholas the Elephant”: C. Boring as hell.
“The Lady on the Bridge”: C. I just didn’t care.
“The Adventure of the Poison Tea Epidemic”: C+. The plot development was really weak and the mystery was unconvincing.
“The Man on Westminster Bridge”: B+. I liked it, the atmosphere and the flow of the story were very good. But the mystery was so meh.
December 19, 2015
Similar in opening with the first novel, we can sit back and enjoy this book’s forward by Catherine Cooke, a name you may find familiar from the BSI. Take a pause and go over it to place yourself in an appropriate listening mood as she describes Undershaw’s decline as “a tragedy of recent years.” Many agree with her, but few are as determined to do something about it as the team that assembled this book under the editorial pen and publishing efforts of David Marcum and Steve Emecz.
“Now settle back and enjoy new accounts from the classic years of Holmes and Watson’s partnership, which may shed new light on the mysterious years of the Great Hiatus.”
This volume represents what is often the favored era for the Holmesian collector—we believe Watson when he proclaims 1895 as when Holmes’ powers were never greater. There is no better guarantee for you than to close this book at last and believe you have done so on a high note. This is why we often proclaim, “It is always 1895.” (Avoiding spoilers for Vol. III here)
Carole Nelson Douglas (who will go down in history for ‘Good Night, Mr. Holmes’), gives us a tripplingly- on-the-tongue contemplation in verse with ‘The Bachelor of Baker Street Muses on Irene Adler.’ Anne Margaret Lewis’ Affair of Miss Finney illuminates quite gloomily a case of assault—we are not only glad to see someone get the pinch of justice on their wrists, we have two extra Easter Eggs inside her story—an explanation for “James” Watson (not too different from my own) and a follow-up from SIGN with Mary Watson nee’ Morstan, who, as Holmes said himself, “might have been most useful in such work as we have been doing.” Here we have the chance to see this for ourselves.
The Adventure of the Bookshop Owner by Vincent W. Wright is a case that starts simple and ends tangled in heartstrings—kudos for giving us an old-guard police Inspector who is quite willing to track the guilty to the doorstep of Hell if he must. I believed him.
William Patrick Maynard gives us the lesser-known lady at 221B, Mrs. Turner, where her relationship with ‘that infernal machine’ the telephone brings Watson to his friend’s side and a grisly case of murder. This one, like many true-to-life adventures, does not end well for many people and the story may end but questions remain if you wish to ask them. Matthew Booth’s ‘Verse of Death’ opens with what Lestrade admits is “a queer case” (code for: WTHJH?) and we are certainly satisfied with a murderer so zealous in his revenge that even Holmes cannot parse out a scrap of mercy. J. R. Campbell’s ‘Lord Garnett’s Skulls’ reminds us of what it is like to live in an era where remains can be bought and sold as lightly as the lives of the poor. Chilling. I suspect he read a certain definitive novel on a specific class that employed the poorest children of London, and read it well. Robert V. Stapleton’s ‘Larceny in the Sky with Diamonds’ may appear to be tongue in cheek but don’t judge a pastiche by its homage. We have a story about a cunning criminal who, may not get away with it forever, but he certainly came out the richer in a single night. It may say something as to the nature of our psychotic piece of work that he was vastly disappointed that he was unable to betray his own country to Germany. Ah, well. Switzerland awaits…Should there ever be an MX Anthology of Sherlock Holmes’ greatest nemesis, I expect to see this one in the covers, or I shall know the reason why.
Sam Wiebe’s ‘The Glennon Falls’ belongs within the covers of this same theoretical anthology-yet-to-come. He gives a treat in the form of not only our favorite money-loving criminal, but a woman who (like it or not, mostly he did not) shape his outcome. There is crime a-plenty in this short story, but it steps aside to the greater crime that sets the stage between the two: The crime of society itself. In this case we assure you it is not a cop-out. If you’re like me, you read the last paragraph a few extra times, and marveled that you did not collapse from too much irony in the blood. If the previous story was Sherlock Holmes in a Jules Verne meets Raffles arena, this one is clearly in the hard-to-find category of Holmes meets a plot out of Ibsen. Following this is another non-Holmesian POV with ‘The Adventure of the Sleeping Cardinal or, The Doctor’s Case.’ The title is the only fair warning you’re going to get. Watson does beautifully and we can enjoy his true-to-form recollections as he gives Holmes his own form of MUSG. I agree with Holmes—he was too hard on himself and he and Lestrade successfully thwarted theft and greed and (though they did not know it at the time) a good-old-fashioned case of fraud. Frankly, I giggled at the idea of Lestrade and Watson innocently thwarting a plot without knowing it—it must have been doubly aggravating for the villains to not be so recognized in their “genius”.
Bill Crider’s ‘Case of the Anarchist’s Bomb’ returns us to the shadows of the time, and one of the most belovedly fictitious pieces of real estate: The Diogenes Club. Naturally the most infamous and corpulent and bone-lazy member is within. At the end of it, our heads are spinning as well as Watson’s. Peter Calamai’s Riddle of the Rideu Rifles stretches backwards in time from 1940 and into a dark tale of splinter politics that caused so much trouble for WWI. Lyndsay Faye’s ‘Adventure of the Willow Basket’ picks up not long after the arrest of Colonel Moran. In it we have by Watson’s own admission, “a terrible story” and it doesn’t even need a repulsive red leech to be so (but it helps. Oh, it helps. I can’t think of that willow basket being used for murder without shivering). Amidst the turmoil we can be glad that Holmes, Watson, and Lestrade finally come to an understanding with each other. The Onion Vendor’s Secret is my offering so I won’t be reviewing it, moving on instead to Jack Grochot’s ‘Case of the Murderous Numismatist’. It throws us into a hefty case of counterfeiting—a crime that had far higher stakes than it does now. I’m always astonished anyone back then would even think of facing those charges, and Holmes’ work in defeating them only reminds us crime does NOT pay, whether the coin is real or fake. Bert Coules gives us a rare treat: a play script that can be read out loud in a group and while I haven’t done so, it would go great with a roaring fire and a hot drink. It ‘reads’ like one of the old style thriller radio plays of old—thank you, Bert Coules! Andrew Sachs, Clive Merrison and Michael Williams are in the room when we read (and there are some parts where I can imagine Frazer Hines is there as well). Wendy C Fries’ ‘Study in Abstruse Detail’ is all about a very abstruse person indeed—none other than Vamberry, the beautifully-named but little-known character of Holmes’ recollection. This is another rare sort of tale, where the crime exists largely in the inflated imagination of the criminal, who is not as bad or unforgiveable as he believes.
Christopher Redmond’s ‘Adventure of St. Nicholas the Elephant’ follows in true ACD tradition—the story begins with a mysterious and colorfully visual newcomer to 221B Baker Street and soon moves to a peculiar happenstance, murder, Inspector Hopkins, and a glimpse into a very strict catechism in the Great Detective’s life. Be prepared to smile at the comment of Watson’s Scottish roots and a tip of the hat to James Barrie. When you’re done smiling, Mike Hogan has a Lady on the Bridge but first take a moment to savor the beginning—it is very Dickens in its attention to detail and the cost of living. Unusually for the genre, Hogan pays as much attention to the value of London’s architecture in setting the mood. He knows that the two are as indistinguishable in fine writing (one may as well describe a person and forget how they were dressed). Read this one closely, aspiring writers who want to be absolutely accurate to the ins and outs of this time period. This may be the most rollicking and rip-roaring of Volume II.
An epidemic of—of all things against British—poisoned tea will remind you that crime is limited only to the imagination and resources of the criminal in question. This is a nice tie-in with WWI and a fond reminisce with the Adventure of the Three Students. Carl L. Heifetz is one of the Holmesian Scholars who believes Mary Watson died, rather than divorced, and in the first page one can feel the subtle pang of a man who is working overtime to stay busy. A lovely tie-in with Holmes’ moods expressed in his pipes leads Watson to leave the rooms in order to give his old friend a much-needed session with his files…and hats off to Heifetz, who proves Watson’s medical instincts are barely human in their acuity. But one good deed in darkness leads to the exposure of another dark deed…allowing the author another bonus point for Watson’s colleague Singh. London IS a melting pot, and I am grateful for every proof I can get of it. Giving us another ‘Bridge’ story is Dick Gillman. Holmes not only must talk a man from jumping off, but accept the man’s case. We can chalk this one up to one of the rarer cases where Holmes demonstrates his hidden philosophy of how the smallest attention to detail is also how to observe what is wrong with the world. I particularly liked his statement of having little pity for gamblers, but detesting cheats. This is Holmes in a nutshell: the risk is nothing without consideration of the prize. Mycroft, Wiggins, Mrs. Hudson and Lestrade are a few of the names you may recognize, but the ending reminds us that, as always, Holmes can be trusted to have his open unique view. This stands alone and I expect to see it in print again.
Collections need each other to be complete, and each era has its own unique difficult challenges. The writers overall met them beautifully. Read this knowing the book may have ended on a high note, but it is not the end. There is a third volume left to read as good as the first two!
“Now settle back and enjoy new accounts from the classic years of Holmes and Watson’s partnership, which may shed new light on the mysterious years of the Great Hiatus.”
This volume represents what is often the favored era for the Holmesian collector—we believe Watson when he proclaims 1895 as when Holmes’ powers were never greater. There is no better guarantee for you than to close this book at last and believe you have done so on a high note. This is why we often proclaim, “It is always 1895.” (Avoiding spoilers for Vol. III here)
Carole Nelson Douglas (who will go down in history for ‘Good Night, Mr. Holmes’), gives us a tripplingly- on-the-tongue contemplation in verse with ‘The Bachelor of Baker Street Muses on Irene Adler.’ Anne Margaret Lewis’ Affair of Miss Finney illuminates quite gloomily a case of assault—we are not only glad to see someone get the pinch of justice on their wrists, we have two extra Easter Eggs inside her story—an explanation for “James” Watson (not too different from my own) and a follow-up from SIGN with Mary Watson nee’ Morstan, who, as Holmes said himself, “might have been most useful in such work as we have been doing.” Here we have the chance to see this for ourselves.
The Adventure of the Bookshop Owner by Vincent W. Wright is a case that starts simple and ends tangled in heartstrings—kudos for giving us an old-guard police Inspector who is quite willing to track the guilty to the doorstep of Hell if he must. I believed him.
William Patrick Maynard gives us the lesser-known lady at 221B, Mrs. Turner, where her relationship with ‘that infernal machine’ the telephone brings Watson to his friend’s side and a grisly case of murder. This one, like many true-to-life adventures, does not end well for many people and the story may end but questions remain if you wish to ask them. Matthew Booth’s ‘Verse of Death’ opens with what Lestrade admits is “a queer case” (code for: WTHJH?) and we are certainly satisfied with a murderer so zealous in his revenge that even Holmes cannot parse out a scrap of mercy. J. R. Campbell’s ‘Lord Garnett’s Skulls’ reminds us of what it is like to live in an era where remains can be bought and sold as lightly as the lives of the poor. Chilling. I suspect he read a certain definitive novel on a specific class that employed the poorest children of London, and read it well. Robert V. Stapleton’s ‘Larceny in the Sky with Diamonds’ may appear to be tongue in cheek but don’t judge a pastiche by its homage. We have a story about a cunning criminal who, may not get away with it forever, but he certainly came out the richer in a single night. It may say something as to the nature of our psychotic piece of work that he was vastly disappointed that he was unable to betray his own country to Germany. Ah, well. Switzerland awaits…Should there ever be an MX Anthology of Sherlock Holmes’ greatest nemesis, I expect to see this one in the covers, or I shall know the reason why.
Sam Wiebe’s ‘The Glennon Falls’ belongs within the covers of this same theoretical anthology-yet-to-come. He gives a treat in the form of not only our favorite money-loving criminal, but a woman who (like it or not, mostly he did not) shape his outcome. There is crime a-plenty in this short story, but it steps aside to the greater crime that sets the stage between the two: The crime of society itself. In this case we assure you it is not a cop-out. If you’re like me, you read the last paragraph a few extra times, and marveled that you did not collapse from too much irony in the blood. If the previous story was Sherlock Holmes in a Jules Verne meets Raffles arena, this one is clearly in the hard-to-find category of Holmes meets a plot out of Ibsen. Following this is another non-Holmesian POV with ‘The Adventure of the Sleeping Cardinal or, The Doctor’s Case.’ The title is the only fair warning you’re going to get. Watson does beautifully and we can enjoy his true-to-form recollections as he gives Holmes his own form of MUSG. I agree with Holmes—he was too hard on himself and he and Lestrade successfully thwarted theft and greed and (though they did not know it at the time) a good-old-fashioned case of fraud. Frankly, I giggled at the idea of Lestrade and Watson innocently thwarting a plot without knowing it—it must have been doubly aggravating for the villains to not be so recognized in their “genius”.
Bill Crider’s ‘Case of the Anarchist’s Bomb’ returns us to the shadows of the time, and one of the most belovedly fictitious pieces of real estate: The Diogenes Club. Naturally the most infamous and corpulent and bone-lazy member is within. At the end of it, our heads are spinning as well as Watson’s. Peter Calamai’s Riddle of the Rideu Rifles stretches backwards in time from 1940 and into a dark tale of splinter politics that caused so much trouble for WWI. Lyndsay Faye’s ‘Adventure of the Willow Basket’ picks up not long after the arrest of Colonel Moran. In it we have by Watson’s own admission, “a terrible story” and it doesn’t even need a repulsive red leech to be so (but it helps. Oh, it helps. I can’t think of that willow basket being used for murder without shivering). Amidst the turmoil we can be glad that Holmes, Watson, and Lestrade finally come to an understanding with each other. The Onion Vendor’s Secret is my offering so I won’t be reviewing it, moving on instead to Jack Grochot’s ‘Case of the Murderous Numismatist’. It throws us into a hefty case of counterfeiting—a crime that had far higher stakes than it does now. I’m always astonished anyone back then would even think of facing those charges, and Holmes’ work in defeating them only reminds us crime does NOT pay, whether the coin is real or fake. Bert Coules gives us a rare treat: a play script that can be read out loud in a group and while I haven’t done so, it would go great with a roaring fire and a hot drink. It ‘reads’ like one of the old style thriller radio plays of old—thank you, Bert Coules! Andrew Sachs, Clive Merrison and Michael Williams are in the room when we read (and there are some parts where I can imagine Frazer Hines is there as well). Wendy C Fries’ ‘Study in Abstruse Detail’ is all about a very abstruse person indeed—none other than Vamberry, the beautifully-named but little-known character of Holmes’ recollection. This is another rare sort of tale, where the crime exists largely in the inflated imagination of the criminal, who is not as bad or unforgiveable as he believes.
Christopher Redmond’s ‘Adventure of St. Nicholas the Elephant’ follows in true ACD tradition—the story begins with a mysterious and colorfully visual newcomer to 221B Baker Street and soon moves to a peculiar happenstance, murder, Inspector Hopkins, and a glimpse into a very strict catechism in the Great Detective’s life. Be prepared to smile at the comment of Watson’s Scottish roots and a tip of the hat to James Barrie. When you’re done smiling, Mike Hogan has a Lady on the Bridge but first take a moment to savor the beginning—it is very Dickens in its attention to detail and the cost of living. Unusually for the genre, Hogan pays as much attention to the value of London’s architecture in setting the mood. He knows that the two are as indistinguishable in fine writing (one may as well describe a person and forget how they were dressed). Read this one closely, aspiring writers who want to be absolutely accurate to the ins and outs of this time period. This may be the most rollicking and rip-roaring of Volume II.
An epidemic of—of all things against British—poisoned tea will remind you that crime is limited only to the imagination and resources of the criminal in question. This is a nice tie-in with WWI and a fond reminisce with the Adventure of the Three Students. Carl L. Heifetz is one of the Holmesian Scholars who believes Mary Watson died, rather than divorced, and in the first page one can feel the subtle pang of a man who is working overtime to stay busy. A lovely tie-in with Holmes’ moods expressed in his pipes leads Watson to leave the rooms in order to give his old friend a much-needed session with his files…and hats off to Heifetz, who proves Watson’s medical instincts are barely human in their acuity. But one good deed in darkness leads to the exposure of another dark deed…allowing the author another bonus point for Watson’s colleague Singh. London IS a melting pot, and I am grateful for every proof I can get of it. Giving us another ‘Bridge’ story is Dick Gillman. Holmes not only must talk a man from jumping off, but accept the man’s case. We can chalk this one up to one of the rarer cases where Holmes demonstrates his hidden philosophy of how the smallest attention to detail is also how to observe what is wrong with the world. I particularly liked his statement of having little pity for gamblers, but detesting cheats. This is Holmes in a nutshell: the risk is nothing without consideration of the prize. Mycroft, Wiggins, Mrs. Hudson and Lestrade are a few of the names you may recognize, but the ending reminds us that, as always, Holmes can be trusted to have his open unique view. This stands alone and I expect to see it in print again.
Collections need each other to be complete, and each era has its own unique difficult challenges. The writers overall met them beautifully. Read this knowing the book may have ended on a high note, but it is not the end. There is a third volume left to read as good as the first two!
November 17, 2015
This book is the second of a series of three Sherlockian anthology volumes from MX Publications and it includes stories set in the period 1890 through 1895. All of the authors have donated their royalties for this publication to the support of Undershaw.
The second volume includes nineteen short stories and one poem.
The poem is “The Bachelor of Baker Street Muses on Irene Adler,” by Carole Nelson Douglas. It is an interesting collection of verses that examines Sherlock’s attitude towards “The Woman.” “The Affair of Miss Finney,” by Ann Margaret Lewis examines an oft neglected crime, rape, and displays the varying attitudes toward this crime in Victorian times. “The Adventure of the Bookshop Owner,” by Vincent W. Wright Presents a complex murder rooted in an obscure past. “The Singular Case of the Unrepentant Husband,” by William Patrick Maynard explains the identity of Mrs. Turner, who appeared in “A Scandal in Bohemia” (SCAN) and was never seen again. It also presents an apparently supernatural occurrence as well as an apparently similar comeuppance. “The Verse of Death,” by Matthew Booth presents a locked room murder with a surprising history.
“Lord Garnett’s Skulls,” by J. R. Campbell combines mistaken gossip, old Victorian practices and inabilities to “listen” into a complex investigation for Holmes. “Larceny in the Sky with Diamonds,” by Robert V. Stapleton tells us of the Professor’s last caper before he heads off to the Reichenbach to meet Holmes. Sam Wiebe’s “The Glennon Falls” tells of a shaping incident in Professor Moriarty’s past that helped lead him to the Reichenbach. In “The Adventure of the Sleeping Cardinal,” by Jeremy Branton Holstein, Watson and Insp. Lestrade investigate a robbery for Mycroft during “The Great Hiatus.” “The Case of the Anarchist’s Bomb,” by Bill Crider, precedes “The Adventure of the Empty House” by a month or so as Mycroft asks Watson to investigate a bombing that killed an anarchist.
“The Riddle of the Rideau Rifles,” by Peter Calamai, originally appeared in an anthology devoted to adventure tales centered on the Rideau Canal Waterway. This updated edition tells of an attempt by Canadian unionists to stir up trouble with the USA. Lyndsay Faye’s “The Adventure of the Willow Basket” tells of Lestrade’s feelings about “The Great Hiatus” and introduces a truly remarkable murder weapon. “The Onion Vendor’s Secret,” by Marcia Wilson, introduces the reader to a remarkable brotherhood that grew up in England in the 19th Century and ties up some loose ends from “The Hound of the Baskervilles”. Jack Grochot’s “The Case of the Murderous Numismatist” introduces the reader to one of Holmes’ informers and to a remarkable policewoman as well as to a murderous coiner. Bert Coules gives us “The Saviour of Cripplegate Square” which was written as the fifth hour-long episode of the BBC radio series, “The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.” These episodes were written to tell Untold Tales and this is the tale of “…the most winning woman I ever knew….” As cited in The Sign of Four. It is chilling, on several levels.
“A Study in Abstruse Detail,” by Wendy C. Fries clarifies several Untold Tales cited in the Canon. These include “The famous Smith-Mortimer succession case” cited in “The Adventure of the Golden Pince-Nez ,” “Venomous lizard, or Gila…” cited in “The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire” and “...the case of Vamberry, the wine merchant...,” cited in “The Musgrave Ritual.” “The Adventure of St. Nicholas the Elephant,” by Christopher Redmond tells of how Holmes solved a most puzzling murder on the grounds of an historic church using observation and deduction. In “The Lady on the Bridge,” Mike Hogan tells of Holmes fostering “true love” by deterring a persistent, elderly suitor and aiding an eligible bachelor to marry a winsome French mademoiselle, or so it seems. In “The Adventure of the Poison Tea Epidemic,” professional chemist Carl Heifetz describes Holmes’ “…researches in Early English charters...” cited in “The Adventure of the Three Students” along with his findings. “The Man on Westminster Bridge,” by Dick Gillman, has Holmes and Watson investigate a unique method of cheating in a Gentleman’s club at the request of Mycroft.
This second volume continues the excellent tradition set by the first book in the series. There are fewer stories and not quite so many outstanding ones, but the good tales are very good and their number includes most of the tales in the book. All are worth reading, a few are outstanding and most are very good indeed.
Reviewed by: Philip K. Jones, October, 2015
The second volume includes nineteen short stories and one poem.
The poem is “The Bachelor of Baker Street Muses on Irene Adler,” by Carole Nelson Douglas. It is an interesting collection of verses that examines Sherlock’s attitude towards “The Woman.” “The Affair of Miss Finney,” by Ann Margaret Lewis examines an oft neglected crime, rape, and displays the varying attitudes toward this crime in Victorian times. “The Adventure of the Bookshop Owner,” by Vincent W. Wright Presents a complex murder rooted in an obscure past. “The Singular Case of the Unrepentant Husband,” by William Patrick Maynard explains the identity of Mrs. Turner, who appeared in “A Scandal in Bohemia” (SCAN) and was never seen again. It also presents an apparently supernatural occurrence as well as an apparently similar comeuppance. “The Verse of Death,” by Matthew Booth presents a locked room murder with a surprising history.
“Lord Garnett’s Skulls,” by J. R. Campbell combines mistaken gossip, old Victorian practices and inabilities to “listen” into a complex investigation for Holmes. “Larceny in the Sky with Diamonds,” by Robert V. Stapleton tells us of the Professor’s last caper before he heads off to the Reichenbach to meet Holmes. Sam Wiebe’s “The Glennon Falls” tells of a shaping incident in Professor Moriarty’s past that helped lead him to the Reichenbach. In “The Adventure of the Sleeping Cardinal,” by Jeremy Branton Holstein, Watson and Insp. Lestrade investigate a robbery for Mycroft during “The Great Hiatus.” “The Case of the Anarchist’s Bomb,” by Bill Crider, precedes “The Adventure of the Empty House” by a month or so as Mycroft asks Watson to investigate a bombing that killed an anarchist.
“The Riddle of the Rideau Rifles,” by Peter Calamai, originally appeared in an anthology devoted to adventure tales centered on the Rideau Canal Waterway. This updated edition tells of an attempt by Canadian unionists to stir up trouble with the USA. Lyndsay Faye’s “The Adventure of the Willow Basket” tells of Lestrade’s feelings about “The Great Hiatus” and introduces a truly remarkable murder weapon. “The Onion Vendor’s Secret,” by Marcia Wilson, introduces the reader to a remarkable brotherhood that grew up in England in the 19th Century and ties up some loose ends from “The Hound of the Baskervilles”. Jack Grochot’s “The Case of the Murderous Numismatist” introduces the reader to one of Holmes’ informers and to a remarkable policewoman as well as to a murderous coiner. Bert Coules gives us “The Saviour of Cripplegate Square” which was written as the fifth hour-long episode of the BBC radio series, “The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.” These episodes were written to tell Untold Tales and this is the tale of “…the most winning woman I ever knew….” As cited in The Sign of Four. It is chilling, on several levels.
“A Study in Abstruse Detail,” by Wendy C. Fries clarifies several Untold Tales cited in the Canon. These include “The famous Smith-Mortimer succession case” cited in “The Adventure of the Golden Pince-Nez ,” “Venomous lizard, or Gila…” cited in “The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire” and “...the case of Vamberry, the wine merchant...,” cited in “The Musgrave Ritual.” “The Adventure of St. Nicholas the Elephant,” by Christopher Redmond tells of how Holmes solved a most puzzling murder on the grounds of an historic church using observation and deduction. In “The Lady on the Bridge,” Mike Hogan tells of Holmes fostering “true love” by deterring a persistent, elderly suitor and aiding an eligible bachelor to marry a winsome French mademoiselle, or so it seems. In “The Adventure of the Poison Tea Epidemic,” professional chemist Carl Heifetz describes Holmes’ “…researches in Early English charters...” cited in “The Adventure of the Three Students” along with his findings. “The Man on Westminster Bridge,” by Dick Gillman, has Holmes and Watson investigate a unique method of cheating in a Gentleman’s club at the request of Mycroft.
This second volume continues the excellent tradition set by the first book in the series. There are fewer stories and not quite so many outstanding ones, but the good tales are very good and their number includes most of the tales in the book. All are worth reading, a few are outstanding and most are very good indeed.
Reviewed by: Philip K. Jones, October, 2015
May 31, 2016
Part of a series of three anthologies edited last year by David Marcum, this book is a pretty good anthology. The mix of stories is well balanced. Most of them good, a few mediocre, but no really terrible ones.
For my money the most interesting stories were those written by
- Ann Margaret Lewis;
- Lyndsay Faye; and
- Wendy C. Fries.
There was at least one sly BBC Sherlock reference tucked away inside a story. I'll let you look for it when you read the book.
The anthology is an excellent addition to the body of Sherlock Holmes pastiches.
Recommended for all lovers of Sherlock Holmes, and Victorian crime.
For my money the most interesting stories were those written by
- Ann Margaret Lewis;
- Lyndsay Faye; and
- Wendy C. Fries.
There was at least one sly BBC Sherlock reference tucked away inside a story. I'll let you look for it when you read the book.
The anthology is an excellent addition to the body of Sherlock Holmes pastiches.
Recommended for all lovers of Sherlock Holmes, and Victorian crime.
January 4, 2016
The MX Book of New Sherlock Holmes Stories Part II 1890 – 1895
This is the Second volume of a set of three short story Holmes anthologies compiled for the benefit of the restoration of Undershaw, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s home. The beauty of the three volumes is so astonishing that it is an OMG moment just picking up the books. The stories are all different and new, from various viewpoints. This second five star volume covers 1890 – 1895.
Here is my story by story rundown. I have gone to great lengths to try to avoid spoilers. Any spoilers are totally unintentional.
“The Bachelor of Baker Street Muses on Irene Adler” is a poem by Carole Nelson Douglas. The reader should really read her Irene Adler series. They are excellent! This poem gets five stars.
“The Affair of Miss Finney” by Ann Margaret Lewis
Holmes is out of his depth when he is faced with a rape case. He therefore asks Mary Watson to interview the client.
This is a good story showing the humanity of Sherlock Holmes. Five Stars.
“The Adventure of the Bookshop Owner” by Vincent W Wright
Jacob Collier, who owns Falstaff Books on Uxbridge Road in Southall, has been stabbed to death. So who sent a runner with a note after he was dead?
This is a rather neat little story. Four Stars.
“The Case of the Unrepentant Husband” by William Patrick Maynard
Dr. and Mrs. Watson’s friend Olivia Habersham is being haunted by the ghost of her late husband.
In this story, Holmes is especially acerbic, snapping off and insulting Watson, Mrs. Watson, and the client, whose case he really doesn’t want to take.
All told, not too shabby! Four Stars.
“The Verse of Death” by Matthew Booth
Edmund Wyck, known as both a ruthless businessman and a philanthropist, is found stabbed to death in a locked room. The man had previously received two pieces of doggerel verse.
This has both a locked room and a hidden message! Five stars!
“Lord Garnett’s Skulls” by JR Campbell
Lord Garnett has returned from Borneo with an assortment of headhunter collected skulls. The skulls vanish mysteriously with no sign of break in. Then Lord Garnett’s small son also vanishes after stating that he hears a ghost in his room.
This is a neat locked room mystery with an excellent twist ending! Five stars.
“Larceny in the Sky with Diamonds” by Robert V Stapelton
That’s a nice title! The author must be a Beetles fan! Cute!
This is a story of Professor Moriarty. This time he is planning a jewel heist, and has his eyes on a prototype airplane as well.
There is a touch of humor all through this case, but it enhances the mystery; not ruins it. Five stars!
“The Glennon Falls” by Sam Wibe
This is a tale of a young Moriarty and the woman who became his nemesis.
It is a neat touch. Four Stars.
“The Adventure of the Sleeping Cardinal” by Jeremy by Jeremy Branton Holstein
Subtitled ‘The Doctor’s Case’, this is an affair during “The Great Hiatus” investigated by Lestrade and Dr. Watson involving a painting and an old foe.
Actually, it’s not bad! Four Stars.
“The Case of the Anarchist’s Bomb” by Bill Crider
This is another Watson adventure while Holmes was officially missing. Mycroft engages Watson to investigate for him. Mycroft gives him an assistant, a rather strange cabdriver named Albert.
A really instructive little tale! Five Stars.
“The Riddle of the Rideau Rifles” by Peter Calamai
“This story takes place during “The Great Hiatus” and finds Holmes dispatched to Canada to defuse tension between Canada and the United States. It is penned by Bartholomew Evans, the official for Canada’s Prime Minister, who is Holmes’ contact on the case.
This has a neat twist ending. Four stars.
“The Adventure of the Sleeping Cardinal” by Jeremy Branton Holstein
This story might possibly match a tale mentioned in passing by Watson in the canon. I will leave it up to the reader to decide which one!
Mr. John Wiltshire is discovered dead in the bathtub in his own bedroom, totally drained of blood, yet having no visible wound.
This is an impossible death mystery that was best in book as far as I am concerned. Five plus stars!
“The Onion Dealer’s Secret” by Marcia Wilson
We return to the Moor and Sir Henry Baskervillie, who is nobly settling with Stapelton’s robbery victims. But one wants only the house where Stapleton lived, Merripit House. Since the house is worth less than the amount Mr. Quantock is owed, suspicion is that he could have a ulterior motive for his action.
This is a ‘the plot behind the plot’ story! Five Stars.
“The Case of the Murderous Numismatist” by Jack Groshot
Holmes has been hired to investigate a crooked coin dealer. His clients are a group of American Numismatists. At the same time, an insurance company wasn’t the same man investigated for fraud.
This is a great story with multiple plot twists! Five stars
“The Savior of Cripplegate Square” by Bert Coules
This is a play, and I am woefully unsuitable for judging a written play. A lot goes into playwriting, as the author must set the scene, cue each action, and do the dialogue. It is an art, and an art I know nothing about. So I have no opinion on this entry.
“A Study in Abstruse Detail” by Wendy C Fries
Holmes and Watson discuss which case Watson should write up next. They discuss many cases, some written, some mentioned, and some new. They are partially told and really whet the appetite.
I like this. Four stars.
“The Adventure of St. Christopher the Elephant” by Christopher Redmond
Holmes is contacted by a church official from the Church of St. Christopher the Elephant. A young woman has been stabbed to death and left on the church doorstep beside a burnt page from the church Bible from the lectern.
There is a distinct touch in this murder. Four Stars
“The Lady on the Bridge” by Mike Hogan
A young French woman named Miss Berthoud is being menaced by a former suitor, Reverend Murchison, on the cusp of her wedding to a respectable young Lieutenant in the British Navy.
I did not see this twist coming! Five stars.
“The Adventure of the Poisoned Tea Epidemic” by Carl L Heifitz
Watson is summoned from his club to treat a child dying from pneumonia. Having saved the child’s life, he returns to Bart’s to check on the child and discovers the mother and siblings have been poisoned. The culprit seems to be tea that was given to the family…
Several small twists and misdirection in this story! Four Stars.
“The Man on Westminster Bridge” by Dick Gillman
A certain Major Tobias Cooke has had a string of the most astonishing luck in the horse race betting at his club, the Bristow. In fact he has nearly bankrupted some members and Holmes saves one from jumping off the Westminster Bridge. Cooke is suspected of cheating, but it seems impossible.
Another impossible crime story with a great twist! It ends this volume on a high note! Five Stars.
Quoth the Raven…
This is the Second volume of a set of three short story Holmes anthologies compiled for the benefit of the restoration of Undershaw, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s home. The beauty of the three volumes is so astonishing that it is an OMG moment just picking up the books. The stories are all different and new, from various viewpoints. This second five star volume covers 1890 – 1895.
Here is my story by story rundown. I have gone to great lengths to try to avoid spoilers. Any spoilers are totally unintentional.
“The Bachelor of Baker Street Muses on Irene Adler” is a poem by Carole Nelson Douglas. The reader should really read her Irene Adler series. They are excellent! This poem gets five stars.
“The Affair of Miss Finney” by Ann Margaret Lewis
Holmes is out of his depth when he is faced with a rape case. He therefore asks Mary Watson to interview the client.
This is a good story showing the humanity of Sherlock Holmes. Five Stars.
“The Adventure of the Bookshop Owner” by Vincent W Wright
Jacob Collier, who owns Falstaff Books on Uxbridge Road in Southall, has been stabbed to death. So who sent a runner with a note after he was dead?
This is a rather neat little story. Four Stars.
“The Case of the Unrepentant Husband” by William Patrick Maynard
Dr. and Mrs. Watson’s friend Olivia Habersham is being haunted by the ghost of her late husband.
In this story, Holmes is especially acerbic, snapping off and insulting Watson, Mrs. Watson, and the client, whose case he really doesn’t want to take.
All told, not too shabby! Four Stars.
“The Verse of Death” by Matthew Booth
Edmund Wyck, known as both a ruthless businessman and a philanthropist, is found stabbed to death in a locked room. The man had previously received two pieces of doggerel verse.
This has both a locked room and a hidden message! Five stars!
“Lord Garnett’s Skulls” by JR Campbell
Lord Garnett has returned from Borneo with an assortment of headhunter collected skulls. The skulls vanish mysteriously with no sign of break in. Then Lord Garnett’s small son also vanishes after stating that he hears a ghost in his room.
This is a neat locked room mystery with an excellent twist ending! Five stars.
“Larceny in the Sky with Diamonds” by Robert V Stapelton
That’s a nice title! The author must be a Beetles fan! Cute!
This is a story of Professor Moriarty. This time he is planning a jewel heist, and has his eyes on a prototype airplane as well.
There is a touch of humor all through this case, but it enhances the mystery; not ruins it. Five stars!
“The Glennon Falls” by Sam Wibe
This is a tale of a young Moriarty and the woman who became his nemesis.
It is a neat touch. Four Stars.
“The Adventure of the Sleeping Cardinal” by Jeremy by Jeremy Branton Holstein
Subtitled ‘The Doctor’s Case’, this is an affair during “The Great Hiatus” investigated by Lestrade and Dr. Watson involving a painting and an old foe.
Actually, it’s not bad! Four Stars.
“The Case of the Anarchist’s Bomb” by Bill Crider
This is another Watson adventure while Holmes was officially missing. Mycroft engages Watson to investigate for him. Mycroft gives him an assistant, a rather strange cabdriver named Albert.
A really instructive little tale! Five Stars.
“The Riddle of the Rideau Rifles” by Peter Calamai
“This story takes place during “The Great Hiatus” and finds Holmes dispatched to Canada to defuse tension between Canada and the United States. It is penned by Bartholomew Evans, the official for Canada’s Prime Minister, who is Holmes’ contact on the case.
This has a neat twist ending. Four stars.
“The Adventure of the Sleeping Cardinal” by Jeremy Branton Holstein
This story might possibly match a tale mentioned in passing by Watson in the canon. I will leave it up to the reader to decide which one!
Mr. John Wiltshire is discovered dead in the bathtub in his own bedroom, totally drained of blood, yet having no visible wound.
This is an impossible death mystery that was best in book as far as I am concerned. Five plus stars!
“The Onion Dealer’s Secret” by Marcia Wilson
We return to the Moor and Sir Henry Baskervillie, who is nobly settling with Stapelton’s robbery victims. But one wants only the house where Stapleton lived, Merripit House. Since the house is worth less than the amount Mr. Quantock is owed, suspicion is that he could have a ulterior motive for his action.
This is a ‘the plot behind the plot’ story! Five Stars.
“The Case of the Murderous Numismatist” by Jack Groshot
Holmes has been hired to investigate a crooked coin dealer. His clients are a group of American Numismatists. At the same time, an insurance company wasn’t the same man investigated for fraud.
This is a great story with multiple plot twists! Five stars
“The Savior of Cripplegate Square” by Bert Coules
This is a play, and I am woefully unsuitable for judging a written play. A lot goes into playwriting, as the author must set the scene, cue each action, and do the dialogue. It is an art, and an art I know nothing about. So I have no opinion on this entry.
“A Study in Abstruse Detail” by Wendy C Fries
Holmes and Watson discuss which case Watson should write up next. They discuss many cases, some written, some mentioned, and some new. They are partially told and really whet the appetite.
I like this. Four stars.
“The Adventure of St. Christopher the Elephant” by Christopher Redmond
Holmes is contacted by a church official from the Church of St. Christopher the Elephant. A young woman has been stabbed to death and left on the church doorstep beside a burnt page from the church Bible from the lectern.
There is a distinct touch in this murder. Four Stars
“The Lady on the Bridge” by Mike Hogan
A young French woman named Miss Berthoud is being menaced by a former suitor, Reverend Murchison, on the cusp of her wedding to a respectable young Lieutenant in the British Navy.
I did not see this twist coming! Five stars.
“The Adventure of the Poisoned Tea Epidemic” by Carl L Heifitz
Watson is summoned from his club to treat a child dying from pneumonia. Having saved the child’s life, he returns to Bart’s to check on the child and discovers the mother and siblings have been poisoned. The culprit seems to be tea that was given to the family…
Several small twists and misdirection in this story! Four Stars.
“The Man on Westminster Bridge” by Dick Gillman
A certain Major Tobias Cooke has had a string of the most astonishing luck in the horse race betting at his club, the Bristow. In fact he has nearly bankrupted some members and Holmes saves one from jumping off the Westminster Bridge. Cooke is suspected of cheating, but it seems impossible.
Another impossible crime story with a great twist! It ends this volume on a high note! Five Stars.
Quoth the Raven…
October 14, 2022
I did enjoy most of the stories, but it's clear that more stringent editing could have made this much better. Most of the authors genuinely attempted to immerse themselves in the world of late Victorian London, but that makes the stories that don't so much more jarring. The most egregious offender would be Jack Grochot's “The Adventure of the Murderous Numismatist”, which confuses London for a town in the Wild West and clearly has no idea about the role of women or the value of money in Victorian Britain (10,000 pounds for an arsonist's services in a time where 200 would have bought you quite a nice house?). Some perhaps take points of inspiration a bit too much from Conan Doyle's stories (the description of Mr. Sexton from "The Adventure of St. Nicholas the Elephant" sounds quite similar to that of Jabez Wilson from "The Red-Headed League"), while others haven't read nearly enough (how can you get Mrs. Hudson's name wrong? (William Patrick Maynard, "The Singular Case of the Unrepentant Husband"). But at least the authors don't conjure up Mycroft, Lestrade and Moriarty at every opportunity. Among the better stories, I'll mention "The verse of death" (Matthew Booth), "The adventure of the willow basket" (Lyndsay Faye) and "A Study in Abstruse Detail" (Wendy Fries). However, for me personally the lesser stories do overwhelm the better ones in a somewhat unbalanced collection.
May 3, 2021
True to form.
Most of the stories are most definitely written to be in Sir Arthur's writing form. Though I did find a few to be a bit convoluted and over worded. I most definitely enjoyed this second outing of new Sherlock Holmes Stories and most surely I am looking forward to the third one.
Most of the stories are most definitely written to be in Sir Arthur's writing form. Though I did find a few to be a bit convoluted and over worded. I most definitely enjoyed this second outing of new Sherlock Holmes Stories and most surely I am looking forward to the third one.
August 9, 2023
Exciting and Well Written
These stories are in the tradition of Doyle's chronicles of the great British detective. As a long-time fan of Sherlock Holmes, I find these stories entertaining, and it is fun to try to anticipate the twists and turns. Marcum has done a superb job of editing this collection.
These stories are in the tradition of Doyle's chronicles of the great British detective. As a long-time fan of Sherlock Holmes, I find these stories entertaining, and it is fun to try to anticipate the twists and turns. Marcum has done a superb job of editing this collection.
December 17, 2020
2 Down, More to Read (Fortunately)
5 stars? Why?
Just appreciate the hard work of these fabulous Holmes "pastichians".
Another great job by David Marcum...
Don't know how you do it! Must be exhausting. Keep up the great work.
5 stars? Why?
Just appreciate the hard work of these fabulous Holmes "pastichians".
Another great job by David Marcum...
Don't know how you do it! Must be exhausting. Keep up the great work.
August 13, 2024
Once again David Marcum delivers Holmes . The real Holmes.400 pages of great stories.
My favorite was Lords Garnetts Skull and The Adventure of the Sleeping Cardinal.
My favorite was Lords Garnetts Skull and The Adventure of the Sleeping Cardinal.
March 29, 2016
This book is the second of a series of three Sherlockian anthology volumes from MX Publications and it includes stories set in the period 1890 through 1895. All of the authors have donated their royalties for this publication to the support of Undershaw.
The second volume includes nineteen short stories and one poem.
The poem is “The Bachelor of Baker Street Muses on Irene Adler,” by Carole Nelson Douglas. It is an interesting collection of verses that examines Sherlock’s attitude towards “The Woman.” “The Affair of Miss Finney,” by Ann Margaret Lewis examines an oft neglected crime, rape, and displays the varying attitudes toward this crime in Victorian times. “The Adventure of the Bookshop Owner,” by Vincent W. Wright Presents a complex murder rooted in an obscure past. “The Singular Case of the Unrepentant Husband,” by William Patrick Maynard explains the identity of Mrs. Turner, who appeared in “A Scandal in Bohemia” (SCAN) and was never seen again. It also presents an apparently supernatural occurrence as well as an apparently similar comeuppance. “The Verse of Death,” by Matthew Booth presents a locked room murder with a surprising history.
“Lord Garnett’s Skulls,” by J. R. Campbell combines mistaken gossip, old Victorian practices and inabilities to “listen” into a complex investigation for Holmes. “Larceny in the Sky with Diamonds,” by Robert V. Stapleton tells us of the Professor’s last caper before he heads off to the Reichenbach to meet Holmes. Sam Wiebe’s “The Glennon Falls” tells of a shaping incident in Professor Moriarty’s past that helped lead him to the Reichenbach. In “The Adventure of the Sleeping Cardinal,” by Jeremy Branton Holstein, Watson and Insp. Lestrade investigate a robbery for Mycroft during “The Great Hiatus.” “The Case of the Anarchist’s Bomb,” by Bill Crider, precedes “The Adventure of the Empty House” by a month or so as Mycroft asks Watson to investigate a bombing that killed an anarchist.
“The Riddle of the Rideau Rifles,” by Peter Calamai, originally appeared in an anthology devoted to adventure tales centered on the Rideau Canal Waterway. This updated edition tells of an attempt by Canadian unionists to stir up trouble with the USA. Lyndsay Faye’s “The Adventure of the Willow Basket” tells of Lestrade’s feelings about “The Great Hiatus” and introduces a truly remarkable murder weapon. “The Onion Vendor’s Secret,” by Marcia Wilson, introduces the reader to a remarkable brotherhood that grew up in England in the 19th Century and ties up some loose ends from “The Hound of the Baskervilles”. Jack Grochot’s “The Case of the Murderous Numismatist” introduces the reader to one of Holmes’ informers and to a remarkable policewoman as well as to a murderous coiner. Bert Coules gives us “The Saviour of Cripplegate Square” which was written as the fifth hour-long episode of the BBC radio series, “The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.” These episodes were written to tell Untold Tales and this is the tale of “…the most winning woman I ever knew….” As cited in The Sign of Four. It is chilling, on several levels.
“A Study in Abstruse Detail,” by Wendy C. Fries clarifies several Untold Tales cited in the Canon. These include “The famous Smith-Mortimer succession case” cited in “The Adventure of the Golden Pince-Nez ,” “Venomous lizard, or Gila…” cited in “The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire” and “...the case of Vamberry, the wine merchant...,” cited in “The Musgrave Ritual.” “The Adventure of St. Nicholas the Elephant,” by Christopher Redmond tells of how Holmes solved a most puzzling murder on the grounds of an historic church using observation and deduction. In “The Lady on the Bridge,” Mike Hogan tells of Holmes fostering “true love” by deterring a persistent, elderly suitor and aiding an eligible bachelor to marry a winsome French mademoiselle, or so it seems. In “The Adventure of the Poison Tea Epidemic,” professional chemist Carl Heifetz describes Holmes’ “…researches in Early English charters...” cited in “The Adventure of the Three Students” along with his findings. “The Man on Westminster Bridge,” by Dick Gillman, has Holmes and Watson investigate a unique method of cheating in a Gentleman’s club at the request of Mycroft.
This second volume continues the excellent tradition set by the first book in the series. There are fewer stories and not quite so many outstanding ones, but the good tales are very good and their number includes most of the tales in the book. All are worth reading, a few are outstanding and most are very good indeed.
Reviewed by: Philip K. Jones, October, 2015
#27 Practice Notes December 2015
The second volume includes nineteen short stories and one poem.
The poem is “The Bachelor of Baker Street Muses on Irene Adler,” by Carole Nelson Douglas. It is an interesting collection of verses that examines Sherlock’s attitude towards “The Woman.” “The Affair of Miss Finney,” by Ann Margaret Lewis examines an oft neglected crime, rape, and displays the varying attitudes toward this crime in Victorian times. “The Adventure of the Bookshop Owner,” by Vincent W. Wright Presents a complex murder rooted in an obscure past. “The Singular Case of the Unrepentant Husband,” by William Patrick Maynard explains the identity of Mrs. Turner, who appeared in “A Scandal in Bohemia” (SCAN) and was never seen again. It also presents an apparently supernatural occurrence as well as an apparently similar comeuppance. “The Verse of Death,” by Matthew Booth presents a locked room murder with a surprising history.
“Lord Garnett’s Skulls,” by J. R. Campbell combines mistaken gossip, old Victorian practices and inabilities to “listen” into a complex investigation for Holmes. “Larceny in the Sky with Diamonds,” by Robert V. Stapleton tells us of the Professor’s last caper before he heads off to the Reichenbach to meet Holmes. Sam Wiebe’s “The Glennon Falls” tells of a shaping incident in Professor Moriarty’s past that helped lead him to the Reichenbach. In “The Adventure of the Sleeping Cardinal,” by Jeremy Branton Holstein, Watson and Insp. Lestrade investigate a robbery for Mycroft during “The Great Hiatus.” “The Case of the Anarchist’s Bomb,” by Bill Crider, precedes “The Adventure of the Empty House” by a month or so as Mycroft asks Watson to investigate a bombing that killed an anarchist.
“The Riddle of the Rideau Rifles,” by Peter Calamai, originally appeared in an anthology devoted to adventure tales centered on the Rideau Canal Waterway. This updated edition tells of an attempt by Canadian unionists to stir up trouble with the USA. Lyndsay Faye’s “The Adventure of the Willow Basket” tells of Lestrade’s feelings about “The Great Hiatus” and introduces a truly remarkable murder weapon. “The Onion Vendor’s Secret,” by Marcia Wilson, introduces the reader to a remarkable brotherhood that grew up in England in the 19th Century and ties up some loose ends from “The Hound of the Baskervilles”. Jack Grochot’s “The Case of the Murderous Numismatist” introduces the reader to one of Holmes’ informers and to a remarkable policewoman as well as to a murderous coiner. Bert Coules gives us “The Saviour of Cripplegate Square” which was written as the fifth hour-long episode of the BBC radio series, “The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.” These episodes were written to tell Untold Tales and this is the tale of “…the most winning woman I ever knew….” As cited in The Sign of Four. It is chilling, on several levels.
“A Study in Abstruse Detail,” by Wendy C. Fries clarifies several Untold Tales cited in the Canon. These include “The famous Smith-Mortimer succession case” cited in “The Adventure of the Golden Pince-Nez ,” “Venomous lizard, or Gila…” cited in “The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire” and “...the case of Vamberry, the wine merchant...,” cited in “The Musgrave Ritual.” “The Adventure of St. Nicholas the Elephant,” by Christopher Redmond tells of how Holmes solved a most puzzling murder on the grounds of an historic church using observation and deduction. In “The Lady on the Bridge,” Mike Hogan tells of Holmes fostering “true love” by deterring a persistent, elderly suitor and aiding an eligible bachelor to marry a winsome French mademoiselle, or so it seems. In “The Adventure of the Poison Tea Epidemic,” professional chemist Carl Heifetz describes Holmes’ “…researches in Early English charters...” cited in “The Adventure of the Three Students” along with his findings. “The Man on Westminster Bridge,” by Dick Gillman, has Holmes and Watson investigate a unique method of cheating in a Gentleman’s club at the request of Mycroft.
This second volume continues the excellent tradition set by the first book in the series. There are fewer stories and not quite so many outstanding ones, but the good tales are very good and their number includes most of the tales in the book. All are worth reading, a few are outstanding and most are very good indeed.
Reviewed by: Philip K. Jones, October, 2015
#27 Practice Notes December 2015
May 20, 2016
The MX Book of New Sherlock Holmes Stories. Part II: 1890-1895. Edited by David Marcum.
The second volume of MX Publishing’s anthology of traditional pastiches covers the very apex of the Canon: 1890-1895. These were the years of John and Mary Morstan Watson’s tragically brief marriage; of Sherlock Holmes’ immortal duel with Moriarty; of Watson’s lonely vigil during “The Great Hiatus”; and of the renaissance of memorable cases that followed Holmes’ return. These new stories are fully worthy of the period they chronicle. While their authors include both established Sherlockians and other writers from a variety of backgrounds, the pastiches share (thanks to David Marcum’s careful editing) the style, characterizations, and format of Conan Doyle’s originals. Consistency of approach does not mean the stories lack variety. Poems, ghosts, desecrated Bibles, and near-suicides offer clues to murder. A rape victim finds in Mary Watson a sympathetic friend. Her husband, doubly bereft, solves cases during the Hiatus, while the mysterious Sigerson intervenes in Canada to stop a war. Young Sherlock’s first mentor is featured in the volume’s only play. Professor Moriarty—on the night before his death—chillingly recounts revenge he took at a far more tender age. Other Canonical villains, like Stapleton and Ryder, also turn up; and two of the best stories focus on the long, uneasy friendship between Lestrade and Holmes. In short, there is plenty here to keep fans busy until the next volume of Marcum’s anthology arrives. But wait! Volume III is already published! Volume IV will follow it in May, and more volumes are slated for annual appearance. Thanks to MX Publishing’s generosity, all profits continue to support the restoration of Undershaw, the house where Conan Doyle wrote The Hound of the Baskervilles and many other stories.
The second volume of MX Publishing’s anthology of traditional pastiches covers the very apex of the Canon: 1890-1895. These were the years of John and Mary Morstan Watson’s tragically brief marriage; of Sherlock Holmes’ immortal duel with Moriarty; of Watson’s lonely vigil during “The Great Hiatus”; and of the renaissance of memorable cases that followed Holmes’ return. These new stories are fully worthy of the period they chronicle. While their authors include both established Sherlockians and other writers from a variety of backgrounds, the pastiches share (thanks to David Marcum’s careful editing) the style, characterizations, and format of Conan Doyle’s originals. Consistency of approach does not mean the stories lack variety. Poems, ghosts, desecrated Bibles, and near-suicides offer clues to murder. A rape victim finds in Mary Watson a sympathetic friend. Her husband, doubly bereft, solves cases during the Hiatus, while the mysterious Sigerson intervenes in Canada to stop a war. Young Sherlock’s first mentor is featured in the volume’s only play. Professor Moriarty—on the night before his death—chillingly recounts revenge he took at a far more tender age. Other Canonical villains, like Stapleton and Ryder, also turn up; and two of the best stories focus on the long, uneasy friendship between Lestrade and Holmes. In short, there is plenty here to keep fans busy until the next volume of Marcum’s anthology arrives. But wait! Volume III is already published! Volume IV will follow it in May, and more volumes are slated for annual appearance. Thanks to MX Publishing’s generosity, all profits continue to support the restoration of Undershaw, the house where Conan Doyle wrote The Hound of the Baskervilles and many other stories.
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