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MX New Sherlock Holmes Stories #5
The MX Book of New Sherlock Holmes Stories - Part V: Christmas Adventures
The MX Book of New Sherlock Holmes Stories - Part V: Christmas Adventures features contributions by: Bob Byrne, Derrick Belanger, Amy Thomas, David Marcum, Denis O. Smith, C.H. Dye, Marcia Wilson, Julie McKuras, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Bert Coules, John Hall, Jim French, S.F. Bennett, Narrelle M. Harris, William Patrick Maynard, Vincent W. Wright, James Lovegrove, Arthur Hall, Nicholas Utechin, Mike Chinn, Tracy J. Revels, Roger Riccard, Wendy C. Fries, Paul D. Gilbert, Jan Edwards, Molly Carr, S. Subramanian, Peter K. Andersson, Matthew J. Elliott, Hugh Ashton, and Mark Mower, with a poem by Ashley D. Polasek and forewords by Jonathan Kellerman, Roger Johnson, Steve Emecz, Melissa Farnham, and David Marcum.
564 pages, Hardcover
First published October 31, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
June 7, 2017
The tales continue…
My thanks go out to Steve and Timi at MX Publishing for my copy of this book. Long may Sherlock Holmes and Undershaw House live and prosper!
Volume V of this amazing series contains thirty-one short works of Holmes fiction. Giving a line or two to each would take up more lines of review than the average reader would be willing to peruse. Overall, the book is awesome! The major reason I am now in possession of Volume VI is a statement to the quality of the stories in this series! All are gems of value; like all gems, some worth more than others.
For me there were two entries I simply could not read. This is not a stain on the authors’ reputation, but my own taste. I find it nigh impossible to read plays. I would love to see them performed or listen to the radio play, but I just cannot read them…
I especially enjoyed “A Perpetrator in a Pear Tree” by Roger Riccard and it gets my vote for “Best in Book!” A man is killed in a locked room. The solving of this seemingly impossible crime and the method of dispatching the victim totally fit into the theme of this book! Hats off to the author!
Readers of this series will be glad to see familiar authors returning for another story. Dennis O Smith, Amy Thomas, Derrick Belanger, David Marcum, Molly Carr, Hugh Aston, and Peter K Andersson are known for their ability to channel the spirit of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. They join a flock of new writers to bring the reader into Christmas no matter what day it actually is!
I am truly sorry, Peter K Andersson, but your story “The Adventure of the Improbable Intruder” was “Worst in Book” for me. The story felt a bit unfinished somehow. It just didn’t work for me.
Given the incredible amount of talent shining in this MX series, how could I give the volume anything except FIVE STARS PLUS!
Quoth the Raven…
My thanks go out to Steve and Timi at MX Publishing for my copy of this book. Long may Sherlock Holmes and Undershaw House live and prosper!
Volume V of this amazing series contains thirty-one short works of Holmes fiction. Giving a line or two to each would take up more lines of review than the average reader would be willing to peruse. Overall, the book is awesome! The major reason I am now in possession of Volume VI is a statement to the quality of the stories in this series! All are gems of value; like all gems, some worth more than others.
For me there were two entries I simply could not read. This is not a stain on the authors’ reputation, but my own taste. I find it nigh impossible to read plays. I would love to see them performed or listen to the radio play, but I just cannot read them…
I especially enjoyed “A Perpetrator in a Pear Tree” by Roger Riccard and it gets my vote for “Best in Book!” A man is killed in a locked room. The solving of this seemingly impossible crime and the method of dispatching the victim totally fit into the theme of this book! Hats off to the author!
Readers of this series will be glad to see familiar authors returning for another story. Dennis O Smith, Amy Thomas, Derrick Belanger, David Marcum, Molly Carr, Hugh Aston, and Peter K Andersson are known for their ability to channel the spirit of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. They join a flock of new writers to bring the reader into Christmas no matter what day it actually is!
I am truly sorry, Peter K Andersson, but your story “The Adventure of the Improbable Intruder” was “Worst in Book” for me. The story felt a bit unfinished somehow. It just didn’t work for me.
Given the incredible amount of talent shining in this MX series, how could I give the volume anything except FIVE STARS PLUS!
Quoth the Raven…
March 31, 2022
Book #5 in the MX anthologies of new Sherlock Holmes stories was the first one they did featuring Christmas-themed adventures. I read the second one (Part XXX) a while ago, and my one criticism here would be the same as it was with that one - while the stories take place in during the Christmas season and there are some token references to the holidays, many of them don't really "feel" like Christmas tales.
Having said that, they are all very good - in fact, I think these anthologies are by far the best offerings of new Sherlock Holmes tales - I have read several by other publishers, some featuring some "big name" authors, but if it's authentic Holmes you want, you have a better chance of reading it here.
My favorites in this edition are: The Jet Brooch (Denis O. Smith), The Adventure of the Missing Irregular (Amy Thomas) and The Adventure of the Empty Manger (Tracy J. Revels). There was also an excellent long ballad poem, "The Ballad of the Carbuncle" by Ashley D. Polasek.
Having said that, they are all very good - in fact, I think these anthologies are by far the best offerings of new Sherlock Holmes tales - I have read several by other publishers, some featuring some "big name" authors, but if it's authentic Holmes you want, you have a better chance of reading it here.
My favorites in this edition are: The Jet Brooch (Denis O. Smith), The Adventure of the Missing Irregular (Amy Thomas) and The Adventure of the Empty Manger (Tracy J. Revels). There was also an excellent long ballad poem, "The Ballad of the Carbuncle" by Ashley D. Polasek.
December 23, 2020
A definite 4+
Rarely a book of shorts where there are not two/three that disappoint but this is one where all were enjoyed -- I did skip the two radio scripts as that format holds no interest for me to read.
While most are only loosely tie to Christmas, the cases happen in late Dec. it is still a great book for December for a Holmes' fan. Totally enjoyed it.
Rarely a book of shorts where there are not two/three that disappoint but this is one where all were enjoyed -- I did skip the two radio scripts as that format holds no interest for me to read.
While most are only loosely tie to Christmas, the cases happen in late Dec. it is still a great book for December for a Holmes' fan. Totally enjoyed it.
February 26, 2017
Despite their common Christmas season setting, the 30 stories in this latest collection of traditional pastiches are not lacking in variety. For connoisseurs of pure deduction, tales by Mike Chinn, Jan Edwards, Arthur Hall, Roger Riccard, and S. Subramanian show Holmes at his most brilliant. (A future MX volume will feature more “untold” cases from the Canon like Mr. Subramanian’s.) Several pairs of stories revolve around a single theme. Jealousy motivates the crimes recorded by Bob Byrne and Denis O. Smith; Queen Victoria figures in offerings from Derrick Belanger and Julie McKuras; S.F. Bennett and Marcia Wilson tell similarly gruesome Christmas stories, the former redeemed by an unexpected heroine. In selections by James Lovegrove and Vincent Wright, Holmes and Watson concoct Christmas entertainments for each other, with rather mixed results. Most enjoyable of all, perhaps, are tales that cast new light on the personalities and relationship of our two heroes. C.H. Dye paints a delightful portrait of their second Christmas as young bachelors, while David Marcum illuminates Holmes’ religious beliefs in an even earlier story. Two fine concluding works by Hugh Ashton and Mark Mower, set in and after World War I, show that the long friendship between our detective and his Boswell has only deepened through the years. As Marcum notes in his introduction, Conan Doyle’s London was only a generation removed from Charles Dickens’. The Dickensian spirit of Christmas shines through many of these tales, notably John Hall’s, Tracey Revels’, and Amy Thomas’s. Ms. Revels’ moving story, in particular, proves that those who consider Holmes as much a misogynist as Scrooge are very much in error. Happily, the quality of this ongoing MX anthology remains as high as ever, with four new volumes set to appear within the next two years. Surely that news, for Sherlockians, is the nicest Christmas gift of all.
April 11, 2017
I know it's not Xmastime. But I got this one for Xmas, and didn't want to wait a whole year to read it! As we all (not we all--all we canon nerds, I should say) know, there is only one Holmes Xmas story. It it great to have so many more now. These stories (with only one exception I can think of--Watson, Lestrade, drainpipe, ew...) contain fairly cozy-type mysteries with lots of roasted chestnuts, Xmas geese, puddings, trees, and snow thrown in as atmosphere. Mary and Mrs Hudson make decent appearances (Mrs Hudson saves the day in one of them!), and the actual mysteries are really top-notch. I'll be happy to read the other four MX collections.
April 18, 2017
MX Publications often doesn't edit properly so sometimes their offerings can be a little rough. However, this volume is excellent, with much less than the usual number of historical errors. It also helps that the contributors to this excellent volume of Sherlock Holmes stories are all regular writers and contributors to the world of Sherlockiana.
These stories are all set around Christmas times, but be aware that the sugar plum factor is very low. No risk of overdoing it an sugary Dickensian style Christmas stories.
The calibre of the stories is high. My personal favourites are:
"The Jet Brooch" bu Denis O. Smith;
"The Case of the Christmas Star" by S. F. Bennett;
"A Bauble in Scandinavia" by James Lovegrove;
"The Adventure of the Empty Manger" by Tracy Revels; and
"The Mile End Mynah Bird" by Mark Mower.
All deliciously Christmassy and all pure Sherlock Holmes gold.
Highly recommended.
These stories are all set around Christmas times, but be aware that the sugar plum factor is very low. No risk of overdoing it an sugary Dickensian style Christmas stories.
The calibre of the stories is high. My personal favourites are:
"The Jet Brooch" bu Denis O. Smith;
"The Case of the Christmas Star" by S. F. Bennett;
"A Bauble in Scandinavia" by James Lovegrove;
"The Adventure of the Empty Manger" by Tracy Revels; and
"The Mile End Mynah Bird" by Mark Mower.
All deliciously Christmassy and all pure Sherlock Holmes gold.
Highly recommended.
abandoned
February 27, 2019I liked the first 4 volumes and I will certainly pick up volume 6 and beyond, but this one was tedious reading.
The story plots were wafer thin and seemed contrived to fit in with the theme of Xmas. Abandoned a little after midway.
The story plots were wafer thin and seemed contrived to fit in with the theme of Xmas. Abandoned a little after midway.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews