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Stories Inspired by the Holmes Canon
For the Sake of the Game
For the Sake of the Game is the latest volume in the award-winning series from New York Times bestselling editors Laurie R. King and Leslie S. Klinger, with stories of Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson, and friends in a variety of eras and forms. King and Klinger have a simple formula: ask some of the world’s greatest writers—regardless of genre—to be inspired by the stories of Arthur Conan Doyle.
The results are surprising and joyous. Some tales are pastiches, featuring the recognizable figures of Holmes and Watson; others step away in time or place to describe characters and stories influenced by the Holmes world. Some of the authors spin whimsical tales of fancy; others tell hard-core thrillers or puzzling mysteries. One beloved author writes a song; two others craft a melancholy graphic tale of insectoid analysis.
This is not a volume for readers who crave a steady diet of stories about Holmes and Watson on Baker Street. Rather, it is for the generations of readers who were themselves inspired by the classic tales, and who are prepared to let their imaginations roam freely.
Featuring Stories by: Peter S. Beagle, Rhys Bowen, Reed Farrel Coleman, Jamie Freveletti, Alan Gordon, Gregg Hurwitz, Toni L. P. Kelner, William Kotzwinkle and Joe Servello, Harley Jane Kozak, D. P. Lyle, Weston Ochse, Zoe Sharp, Duane Swierczynski, and F. Paul Wilson.
The results are surprising and joyous. Some tales are pastiches, featuring the recognizable figures of Holmes and Watson; others step away in time or place to describe characters and stories influenced by the Holmes world. Some of the authors spin whimsical tales of fancy; others tell hard-core thrillers or puzzling mysteries. One beloved author writes a song; two others craft a melancholy graphic tale of insectoid analysis.
This is not a volume for readers who crave a steady diet of stories about Holmes and Watson on Baker Street. Rather, it is for the generations of readers who were themselves inspired by the classic tales, and who are prepared to let their imaginations roam freely.
Featuring Stories by: Peter S. Beagle, Rhys Bowen, Reed Farrel Coleman, Jamie Freveletti, Alan Gordon, Gregg Hurwitz, Toni L. P. Kelner, William Kotzwinkle and Joe Servello, Harley Jane Kozak, D. P. Lyle, Weston Ochse, Zoe Sharp, Duane Swierczynski, and F. Paul Wilson.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published December 4, 2018
75 people are currently reading
2387 people want to read
About the author
Laurie R. King
131 books6,817 followersEdgar-winning mystery writer Laurie R. King writes series and standalone novels. Her official forum is
THE LRK VIRTUAL BOOK CLUB here on Goodreads--please join us for book-discussing fun.
King's 2018 novel, Island of the Mad, sees Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes travel from London's Bedlam to the glitter of Venice's Lido,where Young Things and the friends of Cole Porter pass Mussolini's Blackshirts in the streets. The Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes series follows a brilliant young woman who becomes the student, then partner, of the great detective. [click here for an excerpt of the first in the series, The Beekeeper's Apprentice] The Stuyvesant and Grey series (Touchstone; The Bones of Paris) takes place in Europe between the Wars. The Kate Martinelli series follows an SFPD detective's cases on a female Rembrandt, a holy fool, and more. [Click for an excerpt of A Grave Talent]
King lives in northern California, which serves as backdrop for some of her books.
Please note that Laurie checks her Goodreads inbox intermittently, so it may take some time to receive a reply. A quicker response may be possible via email to info@laurierking.com.
THE LRK VIRTUAL BOOK CLUB here on Goodreads--please join us for book-discussing fun.
King's 2018 novel, Island of the Mad, sees Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes travel from London's Bedlam to the glitter of Venice's Lido,where Young Things and the friends of Cole Porter pass Mussolini's Blackshirts in the streets. The Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes series follows a brilliant young woman who becomes the student, then partner, of the great detective. [click here for an excerpt of the first in the series, The Beekeeper's Apprentice] The Stuyvesant and Grey series (Touchstone; The Bones of Paris) takes place in Europe between the Wars. The Kate Martinelli series follows an SFPD detective's cases on a female Rembrandt, a holy fool, and more. [Click for an excerpt of A Grave Talent]
King lives in northern California, which serves as backdrop for some of her books.
Please note that Laurie checks her Goodreads inbox intermittently, so it may take some time to receive a reply. A quicker response may be possible via email to info@laurierking.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 130 reviews
March 4, 2021
This is a hard book to rate because it's a collection of short works by different writers. The stories themselves range quite a bit in quality. Some are very good, but most of them, in my opinion, were not. While I was reading it, at first, I thought it would be between 3 and 4 stars. Then, as I went on and read more of the stories, it was a solid 3. Then 2.5. Then it got worse yet. I was very disappointed overall. One good thing about this collection is that because it's a collection of so many parts, a few bad stories won't hurt the overall experience—it's a celebration of Sherlock Holmes, and certainly the whole can be greater than the sum of its parts. Here, though, there were only two stories that I really liked, two more that were nice, and a fifth that was very good but just not my cup of tea. I'm still counting it as plus, since it was so good, and since my opinions are subjective anyway. But that still only leaves five positives out of 14 stories altogether. Again, this is all just my own reaction, but it was not a good experience. I spent most of the time feeling irritated. Then I'd get to a really good one, and I'd get my hopes up again.
Some stuff I didn't like:
• Paranormal. I'm okay with it as a genre, but it doesn't fit well into Sherlock Holmes. Maybe I'd feel differently if the writers had done a better job of integrating it, or if it hadn't been used in SO MANY of the tales.
• Non-smart Sherlock Holmes. Usually this happens alongside a perfect other character who outsmarts him at every turn. I've no problem with Sherlock being outsmarted, especially if it's by an Irene Adler figure. After all, her victory was in the VERY FIRST short story of the canon. But in that story, Sherlock was smart and clever, and Irene was cleverer still. Here, I think, some of the authors wanted their own characters to triumph, so instead of writing them smarter, they just diminished Sherlock. They made him jump to conclusions (a far cry from the “Data! Data! Data! I cannot make bricks without clay!” detective of the canon). They made him mild and prone to inaction. There were also some painful scenes of Sherlock meeting an Irene-like character, and falling over himself telling her how wonderful and smart and tough she is. Didn't feel real to me.
• Super-perfect non-Doyle characters. Whether it’s a macho tough guy or a badass warrior woman, I would have liked something more interesting than perfect perfection
• Gratuitous violence (I know, I know, it’s about a man who solves murders, so of course, there will be murders. It just felt a little over-the-top to me.)
• Some of them just felt pretentious.
Some stuff I liked:
• The variety. Some of these are stories set in the Doyle-era, starring Doyle characters. Others are set in modern times, still with Sherlock et al. Then there are the ones that have all original characters, but whose heroes assume the roles of Holmes and Watson. And ones where the characters are normal, everyday people who also happen to be Sherlock Holmes fans. And a whimsical Sherlock-is-really-a-bug retelling. And prose. And poetry. And a graphic novel. This is a very rich collection of many different styles and forms.
• The humor. A few stories made me laugh out loud.
• Whimsy
• Fun. Some of these stories had such a nice sense of fun, and they really felt like a celebration of Doyle.
My top 5:
Dr. Watson’s Song and The Case of the Naked Butterfly, tied for first.
The Case of the Missing Case, honorable mention. A nice origin story for Holmes. Also, they worked music into the plot, so that’s a win.
The Adventure of the Six Sherlocks, honorable mention. A lot of fun to read about a mystery at a Sherlock Holmes convention, with a bunch of Sherlock cosplayers as suspects. The mystery element kind of falls apart if you think about it too much, but the story itself was such a hoot that I didn’t much care.
Sherlocked. I didn’t care so much for this one, but it was well-written.
All in all, I didn’t enjoy most of this collection. Parts of it were cute, but most of these stories were either irritating or dull. I enjoy a good Sherlock yarn, but this collection just wasn’t for me.
Some stuff I didn't like:
• Paranormal. I'm okay with it as a genre, but it doesn't fit well into Sherlock Holmes. Maybe I'd feel differently if the writers had done a better job of integrating it, or if it hadn't been used in SO MANY of the tales.
• Non-smart Sherlock Holmes. Usually this happens alongside a perfect other character who outsmarts him at every turn. I've no problem with Sherlock being outsmarted, especially if it's by an Irene Adler figure. After all, her victory was in the VERY FIRST short story of the canon. But in that story, Sherlock was smart and clever, and Irene was cleverer still. Here, I think, some of the authors wanted their own characters to triumph, so instead of writing them smarter, they just diminished Sherlock. They made him jump to conclusions (a far cry from the “Data! Data! Data! I cannot make bricks without clay!” detective of the canon). They made him mild and prone to inaction. There were also some painful scenes of Sherlock meeting an Irene-like character, and falling over himself telling her how wonderful and smart and tough she is. Didn't feel real to me.
• Super-perfect non-Doyle characters. Whether it’s a macho tough guy or a badass warrior woman, I would have liked something more interesting than perfect perfection
• Gratuitous violence (I know, I know, it’s about a man who solves murders, so of course, there will be murders. It just felt a little over-the-top to me.)
• Some of them just felt pretentious.
Some stuff I liked:
• The variety. Some of these are stories set in the Doyle-era, starring Doyle characters. Others are set in modern times, still with Sherlock et al. Then there are the ones that have all original characters, but whose heroes assume the roles of Holmes and Watson. And ones where the characters are normal, everyday people who also happen to be Sherlock Holmes fans. And a whimsical Sherlock-is-really-a-bug retelling. And prose. And poetry. And a graphic novel. This is a very rich collection of many different styles and forms.
• The humor. A few stories made me laugh out loud.
• Whimsy
• Fun. Some of these stories had such a nice sense of fun, and they really felt like a celebration of Doyle.
My top 5:
Dr. Watson’s Song and The Case of the Naked Butterfly, tied for first.
The Case of the Missing Case, honorable mention. A nice origin story for Holmes. Also, they worked music into the plot, so that’s a win.
The Adventure of the Six Sherlocks, honorable mention. A lot of fun to read about a mystery at a Sherlock Holmes convention, with a bunch of Sherlock cosplayers as suspects. The mystery element kind of falls apart if you think about it too much, but the story itself was such a hoot that I didn’t much care.
Sherlocked. I didn’t care so much for this one, but it was well-written.
All in all, I didn’t enjoy most of this collection. Parts of it were cute, but most of these stories were either irritating or dull. I enjoy a good Sherlock yarn, but this collection just wasn’t for me.
January 11, 2020
An anthology of stories regarding Sherlock Holmes or things adjacent to Holmes. It’s like almost all anthologies, it’s a mix of good, great, and meh. If you really like Holmes mysteries, I’m pretty sure you’ll enjoy this, maybe even love it. All others can probably safely pass on it. It’s definitely good, but there is better stuff out there for non-Holmes enthusiasts.
July 10, 2019
This was a fairly entertaining collection of Sherlock inspired tales, 14 of them in all with almost a dozen of the authors I have not read previously - a good way to sample their writing. I liked the final, short "Hounded" by Zoe Sharp quite a bit so I am going to try one of her books from her Charlie Fox series. Laurie King and Rhys Bowen both have stacks of "read" books in my virtual library, both favorites.
There were contributions I did not care for, so three stars it is.
There were contributions I did not care for, so three stars it is.
August 31, 2023
Final Status: So, remember when I said this anthology was possibly the best Sherlock Holmes anthology I had read as of then?
Well, apparently, they shoved the dark, depressing, and honestly rather stupid tales toward the end.
Thank you, for that. *Not*
The saddest part about all of this is because there are a few stories here that I would genuinely love to own…while there are others that I would not buy in a million years.
So this anthology is getting dropped to a mere 2.5 stars.
Well, maybe “In the Company of” and “Echoes of” Sherlock Holmes will prove to be amazing anthologies.
I’m crossing my weary fingers.
Full review below:
And that was to cheer myself up from all the disappointment.
Ahem! Anyway…
previous status: I have not reached a story that does not delight. Yet. I do believe that so far this might be the best Sherlock Holmes anthology I have ever read. That is why I am strictly rating it. (Don’t worry, it makes sense in my mind.) ;)
As of yet, a 4.5-star compendium.
But we shall see.
Oh we did see.
Introduction.
Read: 2/19/21.
A fun beginning to this brilliant Holmes compendium!
5 stars
Dr. Watson’s Song.
Read: 2/19/21.
Hilarious, apt, and witty!
4 stars
The Adventure of the Abu Qir Sapphire.
Read: 2/19/21.
An intriguing premise, but in my mind, it failed to deliver. Much of the mystery element was left unsolved, which always irritates me in a mystery. The (un)original plotline of a gorgeous, intelligent, and canny woman was inserted also for good measure, but at least Yeesh. (For those concerned, I love it when women star in basically anything. I just love women in general. But, when an author does not create a satisfactory ending to their mystery – as in this case – I do not believe the only explanation should be “because she’s a woman, and darn it if women aren’t MYSTERIOUS!”
Sigh. We’re not ‘mysterious;’ we just think things through in a simultaneously logical and emotional way. As all beings should.
(For those who are curious, yes, this story was written by a man. No, that doesn’t make it automatically good or bad. Just satisfying the curiosity of those who might take an interest in that fact.)
3 stars
The Walk-In.
Read: 2/19/21
The protagonist confused me…one moment she was a clueless, bumbling American suffering from severe jet lag, the next she had an IQ and observance factor worthy of Holmes himself? For me, that does not add up. The “I’m-an-American-so-I-instantly-sound-like-an-airhead” trope that seems to constantly crop up in Sherlock Holmes literature annoys me to no end. I am a 16-year-old American girl, and I sound more sophisticated than this story’s mid-20s protagonist. It is a merciless trope, and I am tired of it. However, the story itself was fast-paced, engaging, and witty. It’s definitely one of my favorites of the compendium. I loved the character of Kingsley, he truly made the whole story.
4.5 stars.
The Case of the Missing Case
Read: 2/19/21.
OH! This story made me chortle, it made me weep, it made my heart sing! Holmesians, Sherlockiana, those who are only there for the snacks – GET THIS BOOK because you NEED to read this!
5 stars!!!
Sherlocked
Read: 2/19/21.
Hehehehe. What really happened to poor Professor Orville? Can the mind of a machine more accurately deduce a crime scene than a human can? This story will leave you with a thrill and a rush, and leave you wondering…what really did happen to Professor Orville? ;)
4 stars
A Study in Absence
Read: 2/19/21.
Does this story really exist in this collection? Is this collection really here? In fact, am I really here, or am I simply a figment of your imagination, feeding you a review which may or may not really exist? Who truly knows?
Are stars real?
The Adventure of the Six Sherlocks
Read: 2/19/21
A con revolving entirely around Sherlock Holmes? A mysterious murder at said con? Whodunit being Sherlock Holmes himself…or rather, one of him?
SIGN. ME. UP.
Incredible.
5 stars
The Case of the Naked Butterfly
Read: 2/19/21 – 2/20/21, currently reading.
YAHOO! ANOTHER COMIC STRIP THAT IS ACTUALLY WORTHWHILE!!!
And one starring an insect to boot!
A thoroughly entertaining bug-centric comic strip! An oh so mysterious mystery!
4 stars
Bottom Line
Read: 2/20/21
I had just read The Reigate Squires earlier this year, which added to the appeal of this story for me. Also, the fact that he uncovered the truth all because of his knowledge of Sherlock Holmes was *chef’s kiss*!
4 stars
Buy a Bullet
Read: 2/20/21
TW: physical and sexual assault, domestic abuse.
While I loved the premise of a lone watcher saving a woman from a truly horrific situation, my heart ached for what she went through. Despite the fact that what happened to her was supposed to make up the backbone of the story, and despite the fact that the author did not go into detail, I feel as if a story with this level of darkness should not have been placed in a Sherlock Holmes anthology, especially one in which the previous stories had contained light content. At the very least, the authors/editors should have placed trigger warnings beside this story for people who might be triggered by such events to possibly skip or avoid this tale.
I’m giving this story zero stars. Since “For the Sake of the Game” consists of mostly light tales compared to this one, I am deeply offended that the anthology abruptly shifts into such a heavy and saddening tale with no warning. Deeply disappointing.
The Girl in the Key of C
Read: 2/21/21
Having never been subjected to the line of work that the titular character is employed in, I don’t know what it feels like to be a prostitute. But the cavalier way this writer treats that fact doesn’t jive. Living in that line of work causes serious physical and emotional trauma to a person, and carrying on like that is and should be a normal part of life is beyond concerning.
Then again, the story’s set in LA, so go figure.
I think my favorite parts are a. her visions of the future and b. Also, it was super cute. And I was thinking of the movie “Last Christmas” the whole time I was reading this story, which made me happy.
3.75 stars
The Ghost of the Lake
Read: 2/21/21
In all honesty, there’s not much I could complain about in this story. I liked it – it had a cool, female main character, they solved a slightly perplexing mystery (which I’m pretty sure wasn’t factually accurate in some places, but I myself was confused by it so I could be wrong), and hey, Modern Sherlock Holmes decided to make an appearance!
That’s always happy-making!
So yeah. Good, but not that great. More accurately, I smiled when I read it, but did not laugh.
(And if you didn’t get that reference, have you lived under a rock your whole life? Gosh.)
3 stars
Tough Guy Ballet
Read: 2/22/21
I’m sorry, but to refer to someone as a prostitute just by the kind of boots they wear is pushing it over the edge for me.
Sorry not sorry I mean.
(Also, why the need for a supernatural explanation? That’s like saying “we couldn’t come up with a reasonable ending, so whooo ghosties!)
2.5 stars
Hounded
Read: 2/22/21
Again, loving the fact that Modern Sherlock keeps cropping up.
Also, who doesn’t love a good “Hounds of the Baskerville” retelling?
But…
(there’s always a “but”)
This story had no point.
Seriously.
It did not add or take away from the original tale at all. In fact, it had literally no impact on the events as they happened.
If you know me, you know that I am always a sucker for a good “add-in-a-female-assassin-to-a-sherlock-plot” storyline.
So, the fact that even I think this story had no point should show you the true gratuity of even that wonderful plotline.
3 stars for good writing. I still liked it, even though it had no point. Sometimes I like stuff that has no point. It’s not always an insult to have no point.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
All in all, a mixed bag.
When are they not?
Some stories I just couldn’t get behind at all. Others I loved to death. But I think for the vast majority of them I was just swept away in a sea of like.
I liked them.
And, call me nitpicky, but I wanted to love them.
So that was a bit disappointing.
But I did it! And, in reality, it was all for the sake of the game.
TL;DR: This anthology is probably ages 16+ or more…I mean, I’m 16 and I read it. Sensitive readers not encouraged because of one triggering story, but the rest are either meh or pretty good. All in all, I would seek a better game if I were you.
Well, apparently, they shoved the dark, depressing, and honestly rather stupid tales toward the end.
Thank you, for that. *Not*
The saddest part about all of this is because there are a few stories here that I would genuinely love to own…while there are others that I would not buy in a million years.
So this anthology is getting dropped to a mere 2.5 stars.
Well, maybe “In the Company of” and “Echoes of” Sherlock Holmes will prove to be amazing anthologies.
I’m crossing my weary fingers.
Full review below:
And that was to cheer myself up from all the disappointment.
Ahem! Anyway…
previous status: I have not reached a story that does not delight. Yet. I do believe that so far this might be the best Sherlock Holmes anthology I have ever read. That is why I am strictly rating it. (Don’t worry, it makes sense in my mind.) ;)
As of yet, a 4.5-star compendium.
But we shall see.
Oh we did see.
Introduction.
Read: 2/19/21.
A fun beginning to this brilliant Holmes compendium!
5 stars
Dr. Watson’s Song.
Read: 2/19/21.
Hilarious, apt, and witty!
4 stars
The Adventure of the Abu Qir Sapphire.
Read: 2/19/21.
An intriguing premise, but in my mind, it failed to deliver. Much of the mystery element was left unsolved, which always irritates me in a mystery. The (un)original plotline of a gorgeous, intelligent, and canny woman was inserted also for good measure, but at least Yeesh. (For those concerned, I love it when women star in basically anything. I just love women in general. But, when an author does not create a satisfactory ending to their mystery – as in this case – I do not believe the only explanation should be “because she’s a woman, and darn it if women aren’t MYSTERIOUS!”
Sigh. We’re not ‘mysterious;’ we just think things through in a simultaneously logical and emotional way. As all beings should.
(For those who are curious, yes, this story was written by a man. No, that doesn’t make it automatically good or bad. Just satisfying the curiosity of those who might take an interest in that fact.)
3 stars
The Walk-In.
Read: 2/19/21
The protagonist confused me…one moment she was a clueless, bumbling American suffering from severe jet lag, the next she had an IQ and observance factor worthy of Holmes himself? For me, that does not add up. The “I’m-an-American-so-I-instantly-sound-like-an-airhead” trope that seems to constantly crop up in Sherlock Holmes literature annoys me to no end. I am a 16-year-old American girl, and I sound more sophisticated than this story’s mid-20s protagonist. It is a merciless trope, and I am tired of it. However, the story itself was fast-paced, engaging, and witty. It’s definitely one of my favorites of the compendium. I loved the character of Kingsley, he truly made the whole story.
4.5 stars.
The Case of the Missing Case
Read: 2/19/21.
OH! This story made me chortle, it made me weep, it made my heart sing! Holmesians, Sherlockiana, those who are only there for the snacks – GET THIS BOOK because you NEED to read this!
5 stars!!!
Sherlocked
Read: 2/19/21.
Hehehehe. What really happened to poor Professor Orville? Can the mind of a machine more accurately deduce a crime scene than a human can? This story will leave you with a thrill and a rush, and leave you wondering…what really did happen to Professor Orville? ;)
4 stars
A Study in Absence
Read: 2/19/21.
Does this story really exist in this collection? Is this collection really here? In fact, am I really here, or am I simply a figment of your imagination, feeding you a review which may or may not really exist? Who truly knows?
Are stars real?
The Adventure of the Six Sherlocks
Read: 2/19/21
A con revolving entirely around Sherlock Holmes? A mysterious murder at said con? Whodunit being Sherlock Holmes himself…or rather, one of him?
SIGN. ME. UP.
Incredible.
5 stars
The Case of the Naked Butterfly
Read: 2/19/21 – 2/20/21, currently reading.
YAHOO! ANOTHER COMIC STRIP THAT IS ACTUALLY WORTHWHILE!!!
And one starring an insect to boot!
A thoroughly entertaining bug-centric comic strip! An oh so mysterious mystery!
4 stars
Bottom Line
Read: 2/20/21
I had just read The Reigate Squires earlier this year, which added to the appeal of this story for me. Also, the fact that he uncovered the truth all because of his knowledge of Sherlock Holmes was *chef’s kiss*!
4 stars
Buy a Bullet
Read: 2/20/21
TW: physical and sexual assault, domestic abuse.
While I loved the premise of a lone watcher saving a woman from a truly horrific situation, my heart ached for what she went through. Despite the fact that what happened to her was supposed to make up the backbone of the story, and despite the fact that the author did not go into detail, I feel as if a story with this level of darkness should not have been placed in a Sherlock Holmes anthology, especially one in which the previous stories had contained light content. At the very least, the authors/editors should have placed trigger warnings beside this story for people who might be triggered by such events to possibly skip or avoid this tale.
I’m giving this story zero stars. Since “For the Sake of the Game” consists of mostly light tales compared to this one, I am deeply offended that the anthology abruptly shifts into such a heavy and saddening tale with no warning. Deeply disappointing.
The Girl in the Key of C
Read: 2/21/21
Having never been subjected to the line of work that the titular character is employed in, I don’t know what it feels like to be a prostitute. But the cavalier way this writer treats that fact doesn’t jive. Living in that line of work causes serious physical and emotional trauma to a person, and carrying on like that is and should be a normal part of life is beyond concerning.
Then again, the story’s set in LA, so go figure.
I think my favorite parts are a. her visions of the future and b. Also, it was super cute. And I was thinking of the movie “Last Christmas” the whole time I was reading this story, which made me happy.
3.75 stars
The Ghost of the Lake
Read: 2/21/21
In all honesty, there’s not much I could complain about in this story. I liked it – it had a cool, female main character, they solved a slightly perplexing mystery (which I’m pretty sure wasn’t factually accurate in some places, but I myself was confused by it so I could be wrong), and hey, Modern Sherlock Holmes decided to make an appearance!
That’s always happy-making!
So yeah. Good, but not that great. More accurately, I smiled when I read it, but did not laugh.
(And if you didn’t get that reference, have you lived under a rock your whole life? Gosh.)
3 stars
Tough Guy Ballet
Read: 2/22/21
I’m sorry, but to refer to someone as a prostitute just by the kind of boots they wear is pushing it over the edge for me.
Sorry not sorry I mean.
(Also, why the need for a supernatural explanation? That’s like saying “we couldn’t come up with a reasonable ending, so whooo ghosties!)
2.5 stars
Hounded
Read: 2/22/21
Again, loving the fact that Modern Sherlock keeps cropping up.
Also, who doesn’t love a good “Hounds of the Baskerville” retelling?
But…
(there’s always a “but”)
This story had no point.
Seriously.
It did not add or take away from the original tale at all. In fact, it had literally no impact on the events as they happened.
If you know me, you know that I am always a sucker for a good “add-in-a-female-assassin-to-a-sherlock-plot” storyline.
So, the fact that even I think this story had no point should show you the true gratuity of even that wonderful plotline.
3 stars for good writing. I still liked it, even though it had no point. Sometimes I like stuff that has no point. It’s not always an insult to have no point.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
All in all, a mixed bag.
When are they not?
Some stories I just couldn’t get behind at all. Others I loved to death. But I think for the vast majority of them I was just swept away in a sea of like.
I liked them.
And, call me nitpicky, but I wanted to love them.
So that was a bit disappointing.
But I did it! And, in reality, it was all for the sake of the game.
TL;DR: This anthology is probably ages 16+ or more…I mean, I’m 16 and I read it. Sensitive readers not encouraged because of one triggering story, but the rest are either meh or pretty good. All in all, I would seek a better game if I were you.
February 7, 2021
Hmm. While this book was a fun, fast read, I didn't enjoy it quite as much as the earlier collections in this series, A Study in Sherlock, In the Company of Sherlock Holmes, and Echoes of Sherlock Holmes. Like those first three, this is a collection of short stories somehow inspired by the Sherlock Holmes canon, by a very varied group of writers. Some stories have Holmes and Watson in them, some don't, etc.
I think that a lot of the stories in this collection were less charming and quirky, and more edgy, and that's why I didn't like it as well. I don't know, it just felt... colder and darker, somehow.
I think that a lot of the stories in this collection were less charming and quirky, and more edgy, and that's why I didn't like it as well. I don't know, it just felt... colder and darker, somehow.
May 1, 2021
Not good. Maybe 1.5 stars for the couple of decent stories in it, but the vast majority of the stories were "inspired" by Sherlock Holmes in the sense that a character in the story said the words "sherlock holmes" at some point during the story. One story in particular was grossly exploitative rapey bullshit, with no mystery or deduction, only a creepy voyeuristic serial killer who undoubtedly fulfilled some kind of pathetic 'lone wolf savior' fantasy for the author. I haven't read any of the other books in this collection and I'm not likely to.
August 16, 2019
A collection of stories across various genres inspired by Sherlock Holmes. Some are mysteries which stay true to the original text. Some are modern detective tales. One is about a robot. I didn't think any of the stories were particularly great.
December 16, 2018
Originally published at Reading Reality
Welcome to my review of the biennual collection of Sherlock Holmes-inspired stories edited by Laurie R. King and Leslie S. Klinger. This is an every two years treat, as evidenced by my reviews of the previous collections in this quasi-series, A Study In Sherlock, In the Company of Sherlock Holmes and Echoes of Sherlock Holmes.
The stories in all of these collections were inspired by Holmes, one way or another, and are commissioned for the collections. And like all collections, they are a bit of a mixed bag. The game, however, is definitely afoot, both in stories that feel like they could be part of the original canon, and in stories that take their inspiration from the Great Detective without necessarily featuring him in either his Victorian guise or a more contemporary one.
I have several favorites in this year’s collection, one each to reflect the different aspects of Holmesiana that are represented here.
My favorite story in the manner of the master himself The Case of the Missing Case by Alan Gordon. It takes place before the canon begins, when Mycroft is still working his way up the government ladder, and Sherlock, in his very early 20s, has not yet taken up rooms with Watson. And is not yet quite as sure of himself and his methods as he will later become. It actually fits quite nicely into the period between the excellent Mycroft and Sherlock by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Anna Whitehouse, and the beginning of the official canon.in A Study in Scarlet.
In this story we see a very young Sherlock justifying his continuing presence in London to the consternation of his parents and the absolute chagrin of brother Mycroft by solving the case of a missing violinist and saving his brother’s life. This story also provides a rather lovely explanation for Sherlock’s acquisition of his famous Stradivarius.
This collection has relatively few Holmesian stories set in the Victorian era. Most are either modern variations of Holmes – or modern detectives, whether amateur or professional, who use Holmes’ methods.
Of the contemporary Holmes stories, I can’t decide between Hounded by Zoe Sharp and The Ghost of the Lake by Jamie Freveletti. They are such completely different versions of the 21st century Holmes that choosing between them is impossible.
Hounded by Zoe Sharp is so much fun because it is a contemporary reworking of The Hound of the Baskervilles. It shows just how timeless the canon can be, by transplanting from the 19th century to the 21st and still making it all, including the ghostly hound, work.
The Ghost of the Lake, on the other hand, is a 21st century version of Holmes that owes a lot to both Elementary and Sherlock without feeling like an imitation of either. In this story, Sherlock Holmes is a 21st century operative for a secret British government department who has come to Chicago to prevent the kidnapping of an American national security specialist who has plenty of tricks up her own sleeve – and who is every bit Holmes’ equal in every way.
I liked, not only the portrayal of Holmes in this story, but also the character of Dr. Hester Regine. And I loved the trip down memory lane to Chicago, my favorite of all of the places that we have lived.
Last but not least, the story that took the phrase “inspired by Sherlock Holmes” to new heights. And depths. And several places in between. That would be The Adventure of the Six Sherlocks by Toni L.P. Kelner. This story both spoofs the love of Holmes and celebrates it at the same time, as its amateur detectives find themselves using Sherlock Holmes’ own methods to investigate a murder at a convention of Sherlock Holmes fans.
The story reminds me a bit of Bimbos of the Death Sun by Sharyn McCrumb, where an author is murdered at a science fiction convention – but if “Six Sherlocks” uses that book as a springboard, it’s a very light spring.
Even the idea of a cooking show featuring actors portraying Holmes and Watson is hilarious. But when someone murders “Holmes” at the Sherlock Holmes convention, there are too many pretend Sherlocks and nearly not enough real ones to crack the case. This one is a light and fun send up of fan conventions in general and Sherlock Holmes mania in particular as well as being a cute mystery.
Escape Rating B+: Overall I enjoyed this collection. There were a couple of stories that just weren’t quite my cuppa, and one or two where it felt like they were a bit too far off the Holmesian tangent to be in this collection.
I read it in a day, finding myself getting so caught up in each story that I almost finished before I knew it. If you like Holmes or Holmes-like or Holmes-lite stories, this collection is every bit as much of a treat as its predecessors.
Of all the stories in all these collections, the one that still haunts me is from the first one, A Study in Sherlock. It’s The Case of Death and Honey by Neil Gaiman, and it’s the one that I still most want to be true.
Welcome to my review of the biennual collection of Sherlock Holmes-inspired stories edited by Laurie R. King and Leslie S. Klinger. This is an every two years treat, as evidenced by my reviews of the previous collections in this quasi-series, A Study In Sherlock, In the Company of Sherlock Holmes and Echoes of Sherlock Holmes.
The stories in all of these collections were inspired by Holmes, one way or another, and are commissioned for the collections. And like all collections, they are a bit of a mixed bag. The game, however, is definitely afoot, both in stories that feel like they could be part of the original canon, and in stories that take their inspiration from the Great Detective without necessarily featuring him in either his Victorian guise or a more contemporary one.
I have several favorites in this year’s collection, one each to reflect the different aspects of Holmesiana that are represented here.
My favorite story in the manner of the master himself The Case of the Missing Case by Alan Gordon. It takes place before the canon begins, when Mycroft is still working his way up the government ladder, and Sherlock, in his very early 20s, has not yet taken up rooms with Watson. And is not yet quite as sure of himself and his methods as he will later become. It actually fits quite nicely into the period between the excellent Mycroft and Sherlock by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Anna Whitehouse, and the beginning of the official canon.in A Study in Scarlet.
In this story we see a very young Sherlock justifying his continuing presence in London to the consternation of his parents and the absolute chagrin of brother Mycroft by solving the case of a missing violinist and saving his brother’s life. This story also provides a rather lovely explanation for Sherlock’s acquisition of his famous Stradivarius.
This collection has relatively few Holmesian stories set in the Victorian era. Most are either modern variations of Holmes – or modern detectives, whether amateur or professional, who use Holmes’ methods.
Of the contemporary Holmes stories, I can’t decide between Hounded by Zoe Sharp and The Ghost of the Lake by Jamie Freveletti. They are such completely different versions of the 21st century Holmes that choosing between them is impossible.
Hounded by Zoe Sharp is so much fun because it is a contemporary reworking of The Hound of the Baskervilles. It shows just how timeless the canon can be, by transplanting from the 19th century to the 21st and still making it all, including the ghostly hound, work.
The Ghost of the Lake, on the other hand, is a 21st century version of Holmes that owes a lot to both Elementary and Sherlock without feeling like an imitation of either. In this story, Sherlock Holmes is a 21st century operative for a secret British government department who has come to Chicago to prevent the kidnapping of an American national security specialist who has plenty of tricks up her own sleeve – and who is every bit Holmes’ equal in every way.
I liked, not only the portrayal of Holmes in this story, but also the character of Dr. Hester Regine. And I loved the trip down memory lane to Chicago, my favorite of all of the places that we have lived.
Last but not least, the story that took the phrase “inspired by Sherlock Holmes” to new heights. And depths. And several places in between. That would be The Adventure of the Six Sherlocks by Toni L.P. Kelner. This story both spoofs the love of Holmes and celebrates it at the same time, as its amateur detectives find themselves using Sherlock Holmes’ own methods to investigate a murder at a convention of Sherlock Holmes fans.
The story reminds me a bit of Bimbos of the Death Sun by Sharyn McCrumb, where an author is murdered at a science fiction convention – but if “Six Sherlocks” uses that book as a springboard, it’s a very light spring.
Even the idea of a cooking show featuring actors portraying Holmes and Watson is hilarious. But when someone murders “Holmes” at the Sherlock Holmes convention, there are too many pretend Sherlocks and nearly not enough real ones to crack the case. This one is a light and fun send up of fan conventions in general and Sherlock Holmes mania in particular as well as being a cute mystery.
Escape Rating B+: Overall I enjoyed this collection. There were a couple of stories that just weren’t quite my cuppa, and one or two where it felt like they were a bit too far off the Holmesian tangent to be in this collection.
I read it in a day, finding myself getting so caught up in each story that I almost finished before I knew it. If you like Holmes or Holmes-like or Holmes-lite stories, this collection is every bit as much of a treat as its predecessors.
Of all the stories in all these collections, the one that still haunts me is from the first one, A Study in Sherlock. It’s The Case of Death and Honey by Neil Gaiman, and it’s the one that I still most want to be true.
March 23, 2023
Compilation of Sherlock Holmes-like stories. Some are great, a couple of them I skipped because they were just the same old modern junk that is popular these days. I’ve actually never read the original Sherlock Holmes 🙈but I definitely need to!
March 12, 2020
A nice anthology, each story has it's own narrator. Some include Sherlock Holmes in some form, others just give a nod to his detecting abilities.
I quite enjoyed this book and will check out a couple of authors I was unaware of before this.
I quite enjoyed this book and will check out a couple of authors I was unaware of before this.
December 22, 2019
I haven't read any of the "Arthur Conan Doyle" stories, my only link to Sherlock are the "Robert Downey Jr." & "Jude Law" films, and the "Benedict Cumberbatch" & "Martin Freeman" adaptations, and despite their differences, I love both of them dearly. I'm saying that to say that I might've missed nods to the original stories or the way some stories related to the original canon in ways that went over my head having not read the stories. As with all anthologies, some were really great, others were meh. but I'm glad I read this collection, and I might go back to read moe in this series of Sherlock Holmes inspired stories.
A mini review of each story:
1) Dr. Watson's Song: Simply adorable, and sad (5/5)
2) The Adventure of the Abu Qir Sapphire: my biggest complaint is that this story didn't include Watson. It's got a bit of fantasy element & an older Sherlock Holmes with a female figure similar to Irene Adler. (3.5/5)
3) The Walk-in: A Modern take where Sherlock is fairly young and Watson is an American woman. I loved their banter and the back-and-forth deductions were adorable. My one complaint is that the author kept reminding us that she's American every single page. I mean, one was enough. (4/5)
4) The case of the Missing Case: a Victorian story with Mycroft and Sherlock. I loved Mycroft but I had a problem with how the author portrayed Sherlock, like I'd never expect him to take lessons from anyone. (3/5)
5) Sherlocked: Sherlock is a robot in this story designed to help the police. I liked the mystery and how when Sherlock is just an ugly robot not a charming man, people aren't convinced with his "far-fetched" deductions. (4/5)
6)A Study in Absence: a bit too vague for my taste. But kinda reminded me of Benedict and Freeman. (3/5/5)
7) The Adventures of the Six Sherlocks: Even though the story didn't feature Sherlock and Watson and set in a modern convention for the Sherlock fandom, with fans solving the crimes, the mystery itself was decent. (3.5/5)
8) The Case of the Naked Butterfly: The only graphic story in the collection. Even though I didn't like how all the characters were depicted as insects, my main problem was the art style, which wasn't for me at all. (1/5)
9) Bottom Line: The story had nothing to do with the Sherlock Holmes canon, maybe it resembles one of Doyle's stories which I didn't read, but it felt out of place. (1.5/5)
10) Buy a Bullet: another story that felt out of place, it felt part of a series I didn't know. (0/5)
11) The Girl in the Key of C: Another story that feels out of place, but this one had a touch of fantasy. (1/5)
12) The Ghost of the Lake: One of my favorite stories in this collection. The banter and the mystery and the ending all were great! (4.5/5)
13) Tog Guy Ballet: I really liked this story with its fantasy/metaphysical aspect, even if the canon relation wasn't apparent. (4/5)
14) Hounded: A take of the Hound of Baskerville with an added mystery. It was a good story. (3/5)
A mini review of each story:
1) Dr. Watson's Song: Simply adorable, and sad (5/5)
2) The Adventure of the Abu Qir Sapphire: my biggest complaint is that this story didn't include Watson. It's got a bit of fantasy element & an older Sherlock Holmes with a female figure similar to Irene Adler. (3.5/5)
3) The Walk-in: A Modern take where Sherlock is fairly young and Watson is an American woman. I loved their banter and the back-and-forth deductions were adorable. My one complaint is that the author kept reminding us that she's American every single page. I mean, one was enough. (4/5)
4) The case of the Missing Case: a Victorian story with Mycroft and Sherlock. I loved Mycroft but I had a problem with how the author portrayed Sherlock, like I'd never expect him to take lessons from anyone. (3/5)
5) Sherlocked: Sherlock is a robot in this story designed to help the police. I liked the mystery and how when Sherlock is just an ugly robot not a charming man, people aren't convinced with his "far-fetched" deductions. (4/5)
6)A Study in Absence: a bit too vague for my taste. But kinda reminded me of Benedict and Freeman. (3/5/5)
7) The Adventures of the Six Sherlocks: Even though the story didn't feature Sherlock and Watson and set in a modern convention for the Sherlock fandom, with fans solving the crimes, the mystery itself was decent. (3.5/5)
8) The Case of the Naked Butterfly: The only graphic story in the collection. Even though I didn't like how all the characters were depicted as insects, my main problem was the art style, which wasn't for me at all. (1/5)
9) Bottom Line: The story had nothing to do with the Sherlock Holmes canon, maybe it resembles one of Doyle's stories which I didn't read, but it felt out of place. (1.5/5)
10) Buy a Bullet: another story that felt out of place, it felt part of a series I didn't know. (0/5)
11) The Girl in the Key of C: Another story that feels out of place, but this one had a touch of fantasy. (1/5)
12) The Ghost of the Lake: One of my favorite stories in this collection. The banter and the mystery and the ending all were great! (4.5/5)
13) Tog Guy Ballet: I really liked this story with its fantasy/metaphysical aspect, even if the canon relation wasn't apparent. (4/5)
14) Hounded: A take of the Hound of Baskerville with an added mystery. It was a good story. (3/5)
December 15, 2024
The other day, my daughter asked me if I'd ever read a mystery that started out appearing to be supernatural, that ended up having a mundane solution, or one that appeared to be common place which ended up being supernatural. I told her yes, and I don't like them. I reminded her there is a new type, a worse one, where the solution turns out to be some sort of "quantum" science.
Wouldn't you know, the very story in this anthology that I read that day was one of these. I won't tell you any more, because it was skillfully done, and one of the tropes was a red herring.
I did like most of these stories, although a few of them fit the criteria very loosely. A couple simply mentioned Sherlock Holmes in passing. Does that even count?
They were all very well narrated by excellent readers.
Wouldn't you know, the very story in this anthology that I read that day was one of these. I won't tell you any more, because it was skillfully done, and one of the tropes was a red herring.
I did like most of these stories, although a few of them fit the criteria very loosely. A couple simply mentioned Sherlock Holmes in passing. Does that even count?
They were all very well narrated by excellent readers.
August 14, 2021
A very disappointing book.
January 1, 2019
Following two earlier anthologies, Echoes of Sherlock Holmes and In the Footsteps of Sherlock Holmes, this new anthology features stories inspired by the Holmes Canon. It features stories by some of the best-known authors of today. Peter S. Beagle, Reed Farrell Coleman, Jamie Freveletti, Alan Gordon, Gregg Hurwitz, Toni L.P. Kelner, William Kotzwinkle and Joe Servello, Harley Jane Kozak, D.P. Lyle, Weston Ochse, Zoe Sharp, Duane Swierczynski, and F. Paul Wilson all put their own stamp on the Sherlock Holmes character. This is not an anthology for Holmes purists, placing Holmes not only in multiple times and genres, as well as genders. I am not one of the purists as far as Holmes is concerned.
I enjoyed some of the stories more than others so I will concentrate on three that I found particularly delightful. The Case of the Missing Case by Alan Gordon places a young Sherlock and brother Mycroft in London before their respective careers really took off. Sherlock is trying to justify his choice of career to disapproving parents and barely getting by, but actually finds himself taken in by the theatrical wiles of a young woman. Hounded, by Zoe Sharp is inspired by my favorite of all Holmes stories, The Hound of the Baskervilles. Set in the modern day, it has all the spooky atmosphere of the original with several new twists. Third of my favorites is The Ghost of the Lake by Jamie Freveletti, which puts Holmes into the 21st century with a female Watson. The two are trying to recover a missing security operative from a terrorist group and our female Watson equals Holmes in brains and skill.
This is a very enjoyable anthology and I thank Pegasus Books and NetGalley for an advance digital copy. The opinions are my own.
I enjoyed some of the stories more than others so I will concentrate on three that I found particularly delightful. The Case of the Missing Case by Alan Gordon places a young Sherlock and brother Mycroft in London before their respective careers really took off. Sherlock is trying to justify his choice of career to disapproving parents and barely getting by, but actually finds himself taken in by the theatrical wiles of a young woman. Hounded, by Zoe Sharp is inspired by my favorite of all Holmes stories, The Hound of the Baskervilles. Set in the modern day, it has all the spooky atmosphere of the original with several new twists. Third of my favorites is The Ghost of the Lake by Jamie Freveletti, which puts Holmes into the 21st century with a female Watson. The two are trying to recover a missing security operative from a terrorist group and our female Watson equals Holmes in brains and skill.
This is a very enjoyable anthology and I thank Pegasus Books and NetGalley for an advance digital copy. The opinions are my own.
May 19, 2023
It started out interesting. Then went to bizarre. Then completely disgusting with a gang rape out of no where. Not worth the read.
December 26, 2018
With their fourth Sherlock Holmes short story collection, authors Laurie R. King and Leslie S. Klinger have put together something special. FOR THE SAKE OF THE GAME features stories inspired by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's famed detective, but not necessarily starring him. This allows for the writers of these tales to be as creative as possible, and the end result is some wonderful and quite unique entries.
The book’s title comes from "The Adventure of the Bruce-Partington Plans," in which Holmes informs his older brother Mycroft that he is not interested in being honored or recognized for his work. Instead, he plays the game for the game's own sake. I am happy to say that these authors really took that quote to heart. I will now highlight a few of the tales that particularly stood out for me.
F. Paul Wilson gives us “The Adventure of the Abu Qir Sapphire.” Unlike most Holmes stories, Dr. Watson does not serve as the narrator; instead, the story comes directly from the mouth of the detective himself. The international intrigue presented by the Abu Qir Sapphire provides a lot of fun. In “The Walk-In” by Harley Jane Kozak, the narrator walks into her brother's apartment to find a dog she does not recognize. This canine becomes the center of a tale involving a charlatan psychic who has done something to the gentleman that his sister will have to puzzle out to save the day.
Rhys Bowen’s “Sherlocked” introduces us to the concept of a robot detective named Sherlock, who is assisting the police force and CSI team. However, Sherlock may end up providing help in areas originally not thought of, making for an interesting crime fighter. Reed Farrel Coleman uses a variation of A STUDY IN SCARLET for “A Study in Absence,” in which Holmes is dealing with a book titled The Absent Man by Isaac Masters Knott. He offers up that the writer is I.M. Knott, thereby discovering that the actual author remains a mystery. This ruse called to mind the name “U.N. Owen,” or “Unknown,” utilized in Dame Agatha Christie's AND THEN THERE WERE NONE.
A unique entry here is the story told in the form of a comic book, “The Case of the Naked Butterfly,” by William Kotzwinkle and Joe Servello. In this illustrated tale, Holmes is represented as a praying mantis, and all the supporting players are from the insect world. In “Buy a Bullet,” Gregg Hurwitz uses characters from his Orphan X series and sets them up with a complex situation that provides a solution worthy of the great Sherlock Holmes. “Tough Guy Ballet” by Duane Swierczynski is set in 1987 Los Angeles and finds a tough guy police detective called out to assist his partner. Instead, he spots a 19-year-old girl taking down a bad guy in swift fashion. What our narrator does not realize is that this super teen is not all who she claims to be.
Being a huge Holmes fan myself, I was especially wowed by the last story, “Hounded” by Zoë Sharp, who brilliantly inserts her protagonist, Charlotte "Charlie" Fox, directly into THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES. It's great fun to see Charlie interacting with Holmes, Watson, Lord Baskerville and all the characters from the original tale. Charlie is no slouch and has been referred to as Jack Reacher if he was a woman. This is a terrific final entry in a worthy collection that should please all Sherlock Holmes enthusiasts far and wide.
Reviewed by Ray Palen
The book’s title comes from "The Adventure of the Bruce-Partington Plans," in which Holmes informs his older brother Mycroft that he is not interested in being honored or recognized for his work. Instead, he plays the game for the game's own sake. I am happy to say that these authors really took that quote to heart. I will now highlight a few of the tales that particularly stood out for me.
F. Paul Wilson gives us “The Adventure of the Abu Qir Sapphire.” Unlike most Holmes stories, Dr. Watson does not serve as the narrator; instead, the story comes directly from the mouth of the detective himself. The international intrigue presented by the Abu Qir Sapphire provides a lot of fun. In “The Walk-In” by Harley Jane Kozak, the narrator walks into her brother's apartment to find a dog she does not recognize. This canine becomes the center of a tale involving a charlatan psychic who has done something to the gentleman that his sister will have to puzzle out to save the day.
Rhys Bowen’s “Sherlocked” introduces us to the concept of a robot detective named Sherlock, who is assisting the police force and CSI team. However, Sherlock may end up providing help in areas originally not thought of, making for an interesting crime fighter. Reed Farrel Coleman uses a variation of A STUDY IN SCARLET for “A Study in Absence,” in which Holmes is dealing with a book titled The Absent Man by Isaac Masters Knott. He offers up that the writer is I.M. Knott, thereby discovering that the actual author remains a mystery. This ruse called to mind the name “U.N. Owen,” or “Unknown,” utilized in Dame Agatha Christie's AND THEN THERE WERE NONE.
A unique entry here is the story told in the form of a comic book, “The Case of the Naked Butterfly,” by William Kotzwinkle and Joe Servello. In this illustrated tale, Holmes is represented as a praying mantis, and all the supporting players are from the insect world. In “Buy a Bullet,” Gregg Hurwitz uses characters from his Orphan X series and sets them up with a complex situation that provides a solution worthy of the great Sherlock Holmes. “Tough Guy Ballet” by Duane Swierczynski is set in 1987 Los Angeles and finds a tough guy police detective called out to assist his partner. Instead, he spots a 19-year-old girl taking down a bad guy in swift fashion. What our narrator does not realize is that this super teen is not all who she claims to be.
Being a huge Holmes fan myself, I was especially wowed by the last story, “Hounded” by Zoë Sharp, who brilliantly inserts her protagonist, Charlotte "Charlie" Fox, directly into THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES. It's great fun to see Charlie interacting with Holmes, Watson, Lord Baskerville and all the characters from the original tale. Charlie is no slouch and has been referred to as Jack Reacher if he was a woman. This is a terrific final entry in a worthy collection that should please all Sherlock Holmes enthusiasts far and wide.
Reviewed by Ray Palen
June 16, 2019
This is a mixed bag of stories inspired in some way by Sherlock Holmes. Several of them were paranormal which I didn't appreciate. There was also one which was graphic novel style with bugs representing Holmes and the criminal.
The stories that I did like were "The Case of the Missing Case" by Alan Gordon (author of the Thieves Guild series) about a young Sherlock and Mycroft, "Sherlocked" by Rhys Bowen (author of Her Royal Spyness) about an artificial intelligence used by the police department, and "The Adventure of the Six Sherlocks" by Toni L.P. Kelner (I hadn't heard of her before) about a murder that takes place at a Sherlock Holmes convention.
The stories that I did like were "The Case of the Missing Case" by Alan Gordon (author of the Thieves Guild series) about a young Sherlock and Mycroft, "Sherlocked" by Rhys Bowen (author of Her Royal Spyness) about an artificial intelligence used by the police department, and "The Adventure of the Six Sherlocks" by Toni L.P. Kelner (I hadn't heard of her before) about a murder that takes place at a Sherlock Holmes convention.
December 3, 2022
Klinger is quickly becoming a favorite editor of mine. While this was entertaining I felt it didnt compare to the 3 previous Holmes collections by him. There were a couple stellar standouts but the majority were just...meh
Want to read
May 2, 2023finally found a copy of this and i am THRILLED.
January 18, 2019
Very enjoyable.
May 19, 2019
Another great anthology of Holmes-inspired stories from a number of well-known authors. I absolutely loved this collection!
June 12, 2022
I’ve been on a kick lately of reading short stories and also reading the “Sherlock apocrypha.” I’m absolutely down to see what others authors make of Sherlock Holmes and this was a fascinating collection of mystery tales inspired by Sherlock. Some were set in modern day and were only loosely connected by referencing a story, another was set at a present day Sherlock con where a murder occurred, another was a modern retelling of the Hound of the Baskervilles. I didn’t log individual story ratings but as a whole, looking back on this book, they were all quite good. I may hunt down other books in this “series” of anthologies.
January 28, 2025
Some of these stories are pretty poor, but The Case of the Missing Case is worth six stars. Holmes is at the very start of his career, and we find out how he learned to disguise himself. It is fun and funny to see what a prude he was.
December 30, 2018
There were a couple of pretty decent stories in here- The Case of the Missing Case by Alan Gordon had a good young Sherlock and Mycroft, Hounded by Zoe Sharp did a good modernization of Hound of the Baskervilles (and included the author's own character), and The Case of the Naked Butterfly by William Kotzwinkle and Joe Servello was a totally surreal comic of insect Holmes & Watson.
But a lot of them were only tangentially related to Sherlock Holmes, or were oddly characterized, or just weren't that compelling.
But a lot of them were only tangentially related to Sherlock Holmes, or were oddly characterized, or just weren't that compelling.
August 31, 2023
Some of the stories were quite good, others were meh. Yet one was disturbing, i.e. Buy a bullet, this should come with a trigger warning. You don't think this light-hearted collection would contain such a dark story; not when one of them is a graphic story about butterflies and grasshoppers, which at least one reviewer didn't know it was included as a pdf with the audiobook.
The majority, if not all, of the narrators were excellent.
It was not a good collection because only few intrigued me.
The majority, if not all, of the narrators were excellent.
It was not a good collection because only few intrigued me.
November 8, 2019
Some of these tales are so loosely tied to Sherlock Holmes, the connection adds little to the stories. The variety is all over the place. Some, especially the graphic art one, were enjoyable, while others had me wondering how they made the cut. My time would have been better spent reading a Laurie King novel.
July 9, 2022
Short stories with reference to Sherlock in some way. I liked very few. I didn’t catch the connection to S in a couple and some were just weird. A good way to find new authors to try and those to avoid.
January 1, 2023
It’s hard to rate a collection of short stories. Some were fine others terrible. I had high hopes for this, it has Laurie R. King’s name on it but she didn’t actually write any of these. Most stories were just mediocre.
Content varied from story to story-some were clean others unreadable.
Content varied from story to story-some were clean others unreadable.
December 10, 2021
For the Sake of the Game is an okay collection of mostly Holmesian inspired fanwork (stories mentioning Holmes/Holmesian canon or that make use of the canon's archetypes), and there were a lot of stories in the fantasy genre. The only ones I really liked were The Walk-In (a Holmesian inspired work revolving around the MC's missing sibling), The Case of the Missing Case (a fanwork set early in canon Holmes's career that explains where he learned his acting/disguises, where he got his Stradivarius from and, crucially, that the law does not automatically equate with justice), The Adventure of the Six Sherlocks (a Holmesian inspired murder mystery set at a Sherlock Holmes convention), and Tough Guy Ballet (a Holmesian inspired fantasy about body-possessing beings that I think are meant to represent demons and angels). Of the rest, the only one I really didn't like was The Case of the Naked Butterfly for a variety of reasons (turning the characters into insects was...weird but not untenable; the dealbreakers were the necklace plotline of contrived coincidences and the artwork that was very dark, cramped, and difficult to read). Overall, I'd say the collection is okay, though it's not a collection that I would reread (possibly just the ones I liked, if any at all) or recommend to anyone, and especially not to anyone looking for more traditional Holmesian fanwork.
January 30, 2019
This was a fun compilation of short stories inspired by Sherlock Holmes. Some were more like fan fiction and others just inspired by the genre. I enjoyed the fan fiction stories better than most of the others. A few of the stories were a little painful to get through.
My favorite story was The Case of the Six Sherlocks by Kelner which follows a Con for Holmes fans. It was interesting and inventive.
I've always enjoyed Rhys Bowen's writing and she didn't disappoint in Sherlocked. This short story follows a team of detectives essentially competing against artificial intelligence in the form of a robot to solve a crime.
Other stories in this collection that were strong included: The Walk In, The Case of the Missing Case, and Hounded.
If you are a mystery fan, especially a Sherlock Holmes fan, this compilation is worth your time, especially if you skip any stories that don't grab you from the beginning.
My favorite story was The Case of the Six Sherlocks by Kelner which follows a Con for Holmes fans. It was interesting and inventive.
I've always enjoyed Rhys Bowen's writing and she didn't disappoint in Sherlocked. This short story follows a team of detectives essentially competing against artificial intelligence in the form of a robot to solve a crime.
Other stories in this collection that were strong included: The Walk In, The Case of the Missing Case, and Hounded.
If you are a mystery fan, especially a Sherlock Holmes fan, this compilation is worth your time, especially if you skip any stories that don't grab you from the beginning.
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