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Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Dying Emperor
Follow Holmes and Watson on their first espionage mission to Imperial Germany, as they unmask the plot behind the Kaiser's premature accession. This case initiates a quarter-century of Anglo-German rivalry that will occupy Sherlock Holmes until "His Last Bow" as World War I begins. Note: This story is now available in printed form, as part of a new book Sherlock Holmes and the Crowned Heads of Europe https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...). The other stories in Crowned Heads will eventually be published in ebook format as well.
116 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 13, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
January 23, 2019
Tom Turley’s novella, “Sherlock Holmes and The Case of the Dying Emperor” (available on Kindle and destined to be part of a larger work entitled "Sherlock Holmes and the Crowned Heads of Europe"), neatly places the reader in the midst of a brief historical period towards the end of the nineteenth century—the ninety-nine-day reign of the German emperor Frederick III.
Turley’s recounting of Frederick’s final days is haunting. Beautifully written and historically accurate (as an overabundance of footnotes makes clear), we encounter a time in German history that gets very little attention. Not only was Frederick’s reign short, but the liberal intentions he espoused were eclipsed by the autocratic rule of his son, William II.
Turley introduces us to Frederick’s dilemma by having Her Majesty’s Government send Holmes and Watson to Berlin to assess conditions in the German court. It seems that reactionary forces within the German government consider the Emperor’s wife—in fact, the daughter of Queen Victoria—too British, too democratic, too interested in prompting her husband to cultivate a British-like constitutional monarchy in the newly created German state.
In particular, Holmes and Watson must evaluate the health of the emperor. Is his life-threatening laryngeal cancer accurately diagnosed, or are there evil forces at work trying to abort the establishment of a liberal state? With the “Iron Chancellor” Bismarck opposed to Frederick’s plans and conservative German doctors at odds with the British physician caring for Frederick, the court is rife with tension and subterfuge. In fact, though the death of Frederick is not unexpected, Turley leaves it to Holmes and Watson to raise the question of murder.
While Turley artfully wraps the early political struggles of the dying emperor within the guise of a Sherlock Holmes mystery, the true strength of the story lies in the sense of wonder Turley sets in motion. How different the world might have been had Frederick lived and successfully created an open society rather than the autocracy epitomized in the rule of his son. It was William II, after all, who involved Germany in the Great War, the same Kaiser who—as Turley’s Watson puts it—“led his empire to destruction and engulfed all Europe in its ruin.”
One can only ponder the fate of Europe if Holmes and Watson had been able to reverse the chain of events. What began with Frederick’s death and his son’s ascension to the throne culminated in the rise of Hitler, the Nazis, and the Third Reich. In the end, Turley’s masterful story telling leaves the reader greatly saddened.
Turley’s recounting of Frederick’s final days is haunting. Beautifully written and historically accurate (as an overabundance of footnotes makes clear), we encounter a time in German history that gets very little attention. Not only was Frederick’s reign short, but the liberal intentions he espoused were eclipsed by the autocratic rule of his son, William II.
Turley introduces us to Frederick’s dilemma by having Her Majesty’s Government send Holmes and Watson to Berlin to assess conditions in the German court. It seems that reactionary forces within the German government consider the Emperor’s wife—in fact, the daughter of Queen Victoria—too British, too democratic, too interested in prompting her husband to cultivate a British-like constitutional monarchy in the newly created German state.
In particular, Holmes and Watson must evaluate the health of the emperor. Is his life-threatening laryngeal cancer accurately diagnosed, or are there evil forces at work trying to abort the establishment of a liberal state? With the “Iron Chancellor” Bismarck opposed to Frederick’s plans and conservative German doctors at odds with the British physician caring for Frederick, the court is rife with tension and subterfuge. In fact, though the death of Frederick is not unexpected, Turley leaves it to Holmes and Watson to raise the question of murder.
While Turley artfully wraps the early political struggles of the dying emperor within the guise of a Sherlock Holmes mystery, the true strength of the story lies in the sense of wonder Turley sets in motion. How different the world might have been had Frederick lived and successfully created an open society rather than the autocracy epitomized in the rule of his son. It was William II, after all, who involved Germany in the Great War, the same Kaiser who—as Turley’s Watson puts it—“led his empire to destruction and engulfed all Europe in its ruin.”
One can only ponder the fate of Europe if Holmes and Watson had been able to reverse the chain of events. What began with Frederick’s death and his son’s ascension to the throne culminated in the rise of Hitler, the Nazis, and the Third Reich. In the end, Turley’s masterful story telling leaves the reader greatly saddened.
January 27, 2019
There are pastiches, and then there are superlative pastiches.
Tom Turley’s novella, ‘The Case of the Dying Emperor’ (available on Kindle) falls firmly into the latter category. A question over the last illness of Frederick III, German Emperor and King of Prussia for 99 days in 1888, sends Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson to the Continent to investigate. A cast of real historical personages and places appear, each drawn with a level of detail and observation worthy of Holmes himself.
I had a sketchy knowledge of Frederick III, enough to know that his short reign is one of the great ‘What Ifs’ of history. Succeeded by his son, Wilhelm II, it is interesting to speculate on the course of history had Frederick lived. Given the international implications at the time, it is just the sort of case where you can imagine certain important figures turning to Holmes for his opinion. Watson also gets to shine, both with references to his background (based on the Baring-Gould model) and in his medical expertise. Add to this canon fidelity, and there’s plenty to keep the most ardent Sherlock Holmes fan, as well as the casual reader, engaged and delighted.
A problem I have found in the past with stories set in real historical settings is either too much or too little period detail. Mr Turley achieves an admirable balance. There are footnotes for those who want more information; if not, there is enough in the story to explain what is happening. Any necessary explanation flows naturally in conversations with appropriate language for the period between the principal characters without ever overwhelming the reader. Touches like these give the work an authentic feel, sweeping me up in the illusion that I really was reading a story written at the time.
It’s not often I get to say this, but ‘The Case of the Dying Emperor’ truly is a masterclass in the fine art of the Sherlock Holmes pastiche. Faithfulness to the characters, dedicated research and a clear, erudite style of writing makes this a story that I will be returning to again and again.
Tom Turley’s novella, ‘The Case of the Dying Emperor’ (available on Kindle) falls firmly into the latter category. A question over the last illness of Frederick III, German Emperor and King of Prussia for 99 days in 1888, sends Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson to the Continent to investigate. A cast of real historical personages and places appear, each drawn with a level of detail and observation worthy of Holmes himself.
I had a sketchy knowledge of Frederick III, enough to know that his short reign is one of the great ‘What Ifs’ of history. Succeeded by his son, Wilhelm II, it is interesting to speculate on the course of history had Frederick lived. Given the international implications at the time, it is just the sort of case where you can imagine certain important figures turning to Holmes for his opinion. Watson also gets to shine, both with references to his background (based on the Baring-Gould model) and in his medical expertise. Add to this canon fidelity, and there’s plenty to keep the most ardent Sherlock Holmes fan, as well as the casual reader, engaged and delighted.
A problem I have found in the past with stories set in real historical settings is either too much or too little period detail. Mr Turley achieves an admirable balance. There are footnotes for those who want more information; if not, there is enough in the story to explain what is happening. Any necessary explanation flows naturally in conversations with appropriate language for the period between the principal characters without ever overwhelming the reader. Touches like these give the work an authentic feel, sweeping me up in the illusion that I really was reading a story written at the time.
It’s not often I get to say this, but ‘The Case of the Dying Emperor’ truly is a masterclass in the fine art of the Sherlock Holmes pastiche. Faithfulness to the characters, dedicated research and a clear, erudite style of writing makes this a story that I will be returning to again and again.
December 6, 2021
An excellent historical novel, dealing with a stretch of time that it's usually neglected: the final days of Frederick III and the with them, the eclipse of an opportunity for a more liberal government in Germany.
The story felt really authentic, filled with historical accurate details to the point that I got the sense of being just there. German doctors with an agenda, a son who is extremely willing to take his father's place and an English wife who is maybe the symbol of the tension growing in the court.
A very engaging tale that kept me glued to my phone until the end.
The story felt really authentic, filled with historical accurate details to the point that I got the sense of being just there. German doctors with an agenda, a son who is extremely willing to take his father's place and an English wife who is maybe the symbol of the tension growing in the court.
A very engaging tale that kept me glued to my phone until the end.
June 26, 2025
While Doctor Watson consults and mostly observes the German Emperor’s treatment for cancer; Sherlock Holmes is being frustrated by the official attempts to avoid direct contact with him.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews