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SHERLOCK HOLMES: A FLASH IN THE PAN: Four canonical Sherlock Holmes stories
Three canonical Sherlock Holmes Stories - A Flash in the Pan - The Case of the Maltese Catacombs - A Gentlemanly Wager
105 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 10, 2020
80 people are currently reading
25 people want to read
About the author
William Meikle
409 books1,849 followersI'm a Scottish writer, now living in Canada, with more than thirty novels published in the genre press and over 300 short story credits in thirteen countries.
My work has appeared in a number of professional anthologies and I have recent short story sales to NATURE Futures and Galaxy's Edge. When I'm not writing I play guitar, drink beer and dream of fortune and glory.
For an intro to me, my writing and my accent see my Youtube channel
My work has appeared in a number of professional anthologies and I have recent short story sales to NATURE Futures and Galaxy's Edge. When I'm not writing I play guitar, drink beer and dream of fortune and glory.
For an intro to me, my writing and my accent see my Youtube channel
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
August 8, 2025
I Love the Sherlockian Theme Books!
I love Sherlock Holmes pastiche! A Flash in the Pan is a good one. It has four of the best Sherlock Holmes pastiche stories. And they are horrible to read because they are so scary.
When you read the stories you will see that you hear Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes’s voice. He is very good at articulating the true Sherlock Holmes. William Meikle is a good writer of pastiche.
He brings the same basic principles and values to the story as Arthur Conan Doyle would. And all of his stories are very Sherlockian. From the skin to the bone.
This is why this book gets four stars.
Four stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I love Sherlock Holmes pastiche! A Flash in the Pan is a good one. It has four of the best Sherlock Holmes pastiche stories. And they are horrible to read because they are so scary.
When you read the stories you will see that you hear Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes’s voice. He is very good at articulating the true Sherlock Holmes. William Meikle is a good writer of pastiche.
He brings the same basic principles and values to the story as Arthur Conan Doyle would. And all of his stories are very Sherlockian. From the skin to the bone.
This is why this book gets four stars.
Four stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
March 27, 2023
Entertaining mystery listening 🎶🔰
Another will written three British 🏰 Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson short stories by William Meikle Chapbook Collection book 27 of 53. The stories are different with interesting well developed characters lots of action and misdirection leading to the unexpected conclusions. Very good Sherlock Holmes stories if you are a Holmes fan or not I would recommend this series and author to 👍 readers of mystery novels 👍🔰. Enjoy the adventure of reading 👓 or listening 🎶 to Alexa read books 📚. 2023 😀😯🌙😡
I am a Holmes fan and have been reading several different authors. Happy reading and have fun 🌙😀
Another will written three British 🏰 Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson short stories by William Meikle Chapbook Collection book 27 of 53. The stories are different with interesting well developed characters lots of action and misdirection leading to the unexpected conclusions. Very good Sherlock Holmes stories if you are a Holmes fan or not I would recommend this series and author to 👍 readers of mystery novels 👍🔰. Enjoy the adventure of reading 👓 or listening 🎶 to Alexa read books 📚. 2023 😀😯🌙😡
I am a Holmes fan and have been reading several different authors. Happy reading and have fun 🌙😀
October 8, 2025
This collection contains four canonical pastiches
They are pacy, at times intriguing, witty, and follows the Watsonian style rather well.
Recommended.
They are pacy, at times intriguing, witty, and follows the Watsonian style rather well.
Recommended.
November 23, 2025
Though he usually writes horror fiction, here William Meikle presents four Sherlock Holmes tales. They're a bit different from the usual Holmes pastiches. The first being told from the point of view of a character assisting Holmes and Watson, the second about a sacred tomb with a historical bent, the third with Holmes and Watson betting on two young investigators solving a crime, and the final one involving a banshee legend with a fantastical edge to the solution. They were entertaining enough for any fan of Holmes. 3.5/5*
February 6, 2024
1. Flash in the Pan - Holmes is trying to find a blackmailer
2. The Case of the Maltese Catacombs - Holmes and Watson discover a murdereman ibthe catacombs which then disappears
3. A Gentlemanly Wager - Wilkinson and Green are given a case by Holmes, as a wager between him and Watson, who will solve the case first.
Enjoyable stories
2. The Case of the Maltese Catacombs - Holmes and Watson discover a murdereman ibthe catacombs which then disappears
3. A Gentlemanly Wager - Wilkinson and Green are given a case by Holmes, as a wager between him and Watson, who will solve the case first.
Enjoyable stories
April 6, 2025
Fun Holmesian tales
Three Holmesian pastiches that have a different bent but all are enjoyable. One we had a tale that Watson was kept a bit in the dark, one in Malta which is a more traditional Holmes tale, and the third is a couple of students of the pair and a wager on who would be the better sleuth.
Highly recommended, are quick reads and are enjoyable. Looking forward to reading more from Meikle.
Three Holmesian pastiches that have a different bent but all are enjoyable. One we had a tale that Watson was kept a bit in the dark, one in Malta which is a more traditional Holmes tale, and the third is a couple of students of the pair and a wager on who would be the better sleuth.
Highly recommended, are quick reads and are enjoyable. Looking forward to reading more from Meikle.
April 25, 2025
Meikle returns to Doyle’s Holmes, creating stories that capture the original consulting detective and Victorian setting without feeling archaic or derivative.
This collection contains three short Sherlock Holmes stories consistent with the Doyle canon.
‘A Flash in the Pan.’ When a blackmailer repeated crosses the bounds of decency but seems to remain within those of law, Holmes must find another way to end matters. While the identifying and tracking of the blackmailer is performed by Holmes, a significant part of the denouement turns on an earlier action by another character that Holmes allows to play out: depending on reader preference, this might seem a weakening of Holmes’ centrality or a display of his immense ability to read people. Unlike the archetypical Holmes story, this one is narrated by a burglar-turned-theatre-doorman which maintains the traditional perspective of Holmes’ mind being vastly superior but slants the tone from friendship toward hero-worship.
‘The Case of the Maltese Catacombs.’ Holmes and Watson discover a body in tunnel, only for it to have disappeared without trace when they return with help. Meikle layers further complexities beneath the missing corpse, allowing him to present Holmes’ brilliance in swiftly determining the how of the initial situation while leaving enough of the wider situation to sustain the story.
‘A Gentlemanly Wager.’ After disagreeing with Watson over which of two promising police officers has the greater skill, Holmes proposes they task both with investigating the same strange case and see who succeeds. While the two officer echo Holmes and Watson—or perhaps more accurately, what Holmes and Watson consider a good detective—they are both a combination of greater inexperience and more formal training; thus the contest is much more equal than one between Holmes and Watson would be, adding tension over who will win in addition to what the solution will be. As the story is narrated by Watson, more of the plot is encountered at one remove than usual; however, the friendly division between the two officers involved prevents this feeling like merely extended witness reports.
While Meikle’s pastiche of Doyle’s prose is not perfect, neither is it glaringly different. Thus the narration feels neither jarringly modern nor distractingly performative.
The plots slant more toward action than the traditional Holmes tale, both in content and pacing; thus, while none of them falls outside the bounds of a tale written by Doyle and all are consistent with the world Doyle portrayed, readers might find the collection as a whole carries a greater feel of adventure and a lesser feel of logical deduction than Doyle’s corpus.
One aspect that Meikle captures perfectly, for good or ill, is plots turning on Holmes noticing a critical clue or knowing an obscure fact that the narrator does not; thus, as with the original Holmes stories, these might prove frustrating for readers who enjoy racing the detective to the correct conclusion.
Meikle’s portrayal of Holmes matches the man gifted with intellectual height but not severed from society of Doyle’s original, rather than the arrogant or maladapted character of some versions. Similarly, Watson is a more normally gifted man who occasionally worries about his friend overdoing it rather than someone who acts as a connection to the world or a caretaker for Holmes.
The supporting cast in each story display a complexity that both gives the sense they are real people of the period and offers the sense of secrets needed for a mystery.
Overall, I enjoyed this collection. I recommend it to readers seeking more Sherlock Holmes stories that have the feel of the originals as well as the central trope.
This collection contains three short Sherlock Holmes stories consistent with the Doyle canon.
‘A Flash in the Pan.’ When a blackmailer repeated crosses the bounds of decency but seems to remain within those of law, Holmes must find another way to end matters. While the identifying and tracking of the blackmailer is performed by Holmes, a significant part of the denouement turns on an earlier action by another character that Holmes allows to play out: depending on reader preference, this might seem a weakening of Holmes’ centrality or a display of his immense ability to read people. Unlike the archetypical Holmes story, this one is narrated by a burglar-turned-theatre-doorman which maintains the traditional perspective of Holmes’ mind being vastly superior but slants the tone from friendship toward hero-worship.
‘The Case of the Maltese Catacombs.’ Holmes and Watson discover a body in tunnel, only for it to have disappeared without trace when they return with help. Meikle layers further complexities beneath the missing corpse, allowing him to present Holmes’ brilliance in swiftly determining the how of the initial situation while leaving enough of the wider situation to sustain the story.
‘A Gentlemanly Wager.’ After disagreeing with Watson over which of two promising police officers has the greater skill, Holmes proposes they task both with investigating the same strange case and see who succeeds. While the two officer echo Holmes and Watson—or perhaps more accurately, what Holmes and Watson consider a good detective—they are both a combination of greater inexperience and more formal training; thus the contest is much more equal than one between Holmes and Watson would be, adding tension over who will win in addition to what the solution will be. As the story is narrated by Watson, more of the plot is encountered at one remove than usual; however, the friendly division between the two officers involved prevents this feeling like merely extended witness reports.
While Meikle’s pastiche of Doyle’s prose is not perfect, neither is it glaringly different. Thus the narration feels neither jarringly modern nor distractingly performative.
The plots slant more toward action than the traditional Holmes tale, both in content and pacing; thus, while none of them falls outside the bounds of a tale written by Doyle and all are consistent with the world Doyle portrayed, readers might find the collection as a whole carries a greater feel of adventure and a lesser feel of logical deduction than Doyle’s corpus.
One aspect that Meikle captures perfectly, for good or ill, is plots turning on Holmes noticing a critical clue or knowing an obscure fact that the narrator does not; thus, as with the original Holmes stories, these might prove frustrating for readers who enjoy racing the detective to the correct conclusion.
Meikle’s portrayal of Holmes matches the man gifted with intellectual height but not severed from society of Doyle’s original, rather than the arrogant or maladapted character of some versions. Similarly, Watson is a more normally gifted man who occasionally worries about his friend overdoing it rather than someone who acts as a connection to the world or a caretaker for Holmes.
The supporting cast in each story display a complexity that both gives the sense they are real people of the period and offers the sense of secrets needed for a mystery.
Overall, I enjoyed this collection. I recommend it to readers seeking more Sherlock Holmes stories that have the feel of the originals as well as the central trope.
March 28, 2025
A nice little trio of short stories based around Holmes. The style feels authentic to the original, although maybe not quite as slowly paced.
The first story is Holmes tracking down a blackmailer, with the aid of an ex-criminal. Interesting story with a twist at the end I didn't see coming.
The second is Holmes and Watson abroad on a convalescence tour. From their they get mixed up in murder and grave robbing.
The final one takes in Wilkinson and Green trying to solve a robbery, before things take an unexpected turn.
All three stories are strong, well plotted, and gallop at a fair pace. Perhaps a little more action, and a little less cerebral than I like, but that's just individual taste. Still well worth reading
The first story is Holmes tracking down a blackmailer, with the aid of an ex-criminal. Interesting story with a twist at the end I didn't see coming.
The second is Holmes and Watson abroad on a convalescence tour. From their they get mixed up in murder and grave robbing.
The final one takes in Wilkinson and Green trying to solve a robbery, before things take an unexpected turn.
All three stories are strong, well plotted, and gallop at a fair pace. Perhaps a little more action, and a little less cerebral than I like, but that's just individual taste. Still well worth reading
February 28, 2021
Two Wins of Three
It's hard to make me like a Sherlock Holmes story. They're usually so contrived as to feel quite precious. But I like Mr. Meikle's treatment of HP Lovecraft fan fiction, so when this showed up in my recommendations, I gave it a try. The first two stories were excellent, just what one would expect when a solid craftsman takes on a well-defined character pool. The final story, however, was a bit of a mess.
It's hard to make me like a Sherlock Holmes story. They're usually so contrived as to feel quite precious. But I like Mr. Meikle's treatment of HP Lovecraft fan fiction, so when this showed up in my recommendations, I gave it a try. The first two stories were excellent, just what one would expect when a solid craftsman takes on a well-defined character pool. The final story, however, was a bit of a mess.
Read
August 29, 2025All of the (many) William Meikle stories I’ve read up till now have included some element of the weird. This trio of Sherlock Holmes stories feels closer to Conan Doyle in terms of “plot realism”. The tone and style feel pretty close to the originals. There’s maybe more in the way of physical action, but there’s still the satisfaction of seeing how carefully placed clues fit together by the end.
Overall, a fun addition to my collection of Holmes-inspired stories.
Overall, a fun addition to my collection of Holmes-inspired stories.
March 22, 2020
Good trilogy
I enjoy Meikle's short tales, and his Holmes stories are true to the genre. That being said the first tales is not from Watson, but a former criminal that Holmes pointed in the right direction, and his appreciation of how Holmes treats him. Good stuff, and I look forward to more. Check it out.
I enjoy Meikle's short tales, and his Holmes stories are true to the genre. That being said the first tales is not from Watson, but a former criminal that Holmes pointed in the right direction, and his appreciation of how Holmes treats him. Good stuff, and I look forward to more. Check it out.
October 9, 2025
As you can see in the sub-title, this book contains 4 stories. They are excellently written. Holmes and Watson are perfectly portrayed. And the stories are intriguing. They are easy to read, and because of the shortness, I'm not going to disclose their plots, but be assured you will enjoy them if you are a fan of Sherlock Holmes.
August 1, 2021
Not bad
My favorite was the second story. I enjoyed the Indiana Jones vibe. The style is a bit fast and feels choppy with the stories lean more to the fun side. I can tell the author enjoyed his work. Not my favorite read, but not bad either.
Christa
My favorite was the second story. I enjoyed the Indiana Jones vibe. The style is a bit fast and feels choppy with the stories lean more to the fun side. I can tell the author enjoyed his work. Not my favorite read, but not bad either.
Christa
October 23, 2025
A very enjoyable, and entertaining book!
I was drawn into each story by the second sentence. Before I knew it I had completely read the book through! Well worth your time! Thank you!
I was drawn into each story by the second sentence. Before I knew it I had completely read the book through! Well worth your time! Thank you!
April 28, 2020
More good stories
Three more good stories of the more conventional action type featuring Holmes and Watson. Well worth the minimal time and monitary investment.
Three more good stories of the more conventional action type featuring Holmes and Watson. Well worth the minimal time and monitary investment.
October 4, 2020
Fun Holmes pastiche
Three short Sherlock Ho!mes stories that make for a nice quick read in an afternoon or right before bed. I'd like to read more of these.
Three short Sherlock Ho!mes stories that make for a nice quick read in an afternoon or right before bed. I'd like to read more of these.
October 19, 2020
These were all good stories.
April 5, 2025
Three enjoyable Sherlock Holmes stories by a fantastic author!
April 23, 2025
3.75. Three good stories. The second one set on Malta was my favorite.
October 12, 2025
short stories for when time is short
Interesting short stories, showing Holmes at his best.
A range of topics, which show how his logical mind and actions work.
Interesting short stories, showing Holmes at his best.
A range of topics, which show how his logical mind and actions work.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews