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The Book of Extraordinary New Sherlock Holmes Stories: The Best New Original Stories of the Genre
The appeal and popularity of Sherlock Holmes has never abated and the demand for new adventures of the iconic sleuth continues to this day, helped on by the latest, elegant TV series in which he is played by Benedict Cumberbatch.
Some of the best contemporary writers of crime and mystery contribute each a brand new story featuring the mythical detective (and in many cases the obligatory John Watson and even, but whisperv it quietly, their nemesis Doctor Moriarty) as further examples of his awesome powers of deduction and his unerring quest for the truth, however improbable it might at first appear.
This bumper volume includes stories by Jon Courtenay Grimwood, Lavie Tidhar, David Stuart Davies, John Grant, Rose Biggins, David N.Smith, O'Neil De Noux, Rhys Hughes, Catherine Lundoff, Mark Mower, Matthew Booth, Martin Daley, Jan Edwards, Ashley Lister, Keith Brooke, Naching T.Kassa, Phillip Vine, Bev Vincent, Keith Moray, Nick Sweet.
Some of the best contemporary writers of crime and mystery contribute each a brand new story featuring the mythical detective (and in many cases the obligatory John Watson and even, but whisperv it quietly, their nemesis Doctor Moriarty) as further examples of his awesome powers of deduction and his unerring quest for the truth, however improbable it might at first appear.
This bumper volume includes stories by Jon Courtenay Grimwood, Lavie Tidhar, David Stuart Davies, John Grant, Rose Biggins, David N.Smith, O'Neil De Noux, Rhys Hughes, Catherine Lundoff, Mark Mower, Matthew Booth, Martin Daley, Jan Edwards, Ashley Lister, Keith Brooke, Naching T.Kassa, Phillip Vine, Bev Vincent, Keith Moray, Nick Sweet.
- GenresMysteryAnthologies
284 pages, Paperback
First published November 17, 2020
37 people are currently reading
70 people want to read
About the author
Maxim Jakubowski
280 books161 followersMaxim Jakubowski is a crime, erotic, and science fiction writer and critic.
Jakubowski was born in England by Russian-British and Polish parents, but raised in France. Jakubowski has also lived in Italy and has travelled extensively. Jakubowski edited the science fiction anthology Twenty Houses of the Zodiac in 1979 for the 37th World Science Fiction Convention (Seacon '79) in Brighton. He also contributed a short story to that anthology. He has now published almost 100 books in a variety of areas.
He has worked in book publishing for many years, which he left to open the Murder One bookshop[1], the UK's first specialist crime and mystery bookstore. He contributes to a variety of newspapers and magazines, and was for eight years the crime columnist for Time Out and, presently, since 2000, the crime reviewer for The Guardian. He is also the literary director of London's Crime Scene Festival and a consultant for the International Mystery Film Festival, Noir in Fest, held annually in Courmayeur, Italy. He is one the leading editors in the crime and mystery and erotica field, in which he has published many major anthologies.
His novels include "It's You That I Want To Kiss", "Because She Thought She Loved Me", "The State Of Montana", "On Tenderness Express", "Kiss me Sadly" and "Confessions of a Romantic Pornographer". His short story collections are "Life in the World of Women", "Fools for Lust" and the collaborative "American Casanova". He is a regular broadcaster on British TV and radio and was recently voted the 4th Sexiest Writer of 2,007 on a poll on the crimespace website.
Jakubowski was born in England by Russian-British and Polish parents, but raised in France. Jakubowski has also lived in Italy and has travelled extensively. Jakubowski edited the science fiction anthology Twenty Houses of the Zodiac in 1979 for the 37th World Science Fiction Convention (Seacon '79) in Brighton. He also contributed a short story to that anthology. He has now published almost 100 books in a variety of areas.
He has worked in book publishing for many years, which he left to open the Murder One bookshop[1], the UK's first specialist crime and mystery bookstore. He contributes to a variety of newspapers and magazines, and was for eight years the crime columnist for Time Out and, presently, since 2000, the crime reviewer for The Guardian. He is also the literary director of London's Crime Scene Festival and a consultant for the International Mystery Film Festival, Noir in Fest, held annually in Courmayeur, Italy. He is one the leading editors in the crime and mystery and erotica field, in which he has published many major anthologies.
His novels include "It's You That I Want To Kiss", "Because She Thought She Loved Me", "The State Of Montana", "On Tenderness Express", "Kiss me Sadly" and "Confessions of a Romantic Pornographer". His short story collections are "Life in the World of Women", "Fools for Lust" and the collaborative "American Casanova". He is a regular broadcaster on British TV and radio and was recently voted the 4th Sexiest Writer of 2,007 on a poll on the crimespace website.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
September 17, 2023
A mixed bag of an anthology with both traditional and supernatural cases. I'd like to say it was decent, but it pales in comparison with MX Books of Sherlock Holmes Stories (for traditional pastiches) or The Gaslight Series (for the arcane cases) - those I would recommend wholeheartedly, this one... not so much.
Although - mostly - satisfying mysteries, not every story was a good Holmesiana, I daresay. I have my suspicion that some of the authors have been... unkissed, so to say, by SH and his world - oftentimes the story felt somewhat off, and they usually didn't get Holmes nor Watson right.
Hic sunt spoilers, possibly:
Lavie Tidhar - The Adventure of the Milford Silkworm - 3/5
What does a trampled botanist have to do with the sudden aggression of goats? It's an unusual opening piece, intriguing and well-researched, and I found the mystery actually amusing.
Matthew Booth - The Lancelot Connection - 4/5
While in Oxford, Holmes is asked to investigate the theft of a newfound, supposedly Shakespearean play where a young professor's assistant was found murdered at the scene of the crime. This came quite close to a traditional pastiche.
Bev Vincent - Bloody Sunday - 3/5
An interesting premise - - and rather well executed.
Ashley Lister - The Case of the Cursed Angel Tears - 2/5
While I would love the case for the supposedly cursed diamond earrings, the execution was way too swift and Holmes was a walking exposition, aware of too much info outside of the story... that could indeed be handwaved as a canonical incident, but I've seen it handled better.
Keith Brooke - The Case of the Air that Was Taken - 3/5
Holmes uses a rest trip to Frinton-on-Sea as an excuse to investigate the recently released art thief whose brother died of a seemingly natural cause. I have reservations about certain aspects of this story, but the murder method was rather interesting.
Rose Biggin - The Chandelier Bid - 5/5
Told by Irene Adler, in a pleasantly cheeky manner. Watson asks for her assistance in the case of an art tutor who is puzzled by the success of her former student whose work she regards as unremarkable and yet it is sought out by collectors. I found this one very enjoyable.
Mark Mower - The Recalcitrant Rhymester - 4/5
The solution to the mystery of purloined box-office takings at a theatre leads Holmes to pit his wits against a card-sharp poet Edwin Halvergate during a game of poker.
Rhys Hughes - What the Dickens! - 1/5
Exactly my sentiment. This one... didn't work on so many levels. While the idea was intriguing at first, in the end, it turned out to a quite a weird mishmash of . Also, Watson was treated as a pawn, rather than an equal partner in the consulting agency, and sent on a fool's errand, which occurrences irritates me to no end.
O'Neil de Noux - He Who Howls - 3/5
Holmes is consulted by a distraught man, whose wife has been stolen away by a stranger whom Holmes identifies as Janvier Rabiem, a man he believed he had killed. Hauntingly atmospheric piece with more than a bit of gore. This piece heavily reminded me of Jules de Granding.
Catherine Lundoff - The Adventure of the Missing Finacé - 4/5
Very nice follow-up of the Copper Beeches. Violet Hunter returns to Baker Street, and because Dr Watson is away on holiday, Mrs Hudson insists on being her chaperone when she explains her problem to Holmes - her fiancé has disappeared while on a business trip to London.
Keith Moray - The Tell-Tale Tea Leaves - 2/5
Holmes is acting strangely and seems to have become obsessed with tea leaf-readings and horoscopes. After inviting a fortune-teller Roland Deauville to 221B, Holmes finds himself on the run, This did not sit well with me at all. I hate this kind of plot with a burning passion. Yet, it was not badly written, per se, just... nope.
Naching T. Kassa - The Adventure of the Black Key - 5/5
The reclusive Lady Penelope Bramstead calls on Holmes after her housekeeper is murdered and the lady herself has been hearing a mysterious voice instructing her to "seek the black key". Even though it was a bit predictable, I really enjoyed this story.
John Courtenay Grimwood - The World is Full of Obvious Things - 3/5
Colonel Watson's companion (Sherlock Holmes - although I am unsure whether he is actually named during the story) and the vampire count team up on a mission for the Queen to track down Jack the Ripper. Quite a weird one - Magical Realism, mayhaps? All those unsettlingly wrong tidbits of this Alternate Universe create an intriguing read.
Jan Edwards - The Case of the Missing Sister - 3/5
Watson receives a letter from his niece telling him that her mother, Watson's sister Elspeth, has gone missing. He and Holmes travel to Scotland where they receive a hostile reception from Watson's brother-in-law, encounter some hiking nuns, and visit a mausoleum.
David Stuart Davies - The Case of the Terrified Tobacconist - 4/5
Holmes is employed by Edith Daubney whose husband has fled their home in a state of terror, stating that his life is over, to enquiry what's behind the disappearance. A neat, traditional, ending piece.
Although - mostly - satisfying mysteries, not every story was a good Holmesiana, I daresay. I have my suspicion that some of the authors have been... unkissed, so to say, by SH and his world - oftentimes the story felt somewhat off, and they usually didn't get Holmes nor Watson right.
Hic sunt spoilers, possibly:
Lavie Tidhar - The Adventure of the Milford Silkworm - 3/5
What does a trampled botanist have to do with the sudden aggression of goats? It's an unusual opening piece, intriguing and well-researched, and I found the mystery actually amusing.
Matthew Booth - The Lancelot Connection - 4/5
While in Oxford, Holmes is asked to investigate the theft of a newfound, supposedly Shakespearean play where a young professor's assistant was found murdered at the scene of the crime. This came quite close to a traditional pastiche.
Bev Vincent - Bloody Sunday - 3/5
An interesting premise - - and rather well executed.
Ashley Lister - The Case of the Cursed Angel Tears - 2/5
While I would love the case for the supposedly cursed diamond earrings, the execution was way too swift and Holmes was a walking exposition, aware of too much info outside of the story... that could indeed be handwaved as a canonical incident, but I've seen it handled better.
Keith Brooke - The Case of the Air that Was Taken - 3/5
Holmes uses a rest trip to Frinton-on-Sea as an excuse to investigate the recently released art thief whose brother died of a seemingly natural cause. I have reservations about certain aspects of this story, but the murder method was rather interesting.
Rose Biggin - The Chandelier Bid - 5/5
Told by Irene Adler, in a pleasantly cheeky manner. Watson asks for her assistance in the case of an art tutor who is puzzled by the success of her former student whose work she regards as unremarkable and yet it is sought out by collectors. I found this one very enjoyable.
Mark Mower - The Recalcitrant Rhymester - 4/5
The solution to the mystery of purloined box-office takings at a theatre leads Holmes to pit his wits against a card-sharp poet Edwin Halvergate during a game of poker.
Rhys Hughes - What the Dickens! - 1/5
Exactly my sentiment. This one... didn't work on so many levels. While the idea was intriguing at first, in the end, it turned out to a quite a weird mishmash of . Also, Watson was treated as a pawn, rather than an equal partner in the consulting agency, and sent on a fool's errand, which occurrences irritates me to no end.
O'Neil de Noux - He Who Howls - 3/5
Holmes is consulted by a distraught man, whose wife has been stolen away by a stranger whom Holmes identifies as Janvier Rabiem, a man he believed he had killed. Hauntingly atmospheric piece with more than a bit of gore. This piece heavily reminded me of Jules de Granding.
Catherine Lundoff - The Adventure of the Missing Finacé - 4/5
Very nice follow-up of the Copper Beeches. Violet Hunter returns to Baker Street, and because Dr Watson is away on holiday, Mrs Hudson insists on being her chaperone when she explains her problem to Holmes - her fiancé has disappeared while on a business trip to London.
Keith Moray - The Tell-Tale Tea Leaves - 2/5
Holmes is acting strangely and seems to have become obsessed with tea leaf-readings and horoscopes. After inviting a fortune-teller Roland Deauville to 221B, Holmes finds himself on the run, This did not sit well with me at all. I hate this kind of plot with a burning passion. Yet, it was not badly written, per se, just... nope.
Naching T. Kassa - The Adventure of the Black Key - 5/5
The reclusive Lady Penelope Bramstead calls on Holmes after her housekeeper is murdered and the lady herself has been hearing a mysterious voice instructing her to "seek the black key". Even though it was a bit predictable, I really enjoyed this story.
John Courtenay Grimwood - The World is Full of Obvious Things - 3/5
Colonel Watson's companion (Sherlock Holmes - although I am unsure whether he is actually named during the story) and the vampire count team up on a mission for the Queen to track down Jack the Ripper. Quite a weird one - Magical Realism, mayhaps? All those unsettlingly wrong tidbits of this Alternate Universe create an intriguing read.
Jan Edwards - The Case of the Missing Sister - 3/5
Watson receives a letter from his niece telling him that her mother, Watson's sister Elspeth, has gone missing. He and Holmes travel to Scotland where they receive a hostile reception from Watson's brother-in-law, encounter some hiking nuns, and visit a mausoleum.
David Stuart Davies - The Case of the Terrified Tobacconist - 4/5
Holmes is employed by Edith Daubney whose husband has fled their home in a state of terror, stating that his life is over, to enquiry what's behind the disappearance. A neat, traditional, ending piece.
November 3, 2020
Fans who just can’t get enough of Sherlock Holmes and John Watson will be ensnared in the intrigues of The Book of Extraordinary New Sherlock Holmes Stories. This collection of succinct short stories in the crime genre is a much-awaited return to 221B Baker Street.
Written by an assemblage of authors, yet remarkably cohesive in tone and structure, The Book of Extraordinary New Sherlock Holmes Stories is satisfyingly full of fresh conundrums for those demanding new sleuthing adventures. The series also touches on the highly superstitious and supernatural, which today is more popular than ever. And even while driving into new tests and territories, each tale manages to recall some aspect of a previous Holmes mystery or delve into some background of his or Watson’s private life.
Entirely absorbing, it is finished far too soon. For this series of exceptionally short investigations will no doubt be devoured in a single sitting unless readers have the willpower to ration their reading.
5 stars
Written by an assemblage of authors, yet remarkably cohesive in tone and structure, The Book of Extraordinary New Sherlock Holmes Stories is satisfyingly full of fresh conundrums for those demanding new sleuthing adventures. The series also touches on the highly superstitious and supernatural, which today is more popular than ever. And even while driving into new tests and territories, each tale manages to recall some aspect of a previous Holmes mystery or delve into some background of his or Watson’s private life.
Entirely absorbing, it is finished far too soon. For this series of exceptionally short investigations will no doubt be devoured in a single sitting unless readers have the willpower to ration their reading.
5 stars
January 7, 2021
These are modern Sherlock Holmes stories. Most, I thought, are excellent, and very much in the tradition of Arthur Conan Doyle's original woks. Others are very sub-par! They are not in keeping with the Holmesian tradition of cold logic with just a touch of humanity. This is especially true of the stories that are steeped in supernatural and/or science fiction elements. Overall, this is an enjoyable read for those who have exhausted the original "canon."
November 25, 2020
I listened to the audiobook. Matthew Lloyd Davies did a wonderful job narrating! I enjoyed almost all of the stories. I would definitely recommend it to any fan of Holmes and Watson.
August 19, 2021
A fairy good collection of stories, some are traditional in the Conan Doyle style, others are a bit more contemporary and feel more like a Cumberbatch or Downey Sherlock Holmes. Some of the authors really get Holmes, while others follow the premise but aren’t completely true to the canon.
David Stuart Davies is by far the best story in the collection and reads as if the master had written it himself.
One big downside was the editing, which was loose and inconsistent. Such as, “Prey, continue…” instead of, pray, continue. Page 66 has a sentence literally cut in half in the middle of the page with Hol cutting off halfway across the page and mess staring the next line below. For some reason it was left side aligned rather than justified, which left the right margin a jumbled mess. It took me a few stories to adapt to it before I accepted it and moved on.
Several misspelled words and grammatical errors were present. Maybe I’m just more picky as I’m a Holmes author and editor as well.
Overall a good book, though a few stories I did skip after the first few pages as they lost me in the opening scenes.
Still, if your a Holmes fan, you will find enough enjoyable stories in this collection to be worth the purchase.
David Stuart Davies is by far the best story in the collection and reads as if the master had written it himself.
One big downside was the editing, which was loose and inconsistent. Such as, “Prey, continue…” instead of, pray, continue. Page 66 has a sentence literally cut in half in the middle of the page with Hol cutting off halfway across the page and mess staring the next line below. For some reason it was left side aligned rather than justified, which left the right margin a jumbled mess. It took me a few stories to adapt to it before I accepted it and moved on.
Several misspelled words and grammatical errors were present. Maybe I’m just more picky as I’m a Holmes author and editor as well.
Overall a good book, though a few stories I did skip after the first few pages as they lost me in the opening scenes.
Still, if your a Holmes fan, you will find enough enjoyable stories in this collection to be worth the purchase.
October 28, 2022
Holmes is Back Again
Another enjoyable Holmes collection. The various authors collected by Jakubowski for the most part capture the hearts of Watson and Holmes. and Holmes. Too he does Conan Doyle justice by as true to his style as one can be. I only remember one story’s plot being so obvious that the end was known by a few pages in. If you are a fan you will enjoy this collection.
Another enjoyable Holmes collection. The various authors collected by Jakubowski for the most part capture the hearts of Watson and Holmes. and Holmes. Too he does Conan Doyle justice by as true to his style as one can be. I only remember one story’s plot being so obvious that the end was known by a few pages in. If you are a fan you will enjoy this collection.
October 23, 2024
This was a little better than the previous compilation of 15 short stories "Sherlock Holmes: Further Extraordinary Tales of the Famous Sleuth", as there were only four really annoying tales in this book. The worst efforts were the Irene Adler tale (just plain daft), the Charles Dickens/time travel/Jack the Ripper tale (just as daft), The Wolfman (even dafter) and the Vampire/Prince/Jack the Ripper tale (beyond the pale !) - next time can we have even less drivel please ?
February 15, 2023
Satisfying read
Clearly the best Holmes stories I have read in the style of Doyle. The ones I felt disingenuous were the supernatural & time travel stories. They could have been omitted.
Clearly the best Holmes stories I have read in the style of Doyle. The ones I felt disingenuous were the supernatural & time travel stories. They could have been omitted.
July 27, 2023
This is typical fare for Sir Conan Doyle Sherlock Holmes knockoffs. Some are better and truer to the original style than others and some are edited better than others. I was not a fan of the supernatural ones. I think I will stick with the originals.
April 24, 2024
I loved this book! I listened to the audiobook and Matthew Lloyd Davies is absolutely the best British narrator! These were great stories all about Sherlock Holmes and I found it very interesting and enjoyable!
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December 1, 2020
Mixed bag, none especially memorable except the first, by Lavie Tidhar.
August 25, 2021
A good, not great, collection of Sherlock Holmes short stories.
July 5, 2024
Mix bag 3.5.
February 5, 2021
I agree with the other reviews. Only one story was good. The rest were sort of recycled.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews