Four novels (more like novellas, really) and 56 short stories – that’s how many official Sherlock Holmes stories were provided to the world by Arthur Conan Doyle. It’s a substantial work for any writer, but Holmes fans have always wanted more. Since 1887 when A Study in Scarlet first appeared, there have been hundreds more novels and short stories published concerning the adventures of Holmes and Watson. After finishing all of Doyle’s official stories, I’ve lost track over the years of just how many unofficial tales I’ve enjoyed. I go back and forth between enjoying a lengthy novel and a single-sitting short story, but one thing is for certain — I’ll never run out of material.
I’ve recently spent some time catching up on a number of new Holmes/Watson books… as well as some older ones that have been sitting idle, waiting for some down time. If you’re a fan like me, I’ve got a short collection here that I’d like to recommend and share some thoughts. A few of these deserve a place on any true fan’s shelf, while a few others would make perfect gifts to someone you may know who has just discovered The World’s Most Famous Detective.
Sherlock Holmes: The Essential Mysteries In One Sitting by Jennifer Kasius
I think the photo I’m including here should get the point across — this is not a book that will take long to read. As a matter of fact, I read the entire 208-page hardback in about 40 minutes. It’s got a few short essays on the character of Holmes and other essential characters, but it’s the fast summaries of twelve of the tales (picked by the author and most definitely open to debate) that make it such a neat little book to have on your shelf. Three of the four novels are summarized (The Valley of Fear is the odd one out) and nine of the short stories that the author believes (and I somewhat agree with) are characteristic of the best Sherlock Holmes adventures. They’re no substitute for reading the full tales, but for a quick reminder of a stories overall theme and how the puzzle is unraveled, the book offers a nice, fast solution that skips the banter and goes straight to the facts. Holmes would most likely agree that this is how Watson should have been documenting the cases!
The Sherlock Holmes Handbook: The Methods and Mysteries Of The World’s Great Detective by Ransom Riggs
As the title explains, this is a handbook for the budding detective. (The fictional, budding detective, not the one looking to pass a real detective’s exam, I imagine.) This isn’t written tongue-in-cheek, but rather follows actual methodologies read in Doyle’s tales. I’m not saying these will allow any real-world crime solving, but the advice offered within is quite interesting. Broken into three key sections — Detective Skills, Survival Skills, and Life Skills, the reader will be given short essays on topics such as How to Question a Suspect, How to Examine a Body at a Crime Scene, and How to Fake Your Own Death. Sections on disguises are a joy to read, and there’s even a short section on raising bees. (If this reference escapes you, I apologize.) I absolutely enjoyed reading every page — the subtle references to the original tales was fun, but what I most enjoyed were the actual methodologies that basically document how Holmes accomplished many of his investigations. Setting aside reality for a while, a fan of Sherlock Holmes will find a flood of memories that bring back those novels and short stories that may have been enjoyed some time ago. The book may even inspire a revisiting of some of the original stories as it did for me.
Encounters of Sherlock Holmes – Edited by George Mann
Okay, when this book arrived, I actually stopped what I was doing and took an hour or so to read the introduction and the first few short stories. I mean, the book is edited by George Mann, one of my favorite steampunk authors! Second, it’s got another of my favorite steampunk authors, Mark Hodder, listed as a contributor (among others)! I’m not going to turn this into a steampunk post (I’ve done plenty of those!), but I do want you to understand that these two authors have created their own worlds with their own memorable characters (Mann with his Newbury and Hobbes novels and Hodder with his Burton and Swinburne novels), and both authors included short stories in this book that brought their special characters to a meeting with Holmes and Watson. If you’re a fan of either (or both) of those writers and their steampunk worlds, you’re going to love the mashups they’ve created with 221B Baker Street. As for the remaining stories? I don’t want to give too much away, but there are a number of short stories that follow a typical Holmes/Watson investigation (and they’re quite good!). Memorable tales include a run-in with a certain Shelley character, a tale that focuses on an investigation performed by Mrs. Hudson, a locked carriage mystery, and even a tale involving the famous Person slipper. Fourteen tales in all, and not one of them a disappointment. (As someone who has read a LOT of short story collections, I can tell you that those found in this book are polished and well-done.) A follow-up book titled Further Encounters of Sherlock Holmes is due out… and I cannot wait to see what editor George Mann pulls together for that volume. (And I’m crossing my fingers he’s got another of his own Newbury and Hobbes tales to share.)
An Interactive Sherlock Holmes Mystery: The Crimes of Dr. Watson – Edited by Duane Swierczynski
I am a big fan of books that include bits of memorabilia to examine. It’s always fun to read a book that provides items that you can handle… there are lots of kids books that take advantage of items you can hold, examine, smell, etc., but few of these books are for adults. This little gem takes the form of a journal, complete with envelopes glued in that provide items such as a ticket stub, train schedule, ripped page, postcard, and more. In all, twelve pieces of evidence are tucked inside small envelopes glued throughout the journal. And the story? Well, this is one for true Sherlock Holmes fans, but even someone not familiar with the detective may find it enjoyable. It involves the incarceration of Dr. Watson, accused of torture, arson, and murder! Interestingly enough, one of the first items to be examined is a fifteen page reproduction of one of Doyle’s most famous (and most sensational) stories — The Final Problem. If you’re not familiar with the story of Holmes and Moriarty and Reichenbach Falls, you can catch up by reading the actual story as it was originally printed and then jump into the new mystery. Dr. Watson finds himself in prison, reaching out to an American named Colonel Harry Resno. Dr. Watson provides his account of the story that landed him in jail, along with the booklet and eleven other pieces of evidence that he saved. He’s provided all of this to Resno, in hopes that the Colonel can prove Watson’s innocence. Tucked (and sealed) into the back of the book is Resno’s letter to Watson, explaining the evidence and (apparently) providing an explanation that frees up Watson. Where is Holmes while all this is happening? True fans will love how the editor has carefully provided explanations for inconsistencies that have long bugged Holmes fans. I won’t say anymore, but I can tell you that it’s a pretty solid mystery that can be solved. (I was ALMOST there… three or four of the pieces of evidence threw me off, while a few others I managed to decipher. I enjoyed the hunt… and the explanation.) It’s a beautiful book, with postmarks, yellowing pages, and other bits of evidence that bring the book and story to life. (Here’s hoping Quirk Books and Mr. Swierczynski might have a follow-up in mind one day!)
A Brief History of Sherlock Holmes: The Complete Guide To The World’s Most Famous Detective by Nigel Cawthorne
If you’re looking for some great essays on Doyle’s characters as well as some in-depth discussion and examinations of the most prominent novels and short stories, this is the book for you. These essays are more in-depth summaries of the mysteries, but there’s some great information here that pulls together Doyle’s own background and the real-life characters he may or may not have used as influences in his stories. Each collection of short stories is introduced with a brief history of its release date and print run, along with any special information the reader might need to know about the timing of the tales (given that many of the adventures are told out of order). What I most enjoyed, however, were the summary chapters near the end of the book that provide discussion on Watson, another on Mycroft and “the good guys,”, and yet another chapter on Moriarty and “the bad guys.” Even good ol’ Inspector Lestrade gets some respect (finally) with a wrap-up chapter that discusses his character and the mighty Scotland Yard’s other inspectors… plus a few other characters of interest. It’s 270 pages in length and is a perfect companion to someone familiar with all the original tales.
The Case Files Of Sherlock Holmes by Dr. John Watson
I mentioned above my love for books that provide removable evidence, and thankfully I’ve got one more to share with you. This one’s a bit older and may be a little more difficult to find, but for a true Holmes fan, it’s worth the hunt. This is Dr. Watson’s personal case book, complete with over 18 pieces of removable items that include a photo of a most famous woman of Holmes’ acquaintance, a full page police report, a map of Baskerville Hall and surrounding area, a message consisting of strange, dancing men (a code of some sort?), and much more. But in addition to the 18 removable items, the book goes completely overboard with images of realistic post office telegraphs, newspaper clippings, sketches, business cards, ransom letters, photographs, handwritten notes, maps, and much more… all “taped” into the book and surrounded by hand-written notes from Dr. Watson himself. Now, this one case book only covers six of the many tales (A Scandal in Bohemia, Red-Headed League, Boscombe Valley Mystery, The Dancing Men, The Hound of the Baskervilles, and The Final Problem. But those six tales have enough physical evidence taped/pasted (or contained in bags) into the case book that you really feel like you’re examining the actual photos, notes, and evidence that was being collected as Holmes and Watson performed their investigations. It’s a full-color book, with pages that look like an actual journal — worn, with rips and stains and hand-scrawled notes. This is a must-have for any Holmes fans.
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I sort of knew I had crossed a line with my fascination with Sherlock Holmes when my book collection moved from one shelf to two. (It’s tied with my steampunk collection that also takes up two shelves… but is close to moving on to three.) I’ve recently added three new books to the shelf, but I’ve yet to finish these. Two are short story collections, and one is a novel.
The Mammoth Book of New Sherlock Holmes Adventures — Edited by Mike Ashley
I’m only halfway through the 26 new short stories, but this is yet again another great collection of well-written Holmes adventures. There are some writers whom I recognize and many that I don’t… but will be hunting down more of their writing based on what I’ve read so far.
Shadows Over Baker Street – Edited by Michael Reaves and John Pelan
I’m also a fan of H.P. Lovecraft, and this book was a gift from a friend who knew I enjoyed H.P’s tales and Doyle’s detective stories. Eighteen tales that put Holmes and Watson directly in the path of things that man was not meant to know. After finishing twelves stories, I am tearing through the remainder of the book. And yes, Neil Gaiman’s A Study in Emerald opens the collection and is worth the price of the book alone.
Sherlock Holmes: The Army of Dr. Moreau by Guy Adams
Titan Books has an ongoing series of books titled Further Adventures that continues to provide novel-length Holmes adventures. Titan has also started a second series of books (with its own unique cover style) that is breaking ground with some good story telling. The Army of Dr. Moreau is 275 pages of fun — Adams combines the horrors of Dr. Moreau with the tenacity of Sherlock Holmes and drops the reader right in the middle of a London-based horror story.
And if you’ve got a budding Sherlock Holmes fan under your roof? My dad provided The New Annotated Sherlock Holmes: The Complete Short Stories (2-Volume Set) as a gift to me years ago… and I followed it up by purchasing the third volume that contains the four novels. Believe me… the annotated series provides a one-stop-shop for background, history, and discussions as you read through the original novels and 56 short stories. It’s a bit pricey, but the two sets (making up three books in all) really looks good on the shelf with Holmes’ profile visible!
