36 “I AM AN OMNIVOROUS READER” Book reviews by DAN ANDRIACCO, MARK MOWER, VALERIE SCHREINER, JOHN SHEPPARD, JEAN UPTON, NICHOLAS UTECHIN and ROGER JOHNSON

The Adventure of the Abbey Grange: A Facsimile Sherlock-Holmes-Gesellschaft, c/o Olaf Maurer, of the Original Manuscript Wanderstraße 31, D-67071 Ludwigshafen, Germany with an introductory essay by Catherine Cooke and (e-mail [email protected]). The price is the same a preface by Vincent Delay. 7KH 6KHUORFN +ROPHV for all countries. Within Europe they prefer payment 6RFLHW\ RI /RQGRQ DQG )RQGDWLRQ 0DUWLQ %RGPHU . YLD6(3$3D\3DOZLOOFRVWDWRWDORI¼WRFRYHU 2016. 92pp. £29.00 postpaid (hbk) 3D\3DO¶VRZQIHHV In 1992 the Society and Westminster Libraries RJ published 7KH/LRQ¶V0DQH in manuscript facsimile, following Westminster’s publication of 7KH '\LQJ From Abbey to Wiles — Sherlock Holmes: Classic 'HWHFWLYH , jointly with the Society. British Cover Artists by Nicholas Utechin. 7KH The Baker Street Irregulars have since reproduced nine 6KHUORFN +ROPHV 6RFLHW\ RI /RQGRQ . 2016. 28pp. more Canonical manuscripts, and the Bibliothèque £7.00 postpaid (pbk) cantonale et universitaire Lausanne has issued 7KH In my youth I was curious about the artists who $GYHQWXUH RI 6KRVFRPEH $EEH\ , but only that last designed the dust-jackets for John Murray’s editions comes close to replicating the original as accurately RIWKH&DQRQEXW,GLGQ¶WNQRZKRZWR¿QGRXWDERXW and attractively as the two Westminster volumes. them. Now Nick Utechin has done the research, and The bar has now been raised by this sumptuous new this witty, entertaining and beautifully illustrated book, another collaboration with a major library. The monograph is the result. It’s fascinating to compare exactness of the reproduction is remarkable: we can WKH VXSHU¿FLDOO\ VLPLODU 3DJHWLQVSLUHG LPDJHV E\ see every pencilled note and adjustment that ACD )UDQN 0DUVWRQ 3KLOLS 6LPPRQGV WKH WZR $EEH\ made. The value of these facsimiles is that they enable brothers, and the great Frank Wiles — and to see us to examine the manuscripts for ourselves, at our KRZGLIIHUHQW-$EEH\¶V¿UVWDWWHPSWZDV ,ZRQGHU convenience, and (guided here by Catherine Cooke’s ZK\&36KLOWRQ¶VSLFWXUHIRU 7KH+RXQG breaks with excellent introduction) follow the construction and Murray’s tradition — and so ineffectually! Val Biro’s development of the story. But thanks to Bob Ellis’s version is far better, but completely unlike the others.) outstanding work as production editor, 7KH$GYHQWXUH This is a strictly limited edition, so buy now! RIWKH$EEH\*UDQJH is also a lovely object, a pleasure RJ to handle and a joy to read. Highest recommendation! RJ A Curious Collection of Dates: Through the Year with Sherlock Holmes by Leah Guinn and Jaime The Adventures of Two British Gentlemen in N Mahoney. *DVRJHQH %RRNV 2016. vii + 344pp. Switzerland: In the Footsteps of Sir Arthur Conan $34.95 (pbk) Doyle and Sherlock Holmes edited by Nicole A delightfully frustrating problem for a reviewer Glücklich. 'HXWVFKH 6KHUORFN+ROPHV*HVHOOVFKDIW . is to run out of superlatives. That’s the obstacle facing 2016. 516pp. €29.00 + €8.00 postage (hbk) me in trying to discuss this book. For every day of the 3LOJULPVWR6ZLW]HUODQG DQGPDQ\RWKHUSHRSOH  year there is at least one entertaining, enlightening, will relish this lovely book. Despite its 516 pages, at and thoroughly enjoyable entry related in some way approximately 7”x 5” it’s not much bigger than my to Sherlock Holmes. Naturally, many are pinned to 1881 %DHGHNHU¶V 6ZLW]HUODQG , and the paper is of dates of events — events in the Canon, historical much higher quality. By Victorian standards, it’s a events referenced in the Canon, events in the life pocket book — or rather, two books in one. Open 'LH Arthur Conan Doyle and people associated with him, $EHQWHXHU]ZHLHUEULWLVFKHU*HQWOHPHQLQGHU6FKZHL] and events in the history of the Baker Street Irregulars and you have 270 pages in German. Turn it over, and or Sherlockiana in general. Other entries are birthdays there are 248 pages of a good English translation by RIKLVWRULFDO¿JXUHVDFWRUVZULWHUVDQGLOOXVWUDWRUV Silvia Meier and Michael Ross. Either way, it’s very relatives, friends, and associates of Conan Doyle; and handsome: nicely laid out, with attractive fonts and perhaps some others I have missed. beautifully reproduced illustrations, old and new, and May 22 has the expected entry for ACD, DQG one a full-colour double-sided map. for Richard Wagner, also born on that date. Holmes, Switzerland was and is very important in the story you’ll recall, was eager to attend a Wagner night at of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Sherlock Holmes. I’ll Covent Garden in “The Red Circle.” The admirable be very surprised if there’s ever a better guide to their entry on Dr Watson, appropriately noting that he is Switzerland. (Who knew that Monsieur Moser was a “more than Holmes’s loyal Boswell,” begins on real hotelier?) page 221. (There are QR coincidences.) Speaking of The book can be ordered from: Deutsche coincidences, biographies of two great American 37 mystery writers and Sherlockians, John Dickson Carr and Leslie Klinger interviews Rob Doherty, the man and Rex Stout, appear on facing pages under their behind (OHPHQWDU\ . respective birthdates of November 30 and December I’d love to have been at the conference, but this 1. Stout also gets attention on March 1, the date of his splendid book is the next best thing. infamous “Watson Was a Woman” speech at the 1941 RJ BSI dinner. As a member of the Vatican Cameos, a society for $ERXW 6L[W\:K\ (YHU\ 6KHUORFN +ROPHV 6WRU\ &DWKROLF6KHUORFNLDQV,ZDVJUDWL¿HGE\WKH0DUFK Is the Best edited by Christopher Redmond. :LOGVLGH HQWU\RQ3RSH/HR;,,,WKHRQO\SHUVRQRWKHUWKDQWKH 3UHVV . 2016. 249pp. $14.99 (pbk) RI¿FLDOSROLFHNQRZQWRKDYHEHHQDFOLHQWRI6KHUORFN Christopher Redmond assembled a team of sixty Holmes more than once. Sherlockians — veterans and newcomers — to Usually I say that an invaluable reference book make the case that a certain Holmes story is the best. belongs on your shelves. This one belongs on your Although I’ve been reading the Canon for more than nightstand so that you can begin or end your day with ¿IW\\HDUVWKLVERRNJDYHPHQHZLQVLJKWVDQGQHZ the appropriate entry or entries. appreciation for many of the stories. DA My subject (interest declared!) is “The Adventure of the Missing Three-Quarter.” Arguing that it’s Mentored by a Madman: The William Burroughs the best was beyond my creative imagination, so I ([SHULPHQW by AJ Lees. 1RWWLQJ+LOO(GLWLRQV . 2016. focused on its wonderful gallery of minor characters. 214pp. £14.99 (hbk) Many of the other essayists do argue that their subject The author is one of the world’s leading is the best story, and their reasons are impressive for QHXURORJLVWV,QÀXHQFHGE\:6%XUURXJKV¶DWWHPSWV their variety. Susan Smith-Josephy calls $ 6WXG\ LQ to escape from his legendary drug addiction, and 6FDUOHW the “absolute epitome of a Holmes-Watson inspired by Sherlock Holmes’ methods of deduction, tale”. Sonia Fetherston shows how “A Case of he discovered a ground-breaking treatment for Identity” predicts what would follow in the Canon. 3DUNLQVRQ¶V 'LVHDVH  :ULWWHQ LQ D QRQFOLQLFDO Jaime N Mahoney lauds “The Veiled Lodger” as “a autobiographical style, this is as much a page-turner study in understanding”, with Holmes compassionate as the best whodunit. The book is not overly abundant and humane in a story in which he has nothing else to in Sherlockian content, but is a real eye-opener in do. Also impressive are the insights that will colour regard to the world of medical research. It would be of my future readings of the stories, such as Al Shaw’s immense interest to anyone who is curious about the speculation that “The Red-Headed League” was the daunting labyrinth that is pharmaceutical research, or ¿UVWXVHRI³WKHORQJFRQ´LQDGHWHFWLYHVWRU\ KDVLQDQ\ZD\EHHQDIIHFWHGE\3DUNLQVRQ¶V'LVHDVH It’s a great book to read straight through, and to JU keep handy for perusing again whenever you re-read RQHRIWKH6L[W\$OOUR\DOWLHVJRWRWKHQRWIRUSUR¿W Sherlock Holmes: Behind the Canonical Screen Beacon Society, dedicated to introducing young HGLWHGE\/\QGVD\)D\HDQG$VKOH\'3RODVHN 7KH people to Sherlock Holmes through schools and %DNHU 6WUHHW ,UUHJXODUV . 2015. xiv + 257pp. $29.95 libraries. plus postage (pbk) DA These papers were delivered at a BSI conference in 2012, predating the momentous discovery of Cracking the Code of the Canon: How Sherlock :LOOLDP*LOOHWWH¶V¿OP 6KHUORFN+ROPHV . No matter! Holmes Made His Decisions by Diane Gilbert Here are eighteen essays, talks and interviews by Madsen. 0;3XEOLVKLQJ . 2016. xvi + 371pp. £12.99 6KHUORFNLDQVDFDGHPLFV¿OPKLVWRULDQVDQGZRUNHUV (pbk) LQWKHLQGXVWU\²VHYHUDORIFRXUVHQRWGH¿QHGE\ Ms Madsen re-read the Holmes stories while a single category. Jeffory Hart surveys the changing planning her novel 7KH &RQDQ 'R\OH 1RWHV . This perception of Holmes on screen and the tardy book is based on her copious research notes — not acceptance of Watson as essential; Russell Merritt about Holmes’s methods of detection but about his ZULWHVDERXWWKHVLOHQW+ROPHV-HQQLH&3DWRQORRNV sense of justice and his attitude to the law. Why did he at cartoons, and John Farrell watches musicals; decide to turn a criminal over to the police, to let an Kristopher Mecholsky shows that deviation from the offender go free, or to dispense punishment himself? Canon isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Rathbone, Brett How careful was his judgement? Crimes, criminals and the Japanese “Sherlock Hound” get a chapter and victims are analysed and categorised; changing each, but 0XUGHU5RRPV WKH*X\5LWFKLH¿OPVDQG social and legal attitudes are compared. Ms Madsen 6KHUORFN are considered together. The editors review has obtained expert advice on English and Scottish WKHSRUWUD\DORIZRPHQLQ6KHUORFNLDQ¿OPDQG79 ODZ7KHUHDUHWLQ\ÀDZV 0DU\+ROGHUEHFRPHV0DU\ productions. There are particularly interesting papers Sullivan and the kingdom of Scandinavia is renamed RQPRUHXQXVXDOWRSLFVUHVWRUDWLRQRIROG¿OPVDQG Sardinia) but everything that matters is scrupulously the vexed question of intellectual property. Finally, accurate. It’s an original approach, and it gives one speaks about adapting Holmes for furiously to think. the screen; two Disney animators explain how %DVLO RJ RI%DNHU6WUHHW became 7KH*UHDW0RXVH'HWHFWLYH ; 38

On How to Investigate Mysteries: Secrets for Sam John Hall, , Mark Mower, Denis O by Alan Macfarlane. &DPEULGJH5LYHUV3UHVV . 2016. Smith, Amy Thomas and Nicholas Utechin. Exciting 80pp. £4.31 (pbk) bonuses for me are Bert Coules’ radio dramatisation of One of “a series of short letters written to young the essential Christmas story, “The Blue Carbuncle”, IULHQGV´ E\ 3URIHVVRU 0DFIDUODQH WKLV QLFH OLWWOH and a seasonal radio play by Jim French. Excellent! book shows how the ratiocination of Holmes and RJ Dupin can help us understand the great mysteries of anthropology and social history. This reasoning The Missing Misadventures of Sherlock Holmes backwards is, says Macfarlane, an equivalent in the edited by Julie McKuras, Timothy Johnson, Ray arts and social sciences to the methodology of forward 5LHWKPHLHU  3KLOOLS %HUJHP 7KH 1RUZHJLDQ reasoning propounded by René Descartes. 2Q +RZ ([SORUHUVRI0LQQHVRWD . 2016. x + 219pp. $25.00 plus WR,QYHVWLJDWH0\VWHULHV should encourage enquiring postage (pbk) youngsters (and adults) to learn and to think about 7KH 0LVDGYHQWXUHV RI 6KHUORFN +ROPHV , edited what they learn. by Ellery Queen, was published in 1944 and shortly RJ afterwards withdrawn, thanks to the disapproval of WKH &RQDQ 'R\OHV &RSLHV DUHQ¶W KDUG WR ¿QG EXW Welcome to Undershaw: A Brief History of Sir they are expensive. Or you can download a scan at Arthur Conan Doyle, The Man Who Created archive.org/details/scriblio_test_044.) It contains Sherlock Holmes by Luke Benjamen Kuhns. 0; thirty-three examples of “parody, travesty, burlesque 3XEOLVKLQJ . 2016. vii + 108pp. £18.99/€24.99/$28.95 and exact imitation”, with an introduction justifying (hbk) the inclusion of each story… and “an explanation Author and publisher are active supporters of the for certain omissions — ‘missing misadventures’.” campaign to restore Undershaw, and they’re to be This new volume , compiled and published for the applauded for producing this rather handsome book 2016 conference at the University of Minnesota, in time for the opening of the Stepping Stones School. effectively completes the Queen anthology. Here are (Royalties go to help the restoration of the building.) those fourteen missing tales, long, short, and mostly The story of the man and his house is pleasantly KXPRURXV7KHVWDQGRXWIRUPHLVWKH¿UVW(QJOLVK told, there are lots of interesting illustrations, Brian translation (from Dutch) of 'H$OOHUODDWVWH$YRQWXUHQ Belanger’s cover design is enticing, and the passion YDQ6LU6KHUORFN+ROPHV , but it’s all appealing, and that impelled David Forbes-Nixon to buy Undershaw attractively presented in similar style to the original for Stepping Stones is almost palpable in his 0LVDGYHQWXUHV . (Airmail postage for non-US buyers introduction. FRVWV&RQWDFW3KLOOLS%HUJHPDW pgbergem@ RJ gmail.com.) RJ /HJHQGDU\ 'DUWPRRU 3XEV  ,QQV ([SORUH LQ the Footsteps of Sherlock Holmes & the Hound of 7KH 6DFUL¿FH RI 6KHUORFN +ROPHV by Jonathan the Baskervilles by Simon Butler. +DOVJURYH . 2016. Barnes. %LJ)LQLVK . 2016. 4 CDs. £30.00 or download 128pp. £9.99 (hbk) £25.00. ,Q+DOVJURYHSXEOLVKHG3KLOLS:HOOHU¶V 7KH This set completes (possibly) the saga that began, +RXQG RI WKH %DVNHUYLOOHV +XQWLQJ WKH 'DUWPRRU chronologically, with episode 1 of 7KH 2UGHDOV RI /HJHQG ; this very attractive new book, a collaboration 6KHUORFN+ROPHV , when the protagonists were young with the Dartmoor Trust Archive, maintains the same men. Nicholas Briggs and Richard Earl effortlessly high standard. It’s lavishly illustrated with historic convince, as Holmes and Watson age through and modern photographs. The text is informative, 7KH $GYHQWXUH RI WKH 3HU¿GLRXV 0DULQHU and 7KH entertaining and remarkably comprehensive: it covers -XGJHPHQW RI 6KHUORFN +ROPHV to 1921, where we much more than Holmes or Conan Doyle, but anyone QRZ¿QGWKHP0\FURIW+ROPHVLVGHDG7KHWHUURULVW following the trail of the Hound or Silver Blaze will organisation called The Society is revived, under a want to have a copy to hand. The familiar places madman known as Agamemnon (Alan Cox), who has are here (including Tavistock, which isn’t actually a murderous hatred of London, the “New Troy”, and on ), and there are VR many other alluring of Sherlock Holmes. The detective and the doctor are settlements and hostelries… old and tired. Can they defeat the terror? Can they RJ even survive it? It’s a fantastic and compelling tale. RJ The MX Book of New Sherlock Holmes Stories, Part V: Christmas Adventures edited by David Echoes of Sherlock Holmes: Stories Inspired by the Marcum. 0;3XEOLVKLQJ . 2016. xviii + 540pp. £37.99 Holmes Canon edited by Laurie R King and Leslie S (hbk), £19.99 (pbk) Klinger. 3HJDVXV&ULPH 2016. 368pp. £14.99/$24.95 As with its predecessors, all royalties from the (hbk) latest volume in this admirable series will go to help This is King and Klinger’s third volume of stories the restoration of Undershaw. Familiar names among that draw inspiration from the work of Conan Doyle. the thirty authors include Hugh Ashton, Molly Carr, The authors were free to translate their affection for 0DWWKHZ - (OOLRWW :HQG\ & )ULHV 3DXO ' *LOEHUW the Canon, without any presumption on style, format, 39 era or characterisation. In my view, this eclectic mix cases) at Canonical favourites. There is too much of seventeen tales from an excellent assembly of plot, and thus some twists become annoying (I had to writers is the best to date. re-read to work out exactly who this rancid Holmes Alongside some gentle pastiches and the reworking faced at the Falls!) And yet: it is a passingly clever of familiar characters into modern settings and take, and the artwork, by Warwick Eede, is vitally LQQRYDWLYHVFHQDULRVZH¿QGDFDUWRRQVWULSLQZKLFK absolutely in tune with what is called for by this sort Mrs Hudson plays detective, and cameo appearances of publication. by Conan Doyle and Auguste Dupin. Inevitably, some NU stories work better than others. My favourites were “The Adventure of the Dancing Women” by Hank Sherlock Holmes and a Scandal in Batavia by 3KLOOLSSL5\DQDQG³+ROPHVRQWKH5DQJH´E\-RKQ Jeremy Kingston. 5REHUW+DOH 2016. 222pp. £12.99 Connolly. The latter has a wonderful plot in which (pbk) the more traditional characters of Holmes and Watson From the start, this is a gripping and colourful DSSHDULQWKH&D[WRQ3ULYDWH/HQGLQJ/LEUDU\ %RRN tale which never ceases to entertain. “Batavia” is the 'HSRVLWRU\DQLQVWLWXWLRQLQZKLFKSRSXODU¿FWLRQDO old Roman name for the Netherlands, and the plot is characters are brought to life in the real world. FHQWUHGRQ3ULQFH$OH[DQGHUVRQRIWKH.LQJRIWKH Splendid stuff indeed. Netherlands, who fears that his life and ascension to MM the throne may be in jeopardy. So begins a case which takes us on a whirlwind tour of Europe. Two features 7KH'HYLO¶V'DXJKWHUV by Diana Bretherick. 2ULRQ . set this pastiche apart. First, Kingston’s extensive 2015. 470pp. £8.99 (pbk) knowledge of history, which is drawn upon at every This is the second of the author’s “Lombroso” turn creating a backdrop rich in period detail. And books. The setting is principally Turin in 1888, so it second, his clear regard for the Canon, demonstrated is well centred in the Victorian period we Holmesians in the many neat references and affectionate nods to love so much. Whilst the principal character, Murray the characters, stories and intrigues of the original WKH \RXQJ 6FRWWLVK GRFWRU LV ¿FWLRQDO WKH QRYHO LV texts — we even learn why there has always been permeated by the presence of Cesare Lombroso, a some confusion over the location of Watson’s Jezail real character (in every sense!) of his time. Lombroso bullet wound! The relationship between Holmes is regarded as “the father of modern criminology”, and Watson is particularly well-drawn. At one point although most of his actual thinking on the subject as :DWVRQVXIIHUVDQHUYRXV¿W+ROPHVVD\V ³

OLWWOHDIUDLGDW¿UVWWKDWWKLVPLJKWEHDQRWKHU-DFNWKH tranquillity of Erin, Ohio is rocked when the black Ripper meets Sherlock Holme V tale, but it’s actually sheep of the Ellicott family returns. Now a best-selling something very different. DXWKRUKH¶VGHWHUPLQHGWRPDUFKLQWKH6W3DWULFN¶V The plot revolves around the kidnapping of 'D\ 3DUDGH LQ SURWHVW DJDLQVW WKH WHFKQRORJ\ WKDW an eight-year-old boy, whose family engage the made his family rich and powerful. Murder follows, Great Detective to investigate. Holmes and Watson DQG3URIHVVRU0F&DEHPXVWSOD\GHWHFWLYHDJDLQ,I are drawn into a shadowy world of secrets and not for the alarming mortality statistics, I’d love to conspiracies and face a race against time to unravel visit Erin! the overlapping strands of the case. Davies’s writing In 1903 Jack London, author of :KLWH)DQJ , wrote LV¿UVWUDWHDQGWKHVWUXFWXUHRIWKHERRNZRUNVZHOO 7KH3HRSOHRIWKH$E\VV D¿UVWKDQGDFFRXQWRIOLIH — short, punchy chapters, easily devoured, leading among the poor in East London. In 1910 he began a you to want to read more... and more. At times, it novel called 7KH $VVDVVLQDWLRQ %XUHDX /WG , but he was almost cinematic in feel and would work well QHYHU¿QLVKHGLW7KDWIDFWLVWKHLQVSLUDWLRQIRU 7KH DV D WHOHYLVLRQ RU ¿OP DGDSWDWLRQ ,QFOXGLQJ ELWV RI 2XWUDJHDWWKH'LRJHQHV&OXE (MX; £7.99), fourth in narrative from the perspective of different characters, Daniel D Victor’s series “Sherlock Holmes and the alongside Dr Watson, added a fresh dimension. In American Literati”. The real Assassination Bureau short, a good story told with great skill and affection. is as dark and dangerous an organisation as Holmes MM has ever faced. With the threat of war looming, what chance does he have of defeating the murderous The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: cabal? The Counterfeit Detective by Stuart Douglas. 7LWDQ 7KH$GYHQWXUHVRI6KHUORFN+ROPHV5H,PDJLQHG %RRNV . 2016. 272pp. £7.99 (pbk) 7KH&RPSOHWH&ROOHFWLRQ (MX; £29.99) is attractive, The Great Detective receives an anonymous letter slightly mad, and rather charming. Conan Doyle’s text suggesting that an imposter is at work in the New is intact. The re-imagining is expressed in the full- York, solving cases and achieving some notoriety. His FRORXULOOXVWUDWLRQVE\3-DPHV0DFDOXVR-UZKLFKUH name? Sherlock Holmes, of course! Our intrepid duo FUHDWHWKHVFHQHVLQ6LGQH\3DJHW¶VRULJLQDOSLFWXUHV set off across the Atlantic to confront the counterfeit XVLQJRQO\/HJR¿JXUHVDQGEULFNV detective. So begins an elaborate adventure which Similarly entertaining and attractive is %DUU\ takes us on a whirlwind tour of the Big Apple in the %DVNHUYLOOH¶V %OXH %LF\FOH by Richard L Kellogg, late summer of 1899. illustrated by Gary Kato (Airship 27, £7.68) in which The tale has good pace and great characterisation. the boy sleuth of Watsonville helps his neighbours, There are lots of nods to the original Canon and the annoys his teacher and solves a crime. Ideal for young narrative captures the voice and spirit of Dr Watson. readers. Equally compelling is the portrayal of New York at Anyone seriously interested in Conan Doyle’s life the turn of the century; urbane and sophisticated in and career should have a copy of $&KURQRORJ\RIWKH WKHEURZQVWRQHVRILWVPRUHDIÀXHQWQHLJKERXUKRRGV /LIHRI6LU$UWKXU&RQDQ'R\OH0D\QGWR with an underbelly of lawlessness and deprivation -XO\WK5HYLVHGDQG([SDQGHG(GLWLRQ LQWKHVWDOHEHHUKDXQWVRIWKH)LYH3RLQWV²DFLW\ E\%ULDQ:3XJK 0;  $QG\RX¶OOZDQW $ in which Holmes and Watson appear to be perfectly &KURQRORJ\ RI WKH /LIH RI 6LU$UWKXU &RQDQ 'R\OH comfortable. Fans of the gentle, affectionate, pastiche $GGHQGD &RUULJHQGD (MX; £8.99) as well! will really enjoy this. The subtitle of 6RPHRI0\)DYRXULWH6KHUORFNLDQ MM 7KLQJV by EA (Bud) Livingston (MX; £8.99) is $ &RPSHQGLXP RI 3DZN\ DQG 2XWUp 0RQRJUDSKV The Redacted Sherlock Holmes, Volume III by 7RDVWVDQG:KDWQRWV , which tells you all you really 2UODQGR3HDUVRQ 0;3XEOLVKLQJ . 2016. 236pp. £8.99 need to know. These 70-odd pieces, originally (pbk) delivered at Sherlockian meetings in New Jersey or Six more cases that Dr Watson considered too New York, are droll and occasionally eye-opening. sensitive to be released at the time. The style is Michael W McClure, BSI is a funeral director, Victorian, but these stories tackle issues and puzzles with a passion for puns. Long ago he planned a book of the 21st century. “Seasonal Tale”, for instance, tells of joky epitaphs for various Canonical characters, and how Holmes was forced over a century ago to prove fellow-punster John Bennett Shaw wrote a foreword. the reality of climate change. Effective use is made 7KHERRNKDV¿QDOO\DSSHDUHGDV 6KHUORFN+ROPHVDQG of Holmes’s limited knowledge in such areas as team WKH&U\SWLF&OXHV$*UDYH8QGHUWDNLQJ (Baskerville sports and ladies’ fashion, which is where Watson 3URGXFWLRQV ZZZEDVNHUYLOOHSURGXFWLRQVFRP comes into his own. Readers who liked the earlier books; $21.95 pbk, $32.95 hbk). Each epitaph volumes will undoubtedly enjoy this one. appears on a drawing of a gravestone, and “notable VS Sherlockians are honored as their likenesses adorn WKHPRQXPHQWVDVHI¿JLHV´²LQFOXGLQJ'DYLG6WXDUW In brief 'DYLHV%ULDQ3XJK6KLUOH\3XUYHVDQGDIHZRWKHU It’s a delight to welcome Jeff Cody and Sebastian Britons. It’s deucedly odd, but undeniably amusing. McCabe in their sixth novel-length mystery, (ULQ RJ *R %ORRG\ by Dan Andriacco (MX; £9.99). The