Reviews

In the Company of Sherlock Holmes: Stories Inspired by the Holmes Canon by Leslie S. Klinger

strikingthirteen's review against another edition

3.0

OVERALL: It's an interesting little collection of stories. Some are Holmes stories, some are just inspired by the idea. Really most are of the latter category so as long as you are prepared for that sort of thing it's alright. A lot of the stories I found mediocre, or just out of my depth because I'm not familiar with the characters. What awesome stories there are are awesome, you just have to deal with some average stuff to get to the awesome.



You'd Better Go In Disguise - Alan Bradley (5/5): I heavily enjoyed this one. The man in the park, the knowing right off that Montague is Holmes, that either the doctor on the bench or the other guy is Watson, and then just how it's revealed that the narrator is a murderer and how everything is just sprung right there. It's just so well done.

As To "An Exact Knowledge of London" - Tony Broadbent (3/5): The whole taxi cab ride reads a bit long and just seems like one long showoffy knowledge of how well the author, or the character, knows Holmesian Canon and adaptations. That being said that is rather the point as we find out about the seemingly immortal Watson and Holmes still working to defend everyone against Moriarty by simply allowing their images to propagate to the point that they can't see the forest for the trees as Holmes says. Very nicely done twist.

The Men With The Twisted Lips - S.J. Rozan (2/5): A look at "The Man With The Twisted Lip" in which the opium den owners work together to draw in Holmes and Watson in order to get Neville St. Clair off their backs. That's really all there is to it. Didn't particularly enjoy it all that much.

The Adventure of the Purloined Paget - Philip Margolin and Jerry Margolin (2/5): I think I was a little out of the loop on this one. Everyone is using an alias naturally and then using scraps from other stories we create this. It's nicely tongue and cheek but still rather forgettable.

The Bone-Headed League - Lee Child (2/5): Another thing resting on adapting a story into a real word setting. Not particularly interesting.

The Startling Events in the Electrified City - Thomas Perry (4/5): Holmes and Watson are called to America to help a US President appear to be assassinated in order for his country to gain stability and to avert a world war. It's good old fashioned Holmes and Watson and I can totally see Conan Doyle having written this. It is epic.

The Mysterious Case of the Unwritten Short Story - Colin Cotterill (1/5): Not really sure what this was doing here aside from a bit of an off top wander from a sort of Holmes outsider.

The Case of Death and Honey - Neil Gaiman (5/5): As usual, Mr. Gaiman delivers the awesome. We have Holmes' interest in bees as highlighted by the death of his brother and the search for some sort of immortality. Then he speaks of meeting Watson and giving him some and that just makes my heart melt. It is quite well written. Okay, I mean AMAZINGLY written.

A Triumph of Logic - Gayle Lynds and John Sheldon (2.5/5): A bunch of lawyers play at Sherlock Holmes. That's really all I can say about it. A bit of clever work with the names I will say but otherwise I think they would work better in their own world than playing in the fringes of Holmes'

The Last of Shelia-Locke Holmes - Laura Lippman (5/5): One of the few not!Holmes stories that I really like - probably it reminds me of a young me tramping around my maternal grandparents' house with a magnifying glass dragging my 'Watson' (my uncle) along looking for stuff. It's a very grown up look of a childhood fantasy and it is awesome.

The Adventure of the Concert Pianist - Margaret Maron (5/5): This is set just before "The Empty House" and Mrs. Hudson and Dr. Watson work together to help out Mrs. Hudson's niece. It's great work in the shadow of the absence of Holmes and you see just how much the two have picked up from the great detective. Much enjoyed let me tell you.

The Shadow Not Cast - Lionel Chetwynd (4/5): Sometimes I'm a bit of a sucker for military mysteries. So this really turned my crank. That's really awesome.

The Eyak Interpreter - Dana Stabenow (2.5/5): This is pretty much "The Greek Interpreter" retold with a different detective. That was really it.

The Case That Holmes Lost - Charles Todd (3/5): Sherlock Holmes is being sued, which confuses the everloving hell out of his creator. It's pretty much rehashing a story in 'real life' and also through the fictional version so it was fun but also felt like being trapped in an echo.

The Imitator - Jan Burke (2/5): Honestly I really don't remember much of this one.

A Spot of Deduction - Jacqueline Winspear (3.5/5): So we get a look at the beginnings of Raymond Chandler and Philip Marlowe. I'm not very familiar with either but I am aware of them. So it was a very interesting character study if little else.

vinithepooh's review against another edition

4.0

I really liked this book. It's a collection of short stories that are written by various authors that are either inspired by or are meant to be "deleted scenes" from ACD's original stories. I'm a big fan of the original stories, and some of these did a really good job of making that atmosphere from the originals come alive again. The story I most enjoyed was Neil Gaiman's, an AU story about Holmes' attempts to achieve immortality. I've also read his "A Study in Emerald," and I like his writing style as well as the way he remains true to the original spirit of the books without compromising on creativity. In any case, A Study in Sherlock is worth a read if you loved ACD's work and wished there was more.

murderbydeath's review against another edition

4.0

What a great collection of stories! The authors who wrote stories about Sherlock Holmes did an excellent job, IMO and most of the others were really interesting interpretations, or twists on the Sherlock archetype. A few were written in homage and these were well done. There were really only a couple of stories they left me thinking "meh". Great comic relief in the middle too! I'll be coming back to this anthology to enjoy my favourites again in the future.

ursullamajor's review against another edition

3.0

I'm not surprised that an anthology contained both hits and misses, but some of the misses here were nauseating (to my taste, at least). I've been a fan of Sherlock Holmes since 7th grade, but this collection has put me off the whole mythos for awhile. Maybe a marathon of Jeremy Brett will make me feel better...

hollowspine's review against another edition

4.0

A collection of stories involving our favorite detective, Mr. Sherlock Holmes. As an anthology of different works by different authors, this one was very well worked. Unlike the Steampunk anthology I read recently these stories were much better balanced, they worked well together, steeping the reader in the Sherlockian feeling despite their differences in location, point of view etc.

My favorite story did happen to be Gaiman's contribution, "The Case of Death and Honey," but I couldn't separate these stories into categories of better and 'less successful' like I did with the Steampunk antho. These all were well up to par and as a reader I was in heaven with all the wonderful writing in this volume, not to mention the mysteries, the references and the Watson. Whether delving into alternate histories, additional Sherlock adventures or stories of those inspired by the great sleuth every story in here is worth reading at least twice.

I would also like to say, that as these stories were inspired by Sherlock, they also inspire those of us who are not as familiar with Arthur Conan Doyle's stories to correct that mistake. The mark of great literature is that it makes it's reader desire more. And I do.

thuja's review against another edition

4.0

As with most compilations of stories, there were certainly some that I liked better than others. Overall though, they were all enjoyable and I'm sure I'll be rereading them from time to time in the future.

philippurserhallard's review against another edition

2.0

There's only one outstanding story in this volume, and you can read it in [a:Neil Gaiman|1221698|Neil Gaiman|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1234150163p2/1221698.jpg]'s [b:Trigger Warning: Short Fictions and Disturbances|22522808|Trigger Warning Short Fictions and Disturbances|Neil Gaiman|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1415036119s/22522808.jpg|41947380] surrounded by much better stuff. The rest are a ragtag assemblage of stories featuring Holmes, stories set in the margins of the Holmes canon, stories about responses to Holmes as fiction, and stories "inspired by" (to varying degrees of approximation) the Holmes stories. In some of them the links are so tenuous as to be invisible; others are horribly self-indulgent. (One story set entirely among Holmes experts includes a character called "Ronald Adair", with nobody remarking on the fact that he shares his name with one of the better-known murder victims.) There are some OK detective stories and some dire ones, but Gaiman's story aside, the book has nothing of interest to say about Holmes, nor does it serve on the basic level to relieve a fan's addiction.

kamreadsandrecs's review against another edition

3.0

I do not often read short story collections. Not to say I have anything against the format; as a matter of fact, a well-crafted short story is often rather like instant gratification to a reader: it does not take the same amount of time to read as a novel, but can be just as fulfilling if it's good. But I find that, as a rule, I only enjoy short stories if they are in collections written by one author, and preferably linked to one particular world or universe. Lots of writers do this, especially those who have long-running series, as a means of filling in certain gaps in the series, or for telling stories they might like to tell, but which don't have the necessary substance for a novel.

And then there are the collections that are meant to be tributes to a single author. This is usually done for authors who have had immense impact on the genre in which they wrote. After the King, for instance, is a collection of short stories containing works by some of the most notable fantasy writers still living, and is a tribute to none other than J.R.R. Tolkien himself (the "King" in the title of the collection). That one proved to be quite an enjoyable read - one story in particular, Peter S. Beagle's "The Naga," is one of the stories I ask my students to read for class.

But it is very rare that short story tributes are made up for a fictional character - mostly because said character would have to be more influential than the writer who created him or her. However, that is most assuredly the case with Sherlock Holmes. Though a fictional character, there is no doubting that Holmes has a stronger grip on the imaginations of all those who encounter him, in his various incarnations, than his own creator, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Indeed, so powerful is the presence of Sherlock Holmes in the minds of people that it's hard to think of him as fictional at all. Many people - mostly diehard Sherlockians, but oftentimes more run-of-the-mill folk as well - speak of Holmes as if he were a real person. They speak of Dr. Watson as real, of Moriarty as real, of Irene Adler as real. It is as if, through some mysterious, magical means, Sherlock Holmes and the characters around him have seemingly emerged and detached themselves from the fabric of Doyle's stories, and embedded themselves in that strange gray space between true history and speculation.

So powerful is Holmes's hold on the imagination of all those who encounter him, that it seems only fitting that a tribute collection of short stories should be made up for him - not, it should be noted, for his creator. And that is what A Study in Sherlock is, essentially: a tribute collection of short stories honoring the most quintessential, most influential detective in fiction (and maybe history).

The authors listed are notable, though I am only familiar with very few of them. I know who the editors are: Laurie R. King is the author of the Mary Russell series, and Leslie S. Klinger is one of the most famous Holmes scholars, not least because he put together the Sherlock Holmes Reference Library, which is an annotated version of the entire Holmes canon. I know Neil Gaiman, of course, being a fan of his work. I am also familiar with Lee Child, though I have not read his work; the Jack Reacher novels are really more my mother's thing than mine. The other authors are utter unknowns to me.

None of this matters, of course. I am always happy to acquaint myself with new authors, and sometimes a short story is a handy way of doing so, especially in collections such A Study in Sherlock. However, one of the most common problems I have with these short story collections popped up almost immediately: a noticeable lack of consistency.

Some of the stories were utterly intriguing. For instance, the first one in the collection, Alan Bradley's "You'd Better Go in Disguise," was interesting because it told a Holmes story from an utterly different perspective:

that of the criminal. The reader does not know initially that the narrator of the tale is a criminal, but this is quickly revealed in the climax and denouement.

This was an utterly diverting new way of looking at the classic Holmes story.

Another excellent example of the above is "The Man With the Twisted Lips" by S.J. Rozan, which is a direct reference to the Holmes story of the same title - no surprise there, really,

since this story is actually a behind-the-scenes look at what was going on in "The Man With the Twisted Lip." In Rozan's story, it turns out that Holmes and Watson's involvement was carefully planned by the Chinese immigrants who maintained opium dens in the area, setting the events up as a means of ensuring the lascar of the original story is chased out of their territory for good, but without calling undue attention to themselves.

The way this story parallels Doyle's story is such that it is almost impossible to read the original without thinking of Rozan's, and how it fits so neatly into its fabric.

Equally good is Thomas Perry's "The Startling Events in the Electrified City." Narrated (as expected) by Dr. Watson, it is a story that takes place after the events at Reichenbach Falls, and follows Holmes and Watson to the United States, where they receive a most unusual request:

they are asked to help in the assassination of President McKinley - by McKinley himself.

While there is nothing new with Holmes being involved in the affairs of famous historical figures (particularly those who were alive when he was), this one takes a whole new spin on things by introducing an element of conspiracy into the supposedly "known" facts of a historical event. All of a sudden it is tempting to look at certain historical askance and wonder if it were not possible that Holmes might have had a hand in them somehow.

Equally interesting is "The Adventure of the Concert Pianist" by Margaret Maron. Though it is set during Holmes's time, this is one of those stories that does not directly involve Holmes at all -

in fact, the case is solved by Dr. Watson (thus proving that he is not the bumbling, well-meaning idiot he is portrayed as sometimes), and the narrator is none other than Mrs. Hudson herself. Though the case is one of those unremarkable things that Holmes would likely have been able to solve blindfolded and with one hand tied behind his back, it was still a wonderful opportunity for Dr. Watson to take center-stage, and to hear (for the first time, I think) Mrs. Hudson speak on her famous lodger (and perhaps her desire for him as well?).

A great many more of these stories, however, do not deal with Sherlock himself - in fact the connection is rather tenuous, like in "The Adventure of the Purloined Paget" by Phillip Margolin and Jerry Margolin,

which involves a group of very wealthy Sherlockian collectors and a newly-discovered story, supposedly written by Doyle for Queen Victoria, and illustrated by Paget, hence the title of the story.

Others are rewrites of Doyle originals, such as "The Eyak Interpreter" Dana Stebenow,

a rewrite of Doyle's "The Adventure of the Greek Interpreter," but updated for an audience more familiar with the blog format. It even includes comments on blog entries, some of which have been deleted by their authors.

"The Case that Holmes Lost" is a meta look into a Holmes story that will never see the light of day, with the focus on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle himself.

And then there are the stories that are inspired by Holmes, instead of being about him or being a rewrite of his original advenures. "The Last of Sheila Locke-Holmes" by Laura Lippman and "A Spot of Detection" by Jacqueline Winspear are precisely that,

with Lippman writing a coming-of-age story for a young girl who wants to be just like Holmes (and a great many other detectives, besides), while Winspear writes about a young boy who turns out to be a young Raymond Chandler, and how Holmes turned him into the writer he would eventually become.

Some stories, though, are just totally out there. I was expecting this with Neil Gaiman, and his story "The Case of Death and Honey" is precisely that:

it takes off from an interesting plot point in "The Aventure of the Creeping Man," with Holmes advising Watson to change some information in the actual facts of the case, thus allowing Holmes to freely pursue the real "rejuvenation extract" mentioned in the story - not an extract from langurs, as the story claims, but the elixir of life itself.

Another story in this vein is "As To 'An Exact Knowledge of London'" by Tony Broadbent,

which plays on the idea that Holmes and Watson are reborn, over and over again, even as their greatest nemeses, Professor Moriarty and Sebastian Moran. This one is interesting if only because it contains an up-to-date list of contemporary Holmes media culture, plus an image of Watson and Holmes working on computers and surrounded by all the technological trappings of the 21st century.

Such a diverse selection of writers, all writing stories in their own style and each with a different take on Holmes and the culture Holmes has created, is great for gaining insight into the ways that Doyle's creation has embedded himself into the collective consciousness of all those who have encountered him. However, I find that not all of these stories are quite so fun. Some, like Broadbent's story, really aren't about mystery at all, and are only interesting for their connection (and manipulation) of Doyle's characters. Neither did I enjoy Lippman's tale all that much, since I was rather hoping for a child-sleuth story with coming-of-age undertones, not a coming-of-age story with child-sleuth undertones.

I suppose my dislike of some stories is due to the fact that I was looking for a particular type, or types, of stories, and the ones I didn't quite enjoy simply did not fall into those types. Perhaps if I were to read the stories I did not enjoy some other time, when I'm in the mood for them, I might enjoy them then. But, regardless of how I might feel about the individual stories at a later date, A Study in Sherlock comes off as rather inconsistent to me - and probably always will. I would have appreciated a certain kind of cohesion to the types of stories that were included, and not just a grab-bag of Holmes-related, Holmes-inspired material. I did not particularly enjoy the uneven nature of the collection, jumping from one type of story to the other.

Overall, A Study in Sherlock is an interesting collection: a testament to the power Sherlock Holmes wields in the collective imagination. But the grab-bag nature of the collection, and general uneven feel as one moves from one story to the next, might prove to be a bit irritating to the reader who sits down to read the collection in its entirety, and not just one or two stories because it is by an author the reader recognizes. Individually, the stories are quite good, but together, they do not make for a very cohesive collection.