Book Review - Sherlock Holmes - The Baker Street Epilogue
Posted by Steve Emecz on
Sherlock Holmes Society of London
"These six stories are, like those published in 2019 as Sherlock Holmes: The Baker Street Legacy, compiled by one Christopher Henry Watson, MD, writing in 1952. This young gentleman informs us that he inherited a prized collection of stories from his uncle, Dr John H Watson. This latest selection, which may or may not be the final offering, features the same ingenuity in plots and Canonical referencing as the earlier one. The sixth story is an interesting and cheerful sequel to Holmes and Watson’s encounter with the veiled lodger, and tells of the great improvement to Mrs Ronder’s fortunes once she had responded to Holmes’s encouragement not to take her own life in despair.
All these stories feature the customary elements we all enjoy so much; scandal, skulduggery, child-abduction (or baby-farming as it was called in the nineteenth century), murder and attempted murder. Also featured in one story is a well-known sportsman of those times, (no name here, read it for yourself!) In conclusion, an entertaining read and another worthy contribution to the world of Holmesian pastiche."
David Marcum
There are certain Sherlockian pasticheurs that have built a reputation for excellence without question, and one of the best of those is Mark Mower. He understands that Holmes is a hero and not a criminal deviant. He knows that Holmes’s adventures should be set in the correct time period, and he puts them there excellently, using his own British home-grown knowledge to ensure their accuracy. And he has Watson’s voice absolutely correct – which is probably more important than make sure that Holmes is admirable and not a loser (as too many people try to portray him these days.)
In this latest collection, Mower presents six more Holmes stories to go with his previous collections, “A Farewell to Baker Street”, “Sherlock Holmes: The Baker Street Case-Files”, and “Sherlock Holmes: The Baker Street Legacy”. All are excellent, but my particular favorites are the three that have previously appeared in “The MX Book of New Sherlock Holmes Stories”.
If you know Mark Mower’s work, you are aware of its high quality, and you should have this book. And if you haven’t tried them yet, then get his other three Holmes books as well. They are a treat for the True Sherlockian.
Sherlock Holmes - The Baker Street Epilogue is available on this site with a % going to our good causes. You can also see all Mark's book on the Mark Mower Author Profile.
Also available from:
Amazon USA Book Depository (free worldwide shipping)
Following the success of the earlier volume, The Baker Street Legacy, we have another collection of previously unknown Holmes and Watson tales that will excite the interests of readers across the globe - The Baker Street Epilogue.
A decade before his death, Dr. Watson let it be known that with his passing he wished his nephew, Christopher Henry Watson MD, to be the executor of his will and guardian of all his personal and pecuniary affairs. One of the tasks he sanctioned was that his nephew should use his discretion in selecting for publication some of the three dozen or so cases involving Holmes and Watson which had not already seen the light of day.
The six stories in this new volume are more overlooked gems. The first in the collection, The Curse of Cuttleborough, is set in 1883 and sees Holmes and Watson investigating a suspicious death for their client, the famous amateur cricketer Dr. W. G. Grace. The Paradol Chamber has our heroes looking into the affairs of the London-based Prévost-Paradol Society, a social, literary and debating club. From the mystery of The Groaning Stone to the threats posed by The Recalcitrant Rhymester, there is, as always, much to entertain and enthral us.
As before, all of these tales are designed to contribute in some small part to the lasting memory of two extraordinary men who once occupied that setting we have come to know and love as 221B Baker Street. As ever, ‘The game is afoot!’