News — book review

"This is the first Sherlockian fiction by Mr. Lawler.  It is a mystery novel that takes place during “The Great Hiatus” and it stars Colonel Sebastian Moran and Irene Adler Norton along with an unexpected visit by Dr. Watson. This book is dedicated to Golf, and it devotes a great deal of time to the “Royal and Ancient” course at St. Andrews.  The database lists more than twenty tales involving golf, most of them from two books by golfer Robert D. (Bob) Jones with an anthology of eighteen short stories (Sherlock Holmes, the Golfer) and a novel (Sherlock Holmes Saved...

"This is the first Sherlockian fiction by Mr. Foad that I know of.  It is a short novel that takes place during “The Great Hiatus.” This is a lively, amusing tale that occurs while Sherlock is touring England as an actor.  He and “The Woman” have been touring together, he as Mr. Sigerson and she as Miss Adler. They seem to enjoy one another’s company but also do not seem to be romantically tangled.  Both are taking a rest from their regular lives, using acting to keep themselves occupied. Holmes receives a small package in the mail which sends him into a depressed...

"According to the author, this book “falls naturally into two parts: the Doctor as written about by Doyle, and an exploration of the concept of the foil before, during and after the first appearance of Watson.” She is, however, doing herself an injustice with this relatively bald statement. Part One covers every aspect of a character that you can imagine, the friends and acquaintances on which Doyle may have drawn – or not, and, if not, why not –for inspiration;  the places and actions and fallacies of same – in a historical context; Watson’s own background and possible ‘origins’, his...

"Ever since I jumped into the Sherlock Holmes scene with both feet a few years ago, I’ve been conscious of the issues of gender and feminism that underlie the current surging interest in the detective. One of the first things I learned, one that amazed me, was that the Baker Street Irregulars, respected international Holmes organization, did not admit women until the year 1991. I also learned that in past years, women who wanted to be active in the world of Sherlock Holmes fandom (for it is a fandom, make no mistake), did not always have the easiest time of...

"THE DISAPPEARANCE OF MR. JAMES PHILLIMORE, by Dan Andriacco (MX Publishing, 2013; 240 pp.) is the fourth book in his series about Jeff Cody (in London for the second half of a honeymoon) and Sebastian Mc-Cabe (in London to debate Holmes-vs-Poe); there are two Phillimores (one of them Canonical and one quite modern), more than two murders, and some interesting sleuthing. The author’s entertaining (and Sherlockian) blog is at <www.bakerstreetbeat.blogspot.com>.” The Disappearance of Mr James Phillimore is available from all good bookstores including Amazon USA, Amazon UK, Waterstones UK, and for free shipping worldwide Book Depository . In ebook format it is in Amazon Kindle, Kobo, Nook and Apple iBooks(iPad/iPhone).