News — book review

“Audiences have been fascinated with Sherlock Holmes since the first story with him as a character was published. Over the years, a number of books and films have been made, typically adding a twist on the original material.  Author P.C. Martin presents her vision of Holmes with the novella,Steampunk Holmes:  Legacy of the Nautilius. The author very successfully captures the style of Arthur Conan Doyle and the essence of the characters.  Holmes is his typical self; scintillating and Watson is well written with his blend of intelligence and naiveté, especially when it comes to beautiful women. One of the more...

“A Chronology of the Life of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle” by Brian Pugh - revised edition “Passenger Brian Pugh has updated his seminal work after three more years research. The new version has increased in page count by over 30%. Brian’s book has been a definitive work on Conan Doyle’s life for more than a decade and is an invaluable reference tool. Due out on 1st November, it will be available though online retailers such as Barnes and Noble, Amazon, and free delivery worldwide through Book Depository.  Wholeheartedly recommended.” Sydney Passengers

“Sherlock Holmes and The Case of The Edinburgh Haunting by David Wilson is a great read and an excellent addition to the fund of Sherlock Holmes stories. The availability of free online copies of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s works led us to read his entire Sherlock Holmes output not so very long ago and the two overriding impressions that emerged were, firstly, how superbly crafted his stories were, and, secondly, how disappointing it was that he did not write more of them. MX Publishing have stepped into this gap, and ’The Case of The Edinburgh Haunting’ is one of a range of...

“This collection includes seven novellas drawn from a variety of times during Holmes’ career.  The letter by Dr. Watson that precedes the stories explains that these tales were not told earlier for a variety of reasons but mostly to prevent further harm to the victims.  There seems to be no common thread or theme among the tales included. 'The Adventure of the Poisoned Affair' tells of Holmes’ involvement, at the request of the new widow, in the investigation of an apparent suicide by poison.  Anomalies at the scene convince Holmes that the ‘suicide’ is actually a murder.  'The Adventure of the...

“This author is new to Sherlockian fiction, with his only previous book a history of U-Boat warfare in the Gulf of Mexico.  For a first effort at Sherlockian fiction, or any fiction, for that matter, this book is remarkable.  The events recounted take place in the 1980s and the story is hard to define.  It is a mystery and a horror story and a romance, all combined.  It has supernatural elements if one chooses to read it that way, yet it is also intimately involved in psychology and, of all things, Theology.  Perhaps I can explain my viewpoint best by...