News — Book Reviews

“The book was a page turner. I was so sorry that it ended. Great character sketches drawn. There is a waiting list in The Dickens Fellowship in Boston to read this story (with its)…Dickensian master-plot. Such fine details expressed from the Palaces in Italy to the very wardrobe that Dickens wore.  It was as if some one was following Charles and taking notes of all the goings on.  A fast read and, of course, I could not put it down.” Boston Dickens Fellowship  History records that on June 9, 1870, Charles Dickens died of a cerebral haemorrhage. History, however, is wrong....

"This book is the second Sebastian McCabe – Jeff Cody mystery, following his earlier No Police Like Holmes.  This book lacks the impressive character set of eccentric Sherlockians encountered in the first, but it does present a dandy mystery and a new set of eccentrics.  This group are a bit more difficult to categorize, but they tend to come from the world of entertainment, if anywhere in particular. Much of the narrative concentrates on academic in-fighting, with our heroes in medias res.  We are treated to a double murder with theories obscured by facts and suspects just oozing both motives...

"It is completely impossible that all readers will fail to find at least one view that strikes a chord within their mind that says, “of course!  That was the real Holmes (or Watson).” Philip K Jones is one of the most experienced Holmes reviewers in the world and maintains the world's largest database of pastiches. He was particularly keen to review Sherlock Holmes and The Strangers Room as it contains more than forty short 'pastiches' which Phil nicely refers to as 'moments' rather than mysteries. This is a fascinating collection that we savoured the first time we read it and...

"This professor is the sort of teacher who makes learning a pleasure." Marino Alvarez's A Professor Reflects on Sherlock Holmes is a fascinating collection of essays and writings about Sherlock Holmes. In their current newsletter, The Sherlock Holmes Society of London reviews this new book. "The title of A Professor Reflects on Sherlock Holmes by Marino C Alvarez (MX Publishing; £9.99/ $16.95/ €12.99) deliberately echoes that of A Doctor Enjoys Sherlock Holmes by Edward J Van Liere. The twelve essays make you think, but they also entertain you. Dr Alvarez compares the writing styles of Watson and Holmes, but stresses that only the reader can...

"one of the most prolific and intelligent writers in the field" In the current edition of the Sherlock Holmes Society of London newsletter appears the review of Matthew Elliot's collection of radio play on Sherlock Holmes. "Sherlock Holmes first appeared on radio eighty-one years ago, and audio dramas far outnumber television plays or films. The Further Adventures on BBC Radio 4 appears to have finished, but a series of the same name continues in America. Jim French’s production The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes began syndication in 1998. M J Elliott contributed his first script in 2003 and is now one of the most prolific and...