Sherlock Book Reviews - Sherlock Holmes and The Scotland Yarders
Publié par Steve Emecz le
A number of years ago, Marcia Wilson wrote a vast amount of fan-fiction literature relating the story of Scotland Yard from the Yarder’s perspective, instead of how they were presented in The Sherlock Holmes Canon. These stories were available online for several years, and a very few were published in book editions to great interest and acclaim, but for the most part, most of this material has never been seen except by some lucky fans – like me – that read it as it was initially written and posted.
Now, nine important volumes from this wider series have finally been made available by MX Publishing for everyone to enjoy. In the first volume, “You Buy Bones”, Watson has known Sherlock Holmes for about a year, and is considering what to do with the rest of his life. Then he becomes unexpectedly involved in helping a Scotland Yard inspector investigate a terrible family tragedy and uncovers a true horror – and earns the respect and friendship of the Yarders in the process.
The next three volumes are part of the “Test of the Professionals” Trilogy: “The Adventure of the Flying Blue Pidgeon”, “The Peaceful Night Poisoning”, and “Leap Year”. The first two of these, (along with “You Buy Bones”), had previously been published by MX, but now they’ve been re-edited to be part of this larger set, and the final volume of this group, “Leap Year”, remained unavailable until now. This trilogy tells a great deal about Lestrade’s truly fascinating background, including how he met and is still terrorized by his own personal Professor Moriarty, and also relates the details of Lestrade’s fascinating courtship.
Possibly my favorite of the nine books is the fifth – “The Moon-Cursers” – taking place at the same time that Holmes and Watson are making their fateful trip across the Continent to the Reichenbach Falls. This story tells what happens to Lestrade during that same time. It’s absolutely fascinating . . . and terrifying.
The final four books of this set – “A Sword For Defense”, “The Narrow Path”, “The End of All Things”, and “A Fanged and Bitter Thing”, relate the adventures of Watson and the Yarders in London during The Great Hiatus, when Holmes is believed to be dead, and when Watson has to fight his own costly battle with Colonel Moriarty. All of the events of the previous books culminate in these amazing volumes, and every bit of the friendship and respect that Watson has earned from the Yarders is needed for what he has to face.
It’s incredibly fortunate that these books are now available for Marcia Wilson’s old fans, and especially for the new ones too. And she has written a lot more that still remains unpublished that relates to these nine books, telling more about these most-interesting Scotland Yarders and their families, as well as Holmes and Watson from a new perspective. Hopefully, more of these will be released to a hungry audience.
After reading these books, you’ll never ever see the Yarders the way again. Ms. Wilson “owns” the Yarders the way that Susan Knight owns Mrs. Hudson, and Will Thomas owns Barker (Holmes’s “hated rival” on the Surrey shore, and Carole Nelson Dougles owned Irene Adler, and Michael Kurland owns Professor Moriarty. I’ve said it for years, and I’ll close by saying it again: Marcia Wilson has found Scotland Yard’s Tin Dispatch Box.
Sherlock Holmes and The Scotland Yarders are available from this site, and also from all good bookstores.