Wednesday, 8 August 2012
Update..past present and future.
The story so far and the story to come. Or is that stories? After self-publishing the original edition of 'Sherlock Holmes and the Lyme Regis Horror' I gave little thought to following it up. I did continue to write shorter pieces which appeared on Holmesian.net from time to time. I was fortunate in that when I did elect to attempt another Lyme based Holmes pastiche I was able to gain a publisher in the guise of the excellent MX Publishing. As well as having the new novella 'Sherlock Holmes and the Lyme Regis Legacy' published along with shorter Holmes pieces ( and ghost stories plus a brief history of Lyme Regis) 'Sherlock Holmes and the Lyme Regis Horror' appeared in a new expanded 2nd edition. Since then, 'Holmes and Watson: End Peace has been published, a break from the norm in that it is not based in Lyme Regis and further, it is comprised solely of dialogue. I have been fortunate enough to garner some very good reviews for all these publications (more needed!!!!!). Currently in progress are 'Sherlock Holmes and the Scarborough Affair' and 'Sherlock Holmes and the Lyme Regis Trials' both around 15,000 words in and being written concurrently. 'The Scarborough Affair' is a collaboration with someone who cares not a jot for Holmes, has only ever read two of the original stories and has a thorough dislike of the character! Yet, the plot, synopsis, storyline, characters, setting etc are all hers and my input is a tiny percentage!! 'Sherlock Holmes and the Lyme Regis Trials' is likely to be the final Holmes/Lyme Regis adventure, there being a limit to how often I can bring the pair to a small town in Dorset. In between everything else I found time to select, compile two voulmes of assorted Holmesian stories/drabbles/poems, 'Tales From The Stranger's Room Volumes 1 and 2' proceeds from which go to The Beacon Society. Published very shortly now will be 'Sherlock Holmes and the Missing Snowman' achildren's illusrated book with excellent artwork by children's author and artist, Rikey Austin, really excited about the launch of this book, have a notion it will do very well. So that's what has happened, happening and will happen!
Friday, 20 July 2012
The Jacobite Rose
Mycroft has a missing agent; the stepdaughter of Lord Wexford Foyle wants a pearl brooch authenticated. Sherlock Holmes has little interest in either until he learns the gem is the Jacobite Rose, a royal treasure. Reading Debrett's Peerage, Holmes discovers Lord Foyle has a brother who is known as a craftsman in gold. Three strange clues - the drawing of a rose, fish scales and a fragment of pine resin - discovered at the last known locus of the missing man begin to link the two cases..........so says the blurb accompanying Fiona-Jane Brown's 'Sherlock Holmes and the Adventure of the Jacobite Rose'. It is a two-act play, a simple enough story, but even within the constraints of the two acts, there is time enough for the characterisations to come shining through. There is a certain economy of dialogue which is not in any way shape or form a criticism, but rather, a bonus for nothing is wasted and the story fairly zips along. Holmes, Watson and Mrs Hudson are presented to us exactly how we perceive them to be from the Holmesian canon. They think, act and speak how we expect them to. The deductions from Holmes are logical and sound. Humour plays an important part too and the script has many moments which made me smile for all the right reasons (Mycroft: 'One of our ministry men is missing'). Well-researched, well thought out and well plotted. A delight to read and one would think a joy to perform also.
Wednesday, 4 July 2012
A Secret Journal............
Phil Growick's, 'The Secret Journal of Dr Watson', is an adventure which takes place in the latter part of Holmes and Watson's lives. They are entrusted by HM Government (although not officially) and the King no less to undertake a rescue mission to save the Romanovs, Russia's Royal family from a grisly end at the hand of the Bolsheviks. There is a wealth of detail in the story but not so much as would detract us from the enjoyment of the story. Espionage, counter-espionage, the ace of spies himself, double-agents, double-crossers...all these flit across the pages in a realistic and exciting way. All the characters are extremely well-drawn and Mr Growick, most importantly, does not falter with a very good ear for Holmesian dialogue indeed. The tale is fantastic yes, but the skill of the author is apparent for he makes us believe that these events could have happened just as he describes. None of the content is superfluous in any way at all and the whole is a pleasure to read. Highly recommended. A five-star effort.
Sunday, 10 June 2012
Murder At The Lodore Falls
Charlotte Smith's 'Murder At The Lodore Falls' took me by surprise a little. Let me explain; I met Charlotte in 2009 during a Sherlock Holmes 'get-together' and a lovely warm-hearted person she was ( and presumably still is!) so the description of the violence meted out to various characters in her novella came out of the blue. The violence is stark, uncompromising and affecting, but offers a counterpoint to the friendship on display, notably of course that of Holmes and Watson. The main story is plausible and exciting and Charlotte has done a great job in recreating the atmosphere of the originals, even allowing for the fact that these accounts are not narrated by Watson. Life in Baker Street is portrayed with great skill and love and as we all know, 'no one writes of Holmes without love'. Charlotte is not alone in her belief in the strong bond that connects Sherlock Holmes and Doctor John H Watson and the scenes of the two men together in these three stories are very touching.
Miss Smith.....can we have more please?
Miss Smith.....can we have more please?
Thursday, 7 June 2012
End Peace
With the publication of Holmes and Watson: End Peace today I felt a few more words of explanation may be necessary. Virtually every mention of the book that I have seen is coupled with the word 'controversy', now I am sure I have never been controverial in my life so perhaps I should bask and delight in it. To my mind, I have taken themes that have been used before and remarked upon by others and given them my own twist......and I stand by the fact there is nothing in End Peace that is at odds with the Holmesian Canon. I see that the only 'daring' thing is to have produced a novella which is all dialogue apart from the opening and closing paragraphs; I had in my mind something cinematic where the camera creeps in ( think of the roving, searching camera in the opening of Citizen Kane) observes the action then pulls back at the story's conclusion. Some may wonder why there is no mention of Lyme Regis or Watson's love, Beatrice. This is a stand-alone story which references the canon freely, to reference my other works would have negated the effect I wanted or wished for. Sherlock Holmes and the Scarborough Affair shows no such reticence and name-checks Lyme and its inhabitants (the Lyme Regis novella number three is underway too!).
I suppose with 'End Peace' I wanted to try something different, a serious piece which stands or falls on its own merits without being bolstered or otherwise by short pieces, poems and humour (although there is humour in it, at least I should say that I attempted to inject some humour into the proceedings). Whether I succeded or not I leave for others to judge.
Holmes and Watson: End Peace is available in more places and formats than you can shake a stick at. Enjoy.
I suppose with 'End Peace' I wanted to try something different, a serious piece which stands or falls on its own merits without being bolstered or otherwise by short pieces, poems and humour (although there is humour in it, at least I should say that I attempted to inject some humour into the proceedings). Whether I succeded or not I leave for others to judge.
Holmes and Watson: End Peace is available in more places and formats than you can shake a stick at. Enjoy.
Friday, 1 June 2012
Lyme Lit
Why Sherlock Holmes? Why Lyme Regis?
Why not? It's a perfect location for a Holmes adventure. Simple, short answers To expand: Lyme’s literary connections are fairly well known and include Sir Francis Palgrave; GKChesterton who holidayed in the town and stayed at the Three Cups,Beatrix Potter, and JRR Tolkien who visited Lyme when a youth and later returned many times with his wife and children. PG Wodehouse set some of the plot of ,‘Love Among the Chickens’ in a thinly disguised Lyme and Geoffrey Household set a major part of his most well known novel,‘Rogue Male’ in and around Lyme Regis. John Fowles’s highly acclaimed novel, ‘The French Lieutenant’s Woman’ was set, written and later filmed in Lyme. John Fowles was a resident of the town and
became the curator of the museum. The literary tradition of Lyme has not died away; more recently, Colin Dexter set the opening of one of his Inspector Morse novels in Lyme, having Morse as a guest in the Bay
Hotel on Marine Parade. Tracy Chevalier, the bestselling novelist, set a recent novel in the town, ‘Remarkable Creatures,’ dealing with aspects of Mary Anning’s life. This tradition shows no sign of abating. New writers pop up each year, new novels are set here each year. In ther town at the present time are the renowned writers and illustrators, Graham Oakley ( the 'Church Mice' series) and Rikey Austin. Lyme's literary heritage and splendid history is celebrated far and wide, not least by the town itself. Lyme Regis is a small town in size and in population (which has scarcely tripled in five hundred years). It has nowhere to go, but equally, nothing to prove. It is static, yet ever-changing and evolving. It lives in the present, yet rejoices in and celebrates its past.
Why not? It's a perfect location for a Holmes adventure. Simple, short answers To expand: Lyme’s literary connections are fairly well known and include Sir Francis Palgrave; GKChesterton who holidayed in the town and stayed at the Three Cups,Beatrix Potter, and JRR Tolkien who visited Lyme when a youth and later returned many times with his wife and children. PG Wodehouse set some of the plot of ,‘Love Among the Chickens’ in a thinly disguised Lyme and Geoffrey Household set a major part of his most well known novel,‘Rogue Male’ in and around Lyme Regis. John Fowles’s highly acclaimed novel, ‘The French Lieutenant’s Woman’ was set, written and later filmed in Lyme. John Fowles was a resident of the town and
became the curator of the museum. The literary tradition of Lyme has not died away; more recently, Colin Dexter set the opening of one of his Inspector Morse novels in Lyme, having Morse as a guest in the Bay
Hotel on Marine Parade. Tracy Chevalier, the bestselling novelist, set a recent novel in the town, ‘Remarkable Creatures,’ dealing with aspects of Mary Anning’s life. This tradition shows no sign of abating. New writers pop up each year, new novels are set here each year. In ther town at the present time are the renowned writers and illustrators, Graham Oakley ( the 'Church Mice' series) and Rikey Austin. Lyme's literary heritage and splendid history is celebrated far and wide, not least by the town itself. Lyme Regis is a small town in size and in population (which has scarcely tripled in five hundred years). It has nowhere to go, but equally, nothing to prove. It is static, yet ever-changing and evolving. It lives in the present, yet rejoices in and celebrates its past.
Friday, 18 May 2012
Save Sherlock's Home!!
Sherlock's Home: The Empty House
1903 saw The Adventure of The Empty House and the return of Sherlock Holmes to 221b Baker Street where he explains the deception of his death at the Reichenbach Falls to his faithful friend Dr John Watson. 2012 sees The Crime of The Empty House where the former home of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Undershaw, lies in disrepair and the threat of being destroyed forever. Commissioned by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle himself, Undershaw was witness to the creation of many of his most famous works, including The Hound of the Baskervilles and The Return of Sherlock Holmes. It is a building deserving preservation for the British nation, and indeed the world, for all time. Sadly, the building is currently under threat from the property developers who wish to divide the house into 3 separate units and build a further 5 alongside. Planning permission for development has already been approved by Waverley Borough Council. The Undershaw Preservation Trust (UPT), with Mark Gatiss [BBC Sherlock] as Patron, is dedicated to the preservation and protection of this important literary building and are campaigning to get this decision overturned, so the house can be restored to its original glory and enjoyed as the single dwelling Sir Arthur Conan Doyle intended it to be. This book is a collection of short Sherlock Holmes stories and poems written by fans from around the world in support of the Save Undershaw campaign - even the cover has been designed by fans. Royalties from the book go towards the UPT to preserve this wonderful house for future generations of Doyleans, Sherlock Holmes enthusiasts and literary fans of all kinds. More information on the Save Undershaw campaign can be found on their website:
1903 saw The Adventure of The Empty House and the return of Sherlock Holmes to 221b Baker Street where he explains the deception of his death at the Reichenbach Falls to his faithful friend Dr John Watson. 2012 sees The Crime of The Empty House where the former home of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Undershaw, lies in disrepair and the threat of being destroyed forever. Commissioned by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle himself, Undershaw was witness to the creation of many of his most famous works, including The Hound of the Baskervilles and The Return of Sherlock Holmes. It is a building deserving preservation for the British nation, and indeed the world, for all time. Sadly, the building is currently under threat from the property developers who wish to divide the house into 3 separate units and build a further 5 alongside. Planning permission for development has already been approved by Waverley Borough Council. The Undershaw Preservation Trust (UPT), with Mark Gatiss [BBC Sherlock] as Patron, is dedicated to the preservation and protection of this important literary building and are campaigning to get this decision overturned, so the house can be restored to its original glory and enjoyed as the single dwelling Sir Arthur Conan Doyle intended it to be. This book is a collection of short Sherlock Holmes stories and poems written by fans from around the world in support of the Save Undershaw campaign - even the cover has been designed by fans. Royalties from the book go towards the UPT to preserve this wonderful house for future generations of Doyleans, Sherlock Holmes enthusiasts and literary fans of all kinds. More information on the Save Undershaw campaign can be found on their website: Sunday, 6 May 2012
A mere trifle
If you are not familiar with Jasper Fforde and the Thursday Next series of novels this may not work for you....if you are..it might!!
“You see,but you do not observe. The distinction is clear. For example,you have frequently seen the steps which lead up from the hall to this room”
“Frequently.”
“How often?”
“Well,some hundreds of times.”
“Then how many are there?”
“Seventeen.”
“NO!” I shouted in a maybe unnecessarily dramatic entrance. “Doctor Watson,you should know better,you really should. Textual diversions are forbidden in the whole of the Sherlock Holmes series.”
“And you are?” Watson asked.
“Thursday Next,Jurisfiction.”
“Next what?”
“Not next anything. I work for Jurisfiction.”
“So what is happening next Thursday?”
”How do you mean what is happening next?”
“I was under the impression something was happening Thursday next.”
“My dear fellow.let the poor girl explain herself. What she is telling you that her name is Thursday Next and she is a Jurisfiction agent and one who is at the head of her profession.”
“You know of me then,Mr Holmes?” I asked,feeling all the while that this dialogue was set up for me.
“Beyond the obvious facts that you have worked with SpecOps as a Literary detective,have a husband who was once eradicated,have a daughter who you have never seen who doesn’t actually exist,have recently been threatened by a minotaur and live in Swindon,I assure you I know nothing at all about you.” Holmes stated.
“Really, Holmes you have just studied her file.”
“Shh, Watson please do not interfere with my moments of genius. Now, what brings you here Ms.Next?”
“The Book World is a little alarmed at some of the remarks made by Dr Watson lately. Trouble is brewing and I am here to snuff it out and from the above dialogue I think I have only just arrived in time.”
"What’s so wrong Ms Next with wanting appear not so dim witted from time to time. I know there are seventeen steps from the hall to this room. Why on earth am I not allowed to say so?”
“The implications are many and dangerous. Any textual anomalies left untreated or allowed to go unchallenged can spread like wildfire and create gaping holes in the narrative allowing grammasites a way in and you know what will happen then.Whole portions of the books will be lost,characters erased or re-written. The repercussions from John Dashwood becoming a highwayman plagued Sense And Sensibility for decades.”
“This is most unfair,”continued the good doctor,”I feel underused.Holmes can go away for days at an end and all I am allowed to do is compile case notes. Can I guest in other books during those times. I feel sure a good doctor would be useful in Tunes Of Glory: I saw Jock’s mental instability coming from page 68 onwards. But I think my forte would be in teaching the young ladies in The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie."
There was a loud harrumph from Sherlock Holmes.”Teaching them what exactly,Watson?”
“What are you inferring,Holmes?”
“PLEASE!” I shouted,”can you stop arguing and listen to me.”
“No one ever stops to consider my feelings,” complained Holmes bitterly. “I have a lot to put up with too you know. I close my eyes for fifty minutes to consider a three pipe problem and when I open them again I find that Watson has deserted me again for yet another wife.”
“Perhaps,Holmes I should reveal the true story of your long hiatus instead of the ineffable twaddle I inflicted on my adoring public.”
“I believe your innate kindess and loyalty would stay your hand.”
“I would not be too sure of that. The world has a right to know how you moonlighted as Heathcliff in a paperback edition of Wuthering Heights for three years and would be intrigued to know why a picture of Catherine Earnshaw occupies a pride of place in your drawer not one of Irene Adler. To tell the truth,Holmes I am fed up with hearing about the saintly Cathy.”
“RIGHT, listen up guys. Here’s the lowdown. The Sherlock Holmes series is held in great esteem all over the world,it is revered and loved; you will not be allowed to spoil this state of affairs. It has ‘protected status’ in the Book World and as such is virtually immune from book jumpers. There have been two attempts to gain entrance to the world of 221b Baker Street. One individual met a grisly end in The Lost World,whilst the other met an even grislier end after ending up in Sexton Blakes’s bath. It was only my years of experience that got me in and I don’t intend to waste my time now I am here. You will both toe the line. No text variations. No sudden out of character exchanges.Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes,” they both mumbled. Watson put his hand up like a shy schoolboy.
“Doctor?”
“Can we at least have a backstory,or any kind of personal history?”
“And deprive your followers of playing ‘The Great Game’. Certainly not.”
"I still have followers?” asked Holmes.
“You mean we of course,” rejoined Watson.
“No, I meant I !”
“STOP,” The truth is that you are as popular as ever. The trend these days is for less and less books to be read, The Read-O-Meter is dropping by an average of 838 books a day whereas the Sherlock Holmes series shows an increase in readership of approximately 200 a day. That is why things must remain exactly as they are. You are privileged,gentlemen,do not let us down. Any questions?”
Watson, as I knew he would be was the first to jump in. “Is there any chance at all that I could have a wife at some point who does not have an abundance of Aunts to visit. In general they have more of these ghastly relations than even P G Wodehouse could imagine. And….well…it can get deucedly lonely you know.”
“That is a trifle selfish of you,Watson don’t you think?”
“Cathy!!!” taunted Watson, “Cathy!!”
My mobile footnoterphone burst into life. Trouble. “I have to go. There are problems in David Copperfield, unknown to any of us the young David has formed a punk rock band and sales of the new album ‘Never Mind The Micawbers Here’s The Sex Muskets’ are threatening to blow apart the whole of the Dickensian world. Now behave,gentlemen or else”
The room faded from view and as I found myself in the world of Charles Dickens once more,I sincerely hoped the sound of distant gunfire would turn out to be Holmes decorating the wall with a patriotic VR.
“You see,but you do not observe. The distinction is clear. For example,you have frequently seen the steps which lead up from the hall to this room”
“Frequently.”
“How often?”
“Well,some hundreds of times.”
“Then how many are there?”
“Seventeen.”
“NO!” I shouted in a maybe unnecessarily dramatic entrance. “Doctor Watson,you should know better,you really should. Textual diversions are forbidden in the whole of the Sherlock Holmes series.”
“And you are?” Watson asked.
“Thursday Next,Jurisfiction.”
“Next what?”
“Not next anything. I work for Jurisfiction.”
“So what is happening next Thursday?”
”How do you mean what is happening next?”
“I was under the impression something was happening Thursday next.”
“My dear fellow.let the poor girl explain herself. What she is telling you that her name is Thursday Next and she is a Jurisfiction agent and one who is at the head of her profession.”
“You know of me then,Mr Holmes?” I asked,feeling all the while that this dialogue was set up for me.
“Beyond the obvious facts that you have worked with SpecOps as a Literary detective,have a husband who was once eradicated,have a daughter who you have never seen who doesn’t actually exist,have recently been threatened by a minotaur and live in Swindon,I assure you I know nothing at all about you.” Holmes stated.
“Really, Holmes you have just studied her file.”
“Shh, Watson please do not interfere with my moments of genius. Now, what brings you here Ms.Next?”
“The Book World is a little alarmed at some of the remarks made by Dr Watson lately. Trouble is brewing and I am here to snuff it out and from the above dialogue I think I have only just arrived in time.”
"What’s so wrong Ms Next with wanting appear not so dim witted from time to time. I know there are seventeen steps from the hall to this room. Why on earth am I not allowed to say so?”
“The implications are many and dangerous. Any textual anomalies left untreated or allowed to go unchallenged can spread like wildfire and create gaping holes in the narrative allowing grammasites a way in and you know what will happen then.Whole portions of the books will be lost,characters erased or re-written. The repercussions from John Dashwood becoming a highwayman plagued Sense And Sensibility for decades.”
“This is most unfair,”continued the good doctor,”I feel underused.Holmes can go away for days at an end and all I am allowed to do is compile case notes. Can I guest in other books during those times. I feel sure a good doctor would be useful in Tunes Of Glory: I saw Jock’s mental instability coming from page 68 onwards. But I think my forte would be in teaching the young ladies in The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie."
There was a loud harrumph from Sherlock Holmes.”Teaching them what exactly,Watson?”
“What are you inferring,Holmes?”
“PLEASE!” I shouted,”can you stop arguing and listen to me.”
“No one ever stops to consider my feelings,” complained Holmes bitterly. “I have a lot to put up with too you know. I close my eyes for fifty minutes to consider a three pipe problem and when I open them again I find that Watson has deserted me again for yet another wife.”
“Perhaps,Holmes I should reveal the true story of your long hiatus instead of the ineffable twaddle I inflicted on my adoring public.”
“I believe your innate kindess and loyalty would stay your hand.”
“I would not be too sure of that. The world has a right to know how you moonlighted as Heathcliff in a paperback edition of Wuthering Heights for three years and would be intrigued to know why a picture of Catherine Earnshaw occupies a pride of place in your drawer not one of Irene Adler. To tell the truth,Holmes I am fed up with hearing about the saintly Cathy.”
“RIGHT, listen up guys. Here’s the lowdown. The Sherlock Holmes series is held in great esteem all over the world,it is revered and loved; you will not be allowed to spoil this state of affairs. It has ‘protected status’ in the Book World and as such is virtually immune from book jumpers. There have been two attempts to gain entrance to the world of 221b Baker Street. One individual met a grisly end in The Lost World,whilst the other met an even grislier end after ending up in Sexton Blakes’s bath. It was only my years of experience that got me in and I don’t intend to waste my time now I am here. You will both toe the line. No text variations. No sudden out of character exchanges.Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes,” they both mumbled. Watson put his hand up like a shy schoolboy.
“Doctor?”
“Can we at least have a backstory,or any kind of personal history?”
“And deprive your followers of playing ‘The Great Game’. Certainly not.”
"I still have followers?” asked Holmes.
“You mean we of course,” rejoined Watson.
“No, I meant I !”
“STOP,” The truth is that you are as popular as ever. The trend these days is for less and less books to be read, The Read-O-Meter is dropping by an average of 838 books a day whereas the Sherlock Holmes series shows an increase in readership of approximately 200 a day. That is why things must remain exactly as they are. You are privileged,gentlemen,do not let us down. Any questions?”
Watson, as I knew he would be was the first to jump in. “Is there any chance at all that I could have a wife at some point who does not have an abundance of Aunts to visit. In general they have more of these ghastly relations than even P G Wodehouse could imagine. And….well…it can get deucedly lonely you know.”
“That is a trifle selfish of you,Watson don’t you think?”
“Cathy!!!” taunted Watson, “Cathy!!”
My mobile footnoterphone burst into life. Trouble. “I have to go. There are problems in David Copperfield, unknown to any of us the young David has formed a punk rock band and sales of the new album ‘Never Mind The Micawbers Here’s The Sex Muskets’ are threatening to blow apart the whole of the Dickensian world. Now behave,gentlemen or else”
The room faded from view and as I found myself in the world of Charles Dickens once more,I sincerely hoped the sound of distant gunfire would turn out to be Holmes decorating the wall with a patriotic VR.
Sunday, 22 April 2012
Pastiche Ponderings
What makes a pastiche a true pastiche? What criteria, if any, do we need to apply? I think of a true Holmes pastiche as being written/narrated by Watson in that familiar style we enjoy so much. If possible, taking it further, I prefer pastiches that have their opening scene in the sitting-room of 221b Baker Street, after all, as a location, it is the beating heart of the Canon. With one or two exceptions. all my Holmes pieces start in that fashion, it is where we see Holmes and Watson at their most relaxed and convivial. How far can we as authors take Holmes and Watson..are there places we should not go? Themes and issues we should not address? For the most part, I would say no with some reservations, particularly as to 'slash' which often has homoerotic content, it's not the Holmes and Watson that I know and love. Old age and death is another issue which has caused controversy over the years. In essence, we cannot 'play the game' of Holmes and Watson et al being real people with real adventues unless we also acknowledge their mortality. The idea of the two of them in their latter years fascinates me, what changes would have come about in their relationship? Would old age have mellowed Holmes? My new novella 'End Peace' takes this on a stage further and whilst I do not consider it a risky venture, some may have problems, not so much for character death (should there be any he says cagily!) but for other content!
The new Sherlock Holmes novels that continue to come along, I embrace fully whether I consider them to be true pastiches or not. There are some wonderful novels and collections out there begging to be read and savoured. You know, as long as I can recognise my Holmes and my Watson in them......then bring them on.
The new Sherlock Holmes novels that continue to come along, I embrace fully whether I consider them to be true pastiches or not. There are some wonderful novels and collections out there begging to be read and savoured. You know, as long as I can recognise my Holmes and my Watson in them......then bring them on.
Sunday, 1 April 2012
The Detective and the women.
The detective being Sherlock Holmes of course and the women in this case are the authors Amy Thomas and Kate Workman.
Kate Workman's latest offering is 'I Will Find The Answer' in which the strange case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. The case comes to the notice of Holmes through Erik, the erstwhile Phantom of the Opera who Holmes had come to an understanding with after the initial skirmishes when Holmes looked in to the matter of the presence 'haunting' the opera house. We now find Erik in London and he together with Holmes and Watson form a mighty triumvirate. The Jekyll and Hyde problem is of course very well known even to those who have never read the book, the very phrase 'Jekyll and Hyde' conjures up for everyone the battle for good and evil which subsists in us all. What Kate has done is to make this tale fresh and exciting. The dialogue between Erik and Holmes is splendid in its humour, underlying sadness and the most touching of moments surface every so often. There is a counterpoint to the scene in 'The Devil's Foot' where Holmes takes steps to discover exactly what it must feel like to be Jekyll and thereby Hyde. The consequences for Holmes of taking such a step remain unresolved at the end of the novel and this makes it more powerful. It would have been so easy to wrap up the case and tack on a happy ending, but Kate's Holmes shares a darkness with Erik which makes the characters work so well together and Holmes's dual personality is well defined and instantly we see not only Holmes differently, but we truly see how Jekyll slipped into the madness of his other self. Some moments in the book are disturbing and terrifying, but hynoptically addictive as is the whole of this novel. An absolutely stellar gem of a novel and I for one am eagerly looking forward to Kate's next Holmes excursion..it will be one hell of a ride.
Amy Thomas's 'The Detective and the Woman' takes us into the world of Sherlock Holmes and Irene Adler. Yes' it's been done many times before, but not quite like this. The novel opens with the death of Godfrey Norton, Irene's husband, his death is unlamented and at once we see a strong-willed independant woman be re-born after a constraining and unhappy marriage. She takes control of her own life once more, but in so doing becomes the focus of both a villain who is hell bent on her destruction and fortune and the rather more benign focus of Sherlock Holmes. The dialogue between Holmes and Irene fairly cracles with authenticity and is a major delight of this winning and charming novel. Posing as man and wife as they do in large sections of the novel gives plenty of room for by-play and intellectual sparring. Pleasingly, Holmes does not always get his own way with this most formidable of women, Irene beeing a good match for him in all departments. The account of the case is told alternately by both main characters and we get to read their innermost thoughts and weaknesses, Irene displays a softer side, a weaker side which is handled very well by Amy. The book just flows so well, the Florida/Fort Myers descriptive passages are lovingly conveyed. The other characters are delineated excellently from Barnett the solicitor to Thomas Edison and his household. It's hard to believe that this is Amy's first foray into Holmes literature, the quality throughout is of the highest. I loved it. And Holmes and Irene? How does it end? Well.......you know how to find out don't you!!
Both titles published by MX Publishing. http://www.mxpublishing.co.uk/
Kate Workman's latest offering is 'I Will Find The Answer' in which the strange case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. The case comes to the notice of Holmes through Erik, the erstwhile Phantom of the Opera who Holmes had come to an understanding with after the initial skirmishes when Holmes looked in to the matter of the presence 'haunting' the opera house. We now find Erik in London and he together with Holmes and Watson form a mighty triumvirate. The Jekyll and Hyde problem is of course very well known even to those who have never read the book, the very phrase 'Jekyll and Hyde' conjures up for everyone the battle for good and evil which subsists in us all. What Kate has done is to make this tale fresh and exciting. The dialogue between Erik and Holmes is splendid in its humour, underlying sadness and the most touching of moments surface every so often. There is a counterpoint to the scene in 'The Devil's Foot' where Holmes takes steps to discover exactly what it must feel like to be Jekyll and thereby Hyde. The consequences for Holmes of taking such a step remain unresolved at the end of the novel and this makes it more powerful. It would have been so easy to wrap up the case and tack on a happy ending, but Kate's Holmes shares a darkness with Erik which makes the characters work so well together and Holmes's dual personality is well defined and instantly we see not only Holmes differently, but we truly see how Jekyll slipped into the madness of his other self. Some moments in the book are disturbing and terrifying, but hynoptically addictive as is the whole of this novel. An absolutely stellar gem of a novel and I for one am eagerly looking forward to Kate's next Holmes excursion..it will be one hell of a ride.
Amy Thomas's 'The Detective and the Woman' takes us into the world of Sherlock Holmes and Irene Adler. Yes' it's been done many times before, but not quite like this. The novel opens with the death of Godfrey Norton, Irene's husband, his death is unlamented and at once we see a strong-willed independant woman be re-born after a constraining and unhappy marriage. She takes control of her own life once more, but in so doing becomes the focus of both a villain who is hell bent on her destruction and fortune and the rather more benign focus of Sherlock Holmes. The dialogue between Holmes and Irene fairly cracles with authenticity and is a major delight of this winning and charming novel. Posing as man and wife as they do in large sections of the novel gives plenty of room for by-play and intellectual sparring. Pleasingly, Holmes does not always get his own way with this most formidable of women, Irene beeing a good match for him in all departments. The account of the case is told alternately by both main characters and we get to read their innermost thoughts and weaknesses, Irene displays a softer side, a weaker side which is handled very well by Amy. The book just flows so well, the Florida/Fort Myers descriptive passages are lovingly conveyed. The other characters are delineated excellently from Barnett the solicitor to Thomas Edison and his household. It's hard to believe that this is Amy's first foray into Holmes literature, the quality throughout is of the highest. I loved it. And Holmes and Irene? How does it end? Well.......you know how to find out don't you!!
Both titles published by MX Publishing. http://www.mxpublishing.co.uk/
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