This tale finds Sherlock Holmes ensconced in the Dead Rabbit's Society a brasher version of the British gentleman's club. 'Dead Rabbit,' in turn of the century New York patois, means 'best opponent.' I admit it is an odd name for what is supposed to be a fashionable establishment. Although, given the description of the food, the name may be apt for a different reason. Lest I forget, Holmes is only occasionally Holmes in this story. He is on that infinitely long hegira that lasted from Reichenbach Falls to his eventual reappearance in England, and has chosen Simon Hawkes as his nom de detection.

The story opens dramatically with a woman's suicidal plunge into the Hudson and then switches abruptly to the public rooms of the Dead Rabbit's Society. There we find Holmes/Hawkes discussing the recent death with George Hammond, a Rabbit of long standing. Their conversation is interrupted by a brief confrontation between Franklin and Charles Dunmore that enables our detective to once again reveal his scintillating analytical abilities, which barely stop short of estimating the brothers' respective bank balances. Hammond is appropriately awestruck. Little does Holmes realize that, in short order, Franklin Dunmore is about to become a client.

A week later, attempts on Franklin's life suddenly begin. He turns to Hammond for help, fearing that these efforts are from his brother's hand. Hammond, in turn, recommends that Franklin seek help from Holmes. Despite being busy saving the Police Commissioner from blackmail, Holmes has a flash of inspiration and generously offers to help. While Holmes discovers much, he is unprepared for the swiftness of events. Death comes early in this case and proceeds with nightmarish violence. Holmes finds himself at his wit's end.

Phillip Carraher is a promising writer, but I found the story a bit unsatisfactory. As indicated earlier, Holmes, disguised as Hawkes, and without Watson, never seems to settle completely into his role. He behaves atypically, both in the nature of his disguise and in an unusual tendency to reveal more than he should. If he is attempting concealment from the remains of Moriarty's gang, why he would then intentionally make a point of aiding the police. After all, his modus operandi is well known on both continents. If the gang was really intent on getting even with Holmes he would be singularly easy to come across.

Less tolerable, the plot devices chosen to move the action along are too tranparent, and diffuse most of the mystery. The plot is thin, and it is too easy for the reader to get ahead of Holmes. The ending so is unlike Holmes that Carraher actually has Watson remark on it to Holmes on its retelling. Characterization, however, is quite good, and the writer does a good if slightly over-dramatic imitation of Watson as narrator after the fact.

If you like fairly traditional Holmesian fare (a la Val Andrews), I think that you will find the Dead Rabbits Society a journeymanlike tale, short but satisfactory. If your tastes run to more ambitious additions to the canon I would suggest first looking to Larry Millett and Laurie R. King.

I liked this book very much. I don't normally write comments on the web, but reading Marc Ruby's review I just felt I had to remark on a couple of things he said.

1. He says (asks) why would Holmes help the police and solve crimes when in hiding (from Moriarty's gang? That, to me, is like asking why doesn't Holmes stop breathing while hiding? Holmes must be Holmes. It is second nature to him. I think any fan of the "canon" would agree. This thus strikes me as a frivolous criticism.

2. Marc says the ending (unique to say the least)is "unlike Holmes". Here I think he is totally off the mark. Any reader of the Doyle stories knows that Holmes is not afraid to act "outside" the law when he deems it necessary. Far from being "unlike Holmes" I thought the ending was something Holmes would very likely do. Although the morality of it is worth a discussion or two. It certainly makes Doctor Watson's eyebrows go up when Holmes tells him of it. Although in the end he (Watson) agrees it was the right thing to do.

3. He says it's a bit easy to "get ahead" of Carraher. I'm not certain what this means. Does it means it is possible to figure out (guess) who the killer is prior to the end? Perhaps. But this too is not a true criticism. I certainly did not "get ahead" of Carraher in terms of the twists and turns of the plot and the killing of at least two of the people came initially as a surprise. Anyway, Holmes stories are not really about "hiding" who the "bad person" is (Anyone read "The Speckled Band" and not know right off?) but rather about the logic and display of observation that Doyle (and now Carraher) offers the reader. Holmes mysteries are not about the cliche of having the killer be "the one you suspect the least". Rather they are about the manner in which Holmes solves crimes, the way he "sees" things that others (the police) don't see, and strings together inferences from the smallest detail. That is what (I think)defines a true Holmes story and this is what Carraher's book truly offers. I notice that Marc Ruby does say in his review that the book allows "our detective to once again reveal his scintillating analytical abilities, which barely stop short of estimating the brothers' respective bank balances." I agree with Marc on this point. In fact, that really is the joy of the book (besides the excellent writing) for Carraher does allow Holmes to "reveal his scintillating" abilities, not just once but throughout the book. Holmes is the detective "magician" with the "eyes in back of his head" and that is the Holmes that many other "Holmes" writers ultimately fail to give us but which Carraher offers us in abundance. This book is a must-read for any Holmes fan.

This book does not mark the return of Sherlock Holmes but rather the return of Arthur Conan Doyle. Phillip Carraher writes a novel that could easily be mistaken for a manuscript from the original author. He paints a vivid and plausible scene of 1890's New York that is historically and geographically accurate. The scene of the crime is tactfully shifted from London to New York where we witness a series of appalling and baffling murders and the strange events that lead up to them. But can the criminals hide the evidence from the powers of deductive reasoning of the "worlds only consulting detective?" I, for one, am anxiously awaiting the next installment in the adventures of Simon Hawkes (aka Sherlock Holmes).

I like most of the stories in this book (a merger of 2 seperate anthologies) but some are quite bad. Still tho, I like Holmes and he gets plenty of room here to show off his skills.

These stories are presented in chrological order of their publication in 'Strand' magazine and follow immediatly after 'A Study in Scarlet' and 'The Sign of Four'. Tho their timelines bounce around all over the place and it's hard to keep track.

My fave stories would be 'The Speckled Band' or 'The Engineer's Thumb'. Both of which are from 'Adventures'. The only story I really enjoyed from 'Memoirs' is 'The Silver Blaze'. Many of them seem to be rehashes of his older plots.

Tho highly regarded in the literary community I find Conan-Doyles writing style to be confusing and inappropriate. As most of you know the stories are told from the point of view of Watson, Holmes' sidekick. But his narration of the events takes a backseat to very, very lengthy dialogues (which are mostly overwritten monologues). The narrative shifts back and forth and all over the place. It's not uncommon to see '''" before a typical line of speech. If you get lost, don't worry...I did too. The story 'The Musgrave Ritual' especially is badly told, plain and simple.

Plus Watson's function in most of this hardly ever reaches out of 'The Casual Observer'. All he does is witness Holmes' crime-solving techniques. Which usually only last a couple of pages as most of each story (typical length 21 pages) devotes about 13 pages to set-up. Hardly well balanced is it?

The last story 'The Final Problem' isn't even a mystery at all and just seems like a badly thought-out excuse for Conan-Doyle to kill of a character he felt totally indifferent about. Even tho the public loved Holmes. Why Moriarty is seen as a massive villain is beyond me because he hardly does anything at all.

The overall quality of the short stories is average. The full novels is where Holmes and Watson REALLY have something to other than fool around in low-level stories. You'll definitely be interested in some of the stories in this certain edition, but they lack meaning or purpose.

This particular edition comes with extensive notes at the back with numbers for each story to help clear up any confusion. Some of them are helpful for when you are reading and the rest give away plot points and ruin some of the developements.

As I am a Holmes completist I stuck it out and finished every one of these stories. If you are too then I'd recommend this Penguin edition over the others. They seem to always print the best copies of Holmes.

THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES and THE MEMOIRS OF SHERLOCK HOLMES are here collected into a single volume in this Penguin edition. Two compediums of short stories published after the detective's introduction in the novels A STUDY IN SCARLET and THE SIGN OF FOUR, these are concise bits that are just as good a first exposure to Holmes as the novels.

Because the cases of Sherlock Holmes, dutifully chronicled by his companion Dr. Watson, may not appeal to everyone, I won't focus here on reviewing the stories themselves, as it is the features of this particular edition that are of note.

Iain Pears' introduction is quite enlightening, showing the tendency of Arthur Conan Doyle to make the troubles in Holmes' stories come from England's colonies, which is strange considering Conan Doyle's support of equality and respect for all peoples. Pears' also discusses the change in the style of the Holmes stories, from the rational youth of Conan Doyle to the latter days of his life when he was interested in spiritualism and mysticism.

There are footnotes to each story, compiled by Ed Glinert. An expert on literature set in London, Glinert explains the geographical settings of the Holmes stories, and defines anachronistic terms that are no longer use. He also points out the mistakes Arthur Conan Doyle frequently made in his stories, which are often quite amusing (Watson's wife calling him by the wrong name, contradicting timelines, etc).

Because of the illuminating introduction and the helpful footnotes, I'd recommend over any others this edition of THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES and THE MEMOIRS OF SHERLOCK HOLMES.

Something a bit different in the recent sea of Holmes pastiches. Here the situation faced by Holmes, Watson and Lestrade has a distinctly modern touch, but without jarring anachronism.

A psycho serial child killer named Algernon Clayton, convicted 20 years before, has been released from prison on a technicality and has become the leading exhibit in a questionable but popular social reform movement. It's almost routine today for brutal killers to be sanitized by the forces of Political Correctness and converted into saintly, put-upon targets of police brutality and social repression, suitable to be the figurehead of some large organization self-proclaimed to be Fighters for Truth and Justice, and--- it could have happened in 1895 as easily as 1995.

Naturally, the luckless Lestrade, who was only indirectly involved in the original case, has become the prime scapegoat of the reformers. Holmes is thus presented with a complex set of problems: if Clayton was indeed guilty, how can he be neutralized by evidence that will stand in court, before he begins another killing spree? How can Lestrade be protected from the press and the reformers? And what hope is there of finding new evidence in a case cold for two decades?

To say more would spoil the grim fun. At 140 pages this is just about right in length for a case in which Holmes finds himself doing fairly routine police work in hopes of turning up some lead by sheer chance and persistence. As you can see, this isn't your mother's Holmes pastiche, unless your mother's pastiche was written by Andrew Vachss.

You'll enjoy it, I think.

I'll admit I'm on a Sherlock Holmes kick, and what a delight it was to discover the writing of John Hall who effortlessly seems to mimic Conan Doyle while spinning a credibly Holmesian tale. Clearly an expert in the period, Hall writes with an ease and wit (I laughed out loud) truly reminiscent of the creator of Holmes and Watson - not a moment rings false in this quick-paced story of Holmes' efforts to clear his old friend Lestrade's name from a long past police fiasco, and to finally bring the truth of a horrible crime to light. Only drawback for me was that I personally prefer a bit more personal involvement of Holmes, but this was a real winner, and I can't wait to read the rest (this is apparently Hall's fourth Holmes pastiche.) A master - to be watched and savored!

I purchased this book in part on the strength of three 5-star reviews on this site. This is a very handsome hardcover volume at a surprisingly reasonable price.

There are three classifications of stories in the book. First, stories primarily written by Adrian Conan Doyle, with some input from JD Carr. Second, two stories written almost entirely by Mr. Carr, possibly with some slight input from Doyle. Third, six stories written solely by Mr. Adrian Doyle.

Since I have read a number of mysteries by Carr, and expected much, I was most disappointed to find his two stories the weakest in the book. In one instance, after reading the first page I was able to anticipate the entire plot. In the other case, I simply found the story flat, uninteresting, and narrowly derivative of similar stories in the original Holmes canon.

To the contrary, some of the stories by Mr. Doyle cannot be praised enough. One that's typical, "The Adventure of Foulkes Rath," seems up to the work of Arthur Conan Doyle himself. All in all, Adrian Doyle admirably captures the style and brooding Gothic tone that so typifies many of the best stories in the original Holmes canon. Moreover, Adrian Doyle's stories have a kind of life and warmth that brings the Edwardian world alive for the reader.

I would give the book five stars were it not for a few tales that seem off the pace, and decidedly inferior to the others. Alas-- and surprisingly-- these are from JD Carr's pen. Perhaps Carr tried too diligently to write an impeccably logical mystery, where nothing in the denoument was not well provided for in the early story. The effect, unfortunately, was to create a mechanical kind of plot, which made it all to easy for the reader to anticipate too accurately the entire unfolding of the story.

So in this interesting and generally worthwhile book of tales, we might have the amateur outwriting the old master.

All in all, a worthwhile purchase -- and handsome book with great bedtime reading at a very reasonable price.

This collection of stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyles youngest son, Adrian Conan Doyle, in collaboration with American mystery writer John Dickson Carr, are a wonderful treat for anyone who loves the originals! The twelve stories here refer to cases that Doyle made teasing reference to in the original series but never made available to the reading public. The stories are filled with black hearted villians, damsels in distress, atmosphere, and above all, the friendship between Holmes and Watson that have made them the most famous characters in the history of literature. Several stories like "The Adventure of the Deptford Horror" and "The Adventure of the Red Widow" are dark tales of murder; while others such as "The Aventure of the Wax Gamblers" and "The Aventure of the Highgate Miracle" will make you smile. What I enjoyed the most is that the authors have tried to stay true to the characters and didn't try to change them as other writers have done. The stories seem to have been written with one goal in mind, to fill the reader with delight! Originaly written in the early 1950s and out of print for many years, I am happy that Random House has released this once again, and in a Hardbound edition. Come dear reader,"the games afoot!"

Seldom am I impressed by follow-up attempts. In this case though, I almost enjoyed this better than the orginal Sherlock Holmes stories. A collection of dark and dangerous short stories by a descendant of Arthur Conan Doyle, teamed with mystery master John Dickson Carr. Lock the doors and light your pipe, the game's afoot. You will not be disappointed!!!!! John Green Page, A

Worn out from a recent excess of cases, Holmes and Watson are taking it easy when a telegram reaches them from Inspector MacDonald, a man Holmes greatly respects. It seems that Professor Josiah Addleton, an eminent historian, had been killed under grotesque circumstances at the village of Little Stoke in the Vale of the Bittern.

Rushing off to the village, Holmes and Watson discover that Addleton had been excavating a barrow near the village. In addition to the prehistoric contents of the barrow, the Professor was also on a quest to discover treasure stolen four centuries before from a local monastery. In addition there are two equally ancient royal charters. These charters were needed to resolve a long standing argument over land holdings between two prominent local families - The Grey's and the Forrester's. Something the Professor knew triggered his murder, but what is a mystery.

Watson investigates the village, talking to the people and accumulating lore about local legends and myths. Children's rhymes and old men's tales. Little Stoke was the site of a colorful 16th century history, from smugglers to knights, as well as a rich prehistory full of barrows and cairns. Holmes, on the other hand, focuses on the chief players. Rowland Forrester, and William and Mary Grey are the opponents in the argument over land rights. Professor Frey and Portland Donner, were Addleton's partners at the dig. There are many others whose roles are less clear, but whose part in the mystery is undoubted. Holmes and Watson uncover layer after layer of mystery and deception as they seek the murderer, the missing treasure and documents.

The tale itself is mystifying and entertaining. I found myself immersed in each of the several stories that unravel under Holmes' piecing eye. There is something here for everyone, from horseracing to archeology, and the pictures of rural England make it a 19th century travelogue as well. Only a few qualms have kept me from giving the novel a 5 star rating.

The first is the writing style. Since none of Doyle's stories really classify as full blown novels, writers who venture into this territory must create a believable Watsonian style for themselves. In James Stefanie's case he had adopted some of the approaches that Doyle uses elsewhere, and backfilled with his own invention. Unfortunately, while the writing is good, it does not always ring true to Watson, showing much more attention to local color and far more philosophical brooding than Doyle's Watson ever demonstrated.

Throughout the first hundred pages of "The Charters Affair" you might ask yourself why James Stefanie included so much detail and description. If you did and continued to read until the plot took over, the answer became self-evident: familiarity. You gain a such feel for the area and its inhabitants that you almost become one of the people sitting in the parlor as Holmes unveils the perpetrator at the end of the story.

For a first-time reader of the Holmes genre, like myself, the Charters Affair included just the right amount of background and reminiscence to answer some of my questions concerning the relationship between Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. It also allowed me to see the two men as separate and distinct personalities. Holmes with his systematic, unidirectional, unbending, and often Machiavellian drive contrasted starkly with Watson's thoughtful, sometimes muddling, optimistic and occasionally flustered, all too human view of life. Seeing Holmes through Watson's eyes, with a doctor's concern for the physical wellbeing of a friend, was illuminating, and added depth to the narrator.

And as the story is a reminiscence, the author's use of somewhat antiquated language worked well. My studies in England acquainted me with the style and verbiage employed by Mr. Stefanie in telling this story, and for me enhanced the experience markedly.

Without giving away the plot, the tale is a complex interwoven fabric of many eras, including a tribal burial in pre-Druid times, the monastic middle ages, the granting and misplacing of land charters, the pirate trade, and a Holmesian-era expedition to excavate the tor that brings Holmes and Watson to the area to solve a murder mystery. All in all, great intellectual fun with twists and turns, a complex plot, and very interesting characters.

I had the good fortune to tip a pint or two with James Stefanie shortly after his novel was published, and after our conversation wondered not whether Sherlock Holmes had actually lived, but whether Dr. Watson had ever actually died.

I have read and re-read the Sherlock Holmes mysteries over and over for the past 60+ years. Mr. Stefanie has captured the essence and being of both Holmes, and Watson - a feat yet to be accomplished by writers of Holmesian stories in this day and age.The description of places and people in this book are without equal. If you've never been to England, you will upon reading this book, immediately want to pack your bags and seek out these bucolic villages and quaint places. If you've already been to England, the nostalgia will be overwhelming. His vivid descriptions paint a picture of Holmes' Victorian England that will send the reader back in time. Here is a writer who may be an alter-ego of Sherlock Holmes, or a reincarnation of Conan Doyle. This book is a "keeper" - to be read, and re-read, each time with the expectation of once more meeting the great Sherlock Holmes and his side-kick the erstwhile Dr. Watson ala Conan Doyle.

June Thomson is a British mystery writer who has published about 18 novels concerning her own characters, and three pastiche collections of Sherlock Holmes short stories. What she seems to be doing here is getting another book out of her research and thoughts about the Holmes and Watson characters, as accumulated during the writing of the three short-story collections.

There is not much that is original here, and Thomson leans particularly heavily on D. Martin Dakin's SHERLOCK HOLMES COMMENTARY. What is good is Thomson's refusal to speculate wildly. She hews in a Fundamentalist way to the letter of the Canon; and, her main interest is the changing relations between Holmes and Watson, particularly as affected by Holmes' increasing deteriorating mental stability, and Watson's two marriages.

Thomson's two claims of originality lie in her identification of the person Watson disguised as the "King of Bohemia"--- an identification I don't buy at all; and, her identification of Watson's mysterious second wife, an identification I find brilliant and completely convincing.

This 2001 ... edition seems to be printed directly from the plates of the 1995 British edition, and the type shows quite a bit of damage, with a number of missing letters.

If you are a lover of the Canon, and of Holmes and Watson, you'll find much to ponder in this organized review of what few hints the Canon gives us on matters of the actual dates of various cases, and on the day-to-day life and relationship of the Great Detective and his faithful Boswell.

June Watson has written several books of Holmes short stories (under the titles 'The Secret of Sherlock Holmes' - File, Chronicles, Journals) but here writes a biography of both Holmes and Watson, with especial attention to their friendship.

In writing this book, she draws heavily upon the writings of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (things written by anyone else is ignored) and establishes a chronology of the stories, espouses her own theories and makes reference to those of other Holmesians and Sherlockians.

This is a well-trodden path - first treader, as far as I know was Baring-Gould - but Ms. Thomson does a good job. The whole thing hangs together wonderfully - she foreshadows future ideas, she refers back to her previous views, and has plainly thought this project through.

And, yes, she addresses the age-old questions - was Watson shot in the shoulder or the leg, why does Mrs. Watson call her husband John "James", how many times was Watson married and to who, who was Mrs. Turner, which university did Holmes go to, etc.

If you are interested in the Holmes canon (as opposed to the stories) you may want to read this one.

Excellent "biography" (originally published in 1995) of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson from an accomplished mystery writer and Sherlockian scholar. The details and discussions are drawn directly from the original Holmes stories and features none of the unfounded or fanciful speculations that clog so many other Holmes "biographies". Thomson does offer other scholars' differing or dissenting opinions and interpretations, conjectures, and so on, where appropriate for a well-rounded text. The writing style is excellent and eminently readable, avoiding the dry scholarly style of some other studies. Well documented and footnoted, this is almost as entertaining to read as the actual Holmes stories themselves. Highly recommended.

THE SEVEN-PER-CENT SOLUTION is a story unparalleled in the annals of criminal detection. Discovered in Hampshire, England, where it had lain neglected since 1939, then painstakingly researched and annotated for two years by editor Nicholas Meyer, THE SEVEN-PER-CENT SOLUTION marks the first publication of a heretofore unknown and astounding episode in the career of Sherlock Holmes as recorded by his closest friend and chronicler, Dr. John H. Watson.

Even more remarkable than the historic discovery of Watson's transcript are the revelations it contains concerning the real identity of the heinous Professor Moriarity, the dark secret shared by Sherlock and brother Mycroft Holmes, and the detective's true whereabouts and activities during the Great Hiatus when the world believed him dead.

Most astounding of all, THE SEVEN-PER-CENT SOLUTION details the events that led to the meeting in Vienna of the world's two most brilliant investigators and their collaboration on a sensational case of diabolic conspiracy.

John Hamish Watson was born in England in 1847. After a childhood spent abroad, he returned in 1872 and enrolled in the University of London Medical School, where he took his degree six years later. After finishing the course at Netley prescribed for Army surgeons, he was attached to the Fifth Northumberland Fusiliers and sent to India. Severly wounded by a Jezail bullet at the Battle of Maiwand during the Second Afghan War, in 1880, he returned to England, his health ruined, with no specific plans other than to live as best he could on his Army pension. In January of the following year, quite by accident, he met Sherlock Holmes, who was then looking for someone to share his lodgings. The ensuing friendship, which lasted until Holmes' death found Watson his niche as the great detective's biographer through more than sixty cases. In his spare time he resumed the practice of medicine. In 1889 he married Mary Morstan. He died in Britain in 1940.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and was very impressed with it. I checked it out from the library to read it but I'm definitely buying a copy for myself. First of all, it was just a well written and entertaining book. Some scenes were hilarious while others were postively heartbreaking. Secondly, I found it to be very true to the spirit of Doyle's stories and to his Holmes and Watson. I felt that Meyer did an excellent job with Holmes' character. Holmes was slightly different from what he was in the canon but I felt that this could have been how Doyle would have written Holmes had he ever chosen to write a story such as this. Meyer also had Holmes and Watson's relationship down to perfection. I loved how he seemed to realize how important Watson was to Holmes. The deductions in the book were also very good. Most of them were worthy of Sir Arthur himself. I also liked Meyer's footnotes. I thought they were cool. What I loved most about the book though was that I got the strong impression that it was written out of a love for the canon and not out of a love for the money. The book appeared to have been written by someone who had read and re-read the canon and not by someone who was getting all their information from the Basil Rathbone movies.

I should add that the book does deviate from the canon so I have to advise caution if you're a purist. The book gives a different explanation for the Great Hiatus and Moriarty isn't portrayed as Doyle wrote him. I can understand how some people could have a problem with this. I admit that I did too at first. But I don't anymore. Although I love Doyle's Holmes stories, I realize that they are not perfect. They are not without their faults and contradictions and I feel that those who love the canon the most are the ones who will try to correct the faults and explain away the contradictions. And I felt that that was the reason for the book's deviation from the canon. So I would highly recommend it unless you just can't tolerate a deviation from Doyle's work.

First, the review from "henry@coombs.anu.edu.au" contains several mistakes. Lestrade does not appear in "The Valley Of Fear", and that story is a prequel to "The Adventure Of The Final Problem". Second, it is probable that Watson altered events in FP in order that it would appear as though it was his first look at Moriarty, since it was the reader's as well. By "Valley Of Fear", readers know who it is, so it is unnecessary to do the same thing. Watson has plainly stated that he altered facts to make stories suitable for the reading public. Third, there is no "official" Holmes continuity. You accept what you, the reader, wish to accept. Nothing more. I disagree with his thoughts on the later Doyle stories, but that is a matter of opinion.

That said, this is a great book which does what Doyle never bothered to do; make the narrative an intense character study where we find out some of the deepest corners of Holmes' mind. This is Sherlock Holmes at it's best, filled with splendid characterization and a cunning mystery. The drama is this story is incredible; Holmes' confrontation with Sigmund Freud is heartstopping, and his moments of weakness are heartbreaking. There are also many nice touches that warm a reader's heart, like examining Watson and his wife, Mary Morstan, and her references to "brandy and soda" and calling him "Jack".

The mystery is also quite good, and appears halfway through the book (but does not forget to deal with Holmes' addiction). There are moments of high drama and action which are integrated nicely and paced swiftly. Holmes' deductions are excellent and well thought out.

If you have ever felt that Doyle's stories lacked emotional investment for the reader, then this is the book to read.

Doyle was an excellent writer, but he did not truly understand what a wonderful character he had created in Sherlock Holmes. He saw him as merely a calculating machine, perhaps never noticing the hidden passion that he placed within the character; the kindness and heart within Holmes.

But Nicholas Meyer did.

And he displayed it in a novel that was a bestseller, that led to a feature film, and revitalized Holmes in the late twentieth century. With creators like these, with people that care so deeply about him, Sherlock Holmes will survive for another hundred years.

Final notes. Meyer is the director of several movies, including the movie adaptation of this novel, and a few Star Trek movies.

This book does have it's mistakes, and one is that if Moriarty is what he is in this novel, then "Final Problem", "Empty House" and "Valley Of Fear" are lies that slander an innocent, if annoying man.

Lots of typos, and no search capability. OK, if you're desperate for the Holmes stories on CD-Rom, and can't afford something better.

There are too many typos, and no search capabilities. But, for the prce, it's o.k.

My son is reading it at school & I've read some of it .But I'm anxious to find out what is the sign of four?

Being a huge fan of both Sherlock Holmes and vampires, I pounced on this book when I first saw it. I expected great things from two of my favorite genres put together!

Alas, it was not to be. The story is only a rewrite of Stoker's "Dracula" with Holmes kind of thrown in for flavour. There is absolutely no point for Holmes' involvement and, in fact, the client who brought him the case in the first place just sort of disappears. The story remains more-or-less true to the origional which, as I said, means there is no reason for Holmes to be there. The action, such as it is, is confusing and unnecessary. For example, a lot of space is taken up with a boat race which seemed like it was written in just to put some action in the story.

As much as I wanted to recommend this, I can't. A much better mix of Holmes/Dracula is Saberhagen's "The Holmes/Dracula File". Give this one a miss.

A rather clever retelling of the Bram Stoker tale with Holmes as a character, narrated, of course, by Watson, and purporting to be a part of the main canon. Estleman is good at recreating the Holmesian aspect: the boughs howling in moonlit graveyards, the gas-lamps' blobby light in thick fog, etc. He's done his research as to the period and the writing style, and it does work. (Less present is the macabre horror of Stoker's novel.) On the whole, it's a great idea, and the book presents Victorian thrills and action and chase scenes aplenty. Only the end of the book is a disappointment: in order not to rewrite too disruptively the Dracula side, Esteleman must leave Holmes out of the finale altogether, making for a rather anticlimactic ending.

What a read! This is a terrific book, fun to read and full of atmosphere as Holmes and Watson become involved in the Sanguinary Count's attempt to leave Transylvania and make England his home. Estlemen has written this chronicle, of course, as John H. Watson, M.D. It is Watson's account of Sherlock Holmes part in the Dracula saga, written to rectify this important omission in Bram Stoker's account, at Professor Van Helsing's request, according to Watson.

There is a fun exitement to this account, true to the flavor of the origional adventures. From the time a ship is discovered off the English coast, no crew but a dead captain with unusual puncture marks on his neck and a cargo of full of Tranylvanian earth, Holmes and Watson know this is going to be no ordinary case. Reluctant at first to believe in the possibility of Vampires, Holmes, and more unwillingly, Watson, finally accept the existence of the undead.

When Holmes and Watson track down the "Bloofer Lady" through the strange abduction of children, later found alive but disoriented from blood loss, she turns out to be none other than Lucy Westenra. Their chase culminates in the witnessing of her impalement at the hands of Van Helsing, Harker and the gang from "Dracula". Van Helsing is a little annoyed that Holmes knows who he and his companions are already and much more. Helsing and his friends fill Holmes in on the tale of Count Dracula but Helsing dismisses the offer of help from Holmes and Watson. Holmes and Watson go it alone while the Dracula crew continues their own well chronicled pursuit.

There is more than one dangerous encounter with the evil Dracula and when he uses Watson's beloved wife Mary as a deadly pawn, Sherlock Holmes must use all his intellect and cunning to save her life. Watson's bravery and the help of the Baker Street Irregulars play a part in this marvelous and thrilling adventure. There isn't a dull moment in this fast and fun read and you'll be sorry when it's over.

... The boat chase near the end as Holmes and Watson must thwart Dracula's attempt to flee to America, while saving Mary's life, is a particular highlight in a book full of them. So come, Amazon buyer, the game is afoot, and time is of the essence!

Larry Millett's "Sherlock Holmes and the Red Demon" takes the Great Detective from his usual London haunts into the pinelands of northern Minnesota. The results are variable.

The book is overshadowed by Holmes' failure to stop a massive fire that kills hundred of people. While this may seem to give away part of the story, it is plainly revealed in the blurb, broadly hinted at in the introduction, and the extent of the fire is shown on a map before the novel begins!

Instead, the reader gets to watch Holmes seeking to discover who is behind the impending disaster. So, while Millett's depiction of Holmes' deductive activity is fine. Most of the clues Holmes relies upon are in plain sight of the reader, which is not always the case in a Holmes' story, so perhaps some readers can enjoy matching withs with the Great Detective.

I found Millett's portrayl of Holmes a little off-key, and this is highlighted by Watson maiking references to Holmes' unusual behaviour. Not being from Minnesota (or even America!) I cannot comment of the depiction of the area and its people, but for a foreigner they seemed quite natural.

Millett has written two further Holmes novels - "Sherlock Holmes and the Ice Palace Murder (hinted at in the closing pages of this book) and "Sherlock Holmes and the Runestone Mystery" - both of which I believe are also set in Minnesota. Based on this book, I believe they are likely to be worth a read.

The first of Millett's Sherlock Holmes in Minnesota series, I read this after "Ice Palace Murders," but the order of reading isn't crucial. If you like one, you'll like the other. This one has more adventure and is probably a little truer to the Doyle stories, though I must admit I was constantly picturing Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce as I was reading the book, and, since I love those movies, that is meant to be a compliment. As with the Ice Palace book, I found the footnotes to be bothersome, and again, the villian's identity is kept from us long after even Watson knows. The villian himself is a fairly minor character, so the ultimate unmasking, especially since it comes after a thrilling battle on a burning bridge, is anti-climactic. Still, quite enjoyable. I'll be looking forward to the next one in paperback.

This is a must read for fans of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. Holmes solves a satisfying mystery in the northwoods of Minnesota in one of the best Sherlock Holmes stories that I have ever read including the originals. The background setting is accurately painted by the first-time novelist, and the book is very well written. All of the elements that make Doyle's characters so popular can be found in the novel as well. There are a cast of interesting characters that can puzzle a reader as to who the red demon is. I guessed who the villian was......