Sherlock Holmes Pastiches and Homages

Red=read. Gray=have/read at least one of author's entries. My summaries to come.

Included in Amis' Collected Short Stories. Story originally published May 1978 in Playboy. Expanded version of story published in 35-page limited edition by Tragara Press, Edinburgh. Amis also wrote the teleplay, "Dr. Watson and the Darkwater Hall Mystery," for BBC. Edward Fox starred as Watson.

Sherlock Holmes and the Houdini Birthright (1995)

Amazon reviewer: Val Andrews writes a good Sherlock Holmes pastiche, often combining it with other items of interest. In this story, an elderly Holmes and Watson have a further meeting with the great escapologist, Harry Houdini in one of his ghost-busting exploits. Later, they are called upon to investigate Houdini's death.

Sherlock Holmes and the Yule-Tide Mystery (1999)

Amazon reviewer: A man invites Holmes and Watson (whose wife is away with relatives for the holidays) to join at a mysterious Christmas gathering..... It's not long until the purpose behind this rather odd gathering is revealed, and Holmes & Watson are off again trying to solve the crime. While I admit that the premise is quite good, it's obvious what's going on. Skippable.

Sherlock Holmes and the Greyfriars School Mystery (1999)

Amazon reviewer: Circa 1912, Watson gets his retired friend Holmes to tackle a seemingly minor mystery. The manuscript of a history of Greyfriars School has vanished. Is it genuine theft, a prank, or the work of a malicious student... or the tip of something far more serious? ... The mystery is soon solved (the book barely runs 100 pages), and the main attraction here is nostalgic.

Sherlock Holmes and the Sandringham House Mystery (1999)

Amazon reviewers: Holmes, Watson and Lestrade have to find a stolen painting. Just when you think it's all over, "the game's afoot" again....The main plot of this novel was good -- Sherlock Holmes is called upon by a stage magician who had the honor of performing for his majesty King Edward VII at Sandringham House.... But instead of trying to flesh that out somewhat, we have two other plot lines that muddy what could have been a good story.

Sherlock Holmes and the Man Who Lost Himself (1999)

Amazon reviewers: This pastiche Holmes novel opens promisingly when the great consulting detective and loyal companion Watson are interrupted in their Baker Street home by the eruption into their lives of a harried and dishevelled Professor Mainwaring. ... My impression is that the idea for a short story occurred, but it was padded out to make is a short novel instead. Worse still, there is very little in the way of deduction in this story.

Sherlock Holmes and the Theatre of Death (1999)

On the evening of 9th May 1911 a fire broke out backstage... A spectacular illusionist and eight performers were consumed by the flames. Sherlock Holmes was called in to investigate.

Sherlock Holmes and the Tomb of Terror (2000)

Amazon reviewers: Holmes and Watson are basically blackmailed into a dangerous expedition to a little-known Saharan kingdom, where they wind up being buried alive in the tomb of a recently dead king! ... It is more adventure yarn than detective story.

Sherlock Holmes at the Varieties (2000)

Amazon reviewer: Here's another slender Sherlock Holmes pastiche from the prolific British journalist, theatrical historian, Sherlockian and magician Val Andrews. A somewhat mellower Holmes is freshly back from the Great Hiatus, and takes Watson out for an evening at Watson's favorite Music Hall... Murder attempts, a mysterious ghost haunting the Hall, and a number of other plot turns are all connected by Holmes at adventure's end.

Sherlock Holmes and the Holborn Emporium (2001)

Amazon reviewer: If you're looking for a baffling mystery within the literary form of the Holmes pastiche, this won't be your oyster. The legendary department store Gammages is the focus, not Holmes and Watson.

Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Seven (2001)

Amazon reviewer:  This is the liveliest and most diverting of the Val Andrews patiche Holmes novels ,mainly I think because it is relatively traditional in approach and correspondingly feels slightly more authentic than most of the others. Holmes and Watson go undercover as members of a secular monastic society in Sussex, where two of the seven members have recently died following receipt of a letter from an unknown source. The prior is anxious to ensure the group is not further depleted.

Sherlock Holmes on the Western Front (2001)

Amazon reviewers: The book is less a novel than two novellas strung loosely together and even with a relatively brief page count seems padded. ... Like many of Andrews' Holmesian pastiches, this is told in a leisurely fashion, with virtually no action. ... Holmes and Watson - disguised as musicians entertaining the troops -first do battle with German spies near Salisbury, the location of Southern Command, before tracking down the ringleader and venturing -disguised now as themselves -- into occupied France to thwart the Germans at the front line.

Sherlock Holmes and the Egyptian Birthright

Amazon reviewer:  An enjoyable tale in which the author seems to revel in the background detail.

Sherlock Holmes: The Ghost of Baker Street (2008)

Amazon reviewer: On the one hand, the mystery is well constructed and its investigation, including the slow piecing together of disparate pieces of information to create a sensible whole is excellent. On the other, the story is related in such a clinical and passionless fashion that it fails to excite the interest of the reader, if appealing to the intellect.

Includes at least two stories: The Abandoned Brigantine, The Gibraltar Letter.

Adapted from a screenplay by Alvin Sapinsley. Roger Moore played Holmes; Patrick Macnee was Watson.

Giant Rat of Sumatra

A Sherlockian Quartet
Includes Giant Rat of Sumatra, plus Zolnay the Aerialist, Bell Rock Light and Eyrie Cliff.

Amazon reviewer: The case of Eyrie Cliff  brings Holmes out of retirement during the First World War and reunites the sterling pair with Holmes's brother Mycroft. Among other things, we get to see a leather-clad Holmes whizzing along on a motorcycle with Watson in the sidecar.

Amazon reviewers: This slight first novel serves as stage for a pastiche of Wilde witticisms, innuendoes about the relationship between Holmes and Watson. ... It honestly isn't much of a mystery novel, but it is great fun to read if you have the right sense of humour. If you are a fan of both Sherlock Holmes and Oscar Wilde, this may be the book for you. Warning: Do not read this book if you "dislike" homosexuals or if you are looking for a straight (if you'll pardon my pun) mystery. Watergal warns that "everyone in London is gay except Holmes."

The Star of India (1998)

Amazon editorial notes: Bugge's addition to the Baker Street canon opens with Watson now twice widowed and Holmes ill-suited as always to a life of relative calm and inactivity. ... Holmes displays his legendary powers of observation, and Watson unwittingly aids the bad guys. The story revolves around a beautiful woman and her expensive perfume, a missing fabled gemstone, and the return from certain death of Holmes's nemesis, Dr. Moriarty.

The Haunting of Torre Abbey (2000)

Amazon reviewer: The "voice" of this book is too obviously set in the present day. Holmes seems rather off the mark, more "touchy-feely" than you may be used to. Constant abuse heaped upon poor old Watson! He's knocked out, he's deathly ill, he's falling off horses, and seemingly doomed to whatever disaster can be imagined.

Sherlock Holmes: The Adventure of the Dead Rabbits Society: The Lost Reminiscence of John H. Watson, MD. (2001)

Mostly well-reviewed at Amazon, but Holmes is incognito as Simon Hawkes in New York during the Great Hiatus and is without Watson.

Alias Simon Hawkes: Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes in New York (2003)

Amazon reviewer: If you ever wanted to see Holmes in a different setting, being Holmes around a different circle of acquaintances, living in a different city, different country, different living quarters, working with a different, yet, oft times clueless police department, but STILL solving perplexing crimes...then the ALIAS SIMON HAWKES series is for you!

Sherlock Holmes in New York: The Adventure of the New York Ripper (2005)

Amazon reviewers: This is one of those stories that tries to identify where Holmes was during the three years he was believed to be dead. He is in New York under the name of Simon Hawkes where from time to time he helps the police. ... Mr. Carraher's take on Holmes and Watson differs from ACD's creation, but still enjoyable nonetheless. ... I did miss Dr. Watson in this story. I really think you need active and constant interaction between Holmes and Watson to have the best "Sherlock Holmes" story. Holmes did "relate" aspects of the story to Watson, but it was after the fact and not in real time. Perhaps the best recommendation I can give this book is to say it's a "page turner," and it is hard to put down.

Amazon reviewer: Ian Charnock has helpfully made available a series of Holmes tales from a surprising source: Stamford. All but two of the cases recorded here are the ones to which Holmes referred in "The Musgrave Ritual". These cases mostly take place before his biographer has come to glorify him. The tales themselves are not all that gripping -- but that too is a point in favor of their authenticity, considering that they are alleged to date from early in Holmes's career. And the (alleged) insights into the character and early history of Holmes himself will be of interest to all fans of the great detective.

Summary: Doyle & Gardner bring two of the Cottingley Fairies photographs to Holmes for analysis. Holmes concludes that they are fakes, and describes the evidence in the photographs that leads him to this conclusion.

Chronicles of the Lost Years (1999)

Amazon reviewers: Absurd "Sherlockian Romance" ... Cooper-Posey introduces Elizabeth Sigerson, a woman to be admired and envied for her relationship with Holmes and Watson. Sherlockian review: This book sets out to give the true story, through Watson's pen, of Sherlock Holmes's adventures during his three year absence from Baker Street - the Great Hiatus. There are many surprises in store for those used only to the account in the Canon of a lone journey through such places as Tibet, Mecca and Khartoum, not the least of which is to learn that Holmes was accompanied by not only Watson for much of the time but by a woman, Elizabeth Sigerson. Yes, the name is familiar, and Watson explains the connection most convincingly.

The Case of the Reluctant Agent (2001)

Reviewed as better than the first by author. Set in 1917 Middle East. No Watson.

Sherlockian review. Other summary: Holmes and Watson go to Vienna to meet with Freud in 1908. A duel with Moriarty. Holmes hypnotized to release suppressed memories of the Hiatus. Holmes learns he's adopted. Mrs. Hudson wants to open 221B as a Sherlock Holmes museum.

Sherlock Holmes and the Hentzau Affair (1991)

Attempt to recreate the plot of "Prisoner of Zenda" around Holmes?

The Scroll of the Dead (1998)

Sherlockian review: A decadent dandy, a vicious sprig of the aristocracy and the hot-headed daughter of an archæologist lead the detective and the doctor to adventure in rural Norfolk and to mortal peril amid the lakes and mountains of Cumberland. It’s a rattling good yarn, well told and well produced.

The Shadow of the Rat (1999)

Amazon reviewer: Holmes & Watson find a drunken Stamford and suspect there's more to it than just alcohol. Some research gets both attacked and Holmes hypnotized and in the power of an evil Baroness. Watson asks another hypnotist to cure him before the split ways to kill the Giant Rat of Sumatra.

The Veiled Detective (2004)

Sherlockian review: In short, this is a well constructed alternative view of the basic events of the Sherlockian Canon. It presents a different view of Holmes’ career and his relationship with “his Boswell” and “the Professor.” It is mostly internally self-consistent, if dark and unsettling to Sherlockians.

Sherlock Holmes: The Game's Afoot (2008)

Holmes & Watson in 20 new stories.

Sherlock Holmes and the Alice in Wonderland Murders (1998)

Amazon reviewer: Dull, predictable pastiche. Moriarty is back. His return seems to have turned him into the Joker of Batman fame because he keeps on sending ridiculous clues to Holmes very loosely based upon Lewis Carroll's famous Alice stories, which leads Holmes and Watson into a silly series of comic book episodes.

Sherlock Holmes and the Apocalypse Murders (2001)

Amazon reviewer: Holmes, Watson, THE woman and Oscar Wilde join forces to terminate [Jack the Ripper] in the London sewers! Day gets the relation between Holmes and Watson pretty much correct, but does not attempt to emulate Watson's literary style.

Sherlock Holmes and the Copycat Murders (2001)

It is London 1900 and Sherlock Holmes finds himself investigating a string of murders that have one common thread - each of them recalls one of his famous earlier cases and each of them implicate him.

Sherlock Holmes and the Seven Deadly Sins Murders (2002)

Amazon reviewer: Without slavishly imitating the Doylean style, and also without the direct quotations that lesser writers tend to lean upon, he still manages to get the Holmes/Watson dialogue in a more than acceptable facsimile of the originals. ... Here we have two plots that really have nothing to do with one another. ... If you have read previous Day pastiches, you'll pretty much know what to expect. I got through it, but without noticeable enthusiasm.

Product description: Authors have preserved the flavor and style of Dr. Watson's original accounts while infusing this exciting adventure with moments of wry humor and warm affection.

Veinglory: Thirteen from the canon with some excellent commentary and trivia from a variety of sources.

Amazon reviewers: This beautifully crafted pastiche sticks faithfully to the language, flavor and attitude of the original stories. All our old friends are there: Dr. Moriarty, Mrs. Hudson, Mycroft. But there's an elixir of youth, and an interesting bit of time travel, thrown in for good measure. ... The author initially had a good handle on both Holmes and Watson, and some intriguing ideas. But as the book progressed, the characters became more like vehicles for the plot than like "real" people.

A collection of short stories in Doyle style.

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Holmes (1979)

Amazon reviewers: The affection for Doyle and Stevenson is evident and the book is a thoroughly satisfying page turner.... Readers will know the true identity of the evil Edward Hyde, so the pleasure to be derived from this book is in how the great detective finds the truth and the adventures he and the redoubtable Watson go through en route to the satisfying conclusion in the laboratory of the good Dr Jekyll.

Sherlock Holmes vs. Dracula: The Adventure of the Sanguinary Count (1978)

Equally praised and panned. Here's a middle ground, from an Amazon reviewer: The story interweaves Holmes with Count Dracula and his antagonists, Harker, Dr. Van Helsing, and the rest. The author (Watson, of course) insists that Bram Stoker's account unfairly leaves out Holmes' part in thwarting Dracula's scheme to move to England. The book revolves around Holmes and Watson pursuing Dracula, and includes a chilling episode where the count visits Baker Street to try and talk to Holmes and convince him to stand aside and allow him free reign.

Engels calls at Baker Street, sent by Irene Adler, to enlist Holmes's help in finding Marx's daughter, Eleanor, who has been missing from home for several months.

The Giant Rat of Sumatra (2001)

Amazon reviewers: It would be a mistake to approach this clever little adventure with a Holmesian purist's zeal looking to pounce on any perceived lack of faithfulness to the originals; I say relax and enjoy a timely tale of hatred of civilization with authentic renderings of some of our most beloved companions. ... The plot is as acceptable as any; the bad guy is very bad and Holmes' manages to neutralize him with customary aplomb. The very real resonance with events throughout the world today is another strong plus. There are, however, two items disturbing enough that they are worthy of note. The first is a less than complete command of Watson's narrative voice.

The Strange Doings of J. Leslie Ryder (2002)

Amazon reviewers: Sherlock Holmes encounters a former jewel-thief he had let go free in Conan-Doyle's "Blue Carbuncle." The thief, J. Leslie Ryder, had fled England for a South Sea Island, Gaugain-style. In Gracely's imaginative sequel, we see what unfolds from Ryder's abandonment of his family, as a result of Holmes's perhaps misjudged mercy.

Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Raleigh Legacy (1986)

Lukewarm reviews. Story features Dr. John Watson as the main character. It concerns a cryptic Elizabethan note belonging to the doctor's friend Aleck Raleigh.

Sherlock Holmes and the Case of Sabina Hall (1988)

Publishers Weekly: As narrated by Watson, this is a more plausible and twisty tale, set off by a note from Holmes's university friend, Aubrey Tyson, which takes Watson and the detective to Sabina Hall, the home of Tyson's elderly, ailing Uncle Silas Andrews.

Sherlock Holmes and the Thistle of Scotland (1989)

Amazon reviewer: Sherlock Holmes and the Thistle of Scotland begins solidly enough, but Greenwood tries too hard to be clever and not hard enough to be evocative. The surface is here, roughly executed, but the substance is not.

Sherlock Holmes Through Time and Space (1986)

Edited by Isaac Asimov, Martin Harry Greenberg & Charles G. Waugh

Sherlock Holmes in Orbit (1997)

Amazon reviewer: Mike Resnick and Martin Greenberg have collected twenty-six original stories, featuring Holmes in his own time, in the present, in the future, and after death. As is to be expected in such an anthology, a few of the stories are superb, most are quite good, and a few are simply dismal - neither good sci-fi nor good Sherlock Holmes. However, the percentage of good to excellent stories is sufficiently high to make this book more than worthy of purchase.

Holmes for the Holidays (1998)

14 new Holmes cases by contemporary writers involving Christmastime mysteries. Amazon reviewer: Most of these pastiches range from good to very good. And I personally loved "The Yuletide Affair," which is a Watson case.

The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1999)

Publisher's Weekly: This is a first-rate collection of new stories that could serve nicely as an introduction to the famous sleuth. There isn't a bad tale in these 15, although purists may balk at Loren D. Estleman's "Dr. and Mrs. Watson At Home," a snippy playlet, and at the rather nerdy Watson who narrates Joyce Harrington's "The Adventure of the Gowanus Abduction." Most of the stories are affectionate, accurate pastiches of the originals. ... Stephen King's "The Doctor's Case," which keeps the old form while allowing the mystery to be solved by Watson, with a lovely twist at the end.

More Holmes for the Holidays (2001)

Amazon reviewer: This book has a lot of good fun in it. We not only are able to revisit Holmes and Watson, but many of the stories take us into the interesting world of 19th century intellectuals and literati.

Murder, My Dear Watson: New Tales of Sherlock Holmes (2002)

Publisher's Weekly: Solid anthology offers some choice Sherlockian plums. The ubiquitous Watson often takes center stage in these 10 tales. Amazon reviewer: 1. "The Adventure of the Dying Doctor" by Colin Bruce is a very humane story where Watson (surprise!) is the main character, with a cameo by James Moriarty and Mycroft Holmes.  2. "The Adventure of the Young British Soldier" by Bill Crider is another story where Watson and his erstwhile orderly Murray take centre-stage. Of course Holmes is there, sharp as ever, poetic as well.

Murder in Baker Street: New Tales of Sherlock Holmes (2002)

Collection of 11 short stories brings together some of established veterans of the genre. Mixed reader reviews.

Ghosts in Baker Street: New Tales of Sherlock Holmes (2006)

Publisher's Weekly: This all-original anthology from the distinguished trio of Greenberg, Lellenberg and Stashower is an improvement over a similar volume, Michael Reaves and John Pelan's Shadows over Baker Street. Amazon reviewer: There is not a bad story among them ... but most of the stories are not very memorable or exciting.

Sherlock Holmes and the Boulevard Assassin (1998)

Amazon reviewer: John Hall writes a reasonable Holmes book, relying upon the known plans of Professor Moriarty and featuring the French thief, Arsene Jupin, in a strong supporting role.

The Travels of Sherlock Holmes (1999)

Sherlock Holmes and the Telephone Murder Mystery (1999)

Sherlock Holmes and the Disgraced Detective (1999)

Amazon reviewer: Here the situation faced by Holmes, Watson and Lestrade has a distinctly modern touch, but without jarring anachronism.

Sherlock Holmes and the Adler Papers (2001)

Amazon reviewer: About a year after the events of "Scandal in Bohemia," Irene Norton says she needs to consult Holmes, but vanishes on the way to 221B Baker Street. ... Holmes and Watson wind up in Bohemia ... and both Holmes and Watson bumble in some pretty inexplicable ways, with Watson coming perilously close to being a comical sidekick more than once.

Sherlock Holmes and the Hammerford Will (2001)

Amazon reviewer: Various pastiche authors handle stretching Holmes out to novel length by having the criminals act in incredibly stupid fashion, and others handle the stretch by having Holmes himself behave in incredibly stupid fashion. The present work tends to the latter, rather than the former, solution. Even Watson out-thinks Holmes here, more than a couple of times.

Sherlock Holmes and the Abbey School Mystery (2001)

Amazon reviewer:  In this novel it is 1903, Holmes and Watson don't see much of one another, and there are nasty doings at the little-known but ultra-prestigious Abbey School, where the most powerful men of the British Empire send their sons. Echoes of "Priory School." ... Here are 160 pages of Holmes and Watson that won't insult your intelligence, your literary standards, or your love of the characters.

Entertaining collection of spooky yarns from the pop film historian par excellence whose companionable wit and sheer readability beloved by film buffs is strongly in evidence here.

Sherlockian review: Most of the 13 stories in this slim volume purport to be among the cases that Watson merely tantalisingly referred to. ... Cleverly plotted, but Hammer's style doesn't ring true.

The Private Life of Dr. Watson (1983)

Sherlock Holmes: My Life and Crimes (1986)

Amazon reviewer: In this book, written by Michael Hardwick (who has made a career of doing commentaries, novels, plays and other Sherlock Holmes-related media), we have an aging Holmes reflecting autobiographically upon his life. ... Hardwick proposes answers to many of the questions of Holmes life, such as where he attended university, his American experiences, behind-the-scenes material on many major cases, and Holmes' true activities during his absence from the public eye after his supposed death at the Reichenbach Falls. ... This is a memoir looking back on early days by an aged Holmes in his retirement, some time after 'His Last Bow', and indeed after the death of Watson.

Revenge of the Hound (1987)

Amazon reviewer: Its title notwithstanding this is not really a sequel to The Hound of the Baskervilles.... Holmes investigates a series of crimes that turn out to be linked to a conspiracy to unseat the monarchy. The period is early 1901.... Add to this Holmes persistent threats of retirement and Watson's remarriage to a young and vibrant American, and the sense of an era coming to a close is palpable.

Prisoner of the Devil 1990

Amazon reviewers: Holmes and Watson are rendered faithfully, better than any other pastiche I've read, and I've read dozens. If you want a fresh Holmes novel, but one that reads like an original story, full of wonderful Watson-like prose, buy this book. ... The book is meticulously researched and is a perfectly good primer on the Dreyfus Case as well as a good historical crime novel.

The Adventure of the Stalwart Companions (1978)

Amazon reviewer: It is about a young Sherlock before the days of Watson in which he becomes friends with Teddy Roosevelt. Holmes assists the NY police dept with a murder that eventually turns out to be an assassination plot against the President. ... The Adventure is not about mimicking Doyle or Watson, although there are echoes of the canon, rather it is a breezy historical romance.

The Forgotten Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: Based on the Original Radio Plays by Anthony Boucher and Denis Green

Amazon reviewer: Dr. Watson was portrayed too often as a bungling idiot. ... The book covers thirteen stories written by Boucher who planned the plot lines and another excellent writer, Denis Green who wrote the dialogue. Jeffers turns the scripts into short stories that average 20 pages each.

The Game is Afoot: Parodies, Pastiches and Ponderings of Sherlock Holmes (1995)

A compilation of good-natured lampoons, clever spoofs and somewhat academic examinations of Sherlock Holmes's cases.

The Resurrected Holmes (1997)

Each of the 15 stories is purported to be based on a caper originally outlined by Dr. Watson but penned by various well-known literary masters. Tales of Sherlock Holmes written in the diverse and unique styles of such authors as H. G. Wells, Ernest Hemingway, P. G. Wodehouse, and Mickey Spillane.

The Confidential Casebook of Sherlock Holmes (1999)

Mixed reviews. Amazon reviewer sampler: The most intriguing notion about this anthology is Holmes' brilliantly described relationships with noted figures of the late nineteenth century such as Ida Tarbell, Arthur Conan Doyle (don't get schizoid), James McNeil Whistler, and P. G. Wodehouse, etc. ... I found most of the stories in this far-fetched and dark. ... 15 new cases ... suppressed because they would hurt innocent people, unfairly damage the reputation of one of Britain's leading politicians, or either embarrass Holmes or Watson, or reveal too many personal details about their lives before they met.

Sherlockiana reviewer: Mr Kelly makes a good job of recreating canon. He knows his period and he has a devious imagination! 13 ingenious and engaging stories.

Amazon: Flawed, but a taut reworking of the venerable "locked room" mystery. Populated with familiar characters (Mycroft, Lestrade, Watson) and using the clever excuse that this was Watson's undiluted (by Doyle) account; Kendrick creates a page turner.

The Great Game: A Professor Moriarty Novel (2001)

Amazon reviewer: Sherlock Holmes and the loyal Watson are in the Vienna area trying to unlock the secrets of various plots before war can break out. Events in Vienna are a whirl of activity as Holmes and Moriarty form an unwilling alliance in an effort to rescue their friends and keep a shaky peace alive. The Professor seems to have a trick up every sleeve and Holmes' mind is at its deductive finest. ... Overall well-reviewed, but Holmes & Watson seem second bananas to Moriarty

My Sherlock Holmes (2004)

An anthology of 13 new, mostly top-drawer Sherlock Holmes stories, all featuring viewpoints other than Dr. Watson's.

The Infernal Device and Others: A Professor Moriarty Omnibus (2001)

Well-reviewed and includes:

• The Infernal Device -- A dangerous adversary seeking to topple the British monarchy places Moriarty in mortal jeopardy, forcing him to collaborate with his nemesis Sherlock Holmes.
   

• Death by Gaslight -- A serial killer is stalking the cream of England's aristocracy, baffling both the police and Sherlock Holmes and leaving the powers in charge to play one last desperate card: Professor Moriarty.
   

• The Paradol Paradox -- The first new Moriarty story in almost 20 years, it has never before appeared in print.

Sherlock Holmes: The Hidden Years (2004)

All-original anthology chronicling the "Great Hiatus." Amazon reviewer: I prefer this anthology to Michael Kurland's Moriarty novels since Holmes takes center stage in all but Richard Lupoff's story, which is from a previous anthology.

The Empress of India: A Professor Moriarty Novel  (2006)

Sherlockian reviewer: This is the fourth novel in the Professor Moriarty series by Michael Kurland and, to my mind, it is the best yet. ... Furthermore, his treatment of Sherlock Holmes was much more sympathetic and much less likely to outrage Sherlockians. ... Holmes goes missing, Watson frets, Moriarty and Moran plan their own caper and Mycroft schemes as new paper money is shipped to India on “The Empress of India.”

Wikipedia: Based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. The novel is a crossover with Arthur Conan Doyle's fictional detective Sherlock Holmes featuring the characters of both Holmes and Doctor Watson, and also with H. P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu Mythos. Sherlock Holmes finds himself united with the Seventh Doctor to solve the mystery of the theft of arcane tomes from the library of St. John the Beheaded.

Amazon reviewer: Holmes and Watson are effortlessly inserted into an imaginative Doctor Who story, giving the book a unique flavor. It's a dark and occasionally grim story, but strangely enough it somehow succeeds at being a whole lot of fun. ... The Lovecraftian additions near the conclusion are not quite as well handled as the Holmes portions.

For those people particularly adept at suspending doubt, this book has Holmes and Watson solving President Abraham Lincoln's assassination 16 years after the fact.

An epic mystery pits the super sleuth against the supernatural forces of Count Dracula as Moriarty has enlisted the aid of Dracula to plunge London into a new dark age. Holmes, with the assistance of Professor Van Helsing, must turn to the famed actress Sarah Bernhard to uncover the clues that will bring this impossible case to a close.

The Seven Percent Solution (1993)

The West End Horror (1994)

The Canary Trainer (1995)

Amazon reviewer: This short tale is deceptively complex.... Mystery fans will find it a true brainteaser, full of plot twists, eccentric characters, and of course, Sherlock Holmes' flawless detecting skills. In getting to the bottom of one mystery, Holmes and Watson encounter a far more intriguing one.

Sherlock Holmes and the Red Demon (1997)

Amazon reviewers:  The tale itself is well-told and in the Watsonian style. The characterization doesn't always quite ring true, and Sherlockians/Holmesians looking for Holmes-Watson interaction of the "old vintage" may be somewhat disappointed. ... Authentic or not, the story itself is pretty engaging. And it's told against a very realistic background, with a clear sense of the deep moral ambiguities of the nineteenth-century railroad industry. ... Millett has found the character's souls, and he uses them well.

Sherlock Holmes and the Ice Palace Murders (1998)

Sequel to "Red Demon." Millett once again takes Holmes and Watson to Minnesota. Reviews are wildly mixed over quality of plot and voice.

Sherlock Holmes and the Rune Stone Mystery (1999)

Again, reviews are all over the place, but here's a good one: Amazon reviewer: This is the third in the "Sherlock Holmes in Minnesota" saga and it follows the others in style and story. ... Millett has succeeded in capturing Doyle's style. I find little fault in the way Watson or Holmes utter their dialogue. This is what makes me feel at home with a pastiche. It is the Holmes and Watson you recognize from the "canon." Millett has done his homework, has provided an acceptable story line and entertains us with this book

Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Alliance (2002)

Amazon: Shadwell Rafferty, an Irish saloon keeper and sometime detective, returns for his fourth adventure. This is the most non-Holmes mystery of Millett's books. We really only experience his presence toward the end of the novel, and then it is still only a shell of the Holmes we've seen from Millett in the past.
 

The Disappearance of Sherlock Holmes (2003)

Publisher's Weekly: Millett places Holmes and Watson in situations better suited to an Indiana Jones movie, with hairbreadth escapes, gun battles, chases and death traps. He removes most of the mystery by interrupting Watson's own first-person storytelling with third-person narratives that leave little doubt as to the identities and motives of the stock-villain criminals. Elsie Cubitt, from "The Adventure of the Dancing Men," becomes a love interest for the misogynistic detective.

Hellbirds (1976)

Sherlock Holmes and the Earthquake Machine (1976)

Sherlockiana reviewer: The book contains 14 pastiches and 18 essays... they could all have been written by Sir Arthur himself.

Publisher's Weekly: Rotates perspective among the title character, an accomplished young woman traumatized by guilt at her role in the death of a British diplomat, who was her lecherous guardian; Sigmund Freud, whom she consults to ease her mental suffering; and Sherlock Holmes, enlisted by his brother, Mycroft, to probe the man's death. For readers used to poor imitations of the Watson voice by numerous pasticheurs, Oatley's rendition of the Baker Street duo will be a pleasant surprise. The book has more in common with less conventional, deeper looks at what makes Holmes tick, like Mitch Cullin's A Slight Trick of the Mind, and will linger longer than with lighter fare like Nicholas Meyer's The Seven-Per-Cent Solution.

Amazon reviewer: A collection of four short stories which seem to reflect the author's desire for Holmes and Watson to investigate cases in the north of England, presumably not too far from the author's current and/or childhood home. While readable, I found these stories not particularly enjoyable and I was easily distracted from them.

The Papers in the Case

Sherlockiana reviewer: Captures the style acceptably. Papers ranges from an investigation of the Whitechapel murders of 1888 to the kidnapping of Mycroft Holmes in 1902. Appropriate period illustrations.

The Misadventures of Sherlock Holmes

A Study in Terror (1966)
Included in Jack the Ripper (Martin Greenberg) and as a novel in its own right

Amazon reviewer: It's 1906 and a retired Holmes and vacationing Watson are dragged into investigation of two mysterious (and actual) railway accidents. ... I've lost track of the number of pastiches I have read in the past 10 years, but this one ranks quite high among that group. Recommended.

Sherlock Holmes and the Devil's Grail (1995)

Amazon reviewer: The story itself brings together a number of previously used plot lines; a remnant of Moriarty's gang; a mysterious artifact called the Devil's Grail hidden amongst the stone circles of England and Wales; clues hidden in the Abbey at Glastonbury. However what makes this well worth a read is the fresh and entertaining way all these elements are brought together with one of the more credible attempts at creating the feel of a Conan Doyle original.

Sherlock Holmes and the Man from Hell (1997)

Sherlockian reviewer: There are echoes of The Gloria Scott and The Valley of Fear in this case of murder, abduction, robbery and blackmail on a west country estate. ... He writes in a very acceptable simulacrum of Watson’s style. He remains faithful to the Canon throughout, and the result is a very enjoyable story indeed.

Sherlock Holmes and the Royal Flush (1998)

Sherlock Holmes and the Harvest of Death (1999)

Sherlock Holmes and the Crosby Murder (2002)

Publisher's Weekly: Holmes and Watson act and speak in character, but do so in a plot that seems to borrow heavily from Doyle's The Sign of Four. ... The not particularly inspired actions taken to trap the villain afford Holmes little opportunity to display his intellectual gifts. Roberts captures the flavor of the originals but little of their drama.

Sherlock Holmes and the Rule of Nine (2003)

Booklist: In this outing, Holmes and Watson are up against a gang called the Rule of Nine, headed by one Don Vito Corese. ... In his usual inimitable style, Holmes (with help from Watson and a New York detective) employs disguises, trickery, logic, and legerdemain to confuse the perpetrators, amaze the police, stun even the unflappable Watson, and solve the case with flair and aplomb. A cleverly plotted, entertaining imitation that just might please even Holmes purists.

Sherlock Holmes and the American Angels (2007)

Amazon reviewer: "American Angels" refers to a treasure of gold pieces ... waylaid somewhere in Scotland, where various murders and intrigues attend attempts at recovery. With crisp description, Roberts brings the reader right into the locale, with clues worthy of the great detective, and enough action to keep the modern reader engaged - providing an armchair adventure that will delight Holmes purists, and newcomers to this classic genre equally.

Sherlock Holmes and the King’s Governess (2007)

Amazon reviewer: As in other Barrie Roberts Holmes adventures that I have seen, what we have here is a nice blending of real history and pure imagination, a case for Holmes that allows him to display his talents to the full, and a novel that will not insult the intelligence and taste of the reader on every other page. Recommended. 

Amazon reviewers: This threesome of short novels achieves a tone so close to the language of the original Sherlock Holmes stories that you will think they are written by Conan Doyle himself. This interesting compilation has stories that are very different in character - one involves stolen gems and has some romantic overtones, one is a dark tale about a Victorian abortionist, and one is a suspense tale about a missing heiress. Each has a nice twist at the end, and all do an fine job of reviving the authentic character and language of the original Conan Doyle body of work. Highly recommended

The Holmes-Dracula File (1978)

Amazon reviewer: Saberhagen is able to capture the Doyle style effectively, and the characters are consistent. The story is told from alternating viewpoints of Dracula and Watson, and deals with events 6 years after Dracula was "killed" in Stoker's novel. ... But... Holmes really departs from form near the end. I just didn't buy it. Also, in the middle of some of Watson's chapters, Dracula adds footnotes, which seemed a bit jarring.

Séance for a Vampire (1994)

When Sherlock Holmes disappears during an investigation involving a fraudulent spiritualist, Dr. Watson reluctantly summons the famous detective's distant cousin-Count Dracula-to save Holmes's life and solve a mystery centered around a legend of pirates and buried treasure.

Amazon reviewer: Regular Sherlock Holmes readers will feel comfortable with this book. Having said that, it should also be noted that the stories do not push any boundaries of the Holmes canon, and so while comfortably reassuring in their familiarity, are unlikely to spark strong passions.

Amazon reviewers: This is not the best Sherlock Holmes book I have read but it was actually quite enjoyable! Actually it should be titled "Dr Watson and the Titanic Tragedy." Holmes is in it but Watson is certainly in the forefront. ... Contrary to a few of the other reviews, I thought this Holmes was very true to form, and that the author absolutely nailed Watson. ... It has Holmes (coming out of retirement) and Watson boarding the Titanic on a mission to help out Irene (Adler) Norton's daughter on a mission to the United States.

Amazon reviewer: This is an interesting melding of Holmes and Watson into the traditional Dracula tale that takes the reader from London to Transylvania to the Reichenbach Falls. Mimicking the writing style of Conan Doyle, the author presents a logical insertion of Holmes and Watson with the characters in the Dracula story.

Amazon reviewer: It is revealed that Sherlock had spent his time during the hiatus in the service of Her Majesty's Government, under specific directions from Mycroft. Fortunately for the reader, Holmes had a companion during his travels who kept extremely detailed journals of their doings. The companion was the French detective Francois Le Villard, who is casually mentioned in 'The Sign of Four' as having translated some of Holmes' monographs into the French language. Mycroft's commission for Watson is to draft the journals into a cohesive and confidential report for the Government. Thus the stage is set for the dual narratives that make up the book.

Sherlockian review: This is a collection of tales, mostly featuring Dr. Watson along with Sherlock Holmes in his retirement. ... The later pieces are from the pen of Dr. Watson’s son, Sherlock Watson, and they take place later in the lives of the famous pair. They also give us a view of Watson and Holmes that is unique and refreshing. Publisher

Amazon reviewer: I can forgive P.C. Shumway for not having Watson tell the story. ... He is relating a story handed down from his grandfather who served with Watson in WWI to his father and finally to him. It is a rip roaring good tale with suspense, terror, and Holmes doing what he does best. He has a villain who is a magician and who catches Holmes off guard more than once. Even when you know who the villain is or may be early on, it is a splendid battle of wits. Very gory in places. A good read all around.

Sherlockian review: Smith not only knows his Canon, he also knows his Holmes and Watson. Almost everything the pair say and do in these stories rings true, even when the author is fleshing out character traits only barely sketched in the original stories. Hearing Holmes explain why a thoughtful and intelligent man like him takes a foolhardy risk in the excitement of the chase (The Adventure of the Yellow Glove) is a treat. (Refers to Vol. 4)

Teams Holmes with American magician Harry Houdini.

The Secret Cases of Sherlock Holmes (1998)

Publisher's Weekly: Thomas offers a smug Holmes whose ramblings through a collection of stories based on true crimes at the beginning of this century lack both clarity and credibility.

Sherlock Holmes and the Voice from the Crypt (2004)

Publisher's Weekly: Thomas offers six more stories from the tin box that contained The Secret Cases of Sherlock Holmes (1998). Like their predecessors, the six reveal Holmes' work on some of the true-crime cases that captivated late-nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century England. Freely mingling historical fact and creative fiction.

The Execution of Sherlock Holmes (2007)

Publisher's Weekly: The five long tales in Thomas's third Sherlock Holmes collection offer gripping plots and masterfully evoke the flavor of Doyle's original stories of the great detective.

Amazon reviewer: Tracy has edited several works beyond the canonical 60 that were actually penned (or at least outlined and inspired) by Conan Doyle himself -- hence the term 'apocrypha'. These are not parodies or pastiches as such, but rather the product of the original author himself, which, for various reasons, are not part of the main corpus.

Sherlock Holmes and the Giant Rat of Sumatra (2002)

Amazon reviewer: I thought Vanneman did a half decent job of spinning an engaging yarn while keeping a relatively consistent Holmes-appropriate style. ... I suppose the SciFi aspect breaks tradition with the original. ... In this book, we have an evolved species of intelligent rats. Amazon reviewer: Are we really supposed to believe that Holmes would fall in love with the widow Han? Aside from the poor characterizations of Holmes and Watson, the author insists on introducing a legion of intelligent rats, and adding bizarre mystical subplots.

Sherlock Holmes and the Hapsburg Tiara (2004)

Amazon reviewer: For a while, I could deal with excessively long descriptions of Watson's philandering, excruciatingly detailed accounts of the food, long and hard-to-follow descriptions of all the politics surrounding the mystery, and the Mary Sue-esque exploits of Watson's adopted actress daughter Jenny. For a while, I assumed there would have to be a big payoff for all this build-up. But when I got about halfway through, I realized that the story was just too boring for me to care.

Holmes meets H.G. Wells’s Time Traveler when Eloi and Morlocks turn up in Victorian London.

Publisher's Weekly: The suspicious death of a crusading American journalist brings Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson out of retirement, across the pond to the Big Apple and into the lives of prominent American citizens.

Description: Sets out to solve two of the most perplexing riddles of late nineteenth century London: Who was Jack the Ripper? And why was Sherlock Holmes never called upon to hunt down the killer.

Description: Sherlock Holmes is called in to investigate when the body of an Italian diplomat is discovered in the River Thames, his torso horrifically mutilated. ... Events take a shocking turn when a young solicitor is found slain in the East End, his body similarly mutilated.

Baker Street Dozen review: The book consists of five short stories of rather varied levels of success. Each is tied to some element of the supernatural. ... The author manages to maintain the Holmes of old with only a minimum of strain. ... As silly as much of this book was, I found myself enjoying it.

Based on the screenplay by John Hopkins

A pastiche in which Holmes and Watson save Sarah Bernhardt and her $250,000 in gold coins when her private coach is uncoupled from a speeding train.

The Monster of St. Marylebone (1999)

Amazon reviewers: A fairly interesting story that's made less effective by the all-too-modern dialog that the author puts in the mouths of Holmes and Watson. ... If you seek characters and a story with fidelity to the Doyle canon, look elsewhere. Holmes here is dim and vulgar, missing many obvious clues up to the end. His conversations with Watson feature a late twentieth century emotional intimacy wholly foreign to the Victorian era.

The Jewel of Covent Garden (2000)

Amazon reviewer: It may be good enough of a plot and an engaging read for someone unfamiliar with the real Holmes or for someone who is not able to discern the difference between late 19th century British attitudes and late 20th century American attitudes, but it is not good enough for me.

Misc. Stories

"The Case of the Baker Street Dozen" (1981)
Included in Crime Wave (introduced by Desmond Bagley)

Edward D. Hoch
"The Adventure of the Cipher in the Sand" (2000)
Included in: Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine (February 2000)

M.J. Elliott
"The Adventure of the Extraordinary Lodger" (2002)
Included in: Sherlock Magazine #52, December 2002
"The Adventure of the Honourable Cracksman"
Included in: Sherlock Magazine #63
The Adventure of the Mendicant's Face" (2002)
Included in: Sherlock Magazine #49, July 2002
"The Adventure of the Mocking Huntsman" (2003)
Included in: Sherlock Magazine #55

Isaac S. George 
"The Sudden Death of Cardinal Tosca" (1948)

The Greek Interpreters of East Lansing
"The Singular Affair of Mr. Phillip Phot" (1947)

George Kaplan
"The Adventure of the Patient Adversary"
Included in: Sherlock Magazine, Issue 56

The Best of the Pips
The Five Orange Pips of Westchester County, 1955

More Leaves from the Copper Beeches
The Sons of the Copper Beeches, 1976