Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Collection
Publication
Mysterious Press (2017), Edition: 1st Edition, 388 pages
Description
Internationally bestselling author Lyndsay Faye was introduced to the Sherlock Holmes mysteries when she was ten years old and her dad suggested she read Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's short story "The Adventure of the Speckled Band." She immediately became enamored with tales of Holmes and his esteemed biographer Dr. John Watson, and later, began spinning these quintessential characters into her own works of fiction--from her acclaimed debut novel, Dust and Shadow, which pitted the famous detective against Jack the Ripper, to a series of short stories for the Strand Magazine, whose predecessor published the very first Sherlock Holmes short story in 1891. Faye's best Holmes tales, including two new works, are brought together in The Whole Art of Detection, a stunning collection that spans Holmes's career, from self-taught young upstart to publicly lauded detective, both before and after his faked death over a Swiss waterfall in 1894. In "The Lowther Park Mystery," the unsociable Holmes is forced to attend a garden party at the request of his politician brother and improvises a bit of theater to foil a conspiracy against the government. "The Adventure of the Thames Tunnel" brings Holmes's attention to the baffling murder of a jewel thief in the middle of an underground railway passage. With Holmes and Watson encountering all manner of ungrateful relatives, phony psychologists, wronged wives, plaid-garbed villains, and even a peculiar species of deadly red leech, The Whole Art of Detection is a must-read for Sherlockians and any fan of historical crime fiction with a modern sensibility.… (more)
Member reviews
LibraryThing member DabOfDarkness
This collection of Holmes & Watson stories is charming, entertaining, and fulfills my need for stories of this great literary duo. The book is divided into 4 parts. Before Baker Street has stories of the time before the two met each other but they are told in a style that shows the two men know
In The Early Years part, Watson and Holmes have their first cases together, still working out their professional relationship and building a friendship.
The Return shows us Watson’s anger and distress at over losing both Holmes to Reichenbach Falls and his beloved wife Mary to illness, yet to find out that Holmes was still alive is well done. I don’t believe I have ever seen Watson so hurt and angry, and rightly so!
Finally in The Later Years, these stories feel like the traditional Doyle stories where Watson and Holmes work well together, have a solid friendship, and can still irritate one another from time to time.
feel like the traditional Doyle stories where our heroes are master sleuths and get along well with each other’s peculiar quirks.
The Case of Colonel Warburton’s Madness – Watson is attempting to entertain Holmes with a tale of his past before he met him. Set in the Wild West, Watson describes some strange goings on with Colonel Warburton and how this upsets his doting daughter. I really enjoyed this tale as I would like to see some alternate history where Watson and Holmes spend years in the desert Southwest solving cases. 5/5
The Adventure of the Magical Menagerie – Holmes really does have a heart and it shows in this one. We can also see why he keeps it tucked away most times. Definitely an interesting way to hide your illegally gotten goods! It wasn’t my favorite but it was still good. 4/5
The Adventure of the Vintner’s Codex – This story really felt like a match for the original Doyle collection. Holmes can be a complete irritation to Watson and his way of ‘apologizing’ is to tell Watson a tale of stolen music. Parts were charming and heartfelt and a few times I chuckled. 4/5
The Adventure of the Honest Wife – I really enjoyed this one! Sure, Holmes sometimes goes on about the ‘weaker sex’ and yet he often tries to set aside his harsher self to help a lady out.. unless he thinks her faithless. Watson notes how Holmes has an aversion for the female gender entirely. There were some great twists in this one. 5/5
The Adventure of the Beggar’s Feast – This was also a favorite story of the batch. I have often wondered what it would be like if Holmes was a father figure for someone and this story helps to answer that. I love that he was a bit flustered when Watson figures out what he was doing. I can even picture Holmes blushing. 5/5
Memoranda Upon the Gaskell Blackmailing Dilemma – This is one of the tales told from Holmes’s point of view and I get such a chuckle out of his straight forward, honest, and yet often acerbic observations of people and their activities. While Watson is off dealing with the hounds on the moors of Baskerville, Holmes has to sort out a blackmailer. There were some surprises to this one. 5/5
The Lowther Park Mystery – OK, this one was just cute. It was fun but went by really fast. He’s been maneuvered into attending a social dinner party that’s brimming with important people. Watson gently teases him over his distaste of socializing. Engineering a charade, he uses that distraction to foil the plans of some nefarious people. This story also introduces Holmes’s brother Mycroft. The plot was a bit light on details. 4/5
An Empty House – Lestrade makes an appearance in this sad tale. It’s from Watson’s journal during the time shortly after his wife passed away. It’s a weighty piece, probably being the saddest story in the bunch. 4/5
The Adventure of the Memento Mori – This story showed the depths of the friendship between Watson and Holmes and also how hurt Watson was over Holmes’s presumed death. There’s acknowledgement, regret, and acceptance. Of course, there’s this deliciously creepy mystery going on as well. 5/5
Notes Regarding the Disappearance of Mr. James Phillimore – This was a quick and fun tale. I guessed early on what was going on but it was interesting to see Watson put it all together. I do believe that Holmes had guessed the truth of the matter early on but was letting Watson gather up evidence to support his supposition. 4/5
The Adventure of the Willow Basket – It’s interesting to see Holmes’s rationale for handing off credit for solving various mysteries to Lestrade. Not that Lestrade is stupid but sometimes he portrayed as heavy-handed or a bit bumbling. I liked Faye’s take on his character in this story. Leeches. Gotta watch out for those leeches! 4/5
The Adventure of the Lightless Maiden – The Victorian age was in love with the supernatural and it’s quite fun to see what Holmes and Watson make out of a case that apparently involves a ghost. I enjoyed the technical aspects to it. Photography was really coming into it’s own at this time as well. 4/5
The Adventure of the Thames Tunnel – For some reason, this one didn’t really stand out to me yet I don’t know why. Usually I enjoy tales that feature a shadowy organized criminal element, such as the Iron Hand in this story. There’s a jewel thief dead in the Thames Tunnel and our hero duo has only questions to get them started on the mystery. There’s revenge at the heart of the matter. It was fun but not one that stood out for me. 3/5
The Adventure of the Mad Baritone – This was an unexpected one. It was a bit twisted and I totally agreed with Holmes’s anger over how the homeless opera singer was treated and a distressed woman was tricked and cheated. Holmes and Watson were very decent in how they revealed the truth to the woman and also assisting the singer. 5/5
Notes Upon the Diadem Club Affair – Here we have the second story told from Holmes’s point of view, which I really enjoyed. In fact, I wish we had more stories from his point of view. Watson is always so polite and usually kind, so I enjoy these tales that shine a harsher light on all the participants. The mystery was OK but the story was pure fun. 5/5
This is a pretty good collection of Holmes & Watson stories. While there is no one central female character of note (though Mrs. Hudson puts in a few appearances), the female characters come from a variety of backgrounds and with varying degrees of intelligence. Even when I felt this or that character was rather gullible, they were still very human. The ladies weren’t merely filler or someone to be saved or assisted. Often they added to the mystery.
It was really great to see Watson’s medical expertise come into play more than once. Some authors give this skill set a mere nod or simply pass it on by. Not so here, thankfully! Watson worked hard for his medical knowledge. It should be put to use.
All together, I enjoyed this collection of stories more than I expected. This anthology provides depth to the beloved duo.
I received a free copy of this book through LibraryThing.
The Narration: Simon Vance is absolutely lovely to listen to. I loved his clipped voice for Holmes and his warm, caring voice for Watson. He had a variety of accents and his female voices were mostly believable. He kept all the characters distinct and did a great job portraying the emotions of Watson and Holmes.
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each other now and are sharing these past adventures.In The Early Years part, Watson and Holmes have their first cases together, still working out their professional relationship and building a friendship.
The Return shows us Watson’s anger and distress at over losing both Holmes to Reichenbach Falls and his beloved wife Mary to illness, yet to find out that Holmes was still alive is well done. I don’t believe I have ever seen Watson so hurt and angry, and rightly so!
Finally in The Later Years, these stories feel like the traditional Doyle stories where Watson and Holmes work well together, have a solid friendship, and can still irritate one another from time to time.
feel like the traditional Doyle stories where our heroes are master sleuths and get along well with each other’s peculiar quirks.
The Case of Colonel Warburton’s Madness – Watson is attempting to entertain Holmes with a tale of his past before he met him. Set in the Wild West, Watson describes some strange goings on with Colonel Warburton and how this upsets his doting daughter. I really enjoyed this tale as I would like to see some alternate history where Watson and Holmes spend years in the desert Southwest solving cases. 5/5
The Adventure of the Magical Menagerie – Holmes really does have a heart and it shows in this one. We can also see why he keeps it tucked away most times. Definitely an interesting way to hide your illegally gotten goods! It wasn’t my favorite but it was still good. 4/5
The Adventure of the Vintner’s Codex – This story really felt like a match for the original Doyle collection. Holmes can be a complete irritation to Watson and his way of ‘apologizing’ is to tell Watson a tale of stolen music. Parts were charming and heartfelt and a few times I chuckled. 4/5
The Adventure of the Honest Wife – I really enjoyed this one! Sure, Holmes sometimes goes on about the ‘weaker sex’ and yet he often tries to set aside his harsher self to help a lady out.. unless he thinks her faithless. Watson notes how Holmes has an aversion for the female gender entirely. There were some great twists in this one. 5/5
The Adventure of the Beggar’s Feast – This was also a favorite story of the batch. I have often wondered what it would be like if Holmes was a father figure for someone and this story helps to answer that. I love that he was a bit flustered when Watson figures out what he was doing. I can even picture Holmes blushing. 5/5
Memoranda Upon the Gaskell Blackmailing Dilemma – This is one of the tales told from Holmes’s point of view and I get such a chuckle out of his straight forward, honest, and yet often acerbic observations of people and their activities. While Watson is off dealing with the hounds on the moors of Baskerville, Holmes has to sort out a blackmailer. There were some surprises to this one. 5/5
The Lowther Park Mystery – OK, this one was just cute. It was fun but went by really fast. He’s been maneuvered into attending a social dinner party that’s brimming with important people. Watson gently teases him over his distaste of socializing. Engineering a charade, he uses that distraction to foil the plans of some nefarious people. This story also introduces Holmes’s brother Mycroft. The plot was a bit light on details. 4/5
An Empty House – Lestrade makes an appearance in this sad tale. It’s from Watson’s journal during the time shortly after his wife passed away. It’s a weighty piece, probably being the saddest story in the bunch. 4/5
The Adventure of the Memento Mori – This story showed the depths of the friendship between Watson and Holmes and also how hurt Watson was over Holmes’s presumed death. There’s acknowledgement, regret, and acceptance. Of course, there’s this deliciously creepy mystery going on as well. 5/5
Notes Regarding the Disappearance of Mr. James Phillimore – This was a quick and fun tale. I guessed early on what was going on but it was interesting to see Watson put it all together. I do believe that Holmes had guessed the truth of the matter early on but was letting Watson gather up evidence to support his supposition. 4/5
The Adventure of the Willow Basket – It’s interesting to see Holmes’s rationale for handing off credit for solving various mysteries to Lestrade. Not that Lestrade is stupid but sometimes he portrayed as heavy-handed or a bit bumbling. I liked Faye’s take on his character in this story. Leeches. Gotta watch out for those leeches! 4/5
The Adventure of the Lightless Maiden – The Victorian age was in love with the supernatural and it’s quite fun to see what Holmes and Watson make out of a case that apparently involves a ghost. I enjoyed the technical aspects to it. Photography was really coming into it’s own at this time as well. 4/5
The Adventure of the Thames Tunnel – For some reason, this one didn’t really stand out to me yet I don’t know why. Usually I enjoy tales that feature a shadowy organized criminal element, such as the Iron Hand in this story. There’s a jewel thief dead in the Thames Tunnel and our hero duo has only questions to get them started on the mystery. There’s revenge at the heart of the matter. It was fun but not one that stood out for me. 3/5
The Adventure of the Mad Baritone – This was an unexpected one. It was a bit twisted and I totally agreed with Holmes’s anger over how the homeless opera singer was treated and a distressed woman was tricked and cheated. Holmes and Watson were very decent in how they revealed the truth to the woman and also assisting the singer. 5/5
Notes Upon the Diadem Club Affair – Here we have the second story told from Holmes’s point of view, which I really enjoyed. In fact, I wish we had more stories from his point of view. Watson is always so polite and usually kind, so I enjoy these tales that shine a harsher light on all the participants. The mystery was OK but the story was pure fun. 5/5
This is a pretty good collection of Holmes & Watson stories. While there is no one central female character of note (though Mrs. Hudson puts in a few appearances), the female characters come from a variety of backgrounds and with varying degrees of intelligence. Even when I felt this or that character was rather gullible, they were still very human. The ladies weren’t merely filler or someone to be saved or assisted. Often they added to the mystery.
It was really great to see Watson’s medical expertise come into play more than once. Some authors give this skill set a mere nod or simply pass it on by. Not so here, thankfully! Watson worked hard for his medical knowledge. It should be put to use.
All together, I enjoyed this collection of stories more than I expected. This anthology provides depth to the beloved duo.
I received a free copy of this book through LibraryThing.
The Narration: Simon Vance is absolutely lovely to listen to. I loved his clipped voice for Holmes and his warm, caring voice for Watson. He had a variety of accents and his female voices were mostly believable. He kept all the characters distinct and did a great job portraying the emotions of Watson and Holmes.
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LibraryThing member nbmars
I have never especially been a fan of Sherlock Holmes, but I like Lyndsay Faye’s writing enough to want to read whatever she produces.
The author has apparently been writing these tales for a while about the characters of Sherlock Holmes and his collaborator and biographer John Watson, and they
“There are precious few crimes in this world, merely a hundred million variations upon a dozen or so themes.”
Most of the stories are told from the point of view of Dr. Watson, although a few appear as excerpts from Sherlock Holmes’ diary.
Throughout the book we get a growing sense of the skill of Sherlock Holmes and his amazing powers of observation and deduction. We also get increasing evidence of the the devotion each man has for the other. In fact, I thought the continuing unfolding of their relationship makes a better story than the recounting of crimes and how they got solved. I also enjoyed the difference between the ways in which Watson and Holmes thought about women. Watson tends to wax rhapsodic about them, while Holmes avers:
“I would as soon permanently tether myself to a wardrobe as a female…”
Faye is very adept at conjuring up the atmosphere and syntax of the times, and her turns of phrase are often breathtakingly adept, such as with this musing by Dr. Watson:
“The sea of melancholy in which I was floating had soaked me to the bone.”
Evaluation: This volume is bound to please fans of Sherlock Holmes. Lyndsay Faye is an excellent writer.
The author has apparently been writing these tales for a while about the characters of Sherlock Holmes and his collaborator and biographer John Watson, and they
Show More
are collected in this volume along with two new stories. They illustrate a point Holmes makes to Watson when discussing a case:“There are precious few crimes in this world, merely a hundred million variations upon a dozen or so themes.”
Most of the stories are told from the point of view of Dr. Watson, although a few appear as excerpts from Sherlock Holmes’ diary.
Throughout the book we get a growing sense of the skill of Sherlock Holmes and his amazing powers of observation and deduction. We also get increasing evidence of the the devotion each man has for the other. In fact, I thought the continuing unfolding of their relationship makes a better story than the recounting of crimes and how they got solved. I also enjoyed the difference between the ways in which Watson and Holmes thought about women. Watson tends to wax rhapsodic about them, while Holmes avers:
“I would as soon permanently tether myself to a wardrobe as a female…”
Faye is very adept at conjuring up the atmosphere and syntax of the times, and her turns of phrase are often breathtakingly adept, such as with this musing by Dr. Watson:
“The sea of melancholy in which I was floating had soaked me to the bone.”
Evaluation: This volume is bound to please fans of Sherlock Holmes. Lyndsay Faye is an excellent writer.
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LibraryThing member Doondeck
I received this audiobook as part of the Early Reviewers program. I also bought the hard copy. I really liked both versions. Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson never get old. I'm so happy they keep getting reinvented.
LibraryThing member jamespurcell
Excellent narrsation for a very good set of "Holmeian" short stories. Tales mimic well the nuances of Watson's role as amanuensis and friend to the darkly intensive and intellectual world's first consulting detective. .
LibraryThing member Disco_grinch
I received a copy of this audio book in exchange for an HONEST reviw.
The Whole Art of Detection: Lost Mysteries of Sherlock Holmes
By Lyndsay Faye
Ms. Faye does an excellent job in recreating the feeling and tone of the original stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The mysteries she crafted were
In addition to the outstanding story crafting, the choice of narrator Mr. Simon Vance was perfect. His range of voices and the authenticity of accents was amazing.
Overall I would give this audio book 4 out of 5 stars!
The Whole Art of Detection: Lost Mysteries of Sherlock Holmes
By Lyndsay Faye
Ms. Faye does an excellent job in recreating the feeling and tone of the original stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The mysteries she crafted were
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interesting and were definitely inventive.In addition to the outstanding story crafting, the choice of narrator Mr. Simon Vance was perfect. His range of voices and the authenticity of accents was amazing.
Overall I would give this audio book 4 out of 5 stars!
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LibraryThing member Beammey
As a lover of Sherlock Holmes I figured this would be a great read (or listen for me because I heard the audiobook!) and I was not disappointed. It was a joy to listen to and I loved being able to guess what would happen (and be wrong!) Overall the writing style is good and Sherlock isn't quite
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like how Doyle wrote him, but I still enjoyed this so much and would recommend it. 5 out of 5 stars. Show Less
LibraryThing member jmoncton
If you are a Sherlock Holmes fan, you will definitely want to pick up this book! I've read the entire oeuvre and had been watching Elementary and Sherlock on TV to get my Sherlock Holmes fix. I'm impressed! Lyndsay Faye does a fantastic job of mimicking the style and speech of the original
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mysteries. But she also adds her own touch to these stories. I thought there was a gentler, kinder side to Holmes and more revealed about the enduring friendship between Watson and Holmes. I listened to this in audio (thank you, Library Thing!), and loved the performance by Simon Vance. His wonderful range of character voices made this a listening pleasure. Show Less
LibraryThing member vnesting
An all together enjoyable visit to the world of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson. These stories were an excellent match to the original ones, and Simon Vance's narration made listening a delight. Highly recommended.
LibraryThing member Storeetllr
Disclosure: I'm not a big fan of fanfiction and don't usually enjoy reading stories about characters that were created by a different author, especially iconic characters like Mr. Sherlock Holmes, but I really like Lindsay Faye - her Timothy Wilde trilogy was wonderful, and I enjoyed her Jane
Now, on to the stories themselves. The early Holmes stories - before he became a great detective when he was still learning his craft - weren't my favorites, though they were interesting in filling in that part of Holmes' life. I think the way they were told - Holmes telling Watson stories to take Watson's mind off other things - was part of the problem. Too cute. After that shaky beginning, though, it became as if Faye were channeling Doyle. She captured Watson's voice almost perfectly, as well as her recreation of Holmesian London and its denizens, and the stories where Holmes is the narrator sound like I imagine Doyle might have written him. The obvious affection between Holmes and Watson is new, but I think had Doyle not been a repressed Victorian gentleman he might have written more like that because, really, the two men were friends for a hell of a longer time than is likely had Holmes not felt more affection and respect for Watson than what I recall from the original stories.
One of my favorites is "The Diadem Club Affair," a fun story told in Holmes' own voice, not least because of the character of flibbertigibbet Lord Chesley Templeton and because it has a nice twist at the end that introduces the Baroness Orzy. The other story told from Holmes' point of view - "The Gaskell Blackmailing Dilemma" - is also a favorite, though a bit darker and not as much pure fun.
I think anyone who loves Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's original Sherlock Holmes stories will enjoy this book, but I think it would be best read first in print and then, if inclined, the audiobook.
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Steele, loosely based on Jane Eyre - enough to try this book of short fiction detailing some of Holmes' hitherto "lost" cases, including a few that occurred before he met Dr. John Watson. (Somehow I missed reading "Dust and Shadows," which pits Holmes against The Ripper. I'll be remedying that oversight soon.) When I requested this audiobook, I was doing a lot of driving. Soon after I received it, though, I was all moved and am no longer in my car for long drives, which is when I usually listen to CDs, so it took me awhile to finish because, honestly, I didn't feel compelled to continue. So at some point I borrowed the eBook from the library, and then - well, then it got compelling to the point where I also borrowed the audiobook from the library so I could listen to it when reading wasn't possible and I wasn't easily able to load a CD. Now, on to the stories themselves. The early Holmes stories - before he became a great detective when he was still learning his craft - weren't my favorites, though they were interesting in filling in that part of Holmes' life. I think the way they were told - Holmes telling Watson stories to take Watson's mind off other things - was part of the problem. Too cute. After that shaky beginning, though, it became as if Faye were channeling Doyle. She captured Watson's voice almost perfectly, as well as her recreation of Holmesian London and its denizens, and the stories where Holmes is the narrator sound like I imagine Doyle might have written him. The obvious affection between Holmes and Watson is new, but I think had Doyle not been a repressed Victorian gentleman he might have written more like that because, really, the two men were friends for a hell of a longer time than is likely had Holmes not felt more affection and respect for Watson than what I recall from the original stories.
One of my favorites is "The Diadem Club Affair," a fun story told in Holmes' own voice, not least because of the character of flibbertigibbet Lord Chesley Templeton and because it has a nice twist at the end that introduces the Baroness Orzy. The other story told from Holmes' point of view - "The Gaskell Blackmailing Dilemma" - is also a favorite, though a bit darker and not as much pure fun.
I think anyone who loves Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's original Sherlock Holmes stories will enjoy this book, but I think it would be best read first in print and then, if inclined, the audiobook.
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LibraryThing member jjlangel
I'd rate myself as a mild-to-moderate Holmes enthusiast -- I love the original stories, and read or watch whatever modern adaptations, extensions, or rip-offs I come across, but I don't search them out, talk about them on message boards, or wear period clothing. From this perspective, I find this
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set of stories to be very nicely done. The tone is spot on, the types of mysteries are well within the original scope (the author doesn't pre-invent some 20th century device and then have Holmes save the world from it, he doesn't solve the Ripper mystery, and there are no supernatural elements, all of which have been done elsewhere.) I'm not sure the pure deduction is handled as well as the original, and I would say the author gives in to the temptation to humanize Holmes just a tad. The best part is that we finally learn about those tantalizing cases that were just teased in the original stories -- what was the case that caused Holmes to send Watson off alone with Sir Henry Baskerville, and how did the depth to which the parsley had sunk into the butter solve a case? I received a review copy of the audio version of this book, and, once I figured out how to play a CD (without noticing, I had apparently gotten rid of all my CD devices as I upgraded computers and video equipment) I thoroughly enjoyed the narration. Show Less
LibraryThing member meandmybooks
3 ½ stars. I enjoyed this, but not nearly as much as I did her earlier full length Holmes tale, Dust and Shadow. I think the problem for me is that in this collection of short stories, published in Strand Magazine and elsewhere between 2009 and 2016, Faye needs to spend time firmly establishing in
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each story how lean and chiseled her hero is, how self-consciously uninterested in food, and how devoted he and Watson are to one another, and the mysteries themselves sometimes feel, not merely “secondary,” but, as in the case of the last story, barely an afterthought. Each new tale opens with the suggestion of delightfully “Holmesian” intricacies, but then the relationship between Holmes and Watson devours the author's attention and the mysteries are rushed. Pleasant, but forgettable. Show Less
LibraryThing member Unkletom
Lyndsay Faye is no stranger to the world of Sherlock Holmes. Having penned the popular Dust and Shadows in which the great consulting detective takes on the greatest criminal of his day, the notorious Jack the Ripper, Faye is now reintroducing Holmes to the world in the format that it is most
In The Whole Art of Detection Faye presents her readers with fifteen newly uncovered cases in four sections. The first section, Before Baker Street, begins with The Case of Colonel Warburton's Madness, in which Watson describes events that occurred in San Francisco before he and Holmes met and Holmes offers his assessment of what actually happened. Other stories are told in a variety of formats including excerpts from Holmes’s notes on cases. This format is particularly interesting as it doesn’t have Watson’s innate kindness to soften the disdain that Holmes often feels for those who lack his mental prowess.
The section The Early Years is also interesting in that it gives readers an insight into Watson’s mental state after losing his best friend to Reichenbach Falls and his wife to disease only to learn that Holmes had been alive for three years and hadn’t bothered to let his trusted friend know. The remaining sections, The Return and The Later Years contain more traditional stories. In some, though, Faye takes pains to use the story’s plot to shed light on the quirkier aspects of Holmes’s personality. One of the most fascinating tales in Faye’s collection is The Adventure of the Memento Mori. In it, Holmes and Watson encounter a twisted doctor who shocks the detectives with the wanton brutality of his mental health treatments. The treatments that so offended them; ice baths, electricity, starvation, isolation, and mercury tablets, were commonly accepted treatments for mental illness until well into the twentieth century. Holmes’s reaction, though, was so extreme that readers might wonder if he had deep-seated issues of his on with regards to psychiatric treatment:
“The depths to which human depravity can sink will never cease to confound me. What are we to make of the species in light of this room? Where is progress? Where is logic? Where is reason itself when a savage smashing his comrade’s skull with a rock would be kinder treatment of the race? I ask you, what is the limit of our perversion? Hell is empty,” Holmes concluded under his breath. “And all the Devils are here.”
Only once in the entire collection was I disappointed by what I read and that is not in Faye’s portrayal of Holmes or Watson but in a matter of historical accuracy. in the first story "The Case of Colonel Warburton's Madness", Faye referred to “pitched fighting between the Texians - that is, the Anglo settlers - and the Tejanos”. As I understand it a Tejano, then as now, is a Hispanic resident of Texas. As Faye mentioned Sam Houston and the Battle of San Jacinto she had to be referring to was the Texas Revolution that was fought between the residents of Texas and a Mexican army led by Gen. Antonio López de Santa Anna. At that time, there was no “pitched fighting between the Texians and the Tejanos”. The Texians and Tejanos were largely united in their efforts to resist the authority of a distant Mexican government. While some Tejanos sided with Mexico, most joined with the Texians and fought for their independence. Captain Juan Seguin and a company of Tejanos fought alongside Austin, Eight Tejanos fought and died defending the Alamo and three others were signers of the Texas Declaration of Independence. In short, suggesting that the white and Hispanic settlers of Texas were at war with each other at this time does a disservice to both.
Simon Vance is an accomplished narrator and his stately British accent immediately reminds the reader of the older, stodgier portrayals of Dr. Watson. I may personally prefer the younger portrayals of Watson this is familiar, and therefore comforting territory.
Bottom Line: There have been many pastiches written about A. Conan Doyle’s marvelous detective duo but few really dig deep and make an effort to get to the heart of who Sherlock Holmes was and why he behaved the way he did. Lyndsay Faye a sincere effort to do so and has written many stories that would be a credit to John Watson’s portfolio. 4 ½ stars.
*Quotations are cited from an advanced reading copy and may not be the same as appears in the final published edition. The review was based on an advanced reading copy obtained at no cost from the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review. While this does take any ‘not worth what I paid for it’ statements out of my review, it otherwise has no impact on the content of my review.
FYI: On a 5-point scale I assign stars based on my assessment of what the book needs in the way of improvements:
*5 Stars – Nothing at all. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
*4 Stars – It could stand for a few tweaks here and there but it’s pretty good as it is.
*3 Stars – A solid C grade. Some serious rewriting would be needed in order for this book to be considered great or memorable.
*2 Stars – This book needs a lot of work. A good start would be to change the plot, the character development, the writing style and the ending.
*1 Star - The only thing that would improve this book is a good bonfire.
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familiar with, as an anthology of short stories. In The Whole Art of Detection Faye presents her readers with fifteen newly uncovered cases in four sections. The first section, Before Baker Street, begins with The Case of Colonel Warburton's Madness, in which Watson describes events that occurred in San Francisco before he and Holmes met and Holmes offers his assessment of what actually happened. Other stories are told in a variety of formats including excerpts from Holmes’s notes on cases. This format is particularly interesting as it doesn’t have Watson’s innate kindness to soften the disdain that Holmes often feels for those who lack his mental prowess.
The section The Early Years is also interesting in that it gives readers an insight into Watson’s mental state after losing his best friend to Reichenbach Falls and his wife to disease only to learn that Holmes had been alive for three years and hadn’t bothered to let his trusted friend know. The remaining sections, The Return and The Later Years contain more traditional stories. In some, though, Faye takes pains to use the story’s plot to shed light on the quirkier aspects of Holmes’s personality. One of the most fascinating tales in Faye’s collection is The Adventure of the Memento Mori. In it, Holmes and Watson encounter a twisted doctor who shocks the detectives with the wanton brutality of his mental health treatments. The treatments that so offended them; ice baths, electricity, starvation, isolation, and mercury tablets, were commonly accepted treatments for mental illness until well into the twentieth century. Holmes’s reaction, though, was so extreme that readers might wonder if he had deep-seated issues of his on with regards to psychiatric treatment:
“The depths to which human depravity can sink will never cease to confound me. What are we to make of the species in light of this room? Where is progress? Where is logic? Where is reason itself when a savage smashing his comrade’s skull with a rock would be kinder treatment of the race? I ask you, what is the limit of our perversion? Hell is empty,” Holmes concluded under his breath. “And all the Devils are here.”
Only once in the entire collection was I disappointed by what I read and that is not in Faye’s portrayal of Holmes or Watson but in a matter of historical accuracy. in the first story "The Case of Colonel Warburton's Madness", Faye referred to “pitched fighting between the Texians - that is, the Anglo settlers - and the Tejanos”. As I understand it a Tejano, then as now, is a Hispanic resident of Texas. As Faye mentioned Sam Houston and the Battle of San Jacinto she had to be referring to was the Texas Revolution that was fought between the residents of Texas and a Mexican army led by Gen. Antonio López de Santa Anna. At that time, there was no “pitched fighting between the Texians and the Tejanos”. The Texians and Tejanos were largely united in their efforts to resist the authority of a distant Mexican government. While some Tejanos sided with Mexico, most joined with the Texians and fought for their independence. Captain Juan Seguin and a company of Tejanos fought alongside Austin, Eight Tejanos fought and died defending the Alamo and three others were signers of the Texas Declaration of Independence. In short, suggesting that the white and Hispanic settlers of Texas were at war with each other at this time does a disservice to both.
Simon Vance is an accomplished narrator and his stately British accent immediately reminds the reader of the older, stodgier portrayals of Dr. Watson. I may personally prefer the younger portrayals of Watson this is familiar, and therefore comforting territory.
Bottom Line: There have been many pastiches written about A. Conan Doyle’s marvelous detective duo but few really dig deep and make an effort to get to the heart of who Sherlock Holmes was and why he behaved the way he did. Lyndsay Faye a sincere effort to do so and has written many stories that would be a credit to John Watson’s portfolio. 4 ½ stars.
*Quotations are cited from an advanced reading copy and may not be the same as appears in the final published edition. The review was based on an advanced reading copy obtained at no cost from the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review. While this does take any ‘not worth what I paid for it’ statements out of my review, it otherwise has no impact on the content of my review.
FYI: On a 5-point scale I assign stars based on my assessment of what the book needs in the way of improvements:
*5 Stars – Nothing at all. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
*4 Stars – It could stand for a few tweaks here and there but it’s pretty good as it is.
*3 Stars – A solid C grade. Some serious rewriting would be needed in order for this book to be considered great or memorable.
*2 Stars – This book needs a lot of work. A good start would be to change the plot, the character development, the writing style and the ending.
*1 Star - The only thing that would improve this book is a good bonfire.
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LibraryThing member seasonsoflove
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book, or my review itself.
Faye has crafted a collection of short stories centered around Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson. These stories cover the early years of Holmes'
I loved everything! The mysteries are fantastic and varied, and read just like the original canon stories do. Faye truly has a gift for capturing Doyle's spirit and voice within her takes on the tales.
I especially loved the more personal glimpses we get into Holmes' and Watson's hearts and heads. Holmes' return from the dead, and its emotional effects, is really examined here, in a beautiful way that is true to the original characters.
I absolutely loved this collection. I want to run out and own it right now so I can put it on my Sherlock Holmes' shelves. There was nothing I didn't like.
I highly recommend this book for any and all Holmes' fans.
Faye has crafted a collection of short stories centered around Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson. These stories cover the early years of Holmes'
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career, through his supposed death and return, all the way through to years after he has resumed his life in London.I loved everything! The mysteries are fantastic and varied, and read just like the original canon stories do. Faye truly has a gift for capturing Doyle's spirit and voice within her takes on the tales.
I especially loved the more personal glimpses we get into Holmes' and Watson's hearts and heads. Holmes' return from the dead, and its emotional effects, is really examined here, in a beautiful way that is true to the original characters.
I absolutely loved this collection. I want to run out and own it right now so I can put it on my Sherlock Holmes' shelves. There was nothing I didn't like.
I highly recommend this book for any and all Holmes' fans.
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LibraryThing member RobertPater
Like many other devotees, I'm a lifelong Sherlock junkie. In the literally hundreds of pastiches I've consumed, too many have left me either with indigestion or feeling mostly unnourished. But Lyndsay Faye writes beautifully. Sherlock and Watson are in line with how ACD portrayed them - only more
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so. Faye fleshes out these characters so they become fully three dimensional - all while maintaining their original essence. The stories are (for the most part) intriguing and intelligent (hey, even ACD had a few that weren't "great") and the detecting finely done. My only complaint? I wish she'd write more Sherlock stuff and quicker! Show Less
LibraryThing member alanteder
This series of short stories captures many of the hallmarks of the Sherlock Holmes canon as established by Arthur Conan Doyle, but the actual mystery and solution elements of the individual cases receive a short shrift. None of the villains or the plots were all that memorable, but the overall
I listened to the Audible Audio edition thanks to an Audible Daily Deal. The narration by audiobook veteran Simon Vance was excellent.
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Holmesian aura was still very well done. It seemed like more care was taken in recreating the ACD style, but not enough on actual clever plots.I listened to the Audible Audio edition thanks to an Audible Daily Deal. The narration by audiobook veteran Simon Vance was excellent.
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LibraryThing member flashflood42
Someone else's review: One of my favorites is "The Diadem Club Affair," a fun story told in Holmes' own voice, not least because of the character of flibbertigibbet Lord Chesley Templeton and because it has a nice twist at the end that introduces the Baroness Orzy. The other story told from Holmes'
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point of view - "The Gaskell Blackmailing Dilemma" - is also a favorite, though a bit darker and not as much pure fun. Stories that are prequels and pick up on details just mentioned in the regular Holmes stories. Why Holmes stayed in London and sent Doyle to Baskerville for example. Show Less
LibraryThing member LGandT
Still not getting into the big anthologies.
The stories though by themselves are good, good atmosphere, the presentation is good, the usage of time appropriate speech and all such the like. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoyed Faye's Dust and Shadow.
I just found again I like the original
The stories though by themselves are good, good atmosphere, the presentation is good, the usage of time appropriate speech and all such the like. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoyed Faye's Dust and Shadow.
I just found again I like the original
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canon to any other "big set of Holmes stories" Show Less
LibraryThing member LisCarey
These are the Sherlock Holmes stories that Arthur Conan Doyle never wrote--stories from before he met Watson, stories that couldn't be told because they would have harmed innocent people, stories told from Holmes' point of view. What, for instance, was he doing in when he stayed in London during
And they are, from my perspective, good, solid, enjoyable stories, close enough in tone to Doyle that I wasn't annoyed or frustrated or kicked out of the stories.
An enjoyable read or listen.
I bought this audiobook.
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the first part of The Hound of the Baskervilles? There's even one story that concerns an experience Watson had during his time in San Francisco, long before he met Holmes.And they are, from my perspective, good, solid, enjoyable stories, close enough in tone to Doyle that I wasn't annoyed or frustrated or kicked out of the stories.
An enjoyable read or listen.
I bought this audiobook.
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LibraryThing member autumnturner76
Once I managed to start (my TBR pile is very distracting), I thoroughly enjoyed. I suggest if you are a Sherlock Holmes fan who appreciates new material that adds to the characters while remaining true to Doyle's creations.
LibraryThing member Jerry.Yoakum
I enjoyed Lyndsay Faye's style. She makes Sherlock Holmes into a little bit more of a gentleman, which is pretty cool.
This book follows a journal format and skips back and forth with regard to time and sometimes point-of-view. I imagine that in the print version there is whitespace that indicates a
Overall, a good book. I want more Sherlock Holmes!
This book follows a journal format and skips back and forth with regard to time and sometimes point-of-view. I imagine that in the print version there is whitespace that indicates a
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context switch. However, in the audiobook, there really isn't much of a warning.Overall, a good book. I want more Sherlock Holmes!
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LibraryThing member datrappert
Faye's tales of Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson are highly readable and fairly entertaining, and, as always, her settings are exceedingly well done. However, they pale in comparison to the originals, and Faye's ingrained habit of having her characters talk and talk (and talk and talk) (and talk
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and talk some more), while enabling her to provide lots of insights into how Holmes and Watson feel about each other, works against the more serious atmosphere the stories deserve. The plots themselves are serviceable, but again fall well short of their progenitor. Luckily, Faye is great at making up her own stories and really doesn't need to borrow characters from others. Show Less
LibraryThing member TheYodamom
Short stories full of mysteries and villains. I don;t normally enjoy shorts but this one really fit well with traveling. I could read them is short bursts without feeling like I was waiting for something. Very enjoyable little mysteries, perfect for the Sherlock fan, who wants a quickie
LibraryThing member Vesper1931
These mysteries cover the whole span of Holmes' career. I enjoyed all the stories in the collection and could easily imagine Watson and Holmes speaking from these tales. They are told from both their view point starting with a mystery Watson had never been able to solve which occurred while he
An entertaining book.
A NetGalley Book
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lived in California.An entertaining book.
A NetGalley Book
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LibraryThing member Charon07
Lyndsay Faye writes some of the best Holmes pastiches I’ve read. This is a collection of short stories, a couple from the journals of Holmes and Watson, in some of which the “mystery” is just backdrop for our beloved duo ruminating on their daily lives and in so doing shedding light on their
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personalities and relationship. Show Less
LibraryThing member jetangen4571
it was amazing
bookshelves: mystery, murder-investigation, sherlock
Read from September 21 to October 19, 2016
Even the Russian judge would give this a 10! The author seems to be possessed by the very essence of Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes, the tone, style, imagination. Bringing forth a whole new
Profuse thanks to Net Galley for the opportunity to request and receive this marvelous book from the publisher!
bookshelves: mystery, murder-investigation, sherlock
Read from September 21 to October 19, 2016
Even the Russian judge would give this a 10! The author seems to be possessed by the very essence of Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes, the tone, style, imagination. Bringing forth a whole new
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collection of tales covering a greater period of the lives of Holmes and Watson including things like the case that Watson was involved in while in San Francisco. Not going to detail the whole book, of course, but this book will grab you by the mind and not let go, then drag you back again and again. Profuse thanks to Net Galley for the opportunity to request and receive this marvelous book from the publisher!
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Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2017-03-07
Physical description
388 p.; 6 inches
ISBN
0802125921 / 9780802125927
