Usually, I open a review of a new MX collection by waxing lyrical about the stories and the calibre of the authors. This new collection of three volumes — XIX, XX, and XX — certainly contain jewels, but before I tell you about my favourites, I want to beg and plead that before you delve into these, you first take the time to read the foreword by editor David Marcum.

Not Just “Always 1895” — a Hero for Now, is a masterclass in all things Sherlock Holmes. If you’re new to the Great Detective, or even if you can recite The Hound of theBaskervilles almost by heart, ahem, you will find that Mr Marcum’s precise examination of the Holmes and Watson legend puts the character and stories into a context that can only enhance your enjoyment of reading the stories that follow, as well as the original Conan…