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Category Archives: Sherlock Holmes and Arthur Conan Doyle

With many books on Sherlock Holmes, Arthur Conan Doyle, PG Wodehouse and Bertram Fletcher Robinson our Victorian Literature range is growing fast.

Two Days To Go To The Great Sherlock Holmes Debate

08 Nov

There are just two days to go to The Great Sherlock Holmes Debate and we’ve been practising with the on-line technology with the team captains. As we have two podcast presenters (Kristina and Burt) and an actor (Nick) we have to admit that our chairperson (Steve from MX Publishing) is the one feeling the pressure of presenting live – he has the easy task of making the introductions though.

The presentations are looking amazing. The effort that has gone in from the teams is quite incredible – many late nights and weekends alongside busy schedules and we now can’t wait until the event itself. There are several resources for fans ahead of the debate:

  •  Always 1895 our press man Matt Laffey has been delivering detailed articles on the debate and more to follow this week
  • The Great Sherlock Holmes Debate Facebook Page – the place for the latest news
  • The slideshare site where you can find the introduction presentations for each team and where we will be putting the debate presentations after the debate is over – Slideshare Site

The team captains will be talking a lot about the debate on Facebook in the coming 48 hours – Baker Street Babes, I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere and Big Finish Productions.

Please remember the debate is supporting two important causes – Save Undershaw and BAFTA for Jeremy Brett – please check out their sites and join their pages on Facebook (Undershaw Trust on Facebook).

 
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Posted by on November 8, 2011 in Sherlock Holmes and Arthur Conan Doyle, Sherlock Holmes Events, The Great Sherlock Holmes Debate

 

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Philip K Jones aka The Ill Dressed Vagabond Reviews A Case of Witchcraft – A Novel of Sherlock Holmes

03 Nov

Last month the Sherlock Holmes Society of London described A Case of Witchcraft as “well written and thoroughly researched”. This month it is the turn of Philip K Jones (aka The Ill Dressed Vagabond) with a very detailed review. Phil’s own first book – The Punishment of Sherlock Holmes is out soon.

“This novel is a first person narration by Sherlock Holmes.  Dr. Watson is laid up as the result of an Operation to remove the Jezail bullet he had carried since his Service in Afghanistan.  The daughter of a clergyman has asked Holmes to investigate the disappearance of her father on one of the Scottish North Sea islands.  As the object of the Reverend’s investigation was one of three main source tales for the traditional Cinderella story, one that involved witchcraft and had been denounced by the Established Church, his daughter believed that he might have been taken by devotees of the Mother Goddess for use as a sacrifice at the upcoming Halloween celebrations.  Holmes agrees to investigate and sets out for the North coast of Scotland.

On the northbound train he falls in with the young Aleister Crowley and their discussions of Witchcraft, Eastern religions and Holmes’ case lead Crowley to offer his services as companion/bodyguard to Holmes for the duration of his investigation.  Their discussions make the Author’s Historical points by citing examples but they avoid giving a general summary of the details available about the World’s oldest surviving Religion.  The events that triggered this particular ‘Ur-Cinderella’ variant seem to have occurred in Viking times and to have taken place on an island later noted as a source of ‘Witches.’

My own acquaintance with what is now called Wicca and its history assure me that its origins go back to and, possibly, before  the Neolithic Age.  I still recall first reading Robert Graves’ “Hercules, My Shipmate” and  my astonishment at the Priestesses of The Mother Goddess parching next year’s seed grain in a dispute with the Priests of the local Thunder God.  The God’s reply was traditional, as, in visions to his priests, he encouraged the men to go a-raiding to find loot to buy food.  Mr. Revill’s characters cite elements of various worship systems across Eurasia that seem to echo worship of the Mother Goddess.  In fact, the same tenets remain with us to this day cloaked in the guise of “green” practices with all of the ‘religious’ elements removed, except, perhaps, the ardor.

Holmes, in this book, uses a prose style that is spare and simple.  It is not the same voice that we hear in The Canon when Holmes is dictating.  It is possible that difference from the Canon might well be due to the efforts of the Literary Agent on the Canon.  In any case, this Holmes is inclined to discuss philosophy and his personal views much more than in previous publications.  He is also less prone to descriptions and to pontificating and belittling the efforts of the police.  Maybe it is the presence of Crowley, a public non-Christian, who would not be offended by Holmes’ Atheism following his studies in Tibet that encourages Holmes to open his thoughts more to his audience.  Watson, of course, would have been shocked to the core of his Established Church soul.

Perhaps the most singular feature of this book is its interesting characters.  All of the people depicted present strong and impressive personalities to the world.  From the local Detective Sergeant to the Schoolmistress and from the Island Provost to the waitress at a Fish and Chips store, all are distinct, interesting and individual people.  Secrets abound within secrets and there are several secretive movements at odds with one another.  The Nineteenth Century is dying before it really had a chance to enter into the lives of the Island and the twentieth Century is banging on the door loudly demanding entry.  Meanwhile, all involved are still trying to untangle the problems of the Tenth Century.

This book is deceptive.  A reader may expect some descent into barbarism and mumbo-jumbo or a tale of horror and madness.  Instead, one finds people coping with inherited Cultural positions and striving for control (‘Power’ is such a Nasty word) over their lives.  The same conflicts that arose at the very dawn of History are alive and kicking.  People are still only people and lives are taken, altered and enriched by the oddest trifles and strangest events.  Over all there remains the story of Cinderella, told from the viewpoint of the ‘wicked stepmother.’  It is a sharp and cogent tale, not just a case from Late Victorian times, but also a microcosm of large parts of Human History.”

A Case of Witchcraft is available from Amazon, and also in all good formats including Amazon Kindle , Barnes and Noble Nook, and iBooks for the iPad.

 
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Posted by on November 3, 2011 in Book Reviews, Sherlock Holmes and Arthur Conan Doyle

 

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Fans from 23 countries grab tickets for The Great Sherlock Holmes Debate

02 Nov

Over 600 Sherlock Holmes fans joined the Great Sherlock Holmes Debate Facebook page to compete for batches of tickets for the audience for next Thursday’s debate. Fans from 23 different countries successfully grabbing a precious ticket to the Holmes event of the year and the final audience list is attached below – along with a reminder of all the team members.

The debate takes place on 10th November 2011 at 8pm UK time online so all audience members need is an internet connection to listen in and submit their questions live – they will also get a chance to submit a question/comment ahead of the debate.

They will also be asked to vote for their favourite team before, and again after, the debate – a great measure of the strength of the team arguments.

The debate is being hosted by Sherlock Holmes Publishers MX Publishing who will be posting up slides and video clips from the debate via the Facebook page after the event for fans that didn’t get an audience ticket.

Please remember the debate is supporting two important causes – Save Undershaw and BAFTA for Jeremy Brett – please check out their sites and join their pages on Facebook – Undershaw Trust on Facebook and Bafta4JB on Facebook.

Team Members:

Team 1 (BBC Sherlock)

The Baker Street Babes– Team Captains

Sherlockology 

Roger Johnson (Sherlock Holmes Society of London)

Charlotte Walters, Dan Andriacco, Kate Workman, Tracy Revels (Holmes authors)

Team 2 (Warner Brothers)

Gerry O’Hara (film director)

I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere (podcast)

Jamie Mahoney (blog)

Larry Feldman (Society Founder)

Kieran McMullen, Gerry Kelly (Holmes authors)

Team 3 (The Traditionalists)

Nick Briggs (actor + team captain)

Roger Llewellwyn (actor – has played Holmes on stage over 800 times in last 10 years)

Martin Montague (producer)

Alistair Duncan , Paul R Spiring  (Holmes Authora)

 

Audience Members:

Christina – Burnaby – Canada

Maarja – Tallin – Estonia

Alix -Shreveprt – USA

Kelly – Brooklyn – USA

Yui Manabe – Kobe-City – Japan

Young Wei Ping – Singapore

Lilith – Zwickau – Germany

Ninnette – Winnipeg – Canada

Rebecca – Melbourne – Australia

Carola – Alphen aan den Rijn – Netherlands

Louisa – Montreal – Canada

Caitlyn – Adelaide – Australia

Carrie – Pittsburgh – USA

Alice – Christchurch – New Zealand

Deanna – London – ENGLAND

Arachel – Mississauga – Canada

Kenza – Paris – France

Valentina – Leghorn – Italy

Jessica – Durban – South Africa

Steve – Silver Creek – USA

Joanna – Cambridge – ENGLAND

Isobel – Nailsworth – ENGLAND

Sabrinea – Manila – Phillipines

David – Ostrava – Czech Republic

Katie – MilwaEnglandlee – USA

Kwan Yee Lo – Hong Kong – China

Ana – Madrid – Spain

Brenda – Fort Ashby – USA

Emilie – Pessac – France

Becky – Washington – USA

Joanne – Thisted – Denmark

Valerie – Salem – USA

Janet – Cartersville – USA

Sara – Burlington – Canada

Miranda – Copenhagen – Denmark

Laurence – Neuilly sur Seine – France

Laura – South Orange – USA

Vida – Leicester – ENGLAND

Rianon – Birmingham – ENGLAND

Stella – Hong Kong – China

Katri – Tottijarvi – Finland

Carolina – Concepción – Chlie

Maja – Kraków – Poland

Chris – Virginia Water – ENGLAND

Heidi – Murray – USA

Erin – Houston – USA

Izabella – Upper Marlborough – USA

Charlotte – Liverpool – ENGLAND

Rebecca – Newport – Wales

Lauren – Falkirk – Scotland

Thasnim – Hailsham – England

Mya – Greenwood – USA

Kylee – Grandview – USA

Lielle – Freiburg – Germany

Hannah – Zwickau – Germany

Leonie  – Cologne – Germany

Elsie – Ireton – USA

Keiko – North Hollywood – USA

Ashley – Anderson – USA

Katie – Fuquay-Varina – USA

Charlotte – Decherd – USA

Suzanne – Toronto – Canada

Stephanie – Stratford Upon Avon – England

Monica – Valencia – Spain

Sarah – London – England

Emily – Boston – USA

Jacquelyn – Laurel – USA

Nicola – Philadelphia – USA

Christina – Dusseldorf – Germany

Helene – Nantes – France

Sophia – London – England

Aica – Malika – Phillipines

Kirsty – Birmingham – England

Anna – Bydgoszcz – Poland

 
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Posted by on November 2, 2011 in Sherlock Holmes and Arthur Conan Doyle, Sherlock Holmes Events, The Great Sherlock Holmes Debate

 

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Audience tickets get released today for Great Sherlock Holmes Debate

31 Oct

Today, the 80 general public audience places given away to the members of the Great Sherlock Holmes Debate Facebook page which stands currently at over 500 members. The places will be released in phase today to ensure all regions have a chance. There are fans from over 20 countries trying to get places.

The debate takes place on 10th November at 8pm UK time online so all audience members need is an internet connection to listen in and submit their questions live. The debate is being hosted by Sherlock Holmes Publishers MX Publishing.

Pllease remember the debate is supporting two important causes – Save Undershaw and BAFTA for Jeremy Brett – please check out their sites and join their pages on Facebook (Undershaw Trust on Facebook).

 

Team Members:

Team 1 (BBC Sherlock)

The Baker Street Babes– Team Captains

Sherlockology 

Roger Johnson (Sherlock Holmes Society of London)

Charlotte Walters, Dan Andriacco, Kate Workman, Tracy Revels (Holmes authors)

Team 2 (Warner Brothers)

Gerry O’Hara (film director)

I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere (podcast)

Jamie Mahoney (blog)

Larry Feldman (Society Founder)

Kieran McMullen, Gerry Kelly (authors)

Team 3 (The Traditionalists)

Nick Briggs (actor + team captain)

Roger Llewellwyn (actor – has played Holmes on stage over 800 times in last 10 years)

Martin Montague (producer)

Alistair Duncan (author)

 
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Posted by on October 31, 2011 in Sherlock Holmes and Arthur Conan Doyle, Sherlock Holmes Events, The Great Sherlock Holmes Debate

 

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Starting a new Sherlock Holmes based career at the age of 87 film legend Gerry O’Hara

28 Oct

” idiosyncratic and entertaining”

It’s not every day that you sign a major film director as a new author and to be brutally honest I found the experience exciting, humbling and a little intimidating all rolled into one. Gerry O’Hara is best described as a legend of the big screen having several dozen films under his belt but no stranger to TV either with episodes of iconic series like The Avengers under his belt too. A prolific screenwriter Gerry also wrote several books during his career, but never had the time to do anything with them – now that he is semi-retired (many would kill for the guy’s energy) he has unearthed several to be published this year and we as you may know grabbed his Holmes novel – Sherlock Holmes and The Affair in Transylvania. You don’t need detection skills on a par with the great detective to work out that this is Holmes and Dracula territory. The Sherlock Holmes Society of London were among the first to get a review copy: “Sherlock Holmes and the Affair in Transylvania by Gerry O’Hara is similarly idiosyncratic and entertaining. As you might guess, Mr O’Hara pits Holmes and Watson against Count Dracula, but in a different way from his predecessors, Loren D Estleman and David Stuart Davies. Although great chunks of Bram Stoker’s text remain, his story has been rewritten to exclude Professor Van Helsing, and various other characters are reimagined. Mina is now Watson’s niece, married to a Romanian named Janos. Lucy is the daughter of Dr Westenra, who supervises an asylum in Transylvania, where all the events occur. Surprisingly, this is Gerry O’Hara’s first book, after a long career as writer and director in film and television (he wrote the story for Sherlock Holmes and the Incident at Victoria Falls, so he’s not new to Holmes).” What the review doesn’t mention is the rather stunning illustrations which were created as paintings and then scaled down for use in the book. The originals are all in colour and one is used for the cover. In the paperback they appear in greyscale, but in the ebooks they are in glorious colour, so if you have the Kindle version make sure you take a peek at them on a colour device like your computer as they are pretty special. Gerry’s memoirs are out in a few months which, if the contract signing lunch stories he told are anything to go by are going to be funny and pretty revealing. Here is a wonderful interview with Gerry with his agent Tom Evans……

Sherlock Holmes and The Affair in Transylvania is is available through all good bookstores including Amazon and Barnes and Noble in electronic formats like Amazon Kindle.

 
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Posted by on October 28, 2011 in Book Reviews, Sherlock Holmes and Arthur Conan Doyle

 

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The Bookbag reviews A Case of Witchcraft A Novel of Sherlock Holmes

24 Oct

“Overall, this is a rich and satisfying tale that provides us with a new insight into the most private recesses of the mind of Sherlock Holmes.”

Set in the Northern Isles A Case of Witchcraft has already caused some controversy written as it is by an expert on the occult. The Bookbag really liked the book and gave it a very strong 4 out of 5 stars.

“Revill’s work brings us the Holmes we love very quickly. Instantly recognisable with his usual ascerbic wit and attractive peculiarities, this novel draws in the reader rapidly, and sets up the storyline clearly.

As Holmes embarks on a journey towards the Northern Isles, we are treated to a comprehensive background of the ways of witches all over the world; all points are pertinent and the history is fascinating as well as necessary. The introduction to the ways of witchcraft demonstrates the worldwide links that will become highly significant later. Revill weaves in the relevant history and all its complications with ease, and the novel flows in spite of having to accommodate this.”

You can read the full review at The Bookbag Website.

The book is available from Amazon, and also in all good formats including Amazon Kindle , Barnes and Noble Nook and iBooks for the iPad.

 
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Posted by on October 24, 2011 in Book Reviews, Sherlock Holmes and Arthur Conan Doyle

 

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The Bookbag reviews Shadowblood – A Novel of Sherlock Holmes

23 Oct

“Huge recommendation to all, but particularly Holmes fans, of course. Revels captures Holmes and Watson absolutely perfectly.“

You can count 5 out of 5 reviews from The Bookbag, one of the toughest book review sites in the world, on one hand if you are publisher and it is a rare book to get this accolade from them.

Shadowblood from Tracy Revels, the 2nd book in a series of Sherlock Holmes novels that started with the best-selling Shadowfall gets the magical 5 stars and glowing recommendations – and they urge even traditionalists, who would normally steer clear of a fantasy version of Holmes, to give it a go.

Shadowfall“I always find this kind of story, throwing fictional and historical characters together in a mix, to be rather hit or miss – sometimes it works brilliantly, sometimes it reads like a cut and paste of various other stories. I was keen to get my hands on this one as I think Revels pulled it off very well in the previous book – but as good as that was, this is definitely superior. For one thing, the action is even more fast and furious, since the world of the Shadows has been established and there’s no need to do any scene-setting there. For another, and the main reason I love the book so much – Revels captures Holmes and Watson absolutely perfectly. Everything Holmes does – from the detective skills he employs, to the moral decisions he makes – fits in completely with the canon of Arthur Conan Doyle novels. Revels is clearly hugely familiar with the originals and while I was originally planning on warning purists that the supernatural theme may put them off, I actually think the characters are captured so well that even the vast majority who wouldn’t normally touch a Holmes story by an author other than ACD will still love this one.”

Shadowblood is available from all good bookstores and all formats including Amazon USA, Barnes and Noble, Amazon UK, and electronic formats soon.

Tracy Revels has a popular blog Strictly Sherlock and Tracy is on Team 1 (BBC Sherlock) in The Great Sherlock Holmes Debate on 10th November alongside:

 
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Posted by on October 23, 2011 in Book Reviews, Sherlock Holmes and Arthur Conan Doyle, The Great Sherlock Holmes Debate

 

Sherlock Holmes and The Irish Rebels – It is 1916 and the world is at war

23 Oct

“Exciting and full of authentic military detail”

That’s how the Sherlock Holmes Society of London described Kieran McMullen’s first novel ‘Watson’s Afghan Adventure‘ published in January and the book has received rave reviews from around the world.

McMullen now turns his focus squarely on Holmes in ‘Sherlock Holmes and The Irish Rebels’. It is early 1916 and the world is at war. Sherlock Holmes is well into his spy persona as Altamont following the capture of the German spy Von Bork at the opening of the Great War. Watson is called to London by Mycroft Holmes and is asked to join Sherlock, who has infiltrated the Irish Volunteers. War within the United Kingdom could deal a decisive blow to the war effort and Holmes must find out the rebels plans, and if possible, stop the rebellion which appears imminent. He has need of Watson once again.

The same level of detail is applied as with the first book. Taking from the review of Watson’s Afghan Adventure;

“Kieran McMullen, author of Watson’s Afghan Adventure is a former professional soldier and a specialist in American military history – an appropriate person to tell of Watson’s experiences as an army surgeon.”

Watson's Afghan AdventureAward winning Holmes historian Alistair Duncan recently commented on his Sherlokian Blog;

“The author is a former US Army officer and his military background and knowledge of the Afghan campaign shine through in the rich detail that he offers us in the story”.

Kieran’s own blog is becoming very popular – especially his recent series of articles on the different actors that have played Dr.Watson.

Sherlock Holmes and The Irish Rebels has already been picked up for pre-order at Book Depository (free worldwide delivery), Amazon UK, and Amazon USA and will follow through all bookstores and in all formats.

Watson’s Afghan Adventure is available from all good bookstores and on Amazon Kindle, Kobo Books, iBooks (iPad and iPhone) and other formats.

 
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Posted by on October 23, 2011 in Book Launches, Book Reviews, Sherlock Holmes and Arthur Conan Doyle

 

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Sherlock Holmes Society of London Reviews The London of Sherlock Holmes

22 Oct

“As a step-by-step guide to the London of the Canon, it’s unbeatable”

As publishers we don’t like to overuse the word ‘epic’ but its the only way we can describe Thomas Wheeler’s quite amazing new book ‘The London of Sherlock Holmes’. Tom first launched a book a decade ago with 200 Holmes locations featured and this year the third version of his book has a staggering 400 locations.

“Thomas Bruce Wheeler has devoted much time and energy to researching our capital city. After 2009’s admirable The New Finding Sherlock’s London comes The London of Sherlock Holmes (MX Publishing; http://www.mxpublishing.com; £13.99/$22.95/€17.99), which updates the earlier book to a degree that no other guide, I think, has seriously considered. As before, we’re directed to more than 300 sites, each of whose significance is clearly and pithily stated. You can visit the locations of a specific adventure, explore the sites near each of a hundred railway or Underground stations, or take any of six walking tours in the footsteps of Holmes and Watson. But The London of Sherlock Holmes is ideally used in its e-book format where the map references are hyperlinked to Google Maps and over 400 photographs. As a step-by-step guide to the London of the Canon, it’s unbeatable.”

The London of Sherlock Holmes is available from all good book stores like Amazon, Barnes and Noble in paperback and in electronic versions such as Barnes and Noble Nook , Amazon Kindle and iBooks (iPad).

 

 
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Posted by on October 22, 2011 in Book Launches, Sherlock Holmes and Arthur Conan Doyle

 

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Better Holmes and Gardens Review of Shadowfall a novel of Sherlock Holmes

20 Oct
Shadowfall

Shadowfall

“Tracy Revels has a clever and delicious way with words, and the world of Shadowfall is fully formed and beautifully imagined—from the dazzling and terrifying Queen Titania who steals Watson’s soul, to Holmes’s tiny and ethereal honeybee familiar.  Revels’s story is carefully and artfully constructed”

A history professor at Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina, Tracy Revels has been a Sherlock Holmes fan since 5th grade. She teaches a class on Sherlock Holmes called “The Game’s Afoot!” along with more conventional courses in Civil War and women’s history. Shadowfall is her first novel and its sequel, Shadowblood is out this month. You can read the full and detailed review in a fascinating article on the blog Better Holmes and Gardens.

Shadowfall is available in paperback from all good bookstores including Amazon, in Amazon Kindle, Kobo and iBook (ipad/phone) format. You can follow Tracy Revels Blog for her latest news.

 
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Posted by on October 20, 2011 in Book Reviews, Sherlock Holmes and Arthur Conan Doyle

 

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