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”With eloquent, refined, and precise prose, this novel calls forth the ethos of the time and the nature of Sherlock’s mind.

In A.S. Croyle’s The Bird and The Buddha, a young Sherlock Holmes stalks a serial killer with the aid of a lovely young doctor whose need to solve the mystery is almost as great as her passion for the romance-averse detective. In this, the second book in Croyle’s Sir Arthur Conan Doyle-inspired Before Watson series, questions arise that threaten to lead the sleuthing pair to some unsettling conclusions: is the killer someone whose goal is to end suffering, or are the murders just cleverly disguised to look that way? And why are a small Buddha and a dead bird always left at the scene? As Sherlock and the doctor investigate the case, and their feelings for each other, the trail leads them frighteningly close to home.

Croyle’s graphic evocations of gritty, rough, late-1800s London and her portrayal of the quirky, indomitabledetective as he may have been at the beginning of his career, well before he met up with Dr. Watson, are sure toplease fans of Sir Arthur’s tales. Told in the voice of Dr. Priscilla “Poppy” Stamford, whose intellect, desire, andcourage led her to break with convention and follow her dream to become a medical doctor, the tale reveals how hermeasured, deliberate, and purposeful life became chaotic when she met Sherlock Holmes. Poppy’s attraction toyoung Sherlock was immediate, deep, and confusing. The young man possessed an astounding intellect and waslogical to a fault; disdainful of love, he could be warm, but rarely intimate. Despite the fact that he admitted to thefeelings she aroused in him, she came to see that he was unable to commit to another human being.

This novel satisfies on all levels; written in eloquent, refined, and precise prose, it calls forth the ethos of thetime and the nature of Sherlock’s mind, even as it is also able to portray Poppy’s more emotional nature and tosuccessfully carry the rising tension of the chase to find the killer before the wrong man is condemned. In unraveling the convoluted case, Croyle introduces the methods of crime detection of the era; the rough lives of workers and thepoor; the sorry state of British medical practice; the history of hospitals whose work dates back to the twelfth century;the place of women in society; the Buddha’s teachings on suffering; attitudes toward euthanasia, and more. The storyis further enhanced by the inclusion of famous persons of the time, including the flamboyant Oscar Wilde and thesensitive, exotic Rabindranath Tagore.

Croyle’s plot is well-developed, and her powerful imagery is authentic to the era. The mystery unfolds with effective and appropriate pacing, and her sensitive character development illuminates the difficulties that arise when two well-matched intellects try to reconcile the feelings they have for each other with their very different world views.The result is a rich and satisfying reading experience that never ceases to be entertaining.”

Reviewed by KRISTINE MORRIS,  Foreword Reviews 

The Bird and The Buddha – A Before Watson Novel – Book Two is available from all good bookstores including  Amazon USA, Amazon UK and for free shipping worldwide Book Depository.

“This book is the fourth in a series of Sherlockian anthology volumes from MX Publications and the new title addition indicated that the publisher plan to continue this remarkable series.  All of the authors have donated their royalties for this publication to the support of Undershaw.  It includes twenty-two short stories and novellas as well as a poem.

The poem is a “Toast to Mrs. Watson,” by Arlene Mantin Levy, written as a series of rhymed couplets.  “The Tale of the First Adventure” is a short story by Derrick Belanger that tells how Sherlock learned to restrict the details he passes on to clients in his first real case.  In “The adventure of the Turkish Cypher,” a short story by Deanna Baran, Holmes uncovers a poisoning, but avoids telling his client the details behind it.  “The Adventure of the Missing Necklace,” a short story by Daniel D. Victor, recounts how Holmes acquired his distaste for fictionalized versions of his cases.  “The Case of the Rondel Dagger” is a novella by Mark Mower that tells of Holmes’ investigation of murder by minions of an ancient secret society, or so it would seem. In “The Adventure of the Double-edged Hoard,” a novella by Craig Janacek, Holmes is introduced to an ancient and horrible relic of the Viking raiders.  “The Adventure of the Impossible Murders” is a short story by Jayantika Ganguly that tells of suspiciously related natural deaths caused by unlikely murderers.

“The Watcher in the Woods” is a novella by Dennis O. Smith that tells of a strange case Holmes accepted involving alchemy and a disappearing watcher of a house of madness.  “Relating to One of My Old Cases,” a short story by J. R. Campbell, links two recent murders to one Holmes investigated years before with unanswered questions.  “The Adventure at Beau Soleil,” a short story by Bonnie MacBird, relates an incident in Nice when Holmes aids a house detective in return for lodgings for him and Watson.  “The Adventure of the Phantom Coachman” is a short story by Arthur Hall that mixes spies, thieves and phantoms all in a single muddle for Holmes to untangle.  “The Adventure of the Arsenic Dumplings,” a short story by Bob Byrne, tells of a cook arrested for attempted murder and convicted in public opinion by non-existent evidence.  “The Disappearing Anarchist Trick,” a novella by Andrew Lane, pits Holmes and Watson against a magician in a case investigated for Mycroft.

“The Adventure of the Grace Chalice” is a radio script by Roger Johnson that was first aired in 2011.  It was developed from his short story published in “The Sherlock Holmes Journal” (WI/1987) and tells of Henry Staunton, as cited in “The Adventure of the Missing Three-Quarter”.  “The Adventure of John Vincent Harden,” a short story by Hugh Ashton, most effectively tells of a case cited in “The Adventure of the Solitary Cyclist”.  “Murder at Tragere House,” a short story by David Stuart Davies, tells a chilling tale of murder and madness in Scotland.  In “The Adventure of the Green Lady,” a short story by Vincent W. Wright, Holmes is hired by an American to confirm the theft/replacement of a newly acquired painting. In “The Adventure of the Fellow Traveller,” a novella by Daniel McGachey, Holmes is drawn into an inspiring mystery of horror, love and hope. In “A Game of Illusion,” a novella by Jeremy Branton Holstein, Holmes is defeated by an unknown adversary in a game he does not know he is playing.  “The London Wheel” is a novella by David Marcum that tells of an early Ferris wheel in London and the murder that it inspired.  “The Adventure of the Half-Melted Wolf,” a complex novella by Marcia Wilson, tells of relics of Roman Britain that give guides for twentieth Century war technology stolen by a traitor.

This fourth volume continues the tradition set by the first three books in the series.  The twenty-three items in this book include twice as many that I rate as excellent as the few I rate only as good.  All the rest I rate as very good and that gives the entire volume a rating of “excellent” as compared to any other Anthology.”

The MX Books of New Sherlock Holmes Stories are available from all good bookstores including The Strand Magazine, Amazon USA, Amazon UK, Waterstones UK and for free shipping worldwide Book Depository . In ebook format it is in Kindle, Kobo, Nook and Apple iBooks (iPad/iPhone).