Mxpublishing's Blog

A Most Diabolical Plot, by Tim Symonds & Lesley Abdela, is a modern addition to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s infamous Sherlock Holmes series which feels as authentic as the original. The authors of this intriguing collection do very well in telling new stories while remaining true to Conan Doyle’s style and approach – not an easy thing to do. A Most Diabolical Plot is a collection of six stories featuring both new and classic themes, as well as characters that fans of the genre are sure to fall in love with. Each of the stories is unique and each story feels fresh as the reader progresses through the adventures.

If we were able to take Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and place him in this century and then tell him to write as though he were living in an earlier era, he very well might come up with lines such…

“Every single one of my books involve the women of the times. The history of the times that Arthur Conan Doyle didn’t see!” – Gretchen Altabef

This event was so much fun! To have a chance to appear with these wonderful authors, some of my fellow MX Publishing author friends. To listen to their experience and share mine on subjects so close to our hearts: Sherlock Holmes and publishing Sherlock Holmes books. We each have our own experience with this and our lives have been changed by our involvement.

I see my books as murder mysteries but I also see them as historical novels. The detectives in my novels happen to be Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson. I write from a women’s perspective and that changes everything, and updates it. This approach turns everything around, opens up new vistas for my stories, and brings a unique take on Holmes and…

Your morality holds you prisoner,” Holmes observed.

When I heard Sherlock Holmes say that to Dr. Watson, I was hooked. Jay Ganguly’s audiobook of Holmes stories is splendid. Each one a jewel for those lucky enough to be aware of the fantastic explosion of new Sherlock Holmes adventures that characterizes some of the world’s best writing today.

Jay’s Sherlock is very much like Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s characterization, and her Holmes still manages to surprise us and John Watson with his knowledge and where his inquisitive genius mind takes him. I especially enjoy how she presents genius as a normal state for certain humans.

Albert Einstein said, “Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere.”

Jay Ganguly uses both logic and imagination to spin her tales. Through her perspective, we are treated to a view of Sherlock Holmes from the east, through the eyes and…

It won’t surprise anyone to hear that I’m a huge David Marcum fan. He’s a first-rate editor (responsible

for the MX Sherlock Holmes anthology series of books) and an outstanding writer.

As prolific as he is, you’d think he would be surrounded by a host of green-eyed fellow authors all wishing they could be as ‘lucky’ as he. Instead — and I believe I speak for all of us here — we could echo the words of one Inspector Lestrade to Sherlock Holmes in The Adventure of the Six Napoleons:

“We’re not jealous of you… No, sir, we are proud of you, and if you come down to-morrow there’s not a man, from the oldest inspector to the youngest constable, who wouldn’t be glad to shake you by the hand.”

This is a busy time for David, as his most recent novel is released, along with…

Human nature being what it is, we can’t help but find favourites in films, music, books, etc. You won’t be surprised to learn that some of my favourite reading material comes in the form of Sherlock Holmes books. And out of that hoard of riches, there are specific authors whose work I really cannot get enough of. One of these is Gretchen Altabef.

Gretchen’s latest novel, The Keys of Death is Baker Street bedrock. Set in 1880, Sherlock Holmes, Doctor Watson, and Mrs. Hudson begin something great in the world.

Out of the fog three young souls unite in their common desire for justice. A genesis story about friendship with the power to change the world. Here, finally, Mrs. Hudson’s part in it can be told.

From the Foreword by Mattias Boström: “In the beginning, there wasoneSherlock Holmes. That genesis was, however, just a short glimpse in time…