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“This is a slim, 80-page volume that culls the essence of the Great Detective’s teachings and sorts them into categories and quotes of a paragraph or less.

It follows the same style as Bevelin’s previous book, “Seeking Wisdom: From Darwin to Munger,” a very popular how-to for investors, now in its third edition.  Bevelin has done for Holmes what he did for business moguls like Charles Munger and Warren Buffett in previous books.

He demonstrates what students of the Holmes saga have always known: That the adventures of the fictional sleuth are not just entertaining tales, but a road map on how to think, to do research and to hit upon a solution to a problem, whether it pertains to crime or not.

“Like the scientist trying to solve a mystery of nature, Holmes first gathered all the evidence he could that was relevant to his problem,” mathematics and science writer Martin Gardner is quoted in the book.

“At times, he performed experiments to obtain fresh data. He then surveyed the total evidence in the light of his vast knowledge of crime and/or sciences relevant to crime, to arrive at the most probable hypothesis. Deductions were made…then the theory further tested against new evidence, revised if need be, until finally the truth emerged with a probability close to certainty.”

This method is used not only by scientists, but by anyone seeking to problem-solve in any field, including business and medicine.

Holmes’ maxims are compared to those of other real-life logical observers and thinkers, including his model, Dr. Joseph Bell of Edinburgh; and to English scientist Francis Bacon, to French physiologist Claude Bernard and to others.

Doyle himself stated: “The general lines of reasoning advocated by Holmes have a real, practical application to life.”

So much wisdom is packed into this small book it would be impossible to distill it into a brief review.  But everyone’s favorite maxims are there, such as, “Eliminate all other factors and whatever remains must be the truth,” (from The Sign of Four) and “Like all other arts, the science of deduction and analysis is one which can only be acquired by long and patient study, nor is life long enough to allow any mortal to attain the highest possible perfection in it” (from A Study in Scarlet).

In conclusion, I would recommend this book to anyone – Holmes enthusiast or not – who might benefit from a primer on systematized common sense.”

Reviewed by: Margaret Whitmer, June, 2013

A Few Lessons from Sherlock Holmes is available from all good bookstores includingAmazon USA, Amazon UK, Waterstones UK, and for free shipping worldwide Book Depository. In ebook format it is in Amazon Kindle, Kobo, Nook and Apple iBooks(iPad/iPhone).

“This is an anthology of tales involving Holmes with conventional Nineteenth Century supernatural occurrences.  The ‘Holmes Agency’ has always stood firmly behind the motto, “Ghosts need not apply,” but any number of questionable events pop up in this collection.

The lead story, a novella called “The Skull of Kohada Koheiji,” presents Holmes and Watson with ghostly happenings at a Japanese exhibition village in Knightsbridge.  The appearance of a Japanese specter in the midst of London does not promote amicable relations between the Japanese Empire and that of Great Britain.

In the next novella, “The Ratcliffe Oracle,” an oracle has arisen that makes accurate predictions at no cost to inquirers.  The oracle apparently resides in the walls of the house and the owners are allowing in four visitors at a time.  Donations are accepted, but are not required and predictions seem to be highly accurate.  There also seems to be some connection between the Oracle and some recent crimes but the police are, as usual, baffled.

In “The Impulsive Vampire,” Holmes is asked by an old friend of Watson’s to rid her Majesty’s Battleship, Impulsive, of an infestation of Vampires.  This task requires many twists and turns, simply to identify the culprits and the results are unexpected, at best.

The novella, “The de Gascoigne Mummy,” has Holmes being offered twenty pounds for a twenty-minute consultation by he widow of an Egyptologist.  As he and Watson have just finished their Christmas shopping, he accepts the offering and learns of the missing mummy.  It seems that his bequest to the British Museum of his collection of Egyptian artifacts is missing one mummy.  His widow wants Holmes to “clear the matter up.”  The results are surprising all around.

The final novella, “The Reckoning of Kit Marlowe,” involves Holmes and Watson with Arthur Conan Doyle.  Both Doyle and Inspector Lestrade require Holmes’ help in dealing with the murder of the elder son of Admiral Marlowe.  Lestrade has lost the corpse and Doyle wants Holmes to attend the séance at which they will ask the deceased who stabbed him.  Events progress and Doyle volunteers to act as literary agent for Watson who wants to write up some of Holmes’ investigations.

All of these tales present supernatural aspects.  The solutions may or may not rely on ‘dark powers,’ but all require a great deal of thought and effort.  Read it and see whether it is still ‘Ghosts need not apply’.”

Sherlock Holmes and the Skull of Kohada Koheiji is available from all good bookstores worldwide including in the USA Amazon and Barnes and Noble, in the UK Amazon and Waterstones. Fans outside the US and UK can get free delivery from Book Depository.