Tangled Web UK Review March 2007
Secret Journals of Sherlock Holmes by
June Thomson
pbk out March 07
(Allison Busby)
at £5.99
This volume is the third in Ms Thomson's 'Secret' series based on Watson's references to the
unpublished cases in his battered tin dispatch-box. That the first two volumes are currently
out-of-print is a shame as Ms Thomson is one of the few authors who have managed to
successfully recreate the rooms in Baker Street. These seven cases are what Adrian Conan
Doyle referred to as 'stories of the old vintage'. Second only to his own The Exploits of
Sherlock Holmes (co-authored with John Dickson Carr), Ms Thomson comes the closest to
reaching the heights of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's originals. For those who like their pastiche
to fit into the Canon, this series is a must.
The titles will all be familiar to devotees: The Millionaire's Persecution, The
Colonel's Madness, The Addleton Tragedy, The 'Friesland' Outrage, The Shopkeeper's
Terror, The Mortimer-Smith Succession, and The Maupertuis Scandal. The Case of the
Addleton Tragedy was particularly enthralling, although it is a purely personal choice as all
the cases are written in a style both faithful to and reminiscent of the Canon. Ms Thomson
has also included frequent annotations for sceptics and enthusiasts alike. Just like Sir
Arthur's original adventures, not all of the cases deal with major crimes. This adds to the
authentic feel, however, and the Holmes in this volume is the very same consulting detective
who chooses the unusual and bizarre over the mundane, regardless of the actual offence
committed. Again just like the adventures in the Canon, each of these secret cases provides
an opportunity for Holmes to display his many, varied, and finely-honed skills.
It is extremely rare to find an author who adheres to Sir Arthur's format over not only
a whole book, but an entire series, and Ms Thomson is to be commended for her careful
research and consistent self-discipline. Consider the dispatch-box open, and the notes therein
unpublished no more!
(
Rafe McGregor
)
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