Book Review: His Last Bow

His Last Bow

by Arthur Conan Doyle

301 pages // published in 1917 // crime, mystery

BOOK DESCRIPTION

'His Last Bow', the title story of this collection, tells how Sherlock Holmes is brought out of retirement to help the Government fight the German threat at the approach of the First World War. The Prime Minister himself requests Holmes's services to hunt down the remarkable German agent, Von Bork. Several of the detective's earlier cases complete the volume, including 'Wisteria Lodge', 'The Bruce-Partington Plans', and 'The Disappearance of Lady Frances Carfax'. In 'The Dying Detective', Dr Watson is horrified to discover Holmes at death's door from a mysterious tropical disease as his friend lays a trap for a murderer.

THE ADVENTURE OF WISTERIA LODGE:
A bleak tale with ominous clues leading up to the solution -- including a pail of blood. Indeed.

THE ADVENTURE OF THE BRUCE-PARTINGTON PLANS:
One of my favorites! Includes death by train in a particularly peculiar fashion.

THE ADVENTURE OF THE DEVIL'S FOOT:
In which Holmes and Watson willingly replicate the method by which other persons have expired. (Thrilling, no?) Also, we see Holmes' moral philosophy in rare form.

THE ADVENTURE OF THE RED CIRCLE:
A lodger with a secret. A fun mystery.

THE DISAPPEARANCE OF LADY FRANCES CARFAX:
A classic trail of clues -- which only the Great Detective himself could trace.

THE ADVENTURE OF THE DYING DETECTIVE:
Ah! A definite favorite of mine! Holmes, ever so sneaky, so clever, so true. A memorable tale.

THE ADVENTURE OF THE CARDBOARD BOX:
A gruesome little story. One of the highlights for me was Holmes' deductive mind reading. How does he do it?

HIS LAST BOW:
A story like no other. From the first sentence... It's just so sinister!

BUY YOUR COPY!
paperback

Book #2 completed // 20th Century




P.S. Like and vote for this review on Goodreads.

Book Review: The Valley of Fear

The Valley of Fear
Sherlock Holmes series

written by Arthur Conan Doyle

224 pages // published in 1915 // classic crime fiction

BOOK DESCRIPTION

'There should be no combination of events for which the wit of man cannot conceive an explanation.'

In this tale drawn from the note books of Dr Watson, the deadly hand of Professor Moriarty once more reaches out to commit a vile and ingenious crime. However, a mole in Moriarty's frightening criminal organization alerts Sherlock Holmes of the evil deed by means of a cipher.

When Holmes and Watson arrive at a Sussex manor house they appear to be too late. The discovery of a body suggests that Moriarty's henchmen have been at their work. But there is much more to this tale of murder than at first meets the eye and Sherlock Holmes is determined to get to the bottom of it.

Admittedly, this is a creepy story (or rather the second half is). Part I is greatly enjoyable -- a basic Sherlock Holmes mystery (had plenty of intrigue, and utilized the same pattern that most of the canon follows). However, Part II? I'm not crazy over it, that's for sure. The cult following in Vermissa Valley kept reminding me of the R.L. Stevenson's The Suicide Club (perhaps because I just read that one a month ago), based on it's cult conspiracy level. It's deep. And dark. Of course, it helps you to finish putting the puzzle pieces together from Part I of the story, but still... whew!

Anyways, I'm glad to have this novel under my belt. Not sure if I'll be especially eager to re-read this one later on -- but you never know!

Available on Amazon in hardcover, paperback, paperback, and (FREE!) ebook format,
starting at $6.99.

This is book #3 for me in the Back to the Classics 2018 challenge.
[CATEGORY: Classic Crime Story]





P.S. Like and vote for this review on Goodreads and Amazon.

Book Review: The Return of Sherlock Holmes

The Return of Sherlock Holmes

written by Arthur Conan Doyle

474 pages // published in 1905 // Victorian crime

BOOK DESCRIPTION

The Return of Sherlock Holmes is a collection of 13 Sherlock Holmes stories, originally published in 1903-1904, by Arthur Conan Doyle. This was the first Holmes collection since 1893, when Holmes had "died" in The Final Problem. Having published The Hound of the Baskervilles in 1901-1902 (although setting it before Holmes' death) Doyle came under intense pressure to revive his famous character. The first story is set in 1894 and has Holmes returning in London and explaining the period from 1891-94, a period called "The Great Hiatus" by Sherlockian enthusiasts.

Sherlock Holmes is back in London after his assumed death back at Reichenbach Falls. It's not long though, and someone is trying to put him six feet under once and for all ('The Adventure of the Empty House')...

Now, I was extremely impressed with the story 'The Adventure of the Norwood Builder', in which forensic fingerprinting is put to the test. Pretty intriguing, and this is where Conan Doyle is really strutting his scientific mind.

'The Adventure of Charles Augustus Milverton' is another that stands out to me... because Sherlock Holmes gets engaged! Oh, what a funny idea! This relationship only comes about due to Holmes' need to milk out information, and of course (to relieve your mind), there is no marriage. Whew! Crisis averted.

And one other story worth mentioning is 'The Adventure of the Second Stain'. I liked it because Holmes shows grace and kindness. Usually he comes off as seemingly callous. He has so logical a mind, it's sometimes hard for him to let soft emotions come through. But he pulls it off in this story.

So, those are some of my favorite moments of The Return of Sherlock Holmes. Most of the stories, it seems, I could breeze through in about 15 minutes or so. Each provided a pleasant mystery to puzzle out.

In the last story, I was very amused that Watson states that Holmes has forbidden him to keep publishing any of the stories – and yet, we know this promise is not forever kept.

Available on Amazon in hardcover, paperback, and ebook format.

This is book #12 for me in the Back to the Classics 2017 challenge.
[CATEGORY: Set in a Place I'd Like to Visit: LONDON]




P.S. Like and vote for this review on Goodreads and Amazon.

Book Review: The Big Book of Sherlock Holmes Stories

The Big Book of Sherlock Holmes Stories

collected & edited by Otto Penzler

816 pages // published in 2015 // short story mysteries

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Presenting Edgar Award-winning editor Otto Penzler's latest anthology, The Big Book of Sherlock Holmes Stories, the largest collection of Sherlockian tales ever assembled—now in a deluxe hardcover edition, perfect for the collector and gift markets.

Arguably no other character in history has been so enduringly popular as Sherlock Holmes. From his first appearance, in Arthur Conan Doyle's 1887 novella A Study in Scarlet,readers have loved reading about him—and writers have loved writing about him. Here, Otto Penzler collects 83 wonderful stories about Holmes and Dr. John Watson, the majority of which will be new to readers. Among these pages are tales by acclaimed Sherlockians Leslie S. Klinger, Laurie R. King, Lyndsay Faye and Daniel Stashower; pastiches by literary luminaries both classic (Kenneth Millar, P. G. Wodehouse, Dorothy B. Hughes) and current (Anne Perry, Stephen King, Neil Gaiman); and parodies by Conan Doyle's contemporaries James M. Barrie, O. Henry, and August Derleth.

My Review...



This book took me on a WILD RIDE through the authentic character of Sherlock Holmes. (And I mean that in the most positive of ways.) By the time I finished, I felt that I learned about every facet of Sherlock's mind that is imaginable... and then some. In short, this book is awesome.

At over 800 pages long, it's definitely a big tome. Me? I read it on my Kindle, and yeah, I took my time reading it over the course of several months -- but only to savor each story, consider each new twist, and attempt to put my deduction skills to work before Sherlock would finalize the conclusion, of course.

I don't think I ever realized until now how much so that each of Doyle's stories follows a similar pattern. It wasn't until I saw dozens of these authors recreate Sherlock in their individual ways, yet usually always following the same pattern that I began to see some of the finer details of Doyle's original work. That makes this book enlightening to me. Not only did I discover more about my favorite fictional detective of all time, but also about the man who created him -- yes, through fiction based on his work. Honestly, I learned so much about the Scottish author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle by reading about his writings through the eyes of his fellow authors and apparent fans.

This brings me to my next topic -- the variety of authors presented in this volume is unbelievable and completely mind-blowing! From writers contemporary to Doyle's time, such as P.G. Wodehouse, or J.M. Barrie, to much more modern-day writers such as Stephen King, and many, oh so very many others in between. Plus, since each story is accompanied with a short bio of each author in the book, I learned about so many new-to-me writers that I'm interested in now.

I found out that these authors like to induct Doyle himself into the fictional world, and it's fun. One or two like to have Watson solve a case and beat out everyone who ever stereotyped him as a bumbling fool. I found out that they also like to come up with tons of curious, off-brand names such as Shamrock Jolnes, etc., for their lead detective.

If you or a person you know is fond of mysteries, Sherlock Holmes, or detective work in any way... this is the volume you need to buy. For anyone interested in these topics, this book is priceless.

This is one of my favorite reads this year -- definitely! It took a long time to make it through this book... but it was worth it!! Having the opportunity to read The Big Book of Sherlock Holmes Stories is like rediscovering Sherlock all over again for the first time.

Thanks to the author and Netgalley for the free review copy & for the opportunity to express my honest opinions.

The Big Book of Sherlock Holmes Stories is available on Amazon in paperback, hardcover, e-book, and audio format.

P.S. Like and vote for this review on Goodreads and Amazon.

*Any Amazon.com purchase made through the links in this post support this humble blogger with a small commission. Thank you!

Book Review: A Sherlock Holmes Devotional

A Sherlock Holmes Devotional
Uncovering the Mysteries of God

written by Trisha White Priebe

320 pages // published in 2015 // non-fiction // Christian devotional



My Review...




This book provides readers with how to look at the literary character of Sherlock Holmes from a Christian perspective, and furthermore, using the art of deduction to find God's everlasting mercies in your life. It's a unique, one-of-a-kind book, which combines two big things in my life: a fictional detective who has stood the test of time and God, who created time itself and everything in it.

The author grabs your attention immediately by beginning each devotional with an introduction on a topic either about Sherlock himself, a case he encountered, or the characters that frequent 221B Baker Street. She than switches the lens to focus in on the subject paired with scriptures that uncover the true motives behind popular features of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's stories. As the layers peel off, it is fascinating for me to see further into these snippets of literature than ever before. While reading Trisha White Priebe's book I began to perceive more things about Holmes and to renew my thoughts towards the Almighty.

"Truth: Sherlock Holmes found more of a friend in Dr. Watson than he ever did in his own brother, Mycroft. We, too, have a Friend who sticks closer than a brother." (Chapter 10, A Sherlock Holmes Devotional)

Fans of the Victorian-era detective, will delight in all of the interesting facts and "behind the scenes" information concerning their favorite fictional character and his author. While you're learning these thrilling things of historical import, the author is also revealing amazing truths about God and His unending love for His children.

"Even if our trials never make sense to us in this life, we can be certain they make sense to God. The tangles and knots we view from this vantage point will appear as a perfect work of art when studied from the perspective of heaven." (Chapter 5, A Sherlock Holmes Devotional)

Page after page, be prepared for awe and surprise. There are 60 devotionals in the book, and while I tried to pace myself to only read 1 a day (thinking that I could enjoy it for 2 whole months), I finished it quicker than I anticipated to, by "sheer accident".

I took many notes while reading it... of well-phrased words to remind me of His amazing grace, and also many intriguing things about a certain detective who never even took a breath. It's all just TOO GOOD. Wouldn't you like to know about Doyle's posthumous story just published in 2001? Or how U.S. presidents such as Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman took to Sherlock Holmes? Or even whom the evil Moriarty's character was based upon?

This was the perfect book for me --- so happy to have found it when I did! I'll probably have to read it again one day, after I finish reading the entire Holmes canon.

Keep "A Sherlock Holmes Devotional" in mind for your Holmesian friends who enjoy the art of deducing.

Thanks to the author and Netgalley for the free review copy.




P.S. Like and vote for this review on Goodreads and Amazon.

NEW Sherlock Holmes story is discovered... (yes, from Doyle himself!)

Have you heard the brilliant news yet?!

A long-forgotten story about Holmes and Watson has resurfaced after 80 years...

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote it himself in 1904 for a fundraiser effort to save a local bridge in Selkirk, Scotland.



\\ PIN IT \\

{ Read the details of the amazing discovery via The Telegraph. }

Furthermore, the short story has already been published online, much to the delight of us Holmesians!

In fact, click over to Open Culture to read the entire story of Doyle's. By the by, the name of this special treasure is called... "Sherlock Holmes: Discovering the Border Burghs and, By Deduction, the Brig Bazaar".

ENJOY!

Favorite Finds #44

Here we are at the last Friday of the year. The last of the Favorite Finds that I'll be sharing with you in 2013. Who knows what delights I'll be sharing in 2014?! So then, take a look through some of these pages if you like. They're just a few things I happened to enjoy myself.

To start out the list... a couple more reading challenges I plan to take on...


Lucy Maud Montgomery Reading Challenge
{Reading to Know}

I'm excited to again partake in Carrie's January challenge! I plan to read the book I won from her blog last year (yay!), Akin to Anne, and also join her in reading The Blue Castle (which I downloaded online for free). Come join us if you're interested in reading any of LMM's writings for this next month!

Read Scotland 2014
{Peggy Ann's Post}

When I was invited to take part in a Scottish reading challenge, I couldn't resist! I'm joining at the "The Highlander" level, hoping to read 8 books by Scottish authors this year, including: The Sign of Four and The Hound of Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Duncan's War by Douglas Bond, The Golden Key and The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald, The Young Fur Traders by R. M. Ballantyne, The Far Side of the Loch by Melissa Wiley, & The Keys of the Kingdom by A. J. Cronin. A good selection of literature by Scots, if I do say so myself.

I Scarce Can Take It In
{Inspiring Daring}

In Rachelle's words: "....Christmas isn't over, you know. The day has dawned and gone, but that Baby, that Man, that Savior, He lives. And He loves...."

5 Things Photography Has Taught Me about Creativity
{HOW Design}

My sentiments exactly! Photography has opened my brain into other angles of creative thinking that I wouldn't have achieved otherwise.

A few photographs of a festive hedgehog
{Sword of Ink}

Hedgehogs are just soo cute. But this one takes the cake!

Arthur Conan Doyle vs. George Bernard Shaw

Does the name Sir Arthur Conan Doyle ring a bell with you? And what associates him with the Titanic? Ah! When I discovered this hidden piece of history, I couldn't imagine the wonderfulness I had stumbled upon!

At the time of the Titanic's wreck, Doyle was 52 years old. He was already well into his writing career (Sherlock Holmes) at the time and quite popular in the United Kingdom through his success. No, Doyle was not on the Titanic---thankfully he didn't have to live through that experience, but he was well-read on the subject through the newspapers. So, when one of his own fellow friends (also an author) wrote an argumentive letter to the editor of a popular newspaper, Doyle responded.

George Bernard Shaw was the friend spoken of, who started this debate in the newspaper exactly 1 month after the Titanic's sinking, in May 1912. His piece began by stating:

"Why is it that the effect of a sensational catastrophe on a modern nation is to cast it into transports, not of weeping, not of prayer, not of sympathy with the bereaved nor congratulation of the rescued, not of poetic expression of the soul purified by pity and terror, but of a wild defiance of inexorable Fate and undeniable Fact by an explosion of outrageous romantic lying?"

He believed that frivolous, poetic-sounding lying had been used, and true British morals hadn't been observed, by illustrating how in one of the lifeboats in particular, there was "One woman for every five men", which contradicted the "women and children first" rule. George Bernard Shaw went into how Captain Smith "paid the penalty" for steaming through the icefields at high speeds, with his life. He had other thoughts on certain other people who were aboard the Titanic, and dealt with them roughly. He ended this letter by saying:

"I ask, what is the use of all this ghastly, blasphemous, inhuman, braggartly lying?"

Here is where our favored Arthur Conan Doyle enters the scene! It was 4 days later, when he published a reply in the newspaper to Shaw's arguement.

"How a man could write with such looseness and levity of such an event at such a time passes all comprehension."

From the start, Doyle knows what he is writing about. He points out that although Shaw mentioned a lifeboat which contained 2 women and 10 men, the very next lifeboat contained 65 women out of 70 occupants. Doyle then counters Shaw's belittling talk of Captain Smith. He builds up the officers and the men of the orchestra which George Bernard Shaw had attacked. Arthur Conan Doyle's ended his letter by writing:

"But surely it is a pitiful sight to see a man of undoubted genius using his gifts in order to misrepresent and decry his own people, regardless of the fact that his words must add to the grief of those who have already had more than enough to bear."

The letters went on for anothor round, each man penning another reply and publishing it publicly in the newspaper. Reading the entire set of letters is quite fulfilling. You can read the complete letters online.

I don't know about you, but after finding these letters, and seeing where Sir Arthur Conan Doyle stood on such a subject, I am very much more enthralled with his valor and opinions than before.

What do you think about this particular episode that is tucked away in history?


{Note: My last 2 posts on the Titanic are coming on Monday & Tuesday. Check back on each of those days!}

Book Review: Basil of Baker Street

Basil of Baker Street

written by Eve Titus
illustrated by Paul Galdone
96 pages
originally published in 1958

"The Mystery of the Missing Twins could never have been solved by an ordinary detective."

(...that is the first sentence of the cutest mouse book ever... )


Basil is a mouse with a nose for solving problems, just like his hero, Sherlock Holmes. In this story, Basil and his comrade, "Dr. Dawson", are presented with The Mystery of the Missing Twins---a quaint storyline that all little children will love---and adults will too. The author, Eve Titus, so clearly depicts the true Holmes through Basil's demeanor, thinking patterns, and mindset. A story just can't get any better than a mouse who learned his skill of deducting by listening at the very feet of Sherlock Holmes!


Along with Basil and Dr. Dawson, there is also their "mousekeeper" who's name is "Mrs. Judson". They live in a mouse village called---well, the village name is so cute and Holmes related, but I'll let you find out the name for yourself.

This is a book I wish I would have known about years ago, so that it could have been a childhood favorite growing up. At least I have found it now. The lovely story and the delightful illustrations of this vintage book create something to cherish. If you feel silly getting the book from your library, then just grab a younger sibling and read it to them. Besides you never know what little ones you may be able to start on the trail of Mr. Holmes himself.

Basil of Baker Street is the most adorable detective story... I mean, what other detective could console a distressed mother whose children are lost, by saying: "I can offer you only crumbs of comfort." Yes, just what a mouse should say!


The book was first published in 1958 and has gone through many editions since then. If you like old vintage books, with charming illustrations, I'm pretty sure you'd like this one.


The Author: Eve Titus was an American children's author, born in 1922. She wrote at least twenty books in her lifetime---five of which are about Basil, the mouse.

Sharing Our Bookshelves {July 2011}

What's on your bookshelf right now?

Since June's "Sharing Our Bookshelves" post, I've read quite a bit myself.
To share what has recently passed through my own bookshelf:

The thrilling adventures of "Captain Blood" by Rafael Sabitini (1922). A simple doctor living in an Irish village is falsely accused of treason. As punishment, he is sent to a Barbados plantation as a slave. Thereafter, he makes his way into a pirate... yes, it all makes for a very exciting novel.

I visited 221B Baker Street, London, this past month. Twice, actually. This was while reading "Adventure of the Copper Beeches" and also "Silver Blaze"--both excellent Sherlock Holmes stories.

A trip to the library allowed me pick up a couple other books I've been wanting to read. "I am Lavina Cumming" by Susan Lowell was one. In short, it's about a young girl from a family of Scottish heritage, living in the Arizona desert, who can speak both English & Spanish. After moving to California, she experiences the 1906 San Fransisco earthquake.

"Rider in the Dark" by Victoria Holmes is a wonderful, suspenseful book (all about horses!) set in the 1700's of England. Complete book review will be coming soon on this one!

So, what is on your Summer Reading List? Are you tackling some thicker books during this school break?

If you have any new or recent book-related blog posts during the whole month of July, you are welcome to come link up below. Book reviews, summer reading plans, lists, pictures... you name it! Feel free to share anything about books on your blog, and link up here so others can read your posts.

"The Books Of Old" Reading Challenge

Hi Readers,
I'm excited to introduce something new that my friend Grace is doing. To get right on to the point, it is called "The Books of Old Reading Challenge." Sounds interesting already, no?



The simple instructions she gives are "The challenge is to pick 1 to 5 books written before the year 1950. List the books on your blog, then link up your post to the linky."

So, the challenge lasts through the entire year of 2011. I already have lots of books I want to read this year... most of which are probably written before 1950... well, even written before 1900. Below I have put together my 5 books I definitely want to read. I look forward to checking each one off as I get to read it sometime.


1. Sign of Four by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1890)

2. The Story Girl by L.M. Montgomery (1911)

3. The Coral Island by R.M. Ballantyne (1857)

4. Rose in Bloom by Louisa May Alcott (1876)

5. Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes (1943)

What books will you choose to read
this year?


If you'd like to join the challenge, read the rules on Grace's blog (click on the links below), then come up with your book list. I'd like to know if anyone is going to participate!


The Books Of Old Reading Challenge:

Post One: Introduction & Rules

Post Two: Sign the Linky

Post Three: Grab a Blog Button

Bookish Look at 2010

How did you fare with your reading in 2010?

How many books did you accomplish?

My total came to 53, which is about as good as it gets. I love keeping track of the books I read in a notebook. It may be a small notebook, but as the years go by, it literally contains volumes.

With 2010 gone, I wanted to share my Top 10 Favorite Books that I read this past year. I'd also like to invite anyone else to do the same... because I'd love to see what your favorites were!

Here's my list (in randomized order)...

1. Greyfriars Bobby (Eleanor Atkinson)

2. Eight Cousins (Louisa May Alcott)

3. Kidnapped (Robert Louis Stevenson)

4. The Pursuit of Holiness (Jerry Bridges)

5. Far North (Will Hobbs)

6. Sarah Bishop (Scott O'Dell)

7. Power of Kindness for Teens (Guideposts)

8. Heart of Fire (Victoria Holmes)

9. Sherlock Holmes stories (Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

10. A Dog Named Christmas (Greg Kincaid)

What were your favorite reads in 2010?

Favorite Finds #9

Here's my Favorite Finds for this week....
just a few things I've found in the blog-world that I enjoyed reading....


OhSewStylish Handbag Giveaway - @ Hannah's Hangout
(Giveaway ends Oct. 25)

Imagine this... - Jane @ Novel Pretender
(NaNoWriMo storyline....which includes Sherlock Holmes, Professor Moriarty, & maybe some other characters)

Go somewhere. - Anna @ Send Me a Song
(A wishful post about those delightful European countries)

It 'Tis Fall - Esther @ Barefoot Days
(Interesting, Fall-ish pics)