John Telfer turns in an uneven performance in the audio version of Thomas's collection of new Sherlock Holmes stories. Back again for new adventures, Holmes and faithful friend and colleague Dr. John Watson clash wits with ghosts, frauds, and murderers in these four tales. Telfer's narration is well-paced and compelling. His Holmes is curt, sharp, and captures the spirit of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's great detective, while his affable Watson avoids slipping into the realm of bumbling caricature. But his portrayal of secondary characters proves problematic: Telfer does little to distinguish the minor characters' voices and could do more with his rendition of women and children. Nonetheless, his narration grows on listeners, and devotees of Holmes and Watson will relish having fresh installments in the adventures at 221B Baker Street. A Pegasus hardcover. (June)

Henry James's The Turn of the Screw provides the inspiration for the lengthy title tale of Thomas's superb fifth collection of Sherlock Holmes pastiches (after 2009's Sherlock Holmes and the King's Evil). In 1898, Holmes and Watson intervene on behalf of Victoria Temple, a governess confined to an insane asylum after a verdict of guilty but insane for the murder of 10-year-old Miles Mordaunt, who was suffocated only days after his eight-year-old sister, Flora, died of diphtheria. The accused murderess is convinced that the ghosts of a valet and her predecessor as governess were trying to seduce both children into evil. The three other selections are nearly up to the same high standard. "The Case of a Boy's Honour," about a scandal at a boarding school, compels even without a murder to solve. Sherlockians will hope Thomas continues to turn out these faithful and imaginative recreations for years to come. (Dec.)

With respect for the canon, deep knowledge of Victorian and Edwardian England, and the writing chops to replicate the
Watsonian style, Thomas is the all-time best at Sherlockian pastiche.

The game's afoot, Watson! Thomas's fifth Holmes collection (after Sherlock Holmes and the King's Evil) finds Dr. Watson, Holmes's friend and chronicler, journaling three more adventures of the great detective's feats of sleuthing ingenuity. The titular mystery revolves around a governess found guilty of murdering her ward. She is incarcerated in an insane asylum and convinced she did it, but could the ghosts at Bly have been responsible for the child's death? The opening story is a case of a poor, young military student's honor when he is accused of forgery and theft of a classmate's money. The final case is the murder of a famous, but little loved, actor during his performance of Hamlet. Did the killer pass him a truly poisoned drink? Thomas capably embodies Watson as Holmes's faithful narrator of these intriguing Doylesque investigations. Holmes himself is drawn perfectly as the brilliant intellect, with a hint of humor, and, above all, a pursuer of justice. VERDICT Highly recommended for Holmes devotees and others who enjoy captivating historical mysteries with a perceptive, ethical detective.—Susan O. Moritz, Montgomery Cty. P.L.s, MD

Creating a series of short stories based on Sherlock Holmes is a risky endeavor. Fortunately, Donald Thomas has succeeded, and the excellent narration of John Telfer adds to his success and to listeners’ pleasure. Holmes is called upon by his brother, Mycroft, to assist with a problem at a Royal Navy prep school. Holmes movingly deals with an underprivileged boy and the cruel and snobbish headmaster. Snippets of humor and Holmes lore, as well as the character of Dr. Watson, add to the joy of these new adventures. A tale in which Holmes and Watson attend a séance adds to the authenticity of the stories since Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was a serious believer in the occult. Telfer skillfully keeps listeners in the time and place for a satisfying dose of Victoriana and detection. S.G.B. © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine

New challenges—a novel, two novellas and a bagatelle—for the inimitable sleuth and his stalwart amanuensis.

The opening novella, "The Case of a Boy's Honour," is clearly inspired by Terence Rattigan's The Winslow Boy. A student at exclusive St. Vincent's Naval Academy stands accused of stealing a postal order, and the postmistress is the chief eyewitness. Holmes methodically discredits the seemingly airtight case against the boy while uncovering disturbing events at the school. Holmes' elder brother Mycroft makes a cameo appearance. The novel-length "The Case of the Ghosts of Bly" weaves magic and mediums into a tangled story of murderous ghosts set at the venerable country estate first made famous by Henry James. A key figure in the crimes is the enigmatic governess Miss Temple, whose spectral sightings triggered panic at Bly and led her to a murderous insanity and Bedlam, where Holmes and Watson question her. Several more will die before Holmes can expose both the charlatans and the killer. The fragmentary "Sherlock Holmes the Actor" recounts the sleuth's pre-Watson fling with the theatre. "The Case of the Matinee Idol," building on that theatrical experience, probes the murder of legendary actor Carodoc Price, who was poisoned on stage in front of a sizable audience. Holmes must put aside his personal dislike of the theatrical veteran to solve the baffling crime.

The prolific Thomas (Sherlock Holmes and the King's Evil, 2009, etc.) recreates Holmes' milieu with a sure hand, gracefully spinning his well-appointed yarns.