New Sherlock Holmes novels

There are already quite a number of new Sherlock Holmes books so I'm not sure how newsworthy this is except it's got the backing of a big publisher, HarperCollins. From The Bookseller:

HarperCollins has signed two Sherlock Holmes continuation novels by Hollywood screenwriter Bonnie MacBird.

[] the books will be published in both the UK and the US though Harper 360.

Art in the Blood: A Sherlock Holmes Adventure will be published on 10th September 2015. Set in 1888, it will feature the famous detective, originally created by Arthur Conan Doyle, and his partner John Watson, investigating a new crime.

MacBird is a longtime Holmes fan, whose career included writing the original screenplay for the film "Tron", and winning three Emmy Awards.

Sherlock Holmes News x2

Following the success of The House of Silk, Anthony Horowitz has penned another authorised Sherlock Holmes-world story - Moriarty - which is published by Orion in October:

Sherlock Holmes is dead.

Days after Holmes and his arch-enemy Moriarty fall to their doom at the Reichenbach Falls, Pinkerton agent Frederick Chase arrives in Europe from New York. The death of Moriarty has created a poisonous vacuum which has been swiftly filled by a fiendish new criminal mastermind who has risen to take his place.

Ably assisted by Inspector Athelney Jones of Scotland Yard, a devoted student of Holmes's methods of investigation and deduction, Frederick Chase must forge a path through the darkest corners of the capital to shine light on this shadowy figure, a man much feared but seldom seen, a man determined to engulf London in a tide of murder and menace.

From this recent article in The Guardian:

The publisher said that Moriarty would be "very different in nature to Horowitz's previous bestseller; but fans will be delighted to see a few surprise guests from the Conan Doyle's canon making appearances in the new book".

Horowitz himself revealed on Twitter that "Sherlock Holmes does not appear (until the very end)", that "a vicious murder is investigated by Inspector Athelney Jones (from The Sign of Four)" and that "nearly all the policemen Holmes ever worked with, including Lestrade, appear in my new book".

And I've just received this press release about a Sherlock Holmes event on 23 April in London:

To celebrate World Book Night on 23 April, Park Plaza Sherlock Holmes London will host a fun filled Holmes themed event, taking guests back to 1895 with Victorian food and drink and offering a reward for those donning the most impressive Victorian costume.

Together with specialist Sherlock Holmes publisher, MX Publishing, Park Plaza Sherlock Holmes London will welcome guests to enjoy an evening celebrating all things Sherlock, with all ticket proceeds going to the National Literacy Trust, helping to raise literacy among the UK's most disadvantaged communities.

Special guests will include bestselling author, Dan Andriacco, via satellite from Cincinnati. Dan has published six Sherlock Holmes novels, including ‘No Police Like Holmes’ and will be launching the second novel in his collaboration series with equally renowned Holmes writer, Kieran McMullen, The Poisoned Penman, on 15^th May.

As well as a live Q&A with Dan, activities will include the screening of the award winning first episodes of a Sherlock Holmes web series and a Sherlock Holmes themed quiz, with prizes for the winning team.

The event will take place between 6.30pm and 9.30pm in Park Plaza Sherlock Holmes London’s Watson’s Lounge and guests purchasing tickets will also benefit from discounted drinks throughout the evening, an exclusive offer for overnight stays at the hotel, and an exclusive lifetime discount on purchases from the newly launched Watson's Lounge bookshop; a dedicated online Sherlock Holmes themed bookstore.

Tickets cost £5 per person and include:

• Sherlock Holmes themed cocktail and canapés
• Live author Q&A
• Prizes for the best Victorian Dress
• Entry to the Sherlock Holmes Quiz
• Screening of the first episodes of a Sherlock Holmes Web Series
• £5 donation to  the National Literacy Trust
• 20% discount on drinks at the bar throughout the evening
• 20% off best available rate for a future overnight stays at Park Plaza Sherlock Holmes Hotel (subject to availability)
• Lifetime discount on purchases from the Watson’s Lounge Bookshop

To book your place: http://bit.ly/1mOTI3h

Free Irene Adler Short Story

Currently free (now £2 as of 19.2.13) on UK Kindle is The Private Wife of Sherlock Holmes a short story/novella starring Irene Adler and Sherlock Holmes, written by Carole Nelson Douglas. Download it here.

IRENE ADLER . . . She’s one of the most mysterious women in literature, an American and the only woman to have outwitted the world's greatest consulting detective, Sherlock Holmes.

ON FILM . . . You've seen Irene Adler as the fetchingly treacherous minx paired with Robert Downey Jr.’s in his portrayal of Sherlock Holmes as an action hero and human calculating machine.

You can see her as an apparently naked dominatrix in the BBC's modern take on a young, totally wired Sherlock Holmes.

Or you can read about her further adventures after she bested Holmes in "A Scandal in Bohemia," as written by New York Times Notable Book of the Year author Carole Nelson Douglas, author of the acclaimed Good Night,
Mr. Holmes and seven other novels following the adventures of Irene Adler and Sherlock Holmes after “Scandal.”

This novella, “The Private Wife of Sherlock Holmes,” reports the pair’s most recent and intriguing encounter in post-Jack the Ripper London, from Baker Street to a high society brothel. Shocking, my dear Holmes!

Favourite Discoveries 2012 (3)

Today's instalment of favourite discoveries of 2012 comes from Mark Bailey. He chooses a Sherlock Holmes tv series but not one of the usual suspects...

Mark Bailey's Favourite Discovery of 2012

My favourite discovery of 2012 was the Igor Maslennikov Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson television plays - these are Russian language adaptations made in the late 1970s and 1980s starring Vasily Livanov as Sherlock Holmes and Vitaly Solomin as Dr Watson.

The first one I saw was The Hound of the Baskervilles from 1981 which got a Region 2 release in May 2012 – It was a relatively faithful adaptation with one slight change being Sir Henry Baskerville and his butler Barrymore providing an element of comic relief.

I then sought out the other 4 series (1979, 1980, 1983 & 1986) which are available on Region 1 DVDs with English subtitles – the subtitles aren’t great but you can figure out what is going on.

The key elements in their delightfulness are the performances of the two leads (Vasily Livanov and Vitaly Solomin) as well as Ekaterina Zelenaya as Mrs Hudson and that the storylines stay relatively close to the original sources.

Read Mark's Euro Crime reviews here.

Free Ebook - The Complete Sherlock Holmes

Released today, The Complete Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle is available to download for free from Amazon.co.uk and Kobo.

The complete collection of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes tales, both long and short, compiled together for the first time by Simon & Schuster for free!

This fantastic collection is accompanied by an exciting new introduction from Robert Ryan, a writer who's own book has been fully endorsed by the Conan Doyle Estate. A big Holmes fan himself, he will undoubtedly provide a fascinating new look at the detective and his bizarre ability to read both people and objects, in order to discover who dunnit.

Christmas Present Ideas

Here are a few Christmas present suggestions for the crime-fiction lover in your family:

This is from 2010 so won't reference the new TV shows like Sherlock & Elementary:

Get a comprehensive guide to this important literary figure and his author. A classic literary character, Sherlock Holmes has fascinated readers for decades –– from his repartee with Dr. Watson and his unparalleled powers of deduction to the settings, themes, and villains of the stories. Now, this friendly guide offers a clear introduction to this beloved figure and his author, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, presenting new insight into the detective stories and crime scene analysis that have has made Sherlock Holmes famous. Inside you′ll find easy–to–understand yet thorough information on the characters, recurring themes, and locations, and social context of the Sherlock Holmes stories, the relationship of these stories to literature, and the forensics and detective work they feature. You′ll also learn about the life of the author. Better understand and enjoy this influential literary character with this plain–English guide. Gain insight on these classic Doyle tales –– from the classic Hound of the Baskervilles to the lesser–known short stories to Holmes stories written by other mystery writers. Explore the appearance of Sherlock Holmes on film, TV, and stage. Examine Holmes today –– from the ever–expanding network of fans worldwide to story locations that fans can visit. It′s elementary! Sherlock Holmes For Dummies is an indispensable guide for students and fans alike!

However if you want to know more about Sherlock then, just released is The Casebook:

This book is my humble attempt to shine a light on the work of the best and wisest I have ever known. He has, I think it is safe to say, elevated the science of detection into an art form. Having been at his side during some of his most remarkable cases, it has fallen to me to bring his achievements to the attention of the wider public. He is, quite simply, the Mozart of criminal investigation. I would say more, but I am flattered and delighted to say that Sherlock Holmes himself has agreed to write a piece for the cover. The author has transformed what should have been a series of lectures into a gross and tasteless entertainment. The science of deduction is a branch of human achievement requiring serious analysis and yet here I find it lavishly illustrated, disfigured with humour and infested with gossip. Apparently, this kind of sensationalism is required to engage the interest of the reading public, but it is rather like working an office romance into a paper on quantum physics. Only an idiot would be impressed. Help yourself. Sherlock Holmes

Want something more social, then how about, Cluedo: Sherlock Edition:

The enigmatic series Sherlock retells the tale of England’s most celebrated detective – and now Sherlock Holmes and John Watson’s adventures in 21st century London are the centrepiece for their own version of the classic game of Cluedo! Who killed Moriarty? Was it Mrs. Hudson, in the Tower of London with the Wrench, or Irene Adler, in 221B, with a Candlestick? You’ll need all your wits about you to find out!

and if you get overcome with emotion after receiving one of these splendid gifts then why not wipe your eyes with a Cluedo tissue?

Sherlock Holmes Revival

I was a bit surprised to see A Study in Scarlet listed in the charts at WH Smiths and Tesco this week. I wonder what viewers of Sherlock who haven't read it before, will make of the original source material.

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes will be published on 27 October:

In this new edition of Conan Doyle's first collection of short stories, Sherlock co-creator Mark Gatiss explains how these gripping tales inspired and influenced the new series.

Sherlock: The Adventures contains twelve short stories first published in The Strand magazine between 1891 and 1892 and then published as a collection in October 1892. It includes some of Conan Doyle's best tales of murder and mystery, such as 'The Adventures of the Speckled Band', in which the strange last words of a dying woman 'It was the band, the speckled band!' and a inexplicable whistling in the night are the only clues Sherlock Holmes has to prevent another murder; and 'The Five Orange Pips', in which an untimely death and the discovery of the letter containing five orange pips lead to a cross-Atlantic conspiracy.

Anthony Horowitz's official Sherlock Holmes novel, The House of Silk will be published on 1 November:

THE GAME'S AFOOT...It is November 1890 and London is gripped by a merciless winter. Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson are enjoying tea by the fire when an agitated gentleman arrives unannounced at 221b Baker Street. He begs Holmes for help, telling the unnerving story of a scar-faced man with piercing eyes who has stalked him in recent weeks. Intrigued by the man's tale, Holmes and Watson find themselves swiftly drawn into a series of puzzling and sinister events, stretching from the gas-lit streets of London to the teeming criminal underworld of Boston. As the pair delve deeper into the case, they stumble across a whispered phrase 'the House of Silk': a mysterious entity and foe more deadly than any Holmes has encountered, and a conspiracy that threatens to tear apart the very fabric of society itself...With devilish plotting and excellent characterisation, bestselling author Anthony Horowitz delivers a first-rate Sherlock Holmes mystery for a modern readership whilst remaining utterly true to the spirit of the original Conan Doyle books. Sherlock Holmes is back with all the nuance, pace and powers of deduction that make him the world's greatest and most celebrated detective.

Pirate King is the eleventh in Laurie R King's Mary Russell and her husband Sherlock Holmes series and has just been published in the UK. The series began in 1994 with The Beekeeper's Apprentice in which Mary and Sherlock meet.

An e-novella, Beekeeping for Beginners, was released in July, showing that fateful meeting from Sherlock Holmes's point of view. It's available on Kindle in the UK though there are two editions listed on amazon.co.uk: the left hand one is 71p (US edition?) and the right hand one, which is the UK edition is £1.35. It can also be bought as an epub eg Kobo for £1.55.

Anthony Horowitz to pen Sherlock Holmes Novel

Read the whole article at the Bookseller.

Orion is to publish a new full-length Sherlock Holmes novel, written by Alex Rider author Anthony Horowitz, after he was selected by the Conan Doyle Estate.

Further details about the title, to be published in September, are still to be revealed, though it will be "a brilliant mystery novel, stripped back to the original style of Conan Doyle", according to the publisher.

Horowitz said: "I fell in love with the Sherlock Holmes stories when I was 16 and I've read them many times since. I simply couldn't resist this opportunity to write a brand new adventure for this iconic figure and my aim is to produce a first rate mystery for a modern audience while remaining absolutely true to the spirit of the original."

Sherlock Holmes for Younger Readers

Over on my teenage blog, I've posted a mini write-up of the first book discussion at my work's children's reading group, for which I'd chosen a Sherlock Holmes theme, and the specific title of The Case of the Captive Clairvoyant by Anthony Read. I've also listed a few Holmes-related series that are suitable for 9-12 year olds.

Sherlock Holmes - trailer

The release of Sherlock Holmes the movie, Guy Ritchie style gets ever closer (UK release is Boxing Day). Here's a 2 minute trailer:



What do you think?

The Young Sherlock Holmes - Andrew Lane

From BookBrunch:

To Rebecca McNally at Macmillan Children's Books, three authorised adventures by Andrew Lane about the young Sherlock Holmes. Book one, THE COLOSSAL SCHEMES OF BARON MAUPERTIUS, is set in the 1860s, when the 14-year-old Sherlock is sent to spend the summer with eccentric relatives as his soldier father heads for India; the boy genius "is drawn into a sinister international plot with a brilliantly imagined villain at its heart". Lane, a lifelong Holmes fan, has written tie-ins to Torchwood and Doctor Who, as well as ghostwritten books. McNally says: "Andy's written a completely gripping thriller which takes the world's most famous detective and turns him into an utterly convincing, psychologically complex, flawed, clever 14-year-old boy."

Read more about the plot(s) in The Guardian.

Last year Hodder Children's Books published Tim Pigot-Smith's The Dragon Tattoo, the first of the Baker Street Mysteries in which Holmes has disappeared. The follow-up, The Shape of Evil, is due out in October.

There is also a children's series by Tracy Mack and Michael Citrin about Sherlock Holmes & the Baker Street Irregulars which currently has 3 titles (US publisher, but available here through amazon.co.uk etc).

Sherlock Holmes DS game

I'm enjoying Professor Layton and the Curious Village so much that I've pre-ordered Sherlock Holmes: The Mystery of the Mummy which is released for the DS at the end of February. Amazon currently have it for £18.

Synopsis: After Lord Montcalfe's death, his daughter Elisabeth turns to the famous detective Sherlock Holmes to solve the mystery that surrounds her father's death. As Holmes' trusted assistant Doctor Watson is having a well deserved holiday with his family, Holmes decides to go to the manor on his own. He will have to use all of his considerable skills to solve all the manor's riddles. Only then will he discover that behind this mysterious case lies a dreadful secret. In The Mystery of the Mummy, you're immersed in an incredible adventure full of mysteries and with many twisting plot developments. Take on the role of the famous detective Sherlock Holmes and get ready to avoid numerous diabolical traps while solving a variety of clever riddles. A mysterious murder, numerous suspects, and the famous mummy makes for a case that appears most challenging.

Another Sherlock (contemporary this time)

According to Digital Spy, the BBC are to make a 1 hour Sherlock Holmes drama, set in modern day, with Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock and Martin Freeman as Holmes (and Rupert Graves will be in it!):

The BBC has announced Sherlock, a contemporary remake of Arthur Conan Doyle's famous literary creation.

Stuart A Life Backwards actor Benedict Cumberbatch will take on the role of Baker Street sleuth Sherlock Holmes, with The Office's Martin Freeman playing his loyal sidekick Doctor John Watson. Rupert Graves is also among the cast as Inspector Lestrade, while Professor Moriarty is expected to appear as the story's antagonist.

The 60-minute one-off was devised by Steven Moffat and Mark Gattis while travelling to Cardiff to work on Doctor Who.

"Everything that matters about Holmes and Watson is the same. Conan Doyle's original stories were never about frock coats and gas light; they're about brilliant detection, dreadful villains and blood-curdling crimes - and frankly, the hell with the crinoline," said Moffat.

"Other detectives have cases, Sherlock Holmes has adventures and that's what matters."

Gattis added: "The fact that Steven, myself and millions of others are still addicted to Conan Doyle's brilliant stories is testament to their indestructibility. They're as vital, lurid, thrilling and wonderful as they ever were.

"It's a dream come true to be making a new TV series and in Benedict and Martin we have the perfect Holmes and Watson for our time."

Sherlock Homes: Nemesis (PC Game)

The Sherlock Homes: Nemesis game has been out since May but it only came to my attention when I read a review at the weekend in one of the Saturday supplements (can't find an online link).

The Game: After coming face-to-face with the mythical Cthulhu in his previous adventure on PC (“The Awakened”), Sherlock Holmes confronts Arsène Lupin, the gentleman-burglar made famous by the literature series penned by French writer Maurice Leblanc. Arsène Lupin, whose exploits are enjoyed by millions of readers throughout the world, provides the perfect foil for Holmes as he attempts to pull of the ultimate heist.

This battle of wits between the most famous detective of all time and the world's greatest thief takes us to late 19th century London. Arsène Lupin is a young French burglar at the beginning of a glittering career, who comes to town with one goal - defy Scotland Yard and Sherlock Holmes. He states that he will steal five objects of immense value in five days from prestigious sites such as the National Gallery, the British Museum, the Tower of London and even Buckingham Palace! Sherlock Holmes must use all his daring and ingenuity to avoid a terrible humiliation for England.

Read more about it and other Holmes games available at the official website.

Guy Ritchie to make new Sherlock Holmes film

I missed this article last week on Digital Spy:

Guy Ritchie has signed up to direct a new Sherlock Holmes movie.

The Lock Stock And Two Smoking Barrels director will rewrite and helm the project, which is expected to have an action-orientated slant on the famous fictional British detective.

Ritchie's movie will be based on a forthcoming Holmes-based comic book by Lionel Wigwam, which focuses on the character's boxing and swordsmanship skills.

Previous actors to play Arthur Conan Doyle's creation include Basil Rathbone, Ronald Howard and Peter Cushing.

Warner Bros has scheduled the movie for a 2010 release.

Apparently Robert Downey Jr is interested in playing the man himself.

The Death and Life of Sherlock Holmes (play)

Sherlock Holmes - The Last Act, a play written by David Stuart Davies and starring Roger Llewellyn, is showing for one night at Lichfield Garrick Theatre on Saturday. It's already sold out, returns only, but you can watch a clip of the play, courtesy of You Tube.

Roger Llewellyn is currently also appearing in The Death and Life of Sherlock Holmes, also written by David Stuart Davies, which is on tour:

The Death and Life of Sherlock Homes
A dramatic finale…a thrilling comeback!

The World’s Greatest Detective refuses to leave the stage! Arthur Conan Doyle tires of his famous sleuth and uses the arch villain Moriarty to dispose of him. But as raising the spirits of the dead becomes an obsession in the author’s own life, so his fictional creations return to thrill, intrigue and dazzle us.

A wryly humourous tale of murder, mystery and the occult.

After his international success in Sherlock Holmes – The Last Act Roger Llewellyn returns as the great detective in this enthralling new play.

Written by David Stuart Davies, with an original score by Simon Slater. Directed by Gareth Armstrong.

For the Crime Fan who has everything...

$8.95 on Shakespeare's Den. You can also get Edgar Allan Poe and several other literary figures.

Hat Tip: Oline Cogdill's blog.