The Whole Art of Detection: Lost Mysteries of Sherlock Holmes

...or should we call her a pasticheuse? Whatever you call her, say it with respect. Lyndsay Faye has earned her spot with the best of the current Holmes writers. Her stories are engaging, the secondary characters have depth, and the interplay between Holmes and Watson goes beyond banter and into a fully-developed mutual respect. One of the stories raised my eyebrows by placing Watson (without Holmes) in San Francisco, where he apparently practiced medicine for a short time before his return to London and introduction to Holmes. I was unaware of any travels between his medical education in Edinburgh and his service as an Army surgeon - which, as we all know, was ended by a Jezail bullet in Afghanistan. Still, it’s a good story. Ms Faye’s command of Watson’s “voice” is almost flawless - though not quite. Her wit is evident in many places - similes, dialogue, and some laugh-out-loud moments. I was jarred at one spot upon reading that something had been “gifted” to someone - this is a modern, and regrettable, usage. A Victorian Englishman would have correctly said, “given,” rather than “gifted.” Such minor quibbles aside, though, the foibles are few and far between, and the reading is time well invested and richly rewarded. I give Ms Faye’s book top marks, and I hope she blesses us with many more.