Classic crime and mystery fiction

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Book SynopsisIn this, his third adventure, Professor Andrew Basnett takes a brief break from his usual stomping grounds in the Little English Village, opting to spend Christmas in a Small Australian City instead. He’s visiting Tony, an old colleague with a newish wife, and he’s barely had a post-flight snack before he’s made aware of a cloud hanging over the marriage. Jan, Tony’s bride, is widely believed to have bashed her first husband over the head, and though she was acquitted of the murder, Tony himself is starting to have uncomfortable second thoughts. Things don’t get any more comfortable when, at a family dinner, one of the guests is done in, killed with a chunk of the same crystal that put paid to Jan’s first husband. And Jan herself? She’s disappeared. Only the Professor, it would seem, can banish the clouds of distrust and reveal the truth, clear as crystal.Trade Review“Has all of Ferrars’ hallmarks: admirable understatement, provocative characters, and a dandy plot.” —Publishers Weekly

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Book SynopsisThe sleuth we love to loathe is back! Philo Vancethe snootiest snob in Jazz Age NYCinvestigates murders in the wealthy Greene family, who are dropping like flies! Members of the Greene family keep dying, while the pool of possible perpetrators keeps shrinkingalthough the servants, each one weirder than the next, remain in the pink of health). Vancethe independently wealthy, staggeringly brilliant, not remotely modest (and did we mention handsome?) amateur sleuthuses his detective skills to unravel the murders, though sadly not before most of the Greene family has been bumped off.First published in 1928, Greene topped the year's bestseller lists and was made into not one, not two, but an astonishing three films, the first starring William Powell, and the second somebody named Grant Richards. The third, a made-for-TV movie, came out just sixteen years agoin the Czech Republic. That's our Philo, the Sleuth the World Loves to Hate.

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Book SynopsisA recent murder is ancient history in a breathtaking novel about a sacred lost treasure and poisonous retribution by the Amazon Charts and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of At First Light. What an exotic way to die in Chicago. When esteemed historian Elizabeth Lawrence is found in her car, killed by a cobra’s bite, only a brilliant professor of semiotics, Dr. Evan Wilding, can see the signs around her strange death. As he helps homicide detective Addie Bisset decipher the scene, the puzzles left behind offer Evan chilling passage into the mind of a killer. Evan’s investigation merges with that of an Israeli agent, who claims Elizabeth was close to acquiring an invaluable artifact. She was also drawing the attention of unsavory treasure hunters, forgers, and thieves. Was someone desperate to expose the truth of Elizabeth’s astonishing discovery? The deeper Evan and Addie delve into the case, the darker it gets. A murderer’s archaic crimes are just the beginning. In a race where there can be only one winner, the final victim might be Evan.Trade Review“Nickless’ character-driven mystery unfolds on a panoramic scale…Engrossing bits of scholarship tucked into a nifty procedural with amiable sleuths.” —Kirkus Reviews “Evan and his immediate circle fascinate…Fans of religious thrillers will have fun.” —Publishers Weekly “Captivating, compelling, and completely intriguing! Sherlock Holmes meets The Da Vinci Code in this brilliantly written and seamlessly researched adventure, where clues from the ancient past propel contemporary global intrigue. This is an immersive and atmospheric thriller, with an unforgettable main character, and I could not put it down.” —Hank Phillippi Ryan, USA Today bestselling author of Her Perfect Life “Readers rejoice: Dr. Evan Wilding is back, and Dark of Night is another great vehicle for his wry brilliance. The novel is fascinating and twisty with unforgettable characters and writing that took my breath away. You’ll want to clear your calendar for this one.” —Jess Lourey, Amazon Charts bestselling author “Dark of Night had me at Moses papyri. Stolen antiquities, dark forces, cobra bites. What a wonderful read. What an adventure to sink into. What beautiful writing. I loved it.” —Tracy Clark, author of the Cass Raines series, winner of the 2020 and 2022 Sue Grafton Memorial Award “Dr. Evan Wilding is absolutely my new favorite fictional human. His witty charm, his intellect—matched only by his wry humor—along with his goshawk sidekick make him exactly the kind of character who captures an audience within a few lines. Add in the talented and tough Detective Addie Bisset, a death by cobra, and a collection of sketchy people all seeking the same, priceless artifact, and Dark of Night will have you flipping pages well into the night. Barbara Nickless is a phenomenal talent and she just gets better with every book. Dark of Night is her best yet. Bravo!” —Danielle Girard, USA Today bestselling author of The Ex “Missing artifacts? The dark underbelly of the antiquities world? Murder by…cobra? Count me in. Dark of Night is a top-notch thriller with an unforgettable lead in Dr. Evan Wilding. It’s no surprise that Barbara Nickless has fast become one of my favorite authors. I tore through this novel at breakneck speed and can’t wait for the next adventure.” —Hannah Mary McKinnon, internationally bestselling author of Never Coming Home “Dark of Night is a superb novel…After reading the first book in the series, I was hopeful that a second book would be as good or better. I wasn’t disappointed. With the new book, Barbara Nickless has solidified a great new mystery series.” —BVS Reviews

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Book SynopsisFrom the author of The Blondes comes a twisted, darkly humorous story about a woman’s attempted murder, her lost memories, and the old friends who try to put her back together—or finish her off for good. When Mia Sinclair-Kroner wakes from a coma, all she can remember are the movies she’s known and loved. Her college friends quickly assemble for a weekend party, in an effort to help her remember. But with old friends come old wounds, and it soon becomes clear that Mia’s accident might not have been an accident at all. Was it Agnes, driven by her unspoken resentments? Or Zoey, who covets everything Mia has? Have the years apart only fanned the extinguished flame between Ethan and Mia, compelling him to violence? Or did Victor, who moved away, return with an agenda? Or was it Martin, the wealthy husband, who put a country estate between Mia and her past? As old tensions and new suspicions rise, these friends must wade through their film knowledge, shared history, and everything that’s kept them apart in order to figure out which one of them is trying to end things once and for all.Trade ReviewPraise for Sleeping with Friends “Funny, sarcastic, and unavoidably tragic…Schultz’s handling of means, motive, and opportunity cements her, once again, as a dependable and bitingly clever writer.” —Booklist “This propulsive thriller will have you on the edge of your seat as old friends reunite to solve a mystery that implicates them all. Schultz raises questions of art and artifice, memory and trust, all while telling a page-turning, unputdownable story.” —Anna North, New York Times bestselling author of Outlawed Praise for Little Threats “Fans of Tana French, Kimberly Belle, and Orange Is the New Black will fall under this book’s spell…Terse and tense, Little Threats investigates righteous anger, teenage angst, and the enormity of setting the record straight.” —Booklist “A taut psychological thriller…Schultz knows how to keep the reader engrossed.” —Publishers Weekly “Brilliantly structured and gorgeously written, Little Threats is a captivating mystery about a young woman accused of a brutal murder—one she isn’t sure she committed. It’s a story of love and loss, the power of guilt, and the savagely delicate fabric of family.” —Kimberly McCreight, New York Times bestselling author of Reconstructing Amelia and A Good Marriage “Emily Schultz unfolds her story with masterful precision and restraint, delivering a novel that is pure emotional dynamite.” —Wendy Walker, bestselling author of The Night Before “A pulsating mystery, where small details enlighten and illuminate.” —Lori Lansens, author of The Girls and This Little Light “Emily Schultz’s Little Threats is a complex, powerful, emotionally wrenching thriller with a deceptively simple premise: What if you agreed to serve fifteen years in prison for a murder you have no memory of committing? Intense, twisty, and compelling—once you begin reading, you won’t be able to stop!” —Karen Dionne, author of the #1 internationally bestselling The Marsh King’s Daughter “At its heart, Little Threats is a devastating and elegiac novel about teenage friendships, sexuality, drug use, and, ultimately, betrayal. Emily Schultz is unflinching in revealing the way prison isn’t merely a place but a feeling that can haunt a girl who grew into a woman behind bars. Freedom isn’t absolution, and the answers are as painful as the questions in this heart-stopping, powerful story.” —Bryn Greenwood, author of The Reckless Oath We Made and All the Ugly and Wonderful Things “Little Threats hooked me from the first line. A gripping, haunting story about family, memory, and, most of all, grief—this book is difficult to put down and more difficult to stop thinking about.” —Rob Hart, author of The Warehouse “Emily Schultz’s Little Threats is an exquisitely written and thrilling novel about growing up and breaking apart, about the past refusing to loosen its grip on us, and about the impossibility of going back and righting the wrongs that send us spiraling out of control. And, of course, it’s a whale of a whodunnit. This is a riveting and powerful novel about friendship and fate, youth and time, and the toll these things take on all of us. Don’t miss it!” —David Bell, USA Today bestselling author of The Request Praise for The Blondes “The Blondes is scary and deeply, bitingly funny—a satire about gender that kept me reading until four in the morning—and a fine addition to the all-too-small genre of feminist horror.” —NPR (a Great Reads 2015 selection) “The Blondes is intelligent, mesmerizing, and fearless. An entirely original and beautifully twisted satire with a heart of darkness.” —Emily St. John Mandel, author of Station Eleven “A nail-biter that is equal parts suspense, science fiction, and a funny, dark send-up of the stranglehold of gender.” —Kirkus Reviews, Best Books of 2015 “Funny, horrific, and frighteningly realistic, Schultz’s second novel is a must-read.” —The Library Journal (starred) “A ferociously clever, exceedingly well-written variation on the pandemic novel…This canny, suspenseful, acidly observant satire cradles an intimate, poignant, and hilarious story of one lonely, stoic, young mother-to-be caught up in surreal and terrifying situations.” —Booklist (starred) “This frighteningly realistic nail-biter is as acidly funny as it is twisted.” —People Magazine “Schultz spins an eerie tale with perspective into our cultural attitudes about beauty.” —Entertainment Weekly “Skin-crawling, Cronenbergian satire.” —Rue Morgue “Corrosively humorous commentary on social, sexual, and cross-border politics.” —Toronto Star “Emily Schultz balances biting humor and thrilling suspense in a complex story.” —Us Weekly “The Blondes [aims] to be both a realist narrative about loneliness, insecurities, and maternal anxieties and a fantastical, not-quite-allegorical tale of a semiapocalypse. It’s a testament to author Emily Schultz’s immense gifts with tone, detail, and the crafting of a compelling first-person voice that this novel is never less than engaging even when this balance begins to feel absurd.” —National Post “A wild and smart look at cultural theory, gender roles, and societal expectations.” —LongReads “A campy, King-inspired nightmare sure to satisfy the scream queens in the audience.” —Bustle “The Blondes, by Emily Schultz, gives a twisted meaning to the phrase ‘blondes have more fun.’ I giggled and shivered.” —Minnesota Journal Sentinel “With a lively sense of danger…and an absurdist but compelling feminist premise, the book has the enviable qualities of a smart page-turner.” —Flavorwire “A hybrid novel, at the crossroads of the history of zombies, a nightmare scenario, and the story of an adulterous liaison gone wrong, The Blondes is bathed in light humor and self-mockery.” —Christian Desmeules, Le Devoir

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Book SynopsisShe was beautiful and evil - she murdered minds as well as bodies...'A work of art - terrifyingly believable' NEW YORK TIMES'Superb ... BEAST IN VIEW is cunningly plotted and has an ingenious final twist' MAIL ON SUNDAY'Millar was the master of the surprise ending (exemplified in BEAST IN VIEW)' INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAYAt thirty, Helen Clarvoe is alone: her only visitors are the staff at the hotel where she lives, and her only phone calls come from a stranger. Until that stranger, with a quiet, compelling voice, lures the aloof and financially secure Miss Clarvoe into a world of extortion, pornography, vengeance, madness and murder.But who is the hunter and who is the victim...?A gothic chiller which still feels incredibly modern, BEAST IN VIEW is a true classic of the crime fiction genre.Trade ReviewA work of art - terrifyingly believable * NEW YORK TIMES *Millar was the master of the surprise ending (exemplified in BEAST IN VIEW) * INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY *Superb ... BEAST IN VIEW is cunningly plotted and has an ingenious final twist * MAIL ON SUNDAY *Deeply creepy -- Megan AbbottA wonderfully creepy and terrifying slice of noir * CATHOLIC HERALD *Margaret Millar is surely one of late 20th century crime writer's best writers... the prose is of superb quality... But it is the use to which Mrs Millar puts her strongly imagined words that makes this book so exceptional -- H R F KeatingShe is the very top rank of crime writers -- Julian SymonsDazzling ... In the whole of crime fiction's distinguished sisterhood there is no one quite like Margaret Millar -- Matthew CoadyConsistently entertaining... a justly celebrated classic * WATERSTONES GUIDE TO CRIME FICTION *Steadily mounting horror! * WASHINGTON STAR *Warrants the highest recommendation on all scores * NEW YORK HERALD TRIBUNE *Millar was the master of the surprise ending (exemplified in BEAST IN VIEW) -- Christopher Fowler * INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY *Superb ... BEAST IN VIEW is cunningly plotted and has an ingenious final twist -- Simon Shaw * MAIL ON SUNDAY *A wonderfully crepy and terrifying slice of noir * CATHOLIC HERALD *

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Book SynopsisA gothic tale of deception, murder and mystery set in Victorian England.On a bleak, wintry morning in Victorian England, Dr Ned Courtine arrives in the sleepy cathedral town of Thurchester for a reunion with his former university friend, Austin Fickling. Over 20 years have passed since they last saw each other, and Fickling appears anxious and gaunt, ravaged by a strange, existential guilt. In order to deflect Courtine's questions from himself, Fickling recounts the story of Thurchester's ghost, William Burgoyne, once a royalist and treasurer of the cathedral who was murdered in the aftermath of the Civil War. The macabre tale of murder and deception captures Courtine's imagination, and he finds himself unknowningly drawn into a world of haunting evil. A masterpiece of Victorian suspense as well as a dazzling meditation on human passions, THE UNBURIED is a murder mystery that lingers - even after all has been resolved.Trade ReviewA big, fat murder mystery. It is a perfectly pitched pastiche of Victorian Gothic ... compulsive reading * EVENING STANDARD *This is, basically, a cracking yarn ... enormously enjoyable ... Wilkie Collins and chums having been effectively buried themselves for so long, it is charming that Palliser should so faithfully unbury them again * OBSERVER *Fans of Palliser's bestseller THE QUINCUNX will be gripped * DAILY MAIL *Palliser really is the master of the neo-Victorian genre, mixing deliciously spooky tales with high intelligence and a superior style * SUNDAY HERALD *Charles Palliser returns once again to his Wilkie Collins style of atmospheric recreation in this brilliant new novel. This is near faultless story-telling - a one-sitting feast * SCOTLAND ON SUNDAY *

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Book SynopsisGently wades through a torrent of suspects when a body is found floating face down in the river.Sometimes you can have too much of a good thing - that's if you can call having too many suspects, too many potential murderers, 'a good thing'. What Gently has to work out is which of them had the cold blooded nerve to smash the victim's skull and dump him in the river.

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Book SynopsisSPY-MASTERS, NAZIS AND SECRETSIt’s the Second World War, and Sexton Blake is matching minds with the very best… and the very worst.When an innocent woman is condemned as a spy and her fiancé arrested while trying to escape to France, Sexton and Tinker have to travel into enemy territory in their hunt for the mastermind... and on the home front, a man is found murdered - but the suspect doesn’t know if he did it! Who else to find the truth but Sexton Blake?Join the greatest detective as he battles with a mysterious house, a ring of traitors - and a deadly secret.Trade Review“Delighted to see Sexton Blake still going strong – and with such aplomb!” -- Agatha Christie“Makes Jack Reacher look like a bungling amateur...definitely not be missed.” — The Crime Review“The Sexton Blake Saga is the nearest approach to a national folk-lore” -- Dorothy L. Sayers

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Book SynopsisChristmas is a time of goodwill to all men ... or is it? As the nights draw in, throw another log on the fire and settle back into your armchair to enjoy this collection of ten classic Christmas mysteries, in which crime's best known sleuths, from Rebus to Holmes and Cadfael to Father Brown, uncover murder and mayhem galore. Whether it's a Christmas goose with a surprising secret cargo, a murdered pantomime dame, or a killer who departs the scene of the crime without leaving a single footprint, these stories will puzzle and delight in equal measure. And along the way, there'll be enough carols and Christmas pudding, mistletoe and mulled wine, to warm the heart of a stone-cold killer ... perhaps.Trade ReviewThis killer selection is the icing on the (Christmas) cake ... this is all your Christmases come at once for fans of the genre. * The Lady *

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Book SynopsisA dizzying tale oflust and murder, from one of Japan's greatest mysterywriters. A hunter prowls the night spotsof Shinjuku But he's the one walking into a trap... IchiroHonda leads a double life: by day a devoted husband and a diligent worker, bynight he moves through the shadow world of Tokyo's cabaret bars and nightclubsin search of vulnerable women to seduce and then abandon. But when a trail ofbodies seems to appear in his wake, the hunter becomes the prey and Ichirorealises he has been caught in a snare. Has he left it too late to free himselfbefore time runs out?Trade Review'Full of subtly menacing tensions and sharp psychological insights, told in lean, sparsely ornamented style. This one is a must for the discerning reader.' - Kirkus‘Long established in Japan, [Togawa’s] books have benefited from sensitive translation to enjoy a well-deserved second life.’ — Daily Mail'The PD James of Japan.' - Times Literary Supplement‘There's a great and distinct timbre to this book … it certainly has the cleverness ultimately to keep a genre reader really satisfied.’ — The Bookbag"Even when you think you know just where the book is headed… you don’t… Thoroughly enjoyable." — David’s Book World

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Book SynopsisThere's blood in the backwaters of Kerala BOLLYWOOD Detective Harith Athreya is recuperating in the beautiful backwaters of Kerala when he meets a family of vacationing Bollywood royalty, who ask for his help making a murder mystery film. BANKRUPTCY But the family is not what it seems- there are rumours of major money troubles, links to organised crime, and rivalry between the scions. BUTCHERY When one of them is found dead, murdered exactly like a victim in the film, Athreya puts his holiday on hold to solve the case. Is this the work of an angry co-star, or something more sinister?Trade ReviewAbly-plotted, well-written and enjoyable * The Critic *

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Book Synopsis'The perfect sleuth for the Jazz Age' Crimereads 'With his highbrow manner and his parade of encyclopaedic learning, Philo Vance is not only a detective; he is a god out of the machine' New York Times 'Probably the most asinine character in detective fiction' Raymond Chandler __________ In one of the most well-known classic American puzzle mysteries, amateur detective Philo Vance must solve a baffling series of murders based on nursery rhymes A series of gruesome murders has left the glittering world of Jazz Age Manhattan in shock. With every new victim, the perpetrator sends a taunting note to the press, simply signed 'The Bishop'. New York's District Attorney turns to the only man who can crack the case: the dapper and brilliant detective Philo Vance. With his razor-sharp intellect and impeccable style, Vance sets out to track down the killer before more lives are lost, and soon uncovers a dark pattern to the murders. As the investigation takes him from the mansions of the city's elite to the seedy underworld of speakeasies and jazz clubs, Vance must use all his wits to stay one step ahead of The Bishop. Will he be able to solve the case in time, or risk becoming the killer's next victim?Trade Review'The perfect sleuth for the Jazz Age' - CrimeReads'Mr. Van Dine's amateur detective is the most gentlemanly, and probably the most scholarly snooper in literature' - Chicago Daily Tribune'The Philo Vance novels were well-crafted puzzlers that captivated readers' - Mystery Scene'With his highbrow manner and his parade of encyclopedic learning, Philo Vance is not only a detective; he is a god out of the machine' - New York Times'Probably the most asinine character in detective fiction' - Raymond Chandler

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Book SynopsisA visit from the distraught Ronald Temple sets SHERLOCK HOLMES and Dr Watson on the hunt for a kidnapped child. With no ransom note and a sinister connection to the highest echelons of Victorian society, it becomes clear that it is no ordinary kidnapping, and soon the companions' lives are in danger. What is the child's true heritage? And what is the connection with the Whitechapel murders of a decade before?

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Book SynopsisAn eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth? Do people who have sinned deserve to be punished? One killer thinks so and that''s why there are bodies being found in strange situations. Can Taliesin MacLeavy find the killer before more people die?

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Book SynopsisThree complete radio dramas featuring writer-cum-amateur detective Paul Temple, plus bonus archive material. When it comes to classic crime partnerships, Paul Temple and his wife Steve are the crème de la crème. Between 1938 and 1968 their glamorous exploits enthralled generations of radio listeners around the world. Here, presented in chronological order, are some of the amateur detective's earliest adventures. 'Send for Paul Temple' (1940) is an early remake of the now-lost original 1938 BBC production. 'Paul Temple Intervenes' (1942) finds Paul and Steve investigating a series of celebrity murders, whilst 'Paul Temple and the Vandyke Affair' (the original 1950 production, presented here for the very first time) concerns the strange disappearance of the Desmond baby and her sitter. Hugh Morton, Bernard Braden, Carl Bernard and Peter Coke play Paul in these episodes, with Bernadette Hodgson, Peggy Hassard and Marjorie Westbury as Steve. A bonus disc features rare archive material from otherwise lost productions, including the final episodes of 'Send for Paul Temple' (1938) and 'Paul Temple and the Front Page Men' (1938). Duration: 11 hours approx.

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Book SynopsisWhen breakfast TV host and nation's darling Rosie Harper is found brutally murdered at home, suspicion falls on her spouse, formerly international football star, Danny 'walks on water' Mallard, now living out of the public eye as trans woman, Debbie. Not only must Debbie challenge the hard evidence against her, including her blood-drenched glove at the scene of the crime, she must also contend with the world's prejudices, as the trial is broadcast live. For someone trying to live their life without judgment, it might be too much to bear. Legal duo Judith Burton and Constance Lamb feel the pressure of public scrutiny as they strive to defend their most famous client yet. Another thought-provoking courtroom drama from the acclaimed author of the Burton & Lamb series.Trade Review'A gripping mystery, sensitively told' - The Times, 'Thought-provoking...the trial is genuinely enthralling. Silver's real achievement is in making issues that fascinate lawyers transparent, accessible and entertaining to readers' - Jewish Chronicle

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Book SynopsisWhen eminent psychiatrist Dr Liz Sullivan is found dead in her bed, suspicion falls on local gamer and YouTube celebrity Jaden 'JD' Dodds. Did he target her because of her anti-gaming views and the work she undertook to expose the dangers of playing online games? And what was her connection with Valiant, an independent game manufacturer about to hit the big time, and its volatile boss? Judith Burton and Constance Lamb team up once more to defend JD when no one else is on his side. But just because he makes a living killing people on screen doesn't mean he'd do it in real life. Or does it?Trade Review'A first-rate courtroom thriller' --Daily Mail (Pinocchio Brief) "A tense thriller wrought from a cutting edge subject"--Times (Cinderella Plan) "Rumpole of the Bailey, Kavanagh QC, Perry Mason - now joining their ranks is Judith Burton' --Jewish Chronicle

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Book SynopsisA series of grisly murders rocks London. At each location, only a jumble of bones remains of the deceased, along with a bizarre sphere covered in strange symbols. The son of the latest victim seeks the help of Sherlock Holmes and his former partner, Dr. John Watson.They discover the common thread tying together the murders. Bizarre geometries, based on ancient schematics, enable otherworldly creatures to enter our dimension, seeking to wreak havoc and destruction.The persons responsible are gaining so much power that even Holmes's greatest enemy fears them-to the point that he seeks an unholy alliance.Trade Review"THE ADVENTURE OF THE DEADLY DIMENSIONS is a wild, exciting and thoroughly satisfying collision of otherworldly horror and deductive reasoning. So much fun!"--Jonathan Maberry, New York Times bestselling author of V-WARS and PREDATOR ONE.

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Book SynopsisFollowing a summons to a fictional patient, Dr Watson finds himself arrested for the horrific murder of an elderly woman. Imprisoned and with the evidence against him, Watson's only hope is that Sherlock Holmes can discover the identity of the real killer. But when a mysterious letter appears to link Watson to blackmail and a notorious street gang, Holmes must use all his powers of reasoning to save his friend from the hangman’s noose.

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Book SynopsisFrom Perry Mason creator Erle Stanley Gardner - during his life, the best-selling American author of all time -- comes a lost classic of detective fiction featuring private eyes Donald Lam (once played by Frank Sinatra!) and Bertha Cool. Has Donald Lam gone to the dark side? From the world-famous creator of "Perry Mason," Erle Stanley Gardner - at his death the best-selling American writer of all time - comes another baffling case for the Cool & Lam detective agency: SHILLS CAN'T CASH CHIPS. Return to the 1960s as a simple insurance investigation into a car accident puts Bertha Cool and Donald Lam on the trail of murder - and Donald hip-deep in danger when he poses as an ex-con to infiltrate a criminal gang. It's Gardner's twistiest caper ever, and a fitting capper to Hard Case Crime's revival of this classic (and long unavailable) detective series.Trade Review"A high-spirited romp you'll be sorry to see end." - Kirkus Reviews "Just the ticket for fans of retro crime fiction." - Publishers Weekly

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Book SynopsisSherlock Holmes’s latest case takes him to the heart of Paris, in pursuit of Marguerite Hardy – a mysterious Frenchwoman who fled her comfortable English home when she received a strange letter. Desperate for her safe return, her husband begs for Holmes’s help. But Holmes’s investigations will take him and his cousin, Henry Vernier, into a world of theft, seduction and betrayal – and uncover a secret that has been buried for over twenty years.

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Book Synopsis‘This is a well paced and exciting read. More please!’ Alexander McCall Smith ‘It's a rare talent that creates a work that is both whip smart, fast paced and at the same time gloriously genteel. Carter is that talent.’ Amanda Prowse The second Susie Mahl Mystery. If only death came with a warning… Flirtatious American blonde, Miss Hailey Dune, should never have accepted a summer weekend invitation to Fontaburn Hall. But when the Honourable Archibald Cooke Wellingham’s gentrified house party are woken, in the early hours of Sunday morning, it’s too late: Miss Dune’s blood is on their hands. With the aid of well-mannered Detective Chief Inspector Reynolds, intelligent Sergeant Ayari and loyal friend Dr Toby Cropper, Susie Mahl, on a timely commission drawing six racehorses nearby, seizes the opportunity to play detective for a second time. Her inquisitive nature, tenacity for truth and artist’s eye for detail make her ideally suited to the task in hand, but is she getting carried away by her previous triumph - even to the extent of endangering her reputation and her burgeoning relationship with Toby? Enriched with candid observations of the British social classes, insights into the artist’s craft, and a strong dose of good humour, The Colours of Murder is a welcome return of Ali Carter’s amateur sleuth.Trade Review'This is a well paced and exciting read. More please!' * Alexander McCall Smith *'It's a rare talent that creates a work that is both whip smart, fast paced and at the same time gloriously genteel. Carter is that talent.' * Amanda Prowse *‘This whip-smart, pacey, yet at the same time effortlessly genteel Christie homage is a more than welcome return for Ali Carter’s artistic amateur sleuth Susie Mahl…. Susie is everything a cosy detective should be – absorbing, witty, warm, charming, funny and endlessly inquisitive. Carter has created a character Agatha Christie would be proud of – a sort of 21st century Jane Marple, although it is hard to imagine what that most correct and starchy lady would have thought about Susie’s passion for racy French silk underwear!’ * Crime Review *‘A Christie homage whose upper-crust humour targets readers who recognize the differences between a country house and a stately home.’ * Kirkus *‘Charming... I loved it.’ * Promoting Crime *Praise for A Brush with Death: 'A riveting, charming and very funny new crime series from the fabulously talented Ali Carter.' Piers Morgan 'A delicious new voice in crime writing... Excellent on the English aristocracy and written in a fine wry style.' Daily Mail 'Absorbing, charming and funny, A Brush With Death heralds a fresh and welcome new voice in crime writing. Susie Mahl is also a welcome new detective: witty, warm and very inquisitive.' Antonia Fraser

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Book SynopsisPart IX: 2018 Annual (1879-1895) features contributions by: Deanna Baran, Roger Riccard, David Marcum, Tracy Revels, S.R. Bennett, Nick Cardillo, Robert Stapleton, Kevin Thornton, Leslie Charteris and Denis Green, Shane Simmons, James Moffett, C.H. Dye, Stephan Gaspar, Marcia Wilson, Sonia Featherstone, Geri Schear, David Friend, Mark Mower, and a poem by Amy Thomas.Once again, the adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson continue in this acclaimed anthology series, with thirty-seven new tales presented in two companion volumes – more Holmes than could fit into one book!n 2015, The MX Book of New Sherlock Holmes Stories was first published, a huge three-book set featuring over sixty new traditional Holmes exploits, all set within the correct time period. Soon, the demand for even more traditional Holmes adventures led to further volumes. The next year brought Part IV: 2016 Annual, and then Part V: Christmas Adventures. In spring 2017 there was Part VI: 2017 Annual, and that fall revealed the massive two-volume set, Parts VII and VIII: Eliminate the Impossible. Now we present another two simultaneous volumes, Parts IX and X: 2018 Annual (1879-1895) and (1896-1916).Here can be no argument that Sherlock Holmes is one of the most famous and recognizable figures in the world. There were only sixty narratives brought to us by the original Literary Agent, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Clearly that is not enough.Watson once wrote that he kept his unpublished cases in his old Tin Dispatch Box. Now, with the publication of these latest volumes, that box has again been explored by some of today’s best Sherlockian writers, all of whom are donating their royalties from these anthologies toward the restoration of Undershaw, one of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s houses, and the location where The Hound of the Baskervilles and many later Holmes stories were completed.Climb the seventeen steps to the sitting room at 221b Baker Street.  Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson are waiting . . . .The game is afoot!

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Book SynopsisVolume II contains roughly the first half of the Thorndyke Short Stories. In all, there are over forty Thorndyke short stories, spread over six books. This volume contains the fifteen short stories from the first three, John Thorndyke''s Cases, The Singing Bone, and The Great Portrait Mystery.

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Book SynopsisValle de los Reyes, Egipto, 1880. Un joven arqueólogo inglés está a punto de descubrir la tumba de un importante dignatario egipcio que ha permanecido intacta durante casi tres mil años. En su interior le aguardan tesoros de un valor incalculable pero también, y sobre todo, un secreto que ha dormido durante siglos y que puede hacer realidad el mayor de sus deseos.Londres, tres años después.Sherlock Holmes y el Dr. Watson reciben en Baker Street la sorprendente noticia del robo de una serie de valiosos objetos egipcios a pocos días de la inauguración de una de las exposiciones más importantes que ha acometido el Museo Británico. Comienza así una nueva aventura que les llevará a moverse entre los entresijos del Museo Británico y los secretos de la expedición arqueológica más importante de su tiempo; a adentrarse en la mansión de una de las familias más antiguas de Inglaterra o en el bello e inquietante cementerio de Highgate y a tratar con personajes tan fascinantes como Lord Leighton, arqueólogo y mecenas de la excavación y tan ruines como los ladrones de cuerpos que actuaban en la época. Sin embargo, mientras avanza en el caso, gracias a su proverbial inteligencia y dotes de observación, Sherlock Holmes se encontrará por primera vez dudando de sus métodos de trabajo y de una realidad que quizás irá más allá de sus propios prejuicios. 

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Book SynopsisWhen a beer barrel containing the body of a man is delivered to the door of 221b Baker Street, an intoxicating new adventure begins for Sherlock Holmes. Together with his faithful companion, Dr John Watson, Holmes travels north to Burton-upon-Trent to investigate the poisoning of a regiment in India from a contaminated batch of pale ale. The incident threatens the reputation of the mighty brewer, Houghton's, which supplies beer to half the world. But Holmes is not the only detective working the case. Miss Gertie Cresswell, owner of a first-class mind and a yellow umbrella, has a few ideas of her own. With militant suffragettes, folding bicycles, and the footprints of what appears to be a three-legged man, the unlikely trio face their most fiendish mystery yet. The game is on!  

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Book Synopsis64 new, traditional Sherlock Holmes Stories making up the latest three volumes in the world's largest collection of Sherlock Holmes Stories – XIX, XX and XXI.In 2015, the first three volumes of The MX Book of New Sherlock Holmes Stories arrived, containing over 60 stories in the true traditional Canonical manner, revisiting Holmes and Watson in those days where it is “always 1895” . . . or a few decades on either side of that. That was the largest collection of new Holmes stories ever assembled, and originally planned to be a one-time event. But readers wanted more, and the contributors had more stories from Watson’s Tin Dispatch Box, so the fun continued.Now, with the release of Parts XIX, XX, and XXI, the series has grown to over 450 new Holmes adventures by nearly 200 contributors from around the world. Since the beginning, all contributor royalties go to the Stepping Stones School for special needs children at Undershaw, one of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s former homes, and to date the project has raised nearly $60,000 for the school.As has become the tradition, this new collection of 64 adventures features Holmes and Watson carrying out their masterful investigations from the early days of their friendship in Baker Street to the post-War years during Holmes’s retirement. Along the way they are involved in some fascinating mysteries – some relating Untold Cases, others sequels to Canonical adventures, and a number progressing along completely unexpected lines.Join us as we return to Baker Street and discover more authentic adventures of Sherlock Holmes, described by the estimable Dr. Watson as “the best and wisest . . . whom I have ever known.”Featuring - Thomas Burns, Harry DeMaio, Tracy Revels, Steven Philip Jones, Mark Mower, Deanna Baran, Steve Herczeg, David Marcum, Arthur Hall, Will Murray, Gayle Lange Puhl, S.F.Bennett, Kevin Thornton, Christopher Todd, Matthew J. Elliott, Charles Veley and Anna Elliott, I.A. Watson, Robert Perret, Sonia Fetherston, and Susan Knight, with a poem by Jacquelynn Morris, and forewords by John Lescroart, Roger Johnson, Lizzy Butler, Steve Emecz, and David Marcum.

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Book Synopsis64 new, traditional Sherlock Holmes Stories making up the latest three volumes in the world's largest collection of Sherlock Holmes Stories – XIX, XX and XXI.In 2015, the first three volumes of The MX Book of New Sherlock Holmes Stories arrived, containing over 60 stories in the true traditional Canonical manner, revisiting Holmes and Watson in those days where it is “always 1895” . . . or a few decades on either side of that. That was the largest collection of new Holmes stories ever assembled, and originally planned to be a one-time event. But readers wanted more, and the contributors had more stories from Watson’s Tin Dispatch Box, so the fun continued. Now, with the release of Parts XIX, XX, and XXI, the series has grown to over 450 new Holmes adventures by nearly 200 contributors from around the world. Since the beginning, all contributor royalties go to the Stepping Stones School for special needs children at Undershaw, one of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s former homes, and to date the project has raised nearly $60,000 for the school.As has become the tradition, this new collection of 64 adventures features Holmes and Watson carrying out their masterful investigations from the early days of their friendship in Baker Street to the post-War years during Holmes’s retirement. Along the way they are involved in some fascinating mysteries – some relating Untold Cases, others sequels to Canonical adventures, and a number progressing along completely unexpected lines.Join us as we return to Baker Street and discover more authentic adventures of Sherlock Holmes, described by the estimable Dr. Watson as “the best and wisest . . . whom I have ever known.”Featuring - R.K. Radek, Arthur Hall, DJ Tyrer, David L. Leal, Paula Hammond, Jayantika Ganguly, Bob Byrne, Geri Schear, Stephen Mason, David Marcum, Mark Mower, Peter Coe Verbica, Hugh Ashton, Leslie Charteris and Denis Green, Jane Rubino, Dick Gillman, Derrick Belanger, Michael Mallory, and John Lawrence, with a poem by Joseph W. Svec III, and forewords by John Lescroart, Roger Johnson, Lizzy Butler, Steve Emecz, and David Marcum.

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Book SynopsisVolume VII contains the thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth Thorndyke novels, published in 1931, 1932, and 1933, respectively.Pontifex, Son, and Thorndyke - Jasper Gray is an enterprising fellow going about his typical day when he''s drawn into a series of curious events. Meanwhile, Thorndyke is consulted on a seemingly unrelated but unusual suicide. When their stories collide, Jasper''s life will never be the same.When Rogues Fall Out - A disagreement between thieves and a policeman doing his duty leads to the policeman''s death. Thorndyke, Jervis, and Polton assist the official force to bring the killer to justice - and along the way investigate a most mysterious house . . . .Dr. Thorndyke Intervenes - An old case has current consequences when a human head is abandoned in a train station. Before the investigation is concluded, a visit to an ancient crypt and explorations in ancient British mines will lead to a restored inheritance.When Sherlock Holmes began his practice as a "Consulting Detective", his ideas of scientific criminal investigations caused the London police to look upon him as a mere "theorist". And yet, through his work, the science behind catching criminals became so important that it''s hard to now imagine the world without them.Many famous Great Detectives followed in Holmes''s footsteps - Nero Wolfe and Ellery Queen, Hercule Poirot and Solar Pons - but before they began their careers, and while Holmes was still in practice in Baker Street, another London consultant - Dr. John Thorndyke - opened his doors, using the scientific methods developed and perfected by Holmes and taking them to a whole new level of brilliance.Between 1905, with his first appearance in a nearly forgotten novella (see below), to 1942, and through the course of twenty-one novels and over forty short stories, Dr. Thorndyke, often with the assistance of his friend Dr. Christopher Jervis, unraveled some incredibly complex puzzles. Besides providing very satisfying mysteries - some of which turned the literary form inside out - these adventures present vivid pictures of England in the late Victorian and early Edwardian eras, ranging from the doctor''s own vividly drawn chambers at 5A Kings Bench Walk in the Temple to the surrounding London streets, and beyond into the villages and towns of the countryside.Many of the Thorndyke volumes have been difficult to obtain for decades. MX Publishing is proud to announce the return of Dr. Thorndyke in a collection of omnibus editions, bringing these masterful adventures of one of the world''s greatest detectives together in an easily available format for modern readers."Thorndyke will cheerfully show you all the facts. You will be none the wiser . . . ."- Dorothy L. Sayers, Chronicler of Lord Peter Wimsey

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Book SynopsisFor Sherlock Holmes, Irene Adler was always the woman, but at the end of "A Scandal in Bohemia" Dr. Watson had pronounced her dead and gone. However, reports of her death were greatly exaggerated. Holmes and Miss Adler had fallen in love at first sight and she promptly moved in with Holmes and Watson at 221B Baker Street. In an effort to protect the delicate sensibilities of the British reading public, Watson explained her presence by referring to her as Mrs. Hudson, the housekeeper, even as Holmes and Adler combined forces to become a formidable detecting duo. In these three cases, they must overcome the evil schemes of the late Professor Moriarty''s daughter-the wicked and brilliant Marie Chartier-whose only goal in life is to become the Napoleoness of Crime.In The Adventure of the Elusive Ear, Vincent Van Gogh arrives at 221B, desperate to have Holmes recover his missing ear, leading Holmes and Adler to uncover a diabolical Post-Impressionist conspiracy thanks to the assistance of Oscar Wilde.  In The Adventure of the Fallen Soufflé, world-renowned chef Auguste Escoffier is threatened with scandal and ruin even as the gambling and womanizing Prince of Wales flees Anarchist assassins, and a plot to steal the priceless Koh-i-Noor Diamond is revealed.In The Adventure of the Ghost Machine, the newest world-changing inventions of Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison have been stolen, and Holmes must overcome the greatest loss of his career by deducing the hidden connection between a single inch, one hundred thousand volts, and the human pulse.Intrigue, romance, mystery, absinthe overindulgence, roasted ortolan, Death Rays, and women in corsets sword-fighting all await, as Dr. Watson relates these heretofore hidden cases of Sherlock Holmes...

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Book SynopsisFeaturing Contributions by:Tracy J. Revels, John Davis, John Lawrence, Stephen Herczeg, Tim Gambrell, Craig Stephen Copland, Jeremy Branton Holstein, Thomas A. Turley , Arthur Hall, David Marcum, S.C. Toft, Leslie Charteris and Denis Green, Roger Riccard, Will Murray, John Lawrence, and Marcia Wilson, and forewords by Peter Lovesey, Roger Johnson, Steve Emecz, and David MarcumHere, though the world explode, these two survive, And it is always eighteen-ninety-five. So wrote Sherlockian Vincent Starrett in his 1942 poem 221b, soon after the United States entered World War II. Even as those years brought terrible challenges, so too has 2020 been a year of great testing for so many of us, as a global pandemic rages and good people are called to stand against evil. For Sherlockians, comfort can be found in climbing those seventeen stairs to the Baker Street sitting room, where it is always eighteen-ninety-five - or a few decades on either side of it. In 2015, the first three volumes of The MX Book of New Sherlock Holmes Stories arrived, containing over 60 stories in the true traditional Canonical manner. That was the largest collection of new Holmes stories ever assembled, and originally planned to be a one-time event. But readers wanted more, and the contributors had more stories from Watson''s Tin Dispatch Box, so the fun continued. Now, with the release of Parts XXV, XXVI, and XXVII, the series has grown to nearly 600 new Holmes adventures by almost 200 contributors from around with world. Since the beginning, all contributor royalties go to the Stepping Stones School for special needs children at Undershaw, one of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle''s former homes, and to date the project has raised over $75,000 for the school. As has become the tradition, this new collection features Holmes and Watson carrying out their masterful investigations from the early days of their friendship in Baker Street to the post-War years during Holmes''s retirement. Join us as we return to Baker Street and discover more authentic adventures of Sherlock Holmes, described by the estimable Dr. Watson as "the best and wisest . . . whom I have ever known." 59 new traditional Holmes adventures  in three simultaneously published volumes The game is afoot! All author royalties from this collection are being donated by the writers for the benefit of the preservation of Undershaw, one of the former homes of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

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Book SynopsisQuarantines, masks, death-terms familiar to anyone who faced the so-called Spanish Flu of 1918. World-wide, it is estimated that the horrifying influenza killed more than 50 million people, significantly more than did the guns of the Great War, which was just then coming to a close. And yet no one has ever heard from Sherlock Holmes or Dr. Watson concerning their own experiences surviving the terrible virus-until now. In a recently-discovered manuscript, Dr. Watson reveals the secret which for years had kept him silent about the deadly pandemic. Only when he meets the eccentric American novelist Sinclair Lewis is the truth pried free and the story of an ingenious murder revealed.

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Book SynopsisAt the age of ten in the mid-1970''s, David Marcum discovered Mr. Sherlock Holmes, and from that point, he knew that the original 60 Canonical adventures would never be enough. This, coupled with his life-long desire to write, meant that eventually he would find a way to add new stories to The Great Holmes Tapestry. The years passed, and David collected, read, and chronologicized literally thousands of traditional Canonical Sherlockian pastiches. Then, in 2008, with time on his hands while laid off from his civil engineering job during the Great Recession, David finally found his way to Watson''s Tin Dispatch Box, producing The Papers of Sherlock Holmes. These first nine short stories originally sat on a shelf in his Holmes book collection before he eventually decided to share them with others. That first collection was initially published by a small press in 2011, and then in 2013 by the premiere Sherlockian publisher, MX Publishing - and after that, there was no turning back. Since then, in addition to editing over 60 volumes (most of which are Sherlockian anthologies), David has written and published over 80 Sherlockian adventures in a variety of anthologies and magazines. Now these are being collected - along with a few others that haven''t been seen before. These first five volumes contain the majority of David''s Holmesian stories - so far, with additional adventures to be collected and published as part of this ongoing series in 2022. Join us as we return to Baker Street and discover more authentic adventures of Sherlock Holmes, the man described by the estimable Dr. Watson as "the best and wisest . . . whom I have ever known."  The game is afoot! Volume II - Records(5 Short Stories and a Novel) Sherlock Holmes - Tangled Skeins The Mystery at Kerrett''s RoodThe Curious Incident of the Goat-Cart ManThe Matter of Boz''s Last LetterThe Tangled Skein at Birling GapThe Gower Street MurderandSherlock Holmes and The Eye of Heka (A Novel)

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Book SynopsisAt the age of ten in the mid-1970''s, David Marcum discovered Mr. Sherlock Holmes, and from that point, he knew that the original 60 Canonical adventures would never be enough. This, coupled with his life-long desire to write, meant that eventually he would find a way to add new stories to The Great Holmes Tapestry. The years passed, and David collected, read, and chronologicized literally thousands of traditional Canonical Sherlockian pastiches. Then, in 2008, with time on his hands while laid off from his civil engineering job during the Great Recession, David finally found his way to Watson''s Tin Dispatch Box, producing The Papers of Sherlock Holmes. These first nine short stories originally sat on a shelf in his Holmes book collection before he eventually decided to share them with others. That first collection was initially published by a small press in 2011, and then in 2013 by the premiere Sherlockian publisher, MX Publishing - and after that, there was no turning back. Since then, in addition to editing over 60 volumes (most of which are Sherlockian anthologies), David has written and published over 80 Sherlockian adventures in a variety of anthologies and magazines. Now these are being collected - along with a few others that haven''t been seen before. These first five volumes contain the majority of David''s Holmesian stories - so far, with additional adventures to be collected and published as part of this ongoing series in 2022. Join us as we return to Baker Street and discover more authentic adventures of Sherlock Holmes, the man described by the estimable Dr. Watson as "the best and wisest . . . whom I have ever known."  The game is afoot! Volume V - Chronicles(20 Holmes Adventures) The Stolen RelicThe Helverton InheritanceThe Carroun DocumentThe Reappearance of Mr. James PhillimoreThe Keadby CrossThe Rhayader AffairThe Cliddesden QuestionsThe Affair of the Mother''s ReturnThe Painting in the ParlourThe Two BulletsThe Coombs ContrivanceThe True Account of the Bushell Street KillingThe Polmayne PuzzlesThe Curious Cardboard BoxesThe Bizarre Affair of the Octagon HouseThe Peculiar Persecution of Mr. DruittThe Service for the American ColonelThe Rescue at YpresThe Problem of the Hindhead MinisterThe Edinburgh Bankers

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Book SynopsisFeaturing Contributions by:D.J. Tyrer, Andrew Bryant, Tim Gambrell, Geri Schear, Jayantika Ganguly, Paula Hammond, Susan Knight, Arthur Hall, Kevin Thornton, Arthur Hall, Michael Mallory, J.S. Rowlinson, Julie McKuras, Kevin Thornton, Naching T. Kassa, David Marcum, J. Lawrence Matthews, Jane Rubino, Shane Simmons, Chris Chan, Paul Hiscock, and forewords by Nancy Holder, Roger Johnson, Steve Emecz, and David Marcum "Somewhere in the vaults of the bank of Cox and Co., at Charing Cross, there is a travel-worn and battered tin dispatch box with my name, John H. Watson, M.D., Late Indian Army, painted upon the lid. It is crammed with papers, nearly all of which are records of cases to illustrate the curious problems which Mr. Sherlock Holmes had at various times to examine . . . ." - Dr. John H. Watson So wrote Dr. Watson in "The Problem of Thor Bridge" - and ever since, Sherlockians have been bringing us new adventures from this legendary tin dispatch box. While Watson''s original First Literary Agent only edited the pitifully few sixty stories that make up the original Canon, there have since been literally thousands of traditional adventures about the true Sherlock Holmes - and there will never be enough! In 2015, The MX Book of New Sherlock Holmes Stories burst upon the scene, featuring adventures set within the correct time period, and written by many of today''s leading Sherlockian authors from around the world. Those first three volumes were overwhelmingly received, and there were soon calls for additional collections. Since then, their popularity has only continued to grow. In Fall 2016, the series presented its first "themed" collection - Part V: Christmas Adventures - containing 30 new adventures that proved to be extremely and enduringly popular. With that in mind, we now revisit that season, with 57 more Christmas Adventures, ranging from a consequential case that occurred when Holmes was still a teenager, to another in the late 1920''s when Holmes - in retirement - was still at the top of his game. The fifty-seven stories in these three companion volumes are a thrilling mix of mysteries, whatever the season. Some are directly involved with Christmas, while others occur during and in around that season. These represent some of the finest new Holmesian storytelling to be found by the best pasticheurs, and once again they honor the man described by Watson as "the best and wisest . . . whom I have ever known." 57 new traditional Holmes adventures in three simultaneously published volumes The game is afoot! All royalties from this collection are being donated by the writers for the benefit of the preservation of Undershaw, one of the former homes of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

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Book SynopsisAn unidentified woman is found dead with a set of false teeth mysteriously gripped in her hand. A young tutor finds himself accused of a bizarre art theft.A Russian refugee in hiding is helped by Watson''s wife Mary, and now Mary has disappeared.In these ten stories, Shaw reveals to us a mercurial and complex Holmes, a conflicted Watson, and a relationship between the two that is nuanced and psychologically rich. Here is a Sherlock Holmes you will welcome: true to form yet renewed; by turns infuriating and charming. Shaw suggests issues that resonate with a contemporary reader while deftly avoiding piety. In this debut collection, you will discover wry humour, Victorian pathos and of course, hansom cabs in a London fog.

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Book SynopsisIt''s 1898. Kismet brings about a chance reunion at a London club between Dr. Watson and Colonel "Maiwand Mike" Fenlon, former military comrades from their Northwest Frontier days and the desperate Battle of Maiwand. A week later an urgent cable seeking Sherlock Holmes''s help arrives from the Bailiwick of Guernsey, a British Crown Dependency 30 miles off the coast of Normandy. A retired high-ranking British Indian Army officer who commanded the troops at Maiwand has dropped dead. Colonel Fenlon is in a holding cell awaiting trial for his murder.What role in the Brigadier-General''s death was played by a phial of patent medicine developed in India to treat cholera? Why are Colonel Fenlon''s forefinger and thumbprint on the neck of the phial when he swears he has never seen it before? Above all, why is Fenlon refusing to enter a plea or even to tell his Defence counsel what took place the evening the Brigadier-General dropped dead?

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Book SynopsisThe previous diaries of Arthur Conan Doyle tell of the shadowy real life Sherlock Holmes, a medical school dropout. While in the laboratory of Dr. Joseph Bell, a brilliant Edinburgh surgeon, Holmes learned anatomy, surgery, observation and deduction. These skills and his ability to solve crimes led to his recruitment by the British secret service. In this the last of three diaries, Doyle recounts a series of murders and the pursuit of a sinister Russian assassin from Edinburgh to the Yosemite Valley in California. When the case, involving a California millionaire and Chinese tongs becomes desperate, the British secret service sent Sherlock Holmes. The case ended in his death but the great detective lives on in the novels by Arthur Conan Doyle.      John Raffensperger, MD, a retired pediatric surgeon, operated on babies with birth defects and children with cancer for nearly fifty years then turned to writing medical history and fiction. His interest in Dr. Joseph Bell, the Edinburgh surgeon and the model for Sherlock Holmes led to this trilogy.Richard Krevolin, playwright, book doctor and artist provided the inspiration and the idea for using lost diaries as a vehicle for telling the story.  

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Book SynopsisAn era marked by sweeping change, the age of Queen Victoria was a time of rapid modernization as well as social and political upheaval, which is reflected in its literature. Bridging the gap between the Romantic and Modern traditions, Victorian writers held a mirror to society, chronicling the tensions between the prosperity enjoyed by a few, and the poverty and suffering endured by so many. Filled with captivating stories by the most iconic writers of the era (including Oscar Wilde, Charles Dickens, Henry James, and Elizabeth Gaskell) this collection is a fitting companion to the other titles in our bestselling Gothic Fantasy series.

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Book SynopsisLittle treasures, the FLAME TREE COLLECTABLE CLASSICS are chosen to create a delightful and timeless home library. Each stunning, gift edition features deluxe cover treatments, ribbon markers, luxury endpapers and gilded edges. The unabridged text is accompanied by a Glossary of Victorian and Literary terms produced for the modern reader. Sherlock Holmes remains one of the most celebrated movie characters, played more recently by Robert Downey Jnr (Iron Man) and Benedict Cumberbatch (Dr Strange). Here though, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes features Arthur Conan Doyle's first 12 stories, published in the Strand Magazine in the 1890s. They establish the iconic characteristics of both Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, his trusty companion whose wide-eyed observations report the antics of the great detective. In stories such as "A Scandal in Bohemia", "The Red-Headed League" The Adventure of the Speckled Band" and "The Man with the Twisted Lip" we see an idiosyncratic Holmes with immense powers of deduction often called upon because the flat-footed police are unable to solve the intricate, diplomatic and occasionally delicate mysteries brought to his door.

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