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The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes early detective stories

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Sherlock Holmes was not the only detective at work in late Victorian England. Others, some honest, some untrustworthy, all highly capable, were at work all over England. This book contains short stories featuring several of those sleuths.

I always enjoyed Agatha Christie's book Partners in Crime. Tommy and Tuppence Beresford set up a small detective agency in the hopes of tracking down a master criminal. In part of the book, they decide to emulate some other fictional detectives. I remember reading the book and wondering who they were talking sometimes. This little collection features a few of the people they copied.

Lady Molly of Scotland Yard, as she is called, although there is no official title given, is the only woman in the book. Her case, I thought, was a rather easy one. The rest of the sleuths include the Old Man in the Corner with his piece of string, Dr. Thorndike, Romney Pringle - one of the few to appear twice in the book, Duckworth Drew of the Secret Service, and several others. Some I had never heard of before, but a few of the stories, like the one with Martin Hewett chasing down a missing bank clerk and some stolen cash, I had read before. I enjoyed all the stories. The editor picked out a great variety and I would love to read another such collection. Recommended for fans of historical mysteries, espionage, or the short story.