Customer Reviews

Sherlock Holmes Mystery Magazine #1

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

My fellow Hounds:

I just yesterday received my first issue of Marvin Kaye's latest editorial effort, "Sherlock Holmes Mystery Magazine." It is published by John Betancourt's Wildside Press and is certainly a collector's item. Plans are apparently underway to follow up with quarterly issues, so we can hope it will continue to entertain us. At present, the website does not support subscription service, but, since such service is advertised in the magazine, I'm sure it will be available soon.

The first issue includes five new tales and a reprint of "The Gloria Scott." Further, there is an interesting interview of Ron Goulart written by Carole Buggé, book reviews by Kim Newman and a set of intriguing responses to "reader inquiries" by Mrs. Hudson (Paula Volsky?). The new tales include an excellent Sherlockian novella by Carole Buggé, a Sherlockian-oriented short mystery by Hal Charles and a Simon Ark tale by Edward D. Hoch. The other two tales include rather gruesome adventures by Marc Bilgrey and the late Jean Paiva. Finally, there are a sprinkling of Sherlockian cartoons, film reviews by Lenny Picker and an Editorial setting out the goals of the publication.

If the initial promise is fulfilled in later issues, I hope we will have the

My very first issue of the new SHERLOCK HOLMES MYSTERY MAGAZINE and I can tell you, it's a great bargain! Many would pay the cover price just to get their hands on the Simon Ark story by Edward D. Hoch, "The Automaton Museum," contained herein--not that it's one of Hoch's best, but sort of as a sentimental gesture of respect for a man who wrote upwards of 800 stories.

There are so many pages and so many stories I know I will be reading this one for the next couple of years. Anyone who can possibly afford it should order a subscription now--they're cheap and the magazine is indispensable.

I particularly enjoyed the critical material, not so much the fiction, though Jean Paiva's story has it charms and the editors plan to print all of her unpublished writing over the next few years. How generous and philanthropic! The best piece in the magazine is a closely reasoned and effective article by Leonard Picker on the different film versions of THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES, showing the good points of each and yet, sadly, why none of them have yet matched the book. Picker holds out a ray of hope though that a great version may one day yet be made, and gives would-be writers and producers some pointers on how to avoid the pitfalls of earlier versions.

Was hoping for a lot more. Big Holmes fan, reads everything. Excited when I first saw item coming out. Feel overpriced. Too much filler that falls short of the mark. Some lame. Original Holmes story pretty good. Needs new direction in future? Eric

I won't devote a lot of time to this - it isn't worth your time or your money. I gave up 2/3 of the way through and tossed it in the recycle bin. Second rate writing, poor plots -- amateur hour, through and through. Decent book reviews -- do you really want to spend ten bucks on book reviews? I don't know who the folks are that gave this high ratings, but they have to owe someone money. A great shame that trees actually lost their lives to put this travesty out.

Volume 1, Number 1 of the "Sherlock Holmes Mystery Magazine" deserves to be lapped up by collectors of Sherlockiana/Holmesiana as well as lay readers. The items included in this issue are:

1. "From Watson's Scrapbook": An "Editorial" by John H. Watson, M.D.

2. "Baker Street Browsings" by Kim Newman, where he reviews the first two volumes of the "The New Annotated Sherlock Holmes: The Complete Short Stories (2 Vol. Set)" edited by Leslie S. Klinger (with inevitable comparison with the awesome work done by William Baring Gould), and "Sherlock Holmes: The Hidden Years" edited by Michael Kurland.

3. "The Screen of the Crime" by Lenny Picker, where he discusses almost all the major film-versions of "The Hound of Baskervilles", and tries to identify the different lacunae that had deprived them of the magic that had been sought to be created.

4. "Ask Mrs. Hudson": a hilarious "agony column" where Mrs. Hudson deals with different vexing issues posed by distressed letter-writers.

5. "SHMM Speaks with Ron Goulart": an interview of Ron Goulart, conducted by Carol Bugge(both being eminent writers, esp. of Holmesian pastiches).

6. "The Strange Case of the Haunted Freighter": A top-notch pastiche by Carol Bugge.

7. "The Mystery of the Missing Automaton":a brilliant (non Holmes) 'Harry Challenge' story by Ron Goulart.

8. "The Bet": a murder mystery by Marc Bilgrey.

9. "The Automaton Museum":a superb story by the ever-credible Edward D. Hoch.

10. "On the Heir": an excellent story by 'Hal Charles' (Hal Blythe and Charlie Sweet).

11. "Lost and Found": a postumous work by Jean Paiva.

12. "Gloria Scott" by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, as a "Sherlock Holmes Classic" (a most worthy gesture, since such magazines tend to disregard the canonical works ever so slightly).

Overall, this advance issue has been a real pleasure and a powerful appetizer for the subsequent course of issues. May Marvin Kaye keep the flame burning bright.

I would give the book maybe 3 stars...customer service would get 0 stars, but that is not an option.

The stories are okay they are not great. I was willing to purchase a subscription at the advertised price. I have read all of the Conan Doyle stories and many many many pastiches.

I was going to buy a subscription, but this IS NOT A MAGAZINE even though the word magazine is in the title. There will be other 'books' in the series. In this book, on page 27, there is an ad for a subscription for $24.00. So why pay $9-10.00 for each book? The company did not want to honor the ad. They said the offer had expired. Note: there is no expiration date on the ad.

Eventually, after several emails they were going to give me a discount which would match the price. I decided the book was not worth all of the emails or the hassle they put me through. There are other books which have a higher quality SH stories.

The magazine has quality stories in it. The authors follow the approach of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Wish the cover price could be a bit less.