Customer Reviews

Sherlock Holmes Mystery Magazine 3

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The Sherlock Holmes Mystery Magazine is a welcome addition to the mystery short-story scene. Not only does the SHMM meet the needs of Holmes afficionados but gives readers a broad range of mystery fiction...contemporary and historical. Can't wait for the next issue!

Ever since the Sherlock Holmes Mystery Magazine has appeared, lovers of all things Sherlockian have found a bright link to stay connected to their beloved hero and his world, rather than having to rely upon the weird interpretations thrust upon them by Guy Ritchie and his peers. This magazine brings forth a strong mix of fiction (occasionally Sherlockian pastiche), non-fiction (mostly very good, sometimes average) and the inevitable trash that gets printed when you are trying to publish a magazine (as per the law of average???). However, this volume of the magazine is the strongest one so far. And its contents are:

1) From Watson's Scrapbook: an 'editorial' by "John H. Watson, M.D", followed by a more conventional piece by marvin Kaye.
2) The Non-Solitary Cyclist: The Screen of the Crime by Lenny Picker, an extremely entertaining & intelligent review of Murder Rooms - The Patients Eyes - The Inspiration behind Sherlock Holmes [DVD] [2001], based on the The Patient's Eyes: The Dark Beginnings of Sherlock Holmes (Murder Rooms 1) by David Pirie, as well as the Murder Rooms: The Dark Beginnings of Sherlock [DVD] [2001] [Region 1] [US Import] [NTSC], analysing them not only from the perspective of stand-alone books or BBC series, but as faithful dramatisation of the canonical themes. A brilliant piece that succeeded in making me start looking for the Murder Rooms series (books as well as DVD) while provoking a re-read of "The Solitary Cyclist", almost immediately.
3) Baker Street Browses: Notable Holmesian Paperback Pastiches & Other Oddities by Garry Lovisi, a snap-shot review of some of the best and most-renowned collection of Sherlockian pastiches, including The Seven-Per-Cent Solution: Being a Reprint from the Reminiscences of John H. Watson, M.D. (Norton Paperback), The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: The Giant Rat of Sumatra, The Game is Afoot: Parodies, Pastiches and Ponderings of Sherlock Holmes, The Resurrected Holmes: New Cases from the Notes of John H. Watson, M.D, The Confidential Casebook of Sherlock Holmes, etc.
4) Meet Nero Wolfe: An Holmesian Perspective, by Bob Byrne, where the immortal creation of Rex Stout is analysed afresh to detect echoes of the canon.
5) Mrs. Hudson's Household hints: a differrent effort from the previous two "agony columns", but might induce a few groans from serious Sherlockians.
6) Sherlock Holmes Classic: The Adventure of The Speckled Band, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle: needs nothing to be told. This one is the epitome of Sherlockian adventures, with the right mix of thrill, horror, and revenge.
7) Watson's Wound, by "Sherlock Holmes", edited by Brucce I. Kilstein: a tightly told story that apparently concludes the issue that has stumped many a Sherlockian scholar: exactly how & where had Watson been wounded/
8) A Volume in Vermilion, by Kim Newman: the first incident through which Colonel Sebastian Moran had got sucked into the orbit of Professor James Moriarty. An extremely enjoyable read that gets neatly tied into the canon, while staying refreshingly different. For more of these adventures, get hold of Professor Moriarty: The Hound of the DUrbervilles.
9) The Death of Falstaff, by Darrell Schweitzer: a readable piece.
10) Tough Guys Don't Pay, by Stan Trybulski: might have been readable on its own, but after the top-notch works in the beginning, this was drab.
11) Vacation From Crime, by Hal Charles: a good story involving a father-daughter detective duo and boy-scouts. Enjoyable.
12) Workout, by Jean Paiva: it is indeed a mystery as to what exactly was the nature of clout that the late author had over Marvin Kaye, leading to the inclusion of a masterly piece of trash into an otherwise very good and way-above-average collection, in every issue of SHMM!
13) Mayhem in St Mary Mede, by Peter King: an amusing look at the world created by Agatha Christie. OK.

Therefore, most of the fiction pieces are good, the crown jewel being Kim Newman's piece. The non-fiction pieces are also very good, and extremely thought-provolking. Highly recommended.