Young Miss Holmes, Casebook 1-2, by Kaoru Shintani

Young Miss Holmes, Casebook 1-2, by Kaoru Shintani, 384 pages

Christie is a very smart, precocious young lady, being raised in London by household servants while her parents are in India.  She is an expert at identifying details and solving mysteries- which makes sense, since in this literary universe, Sherlock Holmes is her uncle.  This was a cute, fun read- the first half is pretty loyal to original Sherlock mysteries. The second half goes a bit weird (spoiler alert: there are vampires?) but it's still entertaining.

The Secret Cases of Sherlock Holmes by Donald Thomas

The Secret Cases of Sherlock Holmes by Donald Thomas --- 343 pages

Another volume of stories about the most famous consulting detective of all time, based on the Conan Doyle canon. These seven stories, presented by the great detective's friend and confidant, Dr. John Watson, chronicle Holmes' later career, from the succession of Edward VII in 1903 through the political intrigues that led to World War I.

Thomas has selected seven actual criminal cases from the time period. Using news accounts and public records of each crime, he then has the real people involved in the investigation, prosecution or defense, call upon Holmes and his special expertise to help behind the scenes to find the truth.

Among the plethora of Holmes enthusiasts who have attempted to pick up where Conan Doyle left off, Thomas is one of the more competent, both in constructing the mysteries and in invoking the style and personality of the original stories.

The Execution of Sherlock Holmes by Donald Thomas

The Execution of Sherlock Holmes; And Other New Adventures of the Great Detective by Donald Thomas --- 351 pages

A collection of five novellas by prolific British author and Holmes enthusiast Donald Thomas. These are additional adventures, narrated by Dr. Watson, and set in the reign of Edward VII, under the looming shadow of the approaching Great War.

Old characters from the Conan Doyle canon mix with historical personages and new characters. In the title story Holmes outwits the vengeance of his criminal enemies. In  "The Case of the Greek Key," Holmes deciphers a German military cipher and unmasks a traitor in the admiralty; in "The Case of the Peasenhall Murder," Holmes saves an innocent man from slander and the gallows; in "The Case of the Phantom Chambermaid," Holmes unmasks a murderous rogue and saves the good name of a honest girl; and in "The Queen of the Night," Holmes encounters the villainous Colonel Moriarty for the last time.