The Whole Art of Detection : Lost Mysteries of Sherlock Holmes

This collection of short mysteries by the international-bestselling author of Dust and Shadow “belongs on the top shelf with the very best of Doyle’s” (Nicholas Meyer, author of The Seven-Per-Cent Solution ). Inspired by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson, Edgar Award–finalist Lyndsay Faye has masterfully woven these quintessential characters into her own works of fiction—from her acclaimed debut novel, Dust and Shadow , to a series of short stories for the Strand Magazine , whose predecessor published the first Sherlock Holmes story in 1892. The best of Faye’s Sherlockian tales, including two new works, are brought together in a collection that spans the character’s career, from self-taught upstart to lauded detective, both before and after he faked his own death over a Swiss waterfall in 1894. In “The Lowther Park Mystery,” the unsociable Holmes is forced to attend a garden party at the request of his politician brother and improvises a bit of theater to foil a conspiracy against the government. “The Adventure of the Thames Tunnel” brings Holmes’s attention to the murder of a jewel thief in the middle of an underground railway passage. With Holmes and Watson encountering all manner of ungrateful relatives, phony psychologists, wronged wives, outright villains, and even a peculiar species of deadly red leech, The Whole Art of Detection is a must-read for any fan of historical crime fiction. “If Lyndsay Faye’s byline weren’t on the cover, readers might deduce that the Sherlock Holmes mysteries in The Whole Art of Detection actually came from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.” —David Martindale, Fort Worth Star-Telegram Internationally bestselling author Lyndsay Faye was introduced to the Sherlock Holmes mysteries when she was ten years old and her dad suggested she read Sir Arthur Conan Doyles short story The Adventure of the Speckled Band . She immediately became enamored with tales of Holmes and his esteemed biographer Dr. John Watson, and later, began spinning these quintessential characters into her own works of fictionfrom her acclaimed debut novel, Dust and Shadow , which pitted the famous detective against Jack the Ripper, to a series of short stories for the Strand Magazine , whose predecessor published the very first Sherlock Holmes short story in 1891. Fayes best Holmes tales, including two new works, are brought together in The Whole Art of Detection , a stunning collection that spans Holmess career, from self-taught young upstart to publicly lauded detective, both before and after his faked death over a Swiss waterfall in 1894. In The Lowther Park Mystery , the unsociable Holmes is forced to attend a garden party at the request of his politician brother and improvises a bit of theater to foil a conspiracy against the government. The Adventure of the Thames Tunnel brings Holmess attention to the baffling murder of a jewel thief in the middle of an underground railway passage. With Holmes and Watson encountering all manner of ungrateful relatives, phony psychologists, wronged wives, plaid-garbed villains, and even a peculiar species of deadly red leech, The Whole Art of Detection is a must-read for Sherlockians and any fan of historical crime fiction with a modern sensibility. The case of Colonel Warburton's madness -- The adventure of the magical menagerie -- The adventure of the vintner's codex -- The adventure of the honest wife -- The adventure of the beggar's feast -- Memoranda upon the Gaskell blackmailing dilemma -- The Lowther Park mystery -- An empty house -- The adventure of the memento Mori -- Notes regarding the disappearance of Mr. James Phillimore -- The adventure of the willow basket -- The adventure of the lightless maiden -- The adventure of the Thames Tunnel -- The adventure of the mad baritone -- Notes upon the Diadem Club affair. "This fascinating collection of fifteen stories spans Holmes's career, from self-taught young upstart to lauded detective, both before and after his faked death over a Swiss waterfall in 1894"-- provided by publisher