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As the
author writes in his introduction, the Sherlock Holmes stories
are known for their wonderfully tangible descriptions of Victorian
London. From dripping wharves to gaslight streets Conan Doyle
brought the setting to life. In this book the three stories
are all set in London and all involve the protagonists visiting
the same types of locations the original canon is so well
known for.
In the first story, Holmes and Watson investigate a series
of murders of prostitutes that make them think of another
Ripper at large, but all the victims are holding bizarre emblems.
In the second it looks as though a vampire is on the loose,
and in the third the pair investigates a shooting incident
down at the docks. None of these is remarkable in any way
although they do have that frisson of the strange that marks
out a good Holmes story. They all do indeed feature descriptions
of parts of London, not quite as brief or as eloquent as those
quoted in the introduction but they do serve to enhance the
story and give a good sense of place and time. There are some
interesting ideas in here and I would read another by the
same author. Good stories to curl up with on a chilly night.
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