"The Perils of Sherlock Holmes" - Short Stories by Loren D. Estleman

The legend of Sherlock Holmes continues to resonate in popular culture. The recent films featuring the legendary sleuth have become enormously successful, a new television series, Elementary, is one of the highest rated new series, and a recently released book of short stories, The Perils of Sherlock Holmes (F+W Media), by Loren D. Estleman, prove that the legendary sleuth, created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle more than a century ago, has not lost his appeal. Indeed, the legend lives on and readers who appreciate the classic portrayal of the detective, as opposed to the more contemporary representations in television and film, will likely enjoy The Perils of Sherlock Holmes.

The majority of the short stories featured here are narrated by Dr. Watson, Holmes' friend and mystery solving partner, and include a variety of rather interesting villains and guest stars, including Wyatt Earp, the "ghosts" from Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol and even the Devil himself, or at least someone professing to be the ruler of Hell. From Victorian Era London to the American Wild West, Holmes and Watson always seem to find themselves in the middle of some sort of mystery that is populated with colorful characters and precarious situations.

The two finest short stories featured in The Perils of Sherlock Holmes are "The Adventure of the Three Ghosts" and "Sherlock Holmes and the Devil." Of course, I may be biased since the former features a nod to Charles Dickens, while the supernatural tone of the latter, which features an open ending that readers can determine for themselves, is very appealing to me. Another enjoyable and unexpected selection, "Dr. and Mrs. Watson at Home: A Comedy in One Unnatural Act," features clever dialogue that showcases the duo's intelligence and tests their patience with each other. In addition to the short stories, Loren D. Estleman includes three essays, an annotated bibliography and a section on other suggested titles featuring the legendary detective.

The limited duration of the stories is appreciated and allows readers flexibility, which is a plus for those of us who are always busy. However, the brevity does not diminish the storytelling, which is certainly reminiscent of the classic detective stories. Readers are transported back to another place and time during the series of short stories that pay homage to the legend that is Sherlock Holmes.