Oct 3, 2026
Excellent stories!
My introduction to Richard’s work was a story in the anthology Cracked. Since that first story I have read works by him 42 times, not counting contributions to anthologies. I loved these stories when I first read them, and enjoyed them even more reading them again as a collection in this volume. With each story I read I am more impressed with Richard’s skill and talent. And this anthology edition featuring the six Sherlock Holmes pastiches is excellent! Reading it was alike a visit with old friends after a long absence. Richard is not only an author but the driving force behind Tuscany Bay Books, I have read many volumes from the Bay by a number of authors and all have been well worth the read. I regret that I did not dig into his works earlier, so do not make my mistake pick one up and give it a read. Richard in the beginning of the author’s note states: “Growing up as a kid one of my earliest discoveries in my local library in Turlock was the collected stories of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. A few years later I bought the same two-volume collection to have in my personal library for life. Then came the 1980s and Jeremy Brett’s portray of Sherlock Holmes. No actor before, and none since (sorry Robert Downey Jr.) have captured Holmes on the screen like Brett did. I have every episode Brett filmed in my digital library as well. So yes, I am a huge Sherlock Holmes fan. Never once did I ever dare to think that one day I’d be writing Sherlock Holmes stories, or pastiches, much less getting them published. Then one day, I landed the chance to write my first such pastiche. As an added bonus, I would be in the same anthology along with Jack McDevitt, a fellow sci-fi author, and a man who I credit as being my inspiration to make one last run at being a fiction writer at the age of 49.” It concludes with: “All six were a great joy to write and I hope they are a joy for you to read.” And indeed they are. After reading them in this collection I have recommended them to my son and he is loving them. The stories in this collection with a brief review of each are: A Lesson In Mercy It was fascinating to read this tale of a young Churchill being rescued by Holmes and Watson. Both of whom provide invaluable service and lessons to the young man, that help to shape him into the leader he became. This story was originally published in the anthology: Beyond Watson, from Belanger Books. If the other stories in that collection are as good as this, it will be one well worth tracking down, but back to this story. This is an excellent story and one I am very thankful I gave it a read! The Woman Returns This is a masterfully written story. It fits in perfectly with the other stories I have read years ago. Paolinelli has breathed new life into the characters and yet remained true to their original creation. Adler shows up asking for Holmes' help, and even promises to his condition. And they are immediately off on the chase. This is a great short story. It draws you in quickly, it keeps your attention, and leaves you wanting more. Fortunately Paolinelli has written 5 other Holmes stories. The characters are masterfully written. I look forward to the other stories in this series and many of Richard’s other series. The Misplaced Mystery Writer It was fascinating to read this tale of a young Holmes and Watson interacting with the author and scientist H.G. Wells. The story has a very intriguing principal. Wells approaches Holmes because he has misplaced another author in both time and space. The question is can Holmes and Watson help find and put the man back when and when he belongs. It also raises questions about if the timeline the story ends in was the original or if the time hopping has altered things. A masterful short story in the time travel genre. Nevermore This story was originally published in the anthology: Sherlock Holmes Adventures in the Realms of Edgar Allan Poe, from Belanger Books. If the other stories in that collection are as good as this, it will be one well worth tracking down. But Back to this story. This is an excellent story and one I am very thankful I have read! This one was another excellent offering. It is very well written story. Paolinelli’s stories fit in perfectly with the other stories I have read in both of official and unofficial Holmes canon. Paolinelli breathes new life into the characters and yet he remains true to their original creation. The Substitute Thief The case detailed in this work took place 2 years earlier in Darlington and focused around Lady Lymington and the Library she created as her father’s request when he passed. The case opens with: “t had not been Lestrade, or some strange newcomer, that had set Holmes on the trail to Darlington that foggy London night. Rather, it came in the form of a letter. “It seems, Doctor,” he said, holding it up after reading it, “that our assistance is required on a somewhat delicate matter in Darlington,” he said. “Darlington?” I exclaimed. “What could possibly be of such a delicate nature up there?” “A rare manuscript has been stolen,” Holmes replied. “The theft hasn’t yet become public knowledge. Lady Lymington – ” He waved the note. “ – hopes that it can be recovered before news of the theft does get out. Her husband, Lord Lymington, has contacts that are useful to Her Majesty’s government.” And the chase is afoot. This is an odd case involving a local football rivalry. A substitute baller, a substituted book, and a whole town talking about the past match and the rematch. And very few being informed about the missing object. The Assassination Of Alan Pinkerton This one was another smashing good story. It is masterfully written story. It fits in perfectly with the other stories I have read in both official and unofficial Holmes canon. Paolinelli breathes new life into the characters and yet he remains true to their original creation. A man shows up at their door asking for an investigation of a murder, and reveals it is he himself who has been killed. Soon Holmes disappears for a few days and gets the ball rolling. But can he solve this case of two men murdered continents apart? This is an excellent short story. It draws the reader in quickly, it keeps your attention, and leaves you wanting more I enjoyed these stories so much when I first read and reviewed them that I wrote a separate piece as an overview of the whole collection to be able to promote it more. I have said it about other books and stories by Paolinelli and I said it about these stories, I can only hope we will see more Holmes stores from his masterful pen. These are excellent stories and I can easily recommend them, especially in the collected edition.
