The Whole Art of Detection: Lost Mysteries of Sherlock Holmes
Lyndsay Faye
(Author)
Description
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 Doyle's 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 fiction--from 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. Faye's best Holmes tales, including two new works, are brought together in The Whole Art of Detection, a stunning collection that spans Holmes's 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 Holmes's 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.
Product Details
Price
$25.00
$23.25
Publisher
Mysterious Press
Publish Date
March 07, 2017
Pages
388
Dimensions
6.0 X 1.4 X 9.1 inches | 1.24 pounds
Language
English
Type
Hardcover
EAN/UPC
9780802125927
BISAC Categories:
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About the Author
Lyndsay Faye is the author of five critically acclaimed books: Dust and Shadow, The Gods of Gotham, which was nominated for the Edgar Award for Best Novel, Seven for a Secret, The Fatal Flame, and Jane Steele. Faye, a true New Yorker in the sense that she was born elsewhere, lives in New York City with her husband, Gabriel.
Reviews
Praise for The Whole Art of Detection "One of the best examples of [Sherlock Holmes pastiche] that this die-hard Sherlockian has encountered . . . Faye perfectly captures the tone and spirit of the Conan Doyle originals."--Adam Woog, Seattle Times "A great pastiche requires an uncanny ear for Watson's voice as well as a talent for a compelling story. Fortunately, Lyndsay Faye has plenty of both gifts, as she already proved in her near-perfect Dust and Shadow. For those who despair that Arthur Conan Doyle only gave us 60 stories of Holmes, rejoice! Here are 15 more treasures!"--Leslie S. Klinger, editor of The New Annotated Sherlock Holmes "The Whole Art of Detection is a great look at the Victorian world and the criminal goings on that gave us Sherlock. The London of the late 19th Century is awash with would be criminal masterminds who must be contained. It's a great look at the London of Holmes and the threats that emerge from an active criminal underground."--Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, author of Mycroft Holmes "As full of wit as it is of twists, The Whole Art of Detection is a clever collection of deeply satisfying stories that capture the essence of Doyle's work while marking an impressive addition to the Holmes canon."--Graham Moore, author of The Sherlockian and The Last Days of Night "The Whole Art of Detection belongs on the top shelf with the very best of Doyle's Holmes stories. Author Faye has captured the language, locutions and inventiveness of the original tales as well or better than any author I can think of it. It is absolutely essential reading for any--and every--aficionado who cherishes the real thing."--Nicholas Meyer, author of The Seven-Per-Cent Solution "A new Lyndsay Faye book is always noteworthy but for those Sherlockians among us who take our pastiches seriously, The Whole Art of Detection is a special cause for celebration. Faye's mastery of Watson's narrative voice and skilled plotting are, at this point, to be expected; as is her period research, which manages to be dazzling and unobtrusive at the same time. But it's how she treats the Holmes/Watson relationship that is unique. The humor, the familiarity, the deep affection, the occasional arguments and hurt feelings--Lyndsay Faye is matchless at rendering the very human people at the center of the most famous partnership in fiction. Truly, The Whole Art of Detection is a textbook of friendship."--Curtis Armstrong "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. Her 15 short stories expertly re-create the style and substance of the originals in every way."--Star-Telegram (Fort Worth, TX) "Terrific . . . The feat that Lyndsay Faye has pulled off with The Whole Art of Detection is nothing short of amazing . . . It's not so much that she's paying tribute to Sherlock Holmes, but more like she's directly channeling the spirit of the late, great Sir Arthur Conan Doyle."--Bookreporter "Edgar-finalist Faye . . . presents pitch-perfect Watsonian narration . . . [An] outstanding collection . . . All impressively add psychological depth to the friendship, plausibly exploring personal dynamics in the wake of traumas such as the loss of Watson's wife and Holmes's apparent return from the dead, in a way that will resonate especially with fans of the BBC's Sherlock."--Publishers Weekly (starred review) "Faye's wonderful collection of pastiches is rooted in a little-understood fact about the Holmes canon: the stories are not about Holmes; they're about Watson observing Holmes . . . There are mysteries here and razzle-dazzle deductions . . . but the real attraction is the power of these 15 stories to make the originals glow even brighter. For Holmesians to read, then treasure."--Booklist (starred review) "The impressively varied puzzles not only provide the detective the chance to display his famed powers of deduction, but increasingly humanize Holmes by putting him more and more on the side of the angels, giving him the chance to free women from perilous unions and save innocents from deception and fraud. Faye also restores Watson to Holmes' side and allows the relationship between the detective and his biographer to mature and mellow without altering either man's essential character. It's refreshing to see Holmes be Holmes. Fans and neophytes alike should cheer Faye's reinvigoration of Conan Doyle's hero and his panoramic world."--Kirkus Reviews (starred review) "Purely delightful for fans of the original adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson . . . These capers are as entertaining as the originals, but even more wonderful is the new depth Faye brings to the characters--and their complicated and exceptional friendship."--Shelf Awareness "Faye's prose seduces readers with familiar cadence and beautiful imagery, all while briskly unraveling story after story with clever plots and colorful characters . . . The Conan-Doyle touch is in full bloom in The Whole Art of Detection. Faye has a true gift for style and a fun eye for story . . . Throughout, the writing shines. Faye's effortless prose mirrors Conan Doyle's poetic sensibility and his flowing, elongated sentence style."--New York Journal of Books "Sherlockians will be delighted, as will Faye's many fans."--Library Journal "All [15 tales] have the distinctive style and creativity of Arthur Conan Doyle's original stories. It is a book Sherlock Holmes devotees will want to savor with small samplings."--Mystery Scene"Readers will delight in these beautifully told tales about the beloved duo of Holmes and Watson, and will surely find themselves returning to this collection again and again."--Bookish"A stunning collection . . . Faye expertly channels Watson's voice as official biographer of the famous detective, and this collection would not be out of place among the very best stories of Sherlock Holmes . . . Lyndsay Faye's wit blends charmingly with Conan Doyle's style, bringing a new voice to the timeless tales of Sherlock Holmes . . . Absolutely a must read for anyone with an interest in Sherlock Holmes or mysteries set in Victorian London."--Criminal Element "A thrilling collection for Sherlock fans . . . Faye easily captures the essence of Holmes and Watson, both in voice and style."--BookPage "Faye has a grasp of Watson and Holmes' partnership that few authors manage to bring to life on the page in quite the same way . . . An amazing collection."--John H. Watson Society "When you combine a gifted storyteller and a penchant for authentic pastiches, you produce a book such as Faye's latest . . . Well worth reading."--Canadian Holmes "This short story collection . . . truly has all the wit and intrigue that you would expect from Holmes."--Crime by the Book
