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A review by caidyn
More Holmes for the Holidays by Anne Perry, Carol-Lynn Rössel Waugh, Edward D. Hoch, Bill Crider, Daniel Stashower, L.B. Breenwood, Loren D. Estleman, Jon Lellenberg, Carolyn Wheat, Jon L. Breen, Tanith Lee, Peter Lovesey, Barbara Paul, Martin H. Greenberg
3.0
"Evil takes no holidays, Watson.
This is a nice little collection of stories that are focused around the holiday season. Basically, I saw this sitting on the shelf at my local library and thought to myself, "Why not?" Now that it's November, it's basically Christmas. I mean, I'm currently on the count-down to last day of classes for this term; I have less than ten. So, it's upon us.
Overall, I liked the collection. There were a few that stood out to me as very good, and only one that I thought was just a big dud. This collection gets 3.6 stars, from tallying up all my ratings for the short stories. Below are my individual reviews for the stories.
The Watch Night Bell - 3.5/5: I totally guessed where this was going early on in the story, but it was completely enjoyable. I love it when Holmes underestimates women, and what more can you expect from a girl named Millicent? (Too much like Maleficent for me.)
The Sleuth of Christmas Past - 3.5/5: Another good one, although for half of it I thought that Piaget referred to the famous developmental psychologist. However, I was wrong. Despite that, it was a good story, and fun. None of them have really been Christmas-y yet, though.
A Scandal in Winter - 4/5: IRENE! I had a feeling this one would involve my dear Irene Adler, and I was correct. On her third husband.And sadly that third husband isn't Holmes. The case was very succinct and I really enjoyed how this wasn't told by Watson. It was unique, and very fun. Favorite line: "[Holmes] must have loved [Irene] very much."
The Adventure in Border Country - 4/5: The subject matter of this one actually shocked me. I mean, these are set back in Victorian times. Things like that aren't talked about, after all. It's a hush hush thing. And, no, I'm not talking about homosexuality. Although, that was another hush hush thing, kept well behind closed doors.
The Adventure of the Three Ghosts - 3.5/5: Dickens meets Holmes. Or, more accurately, [b:A Christmas Carol|5326|A Christmas Carol|Charles Dickens|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1406512317s/5326.jpg|3097440] meets Holmes. A short story and pretty fun. I was actually wondering when Scrooge would come into the stories in some way, and it didn't take too long.
The Adventure of the Canine Ventriloquist - 3/5: The first really just average story. It was interesting, but not one that I'd think was amazing. Still a fun story, but nothing for me to write home about.
The Adventure of the Man Who Never Laughed - 3.5/5: I wish that this one was a bit more explicit with what our dear Sydney had that made him not smile or laugh. It was said at the end in parenthesis for thanking someone for bringing it to his attention, but I wanted to know more about it than a quick name. Also, SYDNEY DO NOT DO THE FREUDIAN THERAPY.
The Yuletide Affair - 2.5/5: While the story itself was good and the pacing was very ACD -- aka a bit too fast for my tastes, it felt off. For me, it was the characters. Watson didn't ring as Watson. Holmes, when he was in the story, didn't ring as Holmes. None of them felt written right. However, I loved the premise of it.
The Adventure of the Christmas Tree - 3.5/5: A good one. Fun and interesting. There's nothing really more that I can say about this one, really. I liked it, good pacing, and Holmes and Watson felt spot on with how they were written.
The Adventure of the Christmas Ghosts - 3.5/5: Another take on Dicken's [b:A Christmas Carol|5326|A Christmas Carol|Charles Dickens|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1406512317s/5326.jpg|3097440], at least with explaining the ghosts. Scrooge's great-nephew is the main character in this, with Tiny Tim there as well, plus Holmes and Watson, of course.
The Thief of Twelfth Night - 4/5: I KNEW THIS WAS WRITTEN BY THE SAME PERSON WHO DID [b:Good Night, Mr. Holmes|552534|Good Night, Mr. Holmes (Irene Adler, #1)|Carole Nelson Douglas|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1437091135s/552534.jpg|2903822]! I just had that feeling in my gut that I knew the writing the whole time. And, then the ending, with Penelope Huxleigh. It reminds me that I need to go read the second book, because obviously Ms Douglas has some plans for her if she becomes a part of the Pinkertons. In America. When does she go to America? But, this story reminded me why my favorite ACD Holmes collection thus far is [b:The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes|194373|The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes (Sherlock Holmes, #4)|Arthur Conan Doyle|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1410716044s/194373.jpg|6328892]. I love how it was told from Holmes himself, like with the story that involved his first case and Victor Trevor.
The Italian Sherlock Holmes - 3.5/5: Pretty fun since this case already was basically solved, and it was just recounting of it. Not even one of Holmes cases, though. An Italian Sherlock Holmes tried to solve a case. However, is he really that good of pupil?
The Christmas Client - 4/5: Ugh. This one was one of those I was iffy about. This involved Moriarty, Holmes and Watson -- of course, and Charles Dodgson, better known as Lewis Carroll. I'm the first to say that [b:Alice in Wonderland|13023|Alice in Wonderland (Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, #1)|Lewis Carroll|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1391458382s/13023.jpg|2933712] is not my favorite children's story ever. It just didn't interest me when I read it. Plus, it interests me even less since Dodgson basically was a pedophile. (Sorry to ruin it for those who didn't know that.) And, this story addressed his pedophilia, and I wish the conclusion had been different. I liked it, but I didn't like it.
The Adventure of the Angel's Trumpet - 4/5: A fine and solid end to this collection. I always like it when authors work into their Holmes pastiches their own characters from books. It adds another life to it, and this certainly had it with Kevin O'Bannion.
This is a nice little collection of stories that are focused around the holiday season. Basically, I saw this sitting on the shelf at my local library and thought to myself, "Why not?" Now that it's November, it's basically Christmas. I mean, I'm currently on the count-down to last day of classes for this term; I have less than ten. So, it's upon us.
Overall, I liked the collection. There were a few that stood out to me as very good, and only one that I thought was just a big dud. This collection gets 3.6 stars, from tallying up all my ratings for the short stories. Below are my individual reviews for the stories.
The Watch Night Bell - 3.5/5: I totally guessed where this was going early on in the story, but it was completely enjoyable. I love it when Holmes underestimates women, and what more can you expect from a girl named Millicent? (Too much like Maleficent for me.)
The Sleuth of Christmas Past - 3.5/5: Another good one, although for half of it I thought that Piaget referred to the famous developmental psychologist. However, I was wrong. Despite that, it was a good story, and fun. None of them have really been Christmas-y yet, though.
A Scandal in Winter - 4/5: IRENE! I had a feeling this one would involve my dear Irene Adler, and I was correct. On her third husband.
The Adventure in Border Country - 4/5: The subject matter of this one actually shocked me. I mean, these are set back in Victorian times. Things like that aren't talked about, after all. It's a hush hush thing. And, no, I'm not talking about homosexuality. Although, that was another hush hush thing, kept well behind closed doors.
The Adventure of the Three Ghosts - 3.5/5: Dickens meets Holmes. Or, more accurately, [b:A Christmas Carol|5326|A Christmas Carol|Charles Dickens|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1406512317s/5326.jpg|3097440] meets Holmes. A short story and pretty fun. I was actually wondering when Scrooge would come into the stories in some way, and it didn't take too long.
The Adventure of the Canine Ventriloquist - 3/5: The first really just average story. It was interesting, but not one that I'd think was amazing. Still a fun story, but nothing for me to write home about.
The Adventure of the Man Who Never Laughed - 3.5/5: I wish that this one was a bit more explicit with what our dear Sydney had that made him not smile or laugh. It was said at the end in parenthesis for thanking someone for bringing it to his attention, but I wanted to know more about it than a quick name. Also, SYDNEY DO NOT DO THE FREUDIAN THERAPY.
The Yuletide Affair - 2.5/5: While the story itself was good and the pacing was very ACD -- aka a bit too fast for my tastes, it felt off. For me, it was the characters. Watson didn't ring as Watson. Holmes, when he was in the story, didn't ring as Holmes. None of them felt written right. However, I loved the premise of it.
The Adventure of the Christmas Tree - 3.5/5: A good one. Fun and interesting. There's nothing really more that I can say about this one, really. I liked it, good pacing, and Holmes and Watson felt spot on with how they were written.
The Adventure of the Christmas Ghosts - 3.5/5: Another take on Dicken's [b:A Christmas Carol|5326|A Christmas Carol|Charles Dickens|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1406512317s/5326.jpg|3097440], at least with explaining the ghosts. Scrooge's great-nephew is the main character in this, with Tiny Tim there as well, plus Holmes and Watson, of course.
The Thief of Twelfth Night - 4/5: I KNEW THIS WAS WRITTEN BY THE SAME PERSON WHO DID [b:Good Night, Mr. Holmes|552534|Good Night, Mr. Holmes (Irene Adler, #1)|Carole Nelson Douglas|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1437091135s/552534.jpg|2903822]! I just had that feeling in my gut that I knew the writing the whole time. And, then the ending, with Penelope Huxleigh. It reminds me that I need to go read the second book, because obviously Ms Douglas has some plans for her if she becomes a part of the Pinkertons. In America. When does she go to America? But, this story reminded me why my favorite ACD Holmes collection thus far is [b:The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes|194373|The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes (Sherlock Holmes, #4)|Arthur Conan Doyle|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1410716044s/194373.jpg|6328892]. I love how it was told from Holmes himself, like with the story that involved his first case and Victor Trevor.
The Italian Sherlock Holmes - 3.5/5: Pretty fun since this case already was basically solved, and it was just recounting of it. Not even one of Holmes cases, though. An Italian Sherlock Holmes tried to solve a case. However, is he really that good of pupil?
The Christmas Client - 4/5: Ugh. This one was one of those I was iffy about. This involved Moriarty, Holmes and Watson -- of course, and Charles Dodgson, better known as Lewis Carroll. I'm the first to say that [b:Alice in Wonderland|13023|Alice in Wonderland (Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, #1)|Lewis Carroll|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1391458382s/13023.jpg|2933712] is not my favorite children's story ever. It just didn't interest me when I read it. Plus, it interests me even less since Dodgson basically was a pedophile. (Sorry to ruin it for those who didn't know that.) And, this story addressed his pedophilia, and I wish the conclusion had been different. I liked it, but I didn't like it.
The Adventure of the Angel's Trumpet - 4/5: A fine and solid end to this collection. I always like it when authors work into their Holmes pastiches their own characters from books. It adds another life to it, and this certainly had it with Kevin O'Bannion.