The MX Book of New Sherlock Holmes Stories Part XIII: 2019 Annual (1881-1890 edited by David Marcum, MX Publishing 2019 trade paper short story anthology
Anyone familiar with my reading habits, though not always reflected on this blog, knows I’m a fan and reader of both the Sherlock Holmes Canon (that is, the original novels and stories), and the many pastiches written about the Arthur Conan Doyle characters over the years. 
Over the years I’ve read a great many pastiches set in a wide variety of times and places with varying success in presenting the original beloved characters to readers.
The strict guideline for the stories in the MX Book of New Sherlock Holmes Stories series is thus: The stories must be absolutely traditional. They have to be set in the correct period (1850-early 1900s), of equivalent Cannonical length and with no aspects of parody, anachronisms or supernatural encounters.
You may think “My goodness, there are thirteen of these anthologies???” Well, yes, and more. As you see on the cover, this is the first third of a set totaling 66 stories, parts 13-15. As of this writing, there are so far over thirty parts! If you’re a Holmes reader, you won’t want to miss these.
As in all anthologies, some stories are better, some weaker, but all are very readable and enjoyable.
Part XIII Contents:
- Editor’s Introduction: “The Great Holmes Tapestry” by David Marcum
- “The Folly of Age” by Derrick Belanger
- “The Fashionably-Dressed Girl” by Mark Mower
- “The Odour of Neroli” by Brenda Seabrook
- “The Coffee House Girl” by David Marcum
- “The Mystery of the Green Room” by Robert Stapleton
- “The Case of the Enthusiastic Amateur” by S.F. Bennett
- “The Adventure of the Missing Cousin” by Edwin A. Enstrom
- “The Roses of Highclough House” by M.J.H. Simmonds
- “The Shackled Man” by Andrew Bryant
- “The Yellow Star of Cairo” by Tim Gambrell
- “The Adventure of the Winterhall Monster” by Tracy J. Revels
- “The Grosvenor Square Furniture Van” by Hugh Ashton
- “The Voyage of Albion’s Thistle” by Sean M. Wright
- “Bootless in Chippenham” by Marino C. Alvarez
- “The Clerkenwell Shadow” by Paul Hiscock
- “The Adventure of the Worried Banker” by Arthur Hall
- “The Recovery of the Ashes” by Kevin P Thornton
- “The Golden Star of India” by Stephen Seitz
- “The Mystery of the Patient Fisherman” by Jim French
- “Sherlock Holmes in Bedlam” by David Friend
- “The Adventure of the Ambulatory Cadaver” by Shane Simmons
- “The Dutch Impostors” by Peter Coe Verbica
- “The Missing Adam Tiler” by Mark Wardecker
Tip the Wink 
I seldom dip into anthologies that don’t have any authors I am familiar with.
How do you pronounce Cpe?
That’s my typo, Bob. The correct name is Coe. Thanks for catching it.
I still haven’t tried any Sherlock Holmes stories that were not written by Doyle, and have only read one or two stories written by Doyle. I like that these stories don’t include parody, anachronisms or supernatural encounters. I love that cover.
This is the year I am going to read The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.
…and about time, too!
I know. But, on the other hand, it is good to have new things to read in my old age. I have only started reading Agatha Christie short stories in the last or so also.
“year or so”
I’ve read mixed reviews of the THE MX BOOK OF NEW SHERLOCK HOLMES STORIES series. I’ll check this volume out.
You know I like Holmes stories, set in the original time and places, and almost all of the ones in this huge series of anthologies has been good, so I keep reading them. I’ve been having trouble reading, and finding things I WANT to read, so these are kind of comfort food.
Canon, not Cannon. But you knew that.
Glad to see it is set in the “right” period. but never heard of the authors.
Yep, I was a typo machine when I wrote this up, apparently. Damn. You know I like Holmes stories, set in the original time and places, and almost all of the ones in this huge series of anthologies has been good, so i keep reading them.
I’ve been reading Vol 1 (of three) of the first book for several months, and it’s great stuff. I’ll want another when I finish, but the way they’re pumping these out, I’ll never be able to read them all!
Patience, my friend, patience.
I rather enjoy the odd Sherlock Holmes written by someone other than ACD. I think the last one I read was The Giant Rat of Sumatra by Richard L. Boyer which I thought was not bad at all. I own The Mammoth book of New Sherlock Holmes Adventures edited by Mike Ashley, which I’ve read a couple of stories from too. And I’m sure he’s put at least one into one of the many anthologies he now does for the British Library. Yes, I’ve just checked, it’s The Adventure of the First-Class Carriage by Ronald Knox from Blood on the Tracks, edited not by Ashley but by Martin Edwards.
That Ashley anthology is excellent, Cath, one of my favorites.
Good luck to Barbara on her surgery today, I gather in a few hours. My cataract surgery was a relative snap…I was under general anesthesia for the first one, which for some reason they didn’t want to do with the second, and so while that was somewhat more trying, it had its interesting aspects (and the local took away all but a slight discomfort, more pressure than pain).
Michael Chabon’s THE FINAL SOLUTION is still my favorite SH story by another hand, and while it doesn’t quite follow the model of the stories, it does treat the elderly Holmes much in a way that Doyle would approve of, I suspect.