From unwrapping stolen mummies to Professor Moriarty escaping in an early flying machine, these Sherlock Holmes stories by Robert V. Stapleton enchant. From Scotland to Cornwall to Berlin, Holmes and Watson deal with a mummy’s curse, smuggling and international politics.
Stapleton’s short stories in Sherlock Holmes: A Yorkshireman in Baker Street entertain for the most part. Professor Moriarty stars in an interesting affair that culminates in his making his escape in an early flying machine. (For me, this story tops the rest of the stories in the collection.) “The Whitehaven Ransom” captured my attention, too. Watson drags Holmes off on a vacation to the English Lake District. While there, the duo solve a 30-year-old local mystery. Holmes and Watson are called to Berlin to intercede with delegates attending a conference on Africa. Events go awry quickly in “The Black Hole of Berlin.” Most of the stories move along at a steady clip. Most are believable. “You Only Live Thrice,” involving voodoo, is not quite up-to-par as far as plot. In fact, I found it rather weak.
I enjoyed the voice of Dr. John Watson as he narrated these stories. Stapleton made Watson’s voice crisp, clear and convincing. Whereas, in some of the early black-and-white movies on television, Watson is portrayed as a bumbling fool. (Think Nigel Bruce to Basil Rathbone’s Sherlock Holmes.) Since Watson was a doctor, he was no fool. Nor was he stupid, even if he couldn’t match Holmes’ analytical deductions.
Stapleton’s story collection satisfies my craving for short stories and all things Holmesian. At least temporarily. Although mummies are not my thing, Moriarty and Holmes certainly are. No doubt, I will be back reading about Holmes very soon. For another post I’ve written regarding works involving Sherlock Holmes, find it here.