Holmes and Watson End Peace in David Ruffle's Sherlock Holmes group

Nov 27, 2012 Megan rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2013

In this book we meet our favorite characters once again, but this time instead of the setting being around the fireplace is 221B Baker Street, it is in a quite nursing home in the year 1929. Here we find Watson "still, but not silent," lying on what will soon become his death bed. His health has deteriorated and we now find a frail old man where there used to be such life and vigor. But there we also find Sherlock Holmes sitting by his bedside to keep him company and reminisce about all that the In this book we meet our favorite characters once again, but this time instead of the setting being around the fireplace is 221B Baker Street, it is in a quite nursing home in the year 1929. Here we find Watson "still, but not silent," lying on what will soon become his death bed. His health has deteriorated and we now find a frail old man where there used to be such life and vigor. But there we also find Sherlock Holmes sitting by his bedside to keep him company and reminisce about all that they had achieved together in life.

Just the premise of this book made me a bit melancholy, these two are probably my favorite, most beloved, literary characters so it made me sad to think of them at the end of their lives. But we all know that everyone must die, even Holmes and Watson aren't immune from death. In a way this book gives a sense of closure that wasn't present in the last Sherlock Holmes story by Doyle. Here we get to say good-bye and be with Watson right up until the end. It is like saying good-bye to a friend, and I very much like the fact that David Ruffle, the author, allowed us to be there at the end. I laughed a little when David Ruffle apologized at the end for doing that but I don't think he needs to apologize for anything! The book was wonderful, and beautifully written and definitely has nothing to apologize for.

One of the unique things about the book is that it is all, 100%, dialogue. There is no description or other factors at play, just the words of two friends talking for the last time. I have never read a book like this and I very much enjoyed it. Having just the dialogue made it more personal, intimate in a way, which I think made this book better. It contained only the essential piece. You can picture them talking and made you feel like you were there, sitting in the corner, eaves-dropping on this final conversation.

What we get from the conversation is Holmes and Watson reminiscing about old cases. Here you learn the details about things that were exaggerated and a look into the Giant Rat of Sumatra, which also was a mystery to the readers of the Arthur Conan Doyle stories. We also learn more about all our favorite characters: Mycroft, Mrs. Hudson, Lestrade, and Mary. The stories they tell each other are very honest and they seem to let loose all these things that have been building up over the course of their lives. I also thought it was cute that even in their old age you find Watson and Holmes making little jabs at each other like they always did in their younger years.

I don't want to give anything away because I think this is a book all Sherlock Holmes fans should read, but you get to see more of the younger lives of Watson and Holmes. Here at the end of their days we get the stories of when they were little, and what they most regret. From both Watson and Holmes we get a shocking confession that could change how you see these characters. After these confessions I loved the response that the other gave. They truly are the best of friends. While some didn't like these confessions, feeling they were a bit too far-fetched, they wouldn't really be shocking confessions if after hearing them you thought, "Yeah guess I should have seen that one coming." I think they added another side to Holmes and Watson that we hadn't been privy to up until that point and it helped strengthen the already un-breakable bond between the two.

Overall I give this book 5/5 stars. It is original without breaking from the original feel of the characters. David Ruffle did an amazing job of showing these two characters that I have come to love so much. I definitely will be reading more of his books. Like I said before if you are a fan of Sherlock Holmes I would highly recommend this book to you, you will not be sorry you read it. Great job David, I look forward to reading more of your works in the future!! :) ...more

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Apr 17, 2013 Hugh Ashton rated it it was amazing

I don't read Sherlock Holmes pastiches – I write them, and I avoid reading pastiches on the whole, for fear I will inadvertently copy someone else's ideas. But having read about End Peace, I thought I could risk this work.

It's a fascinating concept in the technical sense - a book that is all dialogue with no description at all. To describe it as a "novel" is perhaps a mistake. It's a work of Holmesian scholarship, examining the details of one of the most famous fictional relationships in English ...more

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Jul 22, 2012 Charlotte Smith rated it it was amazing

Shelves: sherlock-holmes-books

Holmes And Watson End Peace by David Ruffle is a short but very moving and evocative story which details a conversation between Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson. It takes place in a nursing home in 1929 where Dr Watson is being cared for. The cover for the book is superbly simple, a deerstalker and medical bag. For any reader of Sherlock Holmes the symbolism is obvious and it does set the tone for the book. This is a story about Holmes and Watson. No one else is involved.

Holmes and Watson End Peace Holmes And Watson End Peace by David Ruffle is a short but very moving and evocative story which details a conversation between Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson. It takes place in a nursing home in 1929 where Dr Watson is being cared for. The cover for the book is superbly simple, a deerstalker and medical bag. For any reader of Sherlock Holmes the symbolism is obvious and it does set the tone for the book. This is a story about Holmes and Watson. No one else is involved.

Holmes and Watson End Peace does take the reader on a journey, firstly a fond reminiscent of old cases Holmes and Watson were involved in and then the conversation takes on a darker turn as the final secrets carried by both Holmes and Watson are gradually revealed and is somewhat shocking in content. But the secrets are handled sensitively by David Ruffle who also seeks to explain the reasons behind them. There is also a clever subplot that adds great pathos to the story and as the reader gradually realises what is going on one does feel that they want to hug Dr Watson even more! The seriousness of the story is nicely offset by breaks in the conversation as we are drawn to the lives of the nurses caring for Dr Watson. There is humour and a sense of life carrying on as normal outside the room of Dr Watson. However even the nurses begin to realise that all is not normal within the walls of Dr Watson’s room as they fret over a chair not being where it should be.

Throughout the story you very much sense the long standing friendship between the two men which transcends everything else. Theirs is a strong bond that can never be broken by anything. Even in spirit the bonds of friendship remain as strong as ever. It is a theme that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle used very effectively throughout the canon, particularly in The Empty House and The Three Garridebs. If you want to read a Sherlock Holmes story that is set at the end of the many adventures Holmes and Watson had together, with an added and most unexpected twist then Holmes and Watson End Peace is for you. A fixed point in a changing age for your Sherlockian/Holmesian bookcase!
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Jul 11, 2012 Joe Riggs rated it it was amazing

Shelves: sherlock-related

I've recently finished “Holmes And Watson: End Peace” by David Ruffle. I couldn't wait to share my thoughts on this very innovatively written little masterpiece. So here goes…

End Peace is filled with nothing but my favorite part of any Sherlock Holmes pastiche, dialogue. This fascinating book is literally 100% dialogue, it reads like an actual transcript of one long conversation and is completely delightful to digest.

The book takes place at the very end of Holmes and Watson’s years together. Wha I've recently finished “Holmes And Watson: End Peace” by David Ruffle. I couldn't wait to share my thoughts on this very innovatively written little masterpiece. So here goes…

End Peace is filled with nothing but my favorite part of any Sherlock Holmes pastiche, dialogue. This fascinating book is literally 100% dialogue, it reads like an actual transcript of one long conversation and is completely delightful to digest.

The book takes place at the very end of Holmes and Watson’s years together. What we have here is a retrospective look at their career and adventures together from the vantage point of a “final’ conversation between our two beloved characters. However while that premise may seem pretty straightforward, Ruffle manages to throw in some VERY original and captivating twists and turns that keep you absolutely rapt. I do not exaggerate in the least when I say this.
Aside from the oh so curious way in which this conversation takes place and the mystery that encapsulates it, we have even more to be excited about. Answers to many questions and light shed on many stories from the canon! Who doesn’t love that idea?

During this retrospective conversation the duo go about discussing the fate of many characters from the original Conan Doyle stories as well as some of those cases that Watson often mentioned yet never chronicled. For example we learn what became of Detective Inspector Lestrade, Mrs. Hudson, Mary Morstan and many more characters that impacted the lives of Holmes and Watson. Call it literary closure if you will and masterfully done if I may say so myself.

Holmes and Watson also take the time to finally say things to each other they’ve always wanted and/or needed to, yet never have due to pride, respect or perhaps both. They are very candid with each other and “let some things out” that have been building up all these years. They also finally express some sentiments that will leave any Sherlockian/Holmesian, touched. Don’t worry, David does this perfectly and their “honest moments” are done with elegance and tact. You’ll have to read for yourself to see exactly what I mean.

David Ruffle is no stranger to writing brilliant books and this one follows suit. Given the majority of the subject matter in this book there is not much else I can say about the content without the risk of spoiling it for those of you who have yet to read it. On that note I will leave you with this:

If you love Sherlock Holmes, buy this today. If you love good books, buy this today. If you ever wondered what happened to any of your favorite characters, buy this today. If you would be interested in listening in on a “final” retrospective conversation between Holmes and Watson, then seriously, buy this today.

This book is well worth its weight in gold. It is fun, mysterious, emotionally captivating, full of twists and did I mention it’s 100% dialogue! No filler, no fluff, just the words of our beloved Sherlock Holmes and Doctor John Watson. Well done Mr. Ruffle, well done… ...more

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Jan 24, 2013 Jacquelyn rated it it was amazing

I really enjoyed the conversation between Holmes and Watson. Nicely done, David. You did a great job of turning the entire book into all conversation and playing out how it would all end. I was quite pleased. So glad I was able to get the book.

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