The Whole Art of Detection - Faye - 4.5 stars

[Jgrace]

The Whole Art of Detection - Faye
Audio performance by Simon Vance
4.5 stars

I really can’t get enough of Sherlock Holmes. How nice of Lyndsay Faye to give me more Holmes and Watson stories to read. And how nice of Simon Vance to read them to me. These stories are very much true to the original Conan Doyle stories. This collection of stories also follows the pattern of Faye’s book length Dust and Shadow: An Account of the Ripper Killings by Dr. John H. Watson. Watson is more intelligent and a more active participant. Holmes is more human and humane.

There are enough differences from the original stories to give this collection a fresh stamp, but they still fall within the mold. Faye provides details and gives depth to the friendship between the partners, especially in two stories that deal with Holmes’ dramatic return from the dead. Several of the stories take on dear Sherlock’s alleged misogyny. There are at least 6 stories with women as either victim or villain. In three of the stories, Watson and Holmes aid and abet a female criminal to outwit abusive husbands and/or the unfair legal restrictions placed on Victorian women. Holmes seems to be taking a stand for women’s rights, at least in the areas personal finance and legal divorce. I always knew he was a good guy.

I enjoyed every story in this collection. None of the mysteries were terribly difficult to figure out. But I didn’t read them for the puzzles. It was just fun to visit with two of my favorite literary characters.