The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes: Early Detective Stories

Thirteen detective stories from the late Victorian and Edwardian eras. There's a nice spread of stories, although it's maybe a touch surprising that three of them are second contributions from authors featured earlier in the book. (In two of those cases, Greene takes the opportunity to feature a different detective protagonist, so I guess it all works out.)

If I'm honest, the book starts slow. There isn't much to stories like "The Case of Laker, Absconded" or "The Assyrian Rejuvenator," and the earlier tales have a slightly drier Victorian writing style when compared to the later ones. Things really start to pick up with "Madame Sara," although it's more of a thriller than a mystery - and, frustratingly, the first segment of the show more serialized novel The Sorceress of the Strand; Greene's introduction doesn't tell us that, which makes the "ending" extremely abrupt. Regardless, L.T. Meade and her co-writer Robert Eustace clearly enjoyed creating the diabolical villainess, and the story/chapter is a lot of fun.

The Most Valuable Player of the collection is Baronness Orczy - famed for The Scarlet Pimpernel books - whose two stories, each with a different detective, are highly enjoyable and very easy to read. The Old Man in the Corner, in particular, is a character worth visiting.

My own favorite story in the collection is William Hope Hodgson's "The Horse of the Invisible," coincidentally the only story I had read before; quality always displays itself, I guess. I am usually no fan of ghost stories, but Hodgson's Carnacki stories have that wonderful, pulpy rationalist-meets-the-unknown flavor that I really enjoy. The Carnacki stories are, in their way, a sort of turn-of-the-century Kolchak: The Night Stalker, with the added benefit that the supernatural element is really terrifying.

Overall, this is a nice little gateway into the realm of British detective ficition, ca. 1900, beyond Arthur Conan Doyle. I think some of the inclusions inadvertently prove why Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories became so popular - they were, after all, a unique combination of well-constructed mysteries, an engaging central figure, and solid prose - but these are still quite satisfying in their own way. Read them as I did: in a cold December, over consecutive nights, with cups of strong hot mocha. You may find that the mood is suddenly quite Christmassy. show less

Enjoyable collection of short stories, some of which feature more detection than others. Also of slightly varying quality (I find Ernest Bramah, alas, to be a pain), but there are a number in here (two seemingly inspired by Whittaker Wright) that really stand out. Good for historians of the genre.

Sherlock Holmes was not the only detective at work in late Victorian England. Others, some honest, some untrustworthy, all highly capable, were at work all over England. This book contains short stories featuring several of those sleuths.

I always enjoyed Agatha Christie's book Partners in Crime. Tommy and Tuppence Beresford set up a small detective agency in the hopes of tracking down a master criminal. In part of the book, they decide to emulate some other fictional detectives. I remember reading the book and wondering who they were talking sometimes. This little collection features a few of the people they copied.

Lady Molly of Scotland Yard, as she is called, although there is no official title given, is the only woman in the book. show more Her case, I thought, was a rather easy one. The rest of the sleuths include the Old Man in the Corner with his piece of string, Dr. Thorndike, Romney Pringle - one of the few to appear twice in the book, Duckworth Drew of the Secret Service, and several others. Some I had never heard of before, but a few of the stories, like the one with Martin Hewett chasing down a missing bank clerk and some stolen cash, I had read before. I enjoyed all the stories. The editor picked out a great variety and I would love to read another such collection. Recommended for fans of historical mysteries, espionage, or the short story. show less

Excellent selection of the stors published in British magazines in the 1890s and early 1900s in competition with the Sherlock Holmes stories. None of the detectives is as individual as Holmes (except possibly the Old Man in the Corner) but they are all competent and there is plenty of period detail. The authors are Max Pemberton, Arthur Morrison (about Martin Hewitt), Guy Boothby, Clifford Ashdown (Romney Pringle) . L.T. Meade (Madame Sara), William LeQueux, Baroness Orczy (The Old Man), R. Austin Freeman (Dr. Thorndyke), William Hope Hodgson (Carnacki), and Ernest Bramah (Max Carrados).