More from the Deed Box of John H. Watson M.D. - by Hugh Ashton (Paperback)

About the Book

Hugh Ashton has been digging deeper in the deed box that originally belonged to Dr Watson, the friend and colleague of the celebrated detective Sherlock Holmes, and unearthed three more tales referred to in the original books, but never before released to the public: Colonel Warburton's Madness; the Paradol Chamber; and the Giant Rat of Sumatra.

Book Synopsis

Each of the tales I have selected to recount here was mentioned by Watson in previous adventures, but only in passing, and the sketchy references have long been a source of curious speculation by students of the work of Sherlock Holmes.

• The Case of Colonel Warburton's Madness is one of the few cases recorded by Watson as being one that he introduced to Holmes (The Engineer's Thumb being the other).
• The Mystery of the Paradol Chamber is strangely named, and the mystery itself is a strange one where Holmes' talents are needed to unravel a classic "locked room" murder puzzle.
• Finally, the definitive story of The Giant Rat of Sumatra has come to light. There are obvious reasons why this story was withheld from the public for so long. Even with the pseudonyms that have been so obviously employed, this story could have shaken the respectable world of English politics to the core if released.

These latest tales that I have unearthed will, I am confident, provide both enjoyment and instruction to all those who study and cherish the work of Sherlock Holmes. I hope to provide even more such tales, following further exploration of the contents of the deed box.

Review Quotes

" My goodness ! I have never read a pastiche that felt so close to Doyle's style- that is, until today, when I discovered this marvelous book by Hugh Ashton. His 'Watson voice' is impeccable and so are his interactions between Holmes and Watson."

" Of course, I am devoted to the Canon, but I love a good pastiche. The trouble is good pastiches of the Sherlock stories are hard to come by. I think Mr. Ashton does an extraordinary job of making me feel like this could have been part of the original Canon."

" I hardly ever give 5 stars to any Sherlock Holmes pastiche because I don't believe that anyone can measure up to the master, A. Conan Doyle, but Hugh Ashton never disappoints me. His stories are always high quality in the style, structure and feel of the originals. I have read too many pastiches to mention and Hugh Ashton's stories would be at the top of the heap. Do yourself a favor, flop down a couple bucks and read this entertaining Sherlock Holmes story."

" ...an exquisite piece of writing that does a superb job of recrafting a Holmes tale as one might read directly from Doyle's unpublished archives. Given the depth of characters in these stories, and the worldwide popularity they have achieved, this is a courageous and admirable feat, successfully managed by a supremely talented writer."