An eclectic collection of detective fiction largely contemporary with Holmes’ exploits. It’s a mixed bag, featuring both well-known and now-forgotten authors, and it’s easy to see the selection process at work: the stories of William Le Queux and Baroness Orczy stand out (in completely different ways) for their skilled construction.

3/5. Finished Thursday 29 December, 2016.

(Originally published on Goodreads.)