It seems apt that with a new adaptation of Sherlock Holmes once more about to hit the silver screen, a review of a new collection of short stories featuring the venerable Victorian detective should feature in the annuals of bookreview.com.

Edited by JR Campbell Gaslight Grotesque contains thirteen tales of horror and ghostly goings-on, and boasts some highly acclaimed authors to boot. In his introduction, co-editor Charles Prepolec notes that whilst Arthur Conan Doyle never had his historical creation going head to head with the fantastic, the detective did flirt with myth and lore during several of his adventures. And Doyle himself wasn’t shy of penning the odd tale of terror.

In the spirit of this philosophy, Gaslight Grotesque pitches the detective against ghouls and ghosts; secret societies, zombies and fantastic beasts of myth and folklore. Stand out tales for this reviewer include: William Meikle’s The Quality of Mercy, a pulp tale of lost love and the desire for its return no matter what the cost; Stephen Volk’s Hounded; a beguiling tale told from the perspective of Dr Watson, and Neil Jackson’s Celeste, a subtle tale of conspiracy in the vein of Holmes meets the X Files.

This said, all the tales come with a degree of quality and as an overall read, Gaslight Grotesque presents the reader with a tome crammed with both intrigue and gruesome discovery. Even if the reader is new to the world of Sherlock Holmes, there is enough here to entertain and enthral.

Dave Jeffery