Hugh Ashton, From Baker Street to the Hill o'Beans
After graduating from the University of Cambridge in 1977, Hugh moved between various jobs before ending up in the field of IT. His interests took him to Japan in 1988 on a two-year contract, to work as a technical writer. Twenty-eight years later, he returned to the UK with his wife Yoshiko, to live in the Midlands cathedral city of Lichfield, the setting for his Sherlock Holmes mystery, "The Lichfield Murder".
As well as this title, he has published a dozen volumes of Sherlock Holmes adventures with Inknbeans Press of California, many based on the "untold adventures" referenced in the canon, and all in the style of the originals, which has led some critics to describe him as "the reincarnation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle" and one of the most authentic of the current crop of pastiche writers. Like ACD, he has also written contemporary thrillers, vintage science fiction, and historical adventures, as well as a critically acclaimed volume of short stories about the older generation in Japan, "Tales of Old Japanese". However, he does not play cricket, and though he once grew a moustache, it is by now no more than a fading memory.
When he is not writing fiction, Hugh is engaged in explaining the mysteries of computer forensic software, and helping others produce their ideas in book form.
For Hugh Ashton's Childrens Books, featuring Sherlock Ferret and the illustrations of Andy Boerger, visit Crime Fighting Ferret
As well as this title, he has published a dozen volumes of Sherlock Holmes adventures with Inknbeans Press of California, many based on the "untold adventures" referenced in the canon, and all in the style of the originals, which has led some critics to describe him as "the reincarnation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle" and one of the most authentic of the current crop of pastiche writers. Like ACD, he has also written contemporary thrillers, vintage science fiction, and historical adventures, as well as a critically acclaimed volume of short stories about the older generation in Japan, "Tales of Old Japanese". However, he does not play cricket, and though he once grew a moustache, it is by now no more than a fading memory.
When he is not writing fiction, Hugh is engaged in explaining the mysteries of computer forensic software, and helping others produce their ideas in book form.
For Hugh Ashton's Childrens Books, featuring Sherlock Ferret and the illustrations of Andy Boerger, visit Crime Fighting Ferret
Tales From the Deed Box of John H Watson, MD
Three previously unknown accounts in the case files of Sherlock Holmes, discovered and transcribed by Hugh Ashton: The Odessa Business, the Case of the Missing Matchbox and The Case of the Cormorant.
The stories in this volume are authorized by the Conan Doyle Estate.
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Three previously unknown accounts in the case files of Sherlock Holmes, discovered and transcribed by Hugh Ashton: The Odessa Business, the Case of the Missing Matchbox and The Case of the Cormorant.
The stories in this volume are authorized by the Conan Doyle Estate.
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More From the Deed Box of John H Watson, MD
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. He has 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.
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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. He has 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.
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The Bradfield Push
Hugh Ashton has been ferreting in the deed box that formerly belonged to Dr John Watson, the friend and colleague of the celebrated detective Sherlock Holmes. In addition to the adventures recorded in Tales from the Deed Box of John H. Watson MD and More from the Deed Box of John H. Watson MD (published by Inknbeans Press), this little gem recorded by the good doctor caught his eye.
The Bradfield Push deals with an early adventure of Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson, apparently set in the time between A Study In Scarlet and The Sign Of Four. Dr Watson loses one of his possessions to one lady, and his heart to another. Sherlock Holmes helps with the first loss, but cannot assist with the second.
And what exactly is "The Bradfield Push"? You'll have to read the story to find out.
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Hugh Ashton has been ferreting in the deed box that formerly belonged to Dr John Watson, the friend and colleague of the celebrated detective Sherlock Holmes. In addition to the adventures recorded in Tales from the Deed Box of John H. Watson MD and More from the Deed Box of John H. Watson MD (published by Inknbeans Press), this little gem recorded by the good doctor caught his eye.
The Bradfield Push deals with an early adventure of Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson, apparently set in the time between A Study In Scarlet and The Sign Of Four. Dr Watson loses one of his possessions to one lady, and his heart to another. Sherlock Holmes helps with the first loss, but cannot assist with the second.
And what exactly is "The Bradfield Push"? You'll have to read the story to find out.
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Secrets From the Deed Box of John H Watson, MD
The deed box of Dr. Watson, presented to me some time ago by a friend who rescued it from the archives of a London bank, continues to produce treasures. The stories in this collection, which I have entitled Secrets from the Deed Box of John H Watson MD, all represent some aspect of Holmes and his adventures that has previously been undiscovered. In many ways these are (with the possible exception of The Bradfield Push, which Watson left unpublished for personal reasons) somewhat darker in tone than the stories that he did release to the public and publish in the Strand magazine.
For some reason, Watson failed to date most of Holmes' adventures, and we must therefore make a guess at the chronology of these stories through their allusions to other cases.
These adventures of Sherlock Holmes are approved by The Conan Doyle Estate Ltd.
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The deed box of Dr. Watson, presented to me some time ago by a friend who rescued it from the archives of a London bank, continues to produce treasures. The stories in this collection, which I have entitled Secrets from the Deed Box of John H Watson MD, all represent some aspect of Holmes and his adventures that has previously been undiscovered. In many ways these are (with the possible exception of The Bradfield Push, which Watson left unpublished for personal reasons) somewhat darker in tone than the stories that he did release to the public and publish in the Strand magazine.
For some reason, Watson failed to date most of Holmes' adventures, and we must therefore make a guess at the chronology of these stories through their allusions to other cases.
- The first of these tales, The Conk-Singleton Forgery Case, is mentioned by Watson. He gives no other details in The Adventure of the Six Napoleons, and the story was presumably withheld from the public on account of Holmes'brush with the police as described here. The story provides excellent examples of Holmes' skill in deduction from seemingly trivial observations, as well as details of his methods of working a case.
- The next story, The Strange Case of James Phillimore, is likewise mentioned in passing by Watson. James Phillimore is described as stepping into his house to retrieve his umbrella, never to be seen more in this world. This brief description implies a somewhat supernatural twist to things, but the truth of the matter is even more surprising. The open antagonism between Sherlock Holmes and some officers of the Metropolitan Police Force may come as somewhat of a surprise to those who have always regarded him as an unflagging ally of the official guardians of law and order.
- In The Enfield Rope, we enter unknown territory.Watson never alluded to this case. The principals here were far too well-known to Watson's public to allow of this case's publication, even with pseudonyms, and re¬spect for the British Establishment would have restrained Watson in this instance. Holmes' sense of the dramatic is shown here, and his admiration and liking for a member of a part of society that was often shunned at that time shows a human, more attractive side to Holmes than is often portrayed by Watson.
- The Bradfield Push is an early case of Sherlock Holmes, where Watson loses both his heart and his watch. Holmes can retrieve one, but not the other.
These adventures of Sherlock Holmes are approved by The Conan Doyle Estate Ltd.
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The Darlington Substitution
The deed box of Dr. John Watson, entrusted by him over a century ago to Cox & Co. of Charing Cross, and which made its way late last year to Hugh Ashton in Kamakura, Japan, continues to yield treasure.
The box proved to have a false bottom, under which lay the manuscript of a full-length adventure of Sherlock Holmes, in which the great detective needs all his cunning and detective powers to unravel the mysteries at Hareby Hall.
Mentioned in passing by Dr. Watson in his account of A Scandal in Bohemia, The Darlington Substitution is a tale of deceit, treachery, and murder most foul, set in the wild Border country of northern England. Holmes and Watson encounter a centuries-old legend which tells of the future extinction of an ancient noble family, and set themselves against one of the most ingenious and fiendish villains ever to cross the path of Sherlock Holmes.
Holmes and his faithful biographer come to life again in this case, following in the tradition already set in the three volumes of the “Deed Box” series of shorter Holmes adventures published by Inknbeans Press. These have been extremely favorably received by readers and reviewers, with one commenting, “I would have assumed that they were indeed previously undiscovered Doyle originals,” and another, “The author has followed the approaches of the original Doyle stories to the extent that these could have been easily included in the original works”.
To celebrate the discovery of The Darlington Substitution, Inknbeans Press and Hugh Ashton have produced a paperback edition that closely mimics the original Sherlock Holmes stories in its typography and orthography – “printed steampunk” – which should delight fans of the original Holmes stories as they peruse this latest addition to the adventures of the most famous sleuth ever to grace the pages of fiction.
These adventures of Sherlock Holmes are approved by The Conan Doyle Estate Ltd.
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The deed box of Dr. John Watson, entrusted by him over a century ago to Cox & Co. of Charing Cross, and which made its way late last year to Hugh Ashton in Kamakura, Japan, continues to yield treasure.
The box proved to have a false bottom, under which lay the manuscript of a full-length adventure of Sherlock Holmes, in which the great detective needs all his cunning and detective powers to unravel the mysteries at Hareby Hall.
Mentioned in passing by Dr. Watson in his account of A Scandal in Bohemia, The Darlington Substitution is a tale of deceit, treachery, and murder most foul, set in the wild Border country of northern England. Holmes and Watson encounter a centuries-old legend which tells of the future extinction of an ancient noble family, and set themselves against one of the most ingenious and fiendish villains ever to cross the path of Sherlock Holmes.
Holmes and his faithful biographer come to life again in this case, following in the tradition already set in the three volumes of the “Deed Box” series of shorter Holmes adventures published by Inknbeans Press. These have been extremely favorably received by readers and reviewers, with one commenting, “I would have assumed that they were indeed previously undiscovered Doyle originals,” and another, “The author has followed the approaches of the original Doyle stories to the extent that these could have been easily included in the original works”.
To celebrate the discovery of The Darlington Substitution, Inknbeans Press and Hugh Ashton have produced a paperback edition that closely mimics the original Sherlock Holmes stories in its typography and orthography – “printed steampunk” – which should delight fans of the original Holmes stories as they peruse this latest addition to the adventures of the most famous sleuth ever to grace the pages of fiction.
These adventures of Sherlock Holmes are approved by The Conan Doyle Estate Ltd.
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The Trepoff Murder
Mentioned by Dr. Watson in the Scandal in Bohemia, the story of the Trepoff murders now comes to light, discovered by the author in a deed box once owned by Sherlock Holmes' faithful chronicler. A Russian dignitary dies in London, and Holmes sets off to discover the circumstances behind his untimely, and politically unfortunate, demise.
Originally told in true ACD fashion, as a serial, this brief novella is now exclusively available at Amazon for Kindle.
These adventures of Sherlock Holmes are approved by The Conan Doyle Estate Ltd.
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Mentioned by Dr. Watson in the Scandal in Bohemia, the story of the Trepoff murders now comes to light, discovered by the author in a deed box once owned by Sherlock Holmes' faithful chronicler. A Russian dignitary dies in London, and Holmes sets off to discover the circumstances behind his untimely, and politically unfortunate, demise.
Originally told in true ACD fashion, as a serial, this brief novella is now exclusively available at Amazon for Kindle.
These adventures of Sherlock Holmes are approved by The Conan Doyle Estate Ltd.
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Preview
The Deed Box of John H Watson, MD
Long thought lost, the box containing the untold tales of the great detective Sherlock Holmes, deposited in the vaults of Cox & Co. of Charing Cross so long ago, has recently come to light. It was presented to Hugh Ashton of Kamakura, Japan, the maiden name of whose grandmother was Watson. Ashton has transcribed and edited the adventures he discovered in there, and they have been published by Inknbeans Press. Eleven adventures from the Deed Box series, 360 6"x9" pages reproduced in the style of the original canonical adventures, and bound together for the first time as a hardcover volume.
These adventures of Sherlock Holmes are approved by The Conan Doyle Estate Ltd.
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The Deed Box of John H Watson, MD
Long thought lost, the box containing the untold tales of the great detective Sherlock Holmes, deposited in the vaults of Cox & Co. of Charing Cross so long ago, has recently come to light. It was presented to Hugh Ashton of Kamakura, Japan, the maiden name of whose grandmother was Watson. Ashton has transcribed and edited the adventures he discovered in there, and they have been published by Inknbeans Press. Eleven adventures from the Deed Box series, 360 6"x9" pages reproduced in the style of the original canonical adventures, and bound together for the first time as a hardcover volume.
These adventures of Sherlock Holmes are approved by The Conan Doyle Estate Ltd.
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Notes From the Dispatch Box of John H Watson, MD
Another discovery from the vaults of Cox and Co., the old London bank which had forwarded the Deed Box of John H Watson to the author last year. The Dispatch Box contains all manner of illuminating documents about Mssrs. Holmes and Watson. Of particular interest are what the author refers to as The Affair of the Vatican Cameos, the Reigate Poisoning Case, and a document apparently written by the man Holmes himself called 'the fourth smartest man in London', John Clay.
These adventures of Sherlock Holmes are approved by The Conan Doyle Estate Ltd.
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Another discovery from the vaults of Cox and Co., the old London bank which had forwarded the Deed Box of John H Watson to the author last year. The Dispatch Box contains all manner of illuminating documents about Mssrs. Holmes and Watson. Of particular interest are what the author refers to as The Affair of the Vatican Cameos, the Reigate Poisoning Case, and a document apparently written by the man Holmes himself called 'the fourth smartest man in London', John Clay.
These adventures of Sherlock Holmes are approved by The Conan Doyle Estate Ltd.
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The Reigate Murder: Concluded
In the account of the adventure that I have edited and entitled The Reigate Poisoning Case, published by Inknbeans Press in the collection Notes from the Dispatch-Box of John H. Watson MD, there was no mention of any character named Mlle. Carère, nor of a subsequent resurrection of the victim, let alone a reappearance and marriage in New York. I had therefore assumed that Watson had confused two cases, and attached the name of the principal of one to the events of another.
It turns out that I was mistaken. Watson was correct in all the details that he had originally supplied as hints mentioned in his earlier story of Dartmoor. As I was searching through the dispatch box, I discovered an envelope into which was tucked another notebook, somewhat similar to the one in which I had discovered the story of Madame Montpensier. This was the totally unexpected sequel to the story that I had first discovered—a sequel that overturned my previous assumptions.
The notebook contained what was perhaps a final copy of the second part of the manuscript describing the adventure, to be sent to the publisher, but later withheld, almost certainly at the request of Sherlock Holmes, given the content. Certainly there are very few corrections and additions to be seen in the manuscript, and the style is as polished as any other production from the pen of John Watson.
I therefore present to you the second part of The Reigate Poisoning Case, which in my opinion, brings to a satisfactory close—as far as the plot is concerned, through many dubious moral aspects remain—those parts of the case that raised doubts in my mind when I was acquainted only with the first part of the story. This adventure is set some six months after the first, as the mention in Hound would imply.
For those who have yet to read the initial portion, Holmes discovered that Mme. Montpensier, who had previously married a Mr. Stevens, was currently in a marriage which had been contracted bigamously by her current husband, under the name of Colethorpe. This Colethorpe, as she knew him, had suborned one of the maids into collaborating with him in a complex scheme that would trick the unfortunate Mme. Montpensier into providing her daughter, Miss Annabel Stevens, with a fatal dose of poisoned cocoa. At the autopsy, conducted by the local doctor, Henry Clifford (a former student colleague of Watson’s) together with Watson and a lecturer at Bart’s Hospital (Professor Menzies), it was discovered that the death of the victim had indeed been caused by poison. Though circumstances initially pointed to Mme. Montpensier as the administrator of the poison, it was deduced by Holmes that she had acted unwittingly, and the true culprit was Colethorpe, acting through his catspaw in the form of a kitchen maid, whom he had cajoled into acting as his accomplice. Colethorpe was found guilty and hanged, and the maid sentenced to many years’ imprisonment.
Grateful acknowledgement to Conan Doyle Estate Ltd. for permission to use the Sherlock Holmes characters created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
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In the account of the adventure that I have edited and entitled The Reigate Poisoning Case, published by Inknbeans Press in the collection Notes from the Dispatch-Box of John H. Watson MD, there was no mention of any character named Mlle. Carère, nor of a subsequent resurrection of the victim, let alone a reappearance and marriage in New York. I had therefore assumed that Watson had confused two cases, and attached the name of the principal of one to the events of another.
It turns out that I was mistaken. Watson was correct in all the details that he had originally supplied as hints mentioned in his earlier story of Dartmoor. As I was searching through the dispatch box, I discovered an envelope into which was tucked another notebook, somewhat similar to the one in which I had discovered the story of Madame Montpensier. This was the totally unexpected sequel to the story that I had first discovered—a sequel that overturned my previous assumptions.
The notebook contained what was perhaps a final copy of the second part of the manuscript describing the adventure, to be sent to the publisher, but later withheld, almost certainly at the request of Sherlock Holmes, given the content. Certainly there are very few corrections and additions to be seen in the manuscript, and the style is as polished as any other production from the pen of John Watson.
I therefore present to you the second part of The Reigate Poisoning Case, which in my opinion, brings to a satisfactory close—as far as the plot is concerned, through many dubious moral aspects remain—those parts of the case that raised doubts in my mind when I was acquainted only with the first part of the story. This adventure is set some six months after the first, as the mention in Hound would imply.
For those who have yet to read the initial portion, Holmes discovered that Mme. Montpensier, who had previously married a Mr. Stevens, was currently in a marriage which had been contracted bigamously by her current husband, under the name of Colethorpe. This Colethorpe, as she knew him, had suborned one of the maids into collaborating with him in a complex scheme that would trick the unfortunate Mme. Montpensier into providing her daughter, Miss Annabel Stevens, with a fatal dose of poisoned cocoa. At the autopsy, conducted by the local doctor, Henry Clifford (a former student colleague of Watson’s) together with Watson and a lecturer at Bart’s Hospital (Professor Menzies), it was discovered that the death of the victim had indeed been caused by poison. Though circumstances initially pointed to Mme. Montpensier as the administrator of the poison, it was deduced by Holmes that she had acted unwittingly, and the true culprit was Colethorpe, acting through his catspaw in the form of a kitchen maid, whom he had cajoled into acting as his accomplice. Colethorpe was found guilty and hanged, and the maid sentenced to many years’ imprisonment.
Grateful acknowledgement to Conan Doyle Estate Ltd. for permission to use the Sherlock Holmes characters created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
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Further Notes From the Dispatch-Box of John H Watson, MD
The second box ("the dispatch-box") to be discovered in the vaults of Cox & Co. of Charing Cross has been the source of even more discoveries concerning the celebrated detective Sherlock Holmes.
This collection includes a Foreword from consulting Sherlockian Dr. Philip C. Eyster, who writes, "I had only read a few pages of his initial story, when I knew that Mr. Ashton has not only the skill but also the deep-felt desire to faithfully add to the canon the same Sherlock as came from the pen of Author Conan Doyle over 100 years ago".
Included in this volume are four tales, all referenced in the canonical originally published adventures:
The Abernetty Horror. A bloody crime in a Welsh fishing village points to one seemingly obvious answer. Holmes brings his reasoning powers to bear on the parsley and butter to discover the true solution (mentioned in The Six Napoleons).
The Finsbury House. "The shocking affair of the Dutch steamship Friesland, that so nearly cost us both our lives." (The Norwood Builder)
The Curious Affair of the Archdeacon. Mentioned in passing at the beginning of the Red Circle, this case is more light-hearted than many of Holmes' adventures.
An Account of the Victor Lynch Forgery. An account of an early case of Sherlock Holmes, related not by Watson, but by Inspector Lestrade, in the form of a letter to the good doctor, following the events at Meiringen. Mentioned in both Study in Scarlet and the Sussex Vampire.
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The second box ("the dispatch-box") to be discovered in the vaults of Cox & Co. of Charing Cross has been the source of even more discoveries concerning the celebrated detective Sherlock Holmes.
This collection includes a Foreword from consulting Sherlockian Dr. Philip C. Eyster, who writes, "I had only read a few pages of his initial story, when I knew that Mr. Ashton has not only the skill but also the deep-felt desire to faithfully add to the canon the same Sherlock as came from the pen of Author Conan Doyle over 100 years ago".
Included in this volume are four tales, all referenced in the canonical originally published adventures:
The Abernetty Horror. A bloody crime in a Welsh fishing village points to one seemingly obvious answer. Holmes brings his reasoning powers to bear on the parsley and butter to discover the true solution (mentioned in The Six Napoleons).
The Finsbury House. "The shocking affair of the Dutch steamship Friesland, that so nearly cost us both our lives." (The Norwood Builder)
The Curious Affair of the Archdeacon. Mentioned in passing at the beginning of the Red Circle, this case is more light-hearted than many of Holmes' adventures.
An Account of the Victor Lynch Forgery. An account of an early case of Sherlock Holmes, related not by Watson, but by Inspector Lestrade, in the form of a letter to the good doctor, following the events at Meiringen. Mentioned in both Study in Scarlet and the Sussex Vampire.
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The Death of Cardinal Tosca
“Ashton seems to have a knack for hitting a very convincingly canonical mark, making his stories some of the most consistently plausible I've found. The Death of Cardinal Tosca may well be my favorite of those stories so far. The atmosphere feels warmly familiar, the mystery plausible, yet delightfully recherché,the historical aspects carefully researched and the canonical details thoughtfully upheld. If you're a Sherlock Holmes fan who's read through the Canon and are aching for more, this is the book for you!” (Carrie Carlson – Stormy Petrels blog)
In The Hound of the Baskervilles, Dr. John Watson writes about Sherlock Holmes’ “famous investigation of the sudden death of Cardinal Tosca—an inquiry which was carried out by him at the express desire of His Holiness the Pope.” The express wishes of Sherlock Holmes, as expressed in a written note on the outside of an envelope, have been ignored, in order to bring this case before the public. “…sealed with a wax seal and the impression of a signet ring with the initial ‘S’. On the back flap were written, in that splendidly sprawling but legible hand with which I am now familiar, the words ‘Not to be opened before September 25, 2014’.”
Hugh Ashton has written five highly acclaimed collections of Sherlock Holmes’ adventures (the ”Deed Box” and “Dispatch Box” series), as well as a Sherlock Holmes novel, The Darlington Substitution, all in the style of the originals by Sir
Arthur Conan Doyle, to whom he has been favourably compared by critics.
“Mr Ashton's echoes of Conan Doyle's work build in volume and add resonance and depth to the characters, while not contradicting them. The reader gains insight into Holmes' and Watson's relationship and the relationship between Sherlock
and his brother Mycroft. As is consistent with the originals, these insights are just tantalising hints, but careful readers will enjoy them.” (Kelly Quinn)
Grateful acknowledgment to Conan Doyle Estate Ltd. for permission to use the Sherlock Holmes characters created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
http://221BeanBakerStreet.info
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“Ashton seems to have a knack for hitting a very convincingly canonical mark, making his stories some of the most consistently plausible I've found. The Death of Cardinal Tosca may well be my favorite of those stories so far. The atmosphere feels warmly familiar, the mystery plausible, yet delightfully recherché,the historical aspects carefully researched and the canonical details thoughtfully upheld. If you're a Sherlock Holmes fan who's read through the Canon and are aching for more, this is the book for you!” (Carrie Carlson – Stormy Petrels blog)
In The Hound of the Baskervilles, Dr. John Watson writes about Sherlock Holmes’ “famous investigation of the sudden death of Cardinal Tosca—an inquiry which was carried out by him at the express desire of His Holiness the Pope.” The express wishes of Sherlock Holmes, as expressed in a written note on the outside of an envelope, have been ignored, in order to bring this case before the public. “…sealed with a wax seal and the impression of a signet ring with the initial ‘S’. On the back flap were written, in that splendidly sprawling but legible hand with which I am now familiar, the words ‘Not to be opened before September 25, 2014’.”
Hugh Ashton has written five highly acclaimed collections of Sherlock Holmes’ adventures (the ”Deed Box” and “Dispatch Box” series), as well as a Sherlock Holmes novel, The Darlington Substitution, all in the style of the originals by Sir
Arthur Conan Doyle, to whom he has been favourably compared by critics.
“Mr Ashton's echoes of Conan Doyle's work build in volume and add resonance and depth to the characters, while not contradicting them. The reader gains insight into Holmes' and Watson's relationship and the relationship between Sherlock
and his brother Mycroft. As is consistent with the originals, these insights are just tantalising hints, but careful readers will enjoy them.” (Kelly Quinn)
Grateful acknowledgment to Conan Doyle Estate Ltd. for permission to use the Sherlock Holmes characters created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
http://221BeanBakerStreet.info
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Without My Boswell
"I am lost without my Boswell," declares Sherlock Holmes in "A Scandal in Bohemia". Indeed, the interplay between the solid ex-Army doctor, and the more mercurial purveyor of "ineffable twaddle" forms a large part of the appeal of the adventures which Watson caused to be published, and Watson himself, as well as acting as a publicist for Holmes' business, provides more solid assistance on many occasions.But... before John Watson had that fateful encounter with the eccentric beater of corpses at Barts, there was a consulting detective by the name of Sherlock Holmes, who had already built up a practice and a reputation that extended to Scotland Yard. However much he may have felt lost without his Boswell later in his career, Holmes was playing a solo game when he started out.We see a little of Holmes alone (apologies for the inevitable pun) in "The Case of the Gloria Scott" and "The Musgrave Ritual", and it is in Watson's account of this latter adventure that we hear of some other cases at a time when Holmes was presumably learning his trade.The written accounts of some of these were in the dispatch-box, bound together in an envelope, in Watson's writing. The envelope was inscribed "Before My Time", again in Watson's hand. The stories in here are all somewhat less interesting from the point of view of the interplay between Holmes and other characters, but they all shed a light on Holmes' methods of deduction as he learned his trade, and often also shed light on his character. As Holmes himself remarked, not all of these may be seen as successes, but none of the cases here may be regarded as a complete failure. Here they are - with five original illustrations by Andy Boerger.
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"I am lost without my Boswell," declares Sherlock Holmes in "A Scandal in Bohemia". Indeed, the interplay between the solid ex-Army doctor, and the more mercurial purveyor of "ineffable twaddle" forms a large part of the appeal of the adventures which Watson caused to be published, and Watson himself, as well as acting as a publicist for Holmes' business, provides more solid assistance on many occasions.But... before John Watson had that fateful encounter with the eccentric beater of corpses at Barts, there was a consulting detective by the name of Sherlock Holmes, who had already built up a practice and a reputation that extended to Scotland Yard. However much he may have felt lost without his Boswell later in his career, Holmes was playing a solo game when he started out.We see a little of Holmes alone (apologies for the inevitable pun) in "The Case of the Gloria Scott" and "The Musgrave Ritual", and it is in Watson's account of this latter adventure that we hear of some other cases at a time when Holmes was presumably learning his trade.The written accounts of some of these were in the dispatch-box, bound together in an envelope, in Watson's writing. The envelope was inscribed "Before My Time", again in Watson's hand. The stories in here are all somewhat less interesting from the point of view of the interplay between Holmes and other characters, but they all shed a light on Holmes' methods of deduction as he learned his trade, and often also shed light on his character. As Holmes himself remarked, not all of these may be seen as successes, but none of the cases here may be regarded as a complete failure. Here they are - with five original illustrations by Andy Boerger.
- The Tarleton Murders
- The Case of Vamberry, the Wine Merchant
- The Singular Affair of the Aluminium Crutch
- The Case of the Abominable Wife
- The Adventure of the Two Bottles
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The Last Notes From the Dispatch Box of John H Watson, MD
Found at the bottom of a dispatch box once belonging to John H Watson, MD, are notes of cases which, until now, had never been read. Notes that reveal the details of The Russian Bear, The Hand of Glory and the Missing Spoons.
The stories in this volume are authorized by the Conan Doyle Estate.
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Found at the bottom of a dispatch box once belonging to John H Watson, MD, are notes of cases which, until now, had never been read. Notes that reveal the details of The Russian Bear, The Hand of Glory and the Missing Spoons.
The stories in this volume are authorized by the Conan Doyle Estate.
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Preview
The Dispatch Box of John H. Watson MD: A Collection of Untold Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
As any student of the great detective is aware, Doctor Watson did not publish all the adventures of his friend, Sherlock Holmes. He refers to some of these untold tales in the published canon, giving us tantalising hints of how Holmes was employed when not engaged in the recorded cases.
The volume here contains a wealth of eighteen such Sherlockian treasures within it, recovered from the second box to be delivered to Hugh Ashton (the first contained those adventures published in the "Deed Box" series.
The stories in this volume are authorized by the Conan Doyle Estate.
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The Dispatch Box of John H. Watson MD: A Collection of Untold Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
As any student of the great detective is aware, Doctor Watson did not publish all the adventures of his friend, Sherlock Holmes. He refers to some of these untold tales in the published canon, giving us tantalising hints of how Holmes was employed when not engaged in the recorded cases.
The volume here contains a wealth of eighteen such Sherlockian treasures within it, recovered from the second box to be delivered to Hugh Ashton (the first contained those adventures published in the "Deed Box" series.
The stories in this volume are authorized by the Conan Doyle Estate.
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Preview
1894 - the year that Sherlock Holmes returned to London, after the Great Hiatus that followed the plunge into the Reichenbach Falls. Doctor Watson, though astounded at his friend's reappearance, nonetheless retained his composure enough to record the adventures that he shared with the famous sleuth in that year. Though he alludes to many of them, he never presented these to his literary agent, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
Hugh Ashton has come into possession of one of the notebooks where Watson wrote up these cases, and has presented five of them that Watson mentioned in The Golden Pince-Nez: The Red Leech, The Addleton Tragedy, The Ancient British Barrow, The Smith-Mortimer Succession, and The Boulevard Assassin.
In addition, the volume contains the adventure of The Two Coptic Patriarchs, as mentioned in The Retired Colourman.
The book has been produced following the style of the Strand magazine, and the cover features a facsimile of the memorandum book of Doctor Watson in which the adventures were first written, including the mark from a glass from which Watson no doubt refreshed himself while engaged in his literary labours.
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1894 - the year that Sherlock Holmes returned to London, after the Great Hiatus that followed the plunge into the Reichenbach Falls. Doctor Watson, though astounded at his friend's reappearance, nonetheless retained his composure enough to record the adventures that he shared with the famous sleuth in that year. Though he alludes to many of them, he never presented these to his literary agent, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
Hugh Ashton has come into possession of one of the notebooks where Watson wrote up these cases, and has presented five of them that Watson mentioned in The Golden Pince-Nez: The Red Leech, The Addleton Tragedy, The Ancient British Barrow, The Smith-Mortimer Succession, and The Boulevard Assassin.
In addition, the volume contains the adventure of The Two Coptic Patriarchs, as mentioned in The Retired Colourman.
The book has been produced following the style of the Strand magazine, and the cover features a facsimile of the memorandum book of Doctor Watson in which the adventures were first written, including the mark from a glass from which Watson no doubt refreshed himself while engaged in his literary labours.
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Tales of Old Japanese is a collection of five short stories of the older generation living in contemporary Japan. The author has spent over 20 years living in the country, working as a writer and journalist. Some of his impressions of Japan and of the people who live there have been recorded in:
Keiko’s House: An old house, its history, and the history of those who have lived there in the past.
Haircuts: When 92-year-old Mr Kato changes his barber, his life takes on a surprising new meaning.
Click: One photograph every day. The memories of twenty years, all neatly arranged in albums. Mrs Terada’s camera sees everything.
Mrs Sakamoto’s Grouse: When Mrs Sakamoto sees a new brand of whisky on the shelves of her local neighbourhood shop, the result is unexpected.
The Old House: Two boys play in the garden of a deserted house once owned by a notorious miser; which turns out not to be deserted after all. Tales of Old Japanese
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Keiko’s House: An old house, its history, and the history of those who have lived there in the past.
Haircuts: When 92-year-old Mr Kato changes his barber, his life takes on a surprising new meaning.
Click: One photograph every day. The memories of twenty years, all neatly arranged in albums. Mrs Terada’s camera sees everything.
Mrs Sakamoto’s Grouse: When Mrs Sakamoto sees a new brand of whisky on the shelves of her local neighbourhood shop, the result is unexpected.
The Old House: Two boys play in the garden of a deserted house once owned by a notorious miser; which turns out not to be deserted after all. Tales of Old Japanese
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At the Sharpe End
When his business card is found in the pocket of a man who has died under the wheels of a train at Shinjuku station in Tokyo, Kenneth Sharpe's life takes a turn for the worse. A freelance technology consultant usually has no business with burglary, kidnapping or murder, not to mention the overthrow of governments, but these all rapidly become disturbingly familiar parts of his life. The stakes start high, and rise higher, as Sharpe and his friends take on the might of the financial world against the backdrop of the 2008 Wall Street collapse, and the ruin of the global financial markets. Hugh Ashton has lived in Japan for 25 years, working in the technology and financial services sectors. At the Sharpe End is his second published novel, following the acclaimed alternative history Beneath Gray Skies.
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When his business card is found in the pocket of a man who has died under the wheels of a train at Shinjuku station in Tokyo, Kenneth Sharpe's life takes a turn for the worse. A freelance technology consultant usually has no business with burglary, kidnapping or murder, not to mention the overthrow of governments, but these all rapidly become disturbingly familiar parts of his life. The stakes start high, and rise higher, as Sharpe and his friends take on the might of the financial world against the backdrop of the 2008 Wall Street collapse, and the ruin of the global financial markets. Hugh Ashton has lived in Japan for 25 years, working in the technology and financial services sectors. At the Sharpe End is his second published novel, following the acclaimed alternative history Beneath Gray Skies.
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Beneath Gray Skies
David Slater, a conscript in the 1920s Army of the Confederacy, faces a dilemma. When he and his regiment were shipped to Germany to help stage a coup there, his Limey fellow-soldier Brian was acting strangely. David now has the choice of reporting his best friend to his commanding officers, or keeping quiet and just doing his job: preparing for the arrival of Bismarck, the giant Zeppelin flying Hitler and his Nazi cohorts to meet their new allies, the Confederates. Beneath Gray Skies follows the adventures of David and those around him in a past that never happened-where the Civil War never took place, and the Confederacy survived as a pariah slave-holding nation into the 20th century. Confederates, Unionists, British and Germans plot and counterplot in a tightly woven tale of espionage, treachery and romance. The cast of Beneath Gray Skies includes rogue British agent "Bloody Brian" Finch-Malloy, hard-drinking Henry Dowling, and Christopher Pole, a slave who escapes from the hell of the Confederacy-living against a backdrop that includes real historical characters. Adolf Hitler, Hermann Goering, and Dr. Hugo Eckener, the brilliant anti-Nazi Zeppelin captain, all live again in this "extraordinarily well-written piece of mind candy that becomes more and more difficult to put down" (Christopher Belton). Almost without realizing what has happened, David finds himself part of a conspiracy within the Confederacy that includes "Bloody Brian", which is working to prevent the airship's arrival in Georgia, to seize the mysterious priceless treasure on board the Bismarck, and to halt the spread of slavery to Europe. As David Slater and his President, Jefferson Davis III, confront each other on the doomed dirigible, David must ask himself once again where his loyalty lies: to his country, or to a higher morality. Beneath Gray Skies is the first published novel by Hugh Ashton
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David Slater, a conscript in the 1920s Army of the Confederacy, faces a dilemma. When he and his regiment were shipped to Germany to help stage a coup there, his Limey fellow-soldier Brian was acting strangely. David now has the choice of reporting his best friend to his commanding officers, or keeping quiet and just doing his job: preparing for the arrival of Bismarck, the giant Zeppelin flying Hitler and his Nazi cohorts to meet their new allies, the Confederates. Beneath Gray Skies follows the adventures of David and those around him in a past that never happened-where the Civil War never took place, and the Confederacy survived as a pariah slave-holding nation into the 20th century. Confederates, Unionists, British and Germans plot and counterplot in a tightly woven tale of espionage, treachery and romance. The cast of Beneath Gray Skies includes rogue British agent "Bloody Brian" Finch-Malloy, hard-drinking Henry Dowling, and Christopher Pole, a slave who escapes from the hell of the Confederacy-living against a backdrop that includes real historical characters. Adolf Hitler, Hermann Goering, and Dr. Hugo Eckener, the brilliant anti-Nazi Zeppelin captain, all live again in this "extraordinarily well-written piece of mind candy that becomes more and more difficult to put down" (Christopher Belton). Almost without realizing what has happened, David finds himself part of a conspiracy within the Confederacy that includes "Bloody Brian", which is working to prevent the airship's arrival in Georgia, to seize the mysterious priceless treasure on board the Bismarck, and to halt the spread of slavery to Europe. As David Slater and his President, Jefferson Davis III, confront each other on the doomed dirigible, David must ask himself once again where his loyalty lies: to his country, or to a higher morality. Beneath Gray Skies is the first published novel by Hugh Ashton
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Red Wheels Turning
British secret agent Brian Finch-Malloy (described by one reviewer as "a 1920s James Bond") was introduced in Beneath Gray Skies, set in an alternate history where the American Civil War never happened. Red Wheels Turning takes place in the same historical timeline, and features some of the same characters. With a backdrop of Tsarist Russia prior to the events described in Beneath Gray Skies, Red Wheels Turning once more mixes real historical characters with fictional characters and events in an entertaining adventure featuring two of the most extraordinary weapons ever developed - the massive "Netopyr" and the rail cruiser "Zaamurets". Finch-Malloy battles against the maniacal gangster-turned-Bolshevik revolutionary Kolinski in a contest of wits to determine who will have control of these incredible machines. Described by readers as "a ripping yarn" and a "page-turner", Red Wheels Turning continues the tradition of high adventure, espionage and treachery, mixed with steampunk-like technology in a genre best described as "steampulp". Ashton's writing in Beneath Gray Skies has been characterized as "well-written with a brilliant story", "a delightful romp through what it terms "a past that never happened."" and "a remarkable alternate history novel". From Christopher Belton, author of Isolation and Crime sans Frontières: "Red Wheels Turning provides fans of Beneath Gray Skies with another opportunity to meet up with an old favorite; Brian Finch-Malloy. An impeccably crafted tale exuding volumes of World War I's black-and-white atmosphere in vibrant technicolor. Hugh Ashton's careful attention to detail pulls the reader into the story from page one and then steps on the accelerator. A riveting plot wrapped up in a firm coating of history, with good guys to root for and bad guys to despise. A thoroughly enjoyable read from start to finish." Red Wheels Turning
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The Untime
The Untime; a mysterious and dangerous state, beyond our powers of conception.
In the Paris of the 1890s, Jules Gauthier, a young journalist, enters the Untime with its discoverer, Professor Lamartine. What they find there could be the end of our Universe as we know it.
When Lamartine disappears mysteriously, Gauthier, together with Agathe, Lamartine's daughter, and Lamartine's rival, Professor Schneider, must brave the terrors of the Untime, journeying through time and space. The Untime
The sequel, Untime Revisited, is available only in print for $9.99.
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In the Paris of the 1890s, Jules Gauthier, a young journalist, enters the Untime with its discoverer, Professor Lamartine. What they find there could be the end of our Universe as we know it.
When Lamartine disappears mysteriously, Gauthier, together with Agathe, Lamartine's daughter, and Lamartine's rival, Professor Schneider, must brave the terrors of the Untime, journeying through time and space. The Untime
The sequel, Untime Revisited, is available only in print for $9.99.
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Leo's Luck
After years of frustration and dissatisfaction, Leo decides to begin a new life, leave his wife, and start again with his girlfriend Sharon and a nest-egg of money that doesn't really belong to him.But things don't work out the way he expected, and before he knows what's happening, he finds himself flying to Japan with a guitarist called Nick, another named Bobby, a biker who calls himself Pig, and a mixed group of people with names like Lurch, Chaz, Duck and Chick (not to mention Scuzz, Dora and Cora), collectively known as the Killer Rabbits. They're mixed up in some very strange business indeed with gangsters, high tech, and something else that no-one wants to talk about.And someone is trying to teach Leo how to read minds... Leo's luck has changed - but for the better?
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After years of frustration and dissatisfaction, Leo decides to begin a new life, leave his wife, and start again with his girlfriend Sharon and a nest-egg of money that doesn't really belong to him.But things don't work out the way he expected, and before he knows what's happening, he finds himself flying to Japan with a guitarist called Nick, another named Bobby, a biker who calls himself Pig, and a mixed group of people with names like Lurch, Chaz, Duck and Chick (not to mention Scuzz, Dora and Cora), collectively known as the Killer Rabbits. They're mixed up in some very strange business indeed with gangsters, high tech, and something else that no-one wants to talk about.And someone is trying to teach Leo how to read minds... Leo's luck has changed - but for the better?
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Balance of Powers
Major Henry Powers, USMC Afghanistan vet, meets Jeanine. Like Henry's sister, Jeanine has lost her house to the system that sold her a crooked mortgage. Together, the pair travel in search of the banksters, and a trail of corpses shows where they've been. Meanwhile, in NYC, reporter Kendra Hampton discovers that Henry is out for blood at the highest level. Can she stop him in time? Balance of Powers explores the depths of revenge, and the healing power of love, as Henry races to outrun the law, righting the wrongs done in the name of greed.
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Major Henry Powers, USMC Afghanistan vet, meets Jeanine. Like Henry's sister, Jeanine has lost her house to the system that sold her a crooked mortgage. Together, the pair travel in search of the banksters, and a trail of corpses shows where they've been. Meanwhile, in NYC, reporter Kendra Hampton discovers that Henry is out for blood at the highest level. Can she stop him in time? Balance of Powers explores the depths of revenge, and the healing power of love, as Henry races to outrun the law, righting the wrongs done in the name of greed.
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