1901
April. "The Legacy of Rachel Howells."
May. "The Case of the Ferrers Documents" [written up as "The Adventure of the Dark Angels" by Adrian Conan Doyle] and "The Priory School".
October. "The Problem of Thor Bridge", a case which followed a month of trivialities and stagnation. This case refers to earlier cases which are undated but which probably happened during the 1890s and include "The Disappearance of the cutter Alicia", and the fate of "Isadora Persano" with its worm unknown to science [written up as "The Case of the Remarkable Worm" by June Thomson set some time after Watson's first marriage].
1902
Spring. "Sherlock Holmes and the Arabian Princess" by John North [Val Andrews].
May. "Shoscombe Old Place".
June. "The Three Garridebs". In this same month Holmes refused a knighthood "for services which may perhaps some day be described." After this case Watson moved out of Baker Street and set up practice again.
July. "The Revenge of the Hound" by Michael Hardwick.
September. "The Illustrious Client".
1903
January. "The Blanched Soldier". In this story told by Holmes himself, not Watson, Holmes refers to Watson having "deserted" him for a wife. Whilst Watson had indeed remarried, he had far from deserted Holmes and was involved in the case for the "Sultan of Turkey" presented here as "The Adventure of the Bulgarian Diplomat".
June. "The Mazarin Stone" and "The Three Gables". Sometime around now would also be the case of "The Phantom Organ" by John Taylor.
September. "The Creeping Man".
October. Holmes retires to a house on the Sussex Downs and spends his time beekeeping. In "Exit Sherlock Holmes", Robert Lee Hall suggests the retirement was prompted by the reappearance of Moriarty.
1906
April. "The Brighton Pavilion Mystery" by Val Andrews, which is entirely apocryphal. At this time Holmes was with Watson in America and resolving "The Enigma of the Warwickshire Vortex."
1907
July. "The Lion's Mane".
1909
March. "The Adventure of the Second Generation" by Ken Greenwald in which Holmes meets the daughter of Irene Adler.
1914
August. "His Last Bow", a case which began in 1912.
1918
November. "The Case of the Last Battle."
1920s
The passing of Holmes and Watson is not noted and some writers continue their adventures into the thirties and forties. These are all apocryphal. Watson was a year or two older than Holmes so both had entered their 70s by the mid-20s. Watson died soon after publication of The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes in 1927. The final date of Holmes's death is not known. One touching story of these last years is "How a Hermit was Disturbed in His Retirement" [aka "The Adventure of Hillerman Hall"] by Julian Symon where Holmes is visited by a very young Miss Marple.
Appendix II: The Tales of Sherlock Holmes
Part 1: The Original Canon
The following lists all of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's original stories in order of book publication, with original publication sources in both Britain and the United States.
A Study in Scarlet. Beeton's Christmas Annual, 1887; London, Ward Lock, 1887; Philadelphia, Lippincott, 1890.
The Sign of Four. Lippincott's Monthly Magazine, February 1890; London, Spencer Blacken, 1890; Philadelphia, Lippincott, 1893.
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. London, Newnes, 1892; New York, Harper, 1892. Contains:
"A Scandal in Bohemia", The Strand, July 1891.
"The Red-Headed League", The Strand, August 1891. "A Case of Identity", The Strand, September 1891.
"The Boscombe Valley Mystery", The Strand, October 1891. "The Five Orange Pips", The Strand, November 1891.
"The Man With the Twisted Lip", The Strand, December
1891.
"The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle", The Strand, January 1892.
"The Adventure of the Speckled Band", The Strand, February 1892.
"The Adventure of the Engineer's Thumb", The Strand, March 1892.
"The Adventure of the Noble Bachelor", The Strand, April 1892.
"The Adventure of the Beryl Coronet", The Strand, May 1892.
"The Adventure of the Copper Beeches", The Strand, June 1892.
The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes. London, Newnes, 1894; New York, Harper, 1894. Contains:
"Silver Blaze", The Strand, December 1892; Harper's Weekly, 25 February 1893.
"The Yellow Face", The Strand, February 1893; Harper's Weekly, 11 February 1893.
"The Stock-broker's Clerk", The Strand, March 1893; Harper's Weekly, 11 March 1893.
"The 'Gloria Scott', The Strand, April 1893; Harper's Weekly, 15 April 1893.
"The Musgrave Ritual", The Strand, May 1893; Harper's Weekly, 13 May 1893.
"The Reigate Squires", The Strand, June 1893; as "The Reigate Puzzle", Harper's Weekly, 17 June 1893.
"The Crooked Man", The Strand, July 1893; Harper'sWeekly, 8 July 1893.
"The Resident Patient", The Strand, August 1893; Harper's Weekly, 12 August 1893.
"The Greek Interpreter", The Strand, September 1893; Harper's Weekly, 16 September 1893.
"The Naval Treaty", The Strand, October 1893; Harper's Weekly, 14-21 October 1893.
"The Final Problem", The Strand, December 1893; McClure% December 1893.
The Hound of the Baskervilles. The Strand, August 1901—April 1902; London, Newnes, 1902; The Strand [New York], September 1901—May 1902; New York, McClure Phillips, 1902.
The Return of Sherlock Holmes. London, Newnes, 1905; New York, McClure, 1905. Contains:
"The Adventure of the Empty House", Collier's, 26 September 1903; The Strand, October 1903.
"The Adventure of the Norwood Builder", Collier's, 31 October 1903; The Strand, November 1903.
"The Adventure of the Dancing Men", The Strand, December 1903; Collier's, 5 December 1903.
"The Adventure of the Solitary Cyclist", Collier's, 26 December 1903; The Strand, January 1904.
"The Adventure of the Priory School", Collier's, 30 January 1904; The Strand, February 1904.
"The Adventure of Black Peter", Collier's, 20 February 1904; The Strand, March 1904.
"The Adventure of Charles Augustus Milverton", Collier's, 26 March 1904; The Strand, April 1904.
"The Adventure of the Six Napoleons", Collier's, 30 April 1904; The Strand, May 1904.
"The Adventure of the Three Students", The Strand, June 1904; Collier's, 24 September 1904.
"The Adventure of the Golden Pince-Nez", The Strand, July 1904; Collier's, 29 October 1904.
"The Adventure of the Missing Three-Quarter", The Strand, August 1904; Collier's, 26 November 1904.
"The Adventure of the Abbey Grange", The Strand, September 1904; Collier's, 31 December 1904.
"The Adventure of the Second Stain", The Strand, December 1904; Collier's, 28 January 1905.
The Valley of Fear. The Strand, September 1914-May 1915; London: Smith, Elder, 1915; The Philadelphia Press, 6 September-22 November 1914; New York, Doran, 1915.
His Last Bow. London, John Murray, 1917; New York, Doran, 1917. Contains:
"The Adventure of Wisteria Lodge", as "The Singular Experience of Mr J. Scott Eccles", Collier's, 15 August 1908; The Strand, September—October 1908.
"The Adventure of the Cardboard Box", The Strand, January 1893; Harper's Weekly, 14 January 1893.
"The Adventure of the Red Circle", The Strand, March—April 1911; The Strand [New York], April—May 1911.
"The Adventure of the Bruce-Partington Plans", The Strand, December 1908; Collier's, 12 December 1908.
"The Adventure of the Dying Detective", Collier's, 22 November 1913; The Strand, December 1913.
"The Disappearance of Lady Frances Carfax", The Strand,
December 1911; The American Magazine, December 1911. "The Adventure of the Devil's Foot", The Strand, December
1910; The Strand [New York] , January—February 1911.
"His Last Bow: The War Service of Sherlock Holmes", The
Strand, September 1917; Collier's, 22 September 1917.
The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes. London, John Murray, 1927; NewYork, Doran, 1927. Contains:
"The Adventure of the Illustrious Client", Collier's, 8 November 1924; The Strand, February—March 1925.
"The Adventure of the Blanched Soldier", Liberty, 16 October 1926; The Strand, November 1926.
"The Adventure of the Mazarin Stone", The Strand, October 1921; Hearst's International, November 1921.
"The Adventure of the Three Gables", Liberty, 18 September 1926; The Strand, October 1926.
"The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire", The Strand, January 1924; Hearst's International, January 1924.
"The Adventure of the Three Garridebs", Collier's, 25 October 1924; The Strand, January 1925.
"The Problem of Thor Bridge", The Strand, February 1922; Hearst's International, February 1922.
"The Adventure of the Creeping Man", The Strand, March 1923; Hearst's International, March 1923.
"The Adventure of the Lion's Mane", Liberty, 27 November 1926; The Strand, December 1926.
"The Adventure of the Veiled Lodger", Liberty, 22 January 1927; The Strand, February 1927.
"The Adventure of Shoscombe Old Place", Liberty, 5 March 1927; The Strand, April 1927.
"The Adventure of the Retired Colourman", Liberty, 18 December 1926; The Strand, January 1927.
Part 2: The Apocryphal Tales
The following is a selective list of stories, novels and "biographies" featuring Sherlock Holmes written by others than Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The list is not complete, as that would fill a book in itself, but it focuses on those stories which are faithful to the life and career of Sherlock Holmes and do not attempt to distort the facts. It excludes all science-fiction and fantasy-based adventures and for the most part those incorporating characters from other works of fiction. Most of the cases are apocryphal but are included for completeness.
It excludes those stories written about other characters who feature in the Holmes stories but where Holmes is not central to the story, such as the very fine Irene Adler books by Carole Nelson Douglas. The items are listed in author order; books are in italics, short-story titles are in quotes. I have added occasional notes where the title is not self-explanatory.
Altamont, Brett Spencer and Altamont, Dorian David. Draco, Draconis. Florence, Italy, MySher Altamont Publishing, 1996. A beautifully produced novel set in 1895 and introducing the young nephew of Moriarty.
Andrews, Val. The Beekeeper, The Fair, The Fowlhaven Werewolf, The Last Reunion and The Carriage Clock, all New York, Magico Press, 1983. Five booklets suggesting incidents in Holmes's retirement.
Andrews, Val. Sherlock Holmes and the Egyptian Hall Adventure. Romford, Ian Henry, 1989. Set in 1898 where Holmes investigates Maskelyn's theatre of mystery. Although almost certainly apocryphal this story has much to commend it.
Andrews, Val. Sherlock Holmes and the Brighton Pavilion Mystery. Romford, Ian Henry, 1989. Set in 1906. Andrews has also written Sherlock Holmes and the Greyfriars School Mystery (London, privately published, 1993), a wholly apocryphal but rather fun spoof which brings together Holmes and Billy Bunter in the year 1912.
Andrews, Val. Sherlock Holmes and the Houdini Birthright. London, Breese Books, 1995. Set in 1922 and entirely apocryphal but a tempting combination of Holmes and Houdini. For further books by pal Andrews see under John North.
Baring-Gould, W.S. Sherlock Holmes, New York: Clakson N. Potter, 1962. A purported biography of Holmes which is great fun and occasionally hits on the truth.
Barr, Stephen. "The Procurator of Justice", Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, February 1950. One of the many apocryphal attempts to explain the disappearance of James Phillimore.
Barrie, James M. "The Adventure of the Two Collaborators". A humorous spoof, written for Arthur Conan Doyle personally in 1893 and not intended for publication, but which so amused Conan Doyle that he called it "the best of all the numerous
parodies" and printed it in his own autobiography, Memoirs and Adventures, London, Hodder & Stoughton, 1924.
Bedford-Jones, H. "The Affair of the Aluminium Crutch", Palm Springs News, January 16-February 20, 1936. A reasonably faithful attempt to recreate one of the early pre-Watson cases.
Biggle, Jr., Lloyd. The Quallsford Inheritance, New York, St. Martin's Press, 1986; and The Glendower Conspiracy, Tulsa, Council Oak Books, 1990. Two cases related by Edward Porter Jones, a former Baker Street Irregular, the first set in 1900, the second in 1904. Excellent stories, though the authenticity is suspect.
Boyer, Richard L. The Giant Rat of Sumatra, New York: Warner Books, 1976; London: W.H. Allen, 1977. One of the most highly regarded pastiches.
Brooks, Clive. Sherlock Holmes Revisited, London: Hallmark Books, 1990. Seven stories based on the following unrecorded cases cited by Watson: "The Abergavenny Adventure", "The Alicia Cutter", "The Aluminium Crutch", "The Red Leech", "The Conk-Singleton Affair", "The Disappearance of James Phillimore" and "The Problem of the Peculiar Pipes".
Brooks, Clive. Sherlock Holmes Revisited, Volume Two. Southampton, Spy Glass Books, 1990. Five further cases based on unrecorded episodes mentioned by Watson: "The Friesland Case", "The Politician, Lighthouse and Trained Cormorant", "The Abernetty Affair", "The Case of the Canary Trainer" and "The Adventure of the Amateur Mendicants".
Brown, Russell A. Sherlock Holmes and the Mysterious Friend of Oscar Wilde, New York, St. Martin's Press, 1988. Set in 1895.
Chujoy, Anatole. "The Adventure of the Tainted Worm", Baker Street Journal, July 1955. A faithful attempt to recreate the story of Isodora Persano and the remarkable worm.
Cillié, François P. "The Adventure of the Second Stain", Sunday Times of South Africa, 3 December 1967; also reprinted as "The Adventure of the Green Empress".
Clarke, Benjamin. "Sunshine, Sunshine", Baker Street Journal Christmas Annual #5, 1960. Another of the many apocryphal attempts to explain the disappearance of James Phillimore.
Collins, Randall. The Case of the Philosophers' Ring, New York, Crown, 1978; London, Harvester, 1980. A self-evident
apocryphal novel with little regard for Holmesian data, but an interesting philosophical novel which pits Holmes's wits against those of Aleister Crowley.
Conan Doyle, Adrian and Carr, John Dickson. The Exploits of Sherlock Holmes, London: John Murray, 1954; New York, Random House, 1954. A collection of twelve stories based on the unrecorded cases referred to by Watson. Some have the air of authenticity but most are apocryphal. The stories are (all prefixed "The Adventure of ...") "The Seven Clocks", "The Gold Hunter", "The Wax Gamblers", "The Highgate Miracle", "The Black Baronet", "The Sealed Room", "Foulkes Rath", "The Abbas Ruby", "The Two Women", "The Dark Angels", "The Deptford Horror" and "The Red Widow".
Davies, David Stuart. Sherlock Holmes and the Hentzau Affair. Romford, Ian Henry, 1991. Apocryphal novel set in 1895. Holmes in Ruritania.
Davies, David Stuart. The Tangled Skein. Romford, Ian Henry, 1992. Almost certainly a genuine case though the date of 1888 following on from the Baskerville case must be wrong.
DeWeese, Gene. "The Silent Night Before Christmas", Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, January 1996. A faithfully rendered story set in the first Christmas after Holmes's return from the grave.
Dibdin, Michael. The Last Sherlock Holmes Story. London, Jonathan Cape, 1978; New York, Pantheon, 1978. A totally apocryphal novel which brings Holmes and Moriarty together in the murders of Jack the Ripper.
Elward, Miles. Sherlock Holmes in Canterbury. Canterbury, Wynne Howard, 1995.Three stories set in Kent which should be apocryphal but have a considerable authenticity.
Fisher, Charles. Some Unaccountable Exploits of Sherlock Holmes, Philadelphia: Sons of the Copper Beeches, 1956. Seven very short and rather frivolous accounts, originally written for the Philadelphia Record in 1939-1940.
Gardner, John. The Return of Moriarty, London: Weiden
feld & Nicolson, 1974; New York, Putnam's, 1974; and The Revenge of Moriarty, London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1975; New York, Putnam's, 1976.Very evident apocrypha, but extremely good stories.
Green, Richard Lancelyn (editor). The Uncollected Sherlock Holmes, London, Penguin Books, 1983. An anthology of seventeen pastiches, parodies and associated ephemera by Conan Doyle.
Green, Richard Lancelyn (editor). The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, London, Penguin Books, 1985. An anthology of eleven excellent pastiches, some of them faithful reconstructions of cases. The stories are (all prefixed "The Adventure of ...") "... the First-Class Carriage", Ronald A. Knox ( The Strand, February 1947); "... the Sheffield Banker", ArthurWhitaker; "... the Unique Hamlet" by Vincent Starrett; "... the Marked Man" by Stuart Palmer (Ellery Queen's, July 1944); "... the Megatherium Thefts", S.C. Roberts; "... the Trained Cormorant" W.R. Duncan Macmillan (originally "Holmes in Scotland", Blackwood's Magazine, September 1953); "... Arnsworth Castle", Adrian Conan Doyle; "... the Tired Captain", Alan Wilson; "... the Green Empress", EP. Cillié; "... the Purple Hand", D.O. Smith, and "... Hillerman Hall", Julian Symons.
Greenberg, Martin H., and Waugh, Carol-Lynn (editors). The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. NewYork, Carroll & Graf, 1987. Anthology of fifteen original stories: "The Adventure of the Unique Holmes" by Jon L. Breen, "The Adventure of the Persistent Marksman" by Lillian de la Torre, "Dr and Mrs Watson at Home" by Loren D. Estleman, "Moriarty and the Real Underworld" by John Gardner, "The Two Footmen" by Michael Gilbert, "The Adventure of the Gowanus Abduction" by Joyce Harrington, "Sherlock Holmes and 'the Woman' " by Michael Harrison, "The Return of the Speckled Band" by Edward D. Hoch, "Sherlock Holmes and the Muffin" by Dorothy B. Hughes, "The Shadows on the Lawn" by Barry Jones, "The Final Toast" by Stuart Kaminsky, "The Doctor's Case" by Stephen King, "The Curious Computer" by Peter Lovesey, "The Infernal Machine" by John Lutz, "The Phantom Chamber" by Gary Alan Ruse and "The House That Jack Built" by Edward Wellen.
The Mammoth Book of New Sherlock Holmes Adventures Page 65