"It is my belief, Watson, founded upon my experience, that the lowest and vilest alleys in London do not present a more dreadful record of sin than does the smiling and beautiful countryside..." Far from the warming glow of London gaslight, in the remotest villages, on high hilltops, in forgotten valleys, and ancient caverns, a scream can echo for miles without reaching a sympathetic ear. Age old beliefs hang in the air like the morning mist, in places where the old ways and the older gods may be forsaken but are never forgotten. Bound in secrecy, sealed by blood, the traditions of ages past bubble up from the slumbering dark earth, crying out for a return to the old ways, and there is always someone listening. Someone, or some thing... Into this landscape comes Sherlock Holmes, casting the light of reason and modern logic wherever he goes. Can the Great Detective prevail against centuries of ingrained superstition and ritual? Can the modern science of deduction overcome belief in the oldest of evils? Can Sherlock Holmes, in twelve new tales by modern masters of horror, triumph over superstitions, new and old, and the ghoulish monsters and madmen who exploit them?
"...dashing tales worthy of the new vision of Holmes and fans will adore them..." - Globe and Mail
"Terrific stories, great variety, genuine chills: it's all here."- Robert J. Sawyer, Hugo award winning author "...will leave you wanting more of the detective who just won't die."- National Post "...the most ingenious, imaginative and inspired exploits yet committed to paper. Wonderful stuff!" - Roger Johnson, BSI, editor, The Sherlock Holmes Journal "...fans of fantastic fiction should be happy to see the famous detective stepping into their world..." - Booklist "I'm a big fan of the Holmes pastiche (at least as a concept) -especially when it involves ghosts and monsters-and ESPECIALLY when it's done as well as it is in these refreshingly original stories. A great collection." - Mike Mignola, creator of HELLBOY