December 23, 1894. The Victorian holiday season is in full swing, and the streets of London are crowded with carolers, merry-makers, and the smell of roasted chestnuts. But it is business as usual for Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, who are hired to discover the source of a ewer of poisoned wassail. One man’s life hangs in the balance, and another has an appointment with the hangman, unless Holmes and Watson can solve the case. In the finest tradition of The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle comes another dazzling display of both Holmes’ deductive acumen and his heartfelt understanding of the true meaning of Christmas. \\\* This edition contains both the basic story, as well as a fully annotated version containing a cornucopia of scholarly insights that compare this newly unearthed tale by Dr. John H. Watson to the classic adventures from the Canon of Sherlock Holmes.

December 25, 1890. The Victorian holiday season has passed by Sherlock Holmes. It is the first Christmas he has spent alone in nine years. Dr. Watson has deserted him for a wife, and a terrible injury has confined Holmes to his bed. His mood blackening by the hour, only Dr. Watson could possibly rouse him from this state and prevent another decent into darkness. However, nothing seems to avail, until a mysterious coin left in a hansom cab is submitted for his attention. But how can Holmes solve a case when he is unable to move? Watson must serve as his eyes and ears, supplying Holmes with the vital information he requires to both lift his spirits and solve a mystery that dates back over three hundred years. The trail may be cold, but the secrets unearthed could prove to be sufficiently explosive to launch England into war. Fully ensconced in the grand pattern set forth in of ‘The Adventure of the Manufactured Miracle,’ and ‘The Adventure of the First Star,’ and holding true to the essence of ‘The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle,’ comes the tale of a Christmas when the need for Holmes at his finest was never greater.

Embark on a trio of holiday stories featuring the world’s first consulting detective, Sherlock Holmes, and his able assistant, Dr. John H. Watson. All three adventures are told by Dr. Watson in the finest tradition and magnanimous spirit of The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle. The Adventure of the Spanish Sovereign: December 25, 1890. The Victorian holiday season has passed by Sherlock Holmes. It is the first Christmas he has spent alone in nine years. Dr. Watson has deserted him for a wife, and a terrible injury has confined Holmes to his bed. His mood blackening by the hour, only Dr. Watson could possibly rouse him from this state and prevent another decent into darkness. However, nothing seems to avail, until a mysterious letter left in a hansom cab is submitted for his attention. But how can Holmes solve a case when he is unable to move? Watson must serve as his eyes and ears, supplying Holmes with the vital information he requires to both lift his spirits and solve a mystery that dates back over three hundred years. The trail may be cold, but the secrets unearthed could prove to be sufficiently explosive to launch England into war. This is the tale of a Christmas when the need for Holmes at his finest was never greater. The Adventure of the Manufactured Miracle: December 23, 1894. The Victorian holiday season is in full swing, and the streets of London are crowded with carolers, merry-makers, and the smell of roasted chestnuts. But it is business as usual for Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, who are hired to discover the source of a ewer of poisoned wassail. One man’s life hangs in the balance, and another has an appointment with the hangman, unless Holmes and Watson can solve the case. This tale is a dazzling display of both Holmes’ deductive acumen and his heartfelt understanding of the true meaning of Christmas. The Adventure of the First Star: December 22, 1895. The Victorian holiday season is of little cheer to Sherlock Holmes, whose ever-racing mind is left without a purpose when the season of goodwill engenders a tedious lull in unlawful activities. Even the arrival of Inspector Gregson with the story of an unidentified corpse in the Underground fails to rouse his interest for long. But when a madman begins to attack Christmas trees throughout London, Holmes and his trusted partner Dr. Watson are on the case. What at first seems like a simple diversion soon proves to be far more complex, and only a tour-de-force series of deductions by Holmes can bring a conclusion to a decade-old crime. This tale contains both a scintillating demonstration of Holmes’ ratiocinations and a hearty reunion with his brother Mycroft. For even the seemingly-emotionless Sherlock Holmes should not spend Christmas away from his family and friends. Fully annotated, the special Collected Edition also contains the previously unpublished tale The Grand Gift of Sherlock, a story that dates to the very end of World War I. This final letter from Holmes to Watson is sure to delight bibliophiles with its depiction of Watson’s bookcase and its moving testament to the power of friendship.