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15 of 16 found the following review helpful:
 this book steals the heart Nov 20, 2007
By M. Marsh
'My Dearest Holmes' is a celebration of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's world-renowned detective and his ever-loyal sidekick. Set securely and masterfully in the world created by Conan Doyle, Rohase Piercy writes the characters as beautifully as if they were her own, telling the hitherto untold story behind their friendship as they solve the case of the Queen Bee, and finally revealing the truth behind Holmes' faked death and his return, through the eyes of Watson, Holmes' own Boswell.
I was lucky enough to find this book years ago, to have it recommended to me, and I instantly fell in love with it. The story is expertly crafted and presents an understanding of the characters that goes beyond those traits so well known to so many of us. Now it has been re-published and is available to a new, wider audience. Any fan of Sherlock Holmes with an open mind, and a willingness to accept there was maybe more to Watson's unfailing loyalty that could not be made public while they both lived, will adore this book just as much as I do.
10 of 10 found the following review helpful:
My Dearest Holmes Mar 07, 2009
By Mainframe
I went out on a limb and bought this book because I will read anything well written that involves Sherlock Holmes.
It has turned out to be a delightful, surprisingly emotive read.
Rohase Piercy has taken on the role of editor to the late Dr John Watson's private, unedited, accounts of The Final Problem and The Empty House. Her writing style is beautifully descriptive and laden with character emotion that is neither over the top nor out of character (Holmes is just as reserved as ever). Set against the backdrop of a London, England that just two years ago passed an act making any form of homosexual activity or expression illegal and punishable by up to two years hard labour.
There are two story's, the first of which is the abrupt and alarming disappearance of a woman, her friend whom she shares lodgings with is distraught and commissions Sherlock Holmes to investigate. From there, the case twists, turns, and leads to some startling discoveries and a truly brilliant, unexpected conclusion. (A must read!)
The second is set during the years when Dr Watson is married to Mary Morstan and his relationship with Sherlock has become a little distant. This story is very emotional as it covers Holmes supposed death at the Reichenbach Falls and it's utterly devastating effects on Dr Watson's marriage, professional career and health.
I loved every word and would recommend it to any Sherlock & Watson fan who enjoy's a well structured plot, suppressed emotion and sexual connotation, a bond of friendship/ love like no other, and language very similar to the original text's of Arthur Conan Doyle.
27 of 33 found the following review helpful:
 Less romantic than angst-ridden Aug 02, 2008
By Erinn
This is a Sherlock Holmes pastiche that offers one new mystery and a reworking of The Final Problem/The Empty House, both suggesting the idea of romantic tension between Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson.
I don't know why I'm bothering to review this; that one-sentence summary is probably enough to decide the issue one way or the other for the majority of people. Still, for everyone else, I have to say that while this was by far not the worst Sherlock Holmes pastiche I've ever read - that would take some doing - it doesn't have a great deal to recommend it beyond the sexuality angle, either. It was basically Brokeback Mountain with detectives instead of cowboys. Please don't think I'm making a thoughtless generalization that gay = Brokeback, either - I mean that this seriously resembled Brokeback in all its angst-ridden, love/hate, I-wish-I-could-quit-you glory (although since it touches on The Empty House as well as on The Final Problem, it's not quite so depressing as Brokeback is). I didn't much care for the characterization, which isn't an uncommon complaint for me with pastiches, but given that the mystery is secondary to the character interaction here, it was more of a problem than usual (in particular, they kept harping on Watson's indiscretion with regard to his sexuality, which just irritated me given that in the official stories, Holmes is always quick to vouch for Watson's discretion when speaking to his clients. Also, Mycroft fans may not want to read this; he's vilified terribly). My other major complaint was how very, very prevalent the gay themes were. It's not that I didn't want them to be important, of course, given the premise of the story, but every single event was somehow tied to sexuality; every character was either gay or giving someone a hard time for being gay, and by the time the innkeeper at the Englischer Hof started hitting on Watson, it was getting ridiculous. As for the mysteries, the first was fairly par for the course, and the second managed to present enough new material that it wasn't too repetitive despite being a reworking rather than a new story, although it did occasionally lift a bit too much from the original. The ending helped in resolving a few things, and I was much more kindly inclined toward the book after the last chapter or so.
This all sounds very harsh, but I'm always quite hard on Sherlock Holmes pastiches (and yet I read an inordinate amount of them. My bookshelves display my masochistic tendencies admirably). For most people, I would imagine that the book isn't actually that bad, particularly if you like a good dollop of angst with your romance. I'd say it's more something to borrow than to buy, though, unless you enjoy collecting unusual books. Personally, I'm thinking I'll leave it out on my coffee table for unsuspecting visitors to flip through.
6 of 6 found the following review helpful:
A Beautiful Romance/Mystery Novel Jan 25, 2010
By Chris Apolant
"Quill & Ink"
I am very discerning regarding the Sherlock Holmes pastiches I buy, having read enough to disgust me with the general horrific characterization or the poorly woven plot lines, which usually include a complete lack of the detective's deductive process. So, I was on the fence for several months about giving this particular book a try, especially having heard so many differing reviews of it. Everything from it being a terrible read to poorly plotted to the relationship element being disappointing.
Before I go into any other aspect of this review, I'd like to start with the point that this was indeed an exceptionally well written pastiche done very much in the style of Doyle, with the character voices being spot on. It was easy to believe these were Holmes and Watson, not some parody of them whom the author happened to stick with their names. The plot was also crafted not as a traditional mystery (another fault of published pastiches too numerous to name) but as a true Sherlock Holmes story, with the deductions beginning from practically the first page and the mystery being solved by said deductions. That alone impressed me.
Aside from that, it made for a very poignant and engaging read. Towards the end of the first mystery, there is a heart wrenching scene giving a reason behind why Holmes shot the infamous "VR" (abbreviation for Victoria Regina, the reigning Queen of England at the time) in bullet holes into the wall. From that point forward, the story took a very moving turn, of course, being set during 'The Final Problem'. It was, at times, rather heartbreaking to read but done in such a way that it was impossible to set this book down anywhere during the second part. It's rare that I am ever effected so profoundly by a book, but I do admit to having the Kleenex box on hand at certain points.
Far from being disappointing, the ending was pulled off perfectly for the mood of the story. It was a bittersweet romance, though nothing graphically detailed. I will not suggest I had no quibbles with this, but they were minor, hair-splitting issues that did not detract from the overall work. My only let down here is that there are not more published works of this type. A beautiful read that instantly made my list of favorite pastiches.
9 of 11 found the following review helpful:
My Dearest Holmes is a great mystery and a relationship Jun 05, 2003
By Shopaholic
I really enjoyed this book, you get to see a little more into Watson's personality and his relationship w/Holmes, which in this book is a male/male relationship...
From back of book:
The accounts of these cases are too bound up with events in my personal life which, although they may provide a plausible commentary to much of my dealings with Mr. Sherlock Holmes, can never be made public while he or I remain alive ...
Although Dr Watson is known for recording some sixty of his adventures with the celebrated Sherlock Holmes, he also wrote other reminiscences of their long friendship which were never intended for publication during their lifetimes. Rescued from oblivion by Rohase Piercy, here are two previously unknown stories about the great detective and his companion, throwing a fresh light upon their famous partnership, and helping to explain much, which has puzzled their devotees.
Together Holmes and Watson face disturbing revelations as they investigate the case of the Queen Bee; and we finally learn what actually happened at the Reichenbach Falls and the real reasons which lay behind Holmes' faked death and his subsequent return.
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