Before Sherlock Holmes became the world’s greatest consulting detective, murder followed the arrival of unexpected guests to the Holmes family estate.
Welcome to one of the November 15th stops on the blog tour for The Early Case Files of Sherlock Holmes by Liese Sherwood-Fabre with Goddess Fish Promotions. Be sure to follow the rest of the tour for spotlights, reviews, and a giveaway! More on that at the end of this post.
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About the Book
The Early Case Files of Sherlock Holmes
The Intriguing Second Mystery from Sherlock Holmes’ Origins
by Liese Sherwood-Fabre
Published 30 August 2020
Little Elm Press
Genre: Historical Mystery
Page Count: 348
Add it to your Goodreads TBR!
A murdered midwife. A body in the stable. At the age of thirteen, Sherlock Holmes is thrust into his first two cases. At stake: the lives of his own family.
Before Sherlock Holmes met Dr. Watson in 1895, he had already developed his skills as the world’s most famous consulting detective. Arthur Conan Doyle provided little information about his detective’s formative years or how he created his singular profession. These first two books in The Early Case Files of Sherlock Holmes series reveal how Sherlock’s past shaped the sleuth he became.
Faced with the possibility of losing his mother to the gallows for a murder she did not commit, Sherlock must uncover the true killer before she hangs in The Adventure of the Murdered Midwife.
In Case Two, unexpected guests and a murder arrive in time for the family’s Christmas celebrations. For the safety of his family, Sherlock is compelled once again to bring the perpetrator to justice in The Adventure of the Murdered Gypsy.
Fans of Sherlock Holmes and traditional historical British detective mysteries will love The Early Case Files of Sherlock Holmes as a welcomed addition to the originals.
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Excerpt
To distract myself, I stared out the window at the passing countryside and summoned the nerve to ask Mycroft what had occupied me for the past several hours. “What exactly happened to Mother? I know she’s not dead, but I have no information beyond that. Is she sick? Dying?”
“She’s fine.”
“Someone’s not, or we wouldn’t be called home.”
No reply.
“I’m going to find out. Wouldn’t it be better for me to learn it from you now, than when we arrive at Underbyrne?”
Through his cheese sandwich, he said, “You want to know, you little twit? Here it is. Mother’s in gaol, accused of murder.”
The force with which this pronouncement hit me was the same as if he’d given me a blow to the stomach. The queasiness I’d battled since my fight with Fitzsimmons returned with a vengeance. Bile surged into my throat. The compartment closed around me, and my deepest desire was to flee. I stood, realized there was truly nowhere to go, and dropped back down into my seat.
“Put your head between your legs.”
I glanced at Mycroft, but his words sounded as if I were under water.
“Put your head between your legs.”
When I remained immobile, he grabbed me by the hair and bent me over.
“Breathe,” he said.
After several gulps of air, my hearing improved, and my heartbeat slowed. “You can let go now.”
He sat back, and I raised my head. “Mother? Wha— How?”
“I don’t know all the particulars. I gleaned it from my own analysis of the information in the papers.”
About the Author
Liese Sherwood-Fabre knew she was destined to write when she got an A+ in the second grade for her story about Dick, Jane, and Sally’s ruined picnic. After obtaining her PhD, she joined the federal government and worked and lived abroad for more than fifteen years. Returning to the states, she seriously pursued her writing career, garnering such awards as a finalist in RWA’s Golden Heart contest and a Pushcart Prize nomination. A recognized Sherlockian scholar, her essays have appeared in scion newsletters, the Baker Street Journal, and Canadian Holmes. These have been gathered into The Life and Times of Sherlock Holmes essay collection series. She has recently turned this passion into an origin story series on Sherlock Holmes. The Adventure of the Murdered Midwife, the first book in The Early Case Files of Sherlock Holmes series, was the CIBA Mystery and Mayhem 2020 winner.
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Giveaway Alert!
Liese Sherwood-Fabre will be awarding $15 Amazon, Apple or B&N gift card to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
a Rafflecopter giveaway| Nov 14 | Lynn’s Romance Enthusiasm | Nov 15 | Westveil Publishing |
| Nov 16 | The Avid Reader | Nov 17 | Fabulous and Brunette |
| Nov 18 | Long and Short Reviews | Nov 21 | Straight from the Library |
| Nov 22 | Momma Says To Read or Not to Read | Nov 23 | Literary Gold |
| Nov 23 | Sandra’s Book Club | Nov 25 | It’s Raining Books |
| Nov 28 | Iron Canuck Reviews & More | Nov 29 | Hope. Dreams. Life… Love |
| Nov 30 | Dawn’s Reading Nook | Dec 1 | All the Ups and Downs |
| Dec 2 | Novels Alive |
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Thanks for hosting!
Good morning (in Texas)! Thanks so much for sharing the excerpt from Case one!
Best,
Liese Sherwood-Fabre
Thanks for sharing The Early Case Files of Sherlock Holmes with me, Liese, I enjoyed the excerpt and your book sounds like an intriguing read! Good luck with your book and the blitz!
Have a terrific day!
Thanks, Eva!
You have a good too!
Liese
This sounds like an interesting read.
Thanks, Sherry!
I liked this excerpt, thanks for sharing
So glad you enjoyed it! I hope you’ll check out the whole book.
Liese
Great excerpt and giveaway. 🙂
Thanks, Cali!
Good luck on the giveaway!
Liese
Really nice cover and excerpt, looking forward to reading this!
Thanks! Killion Publications does a great job on the covers!
Liese
Who is your favorite author?
Oh, I have so many! I try to read the latest Jodi Picoult and Steve Berry books. I also enjoy all my writer friends, including Kathleen Baldwin, Vicki Batman (really is her name!), Elizabeth Essex, Chris Keniston, Kathy Ivan, and Liz Lipperman.
Who are yours?
What is your favorite holiday tradition?
I really like Thanksgiving because it involves family and friends, and is still much less commercialized than many holidays. The focus is on being grateful, which I truly am.
Thanks for the great excerpt. The book sounds very intriguing. Great cover!
Thanks, Piroska! Killion publications does a great job on the covers.
Have you gotten snow yet where you live?
No. We’re far enough south we might get some every once and a while, but it usually melts within a day or two.
Thanks, Piroska! Killion publications does a great job on the covers.
Do you have any advice for new writers?
Hello!
I have a lot of advice, but it’s difficult to put it all in this little reply box. The most basic step is to seek out other writers (a local writers’ group, classes at a local community college, or at a local library). You can learn a lot from others, not to mention encouragement.
You can also check out some advice I have on my Website: https://www.liesesherwoodfabre.com/WritingTipsfromLieseSherwoodFabre.pdf
Good luck with your writing!
Liese, you are a new-to-me author. What did you most enjoy about writing this series?
When I came up with the idea, after a little research I found little was provided about his early life in the original tales. With such a blank slate, I loved imagining what might have been unique in his upbringing that would form such a character. Coming up with his parents, brother, and friends was just fun!
What was the first book you wrote?
The first book I wrote was a women’s fiction book that will never be published (needs a LOT of work). The first published was a thriller set in Russia. After the publisher went under, I republished it myself. “Saving Hope” is available through all major book sellers.
Do you plan to release another book this year?
Yes! I have one coming out in December, but it’s not a fiction book. I have a series called “The Life and Times of Sherlock Holmes” that is nonfiction. They are collections of short essays about something in Victorian England that is mentioned in the original Sherlock Holmes tales that isn’t as well known to modern readers (like agony columns, gasogenes, or violins). The fourth volume of these essays will be out December 6, but is available for pre-order now.
What is your favorite genre to read when you’re not writing?
I would say mysteries and thrillers
What was your favorite book that you’ve read this year?
I recently completed “Razorblade Tears.” Really gripping.
Have a wonderful weekend!
You, too!