Sherlock Holmes and The Lyme Regis Legacy

This is another collection of tales by David Ruffle. By my count it is his fourth collection, but I am not sure of the various publishing dates and editions involved. This collection begins with a lengthy novella and includes a dozen or more, shorter items. Those that are not fragments could be described as short stories. Most have some Sherlockian content, but some have no relation to Holmes and Watson.The title story is quite interesting and draws its villain from deep in Holmes’ past. Mycroft and Inspector Lestrade put in appearances and Dr. Watson pursues his second (or is she his third?) wife. Other old acquaintances make appearances, if only fleeting ones and Lyme Regis provides a colorful and interesting backgroundThere is little to say about the shorter works. All are interesting, some are touching and many are set in Lyme Regis. The place and its history provide a fascinating background, especially to a writer as sensitive to its echoes as is Mr. Ruffle.This is an interesting collection of stories, constructed around a colorful and interesting place. It is well worth the time it takes to read and it evokes pictures of times long past and people worth knowing. The collection ends with “A Brief History of Lyme Regis” and a pair of laudatory poems.Reviewed by: Philip K. Jones, August 2012