A light Christmas mystery starring Sherlock Holmes, Watson and many of the other recurring mainstays of the series. I enjoyed it but I don't quite see Sherlock being fooled for this long or this sentimental.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest review.

This is a slightly different take on the Holmes canon. Sherlock tracks down a missing bottle of wine on Christmas Day. Don't be fooled by how bland that sounds - it is a fun read. I received this as a compimentary copy from the author via NetGalley as a an advanced reader copy and am voluntarily leaving this review.

It’s Christmas morning in 1901 and Dr. Watson has dropped by to give Sherlock his gift and an invitation to Christmas dinner. When Sherlock gives Watson his gift, the bottle of Beaune has turned to sand. And so the duo are off to solve a mystery. This is an excellent short story in the style of Conan Doyle. I enjoyed this.

A delightful Christmas novella perfect for light holiday reading. Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson are on the case of disappearing wine. The bottle of beaune was a gift from Holmes to Watson, but someone has replaced the wine with sand! Author Matthews follows the traditional Sherlock Holmes canon very well as the intrepid pair of detectives follow the clues. The ending was quite a surprise--well done! The illustrations accompanying the story are quite lovely.

I received an arc of this novella from the author and publisher via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and opinions expressed are my own. I'll look forward to reading more from this author including his first book, One Must Tell the Bees: Abraham Lincoln and the Final Education of Sherlock Holmes.

The Disappearing Beaune
by J Lawrence Matthews
An entertaining Christmas Day hoax on Sherlock Holmes. Definitely not a classic in the Conan Doyle manner but even so it is a cute holiday short story as an addition to the story of the Christmas goose, The Blue Carbuncle.

What a delightful story! It brought me right into the world of Sherlock and his compatriots, and the quick read provided a fun twist. Recommended for SH fans or anyone who’d like a short Christmas story.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for the complimentary digital review copy.

Sherlock Holmes: a short Christmas story

The full title is “The Case of the Disappearing Beaune: A Sherlock Holmes Christmas Story” by J. Lawrence Matthews. Beaune is a French wine (I had to look it up). It is pronounced like bone and that leads to a few jokes. I found this to be a good short story and one very suitable for Christmas.

The Beaune is question was a bottle of wine that Sherlock intended to give Watson for Christmas. But on Christmas day they learn that the wine has been removed and the bottle filled with sand. Holmes believes this is a sign that the royal family is in danger and the game is afoot.

I thank Netgalley for allowing me to read it. The story is available for the Kindle and also in paperback.

The author does a great job in telling the story in Conan Doyle’s style. It is a quick read and well-worth reading. It would also make a good present for a Sherlock fan.

In the mood for Sherlock but don’t have alot of time? This is the answer you’ve been looking for! A very merry Christmas short story to fill your Sherlockian craving that can be read in a blink of an eye. A lot more lighthearted than a Doyle story but still very entertaining and a must read at Christmas.

While reading this short story, the first thought that popped in my mind was how similar the author J. Lawrence Matthew's style of writing is to Sir Arthur Canon Doyle. I felt I was back in the original world of Sherlock Holmes that I have come to love so much. The sketches accompanying the story were well done as well.

A short and fun story where we get to meet some of the old characters again plus Dr. Watson's second wife who is adamant to get Sherlock Holmes to attend her Christmas dinner by any possible way.

And she does 😉!

My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher East Dean Press and the author for the e-Arc of the book.

Sherlock Holmes must be the most retelled fictional character in the history of literature. Many authors have tried to capture him, in different styles.. Personally, I'm a Fan of the new style Sherlock series featuring Benedict Cumberbatch. But there is a certain charme to the classics that can't be denied.

I've said it before in my review to »One Must Tell The Bees« - J. Lawrence Matthews is the closest you can get to Arthur C. Doyle these days. If Sir Arthur would be alive today, he would probably quit his writing career and leave the job to J. Lawrence Matthews.

So, this Christmas story is a classical tale in style, but it's theme is a little unconventional. Of course, this novella is meant as some kind of Christmas story (and it would actually make for a great xmas gift to book lovers).

It's fun while it lasts.. Where One Must Tell The Bees seemed kind of endless, this story is over almost right after it began.

Like I said, if you're looking for a Christmas gift for book lovers, this might be it.

Disclaimer: I’ve received a free Advanced Reader’s Copy and am leaving this review voluntarily.

My friends at Books Forward sent me a galley of this fun Sherlock Holmes tale, which takes place on Christmas Day. It stumped me and was a quick and enjoyable read. Matthews has the knack of writing about Holmes similar to the style of Conan Doyle, which makes his stories all the more enjoyable. At only 47 pages, it can be read in one sitting (if you choose). Get it for Christmas for someone you know who loves Sherlock and Watson! Thanks for my copy!

The Case of the Disappearing Beaune is a very cute Sherlock Holmes retelling about those around him who care enough about him to set him up for a Christmas dinner.

The plot is obvious from the start. And as a Sherlock Holmes fan I would say that he wouldn't have stepped into this one as badly as he did as the hints were a bit far-fetched for the big plot against the queen. But regardless it was a cute read to get you into the holiday spirit.

This is an entertaining short story starring Holmes. Matthews' take is nicely done. Recommended.

Thanks very much for the free review copy for review!!

J. Lawrence Matthews gives us an intriguing mystery novella in The Disappearing Beaune. Watson tries to get Sherlock to join he an his wife for Christmas dinner but the bottle of good wine contains only sand. Holmes is sure there is a plot against the throne. The two barge off to catch the train to stop the plot but end up somewhere else. Read and find out where.

I am sorry but I can’t read this book right now as I am having eye surgery and do want to leave it open. It was wonderful to get an advanced copy maybe later I will try again.Thank you for your understanding.

Such a pleasantly surprising twist...

The Disappearing Beaune was a pleasant surprise. From the very beginning Matthews does an impeccable job at utilizing imagery make it feel as the reader is right in the story. From the descriptive wording to the flourish of accent, each word is carefully selected to pull one into the year 1901. Holmes is a focused detective. Solving mystery is what he lives for and anything else seems to be a distraction. But when Watson and many others desire something more for the friend they care about than just work, they decide to do something about it. The Disappearing Beaune is not only a mystery, which keeps the reader enthralled and curious the whole way through, but I found it also to be somewhat of a love story that warms the heart and shows one what true love really is and the great lengths it will go to. Sometimes we just have to get on another person's level to really show them how much we care. A perfect read for a winter evening while sitting my the fire and sipping some wine... maybe even the very wine that disappeared,eh?

I enjoyed the short story but I didn't like the ending. This is not really a mysteries but jut a sugary Christmas story.
Thanks to NetGalley and the editor for the ARC.

I always love a good Sherlock Holmes novel, they tend to be a great journey. I've read previous books from J. Lawrence Matthews so I already knew I enjoyed his work. This does what I was hoping for in the description and it had a great mystery element in it. The characters felt like the same characters in the Sherlock Holmes universe. So overall this was a great read.