This was, once again, extremely well done. I love love love how you portray young Sherlock Holmes. The prose is wonderful as always. And I thoroughly enjoyed the plot of this mystery. It was an unusual plot that gripped me from the start to the end. I also liked how you brought Moriarty in to the plot. Thank you and bravo!

Amusing chapters

Boy, he sure got himself into trouble this time... Good thing for him that Lestrade's a bit of a forgiving soul (at least, when it comes to him). He does need someone at his back until Watson can manage to make his appearance...

I do have a question. Do these exist in the same 'world' as your later stories? It's just that Mycroft seems completely different in those, was just curious if these were completely independent of those, or if there's some major turnabout coming. Of course, though, if there is you probably can't tell me yet... :-P

Enjoyed, thanks!

So wow. Endymion is a riot...! :-P

Another well-plotted mystery that kept my attention right up until the end, although I do think Holmes was a little dim not to suspect that collision with the blonde 'warder'.
You took a premise that I thought was unlikely and managed to make me go along with it and I really like what you did with Lestrade.
I assume your vision of Mycroft was influenced by the Private Life of Sherlock Holmes movie? Christopher Lee was truly frightening there - you had the sense that he was capable of absolutely anything.
I don't know if you are around the fandom anymore, but I wanted you to know how highly I rate your work.

I love your stories, everything about them is just right the story, the characterization the mystery.

Hmm your description of the prison always reminded me of Les Miserables quote especially these one

“The persistence of superannuated institutions in striving to perpetuate themselves is like the obstinacy of a rancid perfume clinging to the hair, to the pretension of spoiled fish that insists of being eaten, the tenacious folly of a child’s garment trying to clothe a man, or the tenderness of a corpse returning to embrace the living.” P.513

It is necessary that society should look at these things, because it is itself which creates them.

I look forward to reading more of your wonderful stories.

I am writing this review after consuming all of your four stories in a row. I must shamefully admit that although having put you on my favorite list before, I never had the chance to stumble upon this series until the day before yesterday. Please do not take that as an offence for I did some of your other great work like Two Survivors, Plethora of Surmise and the one-shots, and have since taken an admiration to your writing. Needless to say that admiration has grown into some form of fangirl-ization now that I have finished the whole of this fantastic series. Yes, these early Holmes stories of yours are utterly fantastic. You have succeeded in the trying work of fitting the stories to canon, so well carried out was the effort that I now find myself firmly believing these are really what happened before STUD. Your own explanation to the things that went unexplained in the original work was convincing, therefore added much needed small pieces to complete the puzzle we all love. Not only did you blend perfectly into canon but you have also gave us more insight into it. You brought the characters to life, especially ones like Lestrade and Mycroft, who were important enough but have never been given much description about by Doyle. Your own OCs, though not carrying important role, were vivid, built with enough insight and have helped creating such wonderful stories. Nevertheless, I believe your biggest success was Holmes himself (don’t tell Lestrade that bit though, he’s still the apple of my eyes *giggle foolishly*). Your stories shed a lot of new light on our usual aloof arrogant cold-hearted detective. Here we could see Holmes in every aspects of human: he showed his sympathy to fragile things that needed it, he made reckless choice, acted sentimentally and learnt things the hard way, he erred, he scared, he struggled, he cared, he befriended. You’ve managed to put up a more human and lovable image of Holmes, yet still kept him perfectly in character.
As for the story telling, you have done a great job writing mysteries, which, I daresay, could rival Doyle’s itself. Enough hook to keep our eyes stick to the page, the calm, slightly humorous yet passionate tone, the pace, the characters and plot, everything was in the right place. Woven into the main plot of mystery was much needed sentiments, love, hate, anger, bitter, disappointment, sympathy, honour, friendship, all in the correct amount and a healthy portion of drama.
In short, it has been a pleasant journey going through the series. Thank you for writing such beautiful stories and share with us.
P/s: On your last author note, you stated that you had the final installment coming. It was sad to see Holmes manipulated by Mycroft to cut all ties with Lestrade like that, and to see such a wonderful series left in a state of incomplete. After three years, am I that foolish to hold out hope that the sequel will be on it way some day? (And you know what? Your Lestrade has beginning to grow on me already, and now having gone through all the four stories, I was faced with the dreadful reality of having no other decent stories about him. All blame is now upon you, Madame, for breaking readers’ heart like that. That regrettable situation could be easily rectified though, if only we could have The Malicious Maligning of Inspector Lestrade. Can we, please ?*pleaded with puppy dog’s eyes*)
Well, one last word: thank you for putting up with such a lengthy review full of babbles like this, and do excuse my non-native English.

So . . . does this mean we'll never get The Malicious Maligning of Inspector Lestrade? *Sniffle.*

In any case . . . I've just finished reading these four young Holmes stories in a row, and enjoying them immensely. Very well written, very well characterized, excellent mysteries, and thoroughly enjoyable. So: even with the deplorable lack of the last installment, I applaud you, thank you for finishing what you have, and remain (more or less) content.

Is there any possibility that you've stopped adding to your stories because something is in the works for publication?

3 the plot! hope he breaks out!

A wonderful, intriuging story! It also explains to some degree how Holmes became the man he was. thanks!

I've just read the four stories in a row (took me a few days, but SO worth it) and I stand here now absolutely... my English fails me. (Of course, I'm not a native, but no matter how hard I rack my brains for something clever to say, it escapes me.) This was fascinating, as gloriously funny ("Postern Prison" not so much as the other three, though) as chilling to the bones and one of the most gripping fictions I've read - one of those books you just CANNOT put down before things let up a bit.

Not only do the plots and actual investigations hold water - and the ways to resolve them are perfectly sound - which is a precious thing indeed in crime mystery; but what I find most captivating is the way you write characters and interactions. You have a way for making canon characters even more endearing, and non-canon ones never get tepid reaction: they're all rounded up and have something interesting to them, be they charming rogues like Infamous Miles Holmes (I'm tempted to believe he had later dealings with French "gentleman burglar" Arsène Lupin during his stay in Paris :o) or complete and utter b*stards like Ricoletti or Merridew.

Most of all, though, the canon characters are great. Young Mr. Sherlock Holmes learns and grows a great deal in the course of these series - his experiences and misadventures often draw a smile in the first two instalments, but as the chapters go the tone and his own view of the world gradually turn darker. His core character remains, however, which helps make the whole thing funny and tragic in turn. I love how your overall tongue-in-cheek tone subtly turns more immediate and serious as the story progresses; the stakes are raised a great deal at the end of "Chiromancer", not only because of personal physical danger for Holmes (and indeed a death by drowning at the bottom of a lonely well, unbeknownst by (mostly) everyone, seems to me even worse than being stabbed in a room full of people) but because of the broken trust between him and Lestrade. You write one of the best interpretations of the good Inspector I've ever read; he's very endearing - oh heck, perfectly (oddly!) adorable :D - in your stories, and that makes the beginning of "Postern" all the more heart-wrenching... and his unexpected return in Chapter Seven and conversation with Holmes in Eight that much heart-warming :o) Also, after everything we've seen of his working relationship with Gregson, the mention of the man's recovery in Chapter Fourteen is as touching as it is funny :o)

Anyway, sorry for the novel-length review. I hope we readers won't have to wait too long for "The Malicious Maligning of Inspector Lestrade" - with an ominous title like that, I'm hanging on the edge of my seat!

Love, and thanks for the ride,

Belphegor :o]

I've spent a very pleasant few nights perusing this series and I have to admit that this is the best Holmesian fan fiction I've ever had the honour of reading. Marvellous characterisation, dialogue, backstory - and, well, everything, actually.

I'm extremely sad to see there is no sequel to this one. Will you ever post the 'Mysterious Maligning of Inspector Lestrade'?

Please?

It sounded brilliant and, frankly, I seem to have grown a little addicted to your writing style. :)

*prays for more*

*favourites everything*

Thank you so much for posting such excellent stories!

Cue the violin concerto to play out this epic acheivement! Old Mosteyn was never likely to do well, was he? Who could possibly be the shadowy figure orchestrating all this...

Already itching for the next chapter, and feeling sorry for Lestrade, judging by your next title, and Mycroft's work for Sherlock.

THANK YOU! *Standing ovation*

Oh, glorious! I've been away from the site for ages, and this is manna from Heaven!

I love all the potential understandings and misunderstandings simmering under the surface here - foremost of which, I choose to believe, is Sherlock's that Mycroft does nothing out of the goodness of his heart. "I lost sight of you." Tough love though, and calculated to break his baby brother's spirit. Holmes is taking some lessons the hard way!

Thanks so much! On to the next chapter.

Oh, can't stand the wait for next in this AMAZING SERIES! thank you sooo much for your efforts!