Step into Victorian London, shrouded in fog and dark alleys, and follow the most brilliant detective in history as he tackles cases that defy logic and test courage. Each story in this volume is a gateway to suspense, where nothing is as it seems and every detail could hold the key to uncovering the truth. Richly detailed settings, complex characters, and intricate puzzles challenge the reader’s intelligence and patience. Sherlock Holmes: BOOK XIII is not just a collection of new stories; it is a journey through cunning reasoning and the labyrinths of the human mind, presenting cases that seem impossible to solve. Prepare to unravel mysteries that will captivate you from beginning to end—because in Holmes’ London, nothing is ever truly simple. # THE GEOMETRY OF A CRIME “When a traveler is found dead on a remote trail in Scotland, with a bullet lodged in the back of his head and a gun in his own hand, the case seems unsolvable. The absence of witnesses, the confusing scene, and the contradictions in the evidence defy logic in a rather audacious way. Called in by local authorities, Holmes and Watson immerse themselves in an intricate study of distances, angles, and trajectories, where the geometry of space proves to be the key to solving the crime. But the truth, when revealed, shows that the case is much more complex than it appeared.” # THE CONTAGIOUS CRIMES “London is swept by a wave of inexplicable petty thefts. People known for their integrity as merchants, housewives, civil servants, and even a reverend are arrested for stealing mundane objects: a brush, an orange, a spoon. None of them have criminal records, and they all report the same phenomenon: a sudden and irresistible compulsion to steal something trivial, followed by deep regret. Before long, the prisons are filled with formerly exemplary citizens, yet another case for Holmes and Watson.” # THE ALMOST UNDEAD “A wealthy landowner from the West of England, presumed dead and buried, reappears months later claiming to have been resurrected. Wearing the same suit, he wore at his funeral and with precise memories of his past life, he convinces even his own widow. Holmes, intrigued by the case and skeptical of miracles, travels with Watson to investigate.” # A FATAL LINEAGE Watson recounts the investigation into the strange sequence of deaths in the Aycliffe family, all of which occurred when its members turned thirty. Franklin Aycliffe, approaching his thirtieth birthday, fears he will die and so contacts Sherlock Holmes. While everyone attributes the pattern to an ancient gypsy curse, Holmes travels through northern England like a living enigma in order to solve this intricate mystery. # THE ENIGMA OF THE BLOOD SWAMP “Watson and Holmes are called to a small town in southern England that is plagued by unexplained deaths, disappearances, and strange creatures seen emerging from a swamp every dawn, exuding a strong smell similar to fresh blood.”