Overview: From the fertile crescent to the far east, the great adventures of Holmes and Watson during the three-year gap between Holmes's "death" and his dramatic return.

What exactly happened during Sherlock Holmes's 'great hiatus' after his supposed death and triumphant return three years later? Riccardi images his travels in Europe and Asia during those years in nine original short stories set in places as far flung as Sumatra and Tibet. Given the uncertain grip of the British empire over its colonies, the murders and other mayhem Holmes confronts often have potentially grave political repercussions. Filled with local color and Holmes' signature wit and logic, Sherlockians the world over will relish this missing chapter in the life of the world's greatest detective.

Ted Riccardi is a professor emeritus in the Department of Middle East and Asian Languages and Cultures at Columbia University. He has served as the counselor of cultural affairs at the United States embassy in New Delhi and is the author of The Oriental Casebook of Sherlock Holmes. Ted and his wife divide their time between New York City, New Mexico, and Nepal.

Genre: Mystery, Crime