In recent years interest in Sherlock Holmes has burgeoned due to new cinema films and television series. Unfortunately, these have distorted the beloved originals by either making them action-heroes, transplanting them to modern times, or both. Poor old Holmes has been mangled and distorted to provide fodder for many ludicrous yarns and unbelievable concepts. In complete contrast, Alan Stockwell sincerely imitates the authentic Conan Doyle style and his tales are credible and entertaining. The conventions are observed and nothing anachronistic appears in his work. These stories exude the essential period ambiance, and the reader will find himself comfortably at home in the late Victorian era. Alan Stockwell's first collection of Sherlock Holmes stories garnered much praise from aficionados when first published in 2003 and is now in its third edition. In response to many requests, he now offers a collection of ten new Sherlock Holmes stories told in the authentic manner. Here you will find the dreadful ordeal of Oscar Wilde, the escape of the wild wolves, and the Surrey man-monkey among the tales. And Dr Watson at last reveals the long-hidden secret of the politician, the lighthouse, and the trained cormorant.

Charles Dickens, the nascent novelist, is employed to write the life story of the former infant prodigy Master Betty known as Young Roscius. Dickens, a self-proclaimed "delver into the human soul," clashes with his employer's overweening arrogance and revenges himself by unearthing the hidden truths lurking in the older man's psyche. The story tells of two teenage boys, both with feckless spendthrift fathers. One scrapes a miserable existence in a boot-blacking factory for six shillings a week; the other earns fifty guineas a night idolised by the highest in the land. "The sad decline - heart-breaking at times - of the infant prodigy compared with the upstart young genius. It makes an enthralling read. I couldn't put it down - it is a history of the time." (Sir Donald Sinden - eminent actor and historian). This unusually-written short novel reeks of the atmosphere of the early 19th century; through its pages weave many historical personages in this true story imaginatively told. "Very fresh and vivid and illuminating of the young Charles Dickens." (Simon Callow - noted actor and writer).

This delightful collection of easy-to-make puppets will be a boon to all parents, teachers and entertainers of children. The puppets are based on an ordinary household-size matchbox which enables them to have opening mouths. The pages are designed to photocopy on to A4 card, cut out and colour as fancy takes. With a choice of some sixty different characters there is something for all ages and abilities in these simple but clever constructions. The collection varies widely from a simple flower to the Minotaur, a whale to Henry VIII, octopus to Roman emperor, and a selection of characters which can be topical at different periods of the year - turnip lantern, Easter bunny, scarecrow, Father Christmas etc. The puppets have been designed by Alan and Brenda Stockwell who for over forty years toured primary schools throughout the UK and abroad with their educational puppet show conducting many puppet-making workshops for teachers. Now retired, they are placing their expertise in the hands of future generations. In 2000 Alan Stockwell was awarded an MBE for services to education, a rare honour for a professional puppeteer.

The third edition of this well-received collection of Sherlock Holmes short stories. Sherlock Magazine called the original edition "One of the best collections of Holmes pastiches for some time" and the Newsletter of the Sherlock Holmes Society of London said "Mr Stockwell clearly knows his period and has an engagingly inventive imagination." Other critics have remarked how the author hits off the Watsonian idiom with remarkable accuracy, the president of the Czech Society of Sherlock Holmes saying "The stories look like being from the pen of John H Watson himself" and the Midwest Book Review stating "Completely faithful to the spirit and tone of the Doyle originals." This new edition contains a total of seventeen unusual, bizarre and thoroughly intriguing tales written in the classic manner. Why does a man wear a yellow top hat to feed the pigeons in Trafalgar Square? Why should a maiden lady be terrified at receiving a jigsaw, piece by piece? How can a cyclist disappear in the snow without leaving any traces? The answers to these and many other enigmas are revealed by the master sleuth in this collection of stories written in the authentic style as narrated by Dr Watson.