Showing results by author "Barry Clay" in All Categories

When Scotland Yard summons Sherlock Holmes to 53 Haverson Avenue, not even the redoubtable consulting detective could have anticipated he would face the inexplicable death of Lord Egerton in his drawing room—by spontaneous combustion. The scullery maid, Esme Wells, asserts that the master of the house has been slain by spirits summoned by a Vodou curse. While Lord Egerton’s family seem disposed to agree that something supernatural has occurred, and Scotland Yard can find no other explanation, Sherlock Holmes is unconvinced. But if not a Vodou curse, who—or what—killed Lord Egerton? ...

Jason Fairfax, a very junior reporter for the Honolulu Gazette, is sent by his editor on an assignment that requires him to travel on the luxury liner, the Oahu Paradise, in the company of a disreputable detective who promises him the scoop of his reporting lifetime—maybe. While on board, he meets a cross-section of people from movie stars to ensigns, but none more intriguing than the world-famous Honolulu inspector, Charlie Chan, and his very large family, who are vacationing on board. But all is not what it seems. Was a murder committed on board two years ago, or was it an accident? Is ...

From the author of The Darkened Village and The Medium of Death comes four mysteries featuring London’s first consulting detective, Sherlock Holmes, and his faithful biographer, Dr. John H. Watson. While investigating the wrongful incarceration of a young man for murder, Holmes uncovers a tangled web of deception—and makes one misstep with tragic consequences. Long the chronicler and companion of Sherlock Holmes, Dr. John H. Watson has frequently helped his friend investigate mysterious circumstances on behalf of those people beset by them, but now he must apply to Sherlock Holmes ...

The author who discovered manuscripts in an old box and edited from them The Darkened Village and The Leveson-Gower Theft for the reading public now presents Sherlock Holmes and his faithful biographer Dr. Watson again, this time in two novelettes and two novellas. Sherlock Holmes is summoned by Scotland Yard to a sunny golf course that has been the scene of two gruesome murders. But all is, perhaps, not quite what it seems. Can even Sherlock Holmes unravel the tangle of so many conflicting clues? Two elderly ladies visit Dr. Watson and Sherlock Holmes at 222b Baker Street with an unusual ...

The game is once more afoot! Culled from a collection of unpublished papers accidentally found by the editor, four more cases, comprising two novelettes and two novellas, and written by the incomparable John H. Watson are presented to the reading public. Inspector Lestrade brings “John Doe” to London’s first consulting detective, hoping he can unravel the mystery of the man’s identity, not knowing that there is more mystery involved than his forgotten identity. The theft of the payroll destined for the employees of the Wallace Collection brings Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson to ...

Deciphered from a recently acquired manuscript, this previously unpublished novel of Sherlock Holmes by his chronicler, John H. Watson, M.D., is sure to delight fans of the first "consulting detective." The curate of Wenlock Edge and his wife are embarrassed to ask for help from Sherlock Holmes. They are aware that their problem appears trival, but ask they do. Fortunately for them, there is an unusual item in their story that piques Holmes's interest, and he accepts their case. Anticipating that the solution shouldn't be too difficult, dangerous, or unusually time consuming, Holmes ...

Six years ago, Gregory and Georgette Hampton’s adopted daughter, Emily, fell to her death from the staircase of their home. The aftermath of the tragic accident nearly destroyed their marriage and threatened to derail their surviving son’s bright future, but with the help of a parish rector, they recovered from the senseless death. But now Gregory Hampton appears at 221b Baker street. His wife has become convinced that a medium has spoken to their daughter’s spirit from beyond the grave. His wife is becoming increasingly unstable, and he has come to ask Holmes to expose the medium for...

From the author of The Darkened Village and The Medium of Death comes two new novellas detailing the exploits of the world’s first consulting detective, Sherlock Holmes, and his faithful chronicler, Dr, John H. Watson. In “The Extraordinary Disappearance of the Carstairs Special,” Inspector Lestrade of Scotland Yard hires Sherlock Holmes to find a train commissioned by a rich man that disappears—along with its passengers and crew—between two railway stations, vanishing without a trace. Someone proposes an unlikely solution to the mystery: Martians. Sherlock Holmes is not amused. ...

When Mycroft Holmes visits his brother, Sherlock, at 221b Baker Street, it is certain to both Sherlock Holmes and John H. Watson, M.D. that something monumental is at hand. They are astonished -- not to say skeptical -- to learn that Mycroft merely wants his brother to investigate the theft of a necklace. Lord Benedict Leveson-Gower, soon to be called as ambassador to the Kingdom of Romania, is accused by his wife, the lady Allegra, of replacing her very expensive, prize necklace with a paste imitation. If possible, Mycroft wants his brother to exonerate Lord Benedict Leveson-Gower of the ...

One of the theological mysteries that every Christian who wrestles with doctrine faces is the tension between predestination and free will. Christians have been arguing over this since the 4th century, with some churches stressing the sovereign work of God and others stressing the free will of man. In this chapter taken from the book "Solid Ground", Mr. Clay explores part of this conflict and attempts to resolve it from a look at what the Bible says on both sides of the issue. Mr. Clay explains that he believes both sides have part of the truth and need to see the entire truth partially ...

From the author of "The Darkened Village: a Sherlock Holmes adventure" comes a new, different novel that blends fact and fiction into a compelling story that speaks to us today about faith, humanity, and compassion ... and about the clash of cultures and religions that can result in implacable sorrow. Shortly before the turn of the 20th century, the Tehuchian family lived in Turkish controlled Armenia. Their father, a barber, served the residents of the town of Marishka and the soldiers of the nearby Turkish garrison, walking a fine line between the Muslim oppressors and the Christian ...

One of Job's friends tells him, "Man is born for trouble as sparks fly upwards." The media talks about wars, famines, tsunamis, mud slides, rapes, murders, and untimely deaths from disease. Atheists point to these tragedies and claim that this proves God doesn't exist, or if He exists, He isn't good. Or, if He's good, He isn't powerful enough to do anything about it. In this excerpt from his book, "Solid Ground", Mr. Clay explains that the answer to this question isn't difficult for the Christian because this topic is explored deeply and with great wisdom in the Bible. God is both good and ...

"Solid Ground" is the second edition of "Sound Doctrine." Mr. Clay has been a Christian for over fifty years, and he has written an accessible book for those who are interested in knowing more about the Christian faith and what Christians believe. In short chapters, Mr. Clay begins with the basics of Christianity and builds on them to address more controversial topics. His aim is two- fold: he wants to help Christians understand their faith and be better able to respond to God, and he wants to provide a book that someone who is not a Christian can use to understand the Christian religion. ...

Spiritual Authority is not a topic of most sermons and generally absent from any discussion of Christian life, and yet it is essential in many ways to the challenges facing the Christian in the 21st century. In this excerpt from his book, "Solid Ground", Mr. Clay explores 1) how authority works for the church, home, and world, 2) how these spheres differ, and 3) how the Christian should interact with them - particularly when they are wrong. If you have ever wrestled with obeying authority in your life, this is a title that will help you understand what God would have you do.

Many a person has wondered if we are alone in the universe. These two chapters excerpted from the book "Solid Ground" answer this question decisively: we are not alone and never have been. God has created other beings who are very different from us: angels. Billy Graham wrote an entire book just on angels, but Mr. Clay covers the basics of angels and fallen angels, demons, with a detour about the devil along the way. This title is short, but it is also to the point.

Most of what every Christian believes about the Holy Spirit is believed by most Christians, but not everything. There is one boulder sized controversy surrounding the gifts of the Holy Spirit. This title includes three chapters from the book "Solid Ground", and Mr. Clay jumps feet first into that controversy. While many books (some of them very thick books) have been written on both sides of the controversy, Mr. Clay handles it in the same manner as all his "Solid Ground" works: with honesty, dispatch, and experience. And as a bonus, he covers the aspects of the Holy Spirit that aren't ...

Jesus said, "Do this in remembrance of Me." What does communion mean to the Christian, and how should it be observed? This short title, taken from a chapter from the book "Solid Ground" discusses how believers should approach the communion table, at what communion means.

In this novelette, Baron Rokosky is faced with one of the few surprises of his very long life: his castle has been invaded by mysterious intruders who have somehow disappeared. His chief of security urges him to move to a secure location, but the Baron make an unusual decision that will have far reaching and unexpected consequences. This novelette has also been collected in the Anthologies "A Little Bit of Everything" and "Brushes with the Supernatural".

Days ago, Endinara Thorson, the only child of the king and queen of Vaniar, arrived in the kingdom of Sylvanlund to seal an arranged marriage to the Sylvanlund heir, Prince Quentin Bregard. But she now lies in a magically-induced coma, having only a short time to live, and without hope unless the Sylvanlund court wizard, Polongrana, can heal her. But to do so, he must have one of the halves of the RavenDisc, a damaged talisman of arcane energies. One half is too far away to retrieve. The other is jealously guarded by Ulava, a sorceress us of great power, who has no intention of using her ...

In our day and age, the concept of "sin" is considered gauche and repugnant, but to the Christian, our tendency to sin is a sorrow. In this excerpt from his book, "Solid Ground," Mr. Clay discusses our propensity to sin and the provision God has made for us to help us to walk in a manner pleasing to him. And he wrestles with a topic most Christians assume they know they answer to: do we have to sin?