The Secret Files of the Diogenes Club

Kim Newman is a skilled and talented author, with an imagination that produces brilliant fiction. In his book, The Secret Files of the Diogenes Club, all of these elements come to the surface. For those familiar with Sherlock Holmes, the title of this book reveals the premise. It is based around a club founded by Mycroft Holmes. Well, the club is something of a U.K. investigation unit, or intelligence service. And the "club" delves into a number of uncanny and weird investigations.

This collection spans decades and centuries. For fans of Newman, most of the stories are familiar, previously published, but having them in one collection is wonderful. In his typical fashion, Newman brings to life interesting and thoughtful characters, believable figures, and interweaves them into clever tales. At the thematic level, the collection deals with "good and evil," but the historical settings and events prevent these stories from appearing commonplace. With each story, Newman approaches from an interesting angle, making the collection enjoyable and worthy of re-reading.

The Secret Files of the Diogenes Club is something of a prequel to The Man from the Diogenes Club. Readers can start with either book first - although I'd suggest "Secret Files" first. The "adventures" are supernatural, weird, and Lovecraftian, full of mysteries and suspense. Because every tale in the collection is a gem, I'll not discuss each, or cite favorites. They span from the 1860s to the 1970s, and fit together nicely, providing a delightful backdrop for the clandestine intelligence service. This is a grand book, clever, powerful, and entertaining.