<p>The eleven stories gathered together in these two volumes share their own common feature.&nbsp; All have connections to the world of <em>belles lettres</em>, the world of literature&mdash;some to celebrated authors in particular, others to themes or stories associated with specific writers . . . . Let others plumb this collection for more subtle themes.&nbsp; From Maupassant to Stevenson to Fitzgerald, the authorial giants who populate these pages are explanation enough for its title.&nbsp; As interesting as such literary associations may be, of course, one can never forget that in the finest tradition of all the other adventures of Sherlock Holmes, these sketches depict a series of heartless criminal acts&mdash;some more gruesome than others. This volume contains: The Adventure of the Missing Necklace, The Adventure of the Amateur Emigrant, The Adventure of the Second William Wilson, The Adventure of the Aspen Papers, and For Want of a Sword.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>