The Adventures of Sherlock Bones

By Jaris Ash

Stanley is happily minding his own business when Bones suddenly crashes into the room with news that his friend Berkeley Basset thinks he’s got a ghost.

He didn’t have one before, so Bones instantly suspects foul play.

Stanley is unimpressed and really doesn’t fancy spending the night in a potentially poltergeist-ridden castle out in the middle of nowhere.

Crashes, bangs and weird noises convince Bones that a secret tunnel exists. A voice in the wall turns out to be a pup named Percy, who then joins them, and Watson on a second expedition to search for clues to Templar treasure. Percy has never heard of the Templars and asks Watson many questions. He is upset that they got dissolved but is happy when he realises that Friday 13th is only unlucky if you are a medieval knight.

For this challenge, they have to use eight different modes of transport. Which will they choose?

Will Stanley survive and will they win the race?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Austin Macauley Publishers
• Release date: Feb 2, 2024
• ISBN: 9781398476561

Jaris Ash

Jaris Ash has held various office-based jobs in the past, but she has always had a passion for writing and a love for dogs. Eventually, she decided to combine her two interests, writing from a dog’s perspective for her local training club newsletter, and creating a series of stories for use in Animal Assisted Therapy sessions. All of the characters in her stories are inspired by her real-life dogs, who have made the recent years extremely interesting, even though they have driven her a bit bonkers at times. With trips round Europe – all the way across to Tunnel Harry in Poland on one occasion – as well as agility Have-A-Go events at local schools, fairs and fetes, it’s safe to say that things are never dull in her household.

Book preview

About the Author

Jaris Ash has held various office-based jobs in the past, but she has always had a passion for writing and a love for dogs. Eventually, she decided to combine her two interests, writing from a dog’s perspective for her local training club newsletter, and creating a series of stories for use in Animal Assisted Therapy sessions. All of the characters in her stories are inspired by her real-life dogs, who have made the recent years extremely interesting, even though they have driven her a bit bonkers at times. With trips round Europe – all the way across to Tunnel Harry in Poland on one occasion – as well as agility Have-A-Go events at local schools, fairs and fetes, it’s safe to say that things are never dull in her household.

Dedication

For Bentley and Enzo

With whom we had many adventures

Copyright Information ©

Jaris Ash 2024

The right of Jaris Ash to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by the author in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers.

Any person who commits any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

A CIP catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library.

ISBN 9781398476547 (Paperback)

ISBN 9781398476554 (Hardback)

ISBN 9781398476561 (ePub e-book)

www.austinmacauley.com

First Published 2024

Austin Macauley Publishers Ltd®

1 Canada Square

Canary Wharf

London

E14 5AA

Acknowledgement

Many thanks to my talented daughter-in-law, Debbie, for her illustrations and cover design. Your amazing artwork brings my characters to life. Also thanks to the team at Austin Macauley for believing in my stories.

Sherlock Bones and

The Creepy Castle

Chapter One

Stanley! Stanley? a voice echoed down the hallway. Where are you, blast it? the voice continued.

Stanley, an elderly Lhasa Apso, had had a wonderful afternoon planned, which involved lying with his paws in the air on a cushion by the fire, biscuit at the ready in case he fancied a nibble. He heard the door bang and was not impressed. He sighed.

There you are. The lounge door crashed open and a figure bounced into the room. The said figure was Sherlock Bones, a working cocker spaniel whose ability to sit still, ever, was zero.

Why did you not reply? Without waiting for an answer he continued, Berkeley Basset has a ghost. Possibly. He’s just told me that he’s too terrified to go back home and will be round later to stay for a few days.

Perfect, mumbled Stanley. Watson, their collie friend, was away doing some research-based work, so he thought to himself, I suppose muggins here will have to move and sort everything. Then he realised what Bones had just said. A ghost?

Yes. I told him we’d go and investigate.

Oh, you did, did you? Well, I’m not going, so there. Ghosts indeed. I’m not rummaging in that ancient pile of his for all the biscuits in The Barkery (Stanley’s favourite shopping place). If there’s only one, I’ll count myself surprised.

He stood and planted all four paws firmly on the rug.

Oh stop messing about. It’ll be fun. An adventure.

Stanley’s face denied this emphatically.

Plus I told him he could stay here whilst we went to find out what’s happening.

What is happening? Stanley asked. Not curious but, realising that his friend was determined to go by the tell­tale set of his ears, he wanted to know what he was letting himself in for.

Well, said Sherlock, looking about him furtively, stuff keeps moving.

Moving?

Yes. He thinks he might have a poltergeist.

Can’t he just get a cream for that? Stanley asked.

No! Anyway, other stuff has been disappearing too. It’s all very strange. Sherlock could hardly wait. He bounded out of the room telling Stanley that they would need to pack an overnight bag each and then they would leave in the morning. Sherlock wanted to get more details, and the castle keys, from Berkeley, which he would do whilst they ate dinner.

Which I’m preparing, Stanley grumbled, hoisting himself out of the cushion that he had just sat back down in and stumped off towards the kitchen. Coooeee! came from the door mat. Can I come in? A squat Basset hound stood with two short legs on the step