A Taste for Honey
| Company type | Novel |
|---|---|
| Industry | Literature |
| Founded | 1941 |
| Founder | H. F. Heard |
| Products | Mystery novel |
A Taste for Honey is a mystery novel published in 1941, authored by H. F. Heard.
Background
This book marks the debut of Mr. Mycroft, a character widely interpreted as an aged Sherlock Holmes living in retirement on the Sussex Downs. It is the first installment in a trilogy, followed by Reply Paid (1945) and The Notched Hairpin (1949). Additionally, Heard penned two short stories featuring this detective for Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine: "Mr. Montalba, Obsequist" (September 1945) and "The Enchanted Garden" (March 1949).
Reception
A Taste for Honey received acclaim from Christopher Morley, who regarded it as the sole worthwhile continuation of Sherlock Holmes, describing it as "engaging and terrifying." Raymond Chandler praised it as "a very clever thriller." Meanwhile, Vladimir Nabokov conveyed his strong appreciation in correspondence, stating he "enjoyed it hugely," though he noted inaccuracies concerning butterflies within the story.
Adaptations
On 22 February 1955, the American Broadcasting Company presented a television version titled "Sting of Death," featuring Boris Karloff portraying Mr. Mycroft on The Elgin TV Hour.
The narrative was also loosely transformed into the 1967 British horror movie The Deadly Bees, directed by Freddie Francis. Although the original screenplay by Robert Bloch closely followed the novel, extensive revisions by Anthony Marriott significantly diminished its ties to the source material.
See also
- The Final Solution, another detective story implying Holmes in his retirement