Sherlock Holmes: Crimes for Christmas

<h4 style="text-align: center;">“the number of the chapter is immaterial<span style="text-align: left;">”</span> [VALL]</h4><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirxmwaMls6GoXq-yM73GDeY3BBan-zx0u7zlxN12NQ03kpYNUxV2G5eJnZq4Tt2GOYqtD1E4Yi4Idwralx5bs_h3SwQE-cRc_22cYg57HnbDGT1C8-nX9h8A4R12vEcNODSXAzy64kqSQKaRu-qluliuxIRpYgMjeXgqVe2q7lprpIYQiiDXQgs20eEUGb/s1000/Sherlock%20Holmes%20Crimes%20for%20Christmas%20-%20header.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1000" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirxmwaMls6GoXq-yM73GDeY3BBan-zx0u7zlxN12NQ03kpYNUxV2G5eJnZq4Tt2GOYqtD1E4Yi4Idwralx5bs_h3SwQE-cRc_22cYg57HnbDGT1C8-nX9h8A4R12vEcNODSXAzy64kqSQKaRu-qluliuxIRpYgMjeXgqVe2q7lprpIYQiiDXQgs20eEUGb/w640-h512/Sherlock%20Holmes%20Crimes%20for%20Christmas%20-%20header.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>I love an advent calendar. During a cold, dark month, where the pressure to do just the right thing for other people can become overwhelming, it’s nice to have a daily gift to oneself. </p><p>Here's a new style one, a type I wasn't previously familiar with, with content that's a gift for any Sherlockian: Derrick Belanger's <i><a href="https://amzn.to/4fBDXK1" target="_blank">Sherlock Holmes: Crimes for Christmas</a>. </i></p><div><div>Twelve traditionally styled stories are published with cliffhangers and labeled by date. You read the story setup on one day, then discover what happened the next, with content for every day during the month of December until Boxing Day. (I know, I'm telling you about this much too late for this month, but a) if you get the book now, you get more to read all at once or b) you can get really ahead on your shopping for December 2025, if you want.) </div><div><br /></div><div>It's tricky to make oneself stop, I find. But for anyone who remembers Encyclopedia Brown, it's fun to challenge yourself with figuring out the story's hook, the clue that reveals what happened. </div><div><br /></div><div>Watson narrates, as he should, and Inspectors Gregson and Lestrade make appearances in these stories. Tales involve a missing criminal, a cause of unusual death, a murderous frame-up, an art theft, a missing author, and more, all set during the holiday winter month. </div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i><a href="https://amzn.to/4fBDXK1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><br />Sherlock Holmes: Crimes for Christmas</a></i> by Derrick Belanger, published by Belanger Books, October 2024, is available in paperback and Kindle format on Amazon.  <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkd066D2itQWBqAe7JjUHJYz53A818jEumJ3Sx9mxPpELtpfKAojZW4_3BOvBgLyQ7AyChvpRIXbRJNxNPes3rd8-IUMAKJa3oN34PLD-sReSnQXWicquMl5uk94rqnS3tdcsJjdodMWKATeDWSNRJwfTC0ysRxxLNO27GkvgSbF8g5OVtWx4IHwIi2BZK/s1499/Sherlock%20Holmes%20Crimes%20for%20Christmas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1499" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkd066D2itQWBqAe7JjUHJYz53A818jEumJ3Sx9mxPpELtpfKAojZW4_3BOvBgLyQ7AyChvpRIXbRJNxNPes3rd8-IUMAKJa3oN34PLD-sReSnQXWicquMl5uk94rqnS3tdcsJjdodMWKATeDWSNRJwfTC0ysRxxLNO27GkvgSbF8g5OVtWx4IHwIi2BZK/w133-h200/Sherlock%20Holmes%20Crimes%20for%20Christmas.jpg" width="133" /></a></div></div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>

Sherlock Holmes: Crimes for Christmas

“the number of the chapter is immaterial ”  [VALL] I love an advent calendar. During a cold, dark month, where the pressure to do just the r...

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by Johanna Draper Carlson

Sherlock Holmes vs. Creatures of Horror

<h4 style="text-align: center;"> "He appears to know every detail of every horror perpetrated in the century." [STUD]</h4><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjomlF_29NctOLNMVQuTQYWpqTBPshqLWcBDvA12PYJdbxtiABDiCt2CkqaHx9PdDKbnnNhpQmuFaYUo0LV6cjTXMcjOiYHmVCyB9_eWbV_vIQjHPGuoU3NfCWqgMQV_GmcmMxzqPUSv6xBysj5Ie3mwVEgsHU4QfOCUJRqo1ImO5AVFHPJxmTGunpLFlcc" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="866" data-original-width="1050" height="487" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjomlF_29NctOLNMVQuTQYWpqTBPshqLWcBDvA12PYJdbxtiABDiCt2CkqaHx9PdDKbnnNhpQmuFaYUo0LV6cjTXMcjOiYHmVCyB9_eWbV_vIQjHPGuoU3NfCWqgMQV_GmcmMxzqPUSv6xBysj5Ie3mwVEgsHU4QfOCUJRqo1ImO5AVFHPJxmTGunpLFlcc=w590-h487" width="590" /></a></div><br />Completists and/or fans of Sherlock Holmes on stage may be interested in knowing that the final chapter of <i><a href="https://amzn.to/3XEfNbW" target="_blank">Horror on the Stage: Monsters, Murders and Terrifying Moments in Theater</a></i> is titled "Sherlock Holmes vs. Creatures of Horror."<div><br /></div><div>The 15-page section contains descriptions of the following stage productions: <p></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><i>The Speckled Band</i> (1910), written by Arthur Conan Doyle, with an outline of the play, a history of its performances, and a summary of critical reaction</li><li>A marionette version of the above from 1937 adapted by Ruth Fenisong</li><li><i>Four Sherlock Holmes Plays </i>(1964) by Michael and Mollie Hardwick, which consist of "The Speckled Band", "Charles Augustus Milverton", "The Mazarine Stone", and "The Blue Carbuncle" (although only the first is described)</li><li><i>The Adventure of the Speckled Band</i> (1981) by Tim Kelly</li><li><i>The Hound of the Baskervilles </i>(1978) by F. Andrew Leslie</li><li><i>The Hound of the Baskervilles </i>(1982) by Anthony Hinds (producer of the Hammer film starring Peter Cushing as Holmes)</li><li><i>The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire </i>(1988) by Peter Buckley</li><li><i>Clash of the Vampires </i>(2006) by Frank J. Morlock, which also features Count Dracula</li><li><i>Sherlock Holmes and the Curse of the Mummy's Tomb</i> (1994) by Julian Harries and Pat Whymark</li></ul><div>There are many more productions mentioned in passing, so this isn't a complete rundown. I'm not clear on why these particular choices were made — perhaps they're the ones the author had access to in some way? </div><div><br /></div><div>I would also have liked to know more about how they fit into the subject of the book, but this volume is a catalog, not intended to provide substantial analysis.  </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3XEfNbW" rel="nofollow" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1050" height="373" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgmy71qGc_Rkr4mQAWXVQ8pp0QOwde-K71OWYGpbQ2R9zx7yUxuyeLbRVVjDE3ZOXU6NlHCGmOfpVOBZ-jI6WOj-XmAGvVzs2YCasx94XduOvwPKMEKq_ZMPTmrmGGrb0oU2hjACjDXcMJn1YJqs_h8C21JX7iUzY8EDA6lO8N8_f9QW-suvlQlJierxZSx=w261-h373" width="261" /></a></div></div><div><br /></div><div><i><a href="https://amzn.to/3WXVeqx" target="_blank">Horror on the Stage</a></i> by Amnon Kabatchnik, published by <a href="https://mcfarlandbooks.com/product/horror-on-the-stage/" target="_blank">McFarland</a>, June 2023, is available in paperback and Kindle format <a href="https://amzn.to/3WXVeqx" target="_blank">on Amazon</a>.</div><div><br /></div><p></p></div>

Sherlock Holmes vs. Creatures of Horror

 "He appears to know every detail of every horror perpetrated in the century." [STUD] Completists and/or fans of Sherlock Holmes o...

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by Johanna Draper Carlson

Book Review: Nessie's Nemesis

<h4 style="text-align: center;"> <b>"When we got back to Scotland it was easily hushed up" [BLAC]</b></h4><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgebL6PHgBFw79K8WNfoThXgTz2E1m5O7tr8Q1Nr9vKUp0JoUTdsw-fgdRjOQWZ9-rhi4qs5e0ZZ4vZGQDk-bEAamhINUbGaPPAJtSnLER15Ezl32GJpPwqq_ZF6jw0ewc2YEx8n485eMgkkyfdevyoXVYJ_kqMsQM6ucr3uQ0wlNFbcdVr8uit2Vg1gHxs/s826/Nessies%20Nemesis%20header.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="615" data-original-width="826" height="477" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgebL6PHgBFw79K8WNfoThXgTz2E1m5O7tr8Q1Nr9vKUp0JoUTdsw-fgdRjOQWZ9-rhi4qs5e0ZZ4vZGQDk-bEAamhINUbGaPPAJtSnLER15Ezl32GJpPwqq_ZF6jw0ewc2YEx8n485eMgkkyfdevyoXVYJ_kqMsQM6ucr3uQ0wlNFbcdVr8uit2Vg1gHxs/w640-h477/Nessies%20Nemesis%20header.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><b><br /></b></div><p>Addy and Zabel, the investigative couple from <i><a href="https://www.ihearofsherlock.com/2021/11/book-review-sherlocks-secretary.html">Sherlock's Secretary</a></i>, return in <i><a href="https://amzn.to/3Lpg4IV" target="_blank">Nessie's Nemesis</a></i>. Addy is still answering letters sent to Sherlock Holmes, which brings them this second case. Like the one in the first book, it has a media connection to the great detective. </p><p>As many know, there's a key scene in the 1970 Billy Wilder movie <i>The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes</i> involving a fake Loch Ness Monster. (If you don't know, don't worry — one character tells another the key facts early on.) In this novel, two video podcasters have journeyed to the lake to document their attempt to raise the head of the prop, but they've disappeared. </p><p><a href="https://www.ihearofsherlock.com/2016/04/long-lost-prop-from-private-life-of.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Related: Long Lost Prop from The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes Found</a></p><p>The supporting cast involved in this mystery includes an incompetent local police officer, an incredibly eccentric local lord who's hunting the monster himself, his daughter who runs the estate's conference center, the waiter at the hotel restaurant who hates his customers and isn't afraid to show it, and three authors: a Texan who writes action thrillers starring Ted Testosterone, a TV show parodist, and someone who writes creepy erotic noir. </p><p>Author Chris Chan tells a brisk story, perhaps a little over-seasoned with random bits of trivia, but I enjoyed learning about weird Scottish dishes, for example, and I don't mind dense writing. As with many other modern authors, it's unfortunate that his characters all sound much the same, with the same vocabularies and voices on the page; it's the plotting that's his strength. I stayed curious about finding out what would happen next throughout the 215-page story, and I admired how all the different strands wove together.  </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3Lpg4IV" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1360" data-original-width="826" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipY2ZrGNwoseHUHnUdfquii1yrX18-kD6lZkbyTHba8StEErnjo4W7mBdYEvD-29Rwty_LgiODg1j26A1_3sF7aTxorTpIX-4Igev35skv3UueRHFq7GORS-UdKLmC9lkX0sLqmpT_IZMztD_nSMauwFgccG2oz6JbkgctI_k4UwI8iZOD1oi2LCvyXbwp/s320/Nessies%20Nemesis.jpg" width="194" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><i><a href="https://amzn.to/3Lpg4IV" target="_blank">Nessie's Nemesis</a></i> by Chris Chan, published by <a href="https://mxpublishing.com" target="_blank">MX Publishing</a>, September 2023, is available in hardcover, paperback, audio, and Kindle format <a href="https://amzn.to/3Lpg4IV" target="_blank">on Amazon</a>.</p><p><br /></p>

Book Review: Nessie's Nemesis

  "When we got back to Scotland it was easily hushed up" [BLAC] Addy and Zabel, the investigative couple from Sherlock's Secre...

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by Johanna Draper Carlson

The Children of Sherlock Holmes

<h4 style="text-align: center;"><b> </b><span style="text-align: left;"><b>“</b></span><b>took his children over to America</b><span style="text-align: left;"><b>”</b></span><b> [COPP]  </b></h4><p style="text-align: center;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM2yLFc4bn2cU7esiGc3m2GYk1QCjwIJs3QcQz7W1qmcoixQDCw2J9X5NGq6dE4cucOYdaFueRVJ8LuZNqdKC3NYhem9eW_fzZbUv-Fby6j2qUvF8vb_4MYLUSDcWvxG-m9W3_1sqR_qF_p3jBuLGHzLaN3HTj73BMA6rw_RmYHDwofPMnSE7eBLGfzieA/s4297/Irregulars.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2417" data-original-width="4297" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM2yLFc4bn2cU7esiGc3m2GYk1QCjwIJs3QcQz7W1qmcoixQDCw2J9X5NGq6dE4cucOYdaFueRVJ8LuZNqdKC3NYhem9eW_fzZbUv-Fby6j2qUvF8vb_4MYLUSDcWvxG-m9W3_1sqR_qF_p3jBuLGHzLaN3HTj73BMA6rw_RmYHDwofPMnSE7eBLGfzieA/w640-h360/Irregulars.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Still from<i> The Irregulars</i> (credit: IMDb)</span></td></tr></tbody></table><b><br /></b><p></p><p>The news of <i>Sherlock & Daughter</i>, a TV show <a href="https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/david-thewlis-sherlock-daughter-cw-1235912276/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">picked up by the CW</a> in which Holmes (David Thewlis) meets Amelia (Blu Hunt), an American who thinks he may be her father, got me thinking about other Sherlockian offspring. </p><p>While there is no indication that Sherlock Holmes had offspring (or even a true romantic interest) in the Canon, that hasn't stopped scores of authors, screenwriters, and other creators from imaginatively giving him some in latter-day works in all forms of media.</p><p><b><i>Some spoilers for various media versions follow. </i></b></p><p><i>The Irregulars</i>, the 2021 Netflix series with a supernatural twist, also gave Holmes (Henry Lloyd-Hughes) a daughter. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9ahs9vYpYb4fUP5TwVpbEXeTKhhTgABA7EmFQOvQ58ecl5GKtTniQQihLtCTJ6Aa1IRnONCyxx-2ku3-vkFYnsAAmbAeiGNAKatmujyTzr5mUJ969XS8Kw2VOcRNLzxbe7GDw2WDlyhFa6WbQU_2eCnVdYM3Cs9IQWGy9CZey9-RFzp5Wz7dbSTx3lMOx/s1424/Sherlock%20Holmes%20in%20NY%20-%20Moore.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1424" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9ahs9vYpYb4fUP5TwVpbEXeTKhhTgABA7EmFQOvQ58ecl5GKtTniQQihLtCTJ6Aa1IRnONCyxx-2ku3-vkFYnsAAmbAeiGNAKatmujyTzr5mUJ969XS8Kw2VOcRNLzxbe7GDw2WDlyhFa6WbQU_2eCnVdYM3Cs9IQWGy9CZey9-RFzp5Wz7dbSTx3lMOx/w640-h382/Sherlock%20Holmes%20in%20NY%20-%20Moore.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>The 1976 TV movie <i>Sherlock Holmes in New York</i>, in which Holmes is played by <a href="https://www.ihearofsherlock.com/2017/05/remembering-roger-moore.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Roger Moore</a>, has the detective finding Irene Adler's missing son, kidnapped by Moriarty. The implication at the end of the story is that Holmes is the boy's father. </p><p><br /></p><p>But the version I find most intriguing comes from comic books. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i0.wp.com/comicsworthreading.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/immortal-x-men-8-scaled.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="520" height="800" src="https://i0.wp.com/comicsworthreading.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/immortal-x-men-8-scaled.jpg" width="520" /></a></div><p><i>Immortal X-Men</i> #8, out November 2022, was written by Kieron Gillen and illustrated by Michele Bandini, with cover (above) by Mark Brooks. In it, readers find out that the great detective was really the shape-changing Mystique. Destiny, another shape-shifter and her lover, was Irene Adler. </p><p>So what does this have to do with Holmesian heirs? Well, Chris Claremont, noted X-Men writer for many years, had originally <a href="https://www.cbr.com/x-men-rogue-mystique-father-destiny-mother/" target="_blank">planned to reveal</a> in the 1980s that Destiny and Mystique were Nightcrawler's parents. They're both shapeshifters, but both usually present as women, so Marvel said no to what could be seen as a same-sex relationship. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjl7OuyTWYaniRiaP-zDRSoiNj3D3-YH3rhDyCIgrji4tchznENIhcAMBbeI2B8oSMTLqkPAWYWPDGhhteBB1M0jBz-FWRwduJgef4-Ztlzu3Y7nOZJ7wsmOOLqy8dHp-stakRAQ0hxB4teK77VQFHQ6TuFvUFxbGscyV-zPeyhs_2dEy354wZAcnufY_Ml" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="612" data-original-width="400" height="662" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjl7OuyTWYaniRiaP-zDRSoiNj3D3-YH3rhDyCIgrji4tchznENIhcAMBbeI2B8oSMTLqkPAWYWPDGhhteBB1M0jBz-FWRwduJgef4-Ztlzu3Y7nOZJ7wsmOOLqy8dHp-stakRAQ0hxB4teK77VQFHQ6TuFvUFxbGscyV-zPeyhs_2dEy354wZAcnufY_Ml=w433-h662" width="433" /></a></div><br /></div><p>However, in <i>X-Men Origins: Blue</i> #1 (written by Si Spurrier, penciled by Wilton Santos and Marcus To, cover by Francis Manapul, out November 2023), that origin for Nightcrawler was restored. Which makes Nightcrawler, the furry blue teleporting mutant, Sherlock Holmes' son. </p><p>There's a family reunion I'd love to see. Maybe some of it will come out in the upcoming <i>X-Men: The Wedding Special</i>. Due out May 29, this <i>Marvel's Voices: Pride</i> one-shot anthology includes the ceremony where Mystique and Destiny renew their vows. </p><p><br /></p><h4 style="text-align: left;"><b><i>Editor's Note:</i></b></h4><p>And if you can't get enough of Sherlock Holmes and children, check out <a href="https://www.episodes.fm/1198869691/episode/MjU1NWMyYmM5MWQxNGJmOWIyZWJmOTM1YTQ2Yjc4Mzc=" target="_blank">Episode 97 of <i>Trifles</i></a>:</p><p><iframe allowfullscreen="" data-dashlane-frameid="2017" data-dashlane-rid="637e073b82278071" data-form-type="" height="192" mozallowfullscreen="true" msallowfullscreen="true" oallowfullscreen="true" scrolling="no" src="https://play.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/7479500/height/192/theme/modern/size/large/thumbnail/yes/custom-color/0b7407/time-start/00:00:00/playlist-height/200/direction/backward/download/yes/font-color/FFFFFF" style="border: none;" title="Embed Player" webkitallowfullscreen="true" width="100%"></iframe></p><p><br /></p>

The Children of Sherlock Holmes

  “ took his children over to America ”  [COPP]   Still from The Irregulars (credit: IMDb) The news of Sherlock & Daughter , a TV show...

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by Johanna Draper Carlson

Holmes and Watson in Every Universe

<h4 style="text-align: center;">“It must tend to some end, or else our universe is ruled by chance” [CARD] </h4><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3pFaVQ3oXSd0eXZPSnnPPgDrE3r5_5INFAuhaT-0VrNAxA6foGLQtNNP_twabTNbqe8AkShZQSrt_h0o9766gtDiIEyFwYyJvqEkfTIjURygYJaKPbx1L-s7S93J2-pOKxq7oo7VIZpz_l5dDS1OmdC0b84uI2d7N1EFGZbhDZJGWDeXIMkKTPikBk4sz/s434/Multiverse%20of%20Mystery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="244" data-original-width="434" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3pFaVQ3oXSd0eXZPSnnPPgDrE3r5_5INFAuhaT-0VrNAxA6foGLQtNNP_twabTNbqe8AkShZQSrt_h0o9766gtDiIEyFwYyJvqEkfTIjURygYJaKPbx1L-s7S93J2-pOKxq7oo7VIZpz_l5dDS1OmdC0b84uI2d7N1EFGZbhDZJGWDeXIMkKTPikBk4sz/w640-h360/Multiverse%20of%20Mystery.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p><i><a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/iamtw/multiverse-of-mystery" target="_blank">Multiverse of Mystery</a></i>, now crowdfunding, is a collection of new stories about Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson across the multiverse. The authors are all members of the<b> International Association of Media Tie-In Writers</b>, so they know how adaptations work. As the project page says, </p><blockquote><p><span face="Inter, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #282828; font-size: 16px;">"Our writers have placed the archetypal detectives into new genres, new alien worlds, or new historical time periods that may or may not exist. We go from medieval India to futuristic military sleuths, from 12th-century manhunters to gender-swapped consulting detectives, from…well, you get the idea."</span></p></blockquote><p>I interviewed book co-editor Carrie Harris and project manager Bob Greenberger about the genesis of the volume. <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/iamtw/multiverse-of-mystery" target="_blank">The Kickstarter</a> is open for two more weeks, and pledges are available for paperback, hardcover, and/or digital copies. </p><p><br /></p><h4 style="text-align: left;"><b>I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere: Why this topic, now? Did the characters going public domain have an influence on timing? </b></h4><p><b>Carrie Harris:</b> When the project team got together, we discussed potential topics for the anthology, with the only caveats being that the project had to be tied into a license (since it’s sponsored by the International Association of Media Tie-In Writers), and the license had to be in the public domain (for simplicity’s sake). I brought up the idea of using Holmes and Watson for a purely self-serving reason: I love them. I was also hot on the heels of seeing <i>Everything Everywhere All at Once</i>, which is where the multiverse idea came from. I was thrilled when it made the final cut.</p><p><b>Bob Greenberger: </b>Holmes and Watson have achieved universal affection, largely because Sir Arthur Conan Doyle gave us something so unique it resonated with the general public. The love for the duo forced him to resurrect his dead detective, and he's been unkillable ever since.</p><p><br /></p><h4 style="text-align: left;"><b>IHOSE: Any theme beyond Holmes and Watson? Or was it anything goes on stories? </b></h4><p><b>CH:</b> No other theme. We wanted it to be clear which character was Holmes and which was Watson, regardless of their names. I love random Easter eggs for folks who are fans of the original stories, and we’ve got some really great ones, but we didn’t require them. </p><p>I think leaving the gates fairly wide open gave us the opportunity to see the wide range of where these characters could go. Some have been moved into other genres or historical time periods. Some stories move them onto other worlds. Some play with the relationship between the characters. But they are always identifiably Watson and Holmes, and the game is always afoot.</p><p><br /></p><h4 style="text-align: left;"><b>IHOSE: How were creators for this anthology selected / determined? And please tell us more about The International Association of Media Tie-in Writers. </b></h4><p><b>CH</b>: This project is the IAMTW’s second anthology, and therefore, the call was only open to IAMTW members. These folks are seasoned professionals, and they gave us some spectacular pitches, so the selection process was quite easy. The IAMTW is an organization that promotes the craft of tie-in writing, provides networking opportunities for tie-in writers, and sponsors the Scribe Awards to recognize the best-licensed works each year. Our members have written for just about any franchise you can think of, and probably plenty that you can’t! There’s a real craft to writing licensed fiction, and these folks are experts in the field.</p><p><b>BG</b>: The anthologies and essay collections we've done to date are all ways to publicize our organization and showcase our members. Unlike, say, SFWA, we can't produce a collection of award-nominated stories since we don't control the copyrights. Going [public domain] made the most sense. Each collective is brainstorming their own themes, and people sign up as their schedules and interests allow.</p><p><br /></p><h4 style="text-align: left;"><b>IHOSE: Have any of the contributors written Holmes before? </b></h4><p><b>BG</b>: Aaron Rosenberg, Keith DeCandido, and Scott Pearson have all previously written the traditional Holmes & Watson. Christopher A. Abbott has been producing annual collections of novellas, and they've contributed to these, as I will for a 2025 book. My schedule didn't allow me to do more than project manage this book for Carrie. I am running the Kickstarter campaign and will help coordinate the back-end as needed.</p><p><br /></p><h4 style="text-align: left;"><b>IHOSE: What makes this collection stand out from the many other Sherlock Holmes books out each year? </b></h4><p><b>CH</b>: This is an excellent question! I’m personally excited to be a part of this project because of the talent and experience of the contributors. These writers are experienced at diving into an established world, identifying what makes it special, and using those elements as a backbone for creating something new and interesting. We’ve seen a lot of takes on these characters over the years, and from day one I felt confident that we could contribute something special to that body of work.</p><p><br /></p><h4 style="text-align: left;"><b>IHOSE: Do any of the stories feature a Holmes and Watson who are more than just friends? </b></h4><p><b>CH</b>: Yes! When I was working through the pitches, I really wanted to explore the potential in this relationship. The dynamic between the two of them is one of my favorite elements of the original canon. Could their friendship turn into something else? Hate? Romantic love? What would that look like? We’ll be exploring all of that. Honestly, I can’t wait.</p><div>--</div><div><br /></div><div>Support Multiverse of Mystery <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/iamtw/multiverse-of-mystery/description?ref=section-publishing-projectcollection-10-discovery" target="_blank">on Kickstarter here</a> at a level that works for you. Hurry! The campaign closes on March 26, 2024.</div><div><br /><br /></div>

Holmes and Watson in Every Universe

“It must tend to some end, or else our universe is ruled by chance” [CARD]  Multiverse of Mystery , now crowdfunding, is a collection of new...

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by Johanna Draper Carlson

Review: Sherlock Holmes: The Spider's Web

<h4 style="text-align: center;">“earnest in the investigation”  [RETI]</h4><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSOYiEk1uRQQgLJfMJ5HMPs4ruYmKZvtofcWZCGnb6b28ueagbwuGI2BIPFzYGxIi0wv7dUoDgmaHYLu8CK7WwFZqBcpglJYpemZFy85-HCUoYCo3mR3FfujAu7NEuwr-CD92p7uJyFP7f0JbmO9Wi6IHeS2Awxe3f0D0tx1PBkMK45n4TrkXkFUVQI0gR/s1548/Spider's%20Web%20header.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1058" data-original-width="1548" height="438" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSOYiEk1uRQQgLJfMJ5HMPs4ruYmKZvtofcWZCGnb6b28ueagbwuGI2BIPFzYGxIi0wv7dUoDgmaHYLu8CK7WwFZqBcpglJYpemZFy85-HCUoYCo3mR3FfujAu7NEuwr-CD92p7uJyFP7f0JbmO9Wi6IHeS2Awxe3f0D0tx1PBkMK45n4TrkXkFUVQI0gR/w640-h438/Spider's%20Web%20header.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>Who would have thought mixing a traditional Sherlock Holmes pastiche with Oscar Wilde's characters would work so well? Philip Purser-Hallard, that's who. </p><p>I picked up <i><a href="https://amzn.to/44djHsp" target="_blank">Sherlock Holmes: The Spider's Web</a></i> because I'd read and enjoyed some of Purser-Hallard's writings on <i>Doctor Who</i>. I was pleasantly surprised to find an authentic-feeling novel with quite the deductions. </p><p>Then a body is found at the Moncrieff house during a ball, and in wanders the cast of <i><b><a href="https://amzn.to/3KO7vr6" target="_blank">The Importance of Being Earnest</a></b></i>. It's all the more complicated when the dead man is claimed to be Bunbury. The case that unfolds is one based on gossip and blackmail, as suits the characters. </p><p>I suspect many of you will already know whether you want to read this at this point, whether or not I continue to say that the book is entertaining, with a deft balance between Wilde's facetiousness and Doyle's adventure. If you enjoy both of these authors, you'll definitely want to see Holmes meet Lady Bracknell. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3P0EXNv" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="2410" data-original-width="1548" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC6Y-zntHExQIPblOcNJSw0PszWKnOdNvPyqTb-VHOD7VMQacZa0feeBW5HkcWBt5QgG5Xe1bNKqYyTH3frR3IArmAM1vVum5VHzBD_CUgyt1r2qyZpIu3BzgqegV-cAH6LQ2XAcdPmqmzqqfqC37ZryxRezBTC-_vR3tbNTATEdcei7db7qXnmlrQEjNo/s320/Spider's%20Web.jpg" width="206" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>Thankfully, an author's note lists all the various characters and their Wildean sources, as those from <i><a href="https://amzn.to/45zZ4aF" target="_blank">An Ideal Husband</a>, <a href="https://amzn.to/44hXrxm" target="_blank">A Woman of No Importance</a>, </i>and <i><a href="https://amzn.to/3qDxtGS" target="_blank">Lady Windermere's Fan</a></i> also appear. </p><p><br /></p><p>The connection between Oscar Wilde and Arthur Conan Doyle is worth a mention here: both <a href="https://www.ihearofsherlock.com/2014/08/langham-hotel-incorrectly-claims-to-be.html" target="_blank">attended a dinner at the Langham Hotel</a> with <b>J.M. Stoddart</b>, editor of <i>Lippincott's Monthly</i>, on 30 August 1889. It marked the first meeting between Arthur Conan Doyle and Oscar Wilde and eventually resulted in <i>The Sign of Four</i> and <i>The Picture of Dorian Gray</i>, both initially published in <i>Lippincott's</i>.</p><p><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">The Adventures Continue</h3><p>After this book, Purser-Hallard wrote <i><a href="https://amzn.to/3spmOzY" target="_blank">Sherlock Holmes: Masters of Lies</a></i>, a wonderfully twisty double-cross on the reader. Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson, and Mycroft Holmes investigate the suicide of a supposed spy, caught up with various document forgeries. It came out from Titan in May 2022. Both books are recommended. </p><p><i><a href="https://amzn.to/3P0EXNv" target="_blank">Sherlock Holmes: The Spider's Web</a> </i>by Philip Purser-Hallard, published by Titan Books, October 2020, is available in paperback and Kindle format <a href="https://amzn.to/3P0EXNv" target="_blank">on Amazon</a>.</p><p><br /></p> <script type="text/javascript"> amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "scottmonty-20"; amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "manual"; amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; amzn_assoc_region = "US"; amzn_assoc_design = "enhanced_links"; amzn_assoc_asins = "B087SJ2Z6C"; amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit"; amzn_assoc_linkid = "45163ab1cfcc7e15463dfe8938305f27"; </script> <script src="//z-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/onejs?MarketPlace=US"></script> <script type="text/javascript"> amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "scottmonty-20"; amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "manual"; amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; amzn_assoc_region = "US"; amzn_assoc_design = "enhanced_links"; amzn_assoc_asins = "1785658441"; amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit"; amzn_assoc_linkid = "d604259001a12327ea7e201690e219f1"; </script> <script src="//z-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/onejs?MarketPlace=US"></script>

Review: Sherlock Holmes: The Spider's Web

“earnest in the investigation”  [RETI] Who would have thought mixing a traditional Sherlock Holmes pastiche with Oscar Wilde's character...

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by Johanna Draper Carlson

Can You Survive the Adventures of Sherlock Holmes?

<h4 style="text-align: center;">“my judgment may survive the ordeal.” [SIGN]</h4><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSYFwXcWVp1pptbAqBfQPvD4f0i2AWIPfD4qoz8iATdnOLivLdy5EdY9gxnJRML7HVX2jGmtrj9boSfX38GS9yNemr54CpR6mdiZ5bAKxW9eRT0fAwl8w4MHXQMMMYTKr1RJZVL2__l3qvdcBdIOXHpF5Lhd2NQSbsLFe4GmRMASJUYDYgAVl7iWJc1Q/s1600/Can%20You%20Survive%20header.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1257" data-original-width="1600" height="502" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSYFwXcWVp1pptbAqBfQPvD4f0i2AWIPfD4qoz8iATdnOLivLdy5EdY9gxnJRML7HVX2jGmtrj9boSfX38GS9yNemr54CpR6mdiZ5bAKxW9eRT0fAwl8w4MHXQMMMYTKr1RJZVL2__l3qvdcBdIOXHpF5Lhd2NQSbsLFe4GmRMASJUYDYgAVl7iWJc1Q/w640-h502/Can%20You%20Survive%20header.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><i><br /></i><p></p><p><i><a href="https://amzn.to/41IP2Tr" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Can You Survive the Adventures of Sherlock Holmes</a>? </i>combines the interactivity of a choose-your-own-path book with three classic Sherlock Holmes stories: "The Red-Headed League," "The Speckled Band," and to say the other would be giving things away. </p><p>The reader gets to pretend to be Sherlock Holmes himself, which is fun, particularly as you can't be too cautious. You're told at the start that Moriarty may have sent you a case as a trap, but if you turn down too many, or you get too many deductions wrong, you might go out of business as a consulting detective. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://amzn.to/41IP2Tr" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2285" data-original-width="1600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk2e7Wo1WAWj92CJHMNIRced1b5Wnw5s9Wkhqw7DpDaQ1hD9aRR9PAveSdAz1WCuoF1aIZOiedozMTucOJ9-0PACc7NiOoCfz9c719e8Slmp5z170rt_7UV5U2ZogwTbqftuTOO50xwQxUDdBa2uZ0v9MvMmfd4ucTRvWfz-p4ieUaTz3vgDod-nj0hA/w140-h200/Can%20You%20Survive.jpg" width="140" /></a></div>Of course, if you've read the stories (and it's a rare Sherlock Holmes fan who isn't familiar with those two), you have a great advantage here. Even so, it's fun to see how choices — and alternate endings — have been inserted into these familiar tales. You might solve the case, or you may fail, or you or your client might even die! <p></p><p>The publisher recommends this book (and others in the series, including ones for <i><a href="https://amzn.to/3oyK4d9" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Dracula</a>, <a href="https://amzn.to/41uuxtd" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Wizard of Oz</a></i>, and <i><a href="https://amzn.to/41u7LSj" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Call of the Wild</a></i>) for ages 9-13, and that seems about right. It would be fun to read this through with a child, argue about which choices to make, and then talk about how these versions compare to the original stories. </p><p><i><a href="https://amzn.to/41IP2Tr" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><br />Can You Survive the Adventures of Sherlock Holmes?</a></i> by Arthur Conan Doyle, Ryan Jacobson, and Deb Mercier, published by Lake 7 Creative, October 2022</p><p><br /></p> On Amazon: <script type="text/javascript"> amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "scottmonty-20"; amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "manual"; amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; amzn_assoc_region = "US"; amzn_assoc_design = "enhanced_links"; amzn_assoc_asins = "1940647673"; amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit"; amzn_assoc_linkid = "2ec5059548bda8c041600bd5a4fe9304"; </script> <script src="//z-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/onejs?MarketPlace=US"></script>

Can You Survive the Adventures of Sherlock Holmes?

“my judgment may survive the ordeal.” [SIGN] Can You Survive the Adventures of Sherlock Holmes ? combines the interactivity of a choose-your...

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by Johanna Draper Carlson

Free Sherlock Holmes Stories Online

<h4 style="text-align: center;"> "therefore as free as air [STUD]"</h4><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgnWKsXbHswUJMnKfXCw0oM0NiudqqIKdvSZlS0BwWRWrUm2lhnG_gV-ibvUo1C4dQoszL_WEYUVtLRr2vdJF_IBRf0BEKbtKBjxh74PzYTr1auTl4Pg39QFOHYonRyM_weNIboFr-sFVMIoKibJ0BcMycvoYaZFx8M2h9MvdC3ThitzIaPkY_hmNXegQ" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="612" data-original-width="923" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgnWKsXbHswUJMnKfXCw0oM0NiudqqIKdvSZlS0BwWRWrUm2lhnG_gV-ibvUo1C4dQoszL_WEYUVtLRr2vdJF_IBRf0BEKbtKBjxh74PzYTr1auTl4Pg39QFOHYonRyM_weNIboFr-sFVMIoKibJ0BcMycvoYaZFx8M2h9MvdC3ThitzIaPkY_hmNXegQ=w640-h424" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Image credit: <a href="https://about.me/paulelgood" target="_blank">Paul Elgood</a></span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://linktr.ee/freesherlock" target="_blank">Free Sherlock</a> has a goal: to get more people reading, watching, and writing about Sherlock Holmes.<p></p><p>To support that goal, the group gives away free Sherlock Holmes books to young people in the UK — but even if you're no longer under 18 — or not even in the UK — you can read one of the short stories they've <a href="https://linktr.ee/freesherlock" target="_blank">made available online</a>.  </p><p>Written by <a href="https://mkwisemanauthor.com" target="_blank">M.K. Wiseman</a>, there are now four: </p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>"<b>The Case of Vittoria the Circus Belle</b>," in which Holmes and Watson pretend to be each other to a client, a circus performer seeking a missing colleague</li><li>"<b>The Adventure of the Haunted Man</b>" takes the two friends to Edinburgh to solve some holiday murders, combined with a ghost story for Christmas</li><li>"<b>The Case of the Inconstant Burglar</b>," brought by a landlady with a suspicious tenant and some missing jewelry</li><li>"<b>The Adventure of the Thimblerigged Ship</b>" sees Holmes undercover on a boat when a young woman is found to be missing, believed to have gone overboard</li></ul><p></p><p>Wiseman's uncommon structure is to feature Holmes as the narrator; her two Sherlock Holmes novels take the same approach. The first, <i><a href="https://amzn.to/3XYfM0x" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sherlock Holmes & the Ripper of Whitechapel</a></i>, requires that technique, as Holmes suspects his dear friend, Dr. John Watson, of the crimes. (It also has the unique perspective of removing fascination with the villain by giving him less focus than in many other stories of Jack the Ripper; instead, the victims are treated as more important than their killer, a welcome rebalancing.) </p><p><i><a href="https://amzn.to/3F9Ahip" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sherlock Holmes & the Singular Affair</a></i>, released last year, tackles the canon-mentioned case of the Aluminium Crutch, with assistance from Langdale Pike. Holmes assists a young woman who insists that someone is impersonating her fiancé in a story from before he'd met Watson. </p><p><br /></p><p>Free Sherlock also gives small grants to schools, libraries and book clubs to buy books or to support other associated activities. They support new Sherlockian writing and theater, with over 1,000 people benefitting since their launch.</p><p>Enjoy these stories knowing that they're in support of the mission of Free Sherlock. </p><p><br /></p>

Free Sherlock Holmes Stories Online

 "therefore as free as air [STUD]" Image credit: Paul Elgood Free Sherlock has a goal: to get more people reading, watching, and ...

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by Johanna Draper Carlson

Review: Sherlock Holmes and the Hound of the Baskervilles

<h4 style="text-align: center;">“he has a picture-book under his arm” [GREE] </h4><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKequyGUVUaV3s0jKvVT1cVsGlXCIDzXuFT2eev7RQcG-E0jclLS7ZwkKpuLDJII873zhF2hQF7CGIfQnZgA1S9U5G4YqNtLTVmNsWi7pXGeXQ9B8KaMZoVmyTxNTL7ndfDRVXpEEZUb94xzkdC7AAvCl8V9bty4z0cuyabVM8eIO8I_K7wIcswlU-lg/s1500/Noel%20-%20Sherlock%20Holmes%20HOUN%20cover%20cropped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="929" data-original-width="1500" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKequyGUVUaV3s0jKvVT1cVsGlXCIDzXuFT2eev7RQcG-E0jclLS7ZwkKpuLDJII873zhF2hQF7CGIfQnZgA1S9U5G4YqNtLTVmNsWi7pXGeXQ9B8KaMZoVmyTxNTL7ndfDRVXpEEZUb94xzkdC7AAvCl8V9bty4z0cuyabVM8eIO8I_K7wIcswlU-lg/w640-h396/Noel%20-%20Sherlock%20Holmes%20HOUN%20cover%20cropped.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>It's the way the world works. I wrote a survey of all of <i>The Hound of the Baskervilles </i>graphic novel adaptations, and as soon as I'm done, I find another one. </p><p><i><a href="https://amzn.to/3AWamsn" target="_blank">Sherlock Holmes and the Hound of the Baskervilles</a></i> is an "old book by Arthur Conan Doyle" featuring "new doodles by Jack Noel."</p><p>Although labeled a "Comic Classic," I was somewhat relieved to find that this isn't really a comic.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgka8l_B-z5GIyz8KPhGDgWppZgaNkwX_zQrTXqQO5K-GkEn7dFaCIEQD7GxcFGllQSMPLsbymY-5ynzY8Dg13N5Qt228HXhInFn17k-r4LvZLhr86HzD6fQiFmtKQoR97l5mGbfXnekM-mgLA6G-RlpaFaROtXb5JHnF8GmEq4_SFMK03Qu1w-rN7w2w/s2118/Noel%20-%20Sherlock%20Holmes%20HOUN%20cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2118" data-original-width="1500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgka8l_B-z5GIyz8KPhGDgWppZgaNkwX_zQrTXqQO5K-GkEn7dFaCIEQD7GxcFGllQSMPLsbymY-5ynzY8Dg13N5Qt228HXhInFn17k-r4LvZLhr86HzD6fQiFmtKQoR97l5mGbfXnekM-mgLA6G-RlpaFaROtXb5JHnF8GmEq4_SFMK03Qu1w-rN7w2w/w284-h400/Noel%20-%20Sherlock%20Holmes%20HOUN%20cover.jpg" width="284" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>Instead, this enjoyable read is formatted in illustrated diary format, as made popular by <i><a href="https://amzn.to/3KR1o49" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Diary of a Wimpy Kid</a></i> and its many imitators. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB4CDAlG_Ys1tA8VWM5vvvTiDJe6Rqf8-GzfChQp-sOgQbes3dCSPcyw2mOt-Rlb49jTY6OBM7U1pM0ni31atVyfDpUUJ-T0fotKKh4Fml9V-lZKltKW97ad6Szo7UcSAYVIoxap1bKzDZ0N_JpyWaLz6-6vJTg2GS2uatkUaJt1bS8LM62fm28bCC0w/s1436/Noel%20-%20Sherlock%20Holmes%20HOUN%20inside%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1052" data-original-width="1436" height="468" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB4CDAlG_Ys1tA8VWM5vvvTiDJe6Rqf8-GzfChQp-sOgQbes3dCSPcyw2mOt-Rlb49jTY6OBM7U1pM0ni31atVyfDpUUJ-T0fotKKh4Fml9V-lZKltKW97ad6Szo7UcSAYVIoxap1bKzDZ0N_JpyWaLz6-6vJTg2GS2uatkUaJt1bS8LM62fm28bCC0w/w640-h468/Noel%20-%20Sherlock%20Holmes%20HOUN%20inside%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div>Text; small, cartoony images; character portraits; and various diagrams are scattered across the pages in such a way that there's always something new to look at. Plus, there are occasional comments on the action, often in joking fashion. <div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisGiYplA1QGuSrONM20FMUtepYO7ob2DBHGXNqLyYQtbJqU-Vla6-2-bQrGLkniF0YeME9VnvHkBilMCSl9iLb6FHVlMHUwXmsKsTQmSQaLCMEbWhX7rpT5t7EQgdtxdhP802uAah5WDGJttNhfkkspqeKVCQ8T9RSvyluU07FqibXeYfjPx8NSdWRIw/s1416/Noel%20-%20Sherlock%20Holmes%20HOUN%20inside%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1014" data-original-width="1416" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisGiYplA1QGuSrONM20FMUtepYO7ob2DBHGXNqLyYQtbJqU-Vla6-2-bQrGLkniF0YeME9VnvHkBilMCSl9iLb6FHVlMHUwXmsKsTQmSQaLCMEbWhX7rpT5t7EQgdtxdhP802uAah5WDGJttNhfkkspqeKVCQ8T9RSvyluU07FqibXeYfjPx8NSdWRIw/w640-h458/Noel%20-%20Sherlock%20Holmes%20HOUN%20inside%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>The whole thing is punctuated by the use of an electric lime color that adds to the air of something creepy going on. Various captions, drawn to resemble post-it notes, highlight questions and clues that underline the mystery. </p><p>It's an amusing, modern way to tell the story for kids. I laughed several times, particularly when Watson's statement, "I spent the day at my club and did not return to Baker Street until evening," had a tiny note attached that ran, "Yes, I have my own life without Sherlock, thank you very much." </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ3SUCtRWNEIAJeghVe6VlvoGfdoN8vB0LpzLO74m-pX01vQfqSiuIfatZlY40TkE1mD11MDVVdP6CKhtEiORsFicfRXiviyVF0FH9h9p-KMhVj970HJkRj6xdj32whaLqLLdouLnShEahrtlzGwJsuapak74twod5kVuRa3-BVGt5g7danhgwLFfjnA/s1403/Noel%20-%20Sherlock%20Holmes%20HOUN%20inside%203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1018" data-original-width="1403" height="464" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ3SUCtRWNEIAJeghVe6VlvoGfdoN8vB0LpzLO74m-pX01vQfqSiuIfatZlY40TkE1mD11MDVVdP6CKhtEiORsFicfRXiviyVF0FH9h9p-KMhVj970HJkRj6xdj32whaLqLLdouLnShEahrtlzGwJsuapak74twod5kVuRa3-BVGt5g7danhgwLFfjnA/w640-h464/Noel%20-%20Sherlock%20Holmes%20HOUN%20inside%203.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>The sense of humor is appreciated, but the author also maintains the classic mood of the story, with plenty of spookiness and all the key points included. The additions are cute, entertaining, and surprisingly informative, giving the reader greater understanding of what's going on. It's a fun way to reread the most famous Sherlock Holmes story. </p><p>The publisher recommends the book for ages 7-9 and has posted an <a href="https://www.farshore.co.uk/resources/hound-of-the-baskervilles-activity-pack/" target="_blank">activity pack</a>. </p><p><i><a href="https://amzn.to/3AWamsn" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Comic Classics: Sherlock Holmes and the Hound of the Baskervilles</a></i> abridged by Lucy Courtenay, designed and illustrated by Jack Noel, published by Farshore, November 2021</p><p>--</p><p><br /></p></div>

Review: Sherlock Holmes and the Hound of the Baskervilles

“he has a picture-book under his arm” [GREE]  It's the way the world works. I wrote a survey of all of The Hound of the Baskervilles gra...

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by Johanna Draper Carlson

Review: Mr Doyle's Class Presents A Study in Scarlet

<p style="text-align: center;"><b> “a small brochure, with the somewhat fantastic title of ‘A Study in Scarlet’” [SIGN]</b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGoivW8VHQ4Al5jxzK9s5eIj8R0Ovi5gSZlWS7-UVwkvWlDSfg3FOxjrzZljPqkwg3gEkfxXbBD0Inxy52ynvhx3yysBLWfIYVtJWNonfY9yyI8hk17luD1-9cdtIn4JEeQkimB31g7o5D22hwuOuYHoJC1PT0hqJ1u7uCBZoHFdrfEAq_1dLu-q8qDA/s460/doyle%20class%20study%20scarlet%20cropped.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="319" data-original-width="460" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGoivW8VHQ4Al5jxzK9s5eIj8R0Ovi5gSZlWS7-UVwkvWlDSfg3FOxjrzZljPqkwg3gEkfxXbBD0Inxy52ynvhx3yysBLWfIYVtJWNonfY9yyI8hk17luD1-9cdtIn4JEeQkimB31g7o5D22hwuOuYHoJC1PT0hqJ1u7uCBZoHFdrfEAq_1dLu-q8qDA/s16000/doyle%20class%20study%20scarlet%20cropped.jpeg" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>This charming graphic novel aims to present "the original Sherlock Holmes story reimagined for a modern audience," and it succeeds wonderfully. </p><p>It's adapted by Matthew Hardy, illustrated by Russell Mark Olson, and published by the Portsmouth City Council, who also maintains the Richard Lancelyn Green collection. The goal is to introduce the novel, originally written in Portsmouth, to readers of all ages. </p><p>A group of present-day schoolchildren are learning about <i>A Study in Scarlet</i>. Under Mr. Doyle's direction, they're staging it as a play. Through the magic of imagination, the kids meet the originals, with the incorporation of the classic train car image from "Silver Blaze" in which Sherlock Holmes, in deerstalker and caped coat, explains to Dr. John Watson. </p><p>The comic format is used gracefully. The book opens with the modern-dressed kids peering around a Victorian street as snatches of dialogue float by. This illustrates the clash of cultures and times while still putting the reader in the center of the action. The current characters are drawn against classic settings, the blend making the story feel fresh. </p><p>The colors are all shades of a soft red. Although monochrome, the variety of tones adds depth to the art. The teacher is used to clarify some artistic choices. </p><p>The setting, on the stage, allows for focus on the most famous or most exciting moments, while stepping back, as necessary, to set context. For example, Sherlock Holmes is played by Scarlet Achary. Another student complains that Sherlock Holmes should be a boy, only to be told, "This is a play... Anyone can be anything they want." In a story about imagination, that's a welcome piece of advice. </p><p>The Utah section is abbreviated, accompanied by original illustrations, and summed up with the children concluding that anyone who doesn't listen to a woman's wishes is a creep. That's a nice way to highlight the still-relevant messages from this long-ago tale of revenge. </p><p>My only complaint is that the lettering is awfully small. Younger readers shouldn't have a problem, though, and it makes for a book comfortably sized for smaller hands. </p><p>The book can be ordered from the <a href="https://museumshops.uk/product/a-study-in-scarlet/" target="_blank">Portsmouth Museums website</a>, and <a href="http://www.alteredinstinct.com/2020/05/book-review-mr-doyles-class-presents.html" target="_blank">this review by Leo McBride</a> has included preview art panels. </p><p><br /></p><p><b><i>Mr Doyle's Class Presents A Study in Scarlet</i> adapted by Matthew Hardy, art by Russell Mark Olson, published by Portsmouth City Council, February 2020</b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk58g2N30hFc5wBARPuCkah19WncWDYPoAMPyD2-nkGS3rzZjPONnkoPtiKUQ6aBHs_eYV58iRgkijWU3na6gmdmFRV9SHJBBMDTeMUIdK1K5WqNGOV_KHkwE09o2TaNkm8fPkAYm9IIYs6F_75txiMeDzCrSrUNjV11843iFvX0Gl7mOlR2VqH9_4yg/s640/doyle%20class%20study%20scarlet.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="460" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk58g2N30hFc5wBARPuCkah19WncWDYPoAMPyD2-nkGS3rzZjPONnkoPtiKUQ6aBHs_eYV58iRgkijWU3na6gmdmFRV9SHJBBMDTeMUIdK1K5WqNGOV_KHkwE09o2TaNkm8fPkAYm9IIYs6F_75txiMeDzCrSrUNjV11843iFvX0Gl7mOlR2VqH9_4yg/s320/doyle%20class%20study%20scarlet.jpeg" width="230" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b><p></p><p><b><br /></b></p>

Review: Mr Doyle's Class Presents A Study in Scarlet

 “a small brochure, with the somewhat fantastic title of ‘A Study in Scarlet’” [SIGN] This charming graphic novel aims to present "the ...

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by Johanna Draper Carlson

Review: Sherlock Holmes' Little Book of Wisdom

<div><div><h4 style="text-align: center;">"It is better to learn wisdom late than never to learn it at all" [TWIS] </h4></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjR7qWj1itsctb9Ynx4RRsGzgglUL4dKmAmbVISdSoKtSHUNs6_tQTFyK7_7cfc4xvQ6OibZZBR0uBVKoDKMSOAP1j3-eEmy0K7KvzAqPkvTF_-rHiyDhjLjb4cLKYQ9nuRdLdEgWgDBGyHtJEa48f7jnV8eZPCAnS2W_OW618-uPrwjWRNZnCf3kxCRw=s1057" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="678" data-original-width="1057" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjR7qWj1itsctb9Ynx4RRsGzgglUL4dKmAmbVISdSoKtSHUNs6_tQTFyK7_7cfc4xvQ6OibZZBR0uBVKoDKMSOAP1j3-eEmy0K7KvzAqPkvTF_-rHiyDhjLjb4cLKYQ9nuRdLdEgWgDBGyHtJEa48f7jnV8eZPCAnS2W_OW618-uPrwjWRNZnCf3kxCRw=w640-h410" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>Cartoonist Glenn Dakin has turned his skills to an illustrated set of short, inspirational essays in <i><a href="https://amzn.to/3KwjSGk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sherlock Holmes' Little Book of Wisdom: How to Deduce What on Earth Is Going On</a></i>. </div><div><br /></div><div>He aims to show the reader how to apply the detective's skills to everyday life, with chapters on the topics of observation, deduction, fisticuffs, setting a trap, and others. As Dakin explains in his introduction: </div><div></div><blockquote><div>"Instead of being dazzled by Sherlock’s genius, as others are, we have taken a good look at the limited range of skills he considered important, sorted them into helpful areas, and deduced some wisdom that can be applied to your life.</div><div><br /></div><div>"For example, Holmes is a master of disguise. But this book won’t tell you how to successfully portray a drunken groom or an old Italian priest. It will, however, look at how disguise is used in everyday life, online and in the media, to confuse and deceive you." </div></blockquote><div></div><div><br /></div><div>The inky, scratchy caricatures are appealing, capturing Holmes' unique blend of awareness, presence, and grumpiness. There's a dark humor to some of them that suits the general air of knowing cynicism in the advice and examples. </div><div><br /></div><div>There are a number of quotes from Holmes and other characters, used by Dakin as a jumping-off point for advice and observations. He reinforces the importance of detail, of carefully curating your knowledge to be useful, thinking through the strategy of fighting, techniques to gain information, and the importance of friendship. </div><div><br /></div><div>In between, he draws life lessons from specific stories, including <i>The Hound of the Baskervilles</i>, "The Blue Carbuncle," "The Red-Headed League," and "The Man With the Twisted Lip." Some of the points he aims for can seem a bit of a stretch, but at least his suggestions are thought-provoking. </div><div><br /></div><div>This small, slim hardcover is aimed at the gift market. It can be difficult to find new things for the Sherlockian in your life; this would make a good choice. </div></div><div><br /></div><div><div><i><b><a href="https://amzn.to/3KwjSGk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sherlock Holmes' Little Book of Wisdom</a></b></i> by Glenn Dakin, published by Hero Collector, December 2021</div><div><br /></div><div><i>A complimentary digital copy of the book was supplied for the purpose of a review</i>.</div></div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Related:</h3><div>Our interview with Glenn Dakin on <a href="https://ihose.co/ihose230" target="_blank">Episode 230</a> of the I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere podcast.</div><div><br /></div><div><iframe allow="autoplay" frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1178722342&color=%23ce1a21&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true" width="100%"></iframe><div style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Interstate, "Lucida Grande", "Lucida Sans Unicode", "Lucida Sans", Garuda, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: 100; line-break: anywhere; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap; word-break: normal;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/ihearofsherlock" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere">I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/ihearofsherlock/sherlock-holmes-little-book-of" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="Sherlock Holmes' Little Book of Wisdom">Sherlock Holmes' Little Book of Wisdom</a></div><br /></div><div>--</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>

Review: Sherlock Holmes' Little Book of Wisdom

"It is better to learn wisdom late than never to learn it at all" [TWIS]  Cartoonist Glenn Dakin has turned his skills to an illus...

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by Johanna Draper Carlson

Book Review: A Study in Crimson: Sherlock Holmes 1942

<h4 style="text-align: center;">“a ghastly crimson halo of blood” [REDC]</h4><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv0BqLJa8drcSgZH5eaX7wSw9eHatW-3YCwHFBXZ6LbXZZpbJjpCo9Bidb92FVlBMbQUrMYr8MmumElJ9bpFI5-s_hIBnnON6q78vzKDJ5ZSKfcPeSgnMUc6Md975G9063WN4ddiH6aTgB/s1400/a+study+in+crimson+header.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1036" data-original-width="1400" height="474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv0BqLJa8drcSgZH5eaX7wSw9eHatW-3YCwHFBXZ6LbXZZpbJjpCo9Bidb92FVlBMbQUrMYr8MmumElJ9bpFI5-s_hIBnnON6q78vzKDJ5ZSKfcPeSgnMUc6Md975G9063WN4ddiH6aTgB/w640-h474/a+study+in+crimson+header.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>There have been many Sherlock Holmes stories and pastiches set in both the classic (1890 <span face="Roboto, arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px;">– </span>1910, or thereabouts) and modern eras. <i><a href="https://amzn.to/3qpOyl2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">A Study in Crimson: Sherlock Holmes 1942</a> </i>takes a different approach, with a setting inspired by the 1940s Universal Pictures film series starring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce. </p><p>As told by Robert J. Harris, someone calling himself "Crimson Jack" is recreating the murders of Jack the Ripper. The book beautifully sets the stage with a minor case that introduces us to a Sherlock Holmes, who's been taking up government work and a John Watson who's volunteering at a hospital to do his part for the war effort. They're in their fifties, shaped by their service in the previous conflict (where Watson was wounded, as their backstories have been updated in time). </p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghTfHJsu2cA1CxxZF-9DjKjzFXMfNKfNJ4zEmogF-hnJLiXSoS7cqzz9FCss0A9XTo9Io9nUXo04dEsyMoAwHm1Z2bz_VVRxED-G2uysRMsSbXBLcsITY7nC_P9qe349jBAul0xcEkZTaN/s2048/a+study+in+crimson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghTfHJsu2cA1CxxZF-9DjKjzFXMfNKfNJ4zEmogF-hnJLiXSoS7cqzz9FCss0A9XTo9Io9nUXo04dEsyMoAwHm1Z2bz_VVRxED-G2uysRMsSbXBLcsITY7nC_P9qe349jBAul0xcEkZTaN/w133-h200/a+study+in+crimson.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>In a world of blackouts and sandbagged buildings and missing young men who have gone off to war, Holmes and Watson hunt a serial killer. The immediate mystery takes place against larger political questions: about supporting a fading empire, maintaining public morale, and changing professions and roles. <p></p><p>That's best seen with one of the new characters, Gail Preston, an American radio journalist. She's brash, smart, and puts Watson quite off-balance. She plays "charming and eccentric" quite well, manipulating suspects into divulging information. Then there's Commander Phil Rayner of military intelligence, sent to work with the group by Mycroft Holmes, and of course, old friend Inspector Lestrade.  </p><p>The language nicely gives a historic flavor while still being immensely readable. The Holmes we see here is witty and a bit prickly. He tends to investigate in disguise and keep his cards close, while Watson (our narrator) doggedly follows along where instructed. Harris does a nice job keeping Watson baffled without descending into the idiocy that has been the public perception of Bruce's portrayal. </p><p>I blush to admit that I haven't actually seen those movies (yet!), so I had some concern about how much I'd enjoy this version (coupled with a feeling that Jack the Ripper is as overdone as Moriarty), but I was surprised at just how much I enjoyed it! The characters work whenever you set them, I believe, but the wartime environment plays up the drama. I'm eager to see the films that inspired this novel, now, as well as more in this series. A recommended read. </p><p><br /></p><p>Find <i>A Study in Crimson: Sherlock Holmes 1942</i> on <a href="https://amzn.to/3qpOyl2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Amazon</a> or wherever books are sold.</p><p>--</p><p><script type="text/javascript"> amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "scottmonty-20"; amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "manual"; amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; amzn_assoc_region = "US"; amzn_assoc_design = "enhanced_links"; amzn_assoc_asins = "1643137581"; amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit"; amzn_assoc_linkid = "9a13b0c698bac49266d67033107f98af"; </script> <script src="//z-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/onejs?MarketPlace=US"></script><br /></p>

Book Review: A Study in Crimson: Sherlock Holmes 1942

“a ghastly crimson halo of blood” [REDC] There have been many Sherlock Holmes stories and pastiches set in both the classic (1890  –  1910, ...

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by Johanna Draper Carlson

Book Review: Sherlock's Secretary

<h4 style="text-align: center;">"I set myself to find out what had become of the secretary " [STUD]</h4><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq6ICiPXmw8Od2ciPFkGtzIdgqdIbdZSM5KCQdO4n6375lrIUO2rq-Qfkt8jgD01mKcWnIjTQmmlfV3IWqT6BdugXx_ur0WosmsPVwSZZ0j-z4Zc4GMEEYMP7YO8acz3_8MDS-hfOqhRHn/s880/Sherlock%2527s+Secretary-cropped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="758" data-original-width="880" height="552" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq6ICiPXmw8Od2ciPFkGtzIdgqdIbdZSM5KCQdO4n6375lrIUO2rq-Qfkt8jgD01mKcWnIjTQmmlfV3IWqT6BdugXx_ur0WosmsPVwSZZ0j-z4Zc4GMEEYMP7YO8acz3_8MDS-hfOqhRHn/w640-h552/Sherlock%2527s+Secretary-cropped.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>Addy Zhuang has a job many of us would kill for. He's been hired to answer Sherlock Holmes' mail. Well, the messages that people send to 221B Baker Street, one of the most famous addresses of all time. <i><a href="https://amzn.to/3nQLaNi" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sherlock's Secretary</a></i> is a present-day mystery novel that begins when someone steals some of Sherlock's letters. </p><p>Addy and true crime podcaster (and object of Addy's crush) Zabel Carvalho follow the clues to find out who's behind the theft and why. Along the way, they discover a ridiculous group of exaggerated personalities, including a small group of local Holmes Society members who can't agree on anything. </p><p>There's also a terrible never-seen 1960s TV movie about Sherlock Holmes that plays a role. The desire to find a missing TV episode is one many fans will relate to. They will likely also appreciate the scene-setting references. Sidney Paget, Benedict Cumberbatch, Basil of Baker Street, <a href="https://ihose.co/ihose185" target="_blank">William S. Baring-Gould</a>, and Jonny Lee Miller, among others, all get a passing mention. </p><p>It's the details that caught me. I have no idea whether this is a real job [<i><a href="https://www.economist.com/1843/2021/10/06/the-curious-incident-of-sherlock-holmess-real-life-secretary" target="_blank">It was</a>. - Ed.</i>], or what happens to Sherlock's mail these days, but I loved thinking about how Addy handled the task and decorated his office. The discussions he and Zabel have, trying to apply Sherlock's methods and puzzle out what's going on, are the kinds of conversations many Sherlockians have envisioned, were they lucky enough to be pulled into a mystery. </p><p>This is a light, breezy read that moves quickly through its twists and turns. I enjoyed the couple of hours I spent with it. </p><p><br /></p><p><i><b></b></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7H4k7yX5vKUU4b-q12fRh5eC-dzE6eHzNll1zvdvCZ6ZTBit6ODF8l5GyPvoqjG82enNO5yKIAFbbKgtzuNVwOeXnfzCf4IDC9rSUVgBbHZZ0l0lGsw-gzaqCGYTIvuE1Dd33rGdYQiJm/s1360/Sherlock%2527s+Secretary.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1360" data-original-width="880" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7H4k7yX5vKUU4b-q12fRh5eC-dzE6eHzNll1zvdvCZ6ZTBit6ODF8l5GyPvoqjG82enNO5yKIAFbbKgtzuNVwOeXnfzCf4IDC9rSUVgBbHZZ0l0lGsw-gzaqCGYTIvuE1Dd33rGdYQiJm/w129-h200/Sherlock%2527s+Secretary.jpg" width="129" /></a></b></i></div><i><b><br />Sherlock's Secretary</b></i> by Chris Chan, published by MX Publishing, November 2021. <br /><br />Available at <a href="https://mxpublishing.com/products/sherlocks-secretary?_pos=1&_sid=b8024286e&_ss=r" target="_blank">MX Publishing</a>, <a href="https://amzn.to/3nQLaNi" target="_blank">Amazon</a>, <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sherlocks-secretary-chris-chan/1140147507?ean=9781787058842" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a>, and wherever books are sold.<br /><br />Also, check out Chris Chan's <a href="https://chrischancrimeandcriticism.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Crime & Criticism</a> blog.<p></p><p><span style="color: #0e0e0e;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #0e0e0e;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #0e0e0e;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;"><b><i>--</i></b></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #0e0e0e;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></span></p><script type="text/javascript"> amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "scottmonty-20"; amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "manual"; amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; amzn_assoc_region = "US"; amzn_assoc_design = "enhanced_links"; amzn_assoc_asins = "1787058840"; amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit"; amzn_assoc_linkid = "961a89fc4b7c401c0ec8d46c636278a1"; </script> <script src="//z-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/onejs?MarketPlace=US"></script>

Book Review: Sherlock's Secretary

"I set myself to find out what had become of the secretary " [STUD] Addy Zhuang has a job many of us would kill for. He's been...

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by Johanna Draper Carlson

Book Review: Playing the Game

<h4 style="text-align: center;">"we should have had the opportunity of playing his own game upon himself" [HOUN]</h4><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX_o62cuzMJAQDGqdRSYVDNZpctjol48_DiydcK9ZVkQllTI315y44KNNqsea6eBUJJ7C8I9bizHNo_7najamWf42xFzRDZSO8rxYYc2kJ3N3w4uD0Qcmus88oiFa6C9btdI8vIyqd3cGE/s1817/Cenarth+Fox+-+Playing+the+Game.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1357" data-original-width="1817" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX_o62cuzMJAQDGqdRSYVDNZpctjol48_DiydcK9ZVkQllTI315y44KNNqsea6eBUJJ7C8I9bizHNo_7najamWf42xFzRDZSO8rxYYc2kJ3N3w4uD0Qcmus88oiFa6C9btdI8vIyqd3cGE/w640-h478/Cenarth+Fox+-+Playing+the+Game.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>Sherlockians know that "playing the game" means considering Arthur Conan Doyle's role as Dr. John Watson's literary agent for his stories about his friend Sherlock Holmes. </p><p>In <i><b><a href="https://amzn.to/3oFpTIm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sherlock Holmes: Playing the Game</a></b></i>, Cenarth Fox takes this approach to ludicrous but amusing extremes. It's a comedic meta-story, stuffed with facts and historical details. </p><p>A seventy-something Holmes is packing for his retirement in Sussex when Mrs. Hudson reveals that she's written a book about the mistakes he and Watson have made. He wants to stop publication at any cost, while she's determined to make her literary debut. </p><p>Things spiral out of control when she visits the editorial staff at the<i> Strand</i> <i>Magazine</i>. They send her to meet Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who thinks the old woman is deluded, since she thinks his creation is real. The editor loves the manuscript but can't find the writer. Sir Arthur is grumpy about the criticism of his writing and what he believes to be annoying fans. Meanwhile, Holmes and Watson bicker while trying to find the book.</p><p>Readers who wonder about Doyle's grasp of details will enjoy seeing many of the bobbles mentioned here, whether it's the location of Watson's wound or the question of his wife's name. The story drags a bit in the middle<span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">—</span>I'm not sure this idea and its working-out needed 180 pages<span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">—</span>but the concept is ridiculously fun. It's a caper spurred by love of the characters, errors and all. </p><p><br /></p><p><i><b><a href="https://amzn.to/2YsQuOe" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sherlock Holmes: Playing the Game</a></b></i> by Cenarth Fox, published by Fox Plays, 2020</p><p><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=scottmonty-20&language=en_US&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=0949175420&asins=0949175420&linkId=b49fc96d8ec856c3cb11d0772e9551d1&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><br /></p><p>--</p><p><br /></p>

Book Review: Playing the Game

"we should have had the opportunity of playing his own game upon himself" [HOUN] Sherlockians know that "playing the game...

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by Johanna Draper Carlson

New Enola Holmes Book Out Now

<h4 style="text-align: center;">"the young woman came to the door" [SECO] </h4><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsrD6imllDCgZIxj2T7FymxktmbP85ssY2OGmIE_iTWWZNPGTOjCHN2BD-ktbQOIEazHQ5fVDIYrCiE-25HoHsrdpGyoAErg13c4ePwtHGW7_wCw8vexGsHCW3PRtc2Vt8kpFEzV0leKlA/s1681/Enola+Holmes+Black+Barouche+-+landscape.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1072" data-original-width="1681" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsrD6imllDCgZIxj2T7FymxktmbP85ssY2OGmIE_iTWWZNPGTOjCHN2BD-ktbQOIEazHQ5fVDIYrCiE-25HoHsrdpGyoAErg13c4ePwtHGW7_wCw8vexGsHCW3PRtc2Vt8kpFEzV0leKlA/w640-h408/Enola+Holmes+Black+Barouche+-+landscape.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>Out now is <i><a href="https://amzn.to/3AgEVY2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Enola Holmes and the Black Barouche</a></i>, a new installment in the young adult novel series by <a href="https://ihose.co/ihose200" target="_blank">Nancy Springer</a>. </p><p>The previous six books were published between 2006 and 2010. Inspired by the recent successful Netflix film, this latest volume provides Sherlock and Mycroft's younger sister, now fifteen years old, with a new adventure. As the publisher describes it, </p><p></p><blockquote><p>When a young professional woman, Miss Letitia Glover, shows up on Sherlock's doorstep, desperate to learn more about the fate of her twin sister, it is Enola who steps up. It seems her sister, the former Felicity Glover, married the Earl of Dunhench and per a curt note from the Earl, has died. But Letitia Glover is convinced this isn't the truth, that she'd know--she'd feel--if her twin had died.</p><p>The Earl's note is suspiciously vague and the death certificate is even more dubious, signed it seems by a John H. Watson, M.D. (who denies any knowledge of such). The only way forward is for Enola to go undercover--or so Enola decides at the vehement objection of her brother. And she soon finds out that this is not the first of the Earl's wives to die suddenly and vaguely--and that the secret to the fate of the missing Felicity is tied to a mysterious black barouche that arrived at the Earl's home in the middle of the night. To uncover the secrets held tightly within the Earl's hall, Enola is going to require help--from Sherlock, from the twin sister of the missing woman, and from an old friend, the young Viscount Tewkesbury, Marquess of Basilwether!</p></blockquote><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">To find out more, you can <a href="https://us.macmillan.com/excerpt?isbn=9781250822956">read the first chapter</a> online or check the <a href="https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250822956">publisher's website</a>. </p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">And of course, you don't want to miss the I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere <a href="https://ihose.co/ihose200" target="_blank">interview with Nancy Springer</a>:</p><p style="text-align: left;"><iframe allow="autoplay" frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/893856502&color=ef1625" width="100%"></iframe></p><div style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Interstate, "Lucida Grande", "Lucida Sans Unicode", "Lucida Sans", Garuda, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: 100; line-break: anywhere; overflow: hidden; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap; word-break: normal;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/ihearofsherlock" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="ihearofsherlock">ihearofsherlock</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/ihearofsherlock/enola-holmes" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="Enola Holmes">Enola Holmes</a></div><div style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Interstate, "Lucida Grande", "Lucida Sans Unicode", "Lucida Sans", Garuda, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: 100; line-break: anywhere; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap; word-break: normal;"><br /></div>--<div style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Interstate, "Lucida Grande", "Lucida Sans Unicode", "Lucida Sans", Garuda, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: 100; line-break: anywhere; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap; word-break: normal;"><br /></div><p></p><script type="text/javascript"> amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "scottmonty-20"; amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "manual"; amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; amzn_assoc_region = "US"; amzn_assoc_design = "enhanced_links"; amzn_assoc_asins = "1250822955"; amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit"; amzn_assoc_linkid = "0133d14ba48b74bdc4c354b1d15b7cab"; </script> <script src="//z-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/onejs?MarketPlace=US"></script>

New Enola Holmes Book Out Now

"the young woman came to the door" [SECO]  Out now is  Enola Holmes and the Black Barouche , a new installment in the young adult ...

+ Read more »

by Johanna Draper Carlson