“window-breaking Furies” [VALL] Windows are everywhere in the Sherlock Holmes stories. But in certain cases, they form an essential part of the plot. In some cases, it may be transparent. In others, not so much. Whether they're decorative, a passage of one form or another, or are broken in the course of a crime, some windows serve a purpose in the Canon. It's just a Trifle. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles241 Mullioned windows Find us on Facebook , Twitter , Instagram and YouTube Ema...
Aug 11, 2021•22 min•Season 5Ep. 241
“It is full of old houses which are named after the men who built them centuries ago.” [SUSS] Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was a master storyteller. He gave us memorable characters and plots that painted a picture over the course of the entire Canon. But more than plot or characters, place played an outsized role. What does the geography in the Sherlock Holmes stories tell us? It's just a Trifle. And for our Patreon supports, we have another bonus clip . For as little as $1 a month, you can join this ...
Aug 04, 2021•21 min•Season 5Ep. 240
“evolved from his own inner consciousness” [BOSC] In Episode 237, we looked at how Holmes's personality traits changed over the course of his career. We're back for another look using four separate stories, each 10 years apart. What can the Canon tell us about the ways Holmes's interests, tastes, enthusiasms, relationships, reputation, and more changed during his long career? It's just a Trifle. Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, an...
Jul 28, 2021•27 min•Season 5Ep. 239
“Cyanea! Cyanea!” [LION] In the third week of every month in our fifth season, Trifles looks at exotic animals. We turn to the sea this time, examining jellyfish. And this episode brought us into contact with an old publication: the Catalogue of an Exhibition Held at Abbey House, Baker Street, London, May–September 1951 . For those intimately familiar with the Sherlock Holmes stories, there is only one story in which we find a jellyfish. For those not familiar, spoiler alert. It is just a Trifle...
Jul 21, 2021•19 min•Season 5Ep. 238
“Let me show you the evolution of this case” [WIST] In our last episode, we discussed the subtle yet undeniable change in the nature of the relationship between Sherlock Holmes and Inspector Lestrade. But what about the evolution of Holmes himself? What aspects of his character changed over the course of his career, from a 20-something during his first case at university to his final case four decades later? What remained the same? It's just a Trifle. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles...
Jul 14, 2021•27 min•Season 5Ep. 237
"That you, Lestrade?" [EMPT] One might say that Sherlock Holmes and Inspector G. Lestrade had a contentious relationship. While this may be the popular stereotype between the two professionals, a long-term assessment doesn't bear this out. Listener Ron Lies has shared a paper of his that takes us through the Holmes-Lestrade relationship chronologically, and things may be a little different than they appear. It's just a Trifle. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles236 Find us on Facebook ,...
Jul 07, 2021•35 min•Season 5Ep. 236
“Altogether there are eight maids” [MUSG] Two stories. Two jewels. Two lady's maids. And two strikingly similar circumstances. In "The Blue Carbuncle" and "The Six Napoleons," published just 11 years apart, we can find some remarkable parallels that result in the disappearance of minor players who were involved in critical plot points. It's just a Trifle. Support us on Patreon: patreon.com/trifles And leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts . Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles23...
Jun 30, 2021•23 min•Season 5Ep. 235
“some secret society, some implacable organization” [VALL] We know the Mafia, the KKK, and other named secret societies permeate the Sherlock Holmes stories. They add to the mystery and mystique of the plots. But what were some of the lesser-known secret societies? And were they really that secret? It's just a Trifle. Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show. Links / Notes This episode: iho...
Jun 23, 2021•25 min•Season 5Ep. 234
“the direct nature of the experiment” [BRUC] It's the third week of the month, and that means it's time for our Exotic Animals feature! When you hear "rat" anywhere near the Sherlock Holmes stories, there are three possible conclusions: the Giant Rat of Sumatra, Ballarat, or... Lab rats, which is our topic of discussion. While lab rats aren't literally mentioned in the Canon, there are some figurative ones. What were they? We look at those, plus the history of animal experimentation in medicine....
Jun 16, 2021•26 min•Season 5Ep. 233
“The best possible” [NOBL] In Episode 231, we left you with a bit of a cliffhanger. The show was filled with answers to questions from listeners, and one asked about our favorite Sherlock Holmes stories. Rather than boring you with only our personal preferences, we got into a history of the best Sherlock Holmes stories, first as judged by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle himself, and later by multitudes of Sherlockians. It's just a Trifle. Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You do...
Jun 09, 2021•22 min•Season 5Ep. 232
“they are pretty sure to ask questions anyhow, so it would be as well to have answers” [RETI] We're doing something a little different for this episode. There are certain elements about the Sherlock Holmes stories that are just too trifling out of which to create an entire episode. So we turned to you. We're answering questions that you have submitted, hopefully providing more clarity than less. If this works well, we'll do it again. It's just a Trifle. Have you left us a rating and review on Ap...
Jun 02, 2021•28 min•Season 5Ep. 231
“That is very fortunate” [SCAN] Sherlock Holmes didn't believe in superstition, the supernatural, or random guesses. He was a detective who dealt in facts and data. And yet, the canon of Sherlock Holmes stories is littered with coincidences (happy or otherwise) and instances of luck. How did these play into the stories and Holmes's ability to solve them? It's just a Trifle. Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps m...
May 26, 2021•29 min•Season 5Ep. 230
“the whole story concerning the politician, the lighthouse, and the trained cormorant” [VEIL] There is one scant mention of a cormorant in the Sherlock Holmes stories — in one of Watson's enticing throwaway lines of a case which we'll never read. In "The Veiled Lodger," he tells us about the case involving a trained cormorant that might be revealed to the public. But what is a cormorant? Can it really be trained? It's the third week of the month, and that means we discuss exotic animals in the C...
May 19, 2021•20 min•Season 5Ep. 229
“I stooped to the eyepiece and focussed for my vision.” [SHOS] Given Arthur Conan Doyle's training in the field of eye medicine, it's no surprise that we find a number of Sherlock Holmes characters who wear glasses. In fact, an entire story is named after a set of eyewear. Who were some of the bespectacled band in the Sherlock Holmes stories? It's just a Trifle. Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles228 What Did Victorians Make of Spectacles? (Wellcome Library Blog via Wayback Machine) Art...
May 12, 2021•24 min•Season 5Ep. 228
“the sending of general messages” [VALL] Sherlock Holmes was an inveterate message sender and receiver. The many notes, letters, telegrams, cryptogram, and other forms of communication that passed by his view made for key clues in some cases. We wondered how things might have turned out differently in certain cases if the frequency of messages were different. And how, in certain cases, Holmes duped the messengers. It's just a Trifle. Find Trifles wherever you listen to podcasts: Listen to Sherlo...
May 05, 2021•25 min•Season 5Ep. 227
“I am a poor man” [PRIO] Time and again, we find people in the Sherlock Holmes stories who are having money problems. As in money problems drastic enough to cause them to make unfortunate decisions. Who were some of these people, and what hard choices did they make? We have a few of them; it's just a Trifle. Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and every review helps more people find the show. And please consider supporting our effort...
Apr 28, 2021•26 min•Season 5Ep. 226
"like a viper’s tooth" [DYIN] Here we are again, ready to tackle the monthly topic of exotic animals. So naturally, we turn to the wiper. Wait, the what ? Suffice it to say that the oddly-identified snake does have a place in the Sherlock Holmes stories, although way down at the East End. Oh, and there's the little matter of a Great War publishing machine. It's just a Trifle. Support us on Patreon: patreon.com/trifles Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles225 Sponsor The BSI Press Music cr...
Apr 21, 2021•21 min•Season 5Ep. 225
"It is fortunate for this community that I am not a criminal."[BRUC] Sherlock Holmes certainly ran with a rough crowd. Burglars, murderers, blackmailers, thieves, spies, kidnappers, and even politicians. Given his store of criminal knowledge, what stopped him from becoming a criminal himself? Wait just a moment; while his cause was justice, his practice wasn't always on the right side of the law. Thanks to a suggestion from Erik Deckers, we're examining the criminality of Sherlock Holmes. It's j...
Apr 15, 2021•28 min•Season 5Ep. 224
“a sharp touch of brain-fever” [MUSG] Inspired by two sources of Sherlockian medical scholarship, we decided to discuss brain fever. What was brain fever, medically speaking? And why does it only rear its head in Victorian literature? Was it an actual affliction, or just a literary device? It's just a Trifle. Please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal . Links / Notes This episode: ihose.co/trifles223 Did Victorians Really Get Brain Fever? (JSTOR Daily) Reference: "Brain Fev...
Apr 07, 2021•27 min•Season 5Ep. 223
“Apply 221B, Baker Street” [NAVA] Last week, we left you hanging with Vincent Starrett's chapter in his book The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes . We couldn't leave it unfinished, so we're back with the second half. And a special treat at the conclusion of the episode—also with a 221B theme. It's just a Trifle. Find Trifles wherever you listen to podcasts: Listen to Sherlock Holmes: Trifles Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts yet? You don't need to own an Apple device, and eve...
Mar 31, 2021•22 min•Season 5Ep. 222
“I have my eye on a suite in Baker Street” [STUD] There is no question that 221B Baker Street is the most famous address in all of fiction. What makes it interesting is its non-existence at the time of the stories' publications, and legions of fans attempting to determine its actual location afterward. Vincent Starrett was a huge fan of this game. So much so that he dedicated a chapter in his book The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes to it. To celebrate our 221st episode, Scott and Burt read "No....
Mar 24, 2021•22 min•Season 5Ep. 221
“some creature of the weasel and stoat tribe” [CROO] There was a fad in mid-century Victorian England that led to pets becoming more common. But the third week of each month, our episodes focus not on everyday household animals but rare and unusual creatures. In this case, we focus on a member of the family Herpestidae. Namely, the mongoose. Making a few appearances in popular fiction, they're just a Trifle. Find Trifles wherever you listen to podcasts: Listen to Sherlock Holmes: Trifles Have yo...
Mar 17, 2021•23 min•Season 5Ep. 220
“rarefied heights of pure mathematics” [VALL] As we know, James Moriarty was a professor of mathematics. We know little about his academic appointment, other than having to step down from a chair. What we do know is he has two publications to his name. What are they, and what do they tell us about Moriarty's approach to a life of crime. They're just a Trifle. Find Trifles wherever you listen to podcasts: Listen to Sherlock Holmes: Trifles Have you left us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts ye...
Mar 10, 2021•27 min•Season 5Ep. 219
“I return with an excellent appetite” [BLAC] The Sherlock Holmes stories are a cornucopia of content. A smorgasbord of smarts. A full menu of fulfillment. So it shouldn't be terribly surprising that we find buffets mentioned in the Canon. Perhaps you skipped over the Canonical buffet line. We can't blame you. The references are fleeting, at best. As we say, it's just a Trifle. Find Trifles wherever you listen to podcasts: Listen to Sherlock Holmes: Trifles Have you left us a rating and review on...
Mar 03, 2021•23 min•Season 5Ep. 218
“Our own colours, green and white.” [WIST] Yes, the circle was red, the study was scarlet and the pips were orange. But there are so many other colors (or colours) to explore in the Sherlock Holmes stories. Conan Doyle did a masterful job of using color to give us a vivid sense of the settings. But more than that, what does his use of various colors tell us? It's just a Trifle. Find Trifles wherever you listen to podcasts: Listen to Sherlock Holmes: Trifles Have you left us a rating and review o...
Feb 24, 2021•29 min•Season 5Ep. 217
“It is a nice household,” he murmured. “That is the baboon.” [SPEC] It seems that Dr. Grimesby Roylott had a bit of a wild side. Killed a man in India. Threw a blacksmith off a small bridge. Had a cheetah and baboon wandering his grounds. You know, as one does. As we looked at the animals in detail, we came across a startling detail about Roylott's menagerie. You might say it's just a Trifle. Find Trifles wherever you listen to podcasts: Listen to Sherlock Holmes: Trifles Have you left us a rati...
Feb 17, 2021•22 min•Season 5Ep. 216
“There are certainly one or two indications upon the stick.” [HOUN] Walking sticks were once fashionable. They were just as necessary as a pair of gloves and a hat in a gentleman's daily attire in Victorian England. But they also served a practical purpose from time to time. And Sherlock Holmes was able to use these personal effects as clue givers. What do we know about walking sticks and canes in the Canon? It's just a Trifle. Find Trifles wherever you listen to podcasts: Listen to Sherlock Hol...
Feb 10, 2021•25 min•Season 5Ep. 215
“shoes, but no socks.” [PRIO] Over the course of our first four seasons, we covered a wide variety of haberdashery: dressing gowns , clothes , disguises , and hats , to name a few. But we haven't covered anything related to footwear (unless you count that fleeting reference to tennis shoes in Episode 119 ). Shoes, boots, and slippers are a few of the kinds of footwear we come across in the Sherlock Holmes stories, and they all help Sherlock Holmes in some way. Which way is that, you ask? It's ju...
Feb 03, 2021•26 min•Season 5Ep. 214
“I can tell a Moriarty when I see one.” [VALL] Quick: in "The Final Problem," what is the name of Sherlock Holmes's arch-rival? Yes, we know it's Professor Moriarty, but what's his first name? If you said "James," you'd be wrong. Would you be surprised to learn that he has not only one, but two brothers, at least one of whom is also named James? It's a conundrum worthy of Moriarty himself. And it's just a Trifle. Find Trifles wherever you listen to podcasts: Listen to Sherlock Holmes: Trifles Ha...
Jan 27, 2021•22 min•Season 5Ep. 213
“the great black-faced monkey of the Himalayan slopes,” [CREE] It's only mentioned in passing, but the langur played an important role in "The Aventure of the Creeping Man." It showed you could make a monkey out of Professor Presbury. In this episode, we begin a monthly series on exotic animals. What do we know of langurs? Or of the other choices at hand during that time? It seems like a peculiar choice, but then again, it's just a Trifle. Find Trifles wherever you listen to podcasts: Listen to ...
Jan 20, 2021•25 min•Season 5Ep. 212
