"worthy of our steel" [HOUN] Sidney Paget was the illustrator who first brought widespread visual recognition of Sherlock Holmes to the public. His American counterpart Frederic Dorr Steele got a later start, but made a lasting impact as well. We discuss Steele's inspiration and the ultimate gift that he left us: an indelible impression of Sherlock Holmes through various publications for the better part of his career. Please leave us a rating and review on the podcast player of your choice, and ...
Aug 01, 2017•17 min
"The chain of events is certainly one of extraordinary interest." [NAVA] Nepotism, bullying, carelessness and a locked room mystery — "The Naval Treaty" has it all. A young government employee is given a top secret assignment that keeps him at his desk late at night, but the document he was working on goes missing. And it's up to Sherlock Holmes to find the culprit. Clocking in at 12,701 words, this story is the longest of the 56 short stories in the Sherlock Holmes canon. But should it really h...
Jul 26, 2017•16 min
"there can be no question as to the authorship" [SIGN] "The Adventure of the Mazarin Stone" took place in July 1903 and it shares a distinction with one other Sherlock Holmes story: like "The Adventure of the Lion's Mane," this is the only other story that is told by a third person. We review some theories, summed up by Leslie Klinger, BSI ("The Abbey Grange") in his Daypark Press publication of a Baker Street Irregulars dinner memento in 2001. From Christopher Morley to O.F. Grazebrook, Gavin B...
Jul 19, 2017•16 min
"among the harpooners my research was nearing its end" [BLAC] We have one of the most iconic openings in the Sherlock Holmes stories in "The Adventure of Black Peter" - the year '95, Holmes in disguise, returning from the butcher's with his weapon of choice: a harpoon. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle pulled on his own knowledge of whaling vessels and voyages (as referenced in an earlier IHOSE episode), but how likely was the occurrence which we learned of in this story? The era of hand-held harpooning wa...
Jul 12, 2017•18 min
"there really was a plot" [GLOR] Independence Day is celebrated in the United States on July 4. It marks the date of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, a document that preceeded the American Revolution. This, as well as numerous other acts of rebellion in the years leading up to the war, represented a principled stand against British authority. And we have rebellion against British authority aptly represented in "The Gloria Scott ," which William Baring-Gould placed in July of 1874....
Jul 05, 2017•21 min•Season 1Ep. 27
"Saw through my game, I suppose" [3GAR] Once again, we have a con man at work, eager to enrich himself. He finds his mark, manages to get him away from the scene where his work needs to happen, and is eventually caught red-handed by Sherlock Holmes. Does this plot device sound familar? It should. Or at least it did, once we got the names of the minor characters straight... This tale has been recognized as sharing the plot of "The Red-Headed League" and "The Stock-Broker's Clerk". If indeed the p...
Jun 28, 2017•17 min
"she will not believe me" [IDEN] In the early stories in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes , Dr. Watson was admittedly new to the bio-docu-drama genre that he was creating. And while we've gotten comfortable with putting "The Adventure of..." in front of nearly every short story about Sherlock Holmes, a handful of these early stories were not titled that way. "A Scandal in Bohemia" and "A Case of Identity" were the first and third stories to be published in The Strand and did not carry that titl...
Jun 21, 2017•16 min
"He had described his household" [WIST] We're acutely aware of some of the fathers in the Sherlock Holmes stories, and the dastardly deeds associated with them. Individuals such as Jephro Rucastle and Grimesby Roylott spring to mind. But what about figures who occupied a position as head of the household who weren't necessarily fathers themselves? With Fathers Day coming up this weekend, we thought this was an excellent time to take a moment and reflect on who these individuals are and what thei...
Jun 14, 2017•16 min
"not long after my marriage" [ENGR] In this episode, we look at how married life was treating Dr. Watson in "The Adventure of the Boscombe Valley Mystery." William S. Baring-Gould placed this at June 6 or June 8, 1889. It was published as the fourth short story in the collection known as The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes . In the opening scene, Holmes sends for the recently married Watson to accompany him on a case, and Mary Watson, far from nagging her husband about his penchant for dashing off...
Jun 07, 2017•15 min
"back to the same establishment" [GOLD] The last time we met, we were in the middle of a pub quiz. How were you doing? We're going to pick up where we left off, talking about various public houses, bars, taverns and inns that were mentioned in the Sherlock Holmes stories. Each played an important role in the story in which it was set. And as a bonus, we'll get you inside some of the real-life establishments* that you might stroll past the next time you're in London. * We're pleased to report tha...
May 31, 2017•14 min•Season 1Ep. 22
"gone to the nearest public house" [SOLI] We owe the entire Canon to Watson's drinking habits. Because he found himself at the Criterion Bar, he eventually found his way to Holmes. And just as importantly, public houses, taverns and bars play a role throughout the Sherlock Holmes stories. These locations are where they gathered intelligence, and met clients, or simply refreshed themselves. In the spirit of British pubs, we'll treat you to a bit of a pub quiz. Let's see how you do. Please leave u...
May 24, 2017•14 min•Season 1Ep. 21
"His Grace is surprised, Dr. Huxtable" [PRIO] The opening of "The Adventure of the Priory School" is one of the best in the entirety of the Sherlock Holmes stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Dr. Huxtable lands on the bearskin rug and from Watson's brandy administration to Holmes helping himself to the contents of Huxtable's pockets, it's vintage Sherlock Holmes. What do we know of Dr. Huxtable, and more importantly, what did he know about the Duke of Holdernesse? His days-long delay in seeking h...
May 17, 2017•22 min
"by the honour of your mother" [SIGN] There's no question that fathers play a significant role in many of the Sherlock Holmes stories. But what about mothers? As Mothers Day will be celebrated on May 14 in the United States, we thought it was an appropriate time to look at mothers and motherly figures in the Canon. From independent women to those who tragically lost their mothers, we see a common thread of strength. Where did Conan Doyle draw his examples from? And what did Sherlock Holmes and D...
May 10, 2017•15 min•Season 1Ep. 19
"have a look at the horse" [SILV] One of the best regarded stories in the Sherlock Holmes canon is "Silver Blaze." The story has so many elements to it that lend themselves to the lore of Sherlock Holmes: the Baker Street opening, the image of Holmes and Watson in the railway carriage, a number of famous quotes. We'll be revisiting this story again in Trifles. But for this time, our focus is on the horse. With the Kentucky Derby approaching on May 6, it's an apt time to consider the heritage of ...
May 03, 2017•17 min•Season 1Ep. 18
"I caught a glimpse of a great heart as well as of a great brain" [3GAR] In "The Adventure of the Copper Beeches," we're treated to a range of emotions and reactions from Sherlock Holmes. The opening scene is one of those Canonical gems: Outside, there is a thick fog, while inside, we see a cheery fire, the gleaming breakfast table, and an eloquently irritable Holmes with his cherry-wood pipe, expounding upon art and detection just long enough to bring us up to the arrival of his attractive and ...
Apr 26, 2017•18 min•Season 1Ep. 17
"it is with a heavy heart" [FINA] "The Final Problem" is a shocking tale, both for contemporaries of the Strand Magazine as well as for first-time readers of The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes. Christopher Morley wrote: "Devoted readers have rarely had such a shock as the opening words of this story when it first appeared in the Strand Magazine." And so too did we. Some reflections on the drastic turn of events and of the reactions to readers around the world. Please leave us a rating and review on ...
Apr 19, 2017•19 min•Season 1Ep. 16
"tell me how you came alive" [EMPT] While there is no explicit mention of Easter in the Sherlock Holmes story, we do have a story arc that follows the Easter mystery. While Holmes himself may not have been terribly religious (although he did express some acknowledgement of a higher power from time to time), he respected the tradition and the necessary belief in resurrection.
Apr 12, 2017•19 min•Season 1Ep. 15
"roused its snakish temper" [SPEC] "The Adventure of the Speckled Band" is consistently ranked as one of the most popular Sherlock Holmes stories written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. And in it, there are so many gems, so many possibilities to explore. We manage to delve into a few of them, including Dr. Roylott's clever yet poorly executed plan, the seemingly disparate time it took for victims to die, a passing glance at scores of untold cases accumulated during those early years, and more. Please...
Apr 05, 2017•23 min•Season 1Ep. 14
"quarter day is at hand" [WIST] There are at least two instances in the Sherlock Holmes stories when we come across a mention of quarter day. Just what is quarter day, and what is the significance with regard to these two stories? We delve into the history of quarter days, cross-quarter days and why the real estate market had such an impact on calendars and ultimately played into the plots of "Wisteria Lodge" and "The Resident Patient." Please leave us a rating and review on iTunes or Google Pla...
Mar 29, 2017•15 min•Season 1Ep. 13
"To Sherlock Holmes, she is always the woman" [SCAN] It is the first story in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, and it is also the first of what we might call the stories of legend: those Canonical tales that have inspired our imaginations far beyond the events that Watson wrote down. We already have Holmes and Watson, legends enough for anyone, but just as "The Greek Interpreter" reveals brother Mycroft Holmes, and "The Final Problem" outlines the evil figure of Moriarty, "A Scandal in Bohemia...
Mar 22, 2017•17 min•Season 1Ep. 12
"you could not celebrate him without being known yourself" [HOUN] With mid-March upon us, we thought it was high time to investigate some of the Irish connections in the Sherlock Holmes stories. From the obvious to the subtle, we go from Belfast to Waterford to Skibbereen, across the pond to America, and back again. Short stories and novels alike, there are glimpses of the Emerald Isle in a number of hiding places in the Canon. Did we miss any? Well, you'll just have to tell us. Please subscribe...
Mar 15, 2017•13 min•Season 1Ep. 11
"He was clad in his dressing gown" [CREE] You'll find Sherlock Holmes lounging in his dressing gown in no fewer than 14 of the original stories. And yet, its color changed from story to story. Sherlock Holmes's dressing gown was alternatively purple, blue and mouse — how can this be? We discuss the possibilities that scholars have put forth over the course of many decades and even add our own conjecture. Add in a quick primer on what dressing gowns are and what Victorian / Edwardian habits were ...
Mar 08, 2017•16 min•Season 1Ep. 10
"embrace the true faith" [STUD] We see glimpses of religion in a number of stories, from plot devices to red herrings, saintly inferences to clever disguises. What role did religion play in the Sherlock Holmes stories? And Arthur Conan Doyle's own faith had some bearing on what we see as well. It's a chat about religion, faith, and their multitude of instances in the Canon. Links The Adventuresses of Sherlock Holmes Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publ...
Mar 01, 2017•17 min•Season 1Ep. 9
"it is a very sweet little problem" [BERY] One of the more comical openings to a story occurred in "The Adventure of the Beryl Coronet," in which the banker Alexander Holder raced his way through to snow to 221B Baker Street, which he followed by beating his head against the wall. You don't get much more dramatic than that. But when it comes to reporting the crime, would the criminal, Holder, or the owner of the beryl coronet have been more at risk if the details came to light? After all, the co...
Feb 22, 2017•18 min•Season 1Ep. 8
"what's amiss with the names?" [VALL] One of the most puzzling passages in the Sherlock Holmes stories is when Mrs. Watson referred to her husband, the good Doctor, as "James." However, we know that his given name is John. What could be afoot here? Was it a typo? An impostor? A slip of the tongue? We review some of the longstanding theories and even provide a few of our own to see if we might get to the bottom of this mystery. Links " The Adventure of the Man with the Twisted Lip " Sherlock Holm...
Feb 15, 2017•15 min•Season 1Ep. 7
"a puzzled quarter of an hour" [MISS] The Sherlock Holmes stories are filled with hints of dates, places and people that cause them to be intertwined with reality. It is therefore natural to think that we can arrive at some certainty as to the date of an adventure when Watson gives us a specific month in which a case begins. It is also wrong to think so. "The Adventure of the Missing Three-Quarter" is one such example. We're given a February date (hence the release date of this episode) and yet,...
Feb 08, 2017•13 min•Season 1Ep. 6
Charles Augustus Milverton was considered by Sherlock Holmes to be "the worst man in London." Watson tried to shield the date of the case — not to protect Milverton, but to protect his victims. And Holmes and Watson went to extraordinary lengths to defeat the odious blackmailer, from burglary to destruction of property, and even a faux engagement by Holmes. While reputation was everything in Victorian times, did the pair go too far? Their willingness to break the law was in service of victims, b...
Feb 01, 2017•16 min•Season 1Ep. 5
Sir Eustace Brackenstall met with a grisly, if appropriate end in "The Abbey Grange." Ultimately, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson let his killer go free. But was Captain Crocker solely responsible for Brackenstall's death? Other individuals were involved with the calm plotting of the aftermath of the death — but whose shoulders bear the ultimate brunt of the guilt in the end? Links "The Abbey Grange" "The game's afoot" as found in King Henry's speech "Once more unto the breach" in Henry V ....
Jan 25, 2017•14 min•Season 1Ep. 4
Dr. Watson tells us that he and Sherlock Holmes visited one London restaurant two times. And while the gustatory habits of the famed Baker Street duo are not entirely well-documented, we have a good sense as to what they must have eaten at the famed Simpson's in-the-Strand. This is a case of fact meeting fiction, as Simpson's is very much a real establishment in London — one that was recently in danger of losing its identity. We bring you inside this gem that dates from the 1820s as a cigar and ...
Jan 18, 2017•14 min•Season 1Ep. 3
The opening lines of A Study in Scarlet are rich with details about Dr. Watson's past. His medical degree, his army service, even his injury. He recalls how he came to London without knowing anyone in the city and proceeded to blow through his cash reserves. Just how far could one get on 11s. 6p. per day in 1881? And how fortunate we are that Watson couldn't keep to his budget. For his cash situation is what required him to find a flatmate... Links The Man Who Created Sherlock Holmes: the Life a...
Jan 11, 2017•15 min•Season 1Ep. 2
