“when I have exterminated that fourth egg” [VALL] While we discussed breakfast in the last episode, we felt we paid more attention to the toast than the eggs. And there was one quote in particular that didn't make the cut. We recall that quote, search for an egg-seller in the Sherlock Holmes stories, and ponder the evolution of chickens and eggs in the history of human cuisine. Which came first? It's just a Trifle. If you have a suggestion for a Trifles episode, let us know at trifles @ ihearofs...
May 04, 2023•27 min•Season 7Ep. 331
“we had breakfasted” [CHAS] For all the meals we hear about in the Sherlock Holmes stories – not to mention Mrs. Hudson having a good idea of breakfast – what were some of the regular morning comestibles? Come to think of it, there weren't many breakfasts mentioned in the Canon aside from one very consequential one. Can you think of others? It's just a Trifle. If you have a suggestion for a Trifles episode, let us know at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com. If you use your idea on the air, we'll send...
Apr 27, 2023•27 min•Season 7Ep. 330
“an anonymous communication from a quarter” [VALL] Just who was it that wrote "His Last Bow"? We know it wasn't Watson, as there were observations about him in the third person and a narrative of actions that didn't include him. In our monthly Masters Class series, we turn to the first of three pieces by the eminent Sherlockian Edgar W. Smith, who takes us on an exemplary journey of observation and deduction. And it's just a Trifle. If you have a suggestion for a Trifles episode, let us know at ...
Apr 19, 2023•27 min•Season 7Ep. 329
“a varied collection of weapons” [CROO] Watson was wounded by a Jezzail bullet, Holmes fired a patriotic 'V.R.' into the wall at Baker Street, and the two leveled their pistols at the hound in the climactic scene. But as we peruse the Canon, we find that there is a wide variety of weaponry. In some cases, a choice of weapon (or discerning one) was downright imaginative. And it's just a Trifle. If you have a suggestion for a Trifles episode, let us know at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com. If you us...
Apr 12, 2023•26 min•Season 7Ep. 328
“one by one passed through into the little garden” [STUD] Whether we think of British gardens as landscaped acres of greenery or as the source for finer botanical specimens such as roses, the Sherlock Holmes stories are littered with these examples of outdoor offerings. April is National Garden Month, so we survey the Canon. From the plantings of John Ferrier to untended weeds of Josiah Amberley and everything in between, we talk about the importance of gardens in Victorian times. It's just a Tr...
Apr 05, 2023•32 min•Season 7Ep. 327
“Old woman be damned!” [STUD] One of the wonderful things about examining and reexamining the Sherlock Holmes canon is that we can find things that take on special meanings to us. And two different people can interpret the same thing in vastly different ways. Listener Erik Deckers suggested that we find a topic that was interpreted wildly differently by two Sherlockians. So we started out with this doozy of a duel between Rex Stout and Julian Wolff. It's just a Trifle. If you have a suggestion f...
Mar 29, 2023•31 min•Season 7Ep. 326
“any emotion akin to love” [SCAN] Sherlock Holmes doesn't seem to have a high opinion of women, although he does a fine job of understanding them when it comes to their expressions, reactions, and motivations. Irene Adler aside, what can we infer about the love life of Sherlock Holmes? It's a question that Trevor Hall raised in Sherlock Holmes: Ten Literary Studies, and it's the last in a series of Masters Classes about his essays. It's just a Trifle. If you have a suggestion for a Trifles episo...
Mar 22, 2023•25 min•Season 7Ep. 325
“a feeling of vague expectancy” [LAST] "Beware the Ides of March." So went the warning from the soothsayer to the title character in William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar . But when it comes to the Sherlock Holmes canon, where do we find feelings of foreboding? Who had premonitions and what happened as a result? It's just a Trifle. If you have a suggestion for a Trifles episode, let us know at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com. If you use your idea on the air, we'll send you some Sherlockian goodies. ...
Mar 15, 2023•24 min•Season 7Ep. 324
“that is my special hobby” [HOUN] We all have hobbies. Indeed, our interest in Sherlock Holmes is a perfect example. What do we know about hobbies and hobbyists in the Canon? There are those who have professional hobbies and personal hobbies, and then there's the story about how Sherlock Holmes's hobby led to his profession. It's just a Trifle. If you have a suggestion for a Trifles episode, let us know at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com. If you use your idea on the air, we'll send you some Sherlo...
Mar 08, 2023•35 min•Season 7Ep. 323
“I found myself in dream-land” [SIGN] Regular sleep patterns seem to be a rarity in the Sherlock Holmes stories. Watson dozed off while Holmes remained vigilant or was prevented from sleeping by something he saw; various clients described something disturbing their sleep. Such instances of sleepless days and nights, rude awakenings, and other sleep-related issues give us plenty somnia interrupta examples to discuss in the Canon. It's just a Trifle. If you have a suggestion for a Trifles episode,...
Mar 01, 2023•25 min•Season 7Ep. 322
“the title by which I have just called myself is not exactly my own” [SCAN] We're treated to a variety of colorful characters in the Sherlock Holmes canon. Some are figments of Conan Doyle's imagination while others are dangerously close to historical figures. We took a look at a few names in "A Scandal in Bohmeia" and made some educated guesses about who or what was behind people like the Atkinson brothers, the King of Bohemia, and yes, Irene Adler. It's just a Trifle. If you have a suggestion ...
Feb 22, 2023•28 min•Season 7Ep. 321
“Your merits should be publicly recognized.” [STUD] We continue with our monthly series of Masters Class episodes, going back to Trevor Hall's Sherlock Holmes: Ten Literary Studies . In this case, we look at Sherlock Holmes's skill in his chosen line of work. What was he good at and how did he come by these talents. Certainly some were hereditary, but others required study. It's just a Trifle. If you have a suggestion for a Trifles episode, let us know at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com. If you us...
Feb 15, 2023•32 min•Season 7Ep. 320
“toward the Triple Alliance” [NAVA] When we're introduced to the victim in "Wisteria Lodge," it happens first by telegram — a telegram he himself signed "John Scott Eccles." Later, we hear him referred to as "Mr. Scott Eccles" and "Mr. Eccles." What are we to make of this? Is it a compound surname, or was it Watson playing fast and loose with names? John Scott Eccles isn't the only tripartite character we meet in the Canon, either. It's just a Trifle. If you have a suggestion for a Trifles episo...
Feb 08, 2023•28 min•Season 7Ep. 319
“over many nations and three separate continents” [SIGN] We all know about Mary Morstan from The Sign of Four , of her marriage to Watson, and of Watson's "sad bereavement" after Sherlock Holmes returned from his hiatus in "The Empty House." But there is evidence in a number of stories to show that Watson has been married more than once. Evidence from scholars such as Baring-Gould, Bell, Blakeney, Brend, Bristowe (and that's just the B's!), as well as Roberts, Sayers, Simpson, and others. But ex...
Feb 01, 2023•36 min•Season 7Ep. 318
“gazing with great reverence at the famous detective” [HOUN] When Sherlock Holmes describes himself to Watson, he says that he's a consulting detective, and then goes on to differentiate himself from two other kinds of detectives. What did it take to become a detective, and why was Holmes different? And what other terms did he and Watson use to describe his trade along the way? It's just a Trifle. In a happy coincidence, after we recorded we discovered the latest meeting of The Shingle of Souths...
Jan 25, 2023•28 min•Season 7Ep. 317
“pictures of the old masters” [ILLU] It's the first of our monthly Masters Class episodes for Season 7, and we're kicking off a series of three discussions of works by a single author. As a reminder, these episodes take a piece of well-regarded Sherlockian scholarship and deconstruct it. In this case, we look to Trevor Hall and his book Sherlock Holmes: Ten Literary Studies . The first up is Hall's attempt to discern more about Sherlock Holmes's childhood years. Does he succeed? It's just a Trif...
Jan 18, 2023•32 min•Season 7Ep. 316
“observe the spatulate finger-end” [SOLI] Quick: in which Sherlock Holmes stories do we find the mention of a piano? You might think you know, but you also might likely be wrong. The piano was an important part of middle-class life in Victorian England, part of an education and part of a way to attract spouses. But there's just a passing mention in a single story. It's just a Trifle. If you have a suggestion for a Trifles episode, let us know at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com. If you use your ide...
Jan 11, 2023•24 min•Season 7Ep. 315
“this insignificant-looking man inspired me” [GREE] We all have examples of mentors in our lives. People who inspire us and coach us, helping us to grow. What examples do we see of this in the Sherlock Holmes stories? From excellent examples to counter-examples, there are a handful of instances of experience and knowledge being passed from one person to another. It's National Mentor Month, the first of our monthly observances in Season 7 and it's just a Trifle. If you have a suggestion for a Tri...
Jan 04, 2023•29 min•Season 7Ep. 314
“the unknown gentleman who lost his Christmas dinner” [BLUE] Poor Henry Baker has always been a sad, sympathetic character. Deprived of his hat and his peace offering to his wife at Christmastime, he was a victim of an unintended crime. It seemed like the proper time of year to reflect on what life must have been like for Mr. Baker, both in the aftermath of the fracas as well as in the run-up to it. It's just a Trifle. If you have a suggestion for a Trifles episode, let us know at trifles @ ihea...
Dec 28, 2022•27 min•Season 6Ep. 313
“a long-suffering woman” [DYIN] Have you considered how much (or little) we know about Mrs. Hudson, and what we take for granted? For example, her first name was Martha, she was widowed, and she retired with Sherlock Holmes. The answers to those are: no, not sure, and definitely not. Catherine Cooke's masterful article from the Summer 2005 Baker Street Journal combines the fanciful, the factual, and the historical to arrive at the truth. It's just a Trifle. If you have a suggestion for a Trifles...
Dec 21, 2022•32 min•Season 6Ep. 312
“Good old Dr. Starr!” [3GAR] One of the creepiest looking characters in the Sherlock Holmes stories was Col. Lysander Stark, who chased after Victor Hatherly with a meat cleaver in "The Engineer's Thumb." But then we run across the name Lysander Starr in "The Three Garridebs." What gives? We track the history of the name and explore some possible origins for its use. It's just a Trifle. If you have a suggestion for a Trifles episode, let us know at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com. If you use your ...
Dec 15, 2022•27 min•Season 6Ep. 311
“found in the banks of the Amoy River in southern China” [BLUE] The blue carbuncle had quite a journey. Before it even arrived in the action of the story, the piece of crystallized charcoal was the object of "two murders, a vitriol-throwing, a suicide, and several robberies." But once it's in London and disappears from the Countess of Morcar's possession, where does it go? Gavin Brend takes us on the wild journey. It's just a Trifle. If you have a suggestion for a Trifles episode, let us know at...
Dec 08, 2022•31 min•Season 6Ep. 310
“devoted to a series of walks” [WIST] In at least four separate cases, we know that Holmes and Watson were out strolling around London. How does this square with Holmes's aversion toward exercise? And what about other occasions in the countryside? Was Holmes a man of nature, was he gathering information, or was it something else? It's just a Trifle. If you have a suggestion for a Trifles episode, let us know at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com. If you use your idea on the air, we'll send you some S...
Dec 01, 2022•31 min•Season 6Ep. 309
“revealing what they are” [ENGR] "By a man’s finger nails, by his coat-sleeve, by his boot, by his trouser knees, by the callosities of his forefinger and thumb, by his expression, by his shirt cuffs—by each of these things a man’s calling is plainly revealed." So Sherlock Holmes tells us in A Study in Scarlet. In this episode, we apply Holmes's methods to the attire of some of his clients. It's just a Trifle. If you have a suggestion for a Trifles episode, let us know at trifles @ ihearofsherlo...
Nov 23, 2022•25 min•Season 6Ep. 308
“That sounds a little paradoxical.” [BOSC] The fourth short story in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, "The Boscombe Valley Mystery," gives us a host of sayings and tenets of Sherlock Holmes's philosophy. But there are also a number of things that seem contradictory. In this Masters Class episode, Nick Utechin's look at another mystery within this story serves as an exemplary bit of scholarship that deserves a deeper look. It's just a Trifle. If you have a suggestion for a Trifles episode, let ...
Nov 16, 2022•23 min•Season 6Ep. 307
“a cry for help and a splash in the water” [FIVE] Water, water everywhere. And that just makes us think. Of the Sherlock Holmes stories, of course. Since England is an island, it stands to reason that in the Sherlock Holmes canon, we encounter a good deal of water. But it's what's commonly associated with water that's just a Trifle. If you have a suggestion for a Trifles episode, let us know at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com. If you use your idea on the air, we'll send you some Sherlockian goodie...
Nov 09, 2022•28 min•Season 6Ep. 306
“heard upon the stairs” [SCAN] So much of how we think about Sherlock Holmes is due to the scenes where we find Holmes and Watson at home in Baker Street. And thanks to the illustrations of Sidney Paget, we have a pretty good idea of what that ought to look like. James Edward Holroyd wrote about this in "Our Client's Foot Upon the Stair." It's just a Trifle. If you have a suggestion for a Trifles episode, let us know at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com. If you use your idea on the air, we'll send y...
Nov 03, 2022•31 min•Season 6Ep. 305
“numerous candles did something” [HOUN] We equate gas lamps with Sherlock Holmes — even electric lights. But we don't often think about the number of candles in the stories. More than the number: the role played by many candles. While they may seem like simple wax objects that provide illumination, in Sherlock Holmes's case, they often provided a very different kind of illumination. It's just a Trifle. If you have a suggestion for a Trifles episode, let us know at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com. ...
Oct 26, 2022•32 min•Season 6Ep. 304
“the line of his pedigree” [EMPT] Colonel Sebastian Moran was called "the second most dangerous man in London" and was a formidable adversary of Sherlock Holmes. And yet, we know remarkably little about him, aside from a brief biographical entry in Holmes's index. Nicholas Utechin takes us on a journey from India to Eton and from Crimea to Oxford that gets at "The Colonel of the Matter" in this Master Class episode. It's just a Trifle. If you have a suggestion for a Trifles episode, let us know ...
Oct 19, 2022•30 min•Season 6Ep. 303
“to reconstruct this midnight drama” [MUSG] A quick look through the Sherlock Holmes stories finds a good number of incidents taking place around midnight. Why is this the case? Who could we expect to find out and about at such an hour? It's unlikely that they would have been respectable people. But it is just a Trifle. If you have a suggestion for a Trifles episode, let us know at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com. If you use your idea on the air, we'll send you some Sherlockian goodies. Our Patreo...
Oct 12, 2022•28 min•Season 6Ep. 302
