I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere

“the goodness of Providence.” [NAVA]  It began with an idea for a series of radio mysteries, each five minutes long, that listeners could solve by considering the evidence. Sherlock Holmes would then give the solution — and to make it even more interesting, Watson could conclude with a moral lesson reflecting the story. Thanks to the author, journalist, and broadcaster Kel Richards , it became a p...

“Pooh, pooh! Forgery.” [SCAN]  Nicholas Meyer, BSI ("A Fine Morocco Case") is an accomplished storyteller who has made a mark in both the literary and film worlds. He's best known for his 1974 best-selling novel, The Seven-Per-Cent Solution , which revitalized Sherlock Holmes for a new generation of readers. His other Holmes novels, including The West End Horror , The Canary Trainer ,  The Adventu...

“Here is the key. You can look for yourself.” [GOLD]  Imagine having the key to 221B Baker Street, and what it must feel like to open that door. And imagine being trusted to keep Holmes and Watson’s famous sitting room in good order. That rare honor belongs to Roger Johnson, BSI ("The Pall Mall Gazette") and Jean Upton, BSI ("Elsie Cubitt"), a well-known couple among the small community of married...

“you could just fill that gap on that second shelf” [EMPT]  If you discovered Sherlock Holmes when you were young, you might still recall the joy of your first reading. The world of Baker Street is fun, so much so that some adults still extend the Great Detective's career with their own stories. Many adults also enjoy LEGO as a nostalgic, relaxing, and creative outlet. That’s why we were eager to...

“a case for personal investigation” [SUSS]  The number of Sherlock Holmes pastiches is endless. They include stories and novels set in any era, any place, and any time. They all bring the Great Detective to new audiences — so how do you go about selecting (just) fifty-two to explore? Join our conversation with Paul Bishop as we explore his new book, 52 Weeks | 52 Sherlock Holmes Stories . Paul is...

“it's the king of diamonds” [MAZA]  It took Laurie R. King six years to find a publisher for her first book, but it was worth the wait. She won the Edgar in 1994 for Best First Novel with A Grave Talent , which launched her Kate Martinelli series, set in San Francisco. That same year, The Bee-Keeper’s Apprentice introduced the impressive, young Mary Russell, who would meet and eventually marry the...

“from Portsmouth at midday” [LAST]  The Portsmouth Library is home to the Arthur Conan Doyle Collection, largely made possible by the bequest of Richard Lancelyn Green. This world-renowned collection, the work of one of the foremost Doylean scholars, is a treasure trove for researchers, enthusiasts, and the public. The Collection preserves books, manuscripts, artifacts, and ephemera that illuminat...

“You can file it in our archives, Watson” [RETI]  North America is home to a number of public collections, libraries, museums, and archives that hold treasures related to Sherlock Holmes and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Not least among them is the Toronto Public Library. Home to the famed Arthur Conan Doyle Collection, the TPL is a great friend to Sherlockians and Doyleans everywhere and regularly welc...

“we can bring it to a successful conclusion” [EMPT]  When we discussed the Midwest Canonical Conclave in Episode 308, we weren't exactly sure what to expect. Organizer Steve Doyle, BSI (" The Western Morning News ") gave us a general idea of what the aim was and what we might see there, but our expectations were blown away. Unlike any other Sherlockian event we've attended, the inaugural BSI Canon...

“good enough to chronicle one or two of my trifling experiences” [SCAN]  Don't care for Sherlockian chronologies? Well, you're not alone! Neither did our guest today, and he's written a number of books on the subject. Brad Keefauver, BSI ("Winwood Reade") is a member of the Sherlockian Chronologist Guild and author of Holmes In an Hour or Two: A Sherlock Holmes Fan's First Sherlockian Chronology,...

“grazed the subclavian artery” [STUD]  While the Baker Street Irregulars is the most well-known of Sherlockian societies, it is by no means the only one — nor even the most important. There are gatherings happening every week, in person and virtually, of Sherlockian societies. And just like the Sherlockian societies that sprouted up in those early years of the hobby, Steve Doyle, BSI (" The Wester...

“able to evolve from their own inner consciousness” [STUD]  Now in its 12th year, 221B Con has become a mainstay of annual Sherlockian events, drawing people from all over the world to Atlanta every April. It was founded as a response to Sherlock on BBC, but has expanded beyond that to include the original stories as well as all forms of media. Last year, the founders announced that this year woul...

“the high opinion formed of him by his contemporaries.” [VALL]  When the first Sherlock Holmes short stories came on the scene, they were something of a novelty: non-serialized, self-contained tales that put the Strand Magazine on the map. As with any success story, this one inspired imitators. These contemporaries of Sherlock Holmes inhabited the pages of the Strand and many other magazines of th...

“a wistful look on his wrinkled face” [BLAN]  The first Sherlock Holmes adventure authored by Sherlock Holmes was “The Blanched Soldier.” It tells the tale of a family’s attempt to protect their son, a friend’s dedication to determining the truth, and Holmes’s actions to explain everything. Ira Matetsky, BSI ("The Final Problem") edited this volume and in the process, assembled a group of Sherlock...

“One of the most precious public possessions of the empire” [BERY]  Joel Meadows began what eventually became Sherlock Holmes and the Empire Builders: The Gene Genie in 2002 while working on Tripwire as a quarterly print magazine. He tells us the story of how it took two decades to bring this vision to life with illustrator Andy Bennett, and what the plans are for part two of the story. The initia...

“the rapidity and noiselessness of a serpent” [STUD]  Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson, and Bonnie MacBird are back! In the sixth book in her series, Bonnie once again finds firm footing in London as Sherlock Holmes investigates a strange mystery involving a disfigured body, Windsor Castle, and some rather unpleasant reptilian encounters. We talk with Bonnie about the creative process, including the ex...

“a combination of events” [3STU]  Keeping track of everything going on in the Sherlockian world is no easy task. And yet, every year without fail, Ross Davies, BSI ("The Temple") oversees a team at The Baker Street Almanac that does exactly that. We first spoke to Ross about the enterprise on Episode 219 , but this time our conversation less about the mechanics and features than it is about some o...

“the preparation for submarine attack” [LAST]  Good storytellers transport us to other places and times by virtue of their ability to create interesting characters and pull us along as the plot unfolds. Sherlock Holmes: Leviathan begins with two already interesting characters who are concerned with justice, and through Mike Baron's skillful storytelling that we find ourselves following the two as...

“Holmes’ triumphant expression and the ring of his voice” [STUD]  Regular listeners know that when we have an opportunity to speak with other individuals involved in audio productions, we jump at the chance. For our 300th episode, we thought it was appropriate to speak to none other than an audio Sherlock Holmes. In this case, that means in the form of the detective from the Sherlock & Co. pod...

“I listen to their story, they listen to my comments” [STUD]  Trial lawyers are supposed to be experts in conducting interviews and interrogating witnesses. Yet Stephen Chahn Lee discovered that such skills were hardly universal. Yet there was one shining example he could point to for questioning witnesses and getting to the truth. As you've already guessed, it is Sherlock Holmes. But then Lee tur...

“no ghosts need apply” [SUSS]  'Tis the season! The season for monsters and ghosts, that is. And who better to treat us with a discussion of monsters, ghosts, and various biblioventures designed to make our skin crawl than Ed Pettit from The Rosenbach? It's not just the ghosts of Charles Dickens and the monsters of Robert Louis Stevenson, though. Ed also does a deep dive with us on Bram Stoker's D...

“the summit of St. Paul’s” [SIGN]  After one episode, we find ourselves back in Minnesota — this time, talking with longtime author Larry Millett about his latest Shadwell Rafferty book, Mysterious Tales of Old St. Paul .Those who have followed the nine previous books will have a good sense of this 1890s-era saloon owner who perished in the ninth book (no spoiler there, as it was titled Shadwell R...

“You are here as a spy” [ILLU]  In Spy Hunter , it’s 1914 and Sherlock Holmes has been murdered. Nobody knows who did it, but Wiggins, former Baker Street Irregular and Holmes' protégée, suspects a German spy. This is where H.B. Lyle's fourth installment in his Irregular series picks up. Ben joined us to share his journey as a writer focused on historical fiction, and how easily the ringleader of...

“two tickets for the theatre” [BRUC]  Jeffrey Hatcher, BSI ("The Five Orange Pips") and Steve Hendrickson have teamed up for a new Sherlock Holmes play in which we find one mystery, separated by 25 years. Holmes has the first crack at it, followed by Hercule Poirot decades later. Appropriately enough, it is called Holmes Poirot . And it premieres in St. Paul, Minnesota in October 2024.Hatcher is k...

“there appeared a long telegram” [SECO]  Nicholas Meyer's first Sherlock Holmes book, The Seven Per-Cent Solution , became and remains the high-water mark for Sherlock Holmes pastiches. So when he edits another one of Dr. Watson's recovered manuscripts, it's always worthwhile. The latest is Sherlock Holmes and the Telegram from Hell , published by Mysterious Press, and it takes Holmes and Watson a...