I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere

“I wanted to speak with Mr. Smith” [SIGN]   This is the third in our series on Legends of the Baker Street Journal; we've previously explored publisher Ben Abramson (Episode 269) and BSI founder Christopher Morley (Episode 272).This time, we'll be looking at wordsmith and able administrator, Edgar W. Smith. It was Smith who deftly managed the operations of the Baker Street Irregulars and whose own...

“That was the curious incident” [SILV]   From time to time, we see analysis and debate about whether Sherlock Holmes was autistic, had Asperger Syndrome , or is in some other way on the spectrum. As neurodiversity becomes more understood and accepted in the 21st century, it seems natural to explore this not only with Holmes, but with other characters in the genre as well. In The Autistic Sleuth ,...

“I am one of the hounds” [STUD]   The golden age of Hollywood brought us stars like William Powell and Myrna Loy, and of course Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce. In Elizabeth Crowens' new novel Hounds of the Hollywood Baskervilles , we find them (and Dashiell Hammett) intervowen in a story that begins with the disappearance of Asta from The Thin Man movies, and Rathbone's own lost pup. Young private...

“the affair which you have commemmorated” [MUSG]   One of the most influential adaptations of Sherlock Holmes in the last half century is inarguably the Granada/ITV series starring Jeremy Brett. And 2024 marks the 40th anniversary of the program's first airing. Who better to lead a celebration of this iconic show and all who were associated with it, than the team from The Jeremy Brett Sherlock Hol...

“some short sketch of the essentials” [BLAC]   What are the essential volumes that every Sherlockian should have in their library? John Bennett Shaw had an idea with what became known as The Shaw 100 . But a more modest and attainable version was needed. In stepped Peter Eckrich and Rob Nunn, BSI (“Elementary”). IHOSE listeners may recall Peter and Rob from their previous work, The Finest Assorted...

“to Sherlock Holmes, she is always the woman” [SCAN]  This is a fascinating episode that brings us closer to the inside story of " The Woman" — an honor bestowed every year by the Baker Street Irregulars — and a bit of personal history from one of those very women. Beverly Wolov is a longtime Sherlockian and is well-known by the Sherlockian community as a longtime companion of Peter Blau, BSI ("Bl...

“a most complete and remarkable woman” [LION]  It's odd to think that the Mary Russell series predates this show, yet we've never spoken with Laurie R. King, BSI ("The Red Circle") specifically about her most acclaimed series. The 18th book in the Mary Russell series, The Lantern's Dance , is available on February 14, and Ms. King joined us to talk about her creation. Her familiarity with Sherlock...

“those week-end parties” [SOLI]  The Baker Street Irregulars just marked their 90th anniversary with the BSI Weekend, filled with events for Sherlockians of all kinds. If you weren't able to make it to New York — or even if you were! — tune in to hear about some of the events, people, books, and more that were part of our experience. And plan ahead for other events in the year ahead. After all, it...

“you have a good dossier there” [LAST]  There were supernatural elements in the original Sherlock Holmes stories. Elements of gothic intrigue like voodoo, a possible vampire, a family curse, and a spectral hound come to mind. So when Christian Klaver looked at the intersection of his interests in sci-fi, fantasy, Sherlock Holmes, and writing, it was only natural to find some existing and contempor...

“I’ve read enough of the slush” [VALL]  Following our recent appearance on Sherlock Mondays , we revisited Christopher Morley's wonderful introduction to the Baker Street Irregulars' edition of "The Blue Carbuncle" from 1948.For our Patreon supporters (and our PayPal supporters here) we have Burt's full reading of Morley's essay, followed by commentary and discussion with Scott afterward. You can...

“a line of books” [NOBL]  Derrick Belanger is one half of the duo responsible for Belanger Books, one of the prominent Sherlockian publishers, founded in 2015.His passion for Sherlock Holmes began uncommonly — in a way we can't ever recall hearing from a guest before. But that passion fueled the founding and direction of Belanger Books, which focuses on traditional Sherlock Holmes pastiches as wel...

“I was much astounded by this programme” [HOUN]  When Sherlockians are looking for more ways to fill their listening and viewing time, what are they to do? We would of course recommend you to either of the podcasts we create, but lucky for you, there's an even better option!  Sherlock Mondays  are offered through the Rosenbach Museum and Library, running from September 2023 to April 2024. These Bi...

“the man flew past us on the road” [PRIO]  Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons We love writers and we love humor, so when we meet a writer who has a humor column, even better. And Erik Deckers — a name familiar to people in these parts — fits the bill. Erik's weekly syndicated humor column is a fun read, just as his attempts at solving the Canonical Couplet each episode are a fun listen. But we delve...

“the reputation of being excellent company” [ENGR]  For this 275th episode of I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere, we're joined by another podcast. It always delights us to talk about audio with other audio geeks. Joel Emery is writer and co-creator of Sherlock & Co. , a new podcast from Goalhanger Podcasts. Together with his partner Adam Jarrell, they're dramatizing the entire canon of 60 stories i...

“How came you there?” [BLACK]  Questing was Sherlock Holmes's business. He took in the world around him and tried (and succeeded most often) to make sense of it — as did his creator Arthur Conan Doyle. In his efforts to connect the dots in his latest book, The Worlds of Sherlock Holmes , Andrew Lycett goes questing, just as many of his previous biographical subjects did.  We journey with Andrew ac...

“The table was set out ready for me, and Mr. Duncan” [REDH]  The wonder and magic of the Sherlock Holmes stories is that they were set, for their contemporary audience, in a city and its surroundings that were very familiar and very real. Alistair Duncan set out to capture that in his book Close to Holmes , taking us on many journeys by foot and other conveyances, with wonderful photographs suppor...

“For three hours we strolled about together” [RESI]  As we continue our look at some of the early Baker Street Irregulars associated with The Baker Street Journal (we began with its publisher Ben Abramson in Episode 269), we turn to Christopher Morley. Morley was the right man at the right time with the right attitude, and Steven Rothman, BSI, 2s. (" The Valley of Fear ") is the foremost expert on...

“put the papers on the sundial” [FIVE]  David Marcum is still at it. When we last left this prolific author and editor, he was 28 volumes into The MX Book of New Sherlock Holmes Stories . Now, he is approaching the 40th volume and has edited over 1,000 Sherlock Holmes pastiches. His own stories — now at 113 — can be found in multiple volumes of The Collected Papers of Sherlock Holmes , and he cont...

“read twelve hours a day at the annals of crime” [VALL]  We all come to Sherlock Holmes in our own way. And Olivia Rutigliano is the first on this program to discover the detective in one particular fashion. We won't spoil it (you have to listen to find out), but suffice it to say it was enough to propel her not only into the world of detective fiction but an education and career in writing. Olivi...

“my strange old book-collector” [EMPT]  Ben Abramson with Vincent Starrett at a signing event for ‘Books Alive’ Circa 1940. Location Unknown / Photographer Unknown (Source: A Road of Intangible Inclinations ) There are some Sherlockians we wish we could have interviewed for this program — individuals long gone but fondly remembered — whose unique perspectives would be a boon to our listeners. Unfo...

“Out came the official notebook” [WIST]  As we know from experience with Jonas Oldacre, when a builder puts his mind to something, he can really go far. In the case of Raymond Farney though, it concerns something that began as a personal project but ended up becoming a book — a reference book of more than 600 pages: A Study in Sherlock - Watson's Notebook .This unique tome is a wonderful companion...

“a cascade of children's bricks” [TWIS]  Sherlock Holmes has been given form thanks to artists like Sidney Paget, Frederic Dorr Steele, Howard Elcock, Frank Wiles, and Arthur Twidle. He has sprung to life from the stage and screen through the magic of William Gillette, Eille Norwood, Basil Rathbone, Peter Cushing, Jeremy Brett, and Benedict Cumberbatch. But James Macaluso has made a world where Sh...

“an event of extreme importance” [SIGN]  There seems to be an explosion of Sherlock Holmes events of late. And the second outing of Holmes in the Heartland is an excellent entry in that horse race. Rob Nunn, BSI ("Elementary") and Heather Hinson of the Parallel Case of St. Louis join us to talk about this pandemic-delayed event that is taking place July 28–30, 2023 at the Sheraton Westport Plaza H...

“Look how close they play the game” [3GAB]  Ken Ludwig, BSI ("Jack Stapleton") has seen his plays, Sherlockian and otherwise, grace the stage and win awards since the 1980s. And Ashley Polasek, BSI ("Singlestick") took on the role of Executive Director of the Ken Ludwig Company in 2022.Together, the two join us to talk about Ken's latest Sherlockian play, Moriarty, which premiered at the Cleveland...

“some stuff that would suit my editor” [VALL]  It's not that often that editor's door at The Baker Street Journal swings open. In fact, the last time it happened was at the turn of the century. But this January, Dan Andriacco, BSI ("St. Saviour’s, Near King’s Cross") was announced as the newest editor of the BSJ.Dan assumes the seat that Steve Rothman, BSI, 2s. ("The Valley of Fear") has aptly occ...