Sherlock Holmes: Trifles

"distinctly Australian" [BOSC]     To readers of the Sherlock Holmes stories in the late Victorian era, Australia was an exotic and dangerous place. It was not all that far removed from the days of transportation, when some criminals and the destitute were put on ships bound for the land Down Under.   Australia makes a number of appearances in the Canon. What do these have in common and what infer...

"two on the lawn" [CROO]  Sherlock Holmes and tennis — they go together like...like... Well, we're here to tell you that while combining the great detective with a lawn sport is actually elementary.   There are a handful of passing references to this sport in the Canon, and pointing them out is merely a Trifle...    Have you left us a rating and review on  Apple Podcasts  yet? You don't need to ow...

"we can't have tomfoolery of this kind" [FIVE]     The beginning of April dependably brings April Fools' Day. And while there weren't outright hi-jinks in the Sherlock Holmes stories, there were a fair share of instances where individuals were fooled.   You might think that it's Watson who's fooled frequently, but there were a number of times when Sherlock Holmes himself had the wool pulled over h...

"It is Porlock's writing" [VALL]   The opening of  The Valley of Fear  introduced us to a mysterious individual: Porlock, who sent a cryptic note to Sherlock Holmes to warn him of doings afoot at Birlstone. Sherlock Holmes didn't look into Porlock's identity too closely, but we do have a number of clues and inferences that may lead us to an identification. Or that may at least narrow things down a...

"The dancing Irish deviltry" [VALL]   The Irish make scant appearances across the earlier Sherlock Holmes stories, but once we pass The Valley of Fear, it's as if Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's brogue has been released onto the pages. We explore some of those instances — including the subtle and passing ones early on — and just how Sherlock Holmes found himself inside of an Irish secret society in Ameri...

"the game was whist" [EMPT]   We continue our monthly investigation into Games and Sports in the Sherlock Holmes stories, and in this case, we turn our attention to a card game. Specifically, whist.   There aren't too many instances of card games in the Canon, but whist comes up a couple of times. How was it played? We discuss that, and something of a trifle with respect to the game of whist that...

"volumes of poetry" [ENGR]    When we think of poetry, it's a style of writing that transports us, particularly emotionally, to another plane of existence. Poetry is like the rose over which Sherlock Holmes had a moment of reverie in "The Naval Treaty": "But this rose is an extra. Its smell and its color are an embellishment of life, not a condition of it." Holmes wasn't known for his poetic momen...

"There has been some villainy here" [COPP]   A look at some of the villains in the Sherlock Holmes stories, beginning with the first real heavy that we encounter. Sherlock Holmes said "When a doctor goes wrong, he is the first of criminals." And Dr. Grimesby Roylott did not disappoint: he killed a man and served hard time for it, had a temper, kept wild animals, associated with gypsies, and more....

"Have we any Italians on the staff?" [SIXN]  Italians seem to surround us in the Sherlock Holmes stories. Restaurants, music, artisans, and of course criminals.  But Sherlock Holmes himself had some familiarity with Italy, both before and after his experience at the Reichenbach Falls. How far does this association with Italy go? Well, it's just a Trifle...   Have you left us a rating and review on...

"a straight left against a slogging ruffian" [SOLI]  Sherlock Holmes, boxer? We don't often consider Sherlock Holmes for his boxing abilities, yet Watson very clearly noted his talent in that field in the very first story. But Holmes wasn't the only boxer in the Canon. We repeatedly see mentions of the sport made official by the Marquess of Queensbury, as both tangential mentions and more central...

"glancing at the governess" [WIST]    They pop up here and there around the Canon quite infrequently. However, you can be sure that when a governess is featured in a Sherlock Holmes story, she's part of the plot. What was this profession, and what did the ladies in these roles do? What was their station in life? We explore these questions, which shed light on why they might have found themselves i...

"Look at this advertisement" [STUD]    For well over 100 years, Sherlock Holmes has been seen in advertisements around the world. The fact is: Sherlock Holmes sells. He's good for brands.   There are a number of instances of brands that were mentioned within the Sherlock Holmes stories themselves. What are they? Well, we enumerate them, plus provide a few "what-ifs" ourselves in this episode of Tr...

"Who were these German people" [ENGR]  Sherlock Holmes had a number of encounters with German people. Who were they, and how did these interactions reflect on international relations at the time?  This is the first in a new series on Trifles focusing on international elements of the Sherlock Holmes stories.   Have you left us a rating and review on  iTunes  yet? You don't need to own an Apple devi...

"the smartest of the Scotland Yarders" [SIGN]    If you ask anyone familiar with the Sherlock Holmes stories to name a Scotland Yard inspector, they'll invariably answer, "Inspector Lestrade."   But Sherlock Holmes had a healthy respect for a handful of other police inspectors, both from Scotland Yard and from the surrounding areas. Who were they, and in which stories did they appear?       Have y...

"to play games of that sort" [REIG]    This marks the first in a semi-regular series on Trifles in which we spend time talking about sports and games in the Sherlock Holmes stories.   In this episode, we look specifically at board games that were mentioned in the Canon and discuss their history and origins.    Have you left us a rating and review on  iTunes  yet? You don't need to own an Apple dev...

"the tall, black-bearded figure" [HOUN]    We begin our third season with a discussion of facial hair in the Sherlock Holmes stories. Specifically, beards. That's right, hipsters: you've got company. Very, very old company.   Interestingly, we found that many of the more famous bearded characters in the stories shared a similar character trait. Just what was it? It's just a trifle, but you'll have...

"he had invariably breakfasted and gone out before I rose" [STUD]    The holidays typically bring a bounty of food, followed by solemn pledges to exercise and take better care of ourselves in the new year.   What do we know about Sherlock Holmes and his eating habits? He was thin, but did that mean he didn't have an appreciation for food? From fast food to fine dining, Sherlock Holmes displayed a...

"if it turns red, it means a man's life" [NAVA]    We often fixate on the famous cases like the Giant Rat of Sumatra, James Phillimore and his umbrella, or Wilson, the notorious canary trainer. But there are times when some trifling detail escapes our notice.   In this, the final episode of our Unpublished Cases series, we look at the tiniest bit of detail around a chemistry experiment that had to...

"he slipped down upon the floor" [PRIO]  It's not often that we have our eyes cast downward at 221B Baker Street. There are so many interesting things to see at eye-level: the Persian slipper, the chemistry set, the patriotic 'VR' on the wall. But there were floor coverings in the famous flat.    In this, the final episode of our Inside 221B series, we look at what was on the floor and the care th...

"In the morning you will send for a hansom" [FINA]  The Sherlock Holmes canon is a wonderful snapshot of the times. In particular, we get a good sense of the kinds of transportation that conveyed citizens around London and its environs.   The hansom cab is probably the most well-known, but there are a number of other types of horse-drawn vehicles that we find in the stories. What are they? Well, i...

"Did you tell him of our telephone appointment?" [3GAR]  From the Gramophone to the telephone, November seems to be quite the month of technology here on Trifles.   Yes, even though Holmes did most of his work in the late 19th century, there were opportunities to use the newfangled voice-to-voice communications device known as the telephone. We explore just when and where, as well as certain suppo...

"I am retained in this case of the Ferrers Documents" [PRIO]    The arrival of Dr. Thorneycroft Huxtable on the doorstep (and hearth rug!) of 221B Baker Street was dramatic. He collapsed like a beached whale, and Sherlock Holmes was able to infer a great deal about the reason for his visit.   And yet, Holmes gave an excuse for potentially turning down the case: he was involved with the Ferrers Doc...

"modern gramophones are a remarkable invention" [MAZA]                    When you glance across the Sherlock Holmes stories, there really aren't that many instances of children. Some of the tales are just not suitable for little ears, after all.   But there were key instances in which children played a vital role in the plot or moving the action forward. We explore some of those, as well as the w...

"Children, my dear boy, children." [GREE]      When you glance across the Sherlock Holmes stories, there really aren't that many instances of children. Some of the tales are just not suitable for little ears, after all.    But there were key instances in which children played a vital role in the plot or moving the action forward. We explore some of those, as well as the warning signs that you migh...

"Disguised, and under an assumed name" [STUD]    Sherlock Holmes was a master of disguises. They allowed him to infiltrate areas that would have otherwise been off-limits or situations in which he would have been discovered.   What were some of the incarnations he undertook? Can you remember the four named aliases he assumed? It is just a Trifle...   Have you left us a rating and review on  iTunes...