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Nov 29, 2017

"you have been caught in the act" [BERY]

One of the general bits of enjoyment of the Sherlock Holmes stories is the denouement in which Sherlock Holmes apprehends the criminal. In some instances, he does so after the crime has been committed; in other instances, no crime has been committed. 

But what about those delicious...


Nov 22, 2017

"to mar the contentment of their family life" [VALL]  

Family. For many, it's a part of the holiday season. And with Thanksgiving coming up tomorrow in the United States, it's a perfect opportunity to reflect on families in the Sherlock Holmes stories. 

 

And in doing so, we come to a rather sad conclusion: that...


Nov 15, 2017

"observing the dint of a pince-nez" [IDEN] 

For many of us, the first time we encounter the word "pince-nez" is in the Sherlock Holmes stories. But for many of us, we very likely saw pince-nez on characters in movies, cartoons or the theater before we knew exactly what they were called.

 

Mentioned in three separate...


Nov 8, 2017

"his military challenge" [STUD] 

November 11 marks Veterans Day in the United States, when we honor our men and women who have served in the military. From the very first Sherlock Holmes story, we're exposed to the military: A Study in Scarlet opens with "(Being a reprint from the reminiscences of John H. Watson, M.D.,...


Nov 1, 2017

"The world is big enough for us." [SUSS] 

 

With Halloween just behind us, it's natural to reflect on the supernatural. The Hound of the Baskervilles and "The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire" loom large in our consciousness as stories whose central premise was focused on spectral occurrences.

But what of other...