The Disappearance of Lady Frances Carfax
The Adventure of the Dying Detective
The Adventure of the Mazarin Stone
The Adventure of the Creeping Man
The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire
The Adventure of the Three Garridebs
The Adventure of the Illustrious Client
The Adventure of the Three Gables
The Adventure of the Blanched Soldier
The Adventure of the Lion’s Mane
The Adventure of the Retired Colourman
The Adventure of the Veiled Lodger
The Adventure of Shoscombe Old Place.
Introduction
A Study in Sherlock, Watson’s Notebook
Scottish born, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle may not have been the creator of the detective novel or short mystery story, but he certainly created the most famous literary detective of all time in Sherlock Holmes. The popularity of Sherlock Holmes was instantaneous when he first appeared in print in Beeton’s Christmas Annual Magazine in 1887 in“A Study in Scarlet”. According to Guinness Book of World Records Sherlock Holmes is the best known fictional detective of all time. His case solving genius is often related to the reader by his friend and narrator, Dr. John Watson, who often shared housing with Holmes at 221b Baker Street, London.
For more than 130 years Holmes has thrilled and fascinated readers, young and old alike, with his deductive reasoning skills, keen observations, master of disguises, almost unlimited knowledge and use of forensics science long before it became a highly utilized crime solving technique. Yes, for Conan Doyle’s “consulting detective” the solution to many baffling crimes was “elementary”.
From the very beginning, Sherlock Holmes was a multi media phenomenon. Shortly after he first appeared on the printed page he appeared on the theatrical stage. In 1899, actor William Gillette walked on the New York stage in the play “Sherlock Holmes” creating the Holmesian image of the deerstalker hat and contemplative look with a calabash pipe. Gillette reprieved this role on the then new entertainment medium, the silent movie. He is credited introducing the time honored Sherlock Holme’s phrase “Elementary, my dear fellow (Watson)”.
As media expanded and grew in the 20 century so did the adventures of Sherlock Holmes. He lived on the printed page, the stage, the silent film and in the minds of listeners with broadcasts on radio.
Logically Holmes and Watson crime solving popularity would be a box office success on the silver screen. Over the years more than 70 actors portrayed Holmes in films to include; John Barrymore, Peter Cushing, Christropher Lee, Raymond Massey, Nicol Williamson, and Ian McKellen as a elderly, dying Holmes in the film, “Mr. Holmes”. Basil Rathbone, who appeared in 15 films between 1937 and 1946 as the iconic super sleuth is perhaps one of the most associated with the role.
Yes before Columbo and Dick Tracy there was Sherlock Holmes. Today, in this era of high tech, digitally enhanced, action packed 007 super spies and Mission Impossible action heroes Sherlock Holmes still lives with Robert Downey Jr. in the fast paced, high tech Guy Richie movies.
The Holmes phenomenon continues today from the big screen to the not so small screen of 21st century television sets or home theaters. Modernized versions of his cases are telecast or streamed with British actors Benedict Cumberbatch and Johnny Lee Miller respectively, portraying a high tech Holmes in 20th century London and as a recovering drug addict solving cases in modern day New York with a female Dr. Joan Watson.
But the best way to enjoy a Sherlock Holmes mystery is to return to the beginning, the words of Arthur Conan Doyle. Sit back, relax and let your imagination take you to the second floor of 221b Baker Street, the back streets of Victorian London, the Baskerville moors or follow Holme’s helpful street urchins - the Baker Street Irregulars.
As a companion piece to all 56 short stories and 4 Sherlock Holmes novels a Study in Sherlock, Watson’s Notebook offers you a opportunity to revisit in an easy-to-read format all of the Sherlock Holmes cases in a fascinating new way. Each case is broken down in a unique, similar format with information on the characters, crime scene, victim, timeline, clues, evidence and of course Sherlock Holmes own observations and deductions.
It is a must read for any Sherlock Holmes aficionado or even a casual reader fascinated by the unique brilliance of this skillful consulting detective.
Yes, Sherlock Holmes is a true cultural icon of 19th, 20th and 21st century.
G. Garvin Haggerty
A Study in Scarlet
Publication & dates:Beeton’s Christmas Annual, 1887Book, 1888Illustrations: D.H. Friston (4) Beeton’sCharles Doyle (Conan’s father) (6) Ward, Lock & Co.Conan Doyle’s 1st storyHolmes’s 3rd case
Story Introduction:Being a reprint from the remembrances of John H. Watson, MD, late of the Army Medical DepartmentIn the year 1878 I took my degree of doctor of medicine of the University of London, and proceeded to Netley to go through the course prescribed for surgeons in the Army. Having completed my studies there, I was duly attached to the Fifth Northumberland Fusiliers as assistant surgeon. The regiment was stationed in India at the time, and before I could join it, the second Afghan war had broken out. On landing at Bombay, I learned that my corps had advanced through the passes, and was already deep in the enemy’s country. I followed, however, with many other officers who were in the same situation as myself, and succeeded in reaching Candahar in safety, where I found my regiment, and at once entered upon my new duties.The campaign brought honours and promotion to many, but for me it had nothing but misfortune and disaster. I was removed from my brigade and attached to the Berkshires, with whom I served at the fatal Battle of Maiwand. There I was struck on the shoulder by a Jezail bullet, which shattered the bone and grazed the subclavian artery. I should have fallen into the hands of the murderous Ghazis had it not been for the devotion and courage shown by Murray, my orderly, who threw me across a pack-horse, and succeeded in bringing me safely to the British lines.Worn with pain, and weak from the prolonged hardships which I had undergone, I was removed, with a great train of wounded sufferers, to the base hospital at Peshawar. Here I rallied, and had already improved so far as to be able to walk about the wards, and even to bask a little