Sherlock Holmes Trifles

Sherlock Holmes plots trifles

The new year usually brings resolutions and offers a new beginning. In our new podcast which begins in January 2017, we thought it was the ideal time to look at optimism in the Sherlock Holmes stories.  &nbsp;   Was there more hope or despair in the Canon? Certainly, many cases began with despair, but which ones ended in optimism?   &nbsp;   From "The Stockbroker's Clerk" to "The Copper Beeches," we have clients who were optimistically heading into new jobs. But all was not as it seemed... And what ends well for Sherlock Holmes does not always mean the same thing for his clients.   &nbsp;   &nbsp;  Links   Maria Konnikova on Episode 91 of I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere, discussing The Confidence Game. The Sherlock Holmes stories online

Optimism

The opening lines of A Study in Scarlet are rich with details about Dr. Watson's past. His medical degree, his army service, even his injury. He recalls how he came to London without knowing anyone in the city and proceeded to blow through his cash reserves.

Just how far could one get on 11s. 6p. per day in 1881? And how fortunate we are that Watson couldn't keep to his budget. For his cash situation is what required him to find a flatmate...

Music credits:
Performers	Uncredited violinist
	US Marine Chamber Orchestra
Publisher Info.	Washington, DC: United States Marine Band.
Copyright	Creative Commons Attribution 3.0

Sherlock Holmes: Trifles

Watson in the City

Dr. Watson tells us that he and Sherlock Holmes visited one London restaurant two times. And while the gustatory habits of the famed Baker Street duo are not entirely well-documented, we have a good sense as to what they must have eaten at the famed Simpson's in-the-Strand.

This is a case of fact meeting fiction, as Simpson's is very much a real establishment in London — one that was recently in danger of losing its identity. We bring you inside this gem that dates from the 1820s as a cigar and chess divan and explore what dining like Sherlock Holmes was like.

Simpson's

Sir Eustace Brackenstall met with a grisly, if appropriate end in "The Abbey Grange." Ultimately, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson let his killer go free. &nbsp; But was Captain Crocker solely responsible for Brackenstall's death? Other individuals were involved with the calm plotting of the aftermath of the death&nbsp;— but whose shoulders bear the ultimate brunt of the guilt in the end? &nbsp; Links &nbsp;  "The Abbey Grange" "The game's afoot" as found in King Henry's speech "Once more unto the breach" in Henry V.  &nbsp;

Guilt in The Abbey Grange

Charles Augustus Milverton was considered by Sherlock Holmes to be "the worst man in London." Watson tried to shield the date of the case — not to protect Milverton, but to protect his victims. And Holmes and Watson went to extraordinary lengths to defeat the odious blackmailer, from burglary to destruction of property, and even a faux engagement by Holmes. While reputation was everything in Victorian times, did the pair go too far? Their willingness to break the law was in service of victims, but what about their own reputations and adherence to the law? Please subscribe to us on iTunes or Google Play, and consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal.  Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band. Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 &nbsp;

Moral Relativism in Charles Augustus Milverton

"I shall run over to Camberwell and call upon Mrs. Cecil Forrester" [SIGN]&nbsp; &nbsp; We know what you're thinking:&nbsp;The Sign of Four&nbsp;wasn't an unpublished case. You, as a Trifles listener, are very astute. We should have expected nothing less. &nbsp; However, within&nbsp;The Sign of Four, we do have a glimpse of a number of unpublished cases: including one with Mrs. Cecil Forrester, with whom Mary Morstan lives in Camberwell. Could this be a connection to a later case mentioned in "The Adventure of the Five Orange Pips"?&nbsp;Or perhaps it's a reference to "the most winning woman" Holmes ever knew, who is also mentioned in&nbsp;The Sign of Four? &nbsp; These trifles await your consideration. &nbsp;  &nbsp; Have you&nbsp;left us a&nbsp;rating&nbsp;and&nbsp;review&nbsp;on the podcast player of your choice yet? We could really use your help.&nbsp;  &nbsp;  And please consider supporting our efforts through&nbsp;Patreon&nbsp;or&nbsp;PayPal.  &nbsp;  &nbsp;  &nbsp;  Links / Notes  This episode:&nbsp;ihose.co/trifles85  &nbsp; Music credits Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra Publisher Info.: Washington, DC:&nbsp;United States Marine Band Copyright:&nbsp;Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 &nbsp;

Unpublished Cases: The Sign of Four

A weekly program about details in the Sherlock Holmes stories.