Ann Margaret Lewis is one of those familiar faces that you just feel at home with when you see her at Sherlockian events. I've seen her talk a few times and have always been impressed by the depth of what she knows, no matter the topic. Some smart people can give off a vibe that makes them feel unapproachable, but that is definitely not the deal with Ann. She's always surrounded by friends and is quick to talk with anyone in her vicinity.
As you'll see below, Ann has written plenty on Sherlock Holmes, both research-based and pastiche. But she's also written for DC Comics, Star Wars, and a stand-alone space fantasy novel. She's won the Independent Book Publisher’s Award, a Catholic Writers Guild Seal of Approval, and was a finalist for the Catholic Arts and Letters Award for 2010. See? I told you she was smart! But I also said she gives off a welcoming vibe and that comes across very much in this week's Interesting Interview. So let's get to know Ann Margaret Lewis!
How do you define the word “Sherlockian”?
A Sherlockian (or Holmesian) is someone who loves Sherlock Holmes, and who participates in activities that celebrate him.
How did you become a Sherlockian?
After reading all of my mother’s Agatha Christie books in high school, she suggested I read The Hound of the Baskervilles. I was hooked, and I ended up checking the Double Day Complete edition out of the library. I kept checking it out until my mother got me a copy for Christmas. Later in college I connected with The Greek Interpreters of East Lansing, and I was a Sherlockian for life.
What is your profession and does that affect how you enjoy being a Sherlockian?
My day job is working for the Catholic Archdiocese of Indianapolis at their newspaper The Criterion. However, I also write novels and I’m a classical singer. I earn money at all three, so I guess we can say they’re all my professions. I also taught high school English for 10 years, so you could count that as a former profession.
What is your favorite canonical story?
I have several, but I’ve always been fond of “The Yellow Face.” It’s not that difficult of a mystery, but Holmes character development in that story is quite moving. He admits he made a mistake. It’s interesting when he does that because it shows his humility and growth.
Who is a specific Sherlockian that you think others would find interesting?
Robert Sharfman of Chicago. He was just made a BSI this year (Killer Evans), and he truly deserves it. He has so many interesting stories, and even at his advanced age, he drives long distances to many scion meetings in the Midwest just because he loves his fellow Sherlockians. I only hope I am as interesting and have as much energy when I reach his age.
What subset of Sherlockiana really interests you?
It’s hard to pick one, but I really do like film and the portrayals of Holmes on screen. I guess I was influenced by my late dear friend Patricia Ward of the Illustrious Clients of Indianapolis who knew everything about every Holmes portrayal on screen. She taught me a great deal.
Your book, Murder in the Vatican: The Church Mysteries of Sherlock Holmes, collects three mysteries that Sherlock Holmes investigates connected to organized religion. What drew you to connect the church and Sherlock Holmes?
I am a practicing Catholic (obviously…that’s where I work) and I founded of a scion for “Catholockians” called “The Vatican Cameos.” But what really connected the two concepts for me is that the pope of the time (Leo XIII) is mentioned twice in the canon. In fact, it looks like he is the only person to have hired Holmes twice – for the “sudden death of Cardinal Tosca” and the “missing Vatican cameos.” I figured since Watson pointed that out, I might as well take these untold tales and tell them. Besides, Pope Leo XIII was a really interesting man. In the book I imitate his voice (as translated into English) from his encyclicals along with that of Doyle. It was a challenge, and I really learned a great deal from that project.
As the Sherlockian who probably knows the most about the polyphonic motets of Lassus, can you explain to us lay people just what in the heck those are and why Sherlock Holmes would be writing about them?
Let me see if I can give you the short explanation:
First, all motets are polyphonic, so the term “polyphonic motets” is redundant. (Oopsie, Watson!) But a motet is a piece of religious Renaissance choral music meant for the Mass. The lyrics for the pieces are certain scriptural portions assigned to given days of the Church calendar. The music, as I said, is polyphonic, which means each voice has its own melody line, and those melody lines combine to create an extra-worldly sound. Orlando di Lasso (aka Lassus) was a Renaissance composer of renown during this time, and his harmonies are interesting and different from others of his period. In fact, some of his harmonic patterns were not seen again until the 20th century, which is why I think Holmes found his music compelling.
I wrote about this subject in more detail in two books: Referring to My Notes by BSI Press and 70 Years by Gaslamp: The Illustrious Clients’ Sixth Casebook, so if people want more information on this, they can check those out.
What book would you recommend to other Sherlockians?
As crazy as it sounds, I think Sherlock Holmes for Dummies is a great book, not only because it’s written by my good friend Steven Doyle, BSI, or because it is an original scholarly work of great depth (it wasn’t meant to be) but because it helps the Sherlockian explain to non-Sherlockians what this Holmes thing is all about. It gives us a language to use to communicate our love for the Great Detective. It’s also a great resource for newbie Sherlockians. While it’s not still in print currently, it’s not hard to find used copies on Amazon.
Where do you see Sherlockiana in 5 or 10 years from now?
I think we’ll have new film and TV series to follow, drifting into works based on pastiches (like Enola Holmes). I’m hoping we’ll have some really cool new adaptations of the original canonical stories, but I doubt that’ll happen. Hollywood seems more interested in their own stories rather than those of Doyle.
Meanwhile, I think our scion groups will start to connect with each other more often and help each other grow. That seems to be happening now as a result of Zoom. Covid made us connect with each other, and suddenly Sherlockians of all different scions started to visit each other in person afterward. I believe that trend will continue because we’ve started to discover how cool all our fellow Sherlockians are. We’re such an interesting bunch. If you haven’t visited a scion from another town, I do recommend it. You meet great people and always have a good time. It’s like finding family wherever you go.
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