Interesting Interview: Rob Nunn by Max Magee

Editor’s Note: I decided to turn the tables on Rob, since he’s a good friend and I love reading his interviews. Well I am now amazed that he can get one of these out each month. From when I sat down to record him months ago, I’ve worked on this interview on and off for close to three months and I’m sure it’s nowhere near the high standards of editing he puts out on a much faster cadence. (Full disclosure, we talked for an hour on everything from Disney films to how to engage new readers to the Sherlockian hobby, to scotch, so maybe it was my meandering interview style that made the task all the more difficult.) My deerstalker’s off to you, Rob, this is not easy to do! -Max Magee

Rob Nunn, B.S.I. (2022 - Elementary) is a Sherlockian from Edwardsville, Illinois (near St. Louis, MO). By day Rob is a 5th grade teacher, and by night he is an author, blogger, and one of the leaders of the Parallel Case of St. Louis Scion. He’s also the principal organizer of the tri-annual Holmes in the Heartland Sherlockian Conference and a member of the [Nero] Wolfe Pack. Rob has recently taken up the mantle of Head Light of the Beacon Society. He’s written, edited, and contributed to many books including his debut novel, The Criminal Mastermind of Baker Street (2017), About Being a Sherlockian (2017), Sherlock Holmes of Baking Street (2021), an essay collection which he edited with Peter Eckrich, The Finest Assorted Collection (2022), and his latest, Canonical Cornerstones (2024).

Rob is funny, generous, knowledgeable, a doting father and husband, and an extremely nice person. Since how nice Sherlockians are seems to be the theme of ALL of these interviews…my first question to Rob is, will we ever see an interview with a complete a-hole? (The answer this month, of course, is no.)

So, will you?

Yes. Some day, I will interview you! But to answer the question seriously, there were some people who weren’t really my cup of tea, prior to the interview, but I still conducted the interview—and what they say is what I put up! I didn’t know if I would get along with this person until I interviewed them, but there was just one interview, maybe, where I walked away afterward and they were still not my cup of tea.  But as a whole, every person I’ve interviewed has been great and/or won me over once I got to know them.

Rob’s wife Amy (left) and daughter Savannah (center) with Rob (right)

How do you define the word “Sherlockian”?  

Anyone who takes their interest past a basic enjoyment of Sherlock Holmes (or even the shows). You need to go past that just a bit to be a Sherlockian. This includes re-reading, joining a scion society, doing original research, writing or any extra activity. Beyond just consumption.

At the beginning of the Interesting though Elementary project, I set out to answer the question (at the time there was a debate raging) and come up with a consensus about how we define Sherlockian. However, as part of the interviews, the answers were even more welcoming and far-ranging than I had expected.

How did you become a Sherlockian? 

One year for Christmas, I was given The Complete Illustrated Sherlock Holmes (including all of the Sydney Paget Strand illustrations) from the parent of one of my students. My life as a Sherlockian took off from there, I read the rest of the Canon and Apocrypha before anything else, then tried some pastiches. Some clicked, some didn’t. When I discovered the essays and books of scholarship—classic Sherlockian anthologies, there was no looking back.

What is your favorite canonical story? 

It’s always been Sign of the Four, (when I write it, I say The Sign of Four), it’s got everything. That boat chase down the Thames! When that boat pulls out in front of the police cruiser, oh man! And seeing Watson fall in love with his wife is wonderful. And TOBY! When he shows up in The Great Mouse Detective…I just love Toby.

I watch The Great Mouse Detective every year with my students. We conduct a two-week Sherlock Holmes unit with his 5th graders before a break (Thanksgiving, Christmas break, usually), and watch the film at the end of the unit.

Tamar Zeffren (left), Rob Nunn (center), and Madeline Quiñones (right) thinking deep thoughts at the ASH Brunch at the Long Room in Manhattan at the tail end of the 2022 BSI Weekend

What subset of Sherlockiana really interests you? 

Love the scholarship aspect. I love reading what other people research and ideas that they have that they can connect to the Canon. I’m continually amazed at how smart Sherlockians are. 

One essay that sticks out in my mind is Paul Thomas Miller’s article in the BSJ: There was this Victorian He-Man who “created” amazing literary characters, was for divorce reform, ran for parliament, introduced skiing to an entire country, defended the downtrodden, and there was no way he could be a real human. He makes a convincing argument that Arthur Conan Doyle was a figment of John Watson’s imagination. It’s a chef’s kiss of an article. The argument is laid out so well, you get all of your facts, step-by-step laid out for you, and Paul is just a master of the twist ending. (Honorable mention to Paul’s Was Sherlock Holmes an Elephant…which takes a full 90 pages to answer that question, and the last line made me laugh out loud.)

What things do you like to research related to Sherlock Holmes?  

I love historical research. Any time I can come up with a topic or am assigned a topic, I really love to delve in and see how it’s connected to the Canon. Phil Bergum asked me to write an article on railway travel for the BSI Press’ Haven Horror. It was so much fun learning about that stuff. I wrote about curried mutton for Sherlock Holmes of Baking Street. It inspired me to try it for the first time and I enjoyed it! I just love learning new things through a Sherlockian Lens.

The infamous Scarlett Deerstalker from interestingthoughelementary.blogspot.com

The Milwaukee Brewers are obviously the most storied franchise in the NL Central Division, but I noticed you have a Saint Louis Cardinals deerstalker (in that famous faded maroon color) on your blog. Are you a baseball fan, and how does baseball intersect with your Sherlockian Interests?

[expletive deleted] I love the Cardinals (even after last season), and there’s a story from (I believe) the 90’s, and somebody went to a Sherlockian costume party with a Cardinals jersey with “TOSCA” on the nameplate (a reference to the untold case of The Death of Cardinal Tosca in Black Peter).

You won't find much baseball in the Canon; however, Conan Doyle came to America and spoke very highly of the sport on his tour.

Recently we had a baseball outing that Steve Mason organized at the Holmes in the Heartland conference (2023) where a group of Sherlockians attended a Cardinals-Cubs 100 degree game. Busch Stadium has a great, family-friendly atmosphere.

As the Head Light of the Beacon Society, you are in an interesting position to answer a question you normally ask your other interview subjects: Where do you see Sherlockiana in 5 to 10 years, HOWEVER, I’m not going to ask you that yet. I’m going to ask you this: What do you hope for the future of Sherlockiana, the BSI, and other Sherlockian clubs and organizations? What are the biggest obstacles and opportunities you see to getting there (and how do we overcome those)?

I really hope for a lot of collaboration (or as you say, “cross-pollination”) and collaboration between societies, individuals, and even international connections. There was a wave of younger Sherlockians who found Sherlock Holmes through the Cumberbatch wave. They engage differently with the Canon and with Sherlock Holmes. My hope is this becomes more accepted and normal in Sherlockiana.

But the inverse also needs to be true. You’ve got to respect the history of the groups and individuals and the work that they put in over the years that has gotten us to where we are today over the past 130 years. You have to honor the past and the work that’s been done, while also moving things forward. I also think it’s important for all of us to not let our own egos get in the way of moving things forward.

It’s like with pastiches—I don’t really enjoy those, BUT just because it’s not for me, doesn’t mean it’s not good. I have to keep reminding myself that Sherlockians can enjoy the hobby in different ways but we all stem from the same place.

Peter Eckrich (left) and Rob Nunn (right) at the Dealer’s Room at the Westin Hotel in NY

What book would you recommend to other Sherlockians and why is it your new collection that you edited with Peter Eckrich, Canonical Cornerstones (2024 from Wessex Press and Gasogene Books)?

Before I talk about Canonical Cornerstones, I want to talk about the book that I always recommend: From Holmes to Sherlock by Mattias Boström. It’s a perfect book from start to finish. It sums up what so many people have done in this hobby. When you start off talking about Conan Doyle and end up talking about Cumberbatch, he does it so well. He synthesizes what so many people have taken an entire book to do, he has combined into one tome between those two covers. It’s a gorgeous book from start to finish.

Speaking of gorgeous books…Canonical Cornerstones. I brag about this book and the previous anthology (The Finest Assorted Connection) all the time. I don’t feel bad bragging about them because I didn’t write those books. This book tries to decide on the seventeen items every Sherlockian should have in their Sherlockian library. There are amazing contributors in both of those. Whether you have read the title item in question or never heard of it, each essay came at it from different angles. All of the essays are well thought-out, impassioned, well-written, and bring a different viewpoint. From an editor’s standpoint, I’ve come to really appreciate the well-written essay. We hoped that this would stimulate the discussion of “Why wasn’t this book on there?” and the more books we’re talking about, the happier we’ll be. Seventeen beautiful essays by seventeen different writers.

Okay, now where do you see Sherlockiana in 5 or 10 years from now? 

That goes back to a lot of what I was saying earlier. You’re going to see a lot more online. I LOVE all of the Zoom meetings that are always happening. Those Zoom meetings are allowing other people who would otherwise never be invited to the meeting to present. So you could have somebody from Nashville, TN, present in front of folks from California (editor’s note: Jim Hawkins of the Nashville Scholars was speaking to Scowrers and Molly Maguires of San Francisco the following day). You can’t keep track of it all!  It’s really opening up the world of Sherlockiana. I hope that leads to a more collaborative world of scholarship and socializing. It also will help to open our world up to new people who don’t look and act the same as us. The more diversity the better!

From top-left, clockwise Rob, Plaque dedicated to Nero Wofle, Archie Goodwin, and Rex Stout, David Marcum, Mike McSwiggin, Max Magee (editor of this interview)

 

Trivia/Tidbits that Max and Rob discussed about the format of these interviews as Max was preparing one for Rob (with a couple of curveball questions he’s never seen):

• The photos in his interview posts are mainly sourced from the interviewee (I assumed he went out of his way to locate entertaining or funny photos of the subject, but no!), otherwise he may source some from his own camera roll.

• Rob really has gotten along with all of his interview subjects! (I even asked him off the record)

• He loves learning new things through the Sherlockian Lens - he wants to start a new scion society for people who wear glasses named that (Interviewee’s note.  Max and I were drinking when we did this interview and I don’t remember saying anything about a new scion.  But I will gladly take credit for that idea.)

An Interview With John Watson

How many of us have actually wished we could talk with Sherlock Holmes or Doctor Watson?  I have to say it's a thrill for me to have been emailing with the actual John Watson over the past few weeks to line up this special interview.  (A quick shout out to producer Joel Emery for arranging this!)  Now, some of you may be wondering just how that's possible.  It's all because of the podcast Sherlock & Co.  

The show started last October and is a great, fresh look at the adventures of a London detective.  With almost ONE MILLION downloads every month, this is a show that is really worth checking out.  The London Times called it as "the mystery podcast Gen Z is hooked on."   While the article talks about how a younger generation has taken to it, I can't stress enough how much I enjoy Sherlock and Co.'s modern spin on mysteries that have typically been enjoyed through books or television.  Even if podcasts don't seem like your thing, I really think Sherlock and Co. is something you'd enjoy.

But that's enough of my endorsement of the show.  Let's hear from the man himself, Dr. John Watson!

How would you describe Sherlock & Co. to people who aren't familiar with the show?  And which case would you recommend as an entry point? 

Sherlock & Co is essentially a true crime podcast. I take a (reasonably priced, sorry) microphone everywhere on our cases. 'Our' being Sherlock Holmes (he's a Detective) Mariana Ametxazurra (who runs our business, lives downstairs and used to work for Hudsons) and myself; Doctor John Watson. 

If you want to know how we all met you should listen to 'Mr. Sherlock Holmes.' That's the first episode I recorded after I got back from Ukraine. Then I recommend 'The Illustrious Client' - that was our first case. I was fortunate enough to get dragged along and I haven't looked back. That's a lie.. I do look back quite a lot and think WHAT ON EARTH AM I DOING. But generally speaking I'll get past that personal crisis pretty quickly and move on with my day. 

Most of our 'adventures' are self-contained. You can pick up any at any time and have a listen. It's not all about murder and mystery, sometimes people have problems that need solving. I can point you towards cases such as 'The Noble Bachelor' or 'The Creeping Man' for such instances.

We learn in the first episode that you were a part of the British Army's Northumberland Fusilier Regiment.  And by getting to meet your mother and Stamford in later episodes, we've gotten a few other insights into John Watson.  Can you tell us more about your life before Sherlock & Co started? 

So yes- you're absolutely right I was in the 5th Northumberland Fusiliers. I spent a lot of my time in the army obviously on tours in Afghanistan and Iraq- but also studying and furthering my medical degree. The British Army are very helpful like that when it comes to further education. Like many people, during and after Covid my life came to a bit of a crossroads. There was a tricky break-up and also the withdrawal from Afghanistan... Just when I was wondering what to do with my life - the humanitarian crisis unfolded in Ukraine and I initially went out there to assist in a medical capacity. I bumped into old friends from the army days and eventually transferred from inner city hospitals to a foreign legion. 

Before all that of course - I grew up just outside of Swindon in the UK. I worked very hard at school so I could move a LONG way outside of Swindon - specifically London, that's where I met Stamford. I probably enjoyed myself too much at University and grades were stalling somewhat. They'll refer students to other concentrated areas of study when that's the case- I got referred to Netley. My Dad was in the army so it seemed like the right kind of fit.

What is one of your favorite cases that you and Sherlock have taken on? 

You know what- we just got our teeth into an amazing case that I am currently editing and should be out by the time this article is. I'm calling it 'The Lion's Mane'. It felt so different to our other cases - we found ourselves on a remote Scottish island after the body of a man was found floating on the North Sea in his boat. His remains were.. I mean.. pretty gruesome. 

To watch Sherlock pull on a few meagre threads and pull together the resolution of this case in particular was amazing to watch. Sometimes I'm really, really involved in cases- sometimes I feel like a listener like everybody else! Aside from that one- my favourite case is probably 'Silver Blaze'. That case had everything.

How has your life changed with the popularity of the show? 

I feel like I'm online more! I feel guilty a lot of the time that I can't keep up with the level of correspondence the show receives. So I apologise to people for that. It makes you think about your life more I suppose, people want to know more. Our patreon (patreon.com/sherlockandco) even allows people to listen to Q&A episodes with myself and Sherlock answering questions from the fans. Sometimes questions pertain to a case, but most of the time they want to know our favourite cheese or where we went to school etc. 

You let your microphone run quite a bit to pick up anything that might relate to your cases. Has that led to any embarrassing or uncomfortable situations? 

Yes. I spend an enormous amount of time trying to edit out my embarrassing moments but unfortunately they are sometimes tied right into the narrative of a case. Like trying to untangle a very stubborn knot. Speaking of knots- 'The Cardboard Box' is another adventure I recommend.

I am someone who is a little too out of touch to understand Discord, can you describe the app and the interactions on it? 

Discord is basically an app that allows a community to discuss en masse! I like the fact that I'm describing something to people that I, myself, only really discovered about a year ago. When run and managed well (our moderators do an excellent job at that) the Discord 'channel' offers lots of separate rooms and areas for discussion on all manner of subjects relating to the show, our cases, us as people and the listeners themselves. 

Plenty of friendships have been formed through the show and Discord has been so important in making that possible. I will also pop into the Discord every now and again in what is known as a 'Johnline'. 

Mariana is a great addition to the show and I love when she's a part of the investigations.  What do you and she talk about that isn't work related? 

At the moment: football! But generally we will chew the fat on just about anything. We talk about Sherlock a lot. We often find ourselves comparing what our lives could have been before we met him and before we formed this company together. I think that's just a sign of how much these cases really do feel like 'adventures' to us. I hope they do to Sherlock and the listeners as well.

I have to say I was a little disappointed that you couldn't identify Johnny Cash lyrics at the beginning of 'The Dancing Men' case.  Can you make my American heart happy and tell us that you at least know a Dolly Parton song? 

Well I can tell you that 'Islands in the Stream' is probably one of my favourite songs of all time! In fact I'm gonna go put it on after this interview now that I've thought about it. Yeah I had a moment of idiocy when I froze trying to get that Johnny Cash moment in 'The Dancing Men'. It was on the tip of my tongue.

What is a book that you would recommend to Sherlock & Co. listeners? 

Oh man. I don't know! I like dramatic reads about real things so Michael Lewis is great for that. I'm a big fan of Ian McEwan. Like many people my age my attention span is gradually collapsing and turning to mush, so I plan on rebooting my love of books. I've been told that our show itself has been beneficial to many in terms of concentration spans. Especially to those with ADHD, so maybe I should listen to my own show more, who knows.

A friend of mine is trying to teach himself the Sherlock & Co. theme song on his harmonica.  Would you consider that to be flattering or a stupid thing for him to spend his time on? 

A FLATTERING AND INDEED NOBLE AIM I SAY! Let the man Harmonica, Rob! Look forward to hearing it.

Can you give us an insight into what we have to look forward to in your next episode? 

If the timing works well- I'd say a far off island. An isolated, rugged community coming to terms with the death of one of their own.

Well, Well, Such is Fame! [EMPT]

According to Watson's narrative of "The Empty House," Sherlock Holmes returned to life and active practice in the Spring of 1894.  Yet this story wasn't published until September of 1903 in America and October of that year in England.  Why is the publication date important?  Because a look at the publication dates (or when they were allowed to be published) may give us insight into Holmes's true feelings of Doctor Watson's writing career.

As most Sherlockians know, Sherlock Holmes faked his death in 1891, specifically May 4, 1891.  But for the purpose of this post, that story's publication date of December 1893 is also important. 

A few other dates to note before we move on.  Most chronologists date that the Holmes and Watson partnership began in 1881.  So we can look at his active years as 1881-1891 and 1894-1903.

Now, let's look at the publication dates of Watson's narratives.

• A Study in Scarlet was published in 1887.
• The Sign of the Four was published in 1890.
• The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes were published between June 1891 and June 1892.
• The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes were published between December 1892 and December 1893.
• The Hound of the Baskervilles was serialized from 1901–1902.
• The Return of Sherlock Holmes were published between October 1903 and December 1904.
• His Last Bow were published pell-mell throughout 1908–1917.
• The Valley of Fear was serialized from 1914–1915.
• The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes were published sporadically from 1921–1927.

So, only A Study in Scarlet and The Sign of Four were published during the first part of Holmes's active years.  Holmes "dies" and Watson publishes the 12 stories that make up The Adventures soon after.  

The first four or five stories of The Memoirs were also published after Holmes's "death."  We can presume that Watson was under contract to present 12 cases to readers of The Strand during this run.  Holmes reappears in 1893* during this run, and the other seven or eight cases of The Memoirs are published.  So there's a brief overlap of Holmes's return to active practice and Watson publishing in The Strand, but it's important to note that this collection ends with Watson publishing "The Final Problem," in which he tells the reading public that Sherlock Holmes had died.

Nothing else appears in print until 1901 when the serialization of The Hound of the Baskervilles begins, but in it Watson is careful to point out that this is a story that happened before Sherlock Holmes died.  

So remember readers, Sherlock Holmes is dead.

Holmes then retires in 1903, and we see the other 33 cases come into print.

So, out of the 60 stories that make up the Sherlock Holmes Canon, only 10 or 11 were published during his active years.  And of those, 7 or 8 of them were published right after Holmes's reappearance.  Why were so few cases made available during Holmes's active years?  I think it's because Sherlock Holmes did not want the publicity that The Strand Magazine was bringing him.

In fact, "The Empty House" gives us a specific quote that shows how Holmes felt about what Watson was publishing.  As they set up their vigil in Camden House, Holmes refers to Baker Street as "the starting-point of so many of your little fairy-tales."  

Ouch.

We often think of Doctor Watson's narratives as great publicity for the detective, but looking at the hard data, it seems as if the stories were almost purposely held back until Sherlock Holmes was not able to be engaged by every person who read about him in The Strand.

At the end of "The Empty House," Holmes gets the bad guy and everything is back to as it should be.  Holmes says, "Once again Mr. Sherlock Holmes is free to devote his life to examining those interesting little problems which the complex life of London so plentifully presents."

But just don't tell anyone he's back in town.

* David Marcum pointed out to me that this is a typo and should read "1894."  This actually negates what I said about stories from The Memoirs being published during Holmes's active years.  So even LESS stories were published while Holmes would have been able benefit from publicity.  Thanks for strengthening my argument!

Interesting Interview: Roger Johnson

Oh boy, this is an interview I've been wanting to do for a long time!  Ever since I started emailing with Roger Johnson a few years ago, I knew I wanted to do an Interesting Interview with him.  But holy cow, is this guy busy!  Let's do a quick rundown of some of his activities: editor of The Sherlock Holmes Journal, Press and Publicity Officer of The Sherlock Holmes Society of London, makes multiple television appearances about Sherlock Holmes, maintains the 221B sitting room at The Sherlock Holmes Pub along with his wife, Jean Upton, contributor to the Arthur Conan Doyle Encyclopedia, member of the Baker Street Irregulars and the Adventuresses of Sherlock Holmes, etc., etc. etc.  (As an aside, one of the pictures in this week's interview was actually taken by Mark Gatiss.  I'll let you try and deduce which one.)

As you can see, Roger has every reason to say he's much too busy to answer questions for a little blog in America.  But when Canonical Cornerstones came out, I tried to interview every contributor and Roger's life wasn't allowing time for it then.  But instead of just saying no like so many folks would have, he kept apologizing and asking me to come back around at a later date!  Over the past few years, I've been lucky enough to email back and forth with Roger for a few things, and his charm just radiates in every message.  One of my Sherlockian bucket list items is definitely getting to meet Roger Johnson and Jean Upton in person some day because they must be the nicest people in Sherlockiana.  So enough of me prattling on about how great Roger is, time to see for yourself!

How do you define the word “Sherlockian”?

To me, “Sherlockian”, as an adjective, simply implies some sort of a relationship or a relevance to Sherlock Holmes. As a noun, I take it to mean a person with a considerable interest in the character, the canonical stories, and anything or – in extreme cases – everything relating to the character and his world. On the whole, I prefer the term “Holmesian”, since throughout the canon there are only two people who call the great detective by his given name: his brother Mycroft, and Mr Sherman, the bird-stuffer of no. 3 Pinchin Lane, Lambeth, who has evidently known him for a good number of years, and calls him “Mr Sherlock”. Even Watson, who surely knows him better than anyone outside his own family, always addresses him by his surname, and only refers to him as “Sherlock” to distinguish him from Mycroft. That was the way of middle- and upper-class society in late 19th century England. (In the TV series Sherlock, of course, Holmes and Watson address each other by their given names, which is absolutely right for the early 21st century.) 

How did you become a Sherlockian?

Good question! And I’m not sure I can come up with a good answer. I was born in 1947, and the first Holmes book I remember reading was The Hound of the Baskervilles; I couldn’t have been much under eleven, because that was the age at which one graduated from the children’s section to the adult section at the public library. I’m sure I must have read some of the short stories before then, but at what age… No, I can’t be certain. I was reading fluently at the age of four, and I seem always to have been aware of Sherlock Holmes, though in 1950s England there were no children’s editions of the stories. We didn’t get the Rathbone films on television until much later, and the Ronald Howard films weren’t shown on British TV until about twenty years ago, so I didn’t see a serious dramatised version until The Speckled Band, with Douglas Wilmer and Nigel Stock, in 1964, by which time I was seriously hooked on the stories.  And throughout the fifties and sixties we did have the classic BBC radio series with Carleton Hobbs and Norman Shelley. (Hobbs’s, to me, remains the voice of Sherlock Holmes.) 

In the early 1960s, I discovered August Derleth’s chronicles of Solar Pons, “the Sherlock Holmes of Praed Street” They were published in America, of course, under Derleth’s own imprint Mycroft & Moran, but they were available by post in the UK from G Ken Chapman, “Exclusive Representative in Great Britain of the Arkham House chain of Publishers”. At first I had the books, one by one, addressed to me at my school, because I didn’t want my parents to know how much I was spending on them. Then I learned of The Praed Street Irregulars, the Solar Pons appreciation society, founded by Luther L Norris of Culver City, CA. Luther, you’ll know, was a member of the Baker Street Irregulars and of the Sherlock Holmes Society of London. He encouraged four of his friends to write to me, and they quickly became my friends too, so American Sherlockians actually preceded British Holmesians in my list of contacts. And it was Luther who advised me how to apply for membership in the Sherlock Holmes Society of London, which I did shortly after the Society’s first Swiss Pilgrimage in 1968. 

What is your profession (or previous if you are retired) and does that affect how you enjoy being a Sherlockian?

Until taking early retirement at sixty, I was a librarian in a major public library, so at work, as well as at home, I lived among books. As you may imagine, the resources available there were enormously helpful: general and specialist encyclopaedias and dictionaries, historical and geographical directories, and so much more. By the time I retired, fortunately, I could consult the county library’s catalogue online, and now much of the reference material I need is likewise accessible online. This passionate pursuit of ours isn’t exclusively literary, of course, but without literature it wouldn’t exist. 

What is your favorite canonical story?

Of the long stories, I have a special fondness for The Valley of Fear. Some significant Holmes scholars have dismissed it as unworthy; one I remember called it “gloomy melodrama”, and others complained about the division into two separate narratives, though they seemed happy enough with the same arrangement in A Study in Scarlet. In fact The Valley of Fear gives us Holmes and Watson at their best in an outstanding detective mystery, alongside a superb early instance of the American “hardboiled” genre, and the two neatly tied together at the end.

There are various of the short stories that particularly appeal to me: “The Red-Headed League” for its delightfully bizarre premise; “The Blue Carbuncle” as the essential Holmesian Christmas tale; “The Speckled Band” for the wonderfully vile Dr Grimesby Roylott and his insidious reptilian weapon; “The Greek Interpreter” for introducing Sherlock’s even more extraordinary brother… But as my favourite, I’ll opt for “The Bruce-Partington Plans”, which is the story that has everything. 

All right, almost everything. Mrs Hudson and the Baker Street irregulars are absent, but we have Inspector Lestrade and Mycroft Holmes, both on cracking form. There’s murder, espionage, treachery and the theft of a secret state document – and the London Underground Railway, all in the most appropriate atmospheric conditions imaginable: a magnificently described fog, such as we almost instinctively associate with the exploits of Sherlock Holmes, though it features very rarely in Dr Watson’s chronicles, and only in The Hound of the Baskervilles is it used as effectively as here.

Who is a specific Sherlockian that you think others would find interesting?

It’s a very wide field, so I’ll make my choice from those who have contributed to the literature of Holmes and his world. Several of Michael Harrison’s books are likely to appeal, especially In the Footsteps of Sherlock Holmes and The London of Sherlock Holmes. D Martin Dakin’s A Sherlock Holmes Commentary is a masterly survey of the canon, though I think few will support his dismissal of half a dozen or more of the late stories as “spurious”. Leslie S Klinger’s New Annotated Sherlock Holmes is a superb achievement, which enhances the reader’s appreciation of the Holmesian canon. And more recently there’s Mattias Boström’s From Holmes to Sherlock. For some unfathomable reason it was released in the UK as The Life and Death of Sherlock Holmes, a title that gives a completely wrong impression of the author’s theme, which is the development of the great detective in literature and drama. It’s a big book – nearly 600 pages – but Mattias’s scholarship is outstanding, his research is meticulous, and the English translation is a pleasure to read. 

Les Klinger and Mattias Boström are very much active today, but the Sherlock Holmes scholar whom I particularly commend is the late Bernard Davies. The following is extracted from the obituary I wrote for the Sherlock Holmes Society of London’s website in October 2010:

When Stephen Fry spoke at the Sherlock Holmes Society of London’s annual dinner in 2005, almost the first statement he made was: “To be in the same room as Bernard Davies is a remarkable honour.” I don’t think that any of us who knew Bernard would dispute that. At that same dinner, to unanimous acclaim, he received the Tony Howlett Award in recognition of his decades of outstanding service. 

In 1958, having long been a devotee of the great detective, Bernard discovered the Society and realised that he was not alone. Almost immediately he made his mark with his essays “Was Holmes a Londoner?” and “The Back Yards of Baker Street” – the latter establishing beyond any reasonable doubt the true location of 221B Baker Street. They were the first of thirty or so major papers on Holmes, Watson and their world – writings of exceptional quality, all but two written for The Sherlock Holmes Journal or for the Society’s occasional handbooks.

He would not publish an article until he was satisfied that it was as good as he could make it, and there was no collection of his Holmesian writings until 2008, when the Society published Holmes and Watson Country: Travels in Search of Solutions in two large volumes. Bernard’s research was scrupulous, his results were marshalled with intelligence and discrimination, his presentation was clear and comprehensible, and the whole was marked by wit and an engaging enthusiasm.

Although he had not then attended the Baker Street Irregulars’ annual dinner, and had never contributed to The Baker Street Journal, in 1984 Dr Julian Wolff awarded him the Irregular Shilling and dubbed him “A Study in Scarlet”. As Jon Lellenberg so felicitously said: “for Julian, no greater compliment was imaginable than to give him the investiture Vincent Starrett had held until his death in 1974 – the very first one conferred, in 1944, by Christopher Morley and Edgar W. Smith.”

What subset of Sherlockiana really interests you?

I’m particularly interested in presentations of the stories and the characters, whether dramatic or comedic, on stage, screen, radio, CD, or whatever medium. The movies – classic or otherwise – are now mostly accessible, and often via media that would astonish our grandparents. Much the same applies to audio recordings. The number and variety of Sherlockian dramas and comedies has increased to an extent that was hardly imaginable thirty years ago. The expiry of the last American copyrights appeared to usher in a new golden age, though I think it’s actually closer to what Mark Twain called a “gilded age”: the excellence is there for us, but there’s also a potentially unlimited quantity of dross. No matter! We are not obliged to bother with the dross.  Few would have thought, even thirty or forty years ago, that we’d be able to enjoy so many various interpretations of the great detective, from the silent era – including a superbly restored print of William Gillette in a screen adaptation of his own play – to the present day.   

Some years ago I directed and acted in a series of professionally produced Sherlock Holmes plays for hospital radio, with friends from my local amateur theatre company. The recordings are posted on the SHSL website, where you can listen or download them.

As a long-time editor of The Sherlock Holmes Journal, what are some memories that stick out from your tenure?

For most of its seventy-plus years, a team of two has been responsible for editing the Journal. I call myself the Commissioning Editor, as my job is to choose the content, text and illustrations, and write or commission the appropriate editorial sections. Then I pass the result over to my partner-in-crime, Heather Owen, who attends to the layout and forwards the result, after proofreading, to the printer-distributors. In 2006, my predecessor Nicholas Utechin completed an unbeaten 30 years in the editor’s chair; Heather had joined him as co-Editor on the Summer 1983 issue, and she’s still going strong. As they say, do the math!

It's Heather who’s responsible for one of the outstanding memories of my tenure. In the Summer 2012 issue she introduced the first full-colour illustrations – only the centre pages, but the reaction was generally positive, and gradually the use of colour spread, until within three years it had its place throughout the issue. The next stage, which came in 2019, after a good deal of debate among the Society’s council, was individual pictorial covers for each issue and a radical rejigging of the internal layout. (Those who regretted the disappearance of the one-legged newsvendor from the front cover were relieved to find him at his new post on the contents page.)

Memories of people and events that we recorded in the Journal? Obviously, over a period of nearly 18 years there were far too many to list here. There was the wonderful exhibition at the Museum of London in 2014-15, Sherlock Holmes: The Man Who Never Lived and Will Never Die. My wife Jean Upton and I gave some assistance, as did other members of the Society, and it was a delight to have privileged access along with the likes of Glen Miranker and Constantine Rossakis, who had loaned material from their own world-class collections. 

The Society has arranged many visits to sites of Holmesian and Doylean interest, but the long weekend in Edinburgh in 2009 was truly special, as we were celebrating Arthur Conan Doyle’s 150th birthday. Two years later we marked the Society’s 60th anniversary with a special “Diamond Supplement” of the Journal. Over the years we’ve been treated to dramatic and comedic interpretations of Holmes, Watson and their world: among many others, there are the entertaining blockbuster movies with Robert Downey Jr and Jude Law; the now-classic re-imaginings on TV, Sherlock and Elementary, from the UK and the US respectively; and the poignant Mr Holmes. There’s also an encouraging number of stage plays, often good and sometimes outstanding.

The memories aren’t all happy, of course. During my time as editor, we’ve lost a disconcerting number of Sherlockian and Holmesian friends, including Dame Jean Conan Doyle, Bernard Davies, Nick Utechin, Ted Schulz, Jon Lellenberg, Tom Stix and Michael Whelan. It was the latter two who invested me and Jean respectively in the Baker Street Irregulars.

Being married to a fellow Holmesian must be a real treat. How does this shared interest enhance your enjoyment of the hobby?

Jean and I were married in 1991, so we’ve been sharing our lives and our peculiar hobby for more than three decades. I have to confess that my work for the Society, which encompasses quite a bit more than editing the twice-yearly Sherlock Holmes Journal, means that Jean doesn’t get as much time to appreciate the Sherlockian world as she should. That’s one reason why I shan’t be sorry to relinquish responsibility for the content of The Sherlock Holmes Journal when I retire as Commissioning Editor at the end of this year.   

What book would you recommend to other Sherlockians?

Three come to mind, and they probably won’t surprise you. The New Annotated Sherlock Holmes, edited & annotated by Leslie S Klinger (W.W. Norton – 3 volumes); From Holmes to Sherlock: The Story of the Men and Women Who Created an Icon by Mattias Boström (Mysterious Press) [otherwise The Life and Death of Sherlock Holmes: Master Detective, Myth and Media Star (Head of Zeus)]; and the one that has to come first, if only because I prepared it for publication: Holmes & Watson Country: Travels in Search of Solutions by Bernard Davies (The Sherlock Holmes Society of London [2nd edition, 1-volume paperback]).

Where do you see Sherlockiana in 5 or 10 years from now?

It will still be active, nationally and internationally. Another phenomenon like Sherlock would almost certainly spark a renewed public interest in the canonical stories as well as the many books, magazines, and so forth that are bound to come – but that’s not a necessary factor. Conan Doyle’s sixty long and short stories are at the heart of it, and they’ll ensure that Holmes, Watson and their world continue to live.

Interesting Interview: Liese Sherwood-Fabre

Liese Sherwood-Fabre was inducted into the Baker Street Irregulars this year, and when her name was announced, the thought "of course, that makes sense" popped into my head.  Whenever Liese is around, it just feels like a good fit for her to be a part of any group.  She just has a cool demeanor that her make you feel like her writings and knowledge should always be a part of a conversation.

Liese describes her writing style as "good old-fashioned, gimmick-free storytelling" and that comes across on the page, at meetings, or just in general conversation with her.  She's been a mainstay at the New York Birthday Weekend and 221B Con for years now and has friends all across this hobby of ours.  Her writings are as varied as you can imagine.  When I saw her in Atlanta earlier this year, she was telling me about a new children's book about a teenage witch.  Quite a change from her popular Sherlockian writing!  But speaking of writing, let's see what Liese Sherwood-Fabre wrote for her answers to this week's Interesting Interview!

How do you define the word “Sherlockian?”

At its base, of course, is an interest in Sherlock Holmes, but it must be more than a casual interest. There’s often an aspect of fandom involved as well—a desire to learn more, read more, and discuss your interests with others. Meeting other Sherlockians is one of the most enjoyable aspects of discovering and joining a scion. Despite a diversity of professions, they all have a common interest in reading and discussing the cases to learn more about Sherlock Holmes. At the same time, this interest takes different avenues. Some have focused on Sherlock Holmes as portrayed in film; others, games related to Sherlock Holmes and mystery solving; others, collecting autographs of actors who portrayed the detective; and so many other different ways to collect or study his impact on popular culture.

How did you become a Sherlockian?

I cannot identify when I first read a case from the Canon, but I do recall being very aware of mass media characters (including those in cartoons) who put on a deerstalker hat and carried a magnifying glass as imitating the detective who appeared in the old black and white Basil Rathbone movies.

When Robert Downey, Jr. re-ignited a popular interest in Sherlock Holmes, I considered writing a novel about the man. I had already penned several other stories and novels (some of which had won awards), and I thought about a new spin on him, focusing on his origins. That has become my Early Case Files of Sherlock Holmes series.

What is your profession and does that affect how you enjoy being a Sherlockian?

I hold a PhD in Sociology from Indiana University. I have to say that I’m fascinated by how the Victorian period affected the characters in the cases. In particular, I discovered how this period opened new arenas for women through my research. The typewriter and the bicycle offered new careers and mobility that women in prior periods did not have. The Canon documents these changes in some of the cases.

What is your favorite canonical story?

“The Adventure of the Cardboard Box.” At its heart, it’s a psychological thriller. How Sarah Cushing manipulated Jim Browner to murder his wife and her lover was absolutely diabolical. Moriarty may have been the spider at the center of his web of crime, but she was just as cunning—only on a micro-scale. 

I also like this story because she becomes afflicted with “brain fever,” which I find a most fascinating condition. Today, we might call it a nervous breakdown. Others did experience a bout of it in a few other cases. A major treatment was shaving the afflicted’s head to cool off the brain. 

Who is a specific Sherlockian that you think others would find interesting?

Oh, do I have to name just one? There are so many. Like I said above, everyone has such interesting professions and backgrounds. There are doctors, writers, lawyers, artists of all kinds, actors, and so many others. I particularly admire Steve Mason. He has taken on several leadership roles, not just in the Dallas scion, but also in The Beacon Society where he is very concerned about teaching the next generation about Sherlock Holmes. One way he reaches out to young people on a very individual basis is giving away copies of The Hound of the Baskervilles. He carries a few copies with him when he’s out and about, and when he sees a young person, will offer a copy to him/her because that is how he learned about Holmes, and he wants to share it with others. I think that is so powerful.

What subset of Sherlockiana really interests you?

I’m probably more into the stories (whether in writing, film, or plays) involving Sherlock Holmes. I know some are purists and prefer only the original stories, but I like the adaptations—be it Monk, Enola Holmes, or Elementary. Each brings a unique perspective to the character.

I am a big fan of your The Life and Times of Sherlock Holmes series of essay collections.  What was the impetus for writing these books?

When I started my Early Case Files of Sherlock Holmes series, I had to do a lot of research to get the historical period right. One of the first things, for example was that he said his ancestors were country squires. I had to find out what a country squire was and how this might have shaped Sherlock Holmes. As I compiled all this knowledge, I thought it a pity to keep it all to myself and decided to write short essays on various subjects to share with Sherlockian scions for their newsletters. One that I contacted was the Dallas scion (The Crew of the Barque Lone Star), and its leader Steve Mason invited me to a meeting. It might not be apparent, but almost everything in my novels provided the basis for one of my essays.

How do you decide the topics for your quarterly articles in Sherlock's Spotlight Gazette?

I basically go through the essays that I have already written and look for topics that I think are appropriate and of interest to young people. For example, what was school like? Or secret writing as in “The Adventure of the Dancing Men.” After I select the essay, I shorten it because there is a length requirement, then I pass it to you for a readability review. I like the idea that these essays have more than one life, and maybe the young people who read them find them fun and interesting as much as the adults.

What book would you recommend to other Sherlockians?

Can I mention my own? Just kidding [not].

There are so many good Sherlockian books and series out now. Of course, there’s the Mary Russell series by Laurie R. King. The first is now celebrating its thirtieth birthday (Can you believe it?). I also enjoy Bonnie MacBird’s series which is more Canonical with Holmes and Watson solving cases. One that took a different perspective is Robert Ryan’s Dr. John Watson series. In these books, Watson is serving in WWII and solving mysteries without his companion. He often will consider what Holmes would have said/done in a particular situation as he tries to solve the mystery confronting him.

I really can’t pick one but would suggest to others they check them all out. The nice thing is, there is something out there for every reader’s taste.

Where do you see Sherlockiana in 5 or 10 years from now?

During the pandemic, the Dallas scion went virtual. Before, we would meet once a month at a restaurant with about 20 attending. Once we could meet in person again, the scion continued to meet virtually because it had increased in number and reach. There are regular attendees from many parts of the world. We also have had several young people attend. Two incredible girls from Canada recently did a presentation that blew everyone away. I think the use of virtual meetings with its wider reach can be a great tool to keep Sherlock’s memory and influence alive and further expanding his audience.