Sherlock Holmes: Trifles
You know the plots, but what about the minutiae? We delve into the Sherlock Holmes stories and answers questions that arise, clarify muddy details, and look into some of the period terminology in this weekly podcast.
- Update frequency
- every 7 days
- Average duration
- 23 minutes
- Episodes
- 453
- Years Active
- 2017 - 2025
Squiring Around
In "The Reigate Squires," we find Sherlock Holmes ill and uprooted — staying in a country house — which, although it's a bachelor establishment, isn't quite w…
The Mystery of Watson's Second Wound
Watson returns from Afghanistan, recovering from a wound in the shoulder and the aftereffects of disease. But we later discover that he had a leg …
Jumping to Conclusions
In "The Adventure of the Three Students," Holmes has a litany of clues at his disposal. From balls of doughy clay to a tear in the leather of a desk, and more.
…
Upbeat Moments in the Canon
We commonly see clients who come to Sherlock Holmes riddled with despair and grief. But if we look closely enough, we can also find happiness and sheer joy in …
Loneliness and Isolation in the Canon
There are many tragic figures in the Sherlock Holmes stories, and more than a handful are lonely or isolated in some way. Th…
Watson Was a Woman
There was a scandal in Sherlockian circles in the early 1940s. Author Rex Stout, BSI ("The Boscombe Valley Mystery"), creator of Nero Wolfe, after c…
Post-Reichenbach Arrangements
After Holmes "died" at the Reichenbach Falls, wouldn't people have looked for a funeral or memorial service? Watson, in parti…
Infectious Diseases in the Canon
Dr. Watson was a general practitioner, and one "with very limited experience and mediocre qualifications," as Holmes blurted out in "The Dying Detectiv…
Shaky Foundations in The Norwood Builder
"The Adventure of the Norwood Builder" first appeared in print in 1903 as part of The Return of Sherlock Holmes. It was the second story in …
Was Sherlock Holmes an American?
For all of his familiarity with American cities, American police forces, American language and attire, Sherlock Holmes may very well have been American.
A number of…
Victorian Vegetarians
We have plenty of instances of animal flesh on the side-board, whether it's a couple of brace of grouse, Henry Baker's Christmas goose,…
Black History in the Canon
Steve Dixie in "The Three Gables," Lucy Hebron in "The Yellow Face," and the unnamed mulatto in "Wisteria Lodge" are n…
The Final Mycroft Problem
Why did Mycroft put himself in harm's way for Sherlock Holmes when the latter faced his arch-nemesis Professor Moriarty? Mycroft put Sherlock up…
Army Coaches
Here's one of those things that lends itself to the title of this podcast. We were thinking about Professor Moriarty and his ignominious fall from grace. After he le…
The Date of the Sign of Four
With Season 4, we're starting a new monthly series that we're calling "Mr. Sherlock Holmes the Theorist." Each month, we'll be t…
British Food
We find a smattering of food references throughout the Sherlock Holmes stories. But which can be considered consummate British dishes?
We don't come across to…
Fog
Weather conditions not only play a part in the settings of the Sherlock Holmes stories, but in some cases, they determine the plots as well.
Fog, London and Baker Street s…
Sherlock Holmes, Sportsman
In a lifetime crammed with high adventure, his brilliant achievements in crime detection obscured his remarkable skills as an athlete. He was an expert with singlesti…
Bohemians and Sherlock Holmes
The last in our series of episodes on international interactions with Sherlock Holmes brings us to the now-defunct kingdom of Bohemia. It was so important that it g…
Minus Watson, Part 2
Sherlock Holmes was occasionally without his Boswell. Watson was married at least twice – some scholars even claim there was a third Mrs. Watson.
Was Holmes truly affected by …