It was this time of year in 1887 when we got our first taste.
A Study of Scarlet, originally titled A Tangled Skein, was published by Ward Lock & Co. in Beeton’s Christmas Annual 1887.
A. Conan Doyle got £25 for the story and the world was introduced to Sherlock Holmes.
He has since gone on to become the most famous literary character on the planet.
And last month when the U.S. Supreme court refused to hear an appeal by the estate of Arthur Conan Doyle over licensing fees Sherlock Holmes has finally come to rest in the public domain.
Perfectly timed, though not planned, was the release of the new edition of The Sherlock Holmes Companion: An Elementary Guide by Daniel Smith. A handy volume designed to assist you in following the detective through popular culture.
From the publisher:
Since it’s original printing five years ago, we are re-issuing The Sherlock Holmes Companion with a full update of all the exciting detective developments from both the small and big screen as well as further details on all the major characters and locations. Illustrated throughout with more than 150 pictures ranging from period engravings and book jackets to modern-day location shots and film stills from TV adaptations, this is a compendious guide to all the stories, their author and the enigmatic pipe-smoking creation at their heart.
Daniel Smith’s witty and informed text provides plot summaries of every single Sherlock Holmes story, potted biographies of Holmes, Moriarty, Watson and of course Conan Doyle. Interviews with actors and contributors who’ve helped bring the great detective to life over the years, including a new interview with Mark Gatiss who not only plays Mycroft Holmes but is also co-creator of the BBC series Sherlock.
Painting of 221B Baker Street Trish McCracken
Mystery Painting A trompe l’oeil by Eric Conklin
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