JUNE, 2018
THE LIFE AND TIMES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES, VOL. TWO
By: Liese Sherwood-Fabre
The Plot:
Return, once again, to 1895…
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle refer-
ences many aspects of everyday life in
Victorian England that are lost on the
modern reader. These short essays
provide a better understanding of
Victorian England and insight into
the tales of Sherlock Holmes. With
greater appreciation of such details as
the significance of the blue ribbon,
the role of doss houses for the poor,
or how one contracted brain fever,
Holmes‟s cases take on a deeper meaning.
Explore Victorian pastimes such as horse racing, boxing,
and train travel; the changing role of women with the introduc-
tion of the bicycle and the typewriter; and common activities
such as visiting pubs or drinking tea—as experienced by the
world‟s most famous consulting detective.
****1/2 Goodreads Review by Joel Senter, Ed.,
Sherlockian E-Times : “[A]n excellent reference for anyone
who likes historical fiction of the Victorian era…. A little treas-
ure trove of information.”
Available in E-Book At:
Amazon
An Excerpt
Conan Doyle‟s stories include two cases involving race-
horses. Holmes is called in to investigate the disappearance of
Silver Blaze just before the Wessex Cup and Sir Robert Norber-
ton‟s odd behavior prior to his horse Prince‟s running in the
Epsom Derby. The popularity of the sport in Victorian Eng-
land, in addition to the criminal element at that time, made it a
perfect backdrop for these Sherlockian investigations.
The exact time of the horse‟s arrival in Britain is not known,
but a cavalry rebuffed Caesar‟s first invasion of Britain in 55 BC.
The animals were smaller than those today, but quite numerous.
Following their use in warfare and other pursuits, racing the ani-
mals came into fashion in the early 1600s when King James I
built the first grandstand on the Newmarket Heath.
[Ed Note: The link did not work for the review. The reviewer is recently
deceased, and his Goodreads account closed. Our staff was not able to find
the review anywhere else.]
Author Contact Info:
Price: $3.49
Length: 98 Pages
Heat Level: G
Website
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Amazon Author Page
Biography:
Liese Sherwood-Fabre obtained her PhD from Indiana University and worked for the federal government,
both domestically and internationally, for more than thirty years. Her essays on Victorian England appear
monthly in Sherlockian newsletters in five different countries. She is also featured in the spring issue of the Baker
Street Journal. She is a recipient of several writing awards for her fiction, including a nomination for the Pushcart
Prize, and New York Times best-selling author Steve Berry has described her writing as "gimmick-free, old-
fashioned storytelling." Her current work in progress is a series based on Sherlock Holmes at age thirteen.
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