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 references 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 such Victorian pastimes such as horse racing , boxing , and train travel ; the changing role of women with the introduction 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 .
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 Norberton ‘ s odd behavior prior to his horse Prince running in the Epsom Derby . The popularity of the sport in Victorian England , 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 animals came into fashion in the early 1600s when King James 1 built the first grandstand on the Newmarket Heath .
**** 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 treasure trove of information .‖
Available in E-Book At :
Amazon Price : $ 3.49 Length : 98 Pages Heat Level : G
Author Contact Info :
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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 . As the recipient of several writing awards for her fiction , including a nomination for the Pushcart Prize , New York Times bestselling 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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