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:
Website Facebook Twitter 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. 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.
24
10