Sherlock Holmes

Problems: How can Holmes deduce Moriarty at work in undis-
covered crimes? Why isn’t Holmes just shot by one of Moriarty’s
henchmen (especially as he displays a fear of airguns)? Holmes’
suggestion at Canterbury station that they change from Dover
to Newhaven would have involved three changes of train and
taken at least six hours – too long to arrive at Brussels the same
night.Why did Moriarty not assign someone to keep an eye on
the rear of Watson’s house? (Colonel Moran perhaps.) Watson
says a hansom cab was procured for ‘us’ – to whom else is he
referring?
Observations: With his novel, The White  Company, selling well,
Doyle decided to kill off Sherlock Holmes to concentrate on
historical fiction. While lecturing in the Swiss town of
Lucerne, his travelling companion Silas K Hocking suggested
the perfect place for him to despatch his creation – the famous
tourist attraction of Reichenbach Falls in the Hasli Valley.
Moriarty is allegedly based on two people. Firstly, Doyle’s
S H E R L O C K H O L M E S
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friend Major General Alfred Drayson, a fellow member of the
Portsmouth Literary and Scientific Society: he taught maths for
many years and was a theoretical astronomer. Secondly Adam
Harry Worth, a professional American criminal who stole a
Gainsborough painting in 1876. Moriarty also bears a resem-
blance to a nineteenth century barrister and master forger,
James Townsend  Saward.
Verdict: To those who claim that Moriarty is not actually seen in
this story (leading to the absurd theory that the Napoleon of
crime is purely imaginary, or more absurdly, that he is Holmes
himself), just look at The Valley of Fear, in which Inspector
MacDonald actually meets him face-to-face. But silly revi-
sionism aside, this is a fantastic grand finale – a vividly-drawn
arch-villain, attempted assassinations, a desperate flight across
different continents and, ultimately, a truly sacrificial death. An
epic tale that rounds off the end of an era in magnificent style.
5/5 
27) The Hound of the Baskervilles
UK: The Strand Magazine (August 1901–April 1902, SP); USA:
The Strand Magazine (September 1901–May 1902, SP)
The Case: A legendary spectral dog has returned to kill the
baronets of a desolate Dartmoor estate…
Date: Late September–October 1889.
Characters: James Mortimer, Mrs Mortimer, Inspector
Lestrade, boy, John and Eliza Barrymore, Sir Henry
Baskerville, Mr Frankland, Jack Stapleton, Beryl Stapleton,
waiter, Wilson, Cartwright, John Clayton, spaniel, Perkins,
scullery maid, postmaster, James, Laura Lyons, Anthony, the
Hound, Sir Charles Baskerville, Hugo Baskerville, Rodger
Baskerville, John Baskerville, Elizabeth Baskerville, Murphy,
T H E C A N O N
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Theophilus Johnson, Mrs Oldmore, James Desmond, Selden,
Middleton, Sir John Morland, Rear-Admiral Baskerville, Sir William
Baskerville, Mr and Mrs Vandeleur, Fraser.
Locations: 221B Baker Street; Baskerville Hall, Dartmoor,
Devon; Northumberland Hotel; Regent Street; Bond Street art
gallery; Waterloo Station; Coombe Tracey railway station;
Merripit House; Grimpen Mire; Black Tor; Laura Lyons’ office,
Coombe Tracey; Bradley’s Tobacconist, Oxford  Street; Stanford’s Map
Shop; Grimpen; Lafter Hall, Fernworthy; High Tor; Foulmire;
Princetown Prison; 3 Turpey  Street, Borough; Shipley’s Yard, near