I Hear Of Sherlock Everywhere

"Those were the early days" [VALL]  Join us as we explore the roots of Sherlockian tradition in the Motor City with Christopher Music, archivist and Commissionaire of The Amateur Mendicant Society, and the group's Gasogene, our own Scott Monty. As one of the "Original Eight" scion societies in the U.S., the Mendicants hold a unique place in literary history — from their 1946 founding held on the same night as an early meeting of The Speckled Band of Boston, to producing the first-ever televised Sherlock Holmes performance of a society.   Chris discusses the founding members of the group, including newspaperman Russell McLauchlin, who was welcomed into the BSI by Vincent Starrett himself. You'll hear about the Mendicants' evolution, and look ahead to April 25, 2026, when the group will return to their original Detroit meeting site to celebrate 80 years of fellowship.   Our "Learned Societies" segment kicks off with Sherlockian society activities coming up in the first half of June. Then, it's a new edition

"A collector of obscure volumes" [EMPT]  Today we honor the enduring legacy of Vincent Starrett — the legendary journalist, bibliophile, and founding member of the Baker Street Irregulars — as we approach the 140th anniversary of his birth. To celebrate, the Torists International S.S. will host a landmark conference from October 23-25, 2026, in Starrett's longtime home of Chicago. The event's organizers, Jonathan Shimberg and Linda Crohn, share the inspiration behind the gathering and their own storied history within the Sherlockian community. They explain how the conference came together, and why Starrett's influence remains so vital to readers and collectors today.  Our "Learned Societies" segment kicks off with Sherlockian society activities coming up the last half of May. Then, it's a new edition of "Examining the Pictures," with the film critic, journalist, and author Christian Monggaard, BSI, as he reviews Guy Ritchie's new Amazon Prime series, Young Sherlock.  Finally, the Canonical Couplet quiz w

"Only one word of epilogue" [DANC]    Today we're joined by Bob Katz, BSI, the founder of The Epilogues of Sherlock Holmes, a scion society that spent over three decades exploring the world of 221B Baker Street. Bob named the group after the subhead of "His Last Bow," observing that an epilogue, after all, is something that follows — and for thirty years, the group followed the Great Detective through meetings dedicated to friendship and story discussions.  All of their meetings were held in the resonant walls of a Quaker meeting house, with the group soon adopting a two-story format, where discussions of two of Watson's cases were followed by unearthing the hidden links and echoes between them. Beyond the scholarly deep dives, the Epilogues were legendary for their informal, affordable atmosphere, fueled, in large part, by Peter McIntyre's celebrated homemade ice cream. Having now concluded their own Great Hiatus, the Epilogues will officially kick off a new chapter with their first online meeting later t

 "I cultivate a large number of friends" [WIST]  What does it take to build a legacy that lasts nearly a century? Today we're joined by Peter Eckrich and Rob Nunn to discuss their new book, On the Shoulders of Giants. It's a portrait gallery of twenty-one of the influential men and women who founded and fueled the Sherlock Holmes literary scene from its infancy in the 1930s.  We dive into the lives of these bookish, clubbable people, who were all as knowledgeable as they were sociable. Whether you're a lifelong Sherlockian or a newcomer to the Great Game, our conversation takes a fresh look at the "Giants" whose scholarship and camaraderie created the community we know today. Our "Learned Societies" segment kicks off with Sherlockian society activities in the second half of April. Then it's a new edition of "Examining the Pictures," with the film critic, journalist, and author Christian Monggaard, BSI. This time, Christian explores Disney's 1986 success, The Great Mouse Detective.  Then the Canonical Coupl

 "I was invited to a week-end gathering" [LAST]  Join us as we look back on four whirlwind days of Sherlockian festivities in New York City, when hundreds of Sherlock Holmes enthusiasts gathered for plays, dinners, luncheons, lectures, auctions, and — most importantly — each other's company, from January 7 to 11, 2026. We recap the full slate of events, from intimate meals to the grand annual Baker Street Irregulars Dinner, an invitation-only evening that remains the centerpiece of the weekend. Along the way, we share personal travel stories, New York side adventures, and the rich history behind several of the luncheons and receptions, including tributes to honorees and a memorable lecture by the award-winning composer, singer-songwriter, dramatist and author, Rupert Holmes.  Our conversation reflects what makes these gatherings special: not just Sherlock Holmes, but the friendships, traditions, and shared enthusiasm that bring this community together year after year.  Then it's on to Sherlockian society a

 "All good comradeship and friendship" [ABBE]  Bob Sharfman's first impression of Sherlock Holmes came from Basil Rathbone's movies. Bob read Watson's cases later in life, and met others who shared his interest almost accidentally, when he came to a meeting of Hugo's Companions, a Chicago group then led by the legendary Vincent Starrett. Although Bob became a serious player of the "Great Game" just a few years ago, his gifts for storytelling, research, and writing  earned him the investiture of Killer Evans in 2024. His ideas about the canon and its events have made him a popular speaker, and dozens of Sherlockians have embraced him as a fast friend. Join us as we explore his essays, note his upcoming 90th birthday, and discuss his new book, … but I digress, the Musings of a Sherlockian Motormouth. Then it's on to Sherlockian society activities in the second half of March in "The Learned Societies" segment, and the Canonical Couplet quiz tests your Sherlock Holmes knowledge, with a prize from the IHOSE vau

 "Holmes took it with admirable good-humour" [PRIO]    For years, Holmes and Watson have served as a blueprint for an "odd couple" dynamic, usually by poking fun at the detective's ego, and the doctor's struggle to keep up. Humor can humanize these literary giants, making them feel less like statues and more like friends.  Now Nicholas Sercombe's The Unexpurgated Adventures of Sherlock Holmes series goes down this path, suggesting Watson's reports were just too risque for the morals of Victorian England. Join us as he shares the facts Watson really discovered about Holmes's family, Mrs. Hudson's real estate empire, and much more, and the live-action and animated television series under development. Don't miss our round-up of Sherlockian society activities in the second half of February in "The Learned Societies" segment, and the Canonical Couplet quiz that tests your Sherlock Holmes knowledge, with a copy of one of N.P. Sercombe's books for the winner. Send your answer to comment @ ihearofsherlock.com by J

 "Important issues might hang upon our journey." [SIGN]    Join us as we speak to Steve Mason and Greg Ruby about their adventure this past summer — a whirlwind, five-day odyssey through the rugged landscapes of Oklahoma, Texas, and New Mexico, tracking down 39 locations with hidden ties to Baker Street. Decades after a simpler, four-stop Texas road trip set the precedent, our intrepid investigators clocked 2,414 miles in heat of the last week of August, all to prove that the Great Detective's influence knows no borders.  You'll hear how they bridged the gap between the dusty plains and the foggy streets of London, and found Holmesian echoes in the most unexpected places. It's all about imagination, and how their "Great Sherlockian Whimsical Tour II" transformed the American Southwest into a sprawling map of Victorian mystery. We also give you a glimpse of Sherlockian society activities, this time in the first half of February in "The Learned Societies" segment. Then we announce an exciting new segment lau

 "Particularly bright and joyous" [THOR]  Forget about the silence you might think is suggested by the word "pantomime." British panto is a raucous, musical, holiday tradition that expects the audience to be as loud as possible, booing the villain and cheering the hero. It's usually a comic, theatrical retelling of a fairy tale — like Cinderella or Aladdin — with slapstick for the kids, cheeky innuendo for the adults, and a cast that includes a campy "Dame" (a man in an over-the-top dress).  Now Holmes, Watson, and the world of 221B have been lovingly added to the panto tradition in Sherlock Holmes and the 12 Days of Christmas, playing through January 18, 2026, at England's Birmingham Rep. The show is also a genuine whodunnit: West End stars are being murdered in mid performance. Can Sherlock Holmes solve the case? It's all the work of our guests Humphrey Ker and David Reed, writers and stars whose love of the Victorian Age, history, and classic literature has infused almost twenty years of collaboration. Yo

 "'Why, Holmes, it is a child's drawing,' I cried." [DANC]  Just when you thought everything about Sherlock Holmes and popular culture was known, a new mystery emerges from dusty U.S. newspaper archives.  Join us as we interview the remarkable Ross E. Davies, BSI ("The Temple"), organizer of "The Scourers of the Dancing Men," a fascinating research project that dives deep into a 1903 advertising campaign for the publication of "The Adventure of the Dancing Men" in Collier's magazine.  They've discovered dozens of unique advertisements — including a particularly intriguing "third format" whose cryptic figures bear a striking, unexplained resemblance to the original drawings that inspired Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. You'll hear about the ongoing, national hunt for missing ads and the perplexing questions these newly found "Collier's dancing men" pose. You can even join the search to gather the data and help solve this curious, 120-year-old mystery. Once again, we give you a glimpse of Sherlockian society activit

"An expression of the most dreadful horror." [HOUN]  Join us as we explore Sherlock Holmes Into the Fire, a new, two-volume collection that reimagines Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Gothic tales through the lens of Sherlock Holmes. Our guest Margie Deck discusses how Doyle's eerie, atmospheric stories — often overshadowed by Sherlock Holmes — reveal the author's deeper fascination with mystery, psychology, and the supernatural.  We talk about the creative process behind pairing each original tale with a modern Holmesian retelling, the challenges of preserving Gothic dread while introducing rational deduction, and how contributors balanced Doyle's voice with their own. Our conversation sheds light on what might be lost and gained when the world's greatest detective steps into the shadows of Conan Doyle's darker imagination — and why these stories continue to inspire new interpretations more than a century later. Once again, we give you a glimpse of Sherlockian society activities, this time in the second half of

"a member of an aristocratic club" [BERY]  Sherlockians from around the world joined the members of the Sherlock Holmes Klubben i Danmark earlier this year to mark their 75th anniversary. While the club first met in 1950, the Danish appreciation of Sherlock Holmes is as old as the Great Detective himself, when translations, movies, and parodies of his cases first graced the pages of the country's newspapers.  Join us for a wide-ranging discussion with Christian Monggaard, BSI ("Neville St. Clair") to discover the exceptional community of artists and writers who first brought Holmes to the Danish public and formed the first societies. You'll hear about noted the artists and illustrators Robert Storm-Petersen and Henry Lauritzen, and learn the twists and turns that led to Christian's career as a film critic and journalist. Of course we lead off with Sherlockian gatherings for the second half of November in "The Learned Societies" segment. Madeline Quinones is back with "A Chance of Listening," and the Canoni

"the goodness of Providence." [NAVA]    It began with an idea for a series of radio mysteries, each five minutes long, that listeners could solve by considering the evidence. Sherlock Holmes would then give the solution — and to make it even more interesting, Watson could conclude with a moral lesson reflecting the story.  Thanks to the author, journalist, and broadcaster Kel Richards, it became a popular feature on Australian radio, and Ray Riethmeier, BSI ("Morrison, Morrison, and Dodd") thought it would make a wonderful book. Through a strange series of circumstances — destiny, perhaps? — Ray eventually found Richards and reunited  him with transcripts of the programs. Join us as we talk to Ray about the result: Sherlock Holmes 5-Minute Mysteries, a collection of fifty fair-play puzzlers that also enable personal, Christian exploration. Next, we explore Sherlockian gatherings for the first half of November in "The Learned Societies" segment. Madeline Quinones is back with A Chance of Listening, and t

"Pooh, pooh! Forgery." [SCAN]  Nicholas Meyer, BSI ("A Fine Morocco Case") is an accomplished storyteller who has made a mark in both the literary and film worlds. He's best known for his 1974 best-selling novel, The Seven-Per-Cent Solution, which revitalized Sherlock Holmes for a new generation of readers. His other Holmes novels, including The West End Horror, The Canary Trainer, The Adventure of the Peculiar Protocols, and The Return of the Pharaoh, and Sherlock Holmes and the Telegram From Hell have cemented his place as a celebrated perpetuator of Watson's reports.  Beyond his literary achievements, Nick is a prolific screenwriter and director, credited with directing the iconic films Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. He also directed the landmark television movie The Day After, which remains one of the most-watched television films ever made. Nick's latest novel is Sherlock Holmes and the Real Thing. In the book, Holmes and Watson are drawn into a bizarre a

"Here is the key. You can look for yourself." [GOLD]  Imagine having the key to 221B Baker Street, and what it must feel like to open that door. And imagine being trusted to keep Holmes and Watson's famous sitting room in good order. That rare honor belongs to Roger Johnson, BSI ("The Pall Mall Gazette") and Jean Upton, BSI ("Elsie Cubitt"), a well-known couple among the small community of married Sherlockians.  Jean and Roger have preserved and maintained the sitting room at London's Sherlock Holmes Pub for 30 years. Join us as we hear how the Northumberland Hotel evolved into the pub, and why Sir Henry Baskerville would have been an unlikely guest.  You'll learn the origin of the sitting room in 1951's Festival of Britain, how Jean and Roger saved it from neglect, and how it stands today after the pub's recent renovation. Then we look ahead to Sherlockian gatherings for the last half of September in "The Learned Societies" segment. Madeline Quinones is back with "A Chance of Listening," and the Canonica

"you could just fill that gap on that second shelf" [EMPT]    If you discovered Sherlock Holmes when you were young, you might still recall the joy of your first reading. The world of Baker Street is fun, so much so that some adults still extend the Great Detective's career with their own stories.  Many adults also enjoy LEGO as a nostalgic, relaxing, and creative outlet. That's why we were eager to talk to LEGO Group Design Master Antica Bracanov and Graphic Designer Crisy Dyment about their creation of the LEGO Sherlock Holmes Book Nook.  Joining us from LEGO's offices in Billund, Denmark, Antica and Crisy take us through the concept, the process, and the community of designers, engineers, and model-makers who brought it to life. You'll hear how the key moments and objects Sherlock Holmes fans will recognize were selected, and how they were adapted to fit LEGO's style and humor. You'll find there are some self-described "Sherlock Holmes nerds" on the LEGO team, too. Speaking of Sherlockian nerds (guilty

"a case for personal investigation" [SUSS]    The number of Sherlock Holmes pastiches is endless. They include stories and novels set in any era, any place, and any time. They all bring the Great Detective to new audiences — so how do you go about selecting (just) fifty-two to explore? Join our conversation with Paul Bishop as we explore his new book, 52 Weeks | 52 Sherlock Holmes Stories. Paul is the author of 15 novels and numerous TV and film scripts — and also a 35-year veteran of the Los Angeles Police Department. Paul's new book is a selection of Sherlockian pastiches chosen and recommended by the individual essay writers themselves. Beyond the plots and author bios, Paul's writers give personal perspectives on why these stories were important to them, and the connection Sherlock Holmes has played in their lives.  Paul also discusses his writing career, which spans multiple genres including screenplays, westerns and other novels. He discusses his journey as an author, and how storytelling has shaped

"it's the king of diamonds" [MAZA] It took Laurie R. King six years to find a publisher for her first book, but it was worth the wait. She won the Edgar in 1994 for Best First Novel with A Grave Talent, which launched her Kate Martinelli series, set in San Francisco. That same year, The Bee-Keeper's Apprentice introduced the impressive, young Mary Russell, who would meet and eventually marry the retired Sherlock Holmes — "the least marriageable man I knew," according to Mary, in 1921. Since then, Russell and Holmes have traveled the world in eighteen novels, finding mystery and adventure everywhere from the English countryside to Palestine to California. Along the way, Mary's partnership with Holmes has evolved, usually in plots that mix real events with suspenseful intrigue.  Now Knave of Diamonds, the nineteenth book in the series, brings Mary a case not even Sherlock Holmes could solve: the very real theft of the Irish Crown Jewels from Dublin Castle years before. It comes with the sudden return of Mary

"from Portsmouth at midday" [LAST]    The Portsmouth Library is home to the Arthur Conan Doyle Collection, largely made possible by the bequest of Richard Lancelyn Green. This world-renowned collection, the work of one of the foremost Doylean scholars, is a treasure trove for researchers, enthusiasts, and the public. The Collection preserves books, manuscripts, artifacts, and ephemera that illuminate Conan Doyle's life, his beloved Sherlock Holmes, and the cultural impact of his work. Laura Weston is the Education and Learning Officer for the Collection at the Portsmouth City Council, making the collection accessible and engaging to a global audience. Laura joins us to discuss the annual Worldwide Doyle conference, a series of virtual talks by writers, fans, and academics who are passionate about Conan Doyle and Sherlock Holmes. The program is taking place in June and July; all events take place at 7:00 pm BST and are free of charge, and will be available online. How does a city like Portsmouth turn a lit