Sir Arthur Conan Doyle never wanted this.

the ol’ jitterbug!!!

The Blanched Soldier

For this end-of-career investigation into the disappearance of a gentleman’s army mate, we are astonished to hear from Holmes himself for the first time. There is no denying that Holmes’ narration lacks Watson’s warmth and poetic touch, but his two stories are not as inferior as some critics seem to think. It is true that compared to his earlier recollections in "The Gloria Scott” and “The Musgrave Ritual”, they could do with some joie de vivre, but that is only in keeping with the tone of the other tales from The Case-Book, including those narrated by Watson. What is evident is that, at the time he is writing these, Holmes does miss his friend terribly and funnels his loneliness into sarcastic remarks, as he is wont to do.

The Sussex Vampire

When publishing in the mid-1920s, Watson would have had a good idea of the growing appeal of the vampire figure to the popular imagination, but no amount of fiddling around with chronology could enable us to place the events of this adventure before the writing of Bram Stoker's Dracula. At the time of Holmes' and Watson's visit to Sussex, the famous vampire story was Sheridan Le Fanu's Carmilla.

Serialised in the early 1870s, the novella tells the professedly real story of the young Laura, and her sexually-charged relationship with the mysterious Carmilla. Holmes' own vampire case, though eventually not supernatural, also relies on preconceived notions and fears of ‘unpredictable’ foreign women. Carmilla was partly illustrated by D. H. Friston, who would be responsible for the very first portraits of Holmes and Watson a few years later.

Preface to His Last Bow

“The Friends or Mr Sherlock Holmes will be glad to learn that he is still alive and well, though somewhat crippled by occasional attacks of rheumatism. He has, for many years, lived in a small farm upon the Downs five miles from Eastbourne, where his time is divided between philosophy and agriculture. During this period of rest he has refused the most princely offers to take up various cases, having determined that his retirement was a permanent one.”

Holmemes pt. 45

Holmemes pt 44