not a ghost or a bee

The Retired Colourman

“Sherlock Holmes was in a melancholy and philosophic mood that morning. His alert practical nature was subject to such reactions.”

The Lion's Mane

A bittersweet tale of retirement, this odd crime-less story from Holmes’ pen is a rare insight into the mind of the ageing, lonely ex-detective. There is much that we learn about his life after leaving the bustle of London: the quiet nature around him, his simple routine, his new friendships, his interest in photography, and his estrangement with Watson. What June Thomson in her fascinating Holmes and Watson calls “a slow drifting apart, brought about by the physical distance between them, rather than through any specific alienation” is not a pleasant thing to muse on, but it is clear, at least from what the two men share with their readers, that Holmes retires alone while his friend stays in London with his new wife and flourishing practice. Though they still correspond and enjoy “an occasional week-end visit”, this unexplained estrangement makes the lack of a Watsonian touch much more jarring than in Holmes' previous recollection, as his absence echoes throughout the narrative.

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 Three Gables

The subdued omnipresent strain of period-typical racism that runs throughout the entire canon is at its worst in this shoddily plotted story. Though it gives us a hasty peek at the formidably under-used Langdale Pike, Holmes’ gossiping columnist friend, there is nothing that can redeem this adventure. Holmes is indeed a product of his time and privileged place in society, and as such displays a complex array of prejudicial attitudes, but it is hard to reconcile his relaxed mood at the conclusion of “The Yellow Face” with his aggressive racism toward the figure of Steve Dixie. The case itself is a rehash of an already twice-used plot, growing weaker each time: it is basically identical in premise to both the events of the Red-Headed League and the missing Garrideb, with clues that apparently no one but the reader picks up on, a Holmes with a remarkable absence of foresight, and the villain(ess) undeservedly getting away with her crime. One is left to wonder why it was considered for publication at all. 

The Illustrious Client

“He gave no explanations and I asked for none. By long experience I had learned the wisdom of obedience. But when I had left his room I walked down Baker Street, revolving in my head how on earth I was to carry out so strange an order.”

Various disorganised Ring for Jeeves/Come On, Jeeves thoughts brought to you by...well, nothing, I'm simply always thinking about measly late canon crumbs:

Wodehouse editing out crossdressing ghost Jeeves when novelising the play is honestly...sigh, we could have had it all!

Guy with no employment gap and a passion for lying: “Yeah, I was in the war, for sure.”

The Three Garridebs

“The clear, hard eyes were dimmed for a moment, and the firm lips were shaking. For the one and only time I caught a glimpse of a great heart as well as of a great brain. All my years of humble but single-minded service culminated in that moment of revelation.”