Episode 57 - Coffee, Tea, or 221B?

"Mrs. Hudson entered with the tea and coffee" [NAVA] 

When it comes to British mysteries, tea is like aqua vitae. It's a given that it's part of the scenery. And of course we do come across tea a number of times in the Sherlock Holmes stories.

But have you ever taken a tally of how many times we witness tea being served versus coffee? Or of the therapeutic uses of either? Grab a cup (or a cuppa) and pull up a chair - we're about to have a coffee klatch on Trifles.

Or as one entertainer might put it: Sherlockians in Cars Getting Coffee. Or is it tea?

Download | 8.5 MB, 18:33 

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Links / Notes

• This episode: ihose.co/trifles57
• A Cup of Coffee, a Sandwich, and You

Music credits

Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra 

Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band 

Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0

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Episode 56 - The Hudsons

"it is surely Hudson" [GLOR] 

One of the most enduring figures of the Canon after Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson, Mycroft Holmes and Inspector Lestrade is Mrs. Hudson. We know a little about her, but how did she happen to become the landlady of 221B Baker Street? And what were the "princely" rent payments that Holmes made?
As we make our way across the Sherlock Holmes stories, we do come across one or two other Hudsons as well. What is their relationship to the landlady? These questions await your attention in the latest episode of Trifles.

Download | 6.1 MB, 13:12 

Have you left us a rating and review on the podcast player of your choice yet? We could really use your help. 

And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal.

Links / Notes

• How Much Do We Really Know About Mrs. Hudson?

Music credits

Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra 

Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band 

Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0

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Episode 55 - Unpublished Cases: Weird Animals

"it is a nice household" [SPEC] 

We've got another recurring feature for you here on Trifles: seeing as there were so many unpublished cases that Watson mentioned, we find that there are plenty of trifles to discuss with regard to those. We're calling this series of episodes Unpublished Cases and we'll regularly revisit the topic.

When we glance across a number of such cases that Watson mentioned in stories like "The Sussex Vampire," "The Problem of Thor Bridge," "The Golden Pince-Nez," "Black Peter," and "The Veiled Lodger," we find some unusual animals mentioned — animals that would not commonly be found in the home or on the farm. Just what are some of these species?

Download | 8.4 MB, 18:19 

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And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon or PayPal.

Links / Notes

• The giant rat of Sumatra
• The Sherlock Holmes International Exhibition
• The Canary Trainer by Nicholas Meyer

Music credits

Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra 

Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band 

Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0

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Episode 54 - Inside 221B: On the Sideboard

"upon the sideboard" [BERY] 

In this episode of Trifles, we're starting what will become a recurring feature over the course of a few episodes: namely, we're looking at some of the things you'll find in Sherlock Holmes's sitting room at 221B Baker Street. We're calling the series Inside 221B.

The sideboard makes a number of appearances in the Canon, and serves as a solemn but essential member of the Baker Street set as it features beef and fowl, drinks and related accouterments, and as a resting place for various objects. But just what is a sideboard and in which stories do we find it?

Download | 6.2 MB, 13:36 

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And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon.

Links / Notes

• The Great Exhibition
• The Festival of Britain
• May - September 1951: An Exhibition on Sherlock Holmes

Music credits

Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra 

Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band 

Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0

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Episode 53 - Compounding a Felony

"compound a felony as usual." [3GAB] 

Welcome to Season 2 of Trifles. We'll be working through some of the questions we ask in our show introductions this season, including a number of recurring themes. We hope you'll subscribe.

In Episode 48 ("Gotcha!") we discussed times when Sherlock Holmes caught his criminal red-handed, dead to rights. But what about the times that he caught criminals but let them go?

Was it solely his strong sense of right and wrong that caused Holmes to allow them to go free? Or was he simply disdainful of the official police? And what was it that he was doing with regard to felonies - compounding, commuting, or condoning? It's just a Trifle.

Download | 8.6 MB, 18:43 

Have you left us a rating and review on the podcast player of your choice yet? We could really use your help. 

And please consider supporting our efforts through Patreon.

Links / Notes

• The Hero's Journey
• A Sherlock Holmes Handbook by Christopher Redmond
• The Encyclopedia Sherlockiana by Jack Tracy

Music credits

Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra 

Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band 

Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0

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