Current Episode:

Wednesday, July 27, 2022

2:21 PM 0

“stained with violet” [IDEN] 



It should come as no surprise that the most common name of female leads in the Sherlock Holmes stories was Violet. We meet four of them in as many stories: "The Copper Beeches," "The Solitary Cyclist," "The Bruce-Partington Plans," and "The Illustrious Client."

But what do Misses Hunter, Smith, Westbury and de Merville have in common? And how was it that Conan Doyle was influenced to use this particular name? It's just a Trifle.

This topic was suggested by listener Tony. (Thank you, Tony!) If you have a suggestion for a Trifles episode, let us know at trifles @ ihearofsherlock.com. If you use your idea on the air, we'll send you some Sherlockian goodies.

And don't miss our monthly prize: free back issues of The Baker Street Journal. All patrons are eligible for the random drawing. Did you win? Listen to this episode to find out! And join our community of  patrons.



Download | 35.4 MB, 25:47




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Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra
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Wednesday, July 20, 2022

2:21 PM 0

“man in the scientific press capable of criticizing it” [VALL] 



Every month, we feature an episode called "Masters Class" that looks at an exemplary piece of Sherlockian scholarship that stands out for its workmanship.

This time, we look at Isaac Asimov's essay "The Dynamics of an Asteroid," published in Baker Street and Beyond. He looks at the prevailing scientific knowledge of the time and ponders just what Moriarty was suggesting in his treatise. It's just a Trifle.

If you have a suggestion for a Trifles episode, let us know. If you use your idea on the air, we'll send you some Sherlockian goodies.



Download | 38.1 MB, 27:48




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Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra
Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band

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Wednesday, July 13, 2022

2:21 PM 0

“a curious lisp in her utterance” [HOUN] 



In the canon of Sherlock Holmes stories, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle gave us settings and characters that spring to life in our minds. His vivid descriptions help us to visualize the places and people that Holmes encounters.

However, there's one subtle example that might go unnoticed by the untrained eye. Listener Anna Brindisi-Behrens, a speech pathologist by trade, brought it to our attention. It's just a Trifle.

If you have a suggestion for a Trifles episode, let us know. If you use your idea on the air, we'll send you some Sherlockian goodies.



Download | 39.3 MB, 28:37




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Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra
Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band

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Wednesday, July 6, 2022

10:15 PM 0

“one might think that you were afraid of our finding something out” [PRIO] 



The first week of the month means it's time for another round of Mr. Sherlock Holmes the Theorist, in which we take a look at a piece of old Sherlockian scholarship and discuss it anew. In this case, it's Trevor Hall's essay "A Note on The Priory School" from his book Sherlock Holmes: Ten Literary Studies.

Hall manages to find a clue buried later in "The Blanched Soldier" and traces it back to "The Priory School." What he found is enough to shock even the most devoted fans of Thorneycroft Huxtable, M.A., Ph.D., etc. It's just a Trifle.



Download | 40.4 MB, 29:28




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Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra
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Wednesday, June 29, 2022

2:21 PM 0

“run down to the advertising agency and have this put in the evening papers” [BLUE] 



We know Sherlock Holmes valued the agony column; we discussed that previously on Episode 50. Looking back at a paper by an advertising executive from the mid-20th century — a real-life Mad Man — we find the makings of an expert copywriter and marketer.

We even identify a media buyer. All of this and more, related to advertising in the Canon. It's just a Trifle.



Download | 40.4 MB, 29:28




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Wednesday, June 22, 2022

2:21 AM 0

“the rest of that strange company” [DANC] 



Men and women from professions of all kinds consulted Sherlock Holmes. And throughout the Canon we're introduced to a number of companies, either by name or type of business. 

But some of them stand out because of their unusual categories. Strange company, indeed. It's just a Trifle.



Download | 41.3 MB, 30:06




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Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra
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Wednesday, June 15, 2022

2:21 PM 0

“much addicted” [TWIS] 



This month's Masters Class brings us back to a Morley-Montgomery Award-winning article from The Baker Street Journal.

Susan Rice wrote "Watson's Hidden Addiction" for Vol. 47, No. 2 (June 1997) of the BSJ, and it concerned a significant flaw in Watson's character. Perhaps "flaw" is not the right word — let's call it a weakness. She even found a syndrome that would explain it. It's just a Trifle.



Download | 27.9– MB, 20:19




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Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra
Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band

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Wednesday, June 8, 2022

2:21 PM 0

“What's this, Mr. Holmes? Man, it's witchcraft!” [VALL] 



Continuing on our supernatural theme, we land on witchcraft. And not just any witchcraft, either. This was a spell cast at Baker Street.

Our monthly "Mr. Sherlock Holmes the theorist" theme lands on Frank Allen's "Witchcraft in Baker Street" from the anthology Beyond Baker Street, and it looks at how some of the people we meet in "Charles Augustus Milverton" were bothered, bewitched, and bewildered. It's just a Trifle.



Download | 27.9– MB, 20:19




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Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra
Publisher Info.: Washington, DC: United States Marine Band

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Wednesday, June 1, 2022

2:21 PM 0

“some hocus-pocus” [SIGN] 


The last time we were together, we examined Sherlock Holmes's Tours de Force (Episode 282), in which we discussed a number of ways he wowed people with his unique skills.

As we look closer, there are instances when people accuse him of practicing magic, sorcery, or wizardry. What are those examples, and what might have happened to Sherlock Holmes, had he lived in a different era? It's just a Trifle.



Download | 33.1 MB, 24:07




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Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra
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Wednesday, May 25, 2022

5:45 AM 0

“my poor little reputation, such as it is, will suffer shipwreck if I am so candid” [REDH] 


One of the greatest features of the Sherlock Holmes stories is seeing the master ply his trade. That is, watching Holmes when he dazzles Watson (and us!) with his brilliance.

In the first two novels plus The Adventures and The Memoirs, we have some delicious examples of Holmes at his finest. It is just a Trifle.

And be sure to tune in to hear if you, Patreon supporter, won some back issues of the Baker Street Journal. We hold this drawing exclusively for our supporters every month.



Download | 47.6 MB, 34:42




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Wednesday, May 18, 2022

2:21 AM 0

“it is a remarkable cow” [PRIO] 


The third week of the month means it's time for Master's Class: a look at an exemplary piece of Sherlockian scholarship from over the years. 

In this episode, we turn to an award-winning article in The Baker Street Journal. S. Tupper Bigelow pondered the patterns of hoof-marks as laid out in various editions of the Canon, and won the Morley-Montgomery Award in 1962 for it. It's just a Trifle.



Download | 40.6 MB, 29:34




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Wednesday, May 11, 2022

9:56 AM 0

“A touch! A distinct touch!” [VALL] 


Every author owes something to Shakespeare. His inventiveness with language has withstood the test of time, and many of the phrases he originated or popularized are still in use today.

We find Shakespeare's words dotted throughout the Sherlock Holmes stories, well beyond the usual quotes. A number of Shakespearean phrases are allusions in the Canon. It's just a Trifle.



Download | 38.5 MB, 26:46




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Wednesday, May 4, 2022

2:21 AM 0

“As to your dates, that is the biggest mystification of all.” [CREE] 



This is another instance of the new product we're calling "I Can't Believe We Didn't Talk About This Already."

An early instance of Sherlockian scholarship and commentary, in 1934 Dorothy L. Sayers wrote "The Dates in the Red-Headed League," picking up where H.W. Bell's 1932 Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson: The Chronology of Their Adventures left off.

It's a fine example of using data at hand and being creative, and it's part of our series covering old Sherlockian scholarship. It's just a Trifle.



Download | 41.4 MB, 28:45





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Dorothy L. Sayers' interpretation of the handwriting


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Wednesday, April 27, 2022

2:21 PM 0

“Drive like the devil” [SCAN] 



Call this the case of the overlooked fact. And one that was staring us in the face, too. It concerns the marriage of Irene Adler and Godfrey Norton in "A Scandal in Bohemia."

A listener wrote in and asked us just why Irene Adler had to get married in such a rush. We did a little digging, found some material to discuss, and put our own thoughts into it. It's just a Trifle.
 
We're holding the monthly drawing for our Patreon supporters in this episode. Are you the winner? You'll have to tune in to find out.



Download | 41.6 MB, 30:06





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

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Wednesday, April 20, 2022

2:21 PM 0

“There’s not a tree in the park” [EMPT] 



The third week of the month means it's time for Master's Class: a look at an exemplary piece of Sherlockian scholarship from over the years. 

In this episode, we look at Nicholas Utechin's masterful piece from the 1972 Baker Street Journal in which he deduced exactly where Colonel Moran was when he shot the Hon. Ronald Adair in "The Empty House." Or was it Moran at all? It's just a Trifle.
 
Don't forget: all of our Patreon supporters are eligible for our monthly and quarterly drawings.



Download | 32.8 MB, 22:45





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Wednesday, April 13, 2022

2:21 AM 0

“studying all those branches” [MUSG] 



We're back with the second part of a two-part series looking at trees in the Sherlock Holmes stories. 

In the first part (Episode 274), we covered the oak and the elm. This time, we go a little farther afield and chase mentions of other trees in the Canon: beeches, cedars, firs, plane, pine, yew, and others. Perhaps even shrubbery. It's just a Trifle.
 
Don't forget: all of our Patreon supporters are eligible for our monthly and quarterly drawings.



Download | 43.4 MB, 30:05





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Performers: Uncredited violinist, US Marine Chamber Orchestra
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Scott Monty and Burt Wolder are both members of the Baker Street Irregulars, the literary society dedicated to Sherlock Holmes. They have co-hosted the popular show I Hear of Everywhere since June 2007.

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