Jeremy Brett, actor famed for his definitive portrayal of Sherlock Holmes in the 1980s and 1990s, once puzzled over the universal appeal of Sherlock Holmes. He was amazed that children thought of him as “a sort of batman,” everything a superhero should be. Yet, those of us who more or less grew up with Holmes hunting down the bad guys and defending the helpless, the superhero badge is definitely there.
There has been so much written about Sherlock Holmes, but people keep wanting more, and any fan of Doyle’s famed detective has a story to tell of how they first became enthralled with Sherlock Holmes.
For me, Sherlock Holmes was an answer for the teenage awkwardness of loneliness and anxiety. My first real introduction to Sherlock Holmes was through Basil Rathbone, whose portrayal was just the emotionally detached, gallantry should be the norm, and intellect is cool vibes I needed at fifteen. I even started playing the violin so I could be like Sherlock Holmes, and mom bought me a huge tome of the Sherlock Holmes stories accompanied by the original Sidney Paget illustrations.
For a science fair, I put on a deerstalker cap, held a pipe, and discussed the science of deduction from a young teen’s limited perspective. I started doing cryptograms after reading the “The Dancing Men” and threw myself into logic problems.
Sherlock Holmes is more than a cold, calculating machine. But it might actually be comforting sometimes to meet a man who cares more about his brain than his body, a man who will step in and tell abusers they have no right to treat women that way, not on the street and not under their own roofs, an arbiter of society. As Dr. Crystal Elerson, Sherlock Holmes expert, commented in The Mocha Wave Talks podcast, He will notice when a woman has been cruelly treated, and he will confront the perpetrator.
His head is turned by intellect rather than seduction. He is impressed by independence and courage. Yet he is still there, ready to intervene should the client need him. He’s just a telegram away.
Forever Is Eternity, First in the Blackwick Series,
is packed with Sherlock Holmes references. I recommend that you read the original stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, so that you can recognize all the subtle clues hidden in the dialogue and description.
If you are just beginning to explore the original Sherlock Holmes stories, I recommend you watch Season 1, Episode 3 of Mocha Wave Talks Podcast where Sherlock Holmes expert Dr. Crystal Elerson and I discuss the top ten or so stories we recommend to begin your Sherlockian journey.
