Well, if you live in the north eastern quarter of the U.S., you probably know that we are going to get snow. A lot of snow. Which means I have spent quite a bit of time in places that look like this:
50 minutes. No lie. Fortunately the popsicles didn’t melt.
After last night’s adventure, you’d think I would stay in today and await the Flakes of Doom. But noooo, because even though I spent nearly three hours foraging with everyone else in town, I forgot stuff. Important stuff. Good thing there was plenty left.
Why were these not sold out? Don’t people know what Monday is?
Last year, my kids really liked baking a cake and bringing out the Sherlock Holmes action figure, then snuggling on the couch and watching a Granada episode with Mom. I didn’t want to break that nascent tradition just because of a few inches of snow.*
The Sherlockian world is full of traditions. Some are big–like the BSI weekend coming up in New York City. Others revolve around popular conferences or the airing of new episodes of a favorite show. Some are local–the Illustrious Clients’ Victorian Dinner, for instance. And others belong only to the individuals who cherish them. It’s good, I think, to have a little bit of all of these. If you’ve been feeling isolated out there with your copy of the Canon, or certain that no one around you understands your love of a particular film version of Lestrade, let me assure you that you are most definitely not alone. It make take a little searching (probably not as much as you think) but trust me when I say that there is a Sherlockian community out there waiting to meet you and include you in its own traditions. Let this be the year you make some new friends.**
“Are there going to be people there?”
“Well, it is a party, Holmes.”
“Not going, then.”
And speaking of friends…and meditations on friendship mixed in with crime and archenemies and stuff….
As we are getting to the end of the 12th Night Giveaway, there are only two prizes left–and as they are the big ones (metaphorically speaking) everyone is eligible to enter again, whether or not you have already won. Today’s prize is the Season 3 DVD (or Blu-Ray) of Sherlock, Season 3. It has not yet been released, but I will pre-order it for you, via Amazon US or Amazon UK. As such, it will be either Region 1 or Region 2, so please be sure your player can accommodate either of these.
Oh, yes. The photo.
(via Sherlockology)
To enter the drawing, just answer this question:
Sir Arthur was a very chivalrous man, and while he seems to have respected women, he also shies away from making them truly wicked in the Holmes stories. Even if they do wrong, Holmes and Watson generally excuse them in some way. Except for (at least) two. Name one, tell us what she did, and give the name of the story!
Remember to send your answer in via Facebook PM, Twitter DM, or the blog comments! I will draw the winning name 24 hours from this posting. Good luck!
Day 11 Winners!!
For the first time, we actually have dual winners of the dual prizes! Normally everyone goes for one prize! Both Regina Stinson and Emma Stanovska knew that Jabez Wilson of “The Adventure of the Red-Headed League” and Hall Pycroft of “The Stockbroker’s Clerk” fell for the trap of earning decent sums of money for simply copying things (the encyclopedia and names from “The Directory of Paris). They were not the only clients Holmes encountered who were drawn into dangerous situations for the promise of a high salary, however: other names submitted included Violet Hunter, Victor Hatherly, Neville St Clair, and the unhappy John Hector McFarlane. Remember, if it sounds too good to be true….
*Ok. Projected 8-12 with high winds and drifting, blizzard conditions.
**You don’t have to even be all that social. I promise.
The Well-Read Sherlockian 
“…the most winning woman I ever knew was hanged for poisoning three little children for their insurance-money…”
Sherlock Holmes, ‘The Sign of the Four’
No prizes, thanks! =)
In “The Sign of Four” Holmes tells Watson, “I assure you that the most winning woman I ever knew was hanged for poisoning three little children for their insurance-money, and the most repellent man of my acquaintance is a philanthropist who has spent nearly a quarter of a million upon the London poor.” Holmes has few kind words for Violet de Merville. With “a voice like the wind from an iceberg” “this maddening woman” left Holmes “pretty furious”.
Violet de Merville is in “The Illustrious Client”.
Aiming for the Region 1 DVD, please!
I think found both “unexcused” women (although I think I could make arguments for at least two more from the later stories).
1. Mary Holder. In the “The Adventure of the Beryl Coronet,” she helps Sir George Burnwell in his attempt to steal the titular coronet, lets her cousin take the fall for the debacle, and runs away with the unscrupulous Sir George.
Holmes’s opinions regarding Miss Holder:
• “[Arthur Holder] could not explain the true state of affairs without betraying one who certainly deserved little enough consideration at his hands. He took the more chivalrous view, however, and preserved her secret.”
• “It is equally certain, too, that whatever her sins are, they will soon receive a more than sufficient punishment.”
2. Rachel Howells. In “The Adventure of the Musgrave Ritual,” she becomes the accomplice of her hated former lover, Richard Brunton, in his attempt to solve the titular riddle and reap the rewards of the treasure hunt… and then allows him to suffocate to death. She fled and was never heard from again.
Holmes’s opinions regarding Miss Howells:
• “What smouldering fire of vengeance had suddenly sprung into flame in this passionate Celtic woman’s soul when she saw the man who had wronged her—wronged her, perhaps, far more than we suspected—in her power?”
And follows up with:
• “Of the woman nothing was ever heard, and the probability is that she got away out of England and carried herself and the memory of her crime to some land beyond the seas.”
…In both cases, Holmes holds that the women committed inexcusable crimes, Miss Holder of treachery and Miss Howells of murder.
it was Isadora Klein from The Adventures Of The Three Gables
Isadora Klein had Douglas Maberley beaten because he didn’t fit her plans for her life and wanted him out of her life, he wanted marriage and she didn’t ,he wrote a novel about what she did to him and Isadora wanted that novel. he died and she tried to buy the house off of the ,other but she wouldn’t sell, so she had stockdale and his gang break in and steal the papers. one page got left behind. mrs maberley grabbed it out of their hands and held onto it. it tells what happened to him. they chloroformed mrs maberley to get in and get the papers to the novel. Isadora also hired steve Dixie to try and frighten off Holmes by threating him, she wanted to keep her name clean no matter the cost
Isadora Klein in The Three Gables was “induced” by Holmes to pay for a world trip for the mother of Douglas Maberley. Holmes also states (Sign of Four) that the most winning woman he knew was hanged for poisoning 3 children, however he does not say that he brought her to justice. In The Second Stain, Holmes forces a confession from Lady Trelawney Hope.