Genius Unbound: Sherlock Holmes

When Sherlock Scholars Take Notice

Steven W. Booth — Fri, 13 Feb 2026 16:02:10 GMT

One of the quieter but most meaningful moments in publishing is when a book reaches the people who know the subject inside and out and then sparks a real response.

Baker Street: The Curious Case Files of Sherlock Holmes by David Foster was recently reviewed in the Winter 2025 issue of the Sherlock Holmes Journal, the long-running publication of the Sherlock Holmes Society of London.

The review appears alongside works by major academic and literary presses and engages seriously with the book’s ambition: to explore Sherlock Holmes across literature, film, television, pastiche, parody, and cultural afterlife.

The reviewer notes the scope of Foster’s project — describing it as “lavishly illustrated” and “ambitious in scope,” particularly in its effort to gather a vast range of Holmes-related material into a single volume. The book is recognized as a compendium that invites readers to dip in, explore, and follow threads across the many worlds Holmes has inhabited beyond Conan Doyle’s original stories.

At the same time, the review does what good criticism should do: it asks questions about focus, selection, and structure — observations that are invaluable for any living book and future editions.

We’re grateful for that level of engagement. Serious subject matter deserves serious reading.

For readers, collectors, and Holmes enthusiasts, Baker Street stands as a visually rich and wide-ranging exploration of the detective’s enduring cultural presence — one that reflects just how expansive, and sometimes unruly, the Holmes universe has become.

📖 Baker Street: The Curious Case Files of Sherlock Holmes
by David Foster
Published by Genius Book Publishing

From the Sherlock Holmes Journal (Winter 2025)

*Selected excerpts from the review of* Baker Street: The Curious Case Files of Sherlock Holmes *by David Foster.*

“David Foster’s Baker Street is a curious book — perplexing on one level, ambitious on another.”

“Extending across Sherlock Holmes in literature, film, television, crossover fiction, pastiche and spoofs, it is replete with potted summaries of novels, film and television programmes.”

“The book is rich with illustrations of covers, film posters and the like, and it is pleasing to have them all in one place as a ready reference.”

Baker Street: The Curious Case Files of Sherlock Holmes

David Foster — Fri, 09 Jan 2026 16:01:15 GMT

I’m David Foster, author of Baker Street: The Curious Case Files of Sherlock

Holmes, and in this little video I want to showcase some of Sidney Paget’s splendid

illustrations of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson embarking on their many train

journeys—those elegant little interludes between Baker Street and the scene of

some dreadful crime.

Now, calling steam trains elegant might sound a bit rich. After all, they were

enormous iron kettles spewing smoke and ash. But once you were inside the

carriage, it was another story—hand-crafted woodwork, polished brass, and seats

that looked as though they’d been made to be sat on, not endured. The journey itself

was something to savor. Compare that with today’s trains, where you’re more likely

to savor the aroma of last night’s kebab, admire graffiti of questionable artistic merit,

or dodge a mysterious puddle glistening in the corner.

That’s part of why I love the world of Sherlock Holmes. Yes, there’s murder and

mayhem at every turn, but even in the midst of it all there’s a curious

wholesomeness—a world where travelling to investigate a corpse could still be, well,

rather civilized.

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Before Sherlock: The Real-Life Detective Who Inspired a Genre

Steven W. Booth — Fri, 26 Dec 2025 16:00:28 GMT

Before Holmes ever graced Baker Street, there was Jack Whicher—Scotland Yard’s finest, pulled into a case that gripped Victorian England and helped shape modern detective fiction. The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher, based on the true crime at Road Hill House, brings the fog-laced mystery of 1860s Britain to life with chilling accuracy. In this installment of Beyond Baker Street, David Foster traces the real roots of the analytical detective—from tragedy to television.

Beyond Baker Street VIII

The Roadhill House Murder

The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher

The influence of Sherlock Holmes in film and television extends beyond the confines of Baker Street. The shadowy streets and enigmatic characters that populate these shows echo the world of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, yet they carve out their own distinct narratives, rich in mystery and intrigue.

One such tele-movie is The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher (2011) brings to life the true-crime investigations of a Victorian-era detective, whose methods and demeanour are reminiscent of Holmes himself. This film, based on real events, bridges the gap between fact and fiction.

The Murder at Roadhill House is the first of four telemovies, starring Paddy Considine as Jack Whicher, based on the narrative non-fiction novel by Kate Summerscale.

Based on a true story, The Murder at Roadhill House begins in the village of Road, Wiltshire, in 1860. In a makeshift courtroom a trial is being heard, and the townsfolk have gathered to hear the verdict. When the case is dismissed for lack of evidence, Inspector Jack Whicher of Scotland Yard’s Detective Branch is disgraced, and is forced to return to London.

The story skips back two months earlier. At Road Hill House, the Kent family awaken to find that the youngest child, Savill Kent, is missing from his cot. The family and staff search the grounds looking for the boy, who is found covered in blood in the outhouse.

When the Wiltshire police are slow to find the murderer, the public is outraged. The press latch onto the story, and the case becomes a national obssession. Scotland Yard dispatches Jack Whicher, their finest detective, to take over the investigation. Whicher is not welcome in Wiltshire, and the local police do little to aid his enquiries. However, he soon realises the killer must be a member of the household, and not a member of the broader community, which makes him unpopular.

Whicher, much like Sherlock Holmes, is presented as a new breed of analytical detective; one who seeks motive and facts to support his theories, rather than unfounded suppositions. At the end of the telemovie, Whicher is no longer a detective at Scotland Yard, but a private enquiry agent.

Paddy Considine would return as Jack Whicher in three other mysteries: The Murder In Angel Lane (2013), Beyond the Pale (2014), and The Ties That Bind (2014).

Beyond Baker Street

I’ve always been fascinated by the shadow cast by Sherlock Holmes—a figure so iconic that his influence seeps into unexpected corners of pop culture. Beyond Baker Street is where I chase those echoes. Whether it’s a villain who once faced Holmes or a story that feels like it should’ve, this series lets me explore the strange tributaries that flow from the great detective’s world.

If you’ve enjoyed this piece, you’ll find even more to explore in my book Baker Street: The Curious Case Files of Sherlock Holmes—a deep dive into 100+ years of Sherlock Holmes in print, film, television, and beyond. From Conan Doyle’s original stories to pastiches, parodies, and pop culture echoes, it’s a must-read for Holmes fans and curious minds alike.

Yours in the Spirit of Adventure

David Foster is an Australian best-selling author who writes under the pen names James Hopwood, A.W. Hart, and Jack Tunney. Under the latter, he has contributed three titles to the popular Fight Card series. His short fiction has been published in over 50 publications worldwide, including by Clan Destine Press, Wolfpack Publishing, and Pro Se Productions, to name but a few. In 2015, he contributed to the multi-award-winning anthology Legends of New Pulp Fiction, published by Airship 27 Publishing.

Foster’s non-fiction work appeared in the award-winning Crime Factory Magazine, as well as contributing numerous articles exploring pulp fiction in popular culture to Girl Gangs, Biker Boys, and Real Cool Cats: Pulp Fiction and Youth Culture, 1950 to 1980 (2017, PM Press) and Sticking It to The Man: Revolution and Counterculture in Pulp and Popular Fiction, 1950 to 1980 (2019, PM Press). He has also contributed articles on the ANZAC war experience to Remembrance (2024, Union Street 21).

Foster lives in the old Pentridge Prison Complex, behind high grey stone walls, in inner-suburban Melbourne, Australia.

Ready to dive into Baker Street? Get you copy today.

Before Sherlock: The Gentleman Thief Who Invented Modern Detectives

Andrea / Genius Books — Fri, 12 Dec 2025 16:01:51 GMT

Long before Holmes lit his pipe at 221B Baker Street, a real-life rogue-turned-lawman was already reinventing crime-solving in the backstreets of Paris. Eugène François Vidocq, the inspiration behind Victor Hugo’s Javert and Poe’s Dupin, was a thief who became France’s first detective—and his wild life got the full Golden Age of Hollywood treatment in A Scandal in Paris (1946). In this installment of Beyond Baker Street, we meet the charming criminal who out-Holmesed Holmes before Sherlock even existed.

Beyond Baker Street XII

The French Criminologist

A Scandal in Paris

Before Arthur Conan Doyle and Sherlock Holmes there was Vidocq. Eugène François Vidocq was a historical figure who has inspired numerous stories and films based on his memoirs. About the man, Wikipedia states:

Eugène-François Vidocq was a French criminal turned criminalist, whose life story inspired several writers, including Victor Hugo, Edgar Allan Poe, and Honoré de Balzac. He was the founder and first director of France’s first criminal investigative agency, the Sûreté Nationale, as well as the head of the first known private detective agency. Vidocq is considered to be the father of modern criminology and of the French national police force. He is also regarded as the first private detective.

That’s quite a resume. With that in mind, it’s not so surprisingly that Vidocq’s memoirs have been adapted for film on numerous occasions. One of the more popular films was A Scandal in Paris (1946), directed by Douglas Sirk, and starring George Sanders as Vidocq. The film focusses on Vidocq’s early career as a gentleman thief.

In a Parisian prison and a woman gives birth to a baby boy—however, his father’s name is not recorded on the birth certificate. The boy grows up to be a petty thief (George Sanders) who adopts numerous identities as he steals what he needs to get by. As the story begins, the thief is in jail with fellow ne’er-do-well Emile Vernet (Akim Tamiroff). They escape when the jailer’s daughter smuggles in a cake with a file hidden in it. On the lam, to evade capture, they’re persuaded to join the army, using forged papers.

After the war, returning to Paris, the thief and Vernet stop by a graveyard where Marquise De Pierremont (Alma Kruger) is having trouble with her irascible pet monkey. The thief assists her and finds himself invited as a guest to her chateau. When the Marquise enquires as to his name, the thief selects a name from a nearby tomb—Vidocq—and christens himself Eugène François Vidocq.

A Scandal in Paris is pure Hollywood. It features lavish sets and costumes; there’s a cute monkey for comic relief, and there’s a musical dance routine. Most importantly it features a suave debonair hero—who just happens to be a criminal, but you know he’s going to see the error of his ways before the last reel. It’s the type of film they did so well during the Golden Age of Hollywood—it’s entertainment from first frame to last.

Beyond Baker Street

Yours in the Spirit of Adventure

Foster lives in the old Pentridge Prison Complex, behind high grey stone walls, in inner-suburban Melbourne, Australia.

Grab your copy of Baker Street today

The Moonstone: The First Detective Novel That Inspired Sherlock Holmes

David Foster — Fri, 05 Dec 2025 16:02:40 GMT

Before Holmes ever lit his pipe at 221B Baker Street, another detective made literary history. In this week’s Beyond Baker Street, we explore Wilkie Collins’s The Moonstone—a suspenseful masterpiece often hailed as the first modern detective novel. Its impact still reverberates through mysteries and thrillers today, including those of Arthur Conan Doyle himself.

Beyond Baker Street XIII

The First Great Detective Novel

The Moonstone

Many stories vie for the title of the “first modern detective story.” Some people believe it’s Edgar Allan Poe’s short story Murder in the Rue Morgue, which was published in 1841. Others believe it’s The Moonstone, by Wilkie Collins, which was published in 1868. About The Moonstone, T. S. Eliot famously stated:

“... the first, the longest, and the best of modern English detective novels...”

It’s been suggested that Wilkie drew on the real-life Constance Kent murder case for elements of his story. The Kent murder case was also the basis for Kate Summerscale’s narrative non-fiction novel The Suspicions of Mr Whicher (2008).

The Moonstone has been adapted for film and television numerous times. The first film, which is now considered a lost film, was made in 1909. The story was filmed again in 1915 and 1934. It was adapted for television in 1959, 1972, 1976, 1996, and 2016. In 1972, a version entitled, La pietra di luna, was made in Italy; and a German version entitled, Der Monddiamant, was screened in 1974.

The 1934 version of the oft told story begins with Inspector Cuff (Charles Irwin) being sent to Vandier Manor, to ensure that the Moonstone—a priceless diamond—which is in the possession of Franklin Blake (David Manners), who has just arrived in the country, is protected. Blake gives the diamond to his fiancée, Ann Verinder (Phyllis Barry), who sleeps with the diamond under her pillow. The next morning, she finds the diamond has been stolen.

Many detective stories owe a lot to Wilkie Collins’ The Moonstone—including the Sherlock Holmes mysteries. Many people have noted the similarities between The Moonstone and Conan Doyle’s The Sign of Four.

It was also the inspiration for Sam Siciliano’s 2017 novel The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: The Moonstone’s Curse. In the Author’s Preface, Siciliano stated:

... I can heartily recommend Wilkie Collins’s The Moonstone. Published in 1868, it is generally acknowledged as the first mystery novel, and its detective, Sergeant Cuff of Scotland Yard, would have prodigious number of twentieth-century descendants. The novel’s ingenious plot has a clever twist worthy of Dorothy L. Sayers or Agatha Christie.

The Moonstone may not have the speed or polish of today’s thrillers, but it more than earns its place as the godfather of the modern detective novel. With its labyrinthine plot and a mystery that genuinely unfolds rather than explodes, Wilkie Collins crafted something enduring and oddly addictive. It’s a book that rewards patience, rewards re-reading—and proves that the roots of the genre were tangled, clever, and surprisingly right from the start.

Beyond Baker Street

Yours in the Spirit of Adventure

Foster lives in the old Pentridge Prison Complex, behind high grey stone walls, in inner-suburban Melbourne, Australia.

Find the book here… Baker Street

The Limehouse Golem: A Murder Mystery That Echoes Sherlock Holmes

David Foster — Fri, 28 Nov 2025 16:02:06 GMT

The shadow of Sherlock Holmes stretches far beyond 221B Baker Street. In The Limehouse Golem, that influence takes on a grisly edge.

Set in the fog-drenched alleys of Victorian London, this 2016 tele-movie weaves music halls, murder, and literary intrigue into a tale that would make Holmes himself raise an eyebrow.

In this edition of Beyond Baker Street, we dive into a story where Karl Marx is a murder suspect, Dan Leno takes center stage, and a detective races against time to solve a brutal series of killings.

It’s murder, mystery, and music hall mayhem—and it’s exactly the kind of tale Holmes fans crave.

Beyond Baker Street IX

The Music Hall Murders

The Limehouse Golem

One such tele-movie is The Limehouse Golem (2016). The Limehouse Golem is a gaslight-mystery-horror film based on the novel Dan Leno and the Limehouse Golem, written by Peter Ackroyd. Directed by Juan Carlos Medina, the film stars Bill Nighy, Olivia Cooke, Douglas Booth, Daniel Mays, Sam Reid, and Eddie Marsan. The story, which is set in 1880, opens with a playwright named John Cree (Sam Reid) found dead in his bed—a suspected suicide. However, when it’s discovered Cree’s wife, Lizzie (Olivia Cooke) prepared a poisoned sleeping draft for her husband, Constable Flood (Daniel Mays) has no choice but to arrest her on suspicion of murder.

Meanwhile, Inspector Kildare (Bill Nighy) is assigned to take over the investigation of a series of grisly murders attributed to a man dubbed by the press the Limehouse Golem. The Golem’s latest victims were a family of five. At the crime scene a phrase is scrawled on the wall in blood. Kildare recognises the phrase from Thomas De Quincey’s essay On Murder Considered as one of the Fine Arts. Seeking information, Kildare ventures to the National Library, and finds the library’s copy of the book has been defaced by the Golem with notes on the murders inside. Kildare deduces the Golem must be one of the four men who were in the library on the date of the killer’s last murder. The suspects are Dan Leno, Karl Marx, George Gissing and John Cree.

Kildare then takes an interest in the Lizzie Cree case because he suspects she may have murdered her husband because she discovered he was the Limehouse Golem. On death row, Lizzie recounts how she first met John Cree, when she used to work in a music hall along with fellow actor Dan Leno (Douglas Booth)—who is also a suspect for the Golem murders.

Dan Leno (the stage name for George Wild Galvin) was a leading English music hall comedian and musical theatre actor during the late Victorian era.

The Limehouse Golem is violent and bloody, but it’s a well mounted production, strong on period detail and atmosphere.

Beyond Baker Street

Yours in the Spirit of Adventure

Foster lives in the old Pentridge Prison Complex, behind high grey stone walls, in inner-suburban Melbourne, Australia.

Grab your copy of Baker Street today!

How Sherlock Holmes Might Have Solved the JonBenét Ramsey Case

PAUL BISHOP — Fri, 21 Nov 2025 16:00:53 GMT

The murder of JonBenét Ramsey remains one of the most haunting unsolved cases in American history. But what if the world’s most famous fictional detective had been on the case? In this compelling thought experiment, we imagine how Sherlock Holmes, with his meticulous logic and legendary attention to detail, would have navigated the evidence, the ransom note, and the contradictions that still baffle investigators today.

HOW SHERLOCK HOLMES

MIGHT HAVE APPROACHED INVESTIGATING

THE JONBENÉT RAMSEY CASE

The murder of JonBenét Ramsey in 1996 remains one of the most perplexing unsolved cases in modern American criminal history. The combination of a wealthy, high-profile family, a suspicious ransom note, a chaotic crime scene, and contradictory behaviors from those involved has fueled decades of speculation. While real-world investigators have struggled to bring the case to resolution, it is intriguing to imagine how the world’s most famous fictional detective—Sherlock Holmes—might have approached this mystery. Based on Holmes’s methodology as outlined in the stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, we can reasonably speculate on the steps Holmes would likely have taken to investigate the JonBenét Ramsey case.

Holmes’ first priority would undoubtedly have been to secure the Ramsey house, ensuring that no one—neither police officers, family members, nor friends—contaminated the scene. One of the real-life failures of the original investigation was the mishandling of the crime scene, which became crowded and compromised crucial evidence. Holmes, known for his meticulous attention to detail, would have insisted on preserving the physical environment exactly as it was found.

Holmes’ observational skills would have come to the forefront as he combed through the house for the smallest inconsistencies. He would have paid careful attention to entry points, signs of forced entry (or the lack thereof), and the placement of objects. The oddity of the ransom note being written inside the house—a fact that disturbed real-life detectives—would not have escaped Holmes’ notice. He would have likely identified this detail as a key to unlocking the case.

The lengthy, handwritten ransom note found in the Ramsey home would have fascinated Holmes. Unlike some modern investigators who initially believed it to be a deliberate misdirection, Holmes would have subjected the note to rigorous analysis. He would have examined not just the handwriting but the linguistic patterns, phrasing, and cultural references contained within the note.

Holmes famously cultivated specialized knowledge, and he would likely have drawn on studies of ransom communications to assess whether the note fit the typical profile of a kidnapping or whether it was an intentional fabrication. He would have found the peculiar length, tone, and specific monetary demand ($118,000—the same as John Ramsey’s recent bonus) highly significant.

Holmes would have likely concluded early that the ransom note was staged and that the time it would have taken to write such a document inside the house pointed toward someone with unimpeded access.

Holmes’ analytical mind would have constructed a precise timeline of the Ramsey family’s activities on the night of the murder. He would have rigorously cross-checked each family member’s statements with physical evidence, phone records, and the statements of friends and neighbors.

Holmes often emphasized eliminating the impossible. If he found that an intruder scenario required too many improbabilities—entering unnoticed, composing a lengthy note without interruption, and escaping without leaving solid evidence—he would logically have begun to focus on those within the home.

One of Holmes’ great strengths was his ability to remain emotionally detached from his subjects, regardless of their wealth, status, or emotional displays. In the Ramsey case, many investigators struggled with cognitive biases—either too quickly assuming the family’s guilt or too readily dismissing it based on social standing.

Holmes would have approached the Ramseys with complete objectivity, neither vilifying nor exonerating them without evidence. He would have interrogated their behaviors carefully—not just what they said, but what they did not say. Their movements, inconsistencies, and reactions would have provided Holmes with additional data points. For example, the early reluctance of the Ramseys to fully cooperate with police interviews might have raised questions for Holmes, though he would not have taken such behavior as evidence of guilt on its own.

Holmes’ reliance on physical evidence would have been uncompromising. He would have carefully examined the garrote used in the murder, the partially consumed pineapple (which JonBenét had eaten shortly before her death), and the location of her body in the basement. Holmes would likely have been particularly interested in the microscopic details—fibers, footprints, DNA traces—although, in the 1890s, his tools were more limited than modern forensics. However, as a man always ahead of his time, it is reasonable to assume Holmes would have eagerly employed contemporary DNA technology.

Holmes’ expertise would have allowed him to discern whether signs of a struggle, the condition of JonBenét’s clothing, and the position of her body were consistent with an intruder theory or staged by someone familiar with the house.

While Holmes was not a modern criminal profiler, his deep understanding of human nature often allowed him to intuit the psychological underpinnings of a crime. He would have considered what sort of person would have committed such a crime in such a peculiar way—a staged kidnapping with sexual elements but no ransom attempt actually pursued.

Holmes would likely have speculated that the crime was not committed by an opportunistic intruder but rather by someone within the immediate orbit of the family, perhaps involving a moment of anger, panic, or unintended harm, followed by a clumsy attempt to misdirect investigators.

While Conan Doyle’s stories rarely leave Holmes stymied, it is possible that, like the real-world investigators, Holmes might not have been able to produce irrefutable proof in this case due to the badly compromised crime scene and conflicting forensic evidence. However, Holmes’ methodology would almost certainly have led him to deduce that the most likely solution lay within the household.

His famous maxim would have applied: When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth. Holmes might have concluded that an external intruder scenario was impossible based on the evidence—or lack thereof—and that only those with familiarity with the house, the family’s routines, and unguarded access could have staged the events as they unfolded.

Holmes would not have been satisfied with the ambiguous and unresolved status of the case. He would have persisted, perhaps uncovering psychological cracks, hidden motives, or overlooked physical evidence that could have shed final light on the tragedy.

The JonBenét Ramsey case is one of the most infamous unsolved crimes of the modern era, its notoriety amplified by police missteps, media sensationalism, and enduring uncertainty. Sherlock Holmes, with his detached rationality, relentless pursuit of the smallest clues, and insistence on objective deduction, might have offered the best chance of unraveling the mystery. Though we can only speculate how he would have ultimately resolved the case, his investigative principles—thoroughness, logic, specialized knowledge, and fearless confrontation of uncomfortable truths—remain a gold standard for detectives seeking justice in even the most confounding cases.

Grab your copy today… 52 Weeks 52 Sherlock Holmes Novels

Sherlock Holmes vs. Fu Manchu: Pulp Villainy Beyond Baker Street

David Foster — Fri, 14 Nov 2025 16:01:26 GMT

In this latest installment of Beyond Baker Street, David Foster explores the shadowy world of Dr. Fu Manchu—the notorious pulp villain whose sinister brilliance rivaled even Sherlock Holmes himself. From Sax Rohmer’s racially charged origins to modern pastiches, crossovers, and cultural reinterpretations, The Lord of Strange Deaths reveals how this once-iconic character came to symbolize both early 20th-century intrigue and enduring controversy.

Beyond Baker Street IV

The Lord of Strange Deaths

An Introduction to Fu Manchu

Dr. Fu Manchu, the sinister creation of Sax Rohmer (the pen name of Arthur Henry Sarsfield Ward), is one of the most enduring and controversial figures in the annals of pulp fiction. First appearing in the short story, The Zayat Kiss (1912)—which was collected with nine further stories into the novel The Mystery of Dr. Fu-Manchu (1913)—the character is depicted as a brilliant but ruthless mastermind bent on world domination. Rohmer, inspired by the era’s fascination with the Yellow Peril, crafted Fu Manchu as the embodiment of Western fears about the East—a portrayal that would later draw significant criticism for its racial and colonial overtones.

The stories centre around Fu Manchu’s confrontations with Sir Denis Nayland Smith of Scotland Yard and his loyal companion, Dr. Petrie. In structure and tone, the early tales mirror Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes adventures, with Nayland Smith playing the role of the tenacious detective and Dr. Petrie narrating the action as the loyal chronicler. Much like Dr. Watson, Petrie provides an everyman perspective, grounding the fantastical plots in relatable terms.

Fu Manchu’s influence extended beyond literature into film and television, where the character was adapted numerous times. In Paramount on Parade (1930), Warner Oland’s Fu Manchu appeared alongside Clive Brook’s Sherlock Holmes in a short comedic skit, signalling the two iconic characters’ shared cultural space—albeit on different sides of the law.

Later, in Cay Van Ash’s novel Ten Years Beyond Baker Street (1984), Sherlock Holmes directly crosses swords with Fu Manchu, stepping in for Nayland Smith to unravel one of the doctor’s nefarious plots.

Cay Van Ash (1918–1994) was an English writer and scholar best known for his contributions to the legacy of Sax Rohmer. Van Ash co-authored Master of Villainy (1972), a biography of Rohmer, with Rohmer’s widow, Elizabeth.

Later, Van Ash was licensed by the Rohmer estate to write several Fu Manchu continuation novels. The first, and most successful, was Ten Years Beyond Baker Street. A second novel, The Fires of Fu Manchu, set in 1917 in Egypt, was published in 1987. And a third novel, The Seal of Fu Manchu, was announced in 1988, however the manuscript was unfinished at the time of Van Ash’s death.

“You can read my thoughts on Ten Years Beyond Baker Street in 52 Weeks, 52 Sherlock Holmes Novels— a multi-personal look at fifty-two of the best Sherlockian pastiches—edited and collated by Paul Bishop.”

Sherlock Holmes and Fu Manchu also appear in thinly veiled forms (as Enoch Bone and The Mandarin) in Gahan Wilson’s satirical detective novel Everybody’s Favorite Duck (1988).

A character known only as The Lord of Strange Deaths—one of Fu Manchu’s nom de guerres—appeared in the Sherlock Holmes pastiche, The Albino’s Treasure (2015) by Stuart Douglas. The Lord of Strange Deaths also appeared in Kim Newman’s Anno Dracula (1992) and the graphic novel, Anno Dracula 1895: Seven Days in Mayhem.

To avoid copyright issues, a character called simply “The Doctor” made several appearances in the Homes inspired Solar Pons adventures by August Derleth, and later, Basil Copper.

“The Doctor” also appeared in Alan Moore’s The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Volume One (1999–2000). The Doctor is allegedly killed in the climactic battle with Professor Moriarty.

While Fu Manchu has long been a staple of adventure fiction and an archetype of the diabolical genius, the character’s popularity has waned in recent years. This decline reflects a broader reckoning with the racism and colonialist ideology inherent in the stories. Modern audiences increasingly reject such stereotypes, recognizing them as harmful and outdated. As a result, Fu Manchu now serves more as a historical artifact—illustrating both the allure of the exotic in early 20th-century popular fiction and the prejudices of the era—than as a character who resonates with contemporary sensibilities.

Beyond Baker Street

Yours in the Spirit of Adventure

Foster lives in the old Pentridge Prison Complex, behind high grey stone walls, in inner-suburban Melbourne, Australia.

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Fu Manchu Returns: Racism, Revenge & the Devil Doctor’s Early Hollywood Legacy

David Foster — Fri, 07 Nov 2025 16:02:24 GMT

In the fifth installment of Beyond Baker Street, author David Foster takes us deep into the smoky reels of early Hollywood, tracing the sinister shadow of Doctor Fu Manchu. From Warner Oland’s yellowface performances to Anna May Wong’s star-making (and underpaid) turn in Daughter of the Dragon, Foster explores the complex and often problematic cinematic legacy of the so-called Devil Doctor.

This isn’t just a look at vintage thrillers—it’s a lens on how race, power, and pulp storytelling collided on the silver screen.

Fu Manchu in Film: The Early Years

G’day friends. Welcome to the second installment of this series on the nefarious Doctor Fu Manchu. This time around, I’m turning my attention to a few of the early cinematic adaptations of the Devil Doctor.

Sadly, Hollywood’s penchant for casting white actors as Asian characters and having them don yellow-face was a common occurrence. If it wasn’t so racist, it would almost be laughable. Consider this, German actor Peter Lorre played Mr. Moto eight times, English actor Boris Karloff played Mr. Wong five times, and Swedish actor Warner Oland played Fu Manchu on four occasions. Oland would become typecast playing Asian characters. Along with Fu Manchu, he would later go on to play Charlie Chan in at least 16 films, and several shorts. Things hadn’t changed much even in the 1960s, when Christopher Lee played Fu Manchu with prosthetic eye pieces to make him look Asian.

However, for this series of Fu Manchu film reviews we’ll put the casual racism and crude ethnic stereotypes to the side. Just take it as a given that the films under discussion are not politically correct, and viewer discretion is advised.

The Mysterious Fu Manchu (1929)—AKA: The Red Dragon—stars Warner Oland in the title role, O.P. Heggie as Inspector Nayland Smith, and Neil Hamilton as Dr. Petrie. Oland is probably best known for his role as Charlie Chan, but The Mysterious Fu Manchu is the film that turned him into a star—albeit typecast as foreign gentlemen, more often than not, an Asian gentleman.

The critics of the day were impressed with The Mysterious Dr. Fu Manchu. The following review appeared in the Cootamundra Herald on Tuesday 17 December 1929.

“DR. FU MANCHU”

Every audience will love to join the great detective Nayland Smith in his mad adventurous chase of that wily oriental character, “The Mysterious Dr. Fu Manchu,” taken from the pages of Sax Rohmer’s world-famous book and made to live on the screen at the Arcadia Theatre on Wednesday.

Gripping, awful mystery—eerie footsteps in the dead of night—an unseen hand spreading terror and destruction—a beautiful girl hypnotised to work the will of a cruel maniac—and love dominating, controlling, triumphing, in the mystic maze of [a] revengeful career.

‘The Mysterious Dr. Fu Manchu’ is one of the greatest mystery stories ever written; and it is one of the greatest moving pictures ever made. In swift action, the strange, crafty villain, who thrilled millions in Sax Rohmer’s books, comes to life, spreads out before us on the screen, inspires us with a nameless terror, spurs us on to his capture, and leaves us with a thankful feeling of relief when captured at last, he clears the way for true love.

Warner Oland in the title role is great. The master villain of the screen has been doing oriental roles for years, but never have his performances approached the perfection of this one. Jean Arthur and Neil Hamilton are irresistible as a pair of young lovers. Everybody loves with them.

Warner Oland would play Fu Manchu on three more occasions: The Return of Dr. Fu Manchu (1930), Daughter of the Dragon (1931) alongside Anna May Wong, and a brief cameo in the Murder Will Out portion of Paramount on Parade (1930), which also featured Clive Brook as Sherlock Holmes.

Despite the titles stating Daughter of the Dragon (1931) is based on Sax Rohmer’s Daughter of Fu Manchu, the stories share no connection. Paramount didn’t own the rights to Rohmer’s story. The film is about a vendetta the Fu Manchu family have against the Petrie family—Nayland Smith does not appear in the film.

The film begins with celebrated Oriental dancer Ling Moy (Anna May Wong) waiting to hear from her father. Her father disappeared from her life when she was very young. She doesn’t know who he is.

Meanwhile, after lying in wait for 20 years, Fu Manchu (Warner Oland) strikes at the Petrie family, poisoning Sir John Petrie, and attempting to kill his son, Ronald (Bramwell Fletcher). In the confrontation, Fu Manchu is shot but he manages to escape through a secret tunnel.

Ling Moy returns home after a performance and finds her father waiting. He has a gunshot wound and is dying. On his deathbed, he confesses he’s arch-criminal Fu Manchu, and despite his 20-year absence from her life, asks her to swear to deliver the soul of Ronald Petrie to him in the afterlife. Ling Moy swears she will do her father’s bidding; however, the task isn’t easy when she falls in love with Ronald Petrie

It’s been suggested, Anna May Wong’s $6,000 salary, half what Oland was paid, even though Oland had less screen time, is an example of Hollywood’s racism.

On Anna May Wong’s starring role in the Daughter of the Dragon, on Friday 15 January 1932, Perth’s The Daily News reported:

ANNA MAY WONG

Starring Role

The end of a self-imposed trial period in motion pictures has just arrived for Anna May Wong, with the portrayal of the greatest role in her career. She heads the cast of ‘Daughter of the Dragon,’ with Warner Oland and Sessue Hayakawa.

Ten years ago, at the age of 12, Miss Wong sought a screen career. She told herself that she would devote a decade of her life to the struggle. If at the end of that time she had not succeeded she would retire from the pictures.

A talented singer, dancer, linguist and convincing actress, Miss Wong has discovered her forte in talking pictures. Her success in ‘Daughter of the Dragon’ has ensured her an equally important role in Marlene Dietrich’s forthcoming ‘Shanghai Express.’ She will not leave the screen now.

While the reviews were favourable, some of the press at the time seemed more interested in what Anna May Wong was wearing, rather than the film. The following snippet appeared in The Cumberland Argus on Monday 11 April 1932.

ANNA MAY WONG

Adhering to the trend of Eastern invishness, Anna May Wong, Chinese player, appearing in Paramount’s “Daughter of the Dragon,” which opens at the Cinema Theatre Saturday next, and continues for one week, selected a wardrobe for this production that combined the allure of the orient with the chic of the occident.

You can read my thoughts on when Sherlock Holmes met Fu Manchu in Cay Van Ash’s Ten Years Beyond Baker Street in 52 Weeks, 52 Sherlock Holmes Novels— a multi-personal look at fifty-two of the best Sherlockian pastiches—edited and collated by Paul Bishop.

Beyond Baker Street

Yours in the Spirit of Adventure

Foster lives in the old Pentridge Prison Complex, behind high grey stone walls, in inner-suburban Melbourne, Australia.

Get your copy of Baker Street today.

Beyond Fiction: What Detectives Can Still Learn from Sherlock Holmes

PAUL BISHOP — Fri, 31 Oct 2025 15:01:44 GMT

More than a century after his first appearance in print, Sherlock Holmes remains a blueprint for detective excellence. But it’s not just about pipe smoke and Victorian swagger. From observation to logic, his methods continue to resonate with real-world investigators navigating 21st-century crime scenes.

WHAT REAL-WORLD DETECTIVES

CAN LEARN FROM SHERLOCK HOLMES

Sherlock Holmes, the legendary fictional detective created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, has transcended literature to become a symbol of brilliant deduction, acute observation, and relentless pursuit of truth. Though Holmes is a product of fiction, his methods and mindset offer valuable lessons for real-world detectives even today. His influence extends beyond entertainment, providing guiding principles that can enhance modern investigative work.

THE POWER OF OBSERVATION

One of Holmes’ most fundamental lessons is the importance of seeing rather than merely looking. Holmes frequently criticizes his friend and chronicler, Dr. Watson, for observing without truly noticing. For example, in A Scandal in Bohemia, Holmes tells Watson, You see, but you do not observe. This distinction emphasizes the detective’s need to register minute details that others overlook.

In practical terms, real-world detectives benefit from cultivating sharp observational skills. Crime scenes often contain subtle clues—misplaced items, overlooked footprints, slight changes in routine—that can make or break a case. Like Holmes, modern investigators must train themselves to absorb their surroundings meticulously and question the ordinary.

DEDUCTIVE REASONING AND LOGICAL THINKING

Holmes’ signature method, deduction, is often misrepresented in popular media as a kind of magical intuition. In reality, Holmes carefully gathers data and systematically narrows down possibilities using logic. His famous maxim, When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth, underscores the value of disciplined, logical reasoning.

Real-world detectives, especially those in forensic and criminal investigation fields, rely heavily on deductive processes. They must assess physical evidence, interview witnesses, and analyze timelines to exclude false leads. Holmes teaches that successful detection is not about guesswork but about constructing a rational, evidence-based narrative.

THE VALUE OF SPECIALIZED KNOWLEDGE

Holmes’ success is often attributed to his deep and sometimes obscure pools of specialized knowledge. Whether it is cigar ash, soil composition, or different kinds of handwriting, Holmes arms himself with expertise that allows him to make connections others miss.

Modern detectives similarly benefit from developing areas of specialization. Whether through expertise in digital forensics, blood spatter analysis, financial crimes, or psychological profiling, the pursuit of niche knowledge often provides the edge needed to solve complex cases. Holmes’ example encourages lifelong learning and professional curiosity.

EMOTIONAL DETACHMENT AND OBJECTIVITY

Holmes frequently maintains a degree of emotional detachment from his cases, allowing him to assess evidence without bias. Although this can sometimes make him appear cold or unfeeling, it illustrates the importance of objectivity in criminal investigation.

For real detectives, emotions—especially sympathy, anger, or assumptions—can cloud judgment. Maintaining impartiality ensures that an investigation remains focused on facts rather than feelings. Holmes teaches that a detective’s allegiance must always be to the truth, even if the outcome is personally unsatisfying.

CREATIVITY AND IMAGINATION

While Holmes is often praised for his logic, Conan Doyle also imbues him with an imaginative flair. Holmes understands that human behavior does not always follow strict patterns, and he often entertains multiple possibilities until the facts narrow them down.

Real-world detectives can benefit from this flexible thinking. Not every case follows a textbook scenario, and criminals can be unpredictable. Thinking creatively about motives, methods, and potential connections can open investigative pathways that rigid adherence to procedure might miss.

THE IMPORTANCE OF DOCUMENTATION AND COMMUNICATION

Watson’s role as chronicler is not just narrative convenience; Holmes’ cases are carefully documented, and his thought process is often explained in detail. In modern investigations, meticulous record-keeping, clear reporting, and effective communication with colleagues, prosecutors, and sometimes the public are crucial.

Holmes’s habit of explaining his deductions also underscores the importance of articulating one’s reasoning clearly. A detective may arrive at the correct conclusion, but if the process cannot be conveyed logically and convincingly, the case may falter in court.

LIMITATIONS AND HUMANITY

It is also worth noting what real-world detectives should not take from Holmes. His occasional drug use, emotional isolation, and cavalier attitude toward procedure would be detrimental to actual law enforcement work. Holmes is, after all, a fictional construct designed to dazzle and entertain. Real detectives work within legal frameworks, collaborate with teams, and must address their own mental health in a profession that often confronts tragedy and violence.

Sherlock Holmes remains a cultural icon not simply because of his extraordinary intellect, but because his methods tap into enduring truths about the investigative process. His lessons—keen observation, logical deduction, specialized knowledge, objectivity, creative thinking, and thorough documentation—continue to resonate with real-world detectives today. While the man himself may be fictional, the principles he represents are very much alive in the modern pursuit of justice.

Grab your copy of 52 Weeks 52 Sherlock Holmes Novels today!

Broadcasting Evil: The Bizarre Television Legacy of Dr. Fu Manchu

David Foster — Thu, 23 Oct 2025 15:00:40 GMT

In the sixth installment of Beyond Baker Street, author David Foster ventures into the strange and shadowy world of 1950s television, examining The Adventures of Fu Manchu—a short-lived series that blended Cold War fears, pulp tropes, and eyebrow-raising performances. From hypnotic nurses and global conspiracies to Hitler hiding out on a Pacific island, this serialized spectacle might be pulpy nonsense—but it’s never dull. Dive into a pop culture curiosity that reveals as much about its era as it does about the long cinematic shadow of Fu Manchu.

Beyond Baker Street VI

The Adventures of Fu Manchu

Fu Manchu on Television

G’day friends. Welcome to the third instalment of this series on the nefarious Doctor Fu Manchu. This time around, I’m turning my attention to the television series The Adventures of Fu Manchu. Read on, if you dare!

The Prisoner of Dr. Fu Manchu (1956) was the first of a thirteen-episode television series made be Studio City Television Productions, which was the television arm of Republic Pictures. The decision to make the serial was most probably based on the success of the Republic cliffhanger serial The Drums of Fu Manchu (1940), which is considered one of the greatest serials ever made. Incidentally, The Drums of Fu Manchu was edited down to 69 minutes and released as a movie in 1943. The co-director of The Drums of Fu Manchu, William Witney, also helmed (at least) seven episodes from this series.

Each episode starts with Fu Manchu playing a chess game with an unseen opponent. A voice over tells us:

Black and white. Life and death.
Good and evil. Two sides of a chess game.
Two forces in the universe
—one magnificent
—the other sinister.

It is said that the Devil plays for men’s souls. So does Dr. Fu Manchu.
—Satan himself
—evil incarnate!

As the story begins, a newspaper floats across the screen. The headline reads: “Professor Hugh Yan key to World Crisis.” Hugh Yan (Leonard Strong) is a special delegate to “The Conference of Nations” from an un-named Asian country. He flies from the east, stopping briefly in Hong Kong for the plane to refuel and for Yan to give an interview where he outlines his formula for World Peace. Then he continues his journey.

Then we’re introduced to the evil Dr. Fu Manchu. Glen Gordon plays the devil doctor and he’s clearly not Asian. In fact, it would appear that the whole cast is Caucasian with simple makeup effects to make them look Chinese.

Fu Manchu has two constant minions throughout the series. The first is a person with dwarfism named Kolb, played by John George. A quick glance at IMDb, it would appear that George had an amazing cinematic career, beginning in the silent era in 1916 and working through until his last appearance in Sinatra’s Ocean’s Eleven in 1960. All in all, he appeared in one hundred and thirty productions—but the truly staggering thing is he only received screen credit on a handful of occasions.

Fu Manchu’s other minion—or should I say concubine—is the gorgeous Karamaneh, played by Hawaiian beauty Laurette Luez. Luez’s alleged claim to fame is that she gave Norma Jean Baker her stage-acting name, which was Marilyn Monroe.

As we meet Fu Manchu and his minions, they’re hypnotising Betty Leonard (Carla Balenda). Betty is a nurse who works at the airport, checking tourists as they come through customs. Under hypnosis, Fu Manchu tells her that Hugh Yan will be arriving soon and suggests that he will have a rare tropical disease and only she can save his life. The serum she is told to use is hidden in her purse.

Sir Dennis Nayland Smith (Lester Matthews), late of Scotland yard, is the chief security officer at the Peace conference. He assigns his close friend, Dr. John Petrie (Clark Howat), to monitor the well being of the delegates as they arrive in the country.

Hugh Yan arrives, and under Fu Manchu’s hypnotic spell, Betty injects him with the serum provided by the devil doctor, but Dr. Petrie arrives in the nick of time before she can inject the full dose. But nonetheless, Yan slips into a coma and is taken to the hospital.

One thing about this incarnation of Fu Manchu is that he appears to have video cameras everywhere. He spends a large amount of time in front of the television watching his plans unfold, and as such always knows what is going on. Seeing that Betty has failed in his mission, Fu sends another minion to the hospital to kidnap Yan.

Nayland Smith believes Fu Manchu is behind Hugh Yan’s disappearance, and as such the whole peace conference is jeopardised. Events become even more tangled when Yan finally does turn up at the conference, partially paralysed after his ordeal. But this Yan is not the same beacon of hope and possibility. This Yan is full of mistrust and contempt.

At only twenty-five minutes each, and with each episode fairly self-contained, there is not much time for an overly convoluted plot or character development, and as such this series is a shallow time killer. At least the episodes are fast paced and have a certain amount of outlandish-—if not quite developed—plot situations. I would suggest that this series will offer very little to those who do not have an interest in the character Fu Manchu or vintage television.

The Death Ships of Fu Manchu (1956) is the ninth the episode in the Studio City Television series featuring the Devil Doctor, Fu Manchu. Traditionally, Fu Manchu’s nemesis is Dennis Nayland Smith of Scotland Yard. In the first episode of this series, when we are introduced to Nayland Smith, Dr. Petrie’s voice-over informs us that Nayland Smith is formally of Scotland Yard, meaning he doesn’t work for the “Yard” anymore. In this episode it’s explained that Nayland Smith is a British Secret Service operative, which makes sense of Nayland Smith’s globe-trotting ways. It would seem a bit silly for a Scotland Yard Inspector to be loitering around with his good friend Dr. Petrie in the United States, just waiting for an incident to happen. As an agent, he can be anywhere at any time.

In this instance, Nayland Smith (Lester Matthews) is currently in Hong Kong with Dr. Petrie (Clark Howat), and they’re checking all goods coming into the country from the United States. It appears somebody has broken into a research laboratory in California and stolen a deadly germ culture. It’s suspected that this lethal virus will be smuggled into Red China through Hong Kong.

It appears that the man behind the theft is Dr. Fu Manchu (Glen Gordon), and he has shipped two small boxes on the freighter Carfax, under the command of Captain Warren (Hugh Sanders). As the ship approaches Hong Kong, it is caught up in a wild storm and driven into the rocks. The captain gives the order to abandon ship. The captain, as he has been well-paid, collects the two small boxes and brings them with him on the lifeboat.

As the Carfax sank, and no cargo was put ashore in Hong Kong, Nayland Smith believes there is no cause for alarm on this occasion, but still is wary enough to choose to interview the crew members of the Carfax.

Meanwhile Fu Manchu, who is now also in Hong Kong, has received his boxes of deadly germ culture. Now he needs it shipped forward to the Red Chinese, and he believes that once again Captain Warren is the man to transfer the merchandise. However, Nayland Smith finds it strange that a man who just lost a ship in a storm should so quickly be given a new ship to command. He chooses to investigate further.

The Death Ships of Dr. Fu Manchu still seems topical today, even sixty years after it was first broadcast. It has a strange duality to it. The Red Chinese must not get their hands on the American germ culture because they will use it on their own people and hold the Americans responsible. With the Americans then being blamed for releasing germ warfare in China, China can then, in the eyes of the world, justifiably retaliate. But before you condemn the Chinese, you’ve got to ask why the Americans were experimenting with deadly germs cultures in the first place.

At the end of the day, though, the plot contrivances and the politics of the day are simply there to drive the plot along as fast as possible. The Fu Manchu series, like wartime propaganda films, are products of their time and place.

The Master Plan of Dr. Fu Manchu (1956). Television has come a long way, and this episode of The Adventures of Fu Manchu is pretty hard going. Most of this is primarily to do with Glen Gordon as Fu Manchu. He isn’t charismatic, and his clipped quasi-Chinese delivery is dire. At least this episode has a pretty wild premise for the plot—that Adolph Hitler did not die at the end of the War in Europe and has been living on an unchartered island in the Pacific. That is, until now. He has teamed up with the Devil Doctor, and together they plan to rule the world [insert evil maniacal laughter fading into the distance].

As this, the eleventh episode in the series, opens, Fu Manchu is watching some film footage of Hitler and the Nazi war machine in action. He’s impressed. He immediately sends out one of his minions to kidnap Dr. Harlow Henderson (Alan Dexter), who’s a world-renowned plastic surgeon.

Henderson is brought before Fu Manchu and forced to alter the features of Adolph Hitler. Henderson’s disappearance doesn’t go unnoticed, and his secretary, Betty Leonard (Carla Balenda), contacts Dr. Petrie (Clark Howat). Petrie, without the aid of his good friend Nayland Smith, goes to investigate. From an indentation on a notepad—you know where they rub a pencil over the page to see what had been written on the top sheet—Petrie discovers where Henderson went, but he too is caught and brought before the evil doctor. This doesn’t bode well for Henderson. With two doctors on the scene, he is no longer required. It is Henderson rather than Petrie, because Henderson knows too much, and can identify the altered Fuehrer. To Petrie, Hitler is just a man swathed in bandages—he has no idea of what’s going on.

Henderson is killed and his body is dumped in a river, but Fu Manchu’s minions are seen by the police in the act. Henderson’s body is soon recovered, and an autopsy report shows that he died from the venom of a rare spider (Tarantula Maximus). This tiny piece of information alerts Nayland Smith to the involvement of the most evil man alive, Fu Manchu.

Nayland Smith takes on the case, attempting to track down his friend Dr. Petrie, the evil Fu Manchu, and a bandaged madman who has a new plan to take over the world.

This episode may be silly far-fetched pulpy nonsense, but really, I wouldn’t have it any other way. I would like a bit more character development, but these episodes only go for around twenty-five minutes, so the time is spent delivering fast paced thrills.

“You can read my thoughts on when Sherlock Holmes met Fu Manchu in Cay Van Ash’s Ten Years Beyond Baker Street in 52 Weeks, 52 Sherlock Holmes Novels— a multi-personal look at fifty-two of the best Sherlockian pastiches—edited and collated by Paul Bishop.”

Beyond Baker Street

Yours in the Spirit of Adventure

Foster lives in the old Pentridge Prison Complex, behind high grey stone walls, in inner-suburban Melbourne, Australia.

Grab your copy of Baker Street today!

Beyond Sherlock Holmes: Arthur Conan Doyle’s Forgotten Worlds

PAUL BISHOP — Fri, 10 Oct 2025 15:02:11 GMT

Everyone knows Sherlock Holmes — but few know just how much more Sir Arthur Conan Doyle had up his literary sleeve.

In this thoughtful essay, author Paul Bishop guides us through Doyle’s overlooked legacy: from prehistoric jungles in *The Lost World* to the chivalric brotherhood of *The White Company*, to the comic bravado of *Brigadier Gerard*. These stories show a side of Doyle that’s every bit as thrilling, imaginative, and genre-defining as Holmes — just with fewer magnifying glasses and more dinosaurs, knights, and Napoleonic misadventures.

Whether you’re a Doyle diehard or just Holmes-curious, this is a literary journey worth taking.

BEYOND SHERLOCK HOLMES

PAUL BISHOP

When most readers hear the name Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, they immediately think of Sherlock Holmes—the brilliant detective who transformed crime fiction and remains one of the most recognizable characters in world literature. Yet, Doyle himself often expressed frustration that his career would forever be overshadowed by Holmes, a character he famously attempted to kill off in 1893, only to be compelled by public demand to resurrect him years later. To Doyle, the Holmes stories were just one facet of his literary ambition. He regarded many of his other works—historical novels, swashbuckling adventures, and speculative science fiction—as his true literary legacy. To journey beyond Sherlock Holmes is to uncover the richness and diversity of Doyle’s imagination and to appreciate the breadth of his storytelling mastery.

Perhaps the most enduring of Doyle’s non-Holmes creations is Professor George Edward Challenger, the bombastic, fearless, and fiercely intelligent scientist whose adventures form the backbone of Doyle’s foray into science fiction. The most famous of these is The Lost World (1912), a thrilling expedition into a prehistoric plateau in the Amazon basin where dinosaurs still roam. This novel stands as a precursor to modern adventure tales like Jurassic Park and remains one of the earliest and most influential examples of the lost world genre.

Challenger’s adventures continued in The Poison Belt (1913), a meditation on human vulnerability as Earth passes through a deadly cosmic cloud, and in The Land of Mist (1926), where Doyle’s growing fascination with spiritualism takes center stage. Unlike Holmes, who embodies cool logic, Challenger is a man of passion, action, and bold inquiry—a figure Doyle used to explore the vast possibilities of science, the mysteries of the unknown, and the limits of human understanding.

Among Doyle’s personal favorites was his historical novel The White Company (1891), a tale set during the Hundred Years’ War. Doyle poured meticulous research and deep affection into this story of knighthood, chivalry, and military brotherhood. The novel follows a band of English archers and knights as they travel to fight in France under the command of Sir Nigel Loring, a character so beloved by Doyle that he would later devote an entire novel to his youthful exploits.

The White Company is far removed from the deductive precision of Sherlock Holmes. Instead, it reads as an homage to Sir Walter Scott and the grand tradition of historical romance. Doyle believed The White Company represented some of his finest literary work, lamenting that it would never achieve the fame of his detective stories. His passion for history also surfaces in novels like Micah Clarke and Sir Nigel, through which Doyle sought to bring the distant past vividly to life.

In The Exploits of Brigadier Gerard, Doyle turns to the Napoleonic era to deliver a delightful mix of humor, action, and satire. The eponymous French cavalry officer, Etienne Gerard, is brave, vain, and endearingly oblivious to his own shortcomings. Through Gerard’s eyes, Doyle offers a series of fast-paced adventures brimming with daring escapes, military campaigns, and romantic entanglements.

Unlike Holmes, who is driven by intellect, Gerard is driven by honor, pride, and a touch of self-delusion. These stories allowed Doyle to flex his comedic muscles and poke gentle fun at national stereotypes, particularly the French flair for self-aggrandizement. The Gerard tales, immensely popular in their time, showcased Doyle’s versatility and his gift for creating charismatic, larger-than-life characters outside the confines of crime fiction.

Rodney Stone (1896) is another of Doyle’s lesser-known gems, a coming-of-age novel set against the backdrop of Regency England. Combining elements of gothic mystery, social satire, and sports fiction, Rodney Stone is notable for its vivid depiction of the bare-knuckle boxing scene—a personal passion of Doyle’s.

The novel is both a portrait of high society and a gritty look at the brutal prizefights of the time, blending historical figures and fictional characters with the same skill Doyle employed in his Holmes stories. In fact, Rodney Stone stands as one of the earliest works to explore boxing as a central theme in literature, decades before the sport became a popular focus in novels and films.

One of Doyle’s most overlooked works is The Maracot Deep (1929), a science fiction novella that follows an expedition to the ocean’s depths, where explorers encounter an ancient, surviving Atlantean civilization. It’s a blend of adventure, speculative science, and utopian fantasy, reflecting Doyle’s persistent curiosity about the unknown.

Written later in his life, The Maracot Deep also reflects Doyle’s increasing preoccupation with spiritualism and life beyond the material world—a theme that grew to dominate his final years. Though not as tightly structured as The Lost World, this underwater odyssey illustrates Doyle’s enduring desire to push narrative boundaries and speculate about civilizations and dimensions beyond the reach of ordinary human experience.

While Sherlock Holmes will undoubtedly remain Doyle’s most famous creation, to limit his literary reputation to the detective genre is to do him a disservice. His body of work is far richer and more varied than is often recognized. Doyle excelled in historical fiction, pioneered science fiction adventures, and crafted memorable tales of humor, heroism, and speculative wonder. He considered many of these works—The White Company in particular—his most important contributions to literature.

Ultimately, Doyle’s versatility is what cements his status as one of the great storytellers of his era. Whether guiding readers through the foggy streets of Victorian London, the perilous battlefields of medieval Europe, the uncharted depths of the ocean, or the dinosaur-haunted jungles of South America, Doyle’s imagination was boundless. To explore his work beyond Sherlock Holmes is to embark on a literary adventure every bit as thrilling as Holmes’s most intricate cases—one that reveals the full measure of Doyle’s creative genius.

Find the paperback here: 52 Weeks 52 Sherlock Holmes Novels

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Solving the Holmes Puzzle: A Conversation with Paul Bishop

PAUL BISHOP — Fri, 03 Oct 2025 15:01:05 GMT

If you love Sherlock Holmes, here’s a podcast episode you’ll want to sink into. In this conversation on the Terrance Layhew podcast, Paul Bishop joins the host to talk about 52 Weeks of Sherlock Holmes — a deep dive into the world’s greatest detective, episode by episode.

They explore the craft of mystery, Holmes’ enduring appeal, and the challenge of keeping the stories fresh in modern times. If you’re ever curious what Sherlock still has to teach us about observation, deduction, and storytelling, this is a great listen.

Listen to the Podcast Here

Ready to read the book? Get it here 52 Weeks 52 Sherlock Holmes Novels

Inside 52 Weeks, 52 Sherlock Holmes Novels — A Conversation with Paul Bishop

Steven W. Booth — Thu, 02 Oct 2025 17:01:47 GMT

Join me for a deep dive with Paul Bishop—former LAPD detective turned novelist—where we explore what makes 52 Weeks, 52 Sherlock Holmes Novels such a singular celebration of Sherlockian pastiches. From the project’s structure to the personal essays that breathe life into each choice, this is a behind‑the‑scenes look at the anthology.

Beyond Baker Street: Christopher Lee’s Cold-Blooded Fu Manchu

David Foster — Fri, 26 Sep 2025 17:16:20 GMT

This week, we dive into the darkest corners of pulp cinema as David Foster returns with the final installment of his Beyond Baker Street series—this time examining the Christopher Lee era of Fu Manchu films. From ritualistic executions to snake pits and hypnotized daughters, Foster peels back the layers of these infamous mid-century thrillers with sharp wit and a historian’s eye. With three international co-productions on the table (The Face of Fu Manchu, The Brides of Fu Manchu, The Vengeance of Fu Manchu), Foster explores how Lee’s sinister gravitas couldn’t quite save a series slowly sinking into B-movie obscurity.

Beyond Baker Street VII

“Cruel, Callous, Brilliant and the most Evil Man in the World!”

Christoper Lee as Fu Manchu

G’day friends. Welcome to the fourth instalment of this series on the nefarious Doctor Fu Manchu. It’s a little longer than usual. This time around, I’m turning my attention to the first three films in the Christopher Lee era, beginning with The Face of Fu Manchu (1965), followed by The Brides of Fu Manchu (1966) and The Vengeance of Fu Manchu (1967). All three were international co-productions that tried—sometimes awkwardly—to balance pulp thrills with an air of exotic menace. Lee, towering and grave, brought a certain icy gravitas to the role, but even he couldn’t quite elevate the material above its problematic roots.

Now, before you ask—no, I won’t be subjecting you (or myself) to a detailed review of the fourth and fifth entries in the series, The Blood of Fu Manchu (1968) and The Castle of Fu Manchu (1969). Both were directed by Jess Franco, and let’s just say they’ve aged like milk on a windowsill in summer. I’ll spare you the ignominy. You’re welcome.

The Face of Fu Manchu (1965) was the first of five films that producer Harry Alan Towers (and his alter ego, screenwriter Peter Welbeck) made featuring Sax Rohmer’s character Fu Manchu. Out of all five, this is the only one that is quite good. Maybe that is on the strength of Nigel Green as Nayland Smith of Scotland Yard, Fu Manchu’s archenemy. Green only appeared in this film. Douglas Wilmer portrayed him in the next two films, and for the final instalments, Richard Greene took over the mantle. At least the villains were consistent. Christopher Lee played Fu Manchu and Tsai Chin appeared as Fu Manchu’s malevolent daughter Lin Tang for all the five films in the series.

The film opens in China. We are in a prison courtyard and an execution is taking place. The man to be executed is Fu Manchu. On hand to witness the execution is Nayland Smith of Scotland Yard. Fu Manchu is marched to a chopping block, and with a lusty blow from a scimitar, his head is cleaved from his body.

Afterwards, Nayland Smith is back in London, and he has landed a cushy desk job, which he is not happy about. He is sure that the “Crime Wave” sweeping Europe is the work of one criminal mastermind. But none of his superiors want to hear about it. The only person who has time for Nayland Smith’s theories is Dr. Petrie (Howard Marion Crawford). For the uninitiated, Dr. Petrie is to Nayland Smith, what Watson is to Sherlock Holmes.

Then we are introduced to Professor Hans Müller (Walter Rilla) and his young assistant. In a pea-soup fog they turn up at an old church in Limehouse. They enter the grounds of the “apparently” deserted church. The assistant is strangled as he wanders through the yard. The Professor was told to come on his own. He is taken inside. And who is behind all this? The still very much alive Fu Manchu.

The next day, the Professor’s assistant’s dead body is found. Around his neck is a red prayer scarf, with a medallion of the Goddess Kali tied into one of the corners. Naturally enough, Nayland Smith has seen all this before. It is the work of Burmese Dacoits. They believe the act of murder is blessed by the Goddess Kali, and every ritual killing is a passport to heaven. But the Dacoits must have someone controlling them, and even though he knows it is impossible, after all he saw the man executed, Nayland Smith believes that Fu Manchu is the man behind the killing. He plans to visit Professor Müller an ask him some questions.

At Professor Müller’s home, his daughter, Maria (Karin Dor) waits for his return. As she waits a Dacoit pays her a visit. She screams. At that moment Karl Janssen (Joachim Fuchsberger), Professor Müller’s research partner, arrives and rushes to her aid. By this time the Dacoit has disappeared but has left behind a message:

“If you value your father’s life —
say nothing of his disappearance.”

Suddenly there’s a noise in the laboratory downstairs. Janssen rushes down to investigate and gets into a noisy fistfight with Nigel Green’s stunt double (who’s silhouette looks nothing like Green). Before they kill each other, Maria rushes down and turns on the light, and the men stop.

But why is Fu Manchu interested in Professor Müller? Professor Müller had previously studied in Tibet. His research brought him in contact with a flower called the Black Hill Poppy. The flower is incredibly rare, and the Professor needs it for his research. The Professor had received a letter two days previously, saying that if he went to the old church in Limehouse he would be given some special supplies. Naturally the Professor went, and he was captured by Fu Manchu. Fu Manchu knows that a powerful poison can be manufactured from the Black Hill Poppy. A poison so strong that one-pint would kill everyone in London. A sure enough, that is exactly what evil mastermind Fu Manchu would like to get his hands on.

Nigel Green is one of the great character actors of his time, adding weight and class to a myriad of productions. Notable performances include Zulu, The IPCRESS File, Deadlier Than the Male, and The Wrecking Crew. He also did quite a bit of television work, appearing in shows such as Danger Man, The Avengers and The Persuaders. His portrayal of Nayland Smith is the best in the Fu Manchu series, and it is a shame that he only appeared in this film.

The Face of Fu Manchu is quite a good film. Its reputation is somewhat tarnished by the lesser films in the series, but as a stand-alone movie, this works extremely well as a period thriller.

The Brides of Fu Manchu (1966) is the second Fu Manchu film written and produced by Harry Alan Towers. It features Christopher Lee and Heinz Drache who had appeared in Towers’ production of Circus of Fear the previous year. It’s almost as if Towers had his own little repertoire company.

The film opens with a trio of Fu Manchu’s black clothed minions leading French Professor Merlin (Rupert Davies), who is blindfolded, through a series of caves and then into a large underground chamber. Once inside, his blindfold is removed. He appears to be some Egyptian temple decorated with deities and Hieroglyphs. Down each side of the temple run rows of massive stone pillars, and chained to each of these pillars is a beautiful girl. As Merlin is led through the temple towards an alter at the front, he recognises one of the captive girls as his own daughter, Michelle.

At that moment, Fu Manchu (Christopher Lee) and his daughter, Lin Tang (Tsai Chin), enter the chamber. It is revealed that Professor Merlin is an expert in radio transmission, and Fu Manchu demands that the professor works on a special project for him. Merlin’s response is simple and to the point: “Go to Hell!”

Then Lin Tang has Michelle freed from her shackles and brought before her. It appears that over the duration of her captivity, Michelle has been brainwashed. Lin Tan gives her a knife. First, she is told to hold it at her father’s throat, which she does. Realising that Fu Manchu needs his expertise, Merlin calls Fu Manchu’s bluff and suggests that he cannot be killed. Fu Manchu agrees and adopts another strategy to coerce the professor. One of the other captive women is unchained from a pillar and brought to a giant stone tablet. The girl is tied by her hair to two metal rings embedded in the tablet. Then, a sliding stone trapdoor is released under the tablet and beneath is a pit of venomous snakes.

Fu Manchu then gives Michelle the order—not to kill the girl—but simply to cut her “free.” Michelle obeys and the other girl falls to her death in the pit of snakes.

Professor Merlin is told that unless he co-operates, Michelle will be brought out of her hypnotic trance and made to face the consequences of her murderous act.

Meanwhile in London, Dennis Nayland Smith (Douglas Wilmer) is trying to unravel the mystery of the disappearance of the wives and daughters of many of the world’s leading industrialists and scientists. So far eleven women have been abducted in the last eighteen months—from ten different countries.

Strolling casually along the Thames is Research Chemist Hans Baumer (Heinz Drache) with his lovely companion Marie Lentz (Marie Versini). Suddenly, a team of Fu Manchu’s Dacoits attack, attempting to kidnap Baumer. However, Baumer is pretty good with his fists and fights off the attack.

As the information on the attack is relayed to Nayland Smith, later, do they realise that the Dacoits weren’t after Baumer at all, but after Marie, who is the daughter of Hydro-electric specialist Otto Lenz. Marie works in a hospital, and a second team of Dacoits arrive to kidnap her while she is on duty. Thankfully, Nayland Smith arrives just in the nick of time to fight of the kidnappers.

Nayland Smith suspects Fu Manchu is behind the abduction and attempts to find a lead. Unfortunately, his only lead is Marie, and finally Fu Manchu’s minions manage to kidnap her on their third attempt. But Baumer has a plan. If Fu Manchu has been using these girls to coerce the scientists and industrialists to do Fu Manchu’s work, that it would follow suit, that Marie’s kidnapping would work in the same way. So Baumer impersonates Otto Lentz so he can infiltrate Fu Manchu’s organisation.

Also working on the case is a French inspector Pierre Grimaldi, played by Roger Hanin, who helps Nayland Smith put together the pieces of Fu Manchu’s scheme, which uses radio waves as a method of carrying large amounts of energy, which can be used for destructive purposes. And that is just what Fu Manchu has in mind. His plan starts with the destruction of the Windsor Castle and ends with total world domination.

Fu Manchu’s radio transmitter tower, in the way it looks and operates, bears more than a passing resemblance to the solar dish in The Man with the Golden Gun, which also starred Christopher Lee although made eight years later.

The Fu Manchu films are perfect examples of the law of diminishing returns. I found the first film, The Face of Fu Manchu, to be quite a good little adventure. This film is a small step down from the earlier outing but is still very entertaining, but each instalment is weaker than the previous outing, and after the third film, the piss-poor plots and shoe-string budgets were below acceptable standard, and the films have little to recommend them beyond the presence of Christopher Lee.

The Vengeance of Fu Manchu (1967) is the third in the Harry Alan Towers produced Fu Manchu series. With each instalment, the quality of the series dropped considerably. This film has a few too many long-protracted moments where not too much happens and on the odd occasion when something is happening, you don’t really care about the outcome. All I can say is that it is better than the next two instalment in the series.

Douglas Wilmer once again plays Fu Manchu’s Nemesis Nayland Smith, which he did previously in The Brides of Fu Manchu. Wilmer is adequate in the role, displaying a squared jawed heroic countenance, but he doesn’t have the screen presence of Nigel Greene who played the character in the first film.

Of course, you can’t talk about a Fu Manchu film without talking about horror icon Christopher Lee. By this film in the series Lee looks quite bored by the role. He isn’t given too much to say. He simply has to glower and nod his head, and his evil minions do the work for him. I guess it is in keeping with the character, but it isn’t particularly a stretch for Lee.

The film begins in the Quang-Su Provence in Northern China, and along a winding mountain track a small caravan of men make their way to a hidden fortress. Riding in comfort in two carriages, carried by their evil minions are the most evil man on earth, Fu Manchu and his equally vicious daughter Lin Tang (Tsai Chin).

Once at the fortress, Fu Manchu has all the paths and roadways dynamited, cutting off the outside world, so he can formulate his attempt to take over the world in relative peace.

In London, Commissioner Nayland Smith of Scotland Yard is planning a trip to Paris. He’s meeting other police chiefs to set up a new organisation designed to battle international crime. This new organisation is to be called “Interpol.” At this meeting is a young FBI agent, Mark Weston (Noel Trevarthen). He reports that the crime gangs of America have selected a man named Rudolph Moss (Horst Frank) to be their new ambassador and seek out a new “head” of global crime. You’ve got to remember here, that everybody thinks that Fu Manchu is still dead. he died at the end of the last film. So, the FBI and Interpol don’t know who this new “head” will be. Of course, we viewers know it is going to be Fu.

Meanwhile back in China, Fu Manchu is putting his latest plan into operation. First, he kidnaps Dr. Lieberson (Wolfgang Kieling) and his daughter, Maria (Susanne Roquette) from a nearby village. Lieberson initially refuses to work for Fu Manchu, so his daughter is tortured. Soon after the doctor relents. The doctor is given a mission is to transform one of Fu Manchu’s Asian minions into a Caucasian likeness of Nayland Smith. And Fu instructs that this must be done in forty-eight hours. I think a modern-day plastic surgeon would have trouble completing that task, let alone a doctor in a remote village in Northern China. But who knows, maybe the doctor is really a “Super Doctor” who really believes in doing humanitarian work, rather than living at the cutting edge of medical science. I know, it’s silly of me to pick on the medical and scientific plot devices in a Fu Manchu film. But I cannot help it. Regardless, the doctor, fearing for his daughter’s life, agrees to transform Fu Manchu’s mindless killer into Nayland Smith.

Interpol is busy tracking down Rudolph Moss. It seems he was bound for Shanghai on a ship called the Orient Star. Interpol wires Inspector Ramos (Tony Ferrer) of the Shanghai Police Department. Ramos intercepts the ship, but he is too late. Moss has already disembarked and his heading across the country to meet Fu Manchu.

Meanwhile, Nayland Smith and his close friend Dr. Petrie (Howard Marion-Crawford) are off on holiday in Ireland. On a rural track, their car runs out of petrol. luckily a car comes along, and Petrie hitches a lift into the nearest village to fill up a can of fuel. By the time Petrie returns, Nayland Smith has been kidnapped and Doctor Lieberson’s psychotic double has been put in his place. The real Nayland Smith is bound and gagged and sealed in a wooden crate bound for Shanghai.

I don’t rate this entry in the Fu Manchu series very highly, but it does have a few points of interest. First, for spy fans it is worth noting that Tony Ferrer, who plays Inspector Ramos in the film, was a big star in the Philippines. One of his higher profile series was the Agent 44 Tony Falcon films made in the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s.

Second, this film was a co-production with Hong Kong’s Shaw Studios, which means it has a slightly different flavour to the other entries in the series. In the end though, despite the international intervention, this film is a step down from previous films, and it really should have been the end of the series. But the Devil Doctor Fu Manchu kicked on for another two films, each with a diminishing budget, and helmed by Jess Franco.

Beyond Baker Street

Yours in the Spirit of Adventure

Foster lives in the old Pentridge Prison Complex, behind high grey stone walls, in inner-suburban Melbourne, Australia.

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Sherlock in Black: Philip R. Brogdon and the Legacy of Black Sherlockian Fandom

PAUL BISHOP — Wed, 17 Sep 2025 15:03:17 GMT

THE BLACK SHERLOCK HOLMES

PHILIP R. BROGDON’S SHERLOCK IN BLACK

AND THE LEGACY OF BLACK SHERLOCKIAN FANDOM

The image of Sherlock Holmes is often imagined through a Eurocentric lens, tied to Victorian London, White masculinity, and the British establishment. For decades, the Sherlockian fandom—especially the highly exclusive Baker Street Irregulars (BSI)—reflected this narrow cultural framework. Yet, in 1986, Philip R. Brogdon shattered one of those barriers when he became the first Black American inducted into the BSI, a society that had long been predominantly White. Brogdon’s subsequent work, Sherlock in Black (1995), stands as a significant contribution not only to Holmesian scholarship but also to a more inclusive understanding of fan history. His monograph illuminates a vital, often overlooked, legacy: the deep, rich, and enduring relationship between Black individuals and Sherlock Holmes.

Brogdon’s Sherlock in Black is more than a booklet; it is an archival counter-history that challenges the dominant, White-centered narratives that have traditionally defined Sherlock Holmes fandom. By chronicling the stories, influences, and creative contributions of Black Sherlockians, Brogdon reclaims space within a fandom where people of color have often been marginalized or invisible. His work is a reminder that Black fans have always been present, participating, and shaping the cultural life surrounding Sherlock Holmes.

Central to Brogdon’s project is the idea of Black Sherlockian fandom as a space of belonging, creativity, and historical continuity. For Brogdon and the individuals he profiles, seeing themselves within the Sherlockian tradition was more than a personal curiosity—it was an act of cultural affirmation. He identifies Black actors, writers, musicians, and public figures who either explicitly engaged with Sherlock Holmes or who embodied Holmesian qualities in their professional lives. Among these are prominent names such as Sidney Poitier and Fats Waller, as well as more surprising inclusions like Idi Amin, whose self-styled detective persona in media reflected a fascination with the figure of Holmes, albeit through a controversial and complex lens.

In addition to profiling well-known figures, Brogdon also documented the contributions of amateur Black Sherlockians—fans who produced art, wrote stories, created music, and collected memorabilia. These creations, often overlooked by mainstream fan historians, represent the grassroots vibrancy of Black Sherlockian culture. Brogdon’s archive offers an expansive view of fandom that goes beyond formal societies and into the living rooms, art studios, and community spaces where Black fans have long engaged with the Holmesian mythos on their own terms.

Brogdon’s work anticipated a growing movement in which Black creators have taken ownership of Sherlockian narratives and reimagined them through new cultural lenses. A striking example of this evolution is the Watson and Holmes comic book series, in which both Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson are re-envisioned as Black men navigating modern-day Harlem. The series, created by Karl Bollers and Rick Leonardi, not only updates the classic detective stories with contemporary urban issues but also places Black experiences, communities, and identities at the very heart of Sherlockian storytelling. Watson and Holmes stands as a powerful continuation of the legacy Brogdon sought to illuminate—one in which Black creators and fans actively reshape the Holmesian world to reflect their own realities, concerns, and aspirations.

What makes Brogdon’s work especially significant is that it compels us to ask deeper questions about the intersections of race, identity, and cultural participation. Sherlock Holmes, as a character, is frequently celebrated for his rationality, his keen observational skills, and his outsider status within his own society. For many Black fans, these attributes may resonate in complex ways, aligning with the lived experience of negotiating visibility, exclusion, and intellectual authority within majority-White spaces. Brogdon’s Sherlock in Black, together with works like Watson and Holmes, challenges the assumption that Sherlockian fandom is—or should be—a monolith defined by traditional, White, upper-class collectors. Instead, they illustrate how fans of color have constructed their own Sherlockian identities, sometimes in parallel with, sometimes in resistance to, the established fan structures.

Brogdon’s historical and cultural intervention also raises critical awareness about whose stories are remembered and whose are forgotten in fan communities. His work implicitly critiques the BSI and other similar organizations that, until relatively recently, maintained exclusionary practices that limited full participation by fans of color. By documenting Black Sherlockian history, Brogdon not only filled an archival void but also opened pathways for future generations of diverse fans to see themselves as legitimate, valuable contributors to Sherlockian culture.

Sherlock in Black remains a relatively obscure but essential text in the study of Sherlock Holmes fandom. It provides a window into how race, media representation, and fan identity intertwine, offering an alternative lineage that had been largely absent from the canonical fan histories. Brogdon’s work is both an act of preservation and a call to reexamine the structures of fandom to ensure that they reflect the diversity of those who love Sherlock Holmes.

In the end, Philip R. Brogdon’s legacy as the Black Sherlock Holmes is not just about his personal accomplishments or his status within the Baker Street Irregulars. His true legacy lies in his dedication to making visible the long and meaningful presence of Black Sherlockians. Through his archival work—and in the continued reimaginings like Watson and Holmes—he invites us to expand our vision of what the Sherlockian world can be, ensuring that everyone who finds joy in Sherlock Holmes has a place in the story.

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Baker Street: The Curious Case Files of Sherlock Holmes

David Foster — Mon, 15 Sep 2025 15:03:25 GMT

I’m David Foster, author of Baker Street: The Curious Case Files of Sherlock

Holmes, and in this little video I want to showcase some of Sidney Paget’s splendid

illustrations of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson embarking on their many train

journeys—those elegant little interludes between Baker Street and the scene of

some dreadful crime.

Now, calling steam trains elegant might sound a bit rich. After all, they were

enormous iron kettles spewing smoke and ash. But once you were inside the

carriage, it was another story—hand-crafted woodwork, polished brass, and seats

that looked as though they’d been made to be sat on, not endured. The journey itself

was something to savor. Compare that with today’s trains, where you’re more likely

to savor the aroma of last night’s kebab, admire graffiti of questionable artistic merit,

or dodge a mysterious puddle glistening in the corner.

That’s part of why I love the world of Sherlock Holmes. Yes, there’s murder and

mayhem at every turn, but even in the midst of it all there’s a curious

wholesomeness—a world where travelling to investigate a corpse could still be, well,

rather civilized.

Charlie Chan and the Curse of the Dragon Queen: Campy Mystery or Comic Misfire?

David Foster — Thu, 11 Sep 2025 15:00:47 GMT

In the early ’80s, Hollywood attempted to revive the Charlie Chan franchise with Charlie Chan and the Curse of the Dragon Queen. Featuring an all-star cast—including Peter Ustinov, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Angie Dickinson—the film blended slapstick comedy with classic mystery tropes. But did it capture the charm of the originals, or stumble under the weight of parody?

Beyond Baker Street XV

Curse of the Dragon Queen

Be careful what you wish for

G’day, everyone. I hope this newsletter finds you well. This will come as no surprise to anyone who has picked up a copy of my mammoth Sherlock Holmes compendium Baker Street, but I like mystery films. Beyond Holmes, I’ve enjoyed (and continue to enjoy) The Thin Man, The Saint, The Falcon, Philo Vance and many others. I’m also quite drawn to Agatha Christie tales—particularly those featuring Hercule Poirot. For many people of my generation (ahem), in the late 1970s and into the 1980s, Peter Ustinov was Poirot. Admittedly, his Poirot films are somewhat of a mixed bag. But I think the adaptation of Death on the Nile, in which he starred, is superior to the Suchet and Branagh versions.

Therefore, when I learned that Ustinov had starred in a film called Charlie Chan and the Curse of the Dragon Queen (1981), it quickly climbed to the top of my must-see list. Unfortunately, back then it was quite difficult to obtain. There were no streaming services, and importing a copy on DVD to Australia from the U.S. was cost prohibitive. But times have changed, and recently it popped up on Amazon Prime—and I just had to dive in.

I was fully aware that Charlie Chan and the Curse of the Dragon Queen had a bad reputation, but I figured “how bad could it be?” Therefore, I was not prepared for the trainwreck it is. I’ve always found the portrayal of Charlie Chan to be more than a little uncomfortable. The character himself—an early attempt at a positive Chinese detective—might have been well-intentioned at the start, but the execution quickly slid into cringe territory. Watching Sidney Toler or Warner Oland in full “yellow-face,” spouting stilted proverbs and bowing slightly every second line, is tough. It’s not just that they were white actors playing an Asian character—it’s that they did it in makeup, mannerisms, and mangled accents that reduced an entire culture to a collection of clichés.

And if that wasn’t awkward enough, somehow Ustinov managed to make it worse. His version of Charlie Chan felt like a parody of a parody. The whole thing collapses when Ustinov—clearly struggling to maintain the faux accent—lets it slip mid-sentence and you catch a whiff of his real, unmistakably British voice underneath. It’s like the mask falls off for a moment, and you realise just how hollow and contrived the whole thing really is.

Charlie Chan and the Curse of the Dragon Queen is one of those films that makes you wonder how it ever got the green light. Peter Ustinov plays Charlie Chan in full "this-seemed-like-a-good-idea-at-the-time" mode, trying to crack the case of a series of murders that may—or may not—be the work of his old nemesis, the mysterious Dragon Queen. Angie Dickinson plays the Dragon Queen of the title, but she’s completely wasted here—the character is so thinly drawn she practically vanishes into the set. You get the feeling Dickinson could’ve phoned it in, but even then, there’s barely anything to work with.

Richard Hatch—still riding the fumes of his Battlestar Galactica fame as Apollo—takes on the role of Chan’s bumbling grandson, Lee Chan Jr., meant to carry on the sleuthing legacy, though he spends most of the film in a kind of wide-eyed confusion. And there’s a young Michelle Pfeiffer, playing Cordelia Farenington, a love interest caught in the middle of the chaos. Honestly, I suspect she’s long since tried to blot this one off her résumé—and who could blame her?

The whole film feels like it’s straining to recreate the magic of the Pink Panther series—those early Peter Sellers classics where Clouseau’s clumsy antics somehow worked. But by the time Dragon Queen came out in 1981, even The Pink Panther films were wearing thin. Revenge of the Pink Panther (1978) felt tired and forced, and Trail of the Pink Panther (1982) was cobbled together from outtakes and leftover scraps after Sellers died. If you’re tempted to watch Charlie Chan and the Curse of the Dragon Queen, consider this your warning: it’s not a mystery, it’s a cautionary tale. Viewer discretion (and perhaps a stiff drink) advised.

Beyond Baker Street

Yours in the Spirit of Adventure

Foster lives in the old Pentridge Prison Complex, behind high grey stone walls, in inner-suburban Melbourne, Australia.

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Beyond Baker Street: The Beast of Gévaudan and the Brotherhood of the Wolf

Andrea / Genius Books — Wed, 03 Sep 2025 15:00:28 GMT

Sherlock Holmes’ influence reaches far beyond Baker Street, echoing through stories steeped in mystery and shadow. One unexpected corner of this legacy can be found in Brotherhood of the Wolf (2001)—a French adventure-horror film that blends folklore, political intrigue, and deduction in a way that feels like it could’ve stepped straight out of a Holmesian fever dream.

Brotherhood of the Wolf

Brotherhood of the Wolf is a French adventure film directed by Christophe Gans, starring Samuel Le Bihan, Mark Dacascos, Émilie Dequenne, Monica Bellucci and Vincent Cassel.

The film opens during the French Revolution, and the Marquis d’Apcher is trapped inside a castle keep. By candlelight he writes his memoirs. The story flashes back to 1764, and to lush green hills and valleys, where a young woman is running for her life. She has blood on her hands and face—something is chasing her—a wild beast. She tries to climb on some rocks to escape but the beast takes her legs and drags her down. Over the next year, in the Gévaudan region of France, the beast takes more lives, and the people live in fear.

Two strangers arrive in the region—Grégoire de Fronsac (Samuel Le Bihan) and his Iroquois companion Mani (Mark Dacascos). Their mission is to capture the beast—which everyone believes is a wolf. However, they’re told the beast is bigger than a wolf and has no fear of firearms.

On the surface, Brotherhood of the Wolf may seem like a typical horror film. While that is partly true, there are many horror elements—in fact, one of the opening scenes is a homage to Jaws—as the plot unfolds, it becomes apparent this is a man-made mystery, with its tentacles stretching to the Royal Court and the Catholic Church in Rome.

It also could be argued that the story is a lurid and highly stylised re-version of The Hound of the Baskervilles. While Grégoire de Fronsac’s skills of deduction aren’t on par with Sherlock Holmes, as a man of science, it is clear he is cut from the same cloth.

Brotherhood of the Wolf is beautifully filmed, and the sets and costumes are exceptional. The beast was created by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop and is certainly more frightening than any depiction of the Baskerville Hound.

Beyond Baker Street

Foster lives in the old Pentridge Prison Complex, behind high grey stone walls, in inner-suburban Melbourne, Australia.

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52 Weeks 52 Sherlock Holmes Novels - Edited by Paul Bishop - Incredible Sherlock Holmes Pastiches

PAUL BISHOP — Tue, 26 Aug 2025 15:01:28 GMT

Love Sherlock Holmes? This one’s for you. 52 Weeks, 52 Sherlock Holmes Novels, edited by Paul Bishop, is an incredible deep dive into pastiches that honor—and sometimes reinvent—the great detective. This new YouTube video walks you through the project and why it’s a must for any Holmesian bookshelf.

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