In which we learn all the details as A Study In Scarlet draws to a close. This episode's list of vocabulary: 'jocosely', 'ejaculated', 'ascertain', 'brougham', 'alkaloid'. Join me next week for my next selection, The Magic Pudding by Norman Lindsay!

In which we learn more about the plight of John and Lucy Ferrier, and what Jefferson Hope has decided to do about it. At the end I also discuss (read: babble about) some of the nuances of Doyle's representation of Mormons, Jefferson Hope, and Native Americans. Today's list of interesting words includes the following: "expostulation", "Gentile", "electro-telegraphs" (also semaphore telegraphs - by the way, despite my joke about people waving flags at each other from the tops of hills, these actually looked more like giant specialized windmills), "Washoe", "shingly", and "despotism".

In which we are introduced to John and Lucy Ferrier, as well as a young Jefferson Hope. I also discuss the representation of Mormon settlers in the beginning. This episode's list of interesting vocabulary: 'genius' (not the meaning you were expecting!), 'penitently', 'diffidently', 'visage', 'indefatigable' (which I evidently cannot pronounce), 'bullocks', 'demurely', and 'halcyon days'. Join me next week to learn more of Hope's back story!

In which our stalwart Scotland Yarders discover there is more to this case than meets their eyes, and Sherlock Holmes enjoys normal activities like going to violin concerts. I also prove to be terrible yet again at accents from other countries. This episode's interesting vocabulary includes the following: "outre'" "sententiously", "portmanteau", "instante mense", "paroxysm", "antecedents", "cudgel", "draught", "conjecture", and "supposition". Join me next week to travel briefly to the land of the saints and see what all these darn Americans have been up to!

In which Watson and Holmes discover that murder is afoot in London and I prove to be a miserable failure at any type of accent from the United Kingdom. This episode's list of interesting words include the following: "hansom", "in statu quo", "disquisition", "minatory", "prognathous", "simious", "florid", and "Parthian shot". Join me next week for chapters 5 and 6, when we finally see some action and Tobias Gregson gets a glorious half chapter all to himself until Lestrade shows up.

In which Dr. John Watson meets Mr. Sherlock Holmes and discovers The Most Interesting Flatmate In The World. This episode's list of interesting words include the following: 'desultory', 'ineffable', 'row' (which I mispronounced), 'Mendelssohn's Lieder' (also mispronounced, probably), 'piquant', 'querulously', 'chimerical', and 'commissionaire'. Join me next week for chapters 3 and 4, when we finally get to the real mystery!

An introductory episode explaining the purpose of the podcast and what to expect.