The Mammoth Book of New Sherlock Holmes Adventures - Mike Ashley [291]
1895
Watson highlights 1895 as a year when Holmes was on top form. Cases included “the sudden death of Cardinal Tosca“ to “Wilson, the notorious canary-trainer“ [written up as “The Adventure of the Deptford Horror” by Adrian Conan Doyle and set in June 1895; as “The Case of the Notorious Canary-Trainer” by June Thomson set in January 1895; and as “The Adventure of the Notorious Canary Trainer” by Ken Greenwald though this is set in Summer 1908] both of which happened in the first half of the year.
March. “The Adventure of the Persecuted Painter“; “The Three Students“.
April. “The Solitary Cyclist“. Watson undertook the initial investigation of this case because Holmes was busy with the case of the “persecution of John Vincent Harden the tobacco millionaire“ [a case later written up as “Sherlock Holmes and the Devil’s Grail” by Barrie Roberts; and as “The Case of the Millionaire’s Persecution” by June Thomson]. This month is also cited for “The Adventure of the Marked Man” by Stuart Palmer and “Sherlock Holmes and the Mysterious Friend of Oscar Wilde” by Russell A. Brown.
May. “Prisoner of the Devil” by Michael Hardwick. July. “The Adventure of Black Peter“. About this same time occurred “The Ball of Twine” by Miles Elward.
September. “The Case of the Harley Street Specialist“ (written up by June Thomson: it recounts Holmes’s dramatic introduction to Dr Moore Agar referred to in “The Devil’s Foot”). The same month is the timing for “The Case of the Featherstone Policeman” by Tony Lumb (despite the erroneous internal dating of 1893) and “The Hentzau Affair” by David Stuart Davies. October. “The Case of the Man Who Was Wanted” [aka “The Adventure of the Sheffield Banker”] by Arthur Whitaker, a story once believed to be by Doyle but clearly apocryphal. It contains many inconsistencies including a reference to Watson’s wife still being alive. If that is true this story may fit better into October 1889.
November. “The Bruce-Partington Plans“. This case also refers to Brooks and Woodhouse, two of some fifty criminals who would wish to see Holmes dead. December. “The Adventure of the Grace Chalice“ based on the case of Henry Staunton.
1896
Spring. At some early part of this year Holmes helped Mr Fairdale Hobbs, a small matter later referred to in “The Red Circle”.
Summer. “The Disappearance of Lady Frances Carfax“. At the time of this case Holmes was involved with the problem of “old Abrahams in mortal fear of his life“ an episode later written up as “The Case of the Shopkeeper’s Terror” by June Thomson.
October. “The Veiled Lodger“. This case also refers to the case of “the politician, the lighthouse, and the trained cormorant“ which could have happened at any time up to Holmes’s retirement [WR. Duncan Macmillan wrote this up as “Holmes in Scotland” and dated it August 1899 or 1900; June Thomson wrote it up as “The Case of the Abandoned Lighthouse” and set it in July 1903]. “The Adventure of the Suffering Ruler“.
November. “The Sussex Vampire.” Ken Greenwald set “The Adventure of the Headless Monk” in the same month. This month would also encompass the little episode of “The Field Bazaar” and the second case of “The Repulsive story of the Red Leech“.
Winter. “The Case of the Demon Barber” by Ken Greenwald.
1897
January. “The Abbey Grange“.
February. “The Red Circle“ and “The Adventure of the Faithful Retainer.”
March. “The Devil’s Foot“ which follows from Holmes’s health suffering due to pressure of work.
July. “The Dancing Men“.
December. “The Missing Three-Quarter“. This is also the likely date for “The Silent Night Before Christmas” by Gene DeWeese, set at Christmas.
1898
April. “A Trifling Affair” by H.R.F. Keating.
May. “The Egyptian Hall Adventure” [aka “The Randolph Case”] by Val Andrews.
July/August. “The Retired Colourman