Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's stories are full of references to everyday activities and events from Victorian times that make the twenty-first century reader run to the reference shelf. Few, for example, are intimately acquainted with the responsibilities of a country squire, the importance of gentlemen's clubs, or the intricacies of the Victorian monetary system.

These twenty-four short essays explore various aspects of life mentioned in the original tales of Sherlock Holmes, providing modern-day insight into the nineteenth century world. Originally shared through various Sherlockian newsletters around the world, they are gathered here for the first time. Essays cover:

• The Life of a Country Squire
• The Holmes' Family Connection to the Vernets of France
• The Fate of Second Sons
• The Victorian Medical Practice
• Victorian Transportion
• The Origins of Scotland Yard
• The River Thames
• Apiculture in the 1800s
• Westminster Palace
• Sherlock's Christmas Spirit
• Practicing Law in Victorian England
• The Second Anglo-Afghan War
• Gentleman's Clubs
• Tobacco
• 221B Baker Street
• Abductive Reasoning
• Dog Breeding
• Poisons
• Fingerprints
• Phrenology
• Communications
• The Monetary System
• The British Museum
• Chloroform

These examinations bring deeper meaning and color to the adventures of the world's most famous consulting detective.

The president of The Crew of the Barque Lone Star, a Sherlockian Scion Society, notes this collection "brings life to a society which we have only dreamed of."

Whether a fan of Sherlock Holmes or a history enthusiast, this book offers interesting tidbits to all.