Elementary, My Dear Watson

Review: Elementary, My Dear Watson is clearly a labour of love. In a way it is ‘elementary’, but hard work and profitable: Mr Colmer has read and re-read the Canon, picking out every reference to Holmes, Watson, their personalities and their careers, and grouping the information under an appropriate 60 headings, such as ‘Letters to Dr Watson’, ‘Sherlock Holmes’ Waxen Busts’, ‘Sherlock Holmes’ Conceit’ and ‘Visitors to Baker Street’. This isn’t a volume of extracts either, though there are many passages quoted.

Because the book is based entirely on the Canon, without reference to earlier commentators, Mr Colmer’s statements are usually basic (he deals in facts rather than theories) but presented with a fresh voice.

There are errors, perhaps inevitable in a book of over 400 pages, but mostly negligible (Isadora Persano was a duellist, not a ‘dualist’; Watson was full of unexplored, not ‘unexplained’ possibilities). The book’s only really important fault is that there’s no indication of which story each fact or statement comes from. If there were, the book would have to be rather longer, but its usefulness as a reference tool would be enhanced immeasurably. Elementary, My Dear Watson is a strongly and attractively produced quality softback.

Reviewed by: Roger Johnson, [District Messenger 209, 2001]