Step back to London, 1895.

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.