An Interview with Mr. Conan Doyle

First of all we would like to thank you for consenting to be interviewed by us. In your circumstances...

Think nothing of it, my dears

How do you feel about two women setting up a detective agency?

You have my blessing, but as I wrote somewhere no man likes to come home after a day's work to a wife proud of her independence -and spouting about it. I remember calling Mrs St. Clair 'a dear little woman'. Now I find she's anything but dear, and certainly not little!

But you are happy about it?

It's been going on for years. Ever since Holmes became famous. I even wrote a pastiche myself for the Edinburgh students' rag. Called it 'The Field Bazaar'. And the number of stories being found in Watson's battered old tin despatch box! It would have to be as big as a removal van. But, as I remember, it was the standard army issue. The whole thing's getting out of hand and some of his supposed tales bear very little resemblance to what I asked him to write, apart from the names.

Come now, Mr. Doyle, some of it can pass muster and, with respect, it certainly keeps your name before the public. But we would like to hear what you really think of our work.

Well you certainly get around. Rome, Lausanne, Baden-Barden, the west coast of Scotland, and there are  some sharp exchanges between you. Which I for one find very entertaining. But if there's nothing else you want to ask me...

Oh but there is. Were you ever in Beverley Minster?

That would be telling. But now I must...


"That's the trouble with ghosts," said Emily crossly, putting away her writing materials. "Liable to disappear at any moment."