P. James Macaluso's Blog: Sherlock Holmes Re-Imagined, page 3

Sherlock Holmes and his travelling attire

‘The Boscombe Valley Mystery’ Re-ImaginedIn this fourth adventure, Inspector Lestrade of Scotland Yard summons Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson to Herefordshire to investigate the murder of a wealthy landowner named Charles McCarthy. Holmes, donning his “travelling-cloak and close-fitting cloth cap”, carefully examines the crime scene and soon unravels the mystery involving a secret criminal past, thwarted love, and blackmail.


“He stood behind that tree.”

The depiction of Sherlock HolmesThe very first illustration of this adventure by Sidney Paget, which is presented below along with my LEGO® rendering of this drawing, is quite notable in that Paget chose to depict Sherlock Holmes wearing a deerstalker cap and Inverness cloak. As many Sherlockians know, this was solely a decision of the artist as Arthur Conan Doyle never specifically mentions Sherlock Holmes wearing these two items of clothing in any of the stories. In ‘The Boscombe Valley Mystery’, for example, Conan Doyle only describes Holmes as wearing a “long gray travelling-cloak and close-fitting cloth cap”. Likewise, in ‘The Adventure of Silver Blaze’ Doctor Watson describes the Great Detective as wearing “his ear-flapped travelling cap”. Considering that the deerstalker was the most common cap of the period matching both of these descriptions, it is unsurprising that Sidney Paget depicted Holmes wearing such a hat. But of course, as a deerstalker was typically worn only in rural areas, such as in Herefordshire, the setting of ‘The Boscombe Valley Mystery’, it would not have been Holmes’s daily choice of headgear while investigating cases in and about London. However, many subsequent artists, including Sidney Paget himself on at least one occasion, depicted Holmes donning his deerstalker cap in the city leading to the popular image of Holmes persisting to today.


“We had the carriage to ourselves.”

As for the LEGO® version of this now famous attire, the LEGO Group fortuitously released a ‘Detective’ minifigure in 2011, two years after I conceived the idea of my Re-imagined book series. Although it was not referred to specifically as Sherlock Holmes, the minifigure consisted of a Victorian-style detective complete with a deerstalker cap (see photo above), Inverness-cloak-patterned torso (see photo below), and magnifying glass. This minifigure has been of obvious use to me when creating and photographing models for the Sherlock Holmes Re-Imaginedbook series, and it even served as the model for creating the silhouette of Holmes featured on the cover of each of the books in the series (see cover image below). 

“Lestrade shrugged his shoulders.”

Can I see more information about your book series?

Please visit our webpage and Facebook page for more information regarding the Sherlock Holmes Re-Imagined book series, including news, reviews and free downloads.

All 12 books in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes Re-Imagined book series, as well as a complete collector’s edition incorporating all of the stories, are available for purchase on Amazon UK, the Book Depository (with free worldwide delivery), and the MX Publishing website.

LEGO® is a trademark of the LEGO Group of Companies. The LEGO Group has not been involved in nor has it in any other way licensed or authorized the publication of this book series.

The case of identification

‘A Case of Identity’ Re-ImaginedIn this third adventure, Miss Mary Sutherland, a woman with a substantial income, visits Sherlock Holmes to request his assistance regarding the mysterious disappearance of her fiancé, Hosmer Angel, from the carriage that was conveying him to their wedding. Holmes effortlessly deduces what has really happened from his residence on Baker Street, but chooses not to inform his client as he fears she will not believe him.


“She laid a little bundle upon the table.”

Sherlock Holmes and forensic scienceAmong the illustrations for this adventure, I am fond of the image of Sherlock Holmes in deep contemplation about the case in front of his chemistry table where he had been busy conducting experiments. This is only one of many instances in the canon (the original 56 short stories and four novels featuring Sherlock Holmes written by Arthur Conan Doyle) in which Sherlock Holmes conducts research or utilizes the methods of forensic science (or the application of scientific techniques and principles to the law) to help solve a case. For example, in addition to forensic chemistry, Holmes employs toxicology (drugs and poisons), ballistics (firearms), document examination (handwriting analysis), as well as the analysis of trace evidence (human and animal hair, fibres from clothing, pieces of glass), latent impressions (shoe and tire tracks), fingerprints, and bloodstain patterns. And interestingly, in ‘A Case of Identity’ the Great Detective uses typewriter identification (also now part of forensic document examination) to catch the wrongdoer, which is the earliest known reference of this type of analysis. In fact, the story which was published in 1891 appeared only 23 years after the first practical typewriter was invented and a couple of years before such a technique was employed in an actual police case!

“I found Sherlock Holmes half asleep.”
Although I am not currently active in the discipline, I have conducted research in the field of forensic anthropology or osteology, which is the study of the human skeleton in a medicolegal setting. For the most part, my research entailed the study of human bones to help estimate the sex (male or female), age-at-death, and stature (height) of unidentified human remains, such as those that are decomposed, burnt or skeletonized and thus identification based on fingerprints or facial recognition is not possible. And like Holmes, who authored several monographs on forensic techniques, the results of my investigations have been published in various scientific journals dedicated to forensic science. For those interested readers, a list of my published research can be found on my website. 


Can I see more information about your book series?

Please visit our webpage and Facebook page for more information regarding the Sherlock Holmes Re-Imagined book series, including news, reviews and free downloads.

All 12 books in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes Re-Imagined book series, as well as a complete collector’s edition incorporating all of the stories, are available for purchase on Amazon UK, the Book Depository (with free worldwide delivery), and the MX Publishing website.

LEGO® is a trademark of the LEGO Group of Companies. The LEGO Group has not been involved in nor has it in any other way licensed or authorized the publication of this book series.

The ‘grotesque’ case of Jabez Wilson

‘The Red-Headed League’ Re-ImaginedIn this second adventure, Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson are called on to investigate the bizarre proceedings of The Red-Headed League, a philanthropic society which promotes the interests of men with red hair by paying them handsomely to perform small tasks. Holmes soon realizes that The League is not as charitable as it appears but rather part of an ingenious criminal plot involving the fourth smartest man in London.
“Mr. Jabez Wilson.”

One of Conan Doyle’s favouritesAmong the illustrations for this adventure, I quite like the iconic image of Sherlock Holmes with his feet up on his chair as he contemplates, in the words of Dr Watson, the ‘grotesque’ case of The Red-Headed League. Interestingly, this singular term, ‘grotesque’, is also used by Holmes in 'The Adventure of Wisteria Lodge' to describe the circumstances of that case as well as the affair of 'The Five Orange Pips'. From a creative standpoint, I think the simple step of removing the two legs from the hips of the LEGO® Holmes minifigure and placing them on the seat of the chair yields a fairly realistic representation of rounded knees drawn up to the chin.
"He cured himself up in his chair."
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was also fond of the grotesque case of Jabez Wilson as he listed The Red-Headed League as the second best Sherlock Holmes tale, when he was invited in 1927 by The Stand Magazine to name the twelve best stories he had written. Others on the list included: 'The Adventure of the Speckled Band' (#1), 'The Adventure of the Dancing Men' (#3), and 'A Scandal in Bohemia' (#5), the latter of which is the first story in the Sherlock Holmes Re-Imagined book series (see our post from last week). In addition, as mentioned by many scholars, Conan Doyle appears to have recycled the basic plot lines of 'The Red-Headed League' for a later story, namely 'The Adventure of the Three Garridebs'. In both tales, Holmes's client is a naive man who seems about to receive a windfall due to the bequest of an eccentric American millionaire. Likewise, in both stories Holmes discovers that the wealthy benefactor is a fabrication invented by a criminal who wants to lure the client from his home.

Can I see more information about your book series?

Please visit our webpage and Facebook page for more information regarding the Sherlock Holmes Re-Imagined book series, including news, reviews and free downloads.

All 12 books in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes Re-Imagined book series, as well as a complete collector’s edition incorporating all of the stories, are available for purchase on Amazon UK, the Book Depository (with free worldwide delivery), and the MX Publishing website.

LEGO® is a trademark of the LEGO Group of Companies. The LEGO Group has not been involved in nor has it in any other way licensed or authorized the publication of this book series.

Sherlock Holmes, the King, and the woman

‘A Scandal in Bohemia’ Re-ImaginedIn this first adventure, Sherlock Holmes is hired by the King of Bohemia to recover a photograph from a former mistress which may be used to prevent his impending engagement to a Scandinavian princess. Holmes employs several disguises, as well as a few pyrotechnics, to discover the location of the compromising photograph, only to be outsmarted by the clever and alluring Miss Irene Adler, later to be referred to by Holmes as the woman.

My favourite illustrationsPhotographing LEGO® models can be a difficult task. This is due to the fact that LEGO® pieces and bricks are quite small; for example, LEGO® minifigures are just over 4 cm (1.5 inches) tall, and thus macro photography, or producing photographs of small objects larger than life size, is required. Macro photography, in turn, requires ample lighting which can then cause serious problems with reflection from the shiny plastic bricks and in particular the rounded heads and arms of LEGO® minifigures. However, with some patience and trial-and-error you are able to obtain an adequate photo.
I think perhaps my favourite illustration from ‘A Scandal in Bohemia’ Re-Imagined is the photograph of the King of Bohemia. Although I enjoy designing and building more complex LEGO® models, I like the simplicity of this photo and the charming expression on the face of the King. Also, I believe that this illustration is fairly faithful to the original drawing by Sidney Paget.
“A man entered.”
In addition, although it is only a small detail and thus many readers may not have noticed, the facial design is the same on the two head pieces of the King, with and without the mask.
“This photograph.”
I also like the photograph of Irene Adler dressed as a young man wishing Sherlock Holmes, who is in disguise as a clergyman, a goodnight, as this illustration depicts my first attempt at building a LEGO® model of 221B Baker Street, the legendary residence of Holmes and Watson. Since the publication of ‘A Scandal in Bohemia’ Re-Imagined, I have designed and built a more detailed minifigure scale model of 221B, including a furnished interior of the first floor. Photos of this newer model can be found on The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes Re-Imagined website.
“Good-night, Mr. Sherlock Holmes.”

Can I see more information about your book series?

Please visit our webpage and Facebook page for more information regarding the Sherlock Holmes Re-Imagined book series, including news, reviews and free downloads.

All 12 books in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes Re-Imagined book series, as well as a complete collector’s edition incorporating all of the stories, are available for purchase on Amazon UK, the Book Depository (with free worldwide delivery), and the MX Publishing website.

LEGO® is a trademark of the LEGO Group of Companies. The LEGO Group has not been involved in nor has it in any other way licensed or authorized the publication of this book series.

Welcome to our book series blog!

Welcome to the blog for The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes Re-Imagined, where I will be sharing my thoughts regarding the book series, as well as LEGO® and Sherlock Holmes in general.
Well firstly, for those of you not familiar with the book series, in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes Re-Imagined the original short stories about the great detective are accompanied by photographic illustrations of custom models which I designed and built using only LEGO® brand minifigures and bricks. 




Before we go further I would like to point out that LEGO® is a trademark of the LEGO® Group of Companies, which has not been involved in nor has it in any way licensed or authorised the publication of this book series. Rather the book series was conceived and created solely by me, an avid fan of both Sherlock Holmes and LEGO®. And of course MX Publishing has helped immeasurably to make my books available to other fans of the master sleuth, both old and new.

“Then he stood before the fire.”

How did the book series come about?
I have been interested in Sherlock Holmes for the last 20 years, since reading for the first time the engaging tales written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. For me, an integral part of these adventures are the black-and-white drawings by Sidney Paget that accompanied their original publication in The Strand Magazine. Paget’s iconic illustrations are largely responsible for the popular image of Sherlock Holmes, including his deerstalker cap and Inverness cape, details never mentioned in the writings of Conan Doyle. Given the hours of enjoyment I have derived from these illustrated tales, I wanted to contribute, in some small way, to the enduring legacy of the great detective. Thus, I decided to combine two of my interests, namely Sherlock Holmes fiction and building custom designed LEGO® models. This book series, which reproduces as faithfully as possible Paget’s drawings rendered in LEGO®, is the result.
“We got off and paid our fare.”
Can I see more information about your book series?

Please visit our webpage and Facebook page for more information regarding the Sherlock Holmes Re-Imagined book series, including news, reviews and free downloads.

All 12 books in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes Re-Imagined book series, as well as a complete collector’s edition incorporating all of the stories, are available for purchase on Amazon UK, the Book Depository (with free worldwide delivery), and the MX Publishing website.

LEGO® is a trademark of the LEGO Group of Companies. The LEGO Group has not been involved in nor has it in any other way licensed or authorized the publication of this book series.

AUTHOR’S FAVORITE ILLUSTRATION: “A Scandal in Bohemia”

Photographing LEGO models can be a difficult task. This is due to the fact that LEGO pieces and bricks are quite small, for example LEGO minifigures are just over 4 cm (1.5 inches) tall, and thus macro photography is often required. Macro photography, in turns, requires ample lighting which can then cause serious problems with reflections from the shiny plastic bricks and in particular the rounded heads and arms of LEGO minifigures. However, with some patience and trial-and-error you are able to obtain an adequate photo.

I think perhaps my favorite illustration from “A Scandal in Bohemia” is the photo of the King of Bohemia (“A man entered”). Although I enjoy designing and building more complex LEGO models, I like the simplicity of this photo and the charming expression on the face of the King. Also, I believe that this illustration is fairly faithful to the original by Sidney Paget.

Please share your comments concerning which LEGO illustration from “A Scandal in Bohemia” is your favorite.

For more information about the LEGO Sherlock Holmes Book Series, as well as to view all of illustrations, please visit our website at: https://sites.google.com/site/pjamesm...

BUILD YOUR OWN BAKER STREET

LEGO building instructions for custom designed 221B Baker Street model created last year to celebrate the launch of “The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes” ─ LEGO book series.

The instructions (no parts included) show how to construct a model of 221B, the legendary residence of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson, using LEGO bricks and parts from your own collection or those available from various internet sites.

If you would like to add this model to your Sherlock Holmes bookshelf, the instructions are available on Ebay (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/252034439285)