FROM WATSON’S SCRAPBOOK, by Dr John H. Watson

I do suspect that most of my readers are well aware that my dear friend Holmes is loath to display anything remotely like what other spirits might call “emotion”—but not only is this an exterior perspective, but those who know him as well as I do—oh, do let me amend that!—I am aware that he only does this to distance himself from anything that might, perhaps, interfere with that cold clear reason that he applies to his cases.

And yet, I am pleased to report, this singularly “emotionless” gentleman displays considerable feeling whenever Sherlock Holmes Mystery Magazine reaches any of its 5 issues, for when it does, my colleague and co­editor Mr Kaye, devotes all of its contents to The Great Detective! This pleases my friend immensely, for though he may prefer for us to think that he is a calculating device that must never be contaminated with affairs of the heart, rather than the mind, he freely admits that he possesses quite an healthy ego—a fact seconded by his brother Mycroft, who does not exercise such a faculty because, in his own words, “It takes far too much effort, and, of course, my younger sibling has ever so much more energy than do I!”

So here we are at our fifteenth issue, and, as Holmes’s old criminal acquaintance Raffles might say, “The man really kvells at any publicity, be it positive or negative.” (“Kvell,” I might add, is an expression employed by those of the Hebraic persuasion to denote great joy.)

Thus, this issue features pieces concerning Holmes’s and my radio appearances (I thoroughly enjoyed narrating many of the latter), as well as what I found to be a fascinating article discussing the typical elements of a published case, and how they were present from the beginning.

As for the fiction in this issue, let me remark that many times in this periodical, superb renditions of my nearly ­unreadable notes about cases I had not got around to writing have been both deciphered and written by nine excellent authors, only of whom (Ms Carla Coupe) is missing from this line­up. The others are (alphabetically) Ms Carole Buggé, Eugene D Goodwin, J D Grimmer, Jack Grochot, Dr Bruce Kilstein, Mark Levy, Gary Lovisi, and Adam McFarlane.

Also included is one of my least­ familiar efforts, a brief piece I wrote for the Queen’s Doll’s House (details appear at the top of the story). It has been attributed to my agent Conan Doyle, but I wish to correct the record and claim it as my own, though it is hardly my most sterling of moments.

Now let me render the rest of this epistle to Mr Kaye.

—John H Watson, M D

* * * *

Well, really, the good doctor has said it all for this issue. All that I am able to add here as this post scriptum is what our readers may expect in our upcoming sixteenth issue. In addition to two Holmesian adventures, one by Watson himself and one written from his notes by Jack Grochot, there will be a generous supply of new articles and stories, including works by “recidivists” Marc Bilgrey, Dianne Neral Ell, Steve Liskow, R. J. Lewis, and Laird Long.

—Canonically Yours,

Marvin Kaye