Introduction

There is a great deal of truth to the old adage: Time flies when you’re having fun. When I first came into possession of Dr. Watson’s tin dispatch box at an estate auction in Scotland several years ago, I reveled in my good fortune as I devoured the secret trove of untold tales that had fallen into my lap.

As I have indicated in the past, many of the stories had been withheld for personal reasons. Holmes’ vanity can be seen as the primary cause for no less than five tales in the box failing to see the light of day.

At the other end of the spectrum, political considerations also played a prominent role in preventing both The Vatican Cameos and The Stone of Destiny from being published before now.

However, never were such considerations stressed as they were in the tale that Dr. Watson had titled Through a Glass Starkly. Given the events that shaped the narrative, it is no wonder the good doctor wished to delay its publication for a very specific period of time. Now that time has passed, and the publication date has arrived.

In what I can only assume is Doctor Watson’s hand, a note attached to the first page of the tale makes it clear—without the slightest bit of equivocation—that the manuscript was to be shared with no one but the reader until at least a century and a year had passed since the signing of the Treaty of Versailles, which occurred on June 28, 1919.

I have adhered to Dr. Watson’s wishes out of a profound sense of duty to a man for whom the phrase “King and Country” was far more than just words.

Although the events in this tale are now shrouded in the mists of the past, the instructions regarding the disposition of this manuscript were so explicit that to ignore them would have been to do both him and Holmes a grave disservice.

That said, I hope you find the tale as fascinating as I do.

Richard T. Ryan