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The Scourers of Dancing Men

Release Date: 11/15/2025

I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere

“‘Why, Holmes, it is a child’s drawing,’ I cried.” [DANC] Just when you thought everything about Sherlock Holmes and popular culture was known, a new mystery emerges from dusty U.S. newspaper archives. Join us as we interview the remarkable Ross E. Davies, BSI ("The Temple"), organizer of "The Scourers of the Dancing Men," a fascinating research project that dives deep into a 1903 advertising campaign for the publication of "The Adventure of the Dancing Men" in Collier’s magazine. They've discovered dozens of unique advertisements — including a...

Sherlock Holmes Into the Fire

I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere

“An expression of the most dreadful horror.” [HOUN] Join us as we explore Sherlock Holmes Into the Fire, a new, two-volume collection that reimagines Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Gothic tales through the lens of Sherlock Holmes. Our guest Margie Deck discusses how Doyle’s eerie, atmospheric stories — often overshadowed by Sherlock Holmes — reveal the author’s deeper fascination with mystery, psychology, and the supernatural. We talk about the creative process behind pairing each original tale with a modern Holmesian retelling, the challenges of preserving Gothic dread...

It Is NOT Always 1895

I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere

The Sherlock Holmes Club in Denmark

I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere

“a member of an aristocratic club” [BERY] Sherlockians from around the world joined the members of the Sherlock Holmes Klubben i Danmark earlier this year to mark their 75th anniversary. While the club first met in 1950, the Danish appreciation of Sherlock Holmes is as old as the Great Detective himself, when translations, movies, and parodies of his cases first graced the pages of the country’s newspapers. Join us for a wide-ranging discussion with Christian Monggaard, BSI ("Neville St. Clair") to discover the exceptional community of artists and writers who first brought...

Sherlock Holmes 5-Minute Mysteries

I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere

“the goodness of Providence.” [NAVA] It began with an idea for a series of radio mysteries, each five minutes long, that listeners could solve by considering the evidence. Sherlock Holmes would then give the solution — and to make it even more interesting, Watson could conclude with a moral lesson reflecting the story. Thanks to the author, journalist, and broadcaster Kel Richards, it became a popular feature on Australian radio, and Ray Riethmeier, BSI ("Morrison, Morrison, and Dodd") thought it would make a wonderful book. Through a strange series of...

Sherlock Holmes and the Real Thing

I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere

“Pooh, pooh! Forgery.” [SCAN] Nicholas Meyer, BSI ("A Fine Morocco Case") is an accomplished storyteller who has made a mark in both the literary and film worlds. He's best known for his 1974 best-selling novel, , which revitalized Sherlock Holmes for a new generation of readers. His other Holmes novels, including , , , and , and have cemented his place as a celebrated perpetuator of Watson’s reports. Beyond his literary achievements, Nick is a prolific screenwriter and director, credited with directing the iconic films Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and Star Trek...

The Sherlock Holmes Pub

I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere

“Here is the key. You can look for yourself.” [GOLD] Imagine having the key to 221B Baker Street, and what it must feel like to open that door. And imagine being trusted to keep Holmes and Watson’s famous sitting room in good order. That rare honor belongs to Roger Johnson, BSI ("The Pall Mall Gazette") and Jean Upton, BSI ("Elsie Cubitt"), a well-known couple among the small community of married Sherlockians. Jean and Roger have preserved and maintained the sitting room at London’s Sherlock Holmes Pub for 30 years. Join us as we hear how the Northumberland Hotel evolved...

The Sherlock Holmes LEGO Book Nook

I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere

“you could just fill that gap on that second shelf” [EMPT] If you discovered Sherlock Holmes when you were young, you might still recall the joy of your first reading. The world of Baker Street is fun, so much so that some adults still extend the Great Detective's career with their own stories. Many adults also enjoy LEGO as a nostalgic, relaxing, and creative outlet. That’s why we were eager to talk to LEGO Group Design Master Antica Bracanov and Graphic Designer Crisy Dyment about their creation of the LEGO Sherlock Holmes Book Nook. Joining us from LEGO’s...

52 Weeks | 52 Sherlock Holmes Novels

I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere

“a case for personal investigation” [SUSS] The number of Sherlock Holmes pastiches is endless. They include stories and novels set in any era, any place, and any time. They all bring the Great Detective to new audiences — so how do you go about selecting (just) fifty-two to explore? Join our conversation with Paul Bishop as we explore his new book, . Paul is the author of 15 novels and numerous TV and film scripts — and also a 35-year veteran of the Los Angeles Police Department. Paul’s new book is a selection of Sherlockian pastiches chosen and recommended by the...

Knave of Diamonds

I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere

“it's the king of diamonds” [MAZA] It took Laurie R. King six years to find a publisher for her first book, but it was worth the wait. She won the Edgar in 1994 for Best First Novel with A Grave Talent, which launched her Kate Martinelli series, set in San Francisco. That same year, The Bee-Keeper’s Apprentice introduced the impressive, young Mary Russell, who would meet and eventually marry the retired Sherlock Holmes — “the least marriageable man I knew,” according to Mary, in 1921. Since then, Russell and Holmes have traveled the world in eighteen novels, finding mystery and...

More Episodes

“‘Why, Holmes, it is a child’s drawing,’ I cried.” [DANC]

Just when you thought everything about Sherlock Holmes and popular culture was known, a new mystery emerges from dusty U.S. newspaper archives.

Join us as we interview the remarkable Ross E. Davies, BSI ("The Temple"), organizer of "The Scourers of the Dancing Men," a fascinating research project that dives deep into a 1903 advertising campaign for the publication of "The Adventure of the Dancing Men" in Collier’s magazine.

They've discovered dozens of unique advertisements — including a particularly intriguing “third format" whose cryptic figures bear a striking, unexplained resemblance to the original drawings that inspired Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

You’ll hear about the ongoing, national hunt for missing ads and the perplexing questions these newly found "Collier’s dancing men" pose. You can even join the search to gather the data and help solve this curious, 120-year-old mystery.

Once again, we give you a glimpse of Sherlockian society activities, this time in the first half of January in "The Learned Societies" segment. Madeline Quinones is back with "A Chance of Listening," and the Canonical Couplet quiz tests your Sherlock Holmes knowledge, with a copy of a prize from the IHOSE vaults for the winner. Send your answer to comment @ihearofsherlock.com by November 29, 2025 at 11:59 a.m. EST. All listeners are eligible to play.

As a reminder, our supporters can listen to the show ad-free and have access to occasional bonus material. Join us on the platform of your choice (Patreon | Substack).

Bonus material for this episode includes images of the Dancing Men advertising, the current map of found newspapers, Strand and Colliers errors, and the original inspiration for the Dancing Men code.

“‘Why, Holmes, it is a child’s drawing,’ I cried.” [DANC]

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