However Improbable: Recent Episodes
However Improbable
However Improbable is a podcast book club about Sherlock Holmes, by and for the people who love him.
Every other week, detective lit enthusiasts Marisa and Sarah present a fresh new recording of Holmes and Watson’s adventures, and then delve into the story, its history and politics, adaptations, and why we’re still so captivated by the detective and his good doctor. Holmes himself famously said that there’s nothing new under the sun—but we’re willing to give him a run for his money.
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The goodness of roses, stormy petrels and a shockingly good breakfast all come to play in "The Adventure of the Naval Treaty" - a perfect short story that has it all. Political intrigue! Brotherly betrayal! Practical jokes! Weird monologues!
We cover everything from Watson's old school friends to Holmes's theatricality in today's discussion. Thanks for listening!
Dear listeners - We need narrators for upcoming stories! More details here: https://www.howeverimprobablepodcast.com/read
Find recommended reading, more stories, info about the show and more on our website:
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"The Adventure of the Naval Treaty" by Arthur Conan Doyle, narrated by William Wandless.
“It is only goodness which gives extras, and so I say again that we have much to hope from the flowers.”
William H. Wandless (he/him) is a professor of English at Central Michigan University, where he gets to visit with Arthur Conan Doyle and his Victorian peers from time to time. He is also a poet and an author of speculative fiction, and he can be found on Twitter at @ArsGoetica.
Find recommended reading, more stories, info about the show and more on our website:
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Holmes is hired by a young clerk to investigate a suspiciously good job offer - and ends up in a case of identity theft and robbery. "The Adventure of the Stockbroker's Clerk" is an odd little story with a dramatic twist in the middle that stands it apart from other similar tales.
We discuss Dr. Watson, M.D., how much we long for a better robbery story than this one, and Watson's enduring crushes on men who look like rugby players in this week's discussion.
Content warning (and SPOILER ALERT!): This story contains a fairy graphic depiction of a suicide attempt by hanging. We read the passage out loud and discuss it.
Find recommended reading, more stories, info about the show and more on our website:
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"The Adventure of the Stockbroker's Clerk" by Arthur Conan Doyle, narrated by Jack Carmichael.
“Human nature is a strange mixture, Watson. You see that even a villain and murderer can inspire such affection that his brother turns to suicide when he learns that his neck is forfeited."
Content warning (and SPOILER ALERT!): This story contains a fairy graphic depiction of a suicide attempt by hanging. It occurs about halfway through the story.
This episode is narrated by Jack Carmichael. Jack is a Kent-based Voice Over Artist/Actor and a graduate of East 15 Acting School. His personal career highlights so far include performing at Edinburgh Fringe with the comedy/puppet show "Ronnie and the Other World", puppeteering for the BBC Radio 4 Podcast "The Infinite Monkey Cage" and starring as DAX in the award-winning, sci-fi/comedy podcast "We Fix Space Junk". Jack also plays acoustic guitar, sings bass and is an amateur beat-boxer. Outside of the acting world, he enjoys running, baking and escape rooms!
Find recommended reading, more stories, info about the show and more on our website:
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Holmes complains about the weather, insults a Scotland Yard detective and untangles some old family drama in this strange little story. Plus, Watson is married now! Did anything else meaningful happen? From The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, "The Boscombe Valley Mystery" is an oddly-paced, weirdly plotted short story about murderous Australians and the sins of our fathers.
Find recommended reading, more stories, info about the show and more on our website:
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"The Boscombe Valley Mystery" by Arthur Conan Doyle, narrated by Sarah Kolb.“There is nothing more deceptive than an obvious fact,” he answered, laughing. “Besides, we may chance to hit upon some other obvious facts which may have been by no means obvious to Mr. Lestrade.”
"The Adventure of the Copper Beeches"is narrated by Sarah Kolb. Sarah is Colorado-based writer, podcaster, and arts marketer, with a passion for unconventional storytelling, detective stories, and rude women. You probably know her as the co-host of However Improbable! During the day, she’s a professional advocate for regional theatre, art education and gender parity in the arts. She's the marketing director at the Arvada Center, one of Colorado's largest theatre companies, and a board member of Athena Project Arts, a nonprofits that advocates for women's voices in artistic expression. Her first foray into podcasting was Superstition, a Southwestern gothic audio mystery.
Instagram: sarahjkolb
https://www.howeverimprobablepodcast.com/listen/the-adventure-of-the-copper-beeches
Find recommended reading, more stories, info about the show and more on our website:
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Welcome back to our discussion episodes! From The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, "The Adventure of the Copper Beeches" is one of the nastiest tales in the canon - complete with a skin-crawling villain named Jephro Rucastle. It also stars one of our favorite women - the intrepid Violet Hunter. Sarah and Marisa check in with Holmes and Watson after our break from the stories, the creepy horror of this tale, some other iconic stories with horrible things hidden in the attic, and more.
Content warning: Deeply creepy behavior, gaslighting, abuse and imprisonment.
Find recommended reading, more stories, info about the show and more on our website:
https://www.howeverimprobablepodcast.com/listen/the-hound-of-the-baskervilles
https://twitter.com/improbablepod
"The Adventure of the Copper Beeches"by Arthur Conan Doyle, narrated by Sarah Kolb.
“Crime is common. Logic is rare."
"The Adventure of the Copper Beeches"is narrated by Sarah Kolb. Sarah is Colorado-based writer, podcaster, and arts marketer, with a passion for unconventional storytelling, detective stories, and rude women. You probably know her as the co-host of However Improbable! During the day, she’s a professional advocate for regional theatre, art education and gender parity in the arts. She's the marketing director at the Arvada Center, one of Colorado's largest theatre companies, and a board member of Athena Project Arts, a nonprofits that advocates for women's voices in artistic expression. Her first foray into podcasting was Superstition, a Southwestern gothic audio mystery.
Instagram: misandrywitch
Content warning (and spoilers because... yikes!): Kidnapping, gaslighting, parental abuse, violence against animals.
https://www.howeverimprobablepodcast.com/listen/the-adventure-of-the-copper-beeches
Find recommended reading, more stories, info about the show and more on our website:
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Marisa and Sarah weren't the only ones who were busy in the last year away from the show. So was Holmes - busy drinking that respect women juice. Legally.
In January of this year, the US copyright on The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes expired. This means that, for the first time, all the Holmes stories are no longer protected by copyright. What does this mean for Holmes? What do we hope comes out of it? Do we want to read your trashy Holmes romance novels? All those answers in today's case file!
Find recommended reading, more stories, info about the show and more on our website:
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The Hound of the Baskervilles is the closest that Arthur Conan Doyle comes to writing a real supernatural horror story (in his Holmes tales anyway) and one adaptation stands above the rest by truly committing to that idea. Happy Halloween and welcome to our case file on Hammer Film’s Hound of the Baskervilles!
Released in 1959 by Hammer Film Ltd., this horror-ified take on Doyle's classic story wasn't a commercial success at the time, but has gained cult status for its star-studded cast, moody scenic design, and over-the-top movie posters (A SIGHT TO STUN THE NERVES!) We talk about our love for old horror movies, Dracula on Dracula, and why it's so much fun to see lauded villain-playing, opera and heavy metal singing, Nazi-stabbing English acting legend Sir Christopher Lee... be the damsel in distress.
Find recommended reading, more stories, info about the show and more on our website:
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A family curse. A desolate moor. An unexplained death. A monstrous dog. Arguably one of the most famous short stories of all time, The Hound of the Baskervilles is the third of four novellas about the great detective, and the first story Doyle wrote after Holmes’s (spoilers!) apparent demise in “The Final Problem.” It all comes together into a spine-tingling mystery that Watson's writing turns into a horror tale.
We discuss Watson's turn as a Gothic heroine, the genre-hopping joy of Hound, Dracula Daily, and how Sir Henry should have ended up with Beryl at the end of this one, actually.
Content warning: Racism, death, British preoccupation with bloodlines - and some animals meet some nasty ends in this story. Sorry - the dog dies in this one.
Spoiler alert: We talk extensively about what happens in "The Final Problem" and "The Empty House."
Find recommended reading, more stories, info about the show and more on our website:
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The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle, narrated by Jenna Hanchey.
Chapter 13: Fixing the Nets
Chapter 14: The Hound of the Baskervilles
Chapter 15: A Retrospection
“And now I come rapidly to the conclusion of this singular narrative, in which I have tried to make the reader share those dark fears and vague surmises which clouded our lives so long and ended in so tragic a manner."
The Hound of the Baskervilles is narrated by Jenna Hanchey. Jenna is a critical/cultural communication professor by day, and a speculative fiction author and audiobook narrator by...uh...earlier in the day. All of her work, whether research or creative, aims to imagine and enact better futures. Her fiction has been published in Daily Science Fiction, the Apex Patreon, and Stupefying Stories, and is forthcoming in Nature: Futures. For more of her audiowork, check out the Bloodlines series by Emily S. Hurricane.
Professional Links:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jennahanchey
Website: www.jennahanchey.com
https://www.howeverimprobablepodcast.com/listen/the-hound-of-the-baskervilles
The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle, narrated by Jenna Hanchey.
Chapter 10: Extract from the Diary of Dr. Watson
Chapter 11: The Man on the Tor
Chapter 12: Death on the Moor
“That cold, incisive, ironical voice could belong to but one man in all the world."
The Hound of the Baskervilles is narrated by Jenna Hanchey. Jenna is a critical/cultural communication professor by day, and a speculative fiction author and audiobook narrator by...uh...earlier in the day. All of her work, whether research or creative, aims to imagine and enact better futures. Her fiction has been published in Daily Science Fiction, the Apex Patreon, and Stupefying Stories, and is forthcoming in Nature: Futures. For more of her audiowork, check out the Bloodlines series by Emily S. Hurricane.
Professional Links:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jennahanchey
Website: www.jennahanchey.com
https://www.howeverimprobablepodcast.com/listen/the-hound-of-the-baskervilles
The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle, narrated by Jenna Hanchey.
Chapter 7: The Stapletons of Merripit House
Chapter 8: First Report of Dr. Watson
Chapter 9: The Light upon the Moor [Second Report of Dr. Watson]
“But the moor with its mysteries and its strange inhabitants remains as inscrutable as ever. Perhaps in my next I may be able to throw some light upon this also.”
The Hound of the Baskervilles is narrated by Jenna Hanchey. Jenna is a critical/cultural communication professor by day, and a speculative fiction author and audiobook narrator by...uh...earlier in the day. All of her work, whether research or creative, aims to imagine and enact better futures. Her fiction has been published in Daily Science Fiction, the Apex Patreon, and Stupefying Stories, and is forthcoming in Nature: Futures. For more of her audiowork, check out the Bloodlines series by Emily S. Hurricane.
Professional Links:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jennahanchey
Website: www.jennahanchey.com
The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle, narrated by Jenna Hanchey.
Chapter 4: Sir Henry Baskerville
Chapter 5: Three Broken Threads
Chapter 6: Baskerville Hall
“It’s an ugly business, Watson, an ugly dangerous business, and the more I see of it the less I like it. Yes, my dear fellow, you may laugh, but I give you my word that I shall be very glad to have you back safe and sound in Baker Street once more.”
The Hound of the Baskervilles is narrated by Jenna Hanchey. Jenna is a critical/cultural communication professor by day, and a speculative fiction author and audiobook narrator by...uh...earlier in the day. All of her work, whether research or creative, aims to imagine and enact better futures. Her fiction has been published in Daily Science Fiction, the Apex Patreon, and Stupefying Stories, and is forthcoming in Nature: Futures. For more of her audiowork, check out the Bloodlines series by Emily S. Hurricane.
Professional Links:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jennahanchey
Website: www.jennahanchey.com
The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle, narrated by Jenna Hanchey.
Chapter 1: Mr. Sherlock Holmes
Chapter 2: The Curse of the Baskervilles
Chapter 3: The Problem
“Mr. Holmes, they were the footprints of a gigantic hound!”
The Hound of the Baskervilles is narrated by Jenna Hanchey. Jenna is a critical/cultural communication professor by day, and a speculative fiction author and audiobook narrator by...uh...earlier in the day. All of her work, whether research or creative, aims to imagine and enact better futures. Her fiction has been published in Daily Science Fiction, the Apex Patreon, and Stupefying Stories, and is forthcoming in Nature: Futures. For more of her audiowork, check out the Bloodlines series by Emily S. Hurricane.
Professional Links:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jennahanchey
Website: www.jennahanchey.com
In the second of 2 discussions on the novella The Sign of Four, we dive into the story's messy and rather sad interpersonal drama by shining a light on the most understated of narrators - Dr. Watson himself, and the tension that is dividing his heart. Join us for a 221B vibe check (spoilers: bad vibes) as we take a look at the state of Holmes and Watson's friendship, and why Watson makes a choice that threatens it... as well as our narrative structure. Do we die defending Miss Mary Morstan? Is Doyle actually just a bad writer? Is The Sign of Four the queerest story in the canon?
Content warning: Drug use, murder, and serious themes of imperialism and racism. So much racism.
Listen to part 1 of our discussion on SIGN here: https://anchor.fm/however-improbable/episodes/Wild--dark-business-The-Sign-of-Four-discussion--Part-1-e1kbjrv
Find recommended reading, more stories, info about the show and more on our website:
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A young woman named Mary Morstan comes to Baker Street with a most unusual problem… kicking off a tale of treasure, murder and romance. The Sign of Four blends decadence, imperialism, dark family secrets and literal buried treasure with an almost genre-bending romantic air and some interpersonal drama.
This is part 1 of 2 on our episodes covering Doyle's second novella. Today, we're building a theoretical backbone for this story, and examining what Holmes's actions and conflicts symbolize. We discuss Holmes's drug use as a symbol for London as a whole, what Doyle might have been trying to say about empire and power, and how SIGN is kind of like a noir.
Content warning: Drug use, murder, and serious themes of imperialism and racism. So much racism.
Find recommended reading, more stories, info about the show and more on our website:
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The Sign of Four by Arthur Conan Doyle, narrated by Paula Brett
Chapter 10 - The End of the Islander
Chapter 11 - The Great Agra Treasure
Chapter 12 - The Strange Story of Jonathan Small
“For me,” said Sherlock Holmes, “there still remains the cocaine-bottle.” And he stretched his long white hand up for it.
The Sign of Four is narrated by Paula Brett. Paula is a queer, autistic theatremaker from London. Their practise includes clowning, puppetry, singing, dance, voiceover. and writing. Paula's show Villainex is all about queer identity, accessibility and what it is to really belong. You can ready more about Villainex HERE.
They can also be heard in award-winning podcast OBLIVITY, and in HYPATIA'S MATHEMATICAL MAZE for BBC Bitesize. Paula has contributed to Broccoli Productions ANTHEMS: PRIDE podcast, Drag Queen storyteller Mama G and the 2020 Virtual Collaborators Project. They are alumni of the Vital Xposure Wellspring program, and their play STATIC will receive a rehearsed reading at the Pen Theatre in June.
Find recommended reading, more stories, info about the show and more on our website:
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The Sign of Four by Arthur Conan Doyle, narrated by Paula Brett
Chapter 7 - The Episode of the Barrel
Chapter 8 - The Baker Street Irregulars
Chapter 9 - A Break in the Chain
“It is a romance!” cried Mrs. Forrester. “An injured lady, half a million in treasure, a black cannibal, and a wooden-legged ruffian. They take the place of the conventional dragon or wicked earl.”
“And two knight-errants to the rescue,” added Miss Morstan, with a bright glance at me.
The Sign of Four is narrated by Paula Brett. Paula is a queer, autistic theatremaker from London. Their practise includes clowning, puppetry, singing, dance, voiceover. and writing. Paula's show Villainex is all about queer identity, accessibility and what it is to really belong. You can ready more about Villainex HERE.
They can also be heard in award-winning podcast OBLIVITY, and in HYPATIA'S MATHEMATICAL MAZE for BBC Bitesize. Paula has contributed to Broccoli Productions ANTHEMS: PRIDE podcast, Drag Queen storyteller Mama G and the 2020 Virtual Collaborators Project. They are alumni of the Vital Xposure Wellspring program, and their play STATIC will receive a rehearsed reading at the Pen Theatre in June.
Find recommended reading, more stories, info about the show and more on our website:
https://www.howeverimprobablepodcast.com
https://twitter.com/improbablepod
The Sign of Four by Arthur Conan Doyle, narrated by Paula Brett
Chapter 4 - The Story of the Bald-Headed Man
Chapter 5 - The Tragedy of Pondicherry Lodge
Chapter 6 - Sherlock Holmes Gives a Demonstration
In the light of the lantern I read, with a thrill of horror, “The sign of the four.”
“In God’s name, what does it all mean?” I asked.
“It means murder,” said he, stooping over the dead man.
The Sign of Four is narrated by Paula Brett. Paula is a queer, autistic theatremaker from London. Their practise includes clowning, puppetry, singing, dance, voiceover. and writing. Paula's show Villainex is all about queer identity, accessibility and what it is to really belong. You can ready more about Villainex HERE.
They can also be heard in award-winning podcast OBLIVITY, and in HYPATIA'S MATHEMATICAL MAZE for BBC Bitesize. Paula has contributed to Broccoli Productions ANTHEMS: PRIDE podcast, Drag Queen storyteller Mama G and the 2020 Virtual Collaborators Project. They are alumni of the Vital Xposure Wellspring program, and their play STATIC will receive a rehearsed reading at the Pen Theatre in June.
Find recommended reading, more stories, info about the show and more on our website:
https://www.howeverimprobablepodcast.com
https://twitter.com/improbablepod
The Sign of Four by Arthur Conan Doyle, narrated by Paula Brett
Chapter I - The Science of Deduction
Chapter 2 - The Statement of the Case
Chapter 3 - In Quest of a Solution
“My mind,” he said, “rebels at stagnation. Give me problems, give me work, give me the most abstruse cryptogram or the most intricate analysis, and I am in my own proper atmosphere.”
The Sign of Four is narrated by Paula Brett. Paula is a queer, autistic theatremaker from London. Their practise includes clowning, puppetry, singing, dance, voiceover. and writing. Paula's show Villainex is all about queer identity, accessibility and what it is to really belong. You can ready more about Villainex HERE.
They can also be heard in award-winning podcast OBLIVITY, and in HYPATIA'S MATHEMATICAL MAZE for BBC Bitesize. Paula has contributed to Broccoli Productions ANTHEMS: PRIDE podcast, Drag Queen storyteller Mama G and the 2020 Virtual Collaborators Project. They are alumni of the Vital Xposure Wellspring program, and their play STATIC will receive a rehearsed reading at the Pen Theatre in June.
Some podcasters might be deterred to cover one of the most popular medical dramas of all time - that also kind of counts as a Holmes adaptations - considering we haven’t either really watched any of it. Not us though. Today’s case file covers House M.D., and we’ve invited Twitter’s greatest House fan, Sara Ghaleb, to give us a hand.
Sara recommended a few key episodes that she thinks summarize how House is a Holmes adaptation - and so armed with that very limited knowledge, we sat down to talk about it. Tune in for the highs, lows, and accidental murders in this long-running medical drama, the joys of seeing the Holmes & Watson friendship in many different formats, and the inherent Victorian-ness of serialized television. This episode does contain some language, as well as spoilers for the show.
Sara Ghaleb is a writer and comedian in Los Angeles, California. She writes sketch comedy, and her work has appeared in Paste Magazine, Vox, and Them. Sara is a writer and co-creator of the scripted mystery podcast Arden, and also co-hosts the non-fiction history-comedy podcast Historical Hookups. Find her on Twitter!
We're delaying our episodes covering the infamous novella The Sign of Four by a few weeks - but it's for a very good reason. Plus, we're forcing ourselves to watch a medical drama. Tune in for more details!
Today, we’re thrilled to have pastiche writer, acclaimed novelist, and the internet’s coolest Sherlockian Lyndsay Faye on the podcast! Her newest collection of Holmes stories, Observations by Gaslight, is narrated by those who knew the great detective—including beloved characters like Irene Adler and Mrs. Hudson. We discussed this newest collection of work, how she embodies the voices of characters ranging from Lestrade to Watson himself, and whether or not Dr. John H. Watson, M.D. is actually a Mary Sue.
Lyndsay Faye is an international bestseller and the two-time Edgar-nominated author of six critically acclaimed books, including Jane Steele and Gods of Gotham. In addition to her original work, she is the author of her first collection of Sherlock Holmes short stories, The Whole Art of Detection,and Dust and Shadow, a novel that pits Holmes against Jack the Ripper.
Find recommended reading, more stories, info about the show and more on our website:
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This mini case file takes a look at the man, the myth, the legend himself - Mycroft Holmes. Sherlock’s older brother is introduced in the story “The Adventure of the Greek Interpreter” - and we discovered we have so many thoughts about the way he’s been adapted onscreen that he deserves his own episode. Join us as we take a look at some of the famous actors who have depicted Mycroft, and dig into what we love, hate, and find perplexing about his appearances onscreen.
Find recommended reading, more stories, info about the show and more on our website:
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From The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, “The Adventure of the Greek Interpreter” is a tale of trepidatious translations, dire kidnappings, and Sherlock Holmes’s extended family. We discuss the true hero of this story (spoiler alert, he’s mentioned in it’s title), how Mycroft is really life goals, how Granada Holmes lets us down, and how all good dramas should end in a stabbing in today’s episode!
Content warning (and spoilers because this is a doozy!): Kidnapping, torture, starvation, violence and threats of violence, and stabbing.
Find recommended reading, more stories, info about the show and more on our website:
https://www.howeverimprobablepodcast.com/listen/the-adventure-of-the-greek-interpreter
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“The Adventure of the Greek Interpreter” from The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, narrated by Yianni Papadimos.
“The Diogenes Club is the queerest club in London, and Mycroft one of the queerest men.”
Yianni Papadimos is a Greek-American actor and writer. His favorite credits include Nick Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Barnstormers Theatre), Matt in Swimming Upstream (Detroit Repertory Theatre, World Premiere), and Ira Stone in Laughter on the 23rd Floor (Barnstormers Theatre). Onscreen, Papadimos has been featured in projects that have premiered across the country. Favorite credits include The Tankhouse Theatre (2018 SeriesFest) and Better To Live (2015 TriBeCa Film Festival).
His first full-length musical, co-written with Ben Chavez (The Cobalteans), was an official selection of the 2015 New York Musical Festival. He received awards for Outstanding Book and Outstanding Lyrics. Elysium: An American Fable, the team’s second full-length musical, has been developed at the Village Theatre (Issaquah, WA), Ohio Northern University (Ada, OH), and the Finger Lakes Musical Theatre Festival (Auburn, NY). Their work has been featured at NYC venues such as Feinstein’s/54 Below, The Musical Theatre Factory, The Laurie Beechman Theatre, Dixon Place, and Don’t Tell Mama.
He proudly holds a BFA in Drama and English Literature from NYU.
Content warning (and spoilers because this is a doozy!): Kidnapping, torture, violence and threats of violence, and general nasty behavior.
Find recommended reading, more stories, info about the show and more on our website:
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One of the more sentimental stories in the canon, "The Adventure of the Yellow Face" is remarkable because Holmes’s deductive powers fail him - and Watson’s romantic sentimentality wins the day. It's also notable in how it specifically addresses race and prejudice in a way the Holmes stories usually avoid.
Does Doyle get some credit for being not quite as awful as some of his contemporaries? Should these people have even become parents? Does Watsonr eally solve the case first? All that and more in today's episode.
Content warning: This story contains blatant & not-so-blatant anti-Black racism.
Find recommended reading, more stories, info about the show and more on our website:
https://www.howeverimprobablepodcast.com/listen/the-adventure-of-the-yellow-face
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"The Adventure of the Yellow Face" from The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, narrated by Alex Gallegos.
"If it should ever strike you that I am getting a little over-confident in my powers, or giving less pains to a case than it deserves, kindly whisper ‘Norbury’ in my ear, and I shall be infinitely obliged to you.”
Born and raised in Colorado, Alex Gallegos moved to Iowa in 2015. He fell in love with the audio format of storytelling after hearing the original War of the Worlds broadcast, and about the power it held to create imagery in the audience’s mind unmatched by any conceivable feat of cinematography - even by today’s standards.
By day, he is a Systems Administrator, tinkering with computers, technology, and software, but by night, he is... actually pretty much the same thing, just paid less to do it once he’s off the clock.
Content warning: This story contains blatant & not-so-blatant anti-Black racism.
Find recommended reading, more stories, info about the show and more on our website:
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The least well-known of Doyle’s four novella-length Holmes stories, join us for this weird and riveting tale of American unions, vanishing jewelry, and Professor Moriarty’s first appearance. The Valley of Fear kicks off a new year for us and for Holmes and Watson.
Published between 1914 and 1915, The Valley of Fear is loosely based on a true story. We discuss Moriarty as a master artist, antisemitic space Jews, whether Doyle is actually any good at writing novellas, and what this story might reveal about how much Watson lies.
Spoiler alert: We talk extensively about what happens in "The Final Problem" and "The Empty House."
Find recommended reading, more stories, info about the show and more on our website:
https://www.howeverimprobablepodcast.com/listen/the-valley-of-fear
https://twitter.com/improbablepod
The Valley of Fear, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - Part 2: The Scowrers
Chapter 7: The Trapping of Birdy Edwards
"And thence came the John Douglas who for a second time married a worthy mate, and lived for five years as a Sussex county gentleman, a life which ended with the strange happenings of which we have heard."
This episode is narrated by Dan Heidt. Dan is a songwriter and podcaster from Columbus, Ohio. His podcast, "Flies in the Kitchen" features conversations with creative folx from all genres, in all settings. Dan previously recorded several stories for Librivox, an online audio archive of public domain publications, and when not blabbering into a microphone, he is building SUVs for Honda Manufacturing and enjoying life with his wife and 4 cats. His debut album, 'The View From Up Here', is available on all streaming platforms as well, for your listening pleasure.
Find transcripts, recommended reading and more on our website:
https://www.howeverimprobablepodcast.com/
https://twitter.com/improbablepod
The Valley of Fear, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - Part 2: The Scowrers
Chapter 4—The Valley of Fear
Chapter 5—The Darkest Hour
Chapter 6—Danger
"It is the Valley of Fear, the Valley of Death. The terror is in the hearts of the people from the dusk to the dawn."
This episode is narrated by Dan Heidt. Dan is a songwriter and podcaster from Columbus, Ohio. His podcast, "Flies in the Kitchen" features conversations with creative folx from all genres, in all settings. Dan previously recorded several stories for Librivox, an online audio archive of public domain publications, and when not blabbering into a microphone, he is building SUVs for Honda Manufacturing and enjoying life with his wife and 4 cats. His debut album, 'The View From Up Here', is available on all streaming platforms as well, for your listening pleasure.
Find transcripts, recommended reading and more on our website:
https://www.howeverimprobablepodcast.com/
https://twitter.com/improbablepod
The Valley of Fear, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - Part 2: The Scowrers
Chapter 1: The Man
Chapter 2: The Bodymaster
Chapter 3: Lodge 341, Vermissa
"The iron and coal valleys of the Vermissa district were no resorts for the leisured or the cultured. Everywhere there were stern signs of the crudest battle of life, the rude work to be done, and the rude, strong workers who did it."
This episode is narrated by Dan Heidt. Dan is a songwriter and podcaster from Columbus, Ohio. His podcast, "Flies in the Kitchen" features conversations with creative folx from all genres, in all settings. Dan previously recorded several stories for Librivox, an online audio archive of public domain publications, and when not blabbering into a microphone, he is building SUVs for Honda Manufacturing and enjoying life with his wife and 4 cats. His debut album, 'The View From Up Here', is available on all streaming platforms as well, for your listening pleasure.
Find transcripts, recommended reading and more on our website:
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The Valley of Fear, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - Part 1: The Tragedy of Birlstone
Chapter 5: The People of the Drama
Chapter 6: A Dawning Light
Chapter 4: The Solution
"You're welcome to them—you and your public. There's the story of the Valley of Fear.”
This episode is narrated by Sarah Kolb. Sarah is a Colorado-based writer, podcaster, and arts marketer, with a passion for unconventional storytelling, detective stories, and rude women. Needless to say, she's the co-host and co-creator of this podcast. Find her on Twitter @misandrywitch.
Find transcripts, recommended reading and more on our website:
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The Valley of Fear, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - Part 1: The Tragedy of Birlstone
Chapter 3: The Tragedy of Birlstone
Chapter 4: Darkness
"As I looked at the deep-set windows and the long sweep of the dull-coloured, water-lapped front, I felt that no more fitting scene could be set for such a tragedy."
This episode is narrated by Sarah Kolb. Sarah is a Colorado-based writer, podcaster, and arts marketer, with a passion for unconventional storytelling, detective stories, and rude women. Needless to say, she's the co-host and co-creator of this podcast. Find her on Twitter @misandrywitch.
Find transcripts, recommended reading and more on our website:
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The Valley of Fear, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - Part 1: The Tragedy of Birlstone
Chapter 1: The Warning
Chapter 2: Sherlock Holmes Discourses
"The greatest schemer of all time, the organizer of every deviltry, the controlling brain of the underworld, a brain which might have made or marred the destiny of nations—that's the man!"
This episode is narrated by Sarah Kolb. Sarah is a Colorado-based writer, podcaster, and arts marketer, with a passion for unconventional storytelling, detective stories, and rude women. Needless to say, she's the co-host and co-creator of this podcast. Find her on Twitter @misandrywitch.
Find transcripts, recommended reading and more on our website:
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The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson (1979-1986) is sometimes known as Soviet Holmes, Russian Holmes, Lenfilm Holmes, or Old Russian Holmes. Lenfilm’s series of films have often been described as one of the best Holmes adaptations out there, with particular praise directed towards Livanov’s Holmes.
Murderer’s eyeballs, serial killers, tandem bicycles and men crying - join us for our take on these characters and an evaluation of how handsome Vitaly Solomin is actually (so, so handsome).
This discussion contains major plot spoilers for the canon stories “The Adventure of Charles Augustus Milverton,” as well as “The Final Problem” and “The Empty House.” We haven’t covered them on the podcast yet, so if you’ve managed to avoid Doyle’s major plot twist and would like to avoid spoilers - save this episode for later!
Find recommended reading, more stories, info about the show and more on our website:
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Holmes and Watson celebrate the winter season with a literal wild goose chase in “The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle,” from The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.
This story is filled with holiday cheer, home museums and the benefits of private detection. As we approach the end of our year, we look back on Holmes and Watson’s busy year, and contemplate Holmes’s hypocrisy, the archetype of the private detective, and what’s looming in the year ahead.
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"The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle" from The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, narrated by Georie Taylor.
“My name is Sherlock Holmes. It is my business to know what other people don’t know.”
This story is narrated by Georie Taylor (ey/em/eir). A baker and voice actor in the Pacific Northwest, ey have been in podcasts for almost five years and baking for two decades. Off mic you can find em caring for eir child (a beautiful baby sourdough starter), knitting, and playing tabletop RPGs. Eir twitter is @Delta.Georie.
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Sherlock Holmes goes to great lengths to catch a killer... and tests the patience of his landlady, his own physical health, and the strength of his friendship with Watson. “The Adventure of the Dying Detective,” from His Last Bow does feel a little out of place - but hear us out for why this story works so well in the earlier years of Holmes and Watson’s friendship.
We discuss biological weaponry, perfect crimes, Sigmund Freud swordfighting on a train, and the powerfully moving and unspoken depths of Holmes and Watson’s care for one another. And Arthur Conan Doyle’s racism. This story is so racist.
Content warning (spoilers coming): Holmes starves himself, fakes delirium and lies to Watson. Medical malpractice, infectious disease and murder abound - as does considerable anti-Asian racism.
Find recommended reading, more stories, info about the show and more on our website:
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"The Adventure of the Dying Detective" from His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, narrated by Dan Heidt.
"He's dying, Dr. Watson," said she. "For three days he has been sinking, and I doubt if he will last the day. He would not let me get a doctor."
Content warning (also spoilers for the twist): Illness, starvation, and some tremendous Holmesian lies.
Dan Heidt is a songwriter and podcaster from Columbus, Ohio. His podcast, "Flies in the Kitchen" features conversations with creative folx from all genres, in all settings. Dan previously recorded several stories for Librivox, an online audio archive of public domain publications, and when not blabbering into a microphone, he is building SUVs for Honda Manufacturing and enjoying life with his wife and 4 cats. His debut album, 'The View From Up Here', is available on all streaming platforms as well, for your listening pleasure.
Find recommended reading, more stories, info about the show and more on our website:
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To wrap up our one-year anniversary month, we indulged in gin and “Sherlock Holmes,” (2009) dir. Guy Ritchie. It was Marisa’s first introduction to the Holmes and Watson, and reviewers have described it as either “disturbingly bad” or a “fresh reinvention” of an old classic. This steampunk roller coaster ride of a film raises some interesting questions about how we value adaptations of stories we understand to be enshrined in a literary canon. We talk about its versions of these iconic characters, why it’s mean to bisexuals, what it gets right and wrong about occultism in the Victorian era, and the enduring appeal of queer subtext in blockbusters even when we really should know better.
Content warning: The movie itself contains some cartoonishly grisly deaths, most notably by hanging. And heed the "explicit" note on this episode - it's cocktail hour and we talk like it. Contains a lot more cursing than usual, and objectification of the bisexual kind. We love and respect you for your work, Ms. McAdams, really we promise.
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It’s hard to believe, but it’s been an entire year since we aired the first chapters of A Study in Scarlet. Since then, we’ve followed Holmes and Watson on adventures ranging from slapstick to sinister, and we couldn’t have done it without you. Thank you so much for listening this year!
We took a moment to reflect back on our first experiences with Holmes - and think about why this character and the stories have such a hold on our imaginations. Plus, we share listener and narrator stories about the first Holmes adaptations they remember - from Barbie video games and The Great Mouse Detective to high school English teachers and Jeremy Brett.
Thank you to Grace, Natalie, Vince, Rose, Monique, Kyle, Alaina, and Courtney for sharing your first encounters with Holmes for this episode!
Find recommended reading, more stories, info about the show and more on our website:
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Underpaid employees, bank heists, and Spanish violin virtuosos. “The Red-Headed League” is the second story in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, part heist, part comedy, and all-around good time. We discuss perhaps the canon's best and least represented villain, Holmes's mental health, and the inherent sexual tension between a gentleman thief and the police detective who wants to arrest him.
Content warning: Watson carries a gun in this episode, and there are some tense moments of drama and classism.
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From The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, this is "The Red-Headed League" by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, narrated by Kate Murtaugh.
“My dear doctor, this is a time for observation, not for talk. We are spies in an enemy’s country."
Content warning: Watson carries a gun in this episode, and there are some tense moments of drama and classism.
Find recommended reading, more stories, info about the show and more on our website:
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Mistaken identity, evil stepfathers, and the importance of a good optician. “A Case of Identity” (from The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes) has a plot fit for a Shakespeare play - without the narrative satisfaction. In this surprisingly sinister armchair detective story, we discuss skeevy men, Peter Pan, Watson's eye for color and the complicated undercurrent of misogyny running beneath the narrative.
Content warning: This episode some spectacularly weird and mean-spirited lies directed at a young woman, and some classic Doylish misogyny.
A transcript of this episode is available here: https://www.howeverimprobablepodcast.com/transcripts
Find recommended reading, more stories, info about the show and more on our website:
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"A Case of Identity" from The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle, narrated by Lucille Valentine.
“It was most suggestive,” said Holmes. “It has long been an axiom of mine that the little things are infinitely the most important."
This story is narrated by Lucille Valentine. Lucille is a desert rat masquerading as a voice actor, poetry and fiction writer, visual artist, and sensitivity consultant. You can hear her in numerous podcasts, including The Six Disappearances of Ella McCray, The Easiest of All the Hard Things, andThe 12:37, or by pressing your ear up against a cactus skeleton on a windy night. She’s happiest when reading poetry to be sad on purpose and while aggravating grammar elitists over on Twitter.
Content warning: This episode some spectacularly weird and mean-spirited lies directed at a young woman, and some classic Doylish misogyny.
Find recommended reading, more stories, info about the show and more on our website:
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From The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, "The Five Orange Pips" connects vanishing ships, the American Civil War, and what happens when Holmes’s considerable powers are not enough to save the day. Sarah and Marisa discuss Doyle’s depiction of the KKK and his contentious relationship with racism, the kinds of adaptations we’re excited to see in the future, the hand of God, and why Lovecraft sucks.
Content warning: This episode contains death by drowning, murder and threats of murder, discussions of suicide, and a backstory about American slavery and the KKK.
A transcript of this episode is available here: https://www.howeverimprobablepodcast.com/transcripts
Find recommended reading, more stories, info about the show and more on our website:
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"The Five Orange Pips" from The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle, narrated by Courtney Herber.
“No; I shall be my own police. When I have spun the web they may take the flies, but not before.”
Courtney Herber is a historian of early modern England and she studies performance, theatre, and power. She recently defended her dissertation on consortship in Tudor and early Stuart England and Scotland and has published her work on representation, memory, and popular culture in several peer-reviewed collected editions. She also has wanted to be a voice actor since she first watched Sailor Moon in the mid-90s and has always loved a good murder mystery. www.courtneyherber.com
Content warning: This episode contains death by drowning, murder and threats of murder, discussions of suicide, and a backstory about American slavery and the KKK.
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In this short story with a title straight out of a Western, Holmes hosts a sleepover and gives a man a bath. "The Man with the Twisted Lip" is perplexing not only for where it's ended up in our chronology, but for its red herring plot twist full of questionable decisions. What does the opium den represent in the Victorian imagination, and is it as racist as it sounds? How does this story explore the malleability of British social class and identity? Should the New Yorker unionize? And why on earth does everyone think Watson's middle name is HAMISH? All these answers and more in today's episode.
Content warning: This episode contains drug abuse and addiction, racism, and some particularly Doylish lies between husband and wife.
A transcript of this episode is available here: https://www.howeverimprobablepodcast.com/transcripts
Find recommended reading, more stories, info about the show and more on our website:
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"The Man with the Twisted Lip" from The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle, narrated by Christopher Wilson
“I reached this one,” said my friend, “by sitting upon five pillows and consuming an ounce of shag."
This episode is narrated by Christopher Wilson. Christopher is a stage and voiceover actor currently based in Chicago, IL. He has provided his voice to numerous game, commercial, eLearning, and podcasting projects, including Unwell: A Midwestern Gothic Mystery, Superstition and The Unexplored Places. He also co-hosts Backstage Gaming, a podcast looking at video-game storytelling. Twitter: @CJWilsonVO. Website: www.cjwvoice.com
Content warning: This episode contains drug abuse and addiction, racism, and some particularly Doylish lies between husband and wife.
Find recommended reading, more stories, info about the show and more on our website:
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Book Club Case File: My Dearest Holmes, by Rohase Piercy
First published in 1988 by the Gay Men’s Press, My Dearest Holmes by Rohase Piercy is a very special pastiche that boasts something very rare—it’s one of the very few and certainly among the earliest published gay pastiches about the great detective and his good doctor. It celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2018. We're thrilled to have Rohase on the podcast today in our very first interview! We discuss her her depiction of a Holmes and Watson romance, it's reception, how queer readings have and haven't changed since the 1980s, and lots more.
Follow Rohase on Twitter at @PiercyRohase. The Raven's Bunker: https://www.theravensbunker.com/
A transcript of this episode is available here: https://www.howeverimprobablepodcast.com/transcripts
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Other than Holmes and Watson themselves, Irene Adler (of dubious and questionable memory) may be the most adapted character from the canon. And most of the time, modern adaptations do not do her justice. She played a prominent role in four recent TV and film adaptations of the stories - depicted as a professional thief, a sex worker, a European (for some reason?) and literally a fictional character.
Today, we discuss the many faces of Irene Adler. Spoilers abound!
A transcript of this episode is available here: https://www.howeverimprobablepodcast.com/transcripts
Find recommended reading, more stories, info about the show and more on our website:
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Shotgun weddings, scandalous photographs, and a seven per-cent solution all come together in perhaps the most beloved story in the canon, featuring the woman who casts the longest shadow: Irene Adler, of dubious and questionable memory. "A Scandal in Bohemia" was Doyle's first short story about Holmes and Watson, and its impact colors the way we consider the rest of the canon. Kings and Boswells, romances and menswear and Holmes's misogyny. What truly is the point of Scandal? And why does everybody forget about Godfrey Norton?
Thanks to Natalie, Madeline, Jamie, Madison, Robert and Sara for sending in their thoughts about all things Irene Adler!
Content warning: This episode is filled to the brim with Holmes's misogyny, and also the threats of blackmail and arson.
A transcript of this episode is available here: https://www.howeverimprobablepodcast.com/transcripts
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"A Scandal in Bohemia" from The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle, narrated by Natalie Hunter.
"And that was how a great scandal threatened to affect the kingdom of Bohemia, and how the best plans of Mr. Sherlock Holmes were beaten by a woman’s wit."
This story is narrated by Natalie Hunter. Natalie has been a fan of the Holmes stories for as long as she can remember; her all-time favourite adaptation is the Granada series, though Great Mouse Detective holds a special place in her heart. A research administrator by day, Natalie plays Jenny Millay on Superstition, and is involved in various performance projects including the global remote choir The Self-Isolation Choir. Find her on Twitter @nataliehunter.
Content warning: This episode is filled to the brim with Holmes's misogyny, and also the threats of blackmail and arson.
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Holmes and Watson go on a much-deserved vacation—and naturally, crime follows them. “The Adventure of the Reigate Squire” introduces us to one of Watson’s old friends, and an unusual case of burglary, amateur theatrics, and how minutiae can solve murder. We discuss Holmes's health and Watson's desire to do something about it, as well as handwriting, holiday tropes, Essie Davis, and the meta experience of interactive detective fiction.
Content warning: This episode contains some falsehoods Holmes intentionally directs at Watson. We have a conversation about Holmes's mental health.
A transcript of this episode is available here: https://www.howeverimprobablepodcast.com/transcripts
Find recommended reading, more stories, info about the show and more on our website:
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"The Adventure of the Reigate Squire" from The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle, narrated by Kyle Carey Miller.
"Watson, I think our quiet rest in the country has been a distinct success, and I shall certainly return much invigorated to Baker Street to-morrow.”
This episode is narrated by Kyle Carey Miller. Kyle is a proud graduate of Wright State University, where he earned his BFA in Acting with an Emphasis in Musical Theatre. Kyle has worked around the country including at the Texas Shakespeare Festival, Short North Stage, and Renaissance Performing Arts. Favorite Credits include: The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Heather’s the Musical, Macbeth, La Cage Aux Folles, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, War of the World’s, and More than a Muse. An avid Sherlock fan—especially of the BBC series—Kyle is thrilled to be narrating the works of legendary author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle for However Improbable Podcast.
Content warning: This episode contains some falsehoods Holmes intentionally directs at Watson
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Welcome to Book Club Case Files on the However Improbable Podcast! We're taking a look at our very first case file on a Sherlock Holmes pastiche—stories that are about Sherlock Holmes and often in Arthur Conan Doyle’s style, but not written by him. And we’re starting with a special one: The House of Silk by renowned mystery novelist Anthony Horowitz, the only pastiche to have the stamp of approval by the Conan Doyle Estate. This book is full of thrilling moments, clever cameos, unique frameworks and dark mysteries. This is NOT a spoiler-free discussion!
Content warning: The House of Silk spans the pretty gruesome murder of a child, kidnapping, pedophilia, and childhood sexual assault. We discuss those plot points in our conversation.
A transcript of this episode is available here: https://www.howeverimprobablepodcast.com/transcripts
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Sherlock Holmes himself spin us a story in this week's episode. “The Adventure of the Musgrave Ritual” is the second story that gives us a look back at Holmes’s life before he met Watson - this time in a very Gothic tale of buried treasure and cryptic rituals. We talk about Holmes's early years, stories within stories, Stephen King, coming-of-age murder rituals, and if 221B really is the most famous room in the world.
Content warning: This episode contains murder by suffocation, and casual misogyny.
A transcript of this episode is available here: https://www.howeverimprobablepodcast.com/transcripts
Find recommended reading, more stories, info about the show and more on our website:
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"The Adventure of the Musgrave Ritual" from The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle, narrated by Travis Bihn.
“There are cases enough here, Watson,” said he, looking at me with mischievous eyes. “I think that if you knew all that I had in this box you would ask me to pull some out instead of putting others in.”
“These are the records of your early work, then?” I asked. “I have often wished that I had notes of those cases.”
This episode is narrated by Travis Bihn. Travis recently found residency in NYC to continue his Wardrobe career in Theatre, after having worked in Chicago for the previous three years. Due to the current Pandemic and closure of all live entertainment, he has been upgraded from struggling artist, to just struggling. Though with optimism, gratitude, and Grey Goose by his side, he is excited to see what the future holds. Finally, Travis wants to personal thank both Sarah and Marisa for this opportunity, scream Black Lives (still) Matter, and state that queer people rock this world.
Content warning: This episode contains murder by suffocation, and casual misogyny.
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Exciting news: We're expanding our case file episodes to include literary pastiches! In these short episodes, Marisa and Sarah will chat about some of our favorite Sherlock Holmes novels not written by Arthur Conan Doyle. And we're starting this off on April 8 with Anthony Horowitz's novel The House of Silk! Read along with us to be up to speed when we air our episode.
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From 1984 to 1994, British actor Jeremy Brett starred in 36 one-hour episodes and five feature-length specials in the Granada Television Studios series The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Yes, here's our case file about arguably the most iconic Sherlock Holmes television series made in the last 50 years in two parts. The first of two! In Part 1, we’re walking through the first two seasons of the show - starring Brett and David Burke as Watson - to look at how it was developed, who was cast, and how these early episodes stack up a full 37 years later.
Content warning: We discuss alcoholism and alcohol abuse, mental health struggles and depression in this episode.
A transcript of this episode is available here: https://www.howeverimprobablepodcast.com/transcripts
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So far we’ve seen Sherlock Holmes solve the mysteries behind poisonings, hangings, and missing wives—and in “The Adventure of the Second Stain” he stops a war by looking at a rug. There's a lot to discuss in this dense little mystery, including sexy spies, queer street, Holmes's misogyny, the perils of nationalism, and Watson's romantic libido.
Content warning: This episode contains murder, blackmail, misogyny, and casual depictions of racism.
A transcript of this episode is available here: https://www.howeverimprobablepodcast.com/transcripts
Find recommended reading, more stories, info about the show and more on our website:
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"The Adventure of the Second Stain" from The Return of Sherlock Holmes, narrated by Alaina Laethem.
“We also have our diplomatic secrets,” said he, and picking up his hat he turned to the door.
This episode is narrated by Alaina Laethem. Alaina is an award-winning indie actor working in Mesa, Arizona. When she's not on set, she's hanging with her boyfriend Eric and their two cats Susan and Amigo. You can connect with Alaina on her Instagram - instagram.com/alaina.laethem
Content warning: This episode contains murder, blackmail, and casual depictions of sexism and racism.
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Runaway brides, rude lords, and the return of Doyle’s American West. In “The Adventure of the Noble Bachelor,” Holmes finds himself assisting a Lord with a personal problem: his new bride vanishing the day after their wedding. Sarah and Marisa talk about armchair detective fiction, Watson's traveling war wound, Lestrade's wet laundry, and which one of us gets to propose marriage to Hatty Doran first.
Content warning: This episode contains some very Victorian depictions of racism and sexism.
NOBL makes a brief mention of what Doyle calls “Apache Indians” - we want to clarify that the Apache are a group of culturally related Native American tribes in the Southwest, including Chiricahua, Jicarilla, Lipan, Mescalero, Mimbreño, Ndendahe (Bedonkohe or Mogollon and Nednhi or Carrizaleño and Janero), Salinero, Plains (Kataka or Semat or "Kiowa-Apache") and Western Apache. Currently, the San Carlos Apache Tribe in southeastern Arizona is engaged in a legal battle to stop their sacred land of Oak Flat from being handed over to mining corporation Rio Tinto. Read more about this here: http://apache-stronghold.com/
A transcript of this episode is available here: https://www.howeverimprobablepodcast.com/transcripts
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"The Adventure of the Noble Bachelor" from The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, narrated by Rosie French.
“Yes, my correspondence has certainly the charm of variety,” he answered, smiling, “and the humbler are usually the more interesting. This looks like one of those unwelcome social summonses which call upon a man either to be bored or to lie.”
This episode was narrated by Rosie French. Rosie is a qualified primary school teacher and Holmes enthusiast living in the South West of England. They spend most of their free time writing, reading sci-fi novels, and attempting to learn fibre crafts without much success. They have played about ninety-six hours of Hades in lockdown and are working on watching all of John Carpenter's pre-2000 films. Rosie is also the co-host of Reversing Polarity, a Classic Doctor Who podcast, rewatching the show in a completely random order and presenting evidence to support our thesis that Doctor Who has always been gay, actually. @polaritypod.
Content warning: This episode contains some very Victorian depictions of racism and sexism.
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Join us to delve into a Holmes film like no other. "The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes," directed by Billy Wilder, was released in 1970 with mixed results. Fifty years later, it retains a certain cult status. Narrated by Dr. Watson, it covers a scandalous untold case with international implications. But it’s also a personal look into Holmes—what was the famous consulting detective really like without the veneer of Watson’s storytelling?
Sarah and Marisa talk about the film's merits as an unusual adaption, how it positions Holmes's sexuality, and what it means for queer detective fiction lovers to recognize that Sherlock Holmes might actually be gay.
Content warning: Our discussion of this film includes frank conversations about homophobia, as well as discussions of drug addiction, blackmail and murder.
A transcript of this episode is available here: https://www.howeverimprobablepodcast.com/transcripts
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Disguise, duped doctors, and deadly retribution. "The Adventure of the Resident Patient" is the first of many cases Holmes and Watson solve together in 1886. Today, we tackle Watson the true crime chronicler, Holmes's questionable sense of humor, a convenient shipwreck, and John le Carré.
Read le Carré's introduction to The New Annotated Sherlock Holmes here: https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2004-nov-14-bk-lecarre14-story.html
Content warning: Our discussion includes descriptions of a suicide by hanging, as well as a depiction of a dead body.
A transcript of this episode is available here: https://www.howeverimprobablepodcast.com/transcripts
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"The Adventure of the Resident Patient" from The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes.
"Having secured him, it is evident to me that a consultation of some sort was held. Probably it was something in the nature of a judicial proceeding."
Please note that there's some variation in editions of this story. In many editions, it begins with the "mind reading" scene from "The Adventure of the Cardboard Box," something Doyle added to this tale after deciding CARD wouldn't be published in this collection of short stories. This narration includes that scene.
This story was narrated by Nathan Comstock. Nathan is a writer, voice actor, and audio producer based in Boston. He is a co-creator of the Science Fiction Audio Sitcom Solutions to Problems, where he also plays the role of the alien radio host known as Loaf. His voice can also be heard in Superstition and Wizard Seeking Wizard, and he hopes to debut a new urban fantasy audio drama, Electromancy, in 2021. Find him on Twitter @nathancomstock.
Content warning: This story includes descriptions of a suicide by hanging, as well as a depiction of a dead body.
Find recommended reading, more stories, info about the show and more on our website:
https://www.howeverimprobablepodcast.com/
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Encrypted letters, old college friends, and murderous mutiny. “The Adventure of the Gloria Scott” takes us back in time to the story of Sherlock Holmes’s very first case. Today, Marisa & Sarah discuss men on boats, queer allegory and how to approach it, the lasting impact the very first great friend you make can have on your life, and Stephen Sondheim.
Content warning: Discussion of violence and gore, death, blackmail, and homophobia.
A transcript of this episode is available here: https://www.howeverimprobablepodcast.com/transcripts
Find recommended reading, more stories, info about the show and more on our website:
https://www.howeverimprobablepodcast.com/
https://twitter.com/improbablepod
"The Adventure of the Gloria Scott", from The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, narrated by Ryan James Horner.
“You never heard me talk of Victor Trevor?” he asked. “He was the only friend I made during the two years I was at college."
This episode was narrated by Ryan James Horner, a writer, podcaster, and voice actor from SoCal with a lifelong passion for storytelling. Find him buried under his many cats, scattered fragments of notepaper, or a pile of blankets with a scary movie. You can follow him on Twitter (@wilsonlives) or find out more at https://ryanjameshorner.carrd.co/.
Content warning: This episode includes scenes of violence, specifically a gunshot wound to the head. Depiction of death, violence and gore, and blackmail.
Find transcripts, recommended reading and more on our website:
https://www.howeverimprobablepodcast.com/
https://twitter.com/improbablepod
Welcome to our first Case File episode! Today, Sarah and Marisa take a look at the man behind the canon: Arthur Conan Doyle. We want to discuss Conan Doyle as a person and writer before we get too far into the stories. Besides creating Sherlock Holmes, what else is Conan Doyle known for? What was his life like? And what were his opinions about detective fiction and the world he lived in?
Content warning: Discussion of racism and misogyny.
A transcript of this episode is available here: https://www.howeverimprobablepodcast.com/transcripts
Find us on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/improbablepod
Serpents, sinister step-fathers, and sisters dying in the dead of night. “The Adventure of the Speckled Band” is usually considered one of the best Holmes stories—and one of Doyle’s favorites. Sarah & Marisa discuss Gothic heroines, racist red herrings, fear and the British empire, and geographically confused baboons.
Question of the episode: What's your favorite locked room mystery? Share it with us in a voice memo at howeverimprobablepod@gmail.com, or let us know on Twitter.
A transcript of this episode is available here: https://www.howeverimprobablepodcast.com/transcripts
Content warning: We discuss the story's allusions to sexual and domestic abuse in this episode, as well as the two murders by a poisonous snake. Contains discussion of abuse, racism, colonization, death and violence, and incest.
Find transcripts, recommended reading and more on our website:
https://www.howeverimprobablepodcast.com/
https://twitter.com/improbablepod
"The Adventure of the Speckled Band, from The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.
“Holmes,” I cried, “I seem to see dimly what you are hinting at. We are only just in time to prevent some subtle and horrible crime.”
“Subtle enough and horrible enough. When a doctor does go wrong he is the first of criminals."
This episode is read by Kira Apple! Kira is the voice of Jack St. James on Superstition and the Narrator on The Way We Haunt Now. When she's not voice acting, Kira is writing her PhD dissertation on belonging in speculative audio fiction and working part-time at an independent feminist bookstore and an animal hospital. She loves playing video games, crocheting, and wrangling her four cats: Magrathea, Hazelnut, Ichabod Crane, and Mr. Tumnus.
Website: kiraapple.com
Twitter: @KiraAppleVA
Content warning: Depictions of domestic death - specifically poison, abuse, racism, violence, and snakes.
Find transcripts, recommended reading and more on our website:
https://www.howeverimprobablepodcast.com/
https://twitter.com/improbablepod
Want to read more mysteries? More pastiches? More Doyle? Visit our Bookshop.org page to find our curated bookshelves of Doyle’s other works, our favorite Holmes pastiche stories, scholarship on detective fiction, and books we feel carry the spirit of the stories. Bookshop is an online bookstore with a mission to financially support local, independent bookstores - and purchasing books this way also supports our podcast.
Find our Bookshop affiliation here: https://bookshop.org/shop/howeverimprobable
Contact us: https://twitter.com/improbablepod
https://www.howeverimprobablepodcast.com/further-reading
Mortuary meet-cutes, the science of deduction, and murderous Mormans. Join Marisa and Sarah to discuss A Study In Scarlet - the story that famously introduced us to Holmes and Watson. Do you really know Sherlock Holmes like you think you might? What does this tale tell us about Holmes, Watson, and what’s coming in the following fifty-nine stories? And what’s the deal with the Mormons anyway?
Question of the episode: What's your favorite adaption of how these two characters (or any versions of them) meet in fiction? Share it with us in a voice memo at howeverimprobablepod@gmail.com, or let us know on Twitter.
Content warning: Discussion of murder and violence, and the death of an animal. Mentions of PTSD.
A transcript of this episode is available here: https://www.howeverimprobablepodcast.com/transcripts
Find transcripts, recommended reading and more on our website:
https://www.howeverimprobablepodcast.com/
https://twitter.com/improbablepod
A Study In Scarlet Part II
Chapter 6: A Continuation Of The Reminiscences of John Watson, M.D.
Chapter 7: Conclusion
“You should publish an account of the case. If you won’t, I will for you.”
This episode is narrated by Alma Roda-Gil. Alma is a freelance goth begrudgingly living in the UK. They write about culture and are currently rewatching (and crying at) CBS' Elementary. You can find them on Twitter at @knifefemme or peruse their portfolio here.
Content warning: Depictions of murder and violence, including poison and animal death.
Find transcripts, recommended reading and more on our website:
https://www.howeverimprobablepodcast.com/
https://twitter.com/improbablepod
A Study In Scarlet Part II
Chapter 3: John Ferrier Talks With The Prophet
Chapter 4: A Flight For Life
Chapter 5: The Avenging Angels
“I am Jefferson Hope,” he said. “You remember me.”
This episode is narrated by Kyle Carey Miller. Kyle is a proud graduate of Wright State University, where he earned his BFA in Acting with an Emphasis in Musical Theatre. Kyle has worked around the country including at the Texas Shakespeare Festival, Short North Stage, and Renaissance Performing Arts. An avid Sherlock fan—especially of the BBC series—Kyle is thrilled to be narrating the works of legendary author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle for However Improbable Podcast.
Content warning: Depictions of murder and violence, including poison and animal death.
Find transcripts, recommended reading and more on our website:
https://www.howeverimprobablepodcast.com/
https://twitter.com/improbablepod
A Study In Scarlet Part II
Chapter 1: On The Great Alkali Plain
Chapter 2: The Flower Of Utah
"From the Sierra Nevada to Nebraska, and from the Yellowstone River in the north to the Colorado upon the south, is a region of desolation and silence."
This episode is narrated by Kyle Carey Miller. Kyle is a proud graduate of Wright State University, where he earned his BFA in Acting with an Emphasis in Musical Theatre. Kyle has worked around the country including at the Texas Shakespeare Festival, Short North Stage, and Renaissance Performing Arts. Favorite Credits include: The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Heather’s the Musical, Macbeth, La Cage Aux Folles, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, War of the World’s, and More than a Muse. An avid Sherlock fan—especially of the BBC series—Kyle is thrilled to be narrating the works of legendary author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle for However Improbable Podcast.
Content warning: Depictions of murder and violence, including poison and animal death.
Find transcripts, recommended reading and more on our website:
https://www.howeverimprobablepodcast.com/
https://twitter.com/improbablepod
A Study In Scarlet Part I
Chapter 5: Our Advertisement Brings A Visitor
Chapter 6: Tobias Gregson Shows What He Can Do
Chapter 7: Light In The Darkness
“The last link,” he cried, exultantly. “My case is complete.”
This episode is narrated by Alma Roda-Gil. Alma is a freelance goth begrudgingly living in the UK. They write about culture and are currently rewatching (and crying at) CBS' Elementary. You can find them on Twitter at @knifefemme or peruse their portfolio here.
Content warning: Depictions of murder and violence, including poison and animal death.
Find transcripts, recommended reading and more on our website:
https://www.howeverimprobablepodcast.com/
https://twitter.com/improbablepod
A Study In Scarlet Part I
Chapter 3: The Lauriston Garden Mystery
Chapter 4: What John Rance Had To Tell
“There’s the scarlet thread of murder running through the colourless skein of life, and our duty is to unravel it, and isolate it, and expose every inch of it…”
This episode is narrated by Alma Roda-Gil. Alma is a freelance goth begrudgingly living in the UK. They write about culture and are currently rewatching (and crying at) CBS' Elementary. You can find them on Twitter at @knifefemme or peruse their portfolio here.
Content warning: Depictions of murder and violence, including poison and animal death.
Find transcripts, recommended reading and more on our website:
https://www.howeverimprobablepodcast.com/
https://twitter.com/improbablepod
A Study In Scarlet Part I
Chapter 1: Mr. Sherlock Holmes
Chapter 2: The Science of Deduction
“I have my eye on a suite in Baker Street,” he said, “which would suit us down to the ground. You don’t mind the smell of strong tobacco, I hope?”
A Study In Scarlet is a 1887 detective novel by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The story marks the first appearance of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, who would become the most famous detective duo in popular fiction. But they started - like so many people do - as strangers who just couldn’t pay their rent.
This episode is narrated by Alma Roda-Gil. Alma is a freelance goth begrudgingly living in the UK. They write about culture and are currently rewatching (and crying at) CBS' Elementary. You can find them on Twitter at @knifefemme or peruse their portfolio here.
Content warning: Depictions of murder and violence, including poison and animal death.
Find transcripts, recommended reading and more on our website:
https://www.howeverimprobablepodcast.com/
https://twitter.com/improbablepod
However Improbable is a new podcast book club about Sherlock Holmes! Join your hosts Marisa & Sarah to hear more about who they are, what they’re planning, and why on earth they’re releasing a podcast devoted to 56 short stories and 4 novellas about a fictional detective, released over 130 years ago.
Our first episode comes out October 1! Mystery, Mormons, and a few murders - join us to hear the beginning of A Study in Scarlet.
Find transcripts: https://www.howeverimprobablepodcast.com/transcripts.
Find us online:
https://www.howeverimprobablepodcast.com/
https://twitter.com/improbablepod
Music credit: The song “Denmark (Live)” by the Portland Cello Project is featured with an Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).