Anita Janda (–2006)

Opening in 1888, The Secret Diary of Dr. Watson begins like a typical Holmes and Watson pastiche with a telegram followed by a visit to an eccentric client... Many elements of the new case gradually become recognizable as those in The Adventure of the Cardboard Box. The narrative is then uncharacteristically interrupted by the author’s comments, and it becomes clear that this is not a story, but an entry in Dr. Watson's writing journal. This project has been undertaken at the instigation of his wife, former governess Mary Morstan, to “give him back the writing habit.â€? Her rules for the blank journal, “Bound in real morocco leather, John!â€? are that he will not be allowed to tell her about his adventures with Holmes—he can only write them down, and she insists that she will never read what he has written. It must be a secret diary... The premise thus established, we are treated to a delightfully different point of view. While I found the relationship between Holmes and Watson entirely consistent with my vision of the Canon, I was amused by the author's ability to capture Watson's subtle frustrations in dealing with his refractory colleague... Meticulously phrased in 19th century language, The Secret Diary provides special insights into a writer’s mind... It is entertaining to encounter back stories for HOUN, BLUE, SCAN, BOSC, and others... This is a sympathetic and unforgettable autobiography that would make a splendid gift for your favorite Sherlockian(s). [Marilynne McKay]… (mer)