Before getting to the main point of my post, let me briefly introduce myself. My name is Damian, I am a huge Sherlockian (or Holmesian, whichever you prefer). I thought I might share an idea with everyone here because I am interested in what you all think. Simply put, I would like to write my own Sherlock Holmes pastiche. Now, I know what many of you are probably probably thinking. "Great. Just what the world needs: ANOTHER Holmes pastiche. Some fanboy fancies himself a Sherlockian and is basically going to write some dreadful fanfiction. Lovely." Well, if that's what you're thinking, fair enough. I would never claim to have the pedigree of such noted Holmes writers as David Stuart Davies, Nicholas Meyer or Lindsay Faye, but I have been a huge Holmes fan ever since I was a young boy and although I can acknowledge I don't know nearly as much as many hard-core Sherlockians (such as what the name was of the inn Holmes and Watson stayed at during their investigation in "The Shoscombe Old Place"), I do know more than the average man on the street. Truthfully, I haven't even read the complete canon yet, although I do have a reason for that (I am quite honestly afraid to because I know that once I do, that's it; there will be no more "official" Holmes stories for me to enjoy). My credentials may not be impressive, but I would hope that my great love and affection for Doyle, his characters and the fantastic world he created would come through in my writing... which I would like to point out is of a much higher quality when it is devoted to fiction rather than messages on internet forums.
Anyway, here is a brief (and admittedly rather corny) synopsis I wrote of my idea, the kind of thing you might find on the inside flap of a book cover. If you are so inclined, feel free to glance at it and tell me if it's something you could see yourself being interested in reading. I would like to call it... SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE CRIME OF CENTURY.
In 1927, aviator Charles Lindberg achieved the impossible by flying solo from New York to Paris. The world watched in amazement and admiration at the heroic accomplishment of this historic flight.
In 1932, the 20-month-old baby of Charles and Ann Lindbergh was taken in the night from their comfortable New Jersey home. The world shared in Lindbergh’s shock and horror at this senseless, unconscionable act, which soon came to be known as “the crime of the century.” Two months after the kidnapping, the remains of a small child were found in the woods two miles from the Lindbergh Estate. The body was identified as Lindbergh’s infant son. The world grieved with Lindberg at this tragic discovery.
In 1936 German immigrant Richard Bruno Hauptman, the only suspect to be charged and convicted with the abduction and murder of the Lindbergh baby, was executed, though he protested his innocence to the very end. The world joined with Lindbergh in heaving a great sigh of relief as closure was finally brought to this sad business At long last, the whole ordeal was concluded and the case was closed.
Or was it?
Emerging
from
many years of retirement in Sussex, the world’s greatest detective
Sherlock Holmes steps into the frenzy of this sensational true-life
mystery. With the aid of
his long-time friend and companion Dr. John Watson, Holmes again puts
his powers of
observation and deduction to the test in an effort to find the real
criminal
responsible for this savage, deplorable deed, but has time and
inactivity
caused the elderly Holmes’ once-legendary abilities to deteriorate
beyond the
point of efficacy? Is the mind of this aging investigator still sharp
enough to
discover the identity of the actual culprit behind “the crime of the
century?” Join
Holmes as he embarks on one final adventure filled with mystery,
suspense
and intrigue, an adventure that will take him from his native England to
the
United States, bring him face-to-face with real, historical figures and
confront him with a truth that is as chilling as it is startling.
That's it. So, what do you think? Please, feel free to be honest. Thank you very much for your time. :-)
