NoplaceLikeHolmes

The Adventure of the Lion's Mane | Arthur Conan Doyle

Repost for @dabbe

#NoPlaceLikeHolmes @Cuilin @LitsyEvents

Interesting discussion on Saturday, Sherlockians. Can you believe we're down to our last FOUR stories? 😱 Next up: “(TAo The Lion's Mane“. Discussion will be on July 19th and will be led by @Cuilin. Hope your week goes well.

Original post - https://www.litsy.com/web/post/2883166

dabbe Thanks for posting! 💚 2d

31 likes1 comment

dabbe

The Adventure of the Lion's Mane | Arthur Conan Doyle

#NoPlaceLikeHolmes @Cuilin @LitsyEvents

Interesting discussion on Saturday, Sherlockians. Can you believe we're down to our last FOUR stories? 😱 Next up: “(TAo The Lion's Mane“. Discussion will be on July 19th and will be led by @Cuilin. Hope your week goes well. 🩵

Link to summary and analysis (spoiler alert): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1nR1U1fpvL5Nxwm-iBOH5jLM3tmWkbVpZ/view?usp=shari...

51 likes

kelli7990

The Complete Sherlock Holmes Short Stories - Unabridged - The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, the Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, the Return of Sherlock Ho | Arthur Conan Doyle

I finished this week‘s short story “The Creeping Man” for #noplacelikeholmes. My birthday was on Wednesday. I went to the museum on Friday to celebrate my birthday and then went out to lunch and I was tired when I got home and then I didn‘t read at all on Saturday because I was watching Facebook Reels but tonight, I decided to do some reading so I can catch up with the buddy read and make progress in another book I‘m reading.

17 likes

dabbe

The Adventure of the Creeping Man (Annotated) | Arthur Conan Doyle

#NoPlaceLikeHolmes @Cuilin @dabbe

Thoughts, Sherlockians?

Daisey, erzascarletbookgasm, CogsOfEncouragement, AnneCecilie, Born.A.Reader, Aimeesue, Larkken, Librarybelle, mom2bugnbee, Chrissyreadit, Read4life, StayCurious, CatLass007, Mollyanna, curiouserandcurioser, eeclayton, IndoorDame, kelli7990, TheAromaofBooks, 5feet.of.fury, Tineke, Fr3NcHtOaSt, Blackink_WhitePaper, RayHallucinogen, Pageturner1, PageShifter, AnnR, kimrenee, aroyse, CrystalE02

CatLass007 There doesn‘t seem to be a crime. The mystery is, “Why is the professor behaving in such an odd manner?” as I said in a previous answer, I don‘t consider this science fiction or scientific fiction. It‘s pure fantasy. (edited) 5d

Read4life Fantasy. Just not what I look forward to in a Holmes story. 5d

Cuilin If there are no laws regarding the ethics of scientific experimentation, then there can be no crime. I think it‘s just another interesting case to answer why a professor had a personality change? The solution was nuts! Monkey nuts!! lol 5d

See All 9 Comments

CogsOfEncouragement I have no need to keep SH stories in a tight category. My expectation is to be entertained with something. If Doyle veers from some unstated guardrails so be it. There was certainly a mystery to be solved that the others couldn‘t/were too afraid to get to the bottom of. SH uncovered that for them. 5d

eeclayton Legally speaking there might be no crime, but ethically, there is. However, this story isn't about pursuing the culprit (Lowenstein), but about what is wrong with the professor.
I still consider it detective fiction, with an added sci-fi element. 5d

Librarybelle I like that thought, @eeclayton …detective fiction with a sci-fi element. 5d

dabbe @CatLass007 @Read4life @Cuilin @CogsOfEncouragement @eeclayton Perhaps because this is Doyle's 47th story (by publication), I like that it had an unconventional structure and genre-blurring elements. I'm sure he read FRANKENSTEIN and J&H as well, and perhaps wanted to pay homage to stories as well. There is a sci-fi bend (the serum‘s effects mirror real-world early-20th-century experiments) but also a Gothic one. ⬇️ 5d

dabbe The professor‘s night-crawling, feral aggression, and daughter‘s terror at his window evoke Gothic horror tropes, and the dog‘s violent rejection of its master adds an uncanny, animalistic dread. The story‘s eerie tone and ethical questions make it memorable, offering a fresh twist on Holmes‘ usual rationalism; however, the lack of a crime or resolution frustrates readers expecting a traditional mystery. I admire Doyle for trying something new. 5d

Read4life I see your points, @dabbe . A different way to look at the writing of this one than how I saw it. Love these discussions. 4d

38 likes9 comments

dabbe

The Adventure of the Creeping Man (Annotated) | Arthur Conan Doyle

#NoPlaceLikeHolmes @Cuilin @dabbe

Thoughts, Sherlockians?

Cuilin I‘ve only read Shelley‘s Frankenstein, but as far as the ethics go, I think the adage of “just because you can, doesn‘t mean you should” applies. 5d

CogsOfEncouragement I‘ve read Frankenstein, Dr. Jekyll & Well‘s The Invisible Man. I read this short story as a reprimand for ridiculous old men pursuing young women. The monkey elements made for the character to climb and peer in a window, etc but it would have been just as good to have had the elixir come from a jackass to get the point across. 5d

CogsOfEncouragement When SH says only worldly individuals would take advantage of such an elixir and it would be survival “of the least fit” while spiritual individuals would age appropriately and not avoid the call to something higher was sharp criticism of Lowenstein. SH states he holds Lowenstein criminally responsible and will write to tell him so. 5d

See All 7 Comments

eeclayton As far as I remember, in the other books/stories mentioned, the scientists all work on their projects in a sort of idealistic haze, some of them even experimenting on themselves. Here, on the other hand, Lowenstein seems to be after financial gain. 5d

dabbe @Cuilin @CogsOfEncouragement @eeclayton You've all made EXCELLENT points. I definitely think that this story shares thematic and ethical concerns with FRANKENSTEIN and J&H, particularly in its exploration of scientific hubris, the dangers of unchecked experimentation, and the moral consequences of tampering with human nature. 5d

Librarybelle I thought of this as a reprimand on old men trying to pursue young women too, @CogsOfEncouragement . I‘ve read Frankenstein and The Invisible Man, and they all seem like cautionary tales on when one takes the ability to use science to manipulate humanity a bit too far. 5d

dabbe @Librarybelle And there are so many stories pursuing an elixir to make one younger. This one made me think of Nathaniel Hawthorne's “Dr. Heidegger's Experiment“ as well. 5d

31 likes7 comments

dabbe

The Adventure of the Creeping Man (Annotated) | Arthur Conan Doyle

#NoPlaceLikeHolmes @Cuilin @dabbe

Thoughts, Sherlockians?

CatLass007 I wouldn‘t call it science fiction. I would call it fantasy. The answer just seems so silly to me. 5d

Read4life This one just left me disappointed. Sci-fi, fantasy call it either but it was out there. The critique was justified IMO. 5d

Cuilin I‘m not sure I would describe it as sci-fi as there are many tales told regarding the elixir of life. It‘s probably more in the fantasy genre. 5d

See All 19 Comments

CogsOfEncouragement I had to look up risible to see it means such as to provoke laughter. Huh. I thought this short story was giving a couple lessons. Old men shouldn‘t chase younger women, we should age appropriately - accept it - and be spiritual, people peddling poisons should be held accountable… 5d

eeclayton For me personally, the reason why the sci-fi element is “risible“ is that none of the earlier stories had been set up like that, and the “science gone awry“ explanation came out of the blue for me. I enjoy it much more when SH solves the mystery based on overlooked evidence and logic; but I like a good sci-fi story when I expect to read one. 5d

dabbe @CatLass007 @Read4lif @Cuilin @CogsOfEncouragement @eeclayton In preparing to present this one, I did a bit of research. The story was inspired by real 19th-century medical experiments, such as French physiologist Brown-Sequard‘s injections of animal testicular extracts to combat aging, which were widely reported (and mocked) in scientific journals. ⬇️ 5d

dabbe Doyle‘s premise, while extreme, mirrored fringe scientific trends of his era, blurring the line between fiction and contemporary pseudoscience. Modern parallels (e.g., steroid-induced “roid rage“) further validate the story‘s core idea. Thus, labeling it “risible“ ignores its roots in real-world quackery. ⬇️ 5d

dabbe Yet, “The Creeping Man“ retains Holmes‘ empirical approach: he deduces the serum‘s effects through physical clues (e.g., knuckle deformities, the dog‘s aggression) rather than accepting “magic“. The story‘s tension arises from misapplied science, not its impossibility—a theme consistent with Jekyll and Hyde or Frankenstein. ⬇️ 5d

dabbe Doyle‘s allegory about tampering with nature aligns with Victorian anxieties, making it more Gothic morality tale than pure sci-fi. 5d

Cuilin @dabbe I love the term Gothic Morality tale. Fits. 5d

Librarybelle That‘s good to know this is based on 19th-century medical experiments—not good that they experimented on animals, of course, but it just seemed so out there. Not my type of reading, for sure! It did make me wonder where Conan Doyle got the idea to write this, and a “ripped-from-the-headlines” esque story makes sense. 5d

dabbe @Cuilin 🩵🎯🩵 5d

dabbe @Librarybelle It does, doesn't it? 5d

CogsOfEncouragement @dabbe @Librarybelle @CatLass007 @Read4lif @Cuilin @eeclayton
Gothic morality tale. Yes! I typed and deleted the term fable a few times because that just wasn‘t right. lol 5d

eeclayton @dabbe Thanks for the backstory. It's interesting to see that the contemporary reader would most probably make the connection to the newspaper reports, and reading it without this knowledge may take away some of the inplied meaning. 5d

dabbe @CogsOfEncouragement 🩵💙🩵 4d

dabbe @eeclayton I was actually shocked that this was inspired by true experiments. 😱🤩😍 4d

Daisey I appreciate knowing this was based a based on real experiments. It makes the fantasy aspect make more sense in a Holmes story and how it would have been received by a contemporary reader. 4d

dabbe @Daisey 🩵🎯🩵 It did make me take the story a wee bit more seriously. Wee. 😂 4d

29 likes19 comments

dabbe

The Adventure of the Creeping Man (Annotated) | Arthur Conan Doyle

#NoPlaceLikeHolmes @Cuilin @dabbe

Thoughts, Sherlockians?

CatLass007 I liked the way Watson talked about being aware of the need Holmes had for Watson‘s companionship. 5d

Read4life I also liked what Watson said about Holmes‘ need for him as @CatLass007 mentioned. Otherwise, not my favorite at all. 5d

Cuilin Honestly, it started off strong, dipped in the middle and then abruptly ended. I also knew early in the mystery that this was going to be an older man, wishing he was younger because of a woman. Lol 5d

See All 11 Comments

CogsOfEncouragement This one has one of my favorite quotes: Come at once if convenient--if inconvenient come all the same. S.H 5d

eeclayton Like @Cuilin , I thought the story had a strong start, and it held my attention. At the end, I felt cheated with the sci-fi-y ending. I would have been happier with a more down-to-earth solution, although I admit that within the story's limits/worldbuilding it was a rational explanation to the professor's change of behaviour. 5d

dabbe @CatLass007 @Read4Life I thought that insight of Watson was intriguing as well. It made me think of Watson as being Sherlock's muse. 5d

dabbe @Cuilin Kind of similar to Shrek drinking a potion to appeal to Fiona! 5d

dabbe @CogsOfEncouragement I love this quote, too. It reveals Holmes‘ true priority—the case matters more than Watson‘s schedule. But we all know Watson will come no matter what, highlighting their friendship and Watson‘s loyalty. 5d

dabbe @eeclayton Agree 💯. The ending feels abrupt, leaving key questions (e.g., Presbury‘s recovery, Alice‘s fate) unanswered. 5d

Librarybelle Watson‘s insight was a good one. Very astute. This story was…odd. Bizarre. Not very strong, in my opinion. There was one moment I thought Conan Doyle would attempt to go the vampire way, but the monkey angle was pretty far fetched. 5d

dabbe @Librarybelle 🎯🩵🎯 5d

27 likes11 comments

dabbe

The Complete Sherlock Holmes | Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Oh, @Cuilin, thank you, thank you, thank you! You and I are definitely #sherlocked, and I have enjoyed our journey together with #NoPlaceLikeHolmes. This book is going to bring me HOURS of fun and pleasure! And the coasters were desperately needed. Pippa ate two of our older ones! I am beyond grateful to have found you on Litsy. Thank you, dear friend, for remembering my birthday. 🩵💙🩵

Cuilin You‘re welcome. There‘s one other something on the way!!! 🩷 Happy Birthday 🎉 (edited) 5d

dabbe @Cuilin You've spoiled me enough already! 😂 BTW, I will reply to your email soon. 🩵💙🩵 5d

TheBookHippie Oh fun!!! 5d

See All 14 Comments

CBee @Cuilin where did you get those amazing coasters? 😍 5d

dabbe @TheBookHippie 🤩😂😄 5d

AnnCrystal 👏🏼🤩 Happy Birthday 🥳🎂💝. 5d

Cuilin @CBee I got so lucky as I saw them on another website but they were out of stock so I went to amazon (😣) and they had them. 5d

CBee @Cuilin I‘m totally getting some! 5d

Cuilin @CBee love it!!! 5d

dabbe @AnnCrystal TY! 🩵💙🩵 5d

IMASLOWREADER what a cool present 4d

dabbe @IMASLOWREADER IKR? @Cuilin is so creative! 💙🩵💙 4d

IMASLOWREADER @dabbe happy birthday 3d

dabbe @IMASLOWREADER TY! I'll be 60 tomorrow! 😱😂🤩 3d

52 likes1 stack add14 comments

Daisey

Sherlock Holmes: The Definitive Audio Collection | Arthur Conan Doyle

This note from Holmes to Watson in “The Adventure of the Creeping Man” seems such a clear example of his self-centered perspective when it comes to asking Watson to join him. He has no consideration for any of Watson‘s other responsibilities.

“I received one of Holmes‘s laconic messages: ‘Come at once if convenient—if inconvenient, come all the same. —S.H.‘”

#NoPlaceLikeHolmes #Sherlocked #quote

Cuilin, dabbe

dabbe Spot-on description! No work is more important than Sherlock's--to Sherlock, of course! #sherlocked 🩵💙🩵 1w

Cuilin But of course, if the game is a foot, there is nothing else, more important. To Sherlock that is. 😆 1w

Daisey @dabbe @Cuilin Yes, it's a perfect example of how he sees his work as the most important. 1w

44 likes3 comments

kelli7990

The Complete Sherlock Holmes Short Stories - Unabridged - The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, the Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, the Return of Sherlock Ho | Arthur Conan Doyle

Since I started participating in the #noplacelikeholmes and #christiescapers buddy reads, I realized that I like classic murder mysteries. They don‘t have any sex or blood or bad language. The characters are just solving a murder. I find it very refreshing from other mysteries and thrillers I‘ve read before. I read 1 Nancy Drew book a long time ago called “The Hidden Staircase” and I enjoyed it.

dabbe They are the best! 🤩 2w

17 likes1 comment

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