A lifelong Sherlockian, Richard Ryan is the author of The Official Sherlock Holmes Trivia Book as well as a book on Agatha Christie trivia. His Sherlock Holmes novels, The Vatican Cameos: A Sherlock Holmes Adventure,  The Stone of Destiny, The Druid of Death, and Through a Glass Starkly are available from MX Publishing, London.

What can readers expect from the Sherlock Holmes: A Year of Mystery series?

Richard T. Ryan (RR):It’s odd that Conan Doyle set onlyA Study in Scarletin 1881, and possibly “The Resident Patient”, although that is widely disputed. Adding to the enigma is the fact that none of the canonical stories take place in 1882. As a result, the authors had almost carte blanche when it came to subject matter. Several turned to the events of the day as linchpins for their stories while…