In which we talk Sherlock

Reader Elizabeth--who was gracious enough to come to my signing in March and looked adorable in an outfit I coveted--posted the following: One aspect I've always noticed regarding Nicholas Brisbane is that initially, in Silent in the Grave you painted him as having many parallels to Sherlock Holmes. Both are private detectives, both are pugilists, both play the violin, both explore a wide range of odd and curious activities, both are loners with a loyal servant and physician sidekick, both have a vague childhood that emerges as the series go on. Obviously as the Grey-Brisbane relationship develops some of this dissipates. Do what degree is it conscious? I know that Sherlock Holmes is one of the literary works central to the late Victorian and early Edwardian eras, do you think that you can write about any detective from that time without some comparison being made. Finally is it Brisbane's feeling that separate him from Holes, and likewise from greatness as a detective, because clearly Julia seems to impact his professional performance to a degree.

First, no, I don't think you can write about a male Victorian detective without SOME parallel being drawn between that character and Sherlock Holmes. Conan Doyle created THE definitive Victorian detective, and his longevity is astonishing. (Even now, a new film version is about to be released featuring the combined talents of Guy Ritchie, Robert Downey Jr., and Jude Law. I cannot WAIT.) Direct parallels between Brisbane and Holmes were largely unintentional. The facility with both fists and violin came from Brisbane's past, as well as his loner tendencies. As far as having a physician friend, that is simply expedient when you're writing murder mysteries!

Second, you have certainly hit upon the most striking difference between them--Brisbane feels, deeply, and is willing to sacrifice his professional sang-froid for the pleasure of having Julia around. You are actually the first person to ever point out the fact that for a first-rate professional investigator, Nicholas is not very focused when Julia is on the scene! And that's one of the things I love most about his character. I think it makes him more flawed, more human than Holmes. I knew from the beginning of SITG that he was going to challenge her, but I wanted that to be reciprocal. I wanted him to be thrown off of his game and even a little vulnerable where Julia was concerned because it was important to me that she never be an afterthought or appendage to him.