Murder in the Vatican: The Church Mysteries of Sherlock Holmes, by Ann Margaret Lewis. Illustrations by Rikki Niehaus. Gasogene Books, 2010. 152 pages. Softcover, $18.95.
Fans of the original Sherlock Holmes mysteries by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle know that the great detective solved many more cases that were never recorded by Dr. Watson. Peppered throughout the canonical writings are scores of references to cases that never made it into print. Some of these never-written cases include the giant rat of Sumatra, and the Dundas separation case, where a marriage unraveled due to the husband’s unpleasant habit of tossing his dentures at his wife after meals. Over the years, many Sherlockians have taken a shot at writing these unrevealed cases, with varying results. Some of the best fans to follow in Conan Doyle’s footsteps are Nicholas Meyer, August Derleth, Denis Green, and Anthony Boucher. With the publication of Murder in the Vatican, Ann Margaret Lewis can join the ranks of authors who have provided worthy additions to the adventures of Holmes and Watson.
Out of over a hundred references to unrecorded Holmes mysteries, three are connected to the Catholic Church. These are “The Case of Cardinal Tosca” (originally mentioned in The Adventure of Black Peter), “The Vatican Cameos” (The Hound of the Baskervilles), and “The Second Coptic Patriarch” (The Retired Colourman). Lewis has taken these three references and expanded them into novelettes, drawing heavily on history and Catholic theology. In each of these stories, Pope Leo XIII is a major figure.
In “The Case of Cardinal Tosca,” the title character succumbs to poisoning, and Holmes and Watson are summoned to determine how the crime was committed. Pope Leo XIII assists the famous pair in their investigation, going so far as to go uncover in order to help bring the culprit to justice. There are many references that the Pope and Holmes have worked together before, but the exact nature of their history together is not revealed until the next story.
“The Vatican Cameos” is the longest story in this volume, focusing on a complicated diplomatic mission between the Vatican and a hostile Protestant England. A set of priceless cameos is sent to Queen Victoria as a tribute gift in order to further the possibility of building a new Catholic cathedral in Great Britain. Although the tale is capped with introductory and closing passages narrated by Watson, the bulk of this lengthy tale comes from the Pope’s first-person manuscript.
This mystery is actually set before the Cardinal Tosca mystery, although the prologue and epilogue are set after the Tosca case. This story explains how Holmes and the Pope first met, when Holmes traveled to Rome at the request of the British government (Watson was otherwise engaged during this adventure). The theft is followed by murder, and the Pope and Holmes join forces in order to find the stolen artwork and salvage the Vatican’s diplomatic efforts.
“The Vatican Cameos” allows for some rather interesting character development on Holmes’s part. Holmes begins the tale as an extreme rationalist who is unabashedly hostile to all things Catholic. Throughout the investigation, the Pope and Holmes debate logic, faith, reason, and eventually develop a sincere respect for each other. Pope Leo XIII does not make a convert in this tale, but he does make a friend and ally.
A famous Chesterton character also makes a cameo appearance in “The Vatican Cameos.” A Deacon Brown, soon to be fully ordained as a priest, delivers the Pope’s manuscript to Watson at the start of the story. Father Brown plays a much more central role in “The Second Coptic Patriarch,” where a bumbling Inspector Lestrade falsely accuses the good father of murder. A disguised Flambeau recruits Holmes to clear Father Brown’s name, although Holmes, who knows all about Flambeau’s felonious activities, sees right through the make-up. There is a slight disconnect between the chronology in Lewis’s stories and Chesterton’s original Father Brown mysteries (“Coptic Patriarch” is set long before “The Flying Stars,” and Flambeau’s conversion and rehabilitation are made explicit in Lewis’s tale), but these issues should not distract from an otherwise enjoyable story.
Chesterton is not the only mystery writer to have a character appear in these stories. There is an oblique reference to a super-short story by Dorothy L. Sayers, published only in the now out-of-print collection Sayers on Holmes. Originally a brief radio monologue called “A Tribute to Sherlock Holmes on the Occasion of his 100th Birthday,” this rare tale tells how when Lord Peter Wimsey was a little boy, he visited Holmes in order to help him find his missing pet cat. It would be interesting to know how many of Lewis’s readers would have known about this obscure little reference.
Murder in the Vatican is highly recommended not just for fans of Sherlock Holmes, but also for fans of historical fiction and people who would like to see the Catholic Church portrayed in a highly favorable light. Lewis does a creditable job of mimicking Doyle’s prose style, and the tales are full of theological and historical details without ever appearing preachy or forced. Given the plethora of “untold” Holmes stories, Lewis has plenty of material for some follow-up stories. For the sake of mystery fans everywhere, I hope that Lewis keeps writing.
This review first appeared in Gilbert!
