The Continuation of The Adventures of Sigegard Ainsworth, a pastiche of Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot. An excerpt: “Our journey was slowed considerably by the thaws and storms of June. New grasses covered over many sinkholes in that vast, abandoned land, but by the grace of Sofia, we completed the trek in only a number […]

The Continuation of The Adventures of Sigegard Ainsworth, a pastiche of Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot. Chapter Four: In which the thief is revealed as a friend of Tsar Ivan, and the ruby reveals its power to heal. An Excerpt “With my eyes, I swear it,” said Fyodor. “Andrey Shemyaka appeared in the marketplace, and […]

The Continuation of The Adventures of Sigegard Ainsworth, a pastiche of Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot. Chapter Three: In which the sacrilege of the desecration of Sofia’s grave is committed by a graverobber, a deacon standing secret guard rescues the pendant, and then is murdered in the abbey that very night. An excerpt: When it […]

The Continuation of The Adventures of Sigegard Ainsworth, a pastiche of Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot. Chapter Two: In which Ivan argues with Simon concerning the provenance of the ruby, but despite his protestation, his wife Sofia dies and the pendant asserts its power. An Excerpt: The ministers saw that Ivan’s eyes now burned red, […]

The Continuation of The Adventures of Sigegard Ainsworth, a pastiche of Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot. Chapter One: In which Ivan the Great gives his wife a gift to acknowledge her sanctity and, more importantly, her power. An excerpt: With those words, he presented her with the pendant, opened, cradled in both his hands, not […]

A mystery serial presented as a contemporary homage to Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot. Chapter Ten: In which we make our narrow escape from our prospective murderers. An excerpt: “Do you have your pistol, my dear John?” he asked, looking at me. I patted my right pocket. “Good man,” he said. I objected. “It is […]

A mystery serial presented as a contemporary homage to Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot. Chapter Nine: In which we reason our way through our shock, finding truth in fiction, and also finding a sinister self-evident truth about the murderers of Mrs. Ciminelli. An excerpt: “Liars and thieves,” Sige said. “And now murderers. That world is […]

A mystery serial presented as a contemporary homage to Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot. Chapter Eight: In which I inadvertently discover Sige’s conscience after Mrs. Ciminelli dies. An excerpt: “What are you talking about?” I said. “Your client is dead! I mean, now what?” “The doctor has also already vaporized.” “Vaporized?” I said. “How do […]

A mystery serial presented as a contemporary homage to Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot. Chapter Seven: In which I encounter Johnny Law and we thereby learn that Sige has a formal relationship with state law enforcement. An excerpt: In a lovely baritone, and full of the plenipotentiary authority of the law itself, he intoned a […]

A mystery serial presented as an homage to Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot. Chapter Five in which I commit myself to becoming Sige’s amanuensis and sidekick and we discover a shared loathing of craft beers. An excerpt: “By all means, eat,” he said. “It’s just that…” I hesitated. “It’s just that I’ve been eating a […]