Crime itself is not funny but at time the only way to face such horror is try and see the lighter side of it. There is inherent humour in many of the Sherlock Holmes stories and he, along with many other famous sleuths, has been the target of merciless parody.

The theme of humour and crime is touched on in several articles in this issue. Gaynor Coules deals with the work of Sherlock winner Christopher Brookmyre, while Peter Guttridge tackles the subject of comedy from the point of view of practitioner. Indeed, Peter provides us with a highly original tale for our fiction offering... 

Contents

1. THE CRIME FICTION OSCARS 
   Presenting the Sherlock awards
2. HOUND OF THE MOVIES 
   Part two of David Stuart Davies’ review of the celluloid versions of the Hound of the Baskervilles
3. A CASE OF ABSURDITY 
   Paul M Chapman considers Holmes and the Comedy of Crime
4. THE CURSE OF THE HOUND 
   Phil Rickman finds fault with the story’s ending
5. TWO ON FOUR 
   The latest Holmes movie The Sign of Four starring Matt Frewer premiered in March. David Stuart Davies and Bert Coules give their opinions
6. THE OTHER DETECTIVES 
   Oliver Johnson roams around the cases of Marcus Didius Falco, Lindsay davis’ Ancient Roman detective
7. CANONICAL INTRODUCTIONS 
   The Six Napoleons
8. PICK OF THE POIROTS 
   Jared Cade writes on Peril at End House, a much underrated Hercule Poirot tale
9. THE COMIC DETECTIVE 
   Phil Attwell considers the illustrated Sherlock
10. SOUND ALIBI 
    A Rathbone and Bruce adventure by Peter Guttridge
11. SLEUTHING THE SHELVES 
    The reviews section, edited by Kathryn White
12. TELLY ’TECS 
    Alan Perry polishes his halo to meet Roger Moore’s The Saint
13. SHERLOCK STATESIDE 
    Pat Ward with the latest news and views from the USA
14. MYSTERY: CAUGHT IN THE NET 
    Bob Byrne rummages around the Web for more sites of interest
15. SCARLET THREADS 
    Gaynor Coules is amused by Christopher Brookmyre, the winner of a Best Comic Detecive Sherlock in 2000
16. THE MEMOIRS OF SHERLOCK HOLMES 
    David Stuart Davies reviews The Dying Detective
17. GETTING AWAY WITH MURDER 
    Mike Ripley sees the past invading the current crime fiction scene
18. SOCIETIES FORUM 
    Conducted by Roger Johnson, with The Common Loafers illuminated by Aziz Ben Adam
19. MORIARTY’S MUTTERINGS