We return to the new BBC production of The Hound of the Baskervilles. Having now aired in Britain, Canada, and the USA, Bert Coules analuses the critical repsonses to the film and airs his own opinions too. Bert, of course, has wide experience of writing Holmes drama...

Oveall, the critical reaction to The Hound has been mixed. I liked the film in general but was severely disappointed by the lead players. They certainly weren’t my Holmes and Watson. However, it was good to see a Sherlock Holmes production receiving such a high profile and being transmitted at peak viewing time in Britain...

Contents

1. HOWLS IN THE NIGHT 
   Bert Coules appraises the responses to the BBC’s Hound of the Baskervilles
2. PSYCHO AND BEYOND 
   The second part of Paul M Chapman’s series on serial killers
3. THE PRIVATE LIFE OF SHERLOCK HOLMES 
   Gavin Collinson reviews Gene Wilder’s classic rendition of the Private Life of Sherlock Holmes
4. THE SHERLOCK AWARDS 
   This year’s nominations for the coveted detective fiction awards are revealed
5. CANONICAL INTRODUCTIONS 
   First published in the Strand in December 1913, The Dying Detective, has Holmes on the verge of death
6. BODY OF EVIDENCE 
   Calum McLeod meets the dangerous Martina Cole in his regular look at contemporary crime writers
7. SHERLOCK STATESIDE 
   Pat Ward with the latest from the USA
8. TELLY ’TECS 
   Cop in a mac: part two of M J Elliott’s feature on Columbo
9. BODY IN A BAG 
   A Johnny Ace story by Ron Ellis
10. THE OTHER DETECTIVES 
    Robert Sanderson investigates Dirk Gently, Douglas Adams’ unconventional mystery hero
11. SLEUTHING THE SHELVES 
    This issue’s batch of new books, edited by Kathryn White
12. CROSS-DRESSED TO KILL 
    Transvestism and the world of Sherlock Holmes as seen by Richard Valley
13. GETTING AWAY WITH MURDER 
    Write about what you know is the universal priece of advice given to aspiring writers, so says Mike Ripley
14. UNDER THE GASLIGHT 
    Roger Forsdyke scrutinises the Maybrick Case in his regular Victorian crime and criminals column
15. THE AGONY COLUMN 
    Compiled by Roger Johnson, incorporating society news with The Baker Street Builders of Los Angelese illuminated by Chuck Kovacic
16. MORIARTY’S MUTTERINGS