At first glance it may seem that there is little similarity or connection between Mr Sherlock Holmes and young Harry Potter, the celebrated trainee wizard. 

But as Alan Perry reveals in his illuminating article, first glances are not always to be relied upon. It is clear to me that one link seems to be that the two characters, each created at the end of two different centuries, have fascinated the public far beyond the wildest dreams of their authors. 

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle once wrote that the Holmes stories were designed for the boy who is half a man and the man is half a boy. Surely the same could be said of Harry Potter.

Contents

1. SHERLOCK HOLMES - OFFICIAL AGENT 
   Paul M Chapman on Holmes and the establishment
2. HARRY POTTER - WIZARD DETECTIVE
   Alan Perry discovers a connection between J K Rowling’s wizard creation and the famous detective
3. SHADOWS IN THE FOG 
   The second instalment of Paul M Chapman’s series about Jack the Ripper
4. UNDER THE GASLIGHT 
   In Roger Forsdyke’s regular column he focuses this issue on Victorian young offenders
5. BODY OF EVIDENCE 
   Calum McLeod analyses the work of Kath Reichs
6. MARLOWE ON SCREEN 
   Part two of M J Elliott’s series on Chandler’s detective
7. CANONICAL INTRODUCTIONS 
   Introducing the story of "The Sussex Vampire" as it first appeared in The Strand magazine
8. THE OTHER DETECTIVES 
   Robert Sanderson is mystified by Harley Quin
9. FARO AND THE BOGUS INSPECTOR 
   A Victorian detective mystery by Alanna Knight
10. JOHN HAWKESWORTH 
11. THE LADY OF THE HOUSE 
    John Hall continues is quest to discover the real Mrs Hudson
12. GETTING AWAY WITH MURDER
    Martin Edwards on writing crime fiction
13. PLANETARY, MY DEAR WATSON 
    Robert Sanderson explores the link between Star Trek’s Mr Spock and Sherlock Holmes
14. MY SLEUTH 
    Barbara Cleverley give us the lowdown on Joe Sandilands
15. SLEUTHING THE SHELVES
    Kathryn White and her team of reviewers cast their eyes over the latest crime fiction
16. DVD CALENDAR
17. SHERLOCK STATESIDE 
    Pat Ward on what’s new in the US
18. CHRISTMAS IN BAKER STREET
    Gavin Collinson reviews two Blue Carbuncles
19. MYSTERY: CAUGHT IN THE NET
    Bob Byrne goes surfing for more crime and detective fictions Web sites
20. NEWS DESK
21. THE AGONY COLUMN
    Conducted by Roger Forsdyke
22. MORIARTY’S MUTTERINGS
    The irascible columnist and his regular rantings