In my new-found identity as an official Sherlockian (BSI investiture: “The Red Circle”) I’ve been talking to über-Sherlockian Les Klinger about a couple of projects.  One of them is a touch specialized, although I’ll be posting about it closer to its pub date.  But the other is going to be such a blast, I have to shout about it now.

Question: What do these people have in common? (other than being great writers)—

Alan Bradley

Tony Broadbent

Jan Burke

Lionel Chetwynd

Lee Child

Colin Cotterill

Michael Dirda

Neil Gaiman

Laura Lippman

Gayle Lynds

Philip Margolin

Margaret Maron

T. Jefferson Parker

Thomas Perry

S. J. Rozan

Dana Stabenow

Charles Todd

Answer: They’ve all agreed to write a story for Studies in Sherlock, edited by Les Klinger and Laurie R. King:

In 19th century England, a new kind of hero—a consulting detective—blossomed in the mind of an underemployed doctor and ignited the world’s imagination.  In the thirteen decades since the Sherlock Holmes archetype appeared, countless variations on that theme have been played, everything from Mary Russell to Greg House, from ‘Basil of Baker Street’ to the new BBC Holmes in the Internet age.

Now, writers like the above don’t usually “do” Sherlock Holmes.  Which is precisely why we asked them, because we suspected that they had, lurking in the backs of their minds, stories that play variations on the Holmes theme.

All we’ve asked is that they let the Holmes stories inspire them.  We might get a straight Holmes pastiche, or a story about Mycroft or Mrs Hudson or Billy the page.  The story might take place in Victorian Baker Street or Mughal India or on the first manned flight to Mars.  We may get one or two graphic tales.

Oh, this is going to be such fun!

Studies in Sherlock.  Look for it from Random House books, Christmas 2011.