Mortimer Tregennis himself) before Holmes has enough evidence to piece together the final solution. It’ll take a second murder (this time Mr. Despite Watson’s objections, Holmes takes up the case, and soon discovers that what should be elementary is actually quite complex. Mortimer Tregennis, then seeks Holmes’ aid in uncovering what devilry has claimed the life of his sister, and the sanity of his two brothers. Holmes goes only reluctantly, but his spirits are soon lifted, for shortly into their visit to Cornwall a sinister murder is committed. When Sherlock Holmes’ constitution takes a turn for the worse, Watson forces him to take an extended vacation in the country. The story was first published in December of 1910. Watson collaborates this date, telling us that the story took place in the spring of 1897, and then thrice mentioning the month of March. Sadly, I am unable to find any images of the scenes I’ve described from this particular episode.Baring-Gould dates The Adventure of the Devil’s Foot in March of 1897. To this day that scene still creeps me out. Needless to say that when I saw this little tableau on the screen I calmly got up, walked to my room, and didn’t watch MYSTERY! again until I was at least 17 or 18. This episode aired the one night I chose to watch with my parents after they had been raving about how good the series was and how much I would like it. One of the brothers is rocking back and forth in a chair muttering to himself and the other is grabbing his head while white foam comes pouring out of his mouth. When Holmes is notified of the deaths it flashes to a shot of the siblings sitting around a table in the living room, just as they had been the night before, but this time the women is slumped over to one side, clearly dead, her hands frozen into place around her neck and her eyes almost completely rolled back into her head. The episode is entitled “Devil’s Foot” and the mystery involves three people, a sister, who had apparently been literally scared to death, and her two brothers who had been driven mad by whatever had killed the sister. One episode in particular of THE RETURN OF SHERLOCK HOLMES starring the fabulous JEREMY BRETT remains seared into my mind after all these years.

I adore MYSTERY! now, but when I was little there was nothing more terrifying than Sherlock Holmes, Miss Marple, or Poirot solving brutal murders. My parents were huge fans and every Sunday night at 8 I distinctly remember running into my room and slamming the door shut as soon as I heard the strains of the opening theme and the EDWARD GOREY illustrated opening credits flashing across the television screen. Searching through your archives it seems that no one has brought up PBS’s famous MYSTERY! program.

Sherlock holmes the devil's foot