In this Sherlock Holmes parody/pastiche, Holmes reveals to Watson how he discovered the true identity of a German POW in Norway. The story is based on real events. — It was the summer of 1931 and at the invitation of my friend Sherlock Holmes, I had gone to Sussex to stay with him for a fortnight. …

I discovered this graphic novel a few weeks after listening to Dr Emily Mayhew’s talk about stretcher bearers on the Western Front. This serendipity convinced me to read it, and I was not disappointed. Author and illustrator Reid Beaman’s first book is an artistically strong effort with a focus…

At the end of February 2022, two techbros — let’s call them Dave and Mike — decided that their next million-dollar venture would take place within the realm of knitting. …

This review contains spoilers. La Dernière Ombre (The Final Shadow) by Denis-Pierre Filippi and Gaspard Yvan is set in Russia. Although neither the month nor the year are specified, I think it may be spring 1917. …

Yes, I’m a Luddite, why do you ask? — I first read Frank Herbert’s novel Dune in the spring of 2003. At the time, the United States was in the process of invading Iraq. Of course, with that kind of context, the book seemed first and foremost a commentary on colonialism, oil dependency, and realpolitik. In recent years, however…

In March 2022, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge — aka Prince William and his wife Kate — visited Belize, Jamaica, and the Bahamas as part of Queen Elizabeth II’s jubilee celebrations. Among other things, William and Kate faced criticism as representatives of these countries’ former colonial overlord; their decision…

The British royal family has too many members at loose ends and on the public purse. The solution to this problem is simple: fob them off to rule other countries where the British monarch is already head of state. — What a ridiculous idea, I hear you say. As a republican, I don’t disagree. This article is more of a thought experiment than a serious suggestion. …

For the past ten days, the pandemic has been forgotten. So has skiing — almost. Instead, the Ukrainian war has been front and centre on Norwegian news. Here are five reasons why Norwegians care so much about it. Geographic Proximity and Geopolitics Ukraine is geographically part of Europe. Its physical closeness makes people aware…

This review contains spoilers. — Does the idea of chess champion Magnus Carlsen as a detective in a murder mystery leave your suspension of disbelief hanging by a fraying thread? Then brace yourself, because it’s not the only crazy premise in Aleksander Kirkwood Brown and John S. Jamtli’s Magnus Carlsen and the Chess Killer. …