Lindsey Fitzharris — Sleuth-Hound: The Case of the Real Sherlock Holmes - with Raychelle Burks
Lindsey Fitzharris presents *Sleuth-Hound: The Case of the Real Sherlock Holmes*, the true story of Joseph Bell, the Edinburgh surgeon whose remarkable powers of observation helped inspire Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes. Bell could infer a patient’s occupation, habits, and ailments from subtle details, and his work eventually carried him from hospital wards into courtroom investigations and the criminal underworld of Victorian Britain.
Fitzharris explores Bell’s forensic investigations, including his collaboration with police surgeon Henry Duncan Littlejohn, ballistics specialist Dr. Watson, and Conan Doyle himself. Bell investigated murders, poisonings, child killings, and the search for Jack the Ripper, using clues such as scratches, cigar ash, and a person’s gait to reconstruct crimes and pursue justice. Fitzharris will discuss the book with Raychelle Burks, a forensic-science researcher and science communicator whose work includes field detection methods for controlled substances and latent fingerprints.
When: Saturday, November 14, 2026
Showtimes: The event begins at 3:00 p.m.
Tickets: Free admission, with seating available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Venue: Politics and Prose at 5015 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
Lineup: Lindsey Fitzharris presents the book and appears in conversation with Raychelle Burks.
Presenter: Lindsey Fitzharris is the author of *The Butchering Art* and *The Facemaker*. She holds a Ph.D. in the History of Science and Medicine from Oxford University, writes for publications including the *Wall Street Journal*, *Scientific American*, the *Guardian*, and *The Lancet*, and hosts the Smithsonian Channel series *The Curious Life and Death of…*
Guest: Raychelle Burks previously worked in a crime laboratory before returning to academia, teaching, and forensic-science research. She was selected as a 2026–2027 Fulbright U.S. Scholar for Australia, writes the “Trace Analysis” column for *Chemistry World*, and frequently discusses chemistry, forensic science, and STEM in popular culture on television, podcasts, and at conventions. She received the American Chemical Society’s 2020 Grady-Stack Award for Interpreting Chemistry for the Public.
Book: *Sleuth-Hound: The Case of the Real Sherlock Holmes* is available in hardcover for $30.00. The book’s publication date is October 20, 2026, and its ISBN is 9780374609498.
Run time: Not specified.
Ages: Not specified.
Accessibility: To request accommodations or ask about accessibility, email events@politics-prose.com, ideally at least one week before the event. The venue will make an effort to accommodate requests received up to the event time.