The Great Bacon Scandal

By Annette Siketa

Holmes has a devoted listener when he tells Mrs Hudson a curious tale about two brothers and a dubious inheritance.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Annette Siketa
• Release date: Apr 13, 2020
• ISBN: 9780463759738

Annette Siketa

For those of you who have not yet made my acquaintance, my name is Annette Siketa, and I am totally blind. Were you aware that most blind and visually impaired people are extraordinarily perceptive? To sighted people, this ability must seem like ESP, and I suppose to a certain extent, it is. (I'm referring to the literal meaning of Extra Sensory Perception, not the spooky interpretation.) To compensate for the lack of vision, the brain and the other four senses become sharper, so that we can discern a smell or the identity of an object. I promise you there's no trickery involved. It's simply a matter of adapting the body to ‘think’ in another way.Being blind is no barrier to creativity. Like most things in this world, life is what you make of it, and after losing my sight due to an eye operation that went terribly wrong, I became a writer, and have now produced a wide variety of books and short stories, primarily of the ghost/supernatural/things that go bump in the night genre.So, how does a blind person write a book? On the practical side, I use a text-to-speech program called ‘Jaws’, which enables me to use and navigate around a computer, including the Internet, with considerable ease. Information on Jaws can be found at www.freedomscientific.comOn the creative side...well, that’s a little more difficult to explain. Try this experiment. Put on your favourite movie and watch it blindfolded. As you already ‘know’ the movie – who does what where & when etc, your mind compensates for the lack of visualisation by filling in the ‘blanks’. Now try it with something you’ve never seen before, even the six o'clock news. Not so easy to fill in the blanks now is it?By this point you’re probably going bonkers with frustration – hee hee, welcome to my world! Do not remove the blindfold. Instead, allow your imagination to compensate for the lack of visualization, and this will give you an idea of how I create my stories. Oh, if only Steven Spielberg could read my mind.

Book preview

THE GREAT BACON SCANDAL

by Annette Siketa. Based on the characters created by Arthur Conan Doyle

Copyright © 2020 Annette Siketa.

No part of this book may be manipulated, transmitted, or altered by any method or manner whatsoever. All rights reserved. Please respect the authors’ rights. Only through honesty can the insidious practice of illegal copying be curbed.

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Contents.

The Great Bacon Scandal.

Other Books & Freebies.

Extra Story! The Flip Side.

Extract from 'GHOSTLAND'.

About Me.

(From ‘The Failures of Sherlock Holmes’. See further below for details.)

I was very alarmed when I came downstairs the next morning. Holmes was sitting at the breakfast table as usual, but his appearance had changed for the worse during the night. His breath rattled in his chest, and his eyes shone brightly out of darkened sockets. I also noticed that one of the scratches on his face was not healing as well as the others.

He looked and sounded very ill. Nevertheless, he still retained his jauntiness of manner, particularly when Mrs Hudson entered and asked in a significant manner if he had liked the bacon.

As a matter of fact, said he, I thought it was rather salty. Was the pan previously used to cook fish?

Of course not, she replied indignantly. My kitchen is scrupulously clean. You may inspect it for yourself any time you wish.

Holmes smiled at her. My dear lady, you misunderstand me. I meant no sleight on your domestic virtue. But, you obviously asked the question for a reason.

Seemingly mollified she explained, Personally, all bacon tastes the same to me, but this was a new brand the butcher recommended.

Holmes chuckled. And so you thought you would use us as culinary guinea pigs?

Oh, no, sir! she responded, aghast.

I thought it was very nice, said I, reaching for the last slice of toast.

Thank you, sir.

Holmes looked at her curiously for a moment. Was it by chance Taverner’s bacon?

Taverner’s? Our good landlady bristled as though Holmes had said a dirty word. I wouldn’t buy that muck. Too fatty and too thick, and I’m sure there’s more than pork in their sausages.

Shall I tell you a story about Taverner’s? asked he. Ah, but perhaps I interrupt your domestic duties.

Mrs Hudson put down the dishes she had collected. I’m sure I can spare you five minutes, she said kindly.

Good. Pull up a chair and pour yourself a cup of tea.

Thank you, sir, I will.

Holmes waited until she’d settled herself before saying, "It was a most curious case. I don't wonder that the Manchester police were baffled, for there were actually two crimes - the murder of a solicitor, John Cambridge, and the forged will of William Taverner, whose estate was worth over £2,000,000.

"Mr Taverner had two sons, Percival and Browning. The latter was the younger son. He was refined, well educated, good looking, a splendid dancer and an accomplished rider. Not surprisingly, he was the darling of his social set and an excellent ‘catch’ in the matrimonial stakes.

"The elder son, Percival, was equally accomplished. However, he was rather dissolute, particularly when