A blue plaque for J.S. Fletcher.

The Pontefract [UK] Civic Society announced the placement of a blue Heritage Plaque at Denby Farm, the childhood home of mystery writer J.S. Fletcher (1863–1935; author of The Middle Temple Murder [1919], etc.). In the February 1933 issue of American Mercury, Fletcher—seeking to address a question regarding his output vs. that of Edgar Wallace—reported that he had published 233 books, according to the British Museum. 

J.S. Fletcher, ca. 1912. 
Wikimedia Commons

2025 lectures on Arthur Conan Doyle.

Arthur Conan Doyle, 
NYPL

If you missed this year's lectures related to Arthur Conan Doyle (hosted by the Conan Doyle Collection in Plymouth, UK), you can now watch them online:

• "Conan Doyle: Adventurous Life, Enduring Memories" (Burt Wolder. Although the label on this states "Marriage and Divorce," it's actually the "Adventurous Life" presentation)
  
  
• "Conan Doyle: Marriage and Divorce" (Jonathan Cranfield. Although the label on this states "Adventurous Life," it's actually the "Marriage and Divorce" presentation)
  
  
• "Conan Doyle: Misquoter" (Sheldon Goldfarb)
  
  
• "If Arthur Conan Doyle Met Charles Dickens" (Clifford Goldfarb)

For summaries of the lecture topics, go here. 

40th anniv ed., Young Sherlock Holmes score.

As Scott Bettencourt notes in Film Score Friday, Intrada has issued a 40th anniversary edition of the score by Bruce Broughton for Young Sherlock Holmes (1985, dir. Barry Levinson, perf. Nicholas Rowe as Sherlock Holmes). For more information or to listen to some excerpts, go here.

Film Music Friday: David Raksin.

Kansas Public Radio's Film Music Friday recently featured the music of composer David Raksin, including his haunting theme for Laura (1944) and music for The Big Combo (1955).

From left: Gene Tierney, Clifton Webb, and Dana Andrews in Laura (1944)