How to Diagnose a Plot Problem (Patreon)

The issue is that I think of Holmes as a crime fighter, not a war fighter, or a spy fighter. I’m sure there are stories where Holmes wheedles out spies. It’s just saying it’s not what he’s primarily known for. It’s like having a movie where James Bond hunts down tax cheats. Or a comic where Lt. Aldo Raine from Inglorious Basterds solves a murder. Or a novel where George Smiley exposes rigged carnival games.

I’m not saying I wouldn’t enjoy all of those stories. I very much would. I’m just saying they would seem weird.