Keith Oatley

The Case Of Emily V. (2003)
Story Type: Pastiche narrated by Emily Vincent, Freud and Watson
Canonical Characters: Sherlock Holmes; Dr. Watson; Mrs. Hudson; Mycroft Holmes
Historical Characters: Sigmund Freud
Other Characters: Emily Vincent; Charles S.; Sara Rosenthal; Bertha; Dr Woolf; Mr. Jones; Diogenes Footman; Diogenes Members; Diogenes Butler; Mrs S's Maid; Catherine S.; Cabbie; Mrs Mountjoy; S's Mistress; Herr Kydorf; Frau König; Sara's Maid; The Psychological Wednesday Society; Constable; Lotte; Coachman; Railway Official; Ticket Inspector; Trient Porter; English Family; Cab Driver
(Sara's Cook; Sara's Father; Emily's Friend; Emily's Father; Emily's Mother; Caroline; Emily's Governess; Sara's Servant; Thornton; Watson's Colleague; Charles's Colleague; Colleague's Wife; Augustus Pemberton; Oberlander; Oberlander's Secretary; Von Oldenburg; Headmistress; Boy; Stadt London Hotel Chambermaid; Zwierschütz Waiter; Ida; Ida's Friend; Kitchenmaid; Hotel Manager; Telegraph Clerk; Grosvenor Porter; Stadt London Night Porter)
Date: 12th May, 1904 - 1916
Locations: Vienna; Sara's House; Berggasse; Freud's House; Emily's Apartment; G---------; A Mountain; 221B, Baker Street; Hospital Library; Baker Street; St Marylebone High Street; Restaurant; Diogenes Club; Pall Mall; B-------; S's House; Clifton Gardens; Edgware Road; Regent's Park; Hotel Imperial, Vienna; Berlin; Clusius Gasse, Vienna; A Train; Sudbahnhof; Train to Italy; Trient; Medical Bookshop; A Train; Paris; A Hotel; St-Germain Apartment; The Flèche d'Or; Grosvenor Hotel
Story: Emily is sent to Freud by friends who are unaware that she has killed Charles S. Freud reports on her case to the Psychological Wednesday Society. Emily tells in her diary how S., her guardian, a British diplomat, tracked her from England to Vienna, and how he met his death in the mountains, she becomes increasingly scared that Freud will uncover her secret. When she tells Freud about her guardian's childhood abuse of her, he is sceptical. She also shares the details of her therapy and past with her friend Sara. Her fears become worse when the body is discovered. She finds herself becoming closer to Sara, who she tells of the death of S. Emily and Sara plan to deliberately mislead Freud regarding the nature of Emily's problem.

Watson takes up a study of psychopathology in the belief that he can help Holmes during his bouts of melancholia. Holmes and Watson travel to Vienna at the request of the Foreign Office to investigate S's death. Mycroft believes he may have been assassinated by German intelligence agents. He also asks Holmes to contact Emily who he regards as a possible recruit for his intelligence agency. After interviewing Mrs S. and deducing that Emily is in Austria, and meeting S's mistress, Holmes sets out for Vienna with Watson. He stops off in Berlin to inquire into Oberlander's intelligence agency. In Vienna he sets about locating Emily. Emily becomes worried when she learns that he is looking for her. Holmes discovers evidence of s's intelligence activities which suggest he may have been working for the Germans. Sara resolves to deliberately mislead Holmes, and to set up a network of spies at his hotel. Watson attends a lecture by Freud and develops his own reasons for wishing to divert Holmes from solving the case. Sara arranges for the two women to disappear. Holmes meets with Freud and learns more about the case and about himself, in return Freud learns more about Emily.

Holmes brings the case in Vienna to an unsatisfactory conclusion, and expresses his admiration for Sara as an adversary. He still retains doubts about the circumstances of S's death. He encourages Watson to send his account of the case to Sara and Emily, now living together after fleeing to Paris. Emily still worries about her part in the events and Holmes's intentions, and Sara forces a confrontation upon her friend in London, and herself strikes a deal with Holmes and Watson.