Houdini did mention Sherlock Holmes in his 1906 book The Right Way to Do Wrong, an exposé of the work of con men and criminals, when he described a particularly baffling jewel theft that took place in a locked train van as it travelled from London to Scotland. It's a method that is still in use today. In fact many of the tricks and hustles that Houdini described are still in the repertoire of the criminal and we used them as inspiration for many of the stunts in The Real Hustle television series for the BBC.
The observant will also spot something in Houdini's book relevant to the short story. I won't spell it out here because it will spoil the mystery but Houdini said it was originated by an 'English crook.' You'll find it on page 61 of The Right Way to Do Wrong. I like to think that in an alternate universe Houdini learned of the method from his visit with Sherlock Holmes.
You can find my short story as a Kindle book on Amazon. Read it on any device with a Kindle App. If you are an Amazon Prime member, you can even read it for free on Kindle Unlimited. Happy Halloween.
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