John David Duke Jr » Podcast

The Continuation of The Adventures of Sigegard Ainsworth, a pastiche of Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot. An excerpt: “Our journey was slowed considerably by the thaws and storms of June. New grasses covered over many sinkholes in that vast, abandoned land, but by the grace of Sofia, we completed the trek in only a number […]

The Continuation of The Adventures of Sigegard Ainsworth, a pastiche of Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot. Chapter Four: In which the thief is revealed as a friend of Tsar Ivan, and the ruby reveals its power to heal. An Excerpt “With my eyes, I swear it,” said Fyodor. “Andrey Shemyaka appeared in the marketplace, and […]

An excerpt: When it was reported to Simon that Ivan had set a watch, he nodded, but his ministers witnessed a twitch in his eyebrow, that they rose a bit in evidence of some minor alarm. He called for Pyotr, the chief minister, the man overseeing the guard. “Pyotr, my son,” Simon said, “The tsar […]

The Continuation of The Adventures of Sigegard Ainsworth, a pastiche of Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot. Chapter Two: In which Ivan argues with Simon concerning the provenance of the ruby, but despite his protestation, his wife Sofia dies and the pendant asserts its power. An Excerpt: The ministers saw that Ivan’s eyes now burned red, […]

The Continuation of The Adventures of Sigegard Ainsworth, a pastiche of Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot. Chapter One: In which Ivan the Great gives his wife a gift to acknowledge her sanctity and, more importantly, her power. An excerpt: With those words, he presented her with the pendant, opened, cradled in both his hands, not […]

A mystery serial presented as a contemporary homage to Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot. Chapter Ten: In which we make our narrow escape from our prospective murderers. An excerpt: “Do you have your pistol, my dear John?” he asked, looking at me. I patted my right pocket. “Good man,” he said. I objected. “It is […]

An excerpt: “Liars and thieves,” Sige said. “And now murderers. That world is at once very true and also pure fiction. I wonder if there’s anything in that aesthetic which might be considered true: murderers born of lies and thievery. Would it be that such careful thieves created a logic within their lies which is […]

An excerpt: “What are you talking about?” I said. “Your client is dead! I mean, now what?” “The doctor has also already vaporized.” “Vaporized?” I said. “How do you mean?” “I suppose he also is dead or a long way from the arm of the American law,” Sige replied. “I must admit that I’m terribly […]

An excerpt: In a lovely baritone, and full of the plenipotentiary authority of the law itself, he intoned a few introductory passages, according to form, looked over my paperwork, then asked ineluctably, “Do you know why I’ve pulled you over?” “Drinking and driving?” I proffered. “What? No, I pulled you over for failing to signal,” […]

An excerpt: “By all means, eat,” he said. “It’s just that…” I hesitated. “It’s just that I’ve been eating a lot of garbage for a while. Pizza is a luxury now, while my wife and kids stay with her parents.” “At least tell me the garbage you’ve been eating is name brand.” I hung my […]

An Excerpt: “I think I’m following,” I said. “Good fellow!” Sige said. “Mrs. Ciminelli further claims that her suspicions were aroused merely by a woman’s intuition. I remember her expression clearly: ‘I simply wasn’t feeling unwell.’” “They want her out of the house,” I said. “At a particular time of day—a predictable time of day. […]

An Excerpt “So,” I said. “A private detective, but not a Seamus. Are you in the line of Sherlock Holmes?[1]” “Pff,” Sige retorted, furrowing his brow. “The marvel of Sherlock Holmes is not his genius, but his encyclopedic capacity. Moreover, the thrill of the storytelling is not in the method of the character, but in […]

A mystery serial presented as an homage to Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot. Chapter Two: In which we make the acquaintance of my friend Sige, who has taken up the vocation of private detective in the morose corner of the world known as Western New York. Excerpt I said. “Your hosts have good taste in […]

A mystery serial presented as an homage to Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot. Chapter One: In which we meet my singular friend Sige who lives not too far from me, as I met him while introducing myself door-to-door. Excerpt: In my mind, it seems incumbent—I’m at a loss for any other way to express it—what […]

An Excerpt: Sherri hung up the phone. “John Cyril is coming here!” “You don’t say…” said Tom. “Do you need to go home to change into your poodle skirt?” Sherri gave Tom another dirty look. “You’re just jealous he went to college and became a doctor.” “Shucks,” said Tom, “anybody can go to college. It […]

Please consider becoming a patron. An excerpt: She giggled and threw a pillow at him as he left the room. She sat up and began to dress, looking into the mirror as she did. “You’re a beautiful girl,” she heard her father say. “Such a beautiful girl.” But then Mom left him, and he didn’t […]

Please consider becoming a patron An Excerpt “I can’t afford it,” he said. About eight years later, both mothers-in-law came together over lunch to jubilate over the accomplishment of a nest egg so that Diane could start nesting. “Is it a boy?” Diane’s mother asked. “Is it a girl?” Jack’s mother asked. “It’s a grandbaby!” […]

Please consider becoming a patron. An excerpt: Dad shuffled out of the house, grabbing his jacket as he went out the door, started the car, and Mom hustled after him. They drove away into a light gray afternoon. Then it was a drive to a urologist. Then it was a drive to Roswell Park Cancer […]

Please consider becoming a patron. An Excerpt In the main hall of the History Museum hung an oversized copy of Evelyn De Morgan’s Helen of Troy.  Every man entering paused before the painting to remember, then  proceeded to the exhibition areas of the museum to begin drinking and  singing and forgetting. They did this forgetting […]

Please consider becoming a patron. An excerpt: He lifted his eyes up from the path, turning his body so that the roar of the rushing waters was to his right, far below him, now louder than the applauding trees. Up he meant to climb, but he was looking for the lightning-struck stump. A generation ago […]