He liked waterboarding and other forms of torture, too

Not much one for humor, was Conan Doyle, though, in "The Poison Band" her foreshadows Wodehouse's Jeeves, shimmering in and out of drawing rooms:

"Austin!" said his master.

"Yes, sir?"

"I thank you for your faithful service." A smile stole over the servant's gnarled face.

"I've done my duty, sir."

"Yes, sir. What time, sir?"

"I can't say, Austin. Before evening."

"Very good, sir."

The Guardian reviews a new biography of the creator of Sherlock Holmes here.