Let's say, she examines a murder victim whose corpse provides more questions than answers. Unable to come to any conclusions, and with the Yard baffled, she remembers the old stories her family told her about great-grandad's best friend, and that that legendary detective has a descendant who shares his interests, and who ALSO has a reputation with the police, although not one nearly so respectful.
I picture the new Holmes as having grown up roughly, on the streets of London. He might have military service in his record...perhaps as an Enlisted SAS operator.
I can improve on that. A Chessman.
In his mid-thirties now, he has educated himself well, and makes a comfortable living in his work. He has the legendary deductive skills, talent for disguise, and scientific knowledge of his forebear, but also the street-smarts that came with his youth on the mean streets. Although he also has classical knowledge, he has yet to lose his Cockney accent, or his willingness to use fists as well as his brains, a facet of him which proves surprising and somewhat dangerous to the proper Ms. Watson.
Clearly, he spent enough time around the Sasmen to have picked up some of their ways. You happen to have read Freddy Forsyth's compilation *The Veteran?* If not, give the title story a good read, and check out *The Miracle* while you're at it.
