Characters
- Basil of Baker Street: "The Sherlock Holmes of the Mouse World". Very similar to Sherlock Holmes (who sometimes used the alias Basil, as in "The Adventure of Black Peter"), but unlike his namesake, he cannot play the violin well at all. Instead he plays the flute, as revealed in Basil and the Lost Colony. His personal hobbies include archery, archaeology, and mountaineering. Eve Titus gave him the name "Basil" in honor of actor Basil Rathbone, who donned the role of Sherlock Holmes numerous times.
- Dr. David Q. Dawson - his personal biographer; based on Dr. John H. Watson from the Sherlock Holmes stories. He is a lover of all sorts of cheeses.
- Professor Padraic Ratigan - Basil's archenemy and a master criminal; based on Professor James Moriarty from the Sherlock Holmes story "The Final Problem". Although his name is "Ratigan", in the book series he is a mouse.
- Captain Doran - Ratigan's lieutenant; based on Colonel Sebastian Moran from the Sherlock Holmes story "The Adventure of the Empty House".
- Mlle. Relda - a beautiful opera singer; based on Irene Adler from the Sherlock Holmes story "A Scandal in Bohemia". Basil seems to have romantic feelings for Relda but not much is shown in the books as to their relationship, much like Adler and Holmes's relationship.
- Mrs. Judson - Basil's housekeeper, based on Mrs. Hudson from the Sherlock Holmes stories. She makes an excellent cheese souffle.
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—Luigi Pirandello (1867–1936)
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That is different. They are characters beyond
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“A criminal trial is like a Russian novel: it starts with exasperating slowness as the characters are introduced to a jury, then there are complications in the form of minor witnesses, the protagonist finally appears and contradictions arise to produce drama, and finally as both jury and spectators grow weary and confused the pace quickens, reaching its climax in passionate final argument.”
—Clifford Irving (b. 1930)