Something Final This Way Comes Write Your Own Sherlock Lockwood Episode
Something Wonderful This Way
Comes
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Something Wonderful with Hollyhock Books
Blog 11: Something Final This
Way Comes Write Your Own Sherlock Lockwood Episode
By Sophia Salazar,
Editor-in-Chief
Here we are. Another challenge.
We've asked you to write for
Holloway & Graves. We've asked you to write for Percival. Now we're asking
you to step into the hallowed halls of Saint Edwards Boarding School, where
mysteries lurk around every corner and the janitor knows more than he's letting
on.
We're talking about Sherlock
Lockwood-Little.
Age eight and three-quarters.
Hair like its own weather system. Grey eyes that fix on things with an
intensity grown-ups find "unnerving." A school cap that's never
straight because his head moves too fast for fabric to keep up.
His companion: Dickie Pembroke
Watson. Round-faced, rosy-cheeked, built like a friendly Labrador puppy. The
anchor to Sherlock's balloon. The one who writes down the theories in a small,
battered notebook, not because he understands them all, but because he knows
they matter.
And lurking in the shadows: Mr.
Magwath, the janitor, constructed entirely of elbows and suspicion. His cat,
Tobias, a vast ginger tom with one eye and the general demeanour of a retired
prize-fighter.
Their stories are waiting for
you in the Hocksbox collection. Head over to hocksbox.co.uk and
dive into their adventures. Meet these characters. Walk the corridors of Saint
Edwards. Solve cases alongside them. Then come back and write your own.
The Challenge
Write us an episode of Sherlock
Lockwood-Little and the [Your Mystery Here] .
It should be set at Saint
Edwards Boarding School—a place of ancient traditions, questionable porridge,
and more corridors than any child could possibly need. It should feature a
mystery for Sherlock and Dickie to solve. And it should give Mr. Magwath and
Tobias at least a moment of lurking suspicion.
The only rules are these:
- Use the main characters. Sherlock Lockwood-Little
and Dickie Pembroke Watson must be at the centre of the story. They are
the detectives. The case is theirs.
- Include Mr. Magwath and Tobias. They don't have
to be the villains—they might just be lurking, being suspicious, existing
in that way they do. But they should appear.
- Create a mystery. Something has gone missing.
Something strange is happening. Something doesn't add up. Sherlock
notices. Dickie writes it down. They investigate.
- Keep it at Saint Edwards. The school is its own
character—the corridors, the dining hall, the dormitories, the places
where children aren't supposed to go. Use it.
- Keep it age-appropriate. This competition is open
to ages 5-16. The Sherlock stories are cozily mysterious, not truly
frightening. A little spooky is fine. Nightmares are not.
- Make it yours. Use your imagination. Invent new
teachers, new students, new mysteries. Surprise us.
Who Can Enter
This competition is open to
anyone aged 5 to 16.
If you're 5-8, you might dictate
your story to a parent or older sibling. If you're 9-12, you might write it
yourself. If you're 13-16, you might write something longer and more complex.
All ages are welcome.
You can enter individually, or
you can work as a team. Siblings can write together. Friends can collaborate.
Classes can submit group entries. We just need to know who wrote it so we can
credit you properly.
The Prize
If we use your idea—whether as a
full episode, a partial episode, or inspiration for a future story—you'll
receive:
- £50 (or equivalent in your local currency)
- A credit line in the published episode
- A contributor's copy of the episode when it's
published
- Our everlasting gratitude for helping build the
Hocksbox universe
If we receive multiple brilliant
entries, we may choose more than one. If we don't receive anything that quite
fits, we'll hold the competition again another time. But we're hoping to be
overwhelmed with wonderful ideas.
How to Enter
Send your episode to: storymailliterarypost@gmail.com
Include:
- Your name
- Your age
- Your parent or guardian's name and email (if you're under 18)
- Your episode, written in the body of the email or as an
attachment
Deadline: 31st October
2026 (Halloween—a fine day for mysteries)
We'll read every single entry.
We'll respond to as many as we can. And we'll announce the winner(s) here on
the blog and on the Hocksbox website.
Before You Write: Read the
Stories
If you haven't already, go read
the Sherlock Lockwood stories. They're waiting for you at hocksbox.co.uk.
Meet Sherlock. Meet Dickie. Meet
Mr. Magwath and Tobias. Walk the corridors of Saint Edwards. Notice how the
stories work—how the mysteries unfold, how the characters talk, how the school
itself feels like a living place.
There are already many episodes
written. Each one is a doorway into their world. Step through. Explore. Let the
stories soak into you.
The best episodes will come from
writers who know the world. So head over to hocksbox.co.uk and make
yourself at home. Read. Absorb. Imagine yourself there.
Then start writing.
Meet the Detectives
For those who need a quick
reminder, here's who you're writing for.
Sherlock Lockwood-Little is eight and three-quarters. This matters. He would
want you to know. His hair has its own weather system—it does what it wants,
when it wants. His grey eyes fix on things with an intensity that makes
grown-ups uncomfortable. His school cap is never straight. He notices
everything. He deduces constantly. He is, in short, a detective.
Dickie Pembroke Watson is Sherlock's anchor. Round-faced, rosy-cheeked,
built like a friendly Labrador puppy. He can talk to anyone—bullies, matrons,
cooks, even cats—and leave them feeling slightly better about life. He writes
down Sherlock's theories in a small, battered notebook, not because he
understands them all, but because he knows they matter. He is the heart to
Sherlock's head.
Mr. Magwath is the janitor. He is constructed entirely of
elbows, suspicion, and damp grey overalls. His face is set in a permanent
expression of having just discovered a small boy hiding in a cupboard, and
being quietly, terribly pleased about it. He lurks. He watches. He knows
things.
Tobias is Mr. Magwath's cat. A vast, ginger tom with one
eye, a torn ear, and the general demeanour of a retired prize-fighter who still
remembers how to throw a punch. He moves like smoke. He appears like a bad
dream. His remaining eye sees everything, judges everything, and finds most of
it wanting.
The Sherlock Formula
Every Sherlock Lockwood mystery
follows a similar structure. You can use it as a template.
The Opening:
Set the scene at Saint Edwards.
Describe the school—the corridors, the porridge, the ancient traditions.
Introduce the mystery.
The Incident:
Something happens. Something
goes missing. Something strange occurs. Sherlock notices. Dickie writes it
down.
The Investigation:
Sherlock and Dickie gather
clues, interview witnesses, and follow leads. They explore the school—the
places children are allowed, and the places they're not.
The Suspicious Lurking:
Mr. Magwath appears. He says
nothing. He watches. Tobias appears beside him, or on a shelf, or in a shadow.
They exchange a look that suggests they know more than they're saying.
The Deduction:
Sherlock puts the pieces
together. He explains his reasoning to Dickie, who writes it down, trying to
keep up. The solution emerges.
The Confrontation:
They confront the culprit—or
solve the mystery, or reveal the truth. It might be a student. It might be a
teacher. It might be something stranger. Mr. Magwath watches from the shadows.
Tobias cleans a paw.
The Resolution:
Order is restored. The mystery
is solved. Sherlock's cap is still askew. Dickie's notebook has new pages
filled. And somewhere, in the background, Mr. Magwath almost—almost—smiles.
Mystery Ideas to Get You
Started
Not sure what your mystery
should be? Here are some prompts.
The Missing Object Prompt:
Something has vanished. A
prefect's badge. A teacher's favourite chalk. The key to the headmaster's
study. The last remaining jar of legendary marmalade. Who took it? Why? And
what does Mr. Magwath know?
The Strange Occurrence
Prompt:
Something keeps happening at
exactly the same time each day. A noise. A light. A sudden drop in temperature.
Sherlock notices the pattern. Dickie writes it down. What's causing it?
The Unusual Visitor Prompt:
A stranger arrives at Saint
Edwards. A new teacher. A mysterious inspector. Someone claiming to be a former
student. Sherlock suspects they're not who they claim to be. Is he right?
The Secret Passage Prompt:
Sherlock discovers a hidden
door. A tunnel behind a bookcase. A staircase that doesn't appear on any map.
Where does it lead? What's hidden there? And why does Tobias keep appearing at
the entrance?
The Code Prompt:
Someone is leaving messages. In
code. In places only Sherlock would notice. Who are they for? What do they
mean? And why does Mr. Magwath keep appearing whenever Sherlock gets close to
deciphering them?
The Magwath Mystery Prompt:
Mr. Magwath is acting even more
suspiciously than usual. He's hiding something. Sherlock is determined to find
out what. But some secrets, perhaps, are meant to stay hidden.
The Cross-Over Prompt:
What if a character from another
Hocksbox story turned up at Saint Edwards? What would Percival make of boarding
school life? How would June Holloway handle a haunting in the dormitories? What
would happen if the Dwen needed a uniform?
Tips from the Story Catcher
Herself
Joules Young, the creator of
Sherlock Lockwood, offered these tips for young writers:
"Notice
everything." Sherlock notices
things other people miss. A smudge of ink. A displaced book. A single button.
When you write your mystery, plant small details that matter. The solution
should be hiding in plain sight.
"Let Dickie be the
heart." Sherlock is the
brains. Dickie is the heart. He talks to people. He makes them feel safe. He
writes things down. Give him moments to shine—moments when his kindness solves
something Sherlock's cleverness cannot.
"Make Mr. Magwath
mysterious." He doesn't need
to be the villain. He just needs to be there, lurking, watching,
knowing. A single glance from Mr. Magwath can say more than a page of dialogue.
Use that.
"Tobias is always
watching." Even when he seems
to be sleeping. Even when he seems to be ignoring everything. Tobias sees all.
If you want to hint that something is afoot, have Tobias appear. His presence
means something.
"The school is a
character." Saint Edwards has
corridors that go on too long, rooms that no one uses, traditions that no one
remembers. Use the setting. Make it feel alive.
"Mysteries should be
satisfying." However strange
the solution, it should make sense. Readers should be able to look back and see
the clues they missed. That's the joy of a good mystery.
"Read the existing
episodes." Head over to hocksbox.co.uk and read
the Sherlock Lockwood stories already published. See how they work. Let them
teach you.
The Fine Print
- This competition is open to individuals aged 5-16, or groups
where all members are in that age range.
- Entries must be received by 31st October 2026.
- Entries must be original work created by the entrant(s).
- Parents or guardians must provide permission for entrants
under 18.
- We reserve the right to edit, adapt, or use ideas in ways
that work for publication.
- If we use your idea, you'll be credited and we'll contact you
to arrange the prize.
- Multiple entries are welcome. Send as many ideas as you like.
- There's no entry fee. This is just for fun.
A Final Word on Sherlock
There's a reason Sherlock
Lockwood-Little has captured so many hearts. He sees what others miss. He
notices the small things—the displaced object, the faint footprint, the person
who doesn't quite fit. And when he notices someone in need, he helps.
Not because it's clever. Because
it's right.
That's the heart of these
stories. Not the mysteries. Not the deductions. The noticing. The caring. The
small acts of kindness that make a difference.
When you write your episode,
remember that. Sherlock solves mysteries, yes. But what he really does is
notice people. And when you notice people—really see them—you can change their
lives.
That's the best mystery of all.
Looking Ahead
This is blog eleven in our
series, which means we have one more journey together before we reach the end.
Blog twelve will be something
special—a chance to reflect on all we've discovered, all we've created, all the
ways these stories have woven themselves into our lives. We'll look back at the
book clubs and mystery nights, the story tents and ghost investigations, the
competitions and challenges. We'll celebrate the wonder you've brought to this
Hocksbox universe.
And we'll look forward too.
Because the box is always open. The stories keep coming. And there will always
be new ways to catch them, share them, and make them your own.
So keep reading the Sherlock
Lockwood episodes at hocksbox.co.uk. Keep
working on your competition entries. Keep gathering around story tents and
campfires and blanket forts.
The final blog is coming. But
the story—your story—never really ends.
Look, Listen, Linger, Laugh, and
Love.
— Sophia Salazar,
Editor-in-Chief
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