What do you think?
Rate this book
The Complete Sherlock Holmes: Volume 1
Study in scarlet. The sign of four. Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes. --
264 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1892
About the author
Arthur Conan Doyle
11.4k books23.1k followersSir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle was a British writer and physician. He created the character Sherlock Holmes in 1887 for A Study in Scarlet, the first of four novels and fifty-six short stories about Holmes and Dr. Watson. The Sherlock Holmes stories are milestones in the field of crime fiction.
Doyle was a prolific writer. In addition to the Holmes stories, his works include fantasy and science fiction stories about Professor Challenger, and humorous stories about the Napoleonic soldier Brigadier Gerard, as well as plays, romances, poetry, non-fiction, and historical novels. One of Doyle's early short stories, "J. Habakuk Jephson's Statement" (1884), helped to popularise the mystery of the brigantine Mary Celeste, found drifting at sea with no crew member aboard.
Doyle was a prolific writer. In addition to the Holmes stories, his works include fantasy and science fiction stories about Professor Challenger, and humorous stories about the Napoleonic soldier Brigadier Gerard, as well as plays, romances, poetry, non-fiction, and historical novels. One of Doyle's early short stories, "J. Habakuk Jephson's Statement" (1884), helped to popularise the mystery of the brigantine Mary Celeste, found drifting at sea with no crew member aboard.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
April 22, 2015
If you are an enthusiastic reader of crime/noir/mystery novels, at some point you should get back to its roots—by reading The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Sir Arthur set many of the patterns which can still be observed in the modern genre novel.
Sherlock Holmes is an eccentric expert—but he defines the crime expert, what with his monographs on cigar ash, his studies of foot prints, and his encyclopedic knowledge of the history of crime. Many of the heroes of today’s literature are forensic anthropologists, FBI agents, and police detectives, people with formidable and specialized expertise in their fields. Holmes was multifaceted, in that he was also an expert boxer and an amateur violin player. It reminds me of Patricia Cornwell’s Kay Scarpetta, who is also a wonderful cook and who cooks to clear her mind of the case at hand—just as Holmes works on his chemistry experiments or plays his violin in order to come at a problem obliquely.
Especially prescient was Conan Doyle’s depiction of what we would now call profiling, getting into the mind of another person and using that insight to catch the criminal. It is especially pronounced when Holmes is dealing with his nemesis, Professor Moriarty—he bases his judgments of Moriarty’s next moves upon what he himself would do. They are equally matched.
Many of our favourite 21st century protagonists also have their Dr. Watson, a sidekick who can assist as necessary and provide an ear to listen to the latest theory, thereby filling in the reader on what is happening in the main character’s mind. Think Benton Wesley or Pete Marino for Kay Scarpetta (Cornwell) or Amelia Sachs with Lincoln Rhyme (Deaver). The Scandinavian noir writers seem to prefer the isolated expert—like Holmes, who has only 1 or 2 friends and absolutely refuses a romantic relationship, the Scandinavian main characters are frequently divorced, unable to maintain healthy relationships with their girlfriends and/or children, and generally somewhat socially isolated. For example, Henning Mankell’s Wallander, Arnaldur Indridason’s Erlandur, or Yrsa Sigudardottir’s Thora Gudmundsdottir.
Of interest to me was the story which I think we would all think of as The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time—the dog which didn’t bark, indicating that it knew the man who entered the barn. Conan Doyle called this story Silver Blaze, after the stolen horse of the tale. Also interesting to me was the Adventure of the Speckled Band, in which Holmes foils a plot involving a trained venomous snake. This snake was trained to respond to a whistle—not a physical possibility for snakes, which cannot hear air-borne sound waves. Realistically, the criminal might have recalled his pet by thumping on the wall, causing vibrations which the creature might have picked up through its lower jaw (but then if it was busy biting the inhabitant of the bed in the next room, it would likely miss even this cue.)
An interesting and entertaining series of stories, albeit a trifle repetitious when read one after the other in this volume. They would have been much more effective when read one at a time, as they would have been at the time of publication. Many of the prejudices of the 1890s are firmly on display, making this an interesting historical document as well. I wonder what our literature will reveal about us to future generations?
Sherlock Holmes is an eccentric expert—but he defines the crime expert, what with his monographs on cigar ash, his studies of foot prints, and his encyclopedic knowledge of the history of crime. Many of the heroes of today’s literature are forensic anthropologists, FBI agents, and police detectives, people with formidable and specialized expertise in their fields. Holmes was multifaceted, in that he was also an expert boxer and an amateur violin player. It reminds me of Patricia Cornwell’s Kay Scarpetta, who is also a wonderful cook and who cooks to clear her mind of the case at hand—just as Holmes works on his chemistry experiments or plays his violin in order to come at a problem obliquely.
Especially prescient was Conan Doyle’s depiction of what we would now call profiling, getting into the mind of another person and using that insight to catch the criminal. It is especially pronounced when Holmes is dealing with his nemesis, Professor Moriarty—he bases his judgments of Moriarty’s next moves upon what he himself would do. They are equally matched.
Many of our favourite 21st century protagonists also have their Dr. Watson, a sidekick who can assist as necessary and provide an ear to listen to the latest theory, thereby filling in the reader on what is happening in the main character’s mind. Think Benton Wesley or Pete Marino for Kay Scarpetta (Cornwell) or Amelia Sachs with Lincoln Rhyme (Deaver). The Scandinavian noir writers seem to prefer the isolated expert—like Holmes, who has only 1 or 2 friends and absolutely refuses a romantic relationship, the Scandinavian main characters are frequently divorced, unable to maintain healthy relationships with their girlfriends and/or children, and generally somewhat socially isolated. For example, Henning Mankell’s Wallander, Arnaldur Indridason’s Erlandur, or Yrsa Sigudardottir’s Thora Gudmundsdottir.
Of interest to me was the story which I think we would all think of as The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time—the dog which didn’t bark, indicating that it knew the man who entered the barn. Conan Doyle called this story Silver Blaze, after the stolen horse of the tale. Also interesting to me was the Adventure of the Speckled Band, in which Holmes foils a plot involving a trained venomous snake. This snake was trained to respond to a whistle—not a physical possibility for snakes, which cannot hear air-borne sound waves. Realistically, the criminal might have recalled his pet by thumping on the wall, causing vibrations which the creature might have picked up through its lower jaw (but then if it was busy biting the inhabitant of the bed in the next room, it would likely miss even this cue.)
An interesting and entertaining series of stories, albeit a trifle repetitious when read one after the other in this volume. They would have been much more effective when read one at a time, as they would have been at the time of publication. Many of the prejudices of the 1890s are firmly on display, making this an interesting historical document as well. I wonder what our literature will reveal about us to future generations?
June 4, 2013
Stories of an obsessive recluse with a cocaine habit and an unemployed Afghan war veteran with PTSD.
I became interested in reading Sherlock Holmes after watching the Sherlock series on Netflix (BBC Originally). I was interested in how close they had stuck to the original stories and I was very interested in the Watson character. I only read the first two stories of this Volume set, 'A Study in Scarlet' and 'The Sign of the Four'. Both stories were well written, but I was really surprised at how essentially modern they seemed. I can see how easily the Sherlock series was able to adapt Arthur Conan Doyle's stories. They are like reading an episode of CSI. The use of science in crime investigation had to be a very new concept.
The two characters of Holmes and Watson are much more interesting than what I have typically seen portrayed. Holmes, while a genius detective with a litany of other skills he is quite good at (violin, boxing, marksmanship, and being an expert in about every mundane thing such as tobacco ash) is also a reclusive, pompous ass with a cocaine habit. They seem to have left out the cocaine habit in most of the Sherlock stories I saw growing up; however, the ones with Daffy Duck might have included it.
Watson is a much more fascinating character than is typically portrayed, and is amazingly relatable to modern times. He was wounded in the Second Afghan war… Yes, second, the current one is at least the 4th or 5th Afghan war the British have been involved with. Watson was severely wounded during a battle and his time as a medic left him both physically and mentally scarred. Arthur Conan Doyle was writing about soldiers with PTSD in the 1890's and we still have problems getting governments and militaries to recognize and properly address it.
Overall, the Sherlock series on Netflix/BBC is very good and sticks closely to the stories for the most part, but the books are worth the read to find what was left out and how the story lines were changed. The TV version of 'A Study in Scarlet' doesn't have a long disparaging story about Mormons that is then woven back into to storyline.
I became interested in reading Sherlock Holmes after watching the Sherlock series on Netflix (BBC Originally). I was interested in how close they had stuck to the original stories and I was very interested in the Watson character. I only read the first two stories of this Volume set, 'A Study in Scarlet' and 'The Sign of the Four'. Both stories were well written, but I was really surprised at how essentially modern they seemed. I can see how easily the Sherlock series was able to adapt Arthur Conan Doyle's stories. They are like reading an episode of CSI. The use of science in crime investigation had to be a very new concept.
The two characters of Holmes and Watson are much more interesting than what I have typically seen portrayed. Holmes, while a genius detective with a litany of other skills he is quite good at (violin, boxing, marksmanship, and being an expert in about every mundane thing such as tobacco ash) is also a reclusive, pompous ass with a cocaine habit. They seem to have left out the cocaine habit in most of the Sherlock stories I saw growing up; however, the ones with Daffy Duck might have included it.
Watson is a much more fascinating character than is typically portrayed, and is amazingly relatable to modern times. He was wounded in the Second Afghan war… Yes, second, the current one is at least the 4th or 5th Afghan war the British have been involved with. Watson was severely wounded during a battle and his time as a medic left him both physically and mentally scarred. Arthur Conan Doyle was writing about soldiers with PTSD in the 1890's and we still have problems getting governments and militaries to recognize and properly address it.
Overall, the Sherlock series on Netflix/BBC is very good and sticks closely to the stories for the most part, but the books are worth the read to find what was left out and how the story lines were changed. The TV version of 'A Study in Scarlet' doesn't have a long disparaging story about Mormons that is then woven back into to storyline.
May 13, 2020
Call him Watson.
A war veteran doctor telling the stories of one Captain Holmes.
A gratuitous and perhaps indulgent comparison, yes, but after reading this first volume my mind begins to question the possibilities implied within the first-person narrative device employed by Sir Doyle. Similarly to Melville or Shakespeare, the narrative (whether a voice or stage), through their limitations, imply a reality impossible to contain within the spine of a book or the folio of a play.
What cases does Watson leave out of the collection? What episodes does he embellish? Does the near-perfect symmetry, balance and mysticism of The Final Problem indicate inaccuracy as to the true events? One can forget that these stories are fiction.
This work sparked the world's infatuation with detective stories and gracefully scratches its chin as the godfather of the modern prime-time television genre. I, however, found entertainment value in Sir Doyle's mastery of language and story-telling - the etiquette in his dialogue, the juxtaposition of Holmes' mental acuity and physical toughness, the childlike awe of Watson and the sheer imagination taken to fit the puzzle pieces together according to Holmes' characteristics. There inlies the entertainment for me.
The brilliance lies in the narration.
A war veteran doctor telling the stories of one Captain Holmes.
A gratuitous and perhaps indulgent comparison, yes, but after reading this first volume my mind begins to question the possibilities implied within the first-person narrative device employed by Sir Doyle. Similarly to Melville or Shakespeare, the narrative (whether a voice or stage), through their limitations, imply a reality impossible to contain within the spine of a book or the folio of a play.
What cases does Watson leave out of the collection? What episodes does he embellish? Does the near-perfect symmetry, balance and mysticism of The Final Problem indicate inaccuracy as to the true events? One can forget that these stories are fiction.
This work sparked the world's infatuation with detective stories and gracefully scratches its chin as the godfather of the modern prime-time television genre. I, however, found entertainment value in Sir Doyle's mastery of language and story-telling - the etiquette in his dialogue, the juxtaposition of Holmes' mental acuity and physical toughness, the childlike awe of Watson and the sheer imagination taken to fit the puzzle pieces together according to Holmes' characteristics. There inlies the entertainment for me.
The brilliance lies in the narration.
August 10, 2018
Before this reading, my experience with Sherlock Holmes had been in video formats. This volume contains five sections and each of those has several segments. I recognized two of the stories from video presentation. The first two sections are all one story. I actually got lost in it for a while, in what was the back story for the case. I think it might be good to take notes to track everything. The Victorian setting and English were interesting at times
May 28, 2019
Reading so much Sherlock Holmes straight through has warped my brain a little. There is a good reason he has become an iconic character with new adaptations in movies and TV shows seemingly every year. The Watson character was the most surprising to me as the original is smarter and more able than many of his portrayals. And I don't ever recall seeing Mrs. Watson in any of the movies, but it has been awhile and I should re-visit them.
March 20, 2018
I must say all the adventures and the memoirs are splendidly penned indeed!! Would recommend reading Sherlock Holmes complete series to all those who would like to get lost in various adventurous cases and learn the art and science of deduction and analysis!
May 30, 2019
i lovvvvvvveee sherlock holmes with everything in my heart!!
Currently reading
January 30, 2021For Public Domain Book Club, I've so far read "A Study in Scarlet" and "The Sign of the Four." Three (generous) stars each.
July 9, 2023
tbh i was listening to sntv the whole time so...did i actually read it? idk but it went fast 🤷🏻♀️
October 23, 2023
I enjoyed the stories, but it was tedious reading them back to back.
March 8, 2014
Dear god, that was a slog.
It's not that these aren't good (they are -- especially the novels), but they are so formulaic (especially the short stories). Holmes is bored then finally gets a mystery that needs solving --> Watson asks tentatively if he may please oh please come along --> Holmes grants the request --> Holmes solves the mystery with a bit of showing off to the dismay of everyone around him (except Watson who thumps his tail like a proud dog).
Perhaps one wouldn't feel such if these weren't back to back to back. I'm kind of dreading reading Volume II.
--
The novels:
"A Study in Scarlet" -- or "Sherlock Holmes Kills a Dog to Prove a Point"
3 stars, with a whole star taken off for the dog.
"The Sign of Four" -- or "Sherlock Holmes Tries Cocaine"
3.5 stars
The short stories:
"A Scandal in Bohemia" -- or "Sherlock Holes is Impressed by a Woman"
3 stars
"The Adventure of the Red-Headed League" -- or "Sherlock Holmes and the Gingers"
3 stars
"A Case of Identity" -- or "Sherlock Holmes Ruins an Innocent Woman"
2.5 stars
"The Boscombe Valley Mystery -- or "Sherlock Holmes and the Pig Call"
2 stars
"The Five Orange Pips" -- or "Sherlock Holmes Explains the Ku Klux Klan"
2 stars
"The Man with the Twisted Lip" -- or "Sherlock Holmes and the Opium Dens"
2 stars
"The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle" -- or "Sherlock Holmes and the Goose"
2 stars
"The Adventure of the Speckled Band" -- or "Sherlock Holmes Refuses to Feel Guilt"
2 stars
"The Adventure of the Engineer's Thumb" -- or "Sherlock Holmes Laughs at a Man who Lost a Thumb and Will Probably Lose His Business"
3 stars
"The Adventure of the Noble Bachelor" -- or "Sherlock Holmes and the Random Ass Apaches"
2 stars
"The Adventure of the Beryl Coronet" -- or "Sherlock Holmes and the Dumbest Banker of All Time"
2 stars
"The Adventure of the Cooper Beeches" -- or "Sherlock Holmes and the Swingers" (not really, but we wish)
3 stars
"Silver Blaze" -- or "Sherlock Holmes and the Title of Mark Haddon's Book"
2 stars
"The Adventure of the Cardboard Box" -- or "Sherlock Holmes and the Severed Ears"
2 stars
"The Adventure of the Yellow Face" -- or "Sherlock Holmes is Progressive"
2 stars
"The Adventure of the Stockbroker's Clerk" -- or "Sherlock Holmes and Pretty Much the Same Plot I Read with the Gingers"
1 star
"The Adventure of the Gloria Scott" -- or "Sherlock Holmes and His First Case"
2 stars
"The Adventure of the Musgrave Ritual" -- or "Sherlock Holmes and the Riddle"
2 stars
"The Adventure of the Reigate Square" -- or "Sherlock Holmes and Basilisk" (kidding - but it did remind me of Hermione petrified by the basilisk with the torn piece of paper in her hand - also a clue)
2 stars
"The Adventure of the Crooked Man" -- or "Sherlock Holmes and His Almost-Catchphrase"
2 stars
"The Adventure of the Resident Patient" -- or "Sherlock Holmes and the Ring of Thieves"
1.5 stars
"The Adventure of the Greek Interpreter" -- or "Sherlock Holmes Finally Introduces Us to Mycroft"
2 stars
"The Adventure of the Naval Treaty" -- or "Sherlock Holmes and his 2508th Case of Burglary"
2 stars
"The Final Problem" -- or "Arthur Conan Doyle Gets Sick of Sherlock Holmes"
3 stars
"
It's not that these aren't good (they are -- especially the novels), but they are so formulaic (especially the short stories). Holmes is bored then finally gets a mystery that needs solving --> Watson asks tentatively if he may please oh please come along --> Holmes grants the request --> Holmes solves the mystery with a bit of showing off to the dismay of everyone around him (except Watson who thumps his tail like a proud dog).
Perhaps one wouldn't feel such if these weren't back to back to back. I'm kind of dreading reading Volume II.
--
The novels:
"A Study in Scarlet" -- or "Sherlock Holmes Kills a Dog to Prove a Point"
3 stars, with a whole star taken off for the dog.
"The Sign of Four" -- or "Sherlock Holmes Tries Cocaine"
3.5 stars
The short stories:
"A Scandal in Bohemia" -- or "Sherlock Holes is Impressed by a Woman"
3 stars
"The Adventure of the Red-Headed League" -- or "Sherlock Holmes and the Gingers"
3 stars
"A Case of Identity" -- or "Sherlock Holmes Ruins an Innocent Woman"
2.5 stars
"The Boscombe Valley Mystery -- or "Sherlock Holmes and the Pig Call"
2 stars
"The Five Orange Pips" -- or "Sherlock Holmes Explains the Ku Klux Klan"
2 stars
"The Man with the Twisted Lip" -- or "Sherlock Holmes and the Opium Dens"
2 stars
"The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle" -- or "Sherlock Holmes and the Goose"
2 stars
"The Adventure of the Speckled Band" -- or "Sherlock Holmes Refuses to Feel Guilt"
2 stars
"The Adventure of the Engineer's Thumb" -- or "Sherlock Holmes Laughs at a Man who Lost a Thumb and Will Probably Lose His Business"
3 stars
"The Adventure of the Noble Bachelor" -- or "Sherlock Holmes and the Random Ass Apaches"
2 stars
"The Adventure of the Beryl Coronet" -- or "Sherlock Holmes and the Dumbest Banker of All Time"
2 stars
"The Adventure of the Cooper Beeches" -- or "Sherlock Holmes and the Swingers" (not really, but we wish)
3 stars
"Silver Blaze" -- or "Sherlock Holmes and the Title of Mark Haddon's Book"
2 stars
"The Adventure of the Cardboard Box" -- or "Sherlock Holmes and the Severed Ears"
2 stars
"The Adventure of the Yellow Face" -- or "Sherlock Holmes is Progressive"
2 stars
"The Adventure of the Stockbroker's Clerk" -- or "Sherlock Holmes and Pretty Much the Same Plot I Read with the Gingers"
1 star
"The Adventure of the Gloria Scott" -- or "Sherlock Holmes and His First Case"
2 stars
"The Adventure of the Musgrave Ritual" -- or "Sherlock Holmes and the Riddle"
2 stars
"The Adventure of the Reigate Square" -- or "Sherlock Holmes and Basilisk" (kidding - but it did remind me of Hermione petrified by the basilisk with the torn piece of paper in her hand - also a clue)
2 stars
"The Adventure of the Crooked Man" -- or "Sherlock Holmes and His Almost-Catchphrase"
2 stars
"The Adventure of the Resident Patient" -- or "Sherlock Holmes and the Ring of Thieves"
1.5 stars
"The Adventure of the Greek Interpreter" -- or "Sherlock Holmes Finally Introduces Us to Mycroft"
2 stars
"The Adventure of the Naval Treaty" -- or "Sherlock Holmes and his 2508th Case of Burglary"
2 stars
"The Final Problem" -- or "Arthur Conan Doyle Gets Sick of Sherlock Holmes"
3 stars
"
May 7, 2010
Sherlock Holmes
A Study in Scarlet, Part 1
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
A Study in Scarlet is the only Sherlock Holmes book I have read so far but it has already got me hooked and helped me make my decision that I want to read them all.
This is the first of the series and starts out with John Watson as narrator. He is a medical doctor who just returned from Afghanistan on military terms and is searching for a place to live. An old friend of his refers him to a man named Sherlock Holmes who is also searching for a home and suggests that John should request to room with him and split the cost of the rental fee. John meets him and immediately realizes how incredibly intelligent and intuitive Sherlock is and takes an instantaneous interest in him. They become friends instantly and begin to live together. As time progresses, John finds out that Sherlock is a detective that has unimaginable skills with interpreting data and coming to conclusions about a case incredibly fast. John also has vast amounts of knowledge in the medical category and provides adequate help in Sherlock’s cases. The case that takes place in this story is a murder in which the corpse had no markings to determine his death with blood splattered on the wall as his only clue.
I enjoy this book greatly. I have never been fond of English literature and am actually surprised at myself for even thinking to pick the book up in the first place but I can safely say that I am far from disappointed now. It provides a wonderful storyline to stick to while also forcing you to rack your own brain as to what is happening and causing you to think as he would. I encourage all who enjoy mystery books to read every one of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s works.
A Study in Scarlet, Part 1
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
A Study in Scarlet is the only Sherlock Holmes book I have read so far but it has already got me hooked and helped me make my decision that I want to read them all.
This is the first of the series and starts out with John Watson as narrator. He is a medical doctor who just returned from Afghanistan on military terms and is searching for a place to live. An old friend of his refers him to a man named Sherlock Holmes who is also searching for a home and suggests that John should request to room with him and split the cost of the rental fee. John meets him and immediately realizes how incredibly intelligent and intuitive Sherlock is and takes an instantaneous interest in him. They become friends instantly and begin to live together. As time progresses, John finds out that Sherlock is a detective that has unimaginable skills with interpreting data and coming to conclusions about a case incredibly fast. John also has vast amounts of knowledge in the medical category and provides adequate help in Sherlock’s cases. The case that takes place in this story is a murder in which the corpse had no markings to determine his death with blood splattered on the wall as his only clue.
I enjoy this book greatly. I have never been fond of English literature and am actually surprised at myself for even thinking to pick the book up in the first place but I can safely say that I am far from disappointed now. It provides a wonderful storyline to stick to while also forcing you to rack your own brain as to what is happening and causing you to think as he would. I encourage all who enjoy mystery books to read every one of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s works.
October 9, 2015
This month I read The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (Volume I), by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. I chose the book because I absolutely love the television show Sherlock, which takes parts of the original novels and sets them in present day. Because this book was written in the 1800s, and I had to decipher much of the language, so I would consider it a "reacher" book. The novel is not one storyline, but contains many short mysteries. Some are the length of whole books, and others are just a few pages. Most of the stories have the same plot: the police cannot solve a mystery, so they consult Sherlock Holmes. With his flatmate, John Watson (who is also the narrator), he uses his extraordinary deduction skills to find the murderer (or missing lover, long lost relative, etc.). Before reading the novel I expected the mysteries to be dull and easy to solve, which was far from the truth. After reading one of the stories, I had to sit back and digest that even though the plot was over 100 years old, it still astounded me. The novel really increased my appreciation of classic literature, as well as my interest in it. Despite my high regard for the novel, I would not recommend the book to everyone, for you have to be willing to get past the language to enter the plot. Since the book is split into so many small stories, it is good for readers with short attention spans. I am now reading Return of the King, which is the third part of the Lord of the Rings, but I plan to read The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (Volume II), afterward.
November 12, 2013
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes, more or less, was the most influential fictional characters in my early reading life. I received this set from a great aunt in my early teens and quickly read it all from beginning to end. For a while I wanted to be Sherlock Holmes, to be cool and calculating, with supreme deductive skills.
Years passed, and Sherlock slowly faded from my consciousness. Then I became a Netflix member and watched the new BBC series "Sherlock." While my feelings on the series is mixed (Martin Freeman is brilliant)it regnited my interest in the original stories.
I pulled this off of my dusty bookshelf and re-read three of the four novels: A Study in Scarlet, The Sign of the Four, and The Valley of Fear. Curiously, these three novels, unlike The Hound of the Baskervilles, are not really novels at all. They are short stories with fairly quick resolutions that come halfway through the novels, and an adventure tale tacked on for the second half which provides enlightenment for the reader about the first half.
Nevertheless, whether Doyle is writing mystery of adventure, few have ever done it as well as he did. Sherlock Holmes will be a pleasure to return to again and again and again.
Years passed, and Sherlock slowly faded from my consciousness. Then I became a Netflix member and watched the new BBC series "Sherlock." While my feelings on the series is mixed (Martin Freeman is brilliant)it regnited my interest in the original stories.
I pulled this off of my dusty bookshelf and re-read three of the four novels: A Study in Scarlet, The Sign of the Four, and The Valley of Fear. Curiously, these three novels, unlike The Hound of the Baskervilles, are not really novels at all. They are short stories with fairly quick resolutions that come halfway through the novels, and an adventure tale tacked on for the second half which provides enlightenment for the reader about the first half.
Nevertheless, whether Doyle is writing mystery of adventure, few have ever done it as well as he did. Sherlock Holmes will be a pleasure to return to again and again and again.
June 17, 2022
It might not be fair to rate this, considering it's a collecting of two novels and two short story collections, but I'll give it my best anyway.
I think pre-Reichenbach Falls Sherlock Holmes is much stronger than post-Hiatus stories. The quality does vary. I think A Study in Scarlet is ridiculously forgettable, aside from it chronicling the meeting of Holmes and Watson (seriously, the Mormon interlude? What was that?). I absolutely adore The Sign of the Four though. The mystery is interwoven beautifully with Watson's romance with Mary Morstan.
This collection also includes some of my favourite short stories: A Scandal in Bohemia, The Adventure of the Speckled Band, The Adventure of the Copper Beeches, The Adventure of the Gloria Scott.
Sherlock Holmes defined a genre. If someone is interested in mysteries they really do need to read them.
I think pre-Reichenbach Falls Sherlock Holmes is much stronger than post-Hiatus stories. The quality does vary. I think A Study in Scarlet is ridiculously forgettable, aside from it chronicling the meeting of Holmes and Watson (seriously, the Mormon interlude? What was that?). I absolutely adore The Sign of the Four though. The mystery is interwoven beautifully with Watson's romance with Mary Morstan.
This collection also includes some of my favourite short stories: A Scandal in Bohemia, The Adventure of the Speckled Band, The Adventure of the Copper Beeches, The Adventure of the Gloria Scott.
Sherlock Holmes defined a genre. If someone is interested in mysteries they really do need to read them.
October 21, 2016
I read this two volume set from cover to cover in the 1990s and sometimes go back and read some of favorites. This is the first volume and it is fantastic. The wit, intelligence and style of Holmes is entrancing. Watson adds normalcy to the stories. The stories are stellar although there are some lesser ones here. Holmes matches wits with many criminals and villains but Dr. Moriarty soon becomes the focus of the greatest cat & mouse story line in literature. One must read the second volume to complete the Holmes experience.
March 7, 2014
Finished both volumes. Was unfamiliar with "Valley of Fear," Doyle's fourth book. Realized my familiarity with many stories came from the Jeremy Brett series. Unquestioningly enjoyable. Discovered two of the stories in final compilation, "The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes," have Holmes, rather than Dr. Watson, as the narrator.
January 28, 2017
Having just read this portion of the Holmes canon for probably the fifth or sixth time, I again see it from a different perspective. Doyle's ability to lay out these mysteries the way he did so long ago are nothing less than genius. I'll attack Volume 2 next and then look forward to another reread in 5 or 10 years again.
Currently reading
August 2, 2009For being a first time reader of Sherlock Holmes, I thoroughly enjoyed it's witty and sarcastic tone and the manner it which it was written. It also gave me a little of the back story on the history of Holmes and Watson.
June 5, 2013
It's a tough read. Often the clues don't stand out as clues until Holmes tell you they are. That usually at the end.
Classic story lines. If you watch TV or movies or read you will find these plots popping up like daisies.
Classic story lines. If you watch TV or movies or read you will find these plots popping up like daisies.
September 1, 2009
I can't believe I waited so long to read this collection. I really enjoyed every bit of it. Now I'll be able to tell how far off the new movie will take his character.
September 26, 2009
Wonderful dialogues. Exciting, thoughtful. A Study in Scarlet is the introduction to Sherlock Holmes- start there.
Want to read
January 9, 2013I haven't actually read all of the stories, although I've read quite a few. How can you go wrong with Sherlock Holmes? =)
October 13, 2012
Complete and wonderful.
December 22, 2012
just for fun, more than 10 years since last read.
read these first as a kid- they bring back rainy afternoons, with Beethoven in the background.
read these first as a kid- they bring back rainy afternoons, with Beethoven in the background.
August 3, 2014
Some relatively poor quality stories mixed in, especially in the Casebook, but overall deservedly a classic.
January 26, 2015
Warning: if you read all the stories one after the other, it starts to feel a bit like watching House - it's never lupus. As for Sherlock, there's always a footprint in a scene of a crime.
November 21, 2015
Love love love!
October 26, 2016
A timeless Classic.
I don't think I am going to risk analysing or criticising this work.
The Best Sleuth ever created.
I don't think I am going to risk analysing or criticising this work.
The Best Sleuth ever created.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews