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Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes (Sherlock Holmes #4)

by Arthur Conan Doyle

4.27 · rating details · 6,551 ratings · 268 reviews

Penzler Pick, February 2000: What is there about the greatest series of short stories in the history of the world that hasn't already been said? This is the second (of five) story collections by Doyle about the greatest detective in literature--and a splendid volume it is, containing such superb puzzles as "The Greek Interpreter," in which readers are introduced ...morePenzler Pick, February 2000: What is there about the greatest series of short stories in the history of the world that hasn't already been said? This is the second (of five) story collections by Doyle about the greatest detective in literature--and a splendid volume it is, containing such superb puzzles as "The Greek Interpreter," in which readers are introduced to Mycroft Holmes; "The Musgrave Ritual"; "Silver Blaze"; and the earth-shattering "The Final Adventure," recounting the struggle between Holmes and the evil Professor Moriarty in which the two titans were apparently killed as they went over the edge of the Reichenbach Falls.

But every mystery reader already knows this. I'm pointing out this marvelous book because it has been extensively annotated by a fine Sherlockian scholar, Les Klinger, who has brought to all serious students of the Holmesian canon a level of erudition seldom encountered. In addition to the expected illustrations from The Strand magazine and meticulous scrutiny of chronological evidence of various events, there are references to primary sources and a staggering helping of information from the thousands of works about Sherlock Holmes by others.

More than 30 years ago, another great Sherlockian scholar, William S. Baring-Gould, produced a ground-breaking volume that enjoyed more than 35 printings in its original two-volume format and probably sold just as many copies in a slightly less elaborate one-volume size. The Annotated Sherlock Holmes became the single most essential volume in the library of any true Sherlockian, of which the world has far more than you think.

Les Klinger has acknowledged Baring-Gould in every way imaginable, and it was an act of extraordinary courage to attempt to supercede that monumental work. But that is exactly what he appears to be doing. The first volume, his annotated edition of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, was introduced by the same publisher last year. There are seven yet to come.

If you want to master just about everything there is to know about The Great Detective and The Good Doctor, to understand what Holmes meant when he referred to "a comet vintage" of wine, and to know what discrepancies there are between the English and American editions of the works, plus a thousand other things relating to Holmes, Watson, and the England of the Victorian era, you must have this volume, as well as all the others in the series as they become available over the next few years. --Otto Penzler

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Published by New Millennium Library (first published July 14th 1892)

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Feb 28, 2010

Kelly rated it

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Recommends it for: Holmes fans

Shelves: heard-not-read, victorian, fiction, brit-lit, 19th-century

Come and see the Softer Side of Sherlock Holmes! The stories in this collection focus on the revelation that: "Sherlock Holmes! He's Just Like Us!" He makes mistakes! He judges too quickly! He was once young and went to school! He had friends! He has a brother (who is, as Sherlock readily admits, smarter than he is, just without his ambition)!

We (shockingly!) essentially find out that he is a human being. We see Sherlock has a family, and has interests other than things th...more

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Feb 06, 2012

caputa rated it

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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jan 20, 2012

Lucy rated it

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I have never been a fan of Sherlock Holmes books. A couple of years ago I recieved a boxset from a relative and first tried to read A Study in Scarlet, but gave up and tried The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, which I found long and dull but forced myself through all the same. Last year, I tried A Sign of Four, which was in some places tedious, but overall an okay book.

The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes may just persuade me to just give Conan Doyle another chance.

I was prevent...more

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Jan 04, 2012

Tamra rated it

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Recommends it for: anyone

Shelves: own-currently, my-re-read-list, favorites

I love Sherlock Holmes and own The Complete Sherlock Holmes. I keep a bookmark that tells me how many of the 1,122 pages I've read, and after finishing Memoirs, I'm almost halfway through.

This time I was inspired to read Memoirs after watching Sherlock 2 in the theaters with my husband and him asking me things like, "Did he really fall like that in the book?" and "Was his archenemy really named Moriarty?" (Answers: Sort of yes, and yes.)

Holmes gets ...more

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Dec 14, 2011

Ensiform rated it

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Shelves: fiction, mystery

The worst of the Holmes novels, in my view, with several of the stories depending on a very weak premise, which only a total fool would believe, or with Holmes doing very little.

1. "Silver Blaze." In which Holmes finds a missing race horse and solves the murder of its trainer. A solid, technical detective story, with an ingenious solution. But would the police really take a horse’s kick in the head to be a blow from a lead-weighted walking stick?

2. "The Yell...moreThe worst of the Holmes novels, in my view, with several of the stories depending on a very weak premise, which only a total fool would believe, or with Holmes doing very little.

1. "Silver Blaze." In which Holmes finds a missing race horse and solves the murder of its trainer. A solid, technical detective story, with an ingenious solution. But would the police really take a horse’s kick in the head to be a blow from a lead-weighted walking stick?

2. "The Yellow Face." In which Holmes is told of a woman’s strange sudden estrangement with her husband, and makes a reasonable but wrong guess as to the explanation. It all ends happily, no thanks to Holmes at all.

3. The Stock-Broker’s Clerk." In which Holmes saves a clerk from a rather transparent scam when two thieves take his identity and his place at his new job. Entertaining enough, but once again Holmes does nothing to effect change in the case, just theorizes and watches; and the thieves’ plot seems a rather convoluted way to take someone’s place.

4. “The Gloria Scott." Another less than satisfying Holmes story, in which he relates his first “case.” Except it’s not much of a case, just a tale of a past life, false identity and blackmail that a young Holmes witnesses. His involvement is limited to the cracking of a simple cipher. So-so.

5. "The Musgrave Ritual." Holmes solves the puzzle of an ancient family ritual, a "rigmarole” of "no practical purpose,” to help solve the mystery of the vanished butler. Actually, it is vehemently and immediately obvious that the Ritual is a guide to some treasure; that generations of Musgraves could own it, recite it, and not grasp that fact exceeds credibility, no?

6. "The Reigate Puzzle." In which Holmes solves a murder and an apparent burglary with a series of clever deductions. A good story, although some enjoyment is lost when the police are so oblivious to the most obvious of clues (no powder burns on the victim, so he couldn’t have been shot at close range, etc).

7. "The Crooked Man." Holmes solves the murder of a Colonel distinguished in the Indian Mutiny. His wife is the prime suspect, but Holmes, following some rather obvious trails, hunts up the real story: an ex-lover, betrayed by the husband, had finally come to see the wife. A devious and fantastic plot which overshadows the comparatively weak sleuthing.

8. "The Resident Patient." Holmes solves an apparent suicide, really a murder among a band of criminals. As Watson points out, Holmes’ role in this story “may be... not sufficiently accentuated." Almost all his part in it is after the fact. As usual, I found some of his leaps of “reason" --- actually wild guesses, considering the actual evidence and possibilities --- rather preposterous.

9. "The Greek Interpreter." Holmes and his smarter, fatter brother Mycroft stumble upon a gang who kidnapped an interpreter to force their Greek captive to sign over his property to them. More of an adventure story than a detective one, meant to thrill with the exotic and sinister, rather than bewilder with keen insights of Holmes. I’d prefer the latter. Mycroft is a funny character, though.

10. "The Naval Treaty." In which Holmes solves the theft of an important and secret treaty from the copyist’s possession. A fine, crafty story, with all the clues laid out subtly, with Holmes’ performance thus made all the more amazing. I must say I didn’t suspect the culprit, although plenty of hints were given. A highly enjoyable Sherlock tale.

11. "The Final Problem." In which Holmes learns of Moriarty’s existence and closes in, intent on destroying his hold on London, and is murdered by him as a result (apparently). A surprisingly powerful, suspenseful story; I can imagine Doyle’s contemporary audience’s reactions to the sudden death of the beloved Holmes. I must say I have one bone to pick: after Holmes’ evidence comes in, although Moriarty escaped, he was "lost if he returns to London," so why would Holmes and Watson continue to lay low in Europe instead of returning themselves? This is a minor quibble, I suppose. I liked the story. I note Doyle’s Victorian leanings toward physiognomy as well as Lombrosian ideas (“a criminal strain ran in his blood,” is how Moriarty’s evil nature is explained). Despite Doyle’s distaste for his too-popular character, he must have, deep down, had some desire to avoid total finality: the famous climactic death scene occurs entirely out of Watson’s sight. No habeas corpus, either.
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Sep 04, 2011

Harmonybites rated it

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Recommends it for: Sherlock Holmes Fans

Shelves: classics, crime, fiction, mystery, short-stories

This is the second set of Sherlock Holmes short stories, eleven in all, that appeared in the Strand magazine and collected in The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes. I fell in love with the Holmes stories from the first I read for high school--"The Speckled Band" which appears in the first set of shorts, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Pretty much all my favorite Holmes shorts appear in that first volume, but a lot of these are memorable for one reason or the other.

In terms of be...more

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Aug 30, 2011

Lee rated it

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Shelves: fiction

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Another Sherlock Holmes book, another wonderful read. This collection of short stories mainly serves to humanise Holmes. He did not, as some readers may have believed up to this point, pop into existence as a fully grown consulting detective. We hear of his first case as a young man, we hear how he struggled to get any work early on in his career, and we even meet his brother, whose deductive powers surpass even Sherlock's. And of course, most humanising of all, we hear how Sherlock Holmes d...moreAnother Sherlock Holmes book, another wonderful read. This collection of short stories mainly serves to humanise Holmes. He did not, as some readers may have believed up to this point, pop into existence as a fully grown consulting detective. We hear of his first case as a young man, we hear how he struggled to get any work early on in his career, and we even meet his brother, whose deductive powers surpass even Sherlock's. And of course, most humanising of all, we hear how Sherlock Holmes dies.

Or do we!

The tales in this work are almost all lovely little reads. Their beginnings err towards the formulaic at times, with three or four stories starting with Watson explaining how he hadn't seen Holmes during the first few months after his marriage, but then that Summer... etc. Either Victorian Summers were a lot longer than modern ones or Watson had been indulging in some of Holmes' cocaine and got his dates mixed up.

The only tale I wasn't overly fond of was the last and most famous one in the book: The Final Problem. This is where we meet Professor Moriarty, and Holmes takes down both him and his entire criminal network, albeit at the cost of his own life as he and Moriarty apparently plunge to their deaths over the Reichenbach Falls in Switzerland. If Conan Doyle's aim was to kill off Holmes but in a blaze of glory then this seems an odd way to do it. It's hard to think of Holmes' act as a worthy sacrifice because that depends on us believing that Moriarty is a man whose death is worth the loss of Sherlock Holmes. But at this stage of the canon we've spent some thousand pages learning of Holmes' feats, but only about five pages hearing that "Oh by the way, Moriarty is really bad. Really really bad. Like, the baddest. Seriously." It's the equivalent of introducing a new character five minutes from the end of the last episode of series ten of a TV programme, and having the main character say "Oh noes, you're the worst person ever, quick, let's fight to the death!" Hardly a satisfying conclusion. And given the fact that there are enough holes in Holmes' death to let Conan Doyle bring him back in two books time, he may as well have just had Holmes retire to his bees.(less)

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May 14, 2010

Caitlin rated it

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I can't quite be sure, but I came away from the stories in Memoirs feeling a little bit tired--or, I thought Holmes did. The stories were still hard to put down, and thoroughly enjoyable. Even so, the reader feels that Holmes might grow a bit weary of being the smartest guy in the room. Indeed, some of the crimes don't quite seem equal to his brilliance, although Watson takes pains to tell us that he chronicles stories that illustrate Holmes's method at its best.

In any case, still...more

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Oct 06, 2009

Casey rated it

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One of the hallmarks of the Sherlock Holmes stories is that they are not actually told from Holmes' point of view. They are told by Dr. Watson in the form of newspaper stories which chronicle his friend's investigations. This is not odd in itself, except that Holmes often leaves Watson behind and hours later returns to recount the adventure's ending to him. This structure is never more fascinating than in the famous "The Final Problem," in which Holmes and Moriaty tumble over Reichenba...more

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Nov 24, 2011

Emma rated it

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Shelves: post-uni

Now that Dr. Watson is married, he sees less and less of Sherlock Holmes. However, his former flatmate still calls on him occasionally for assistance in interesting mysteries. In The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, Watson and Sherlock encounter a stolen racehorse, an elaborate robbery, secret identities, murder and theft. Watson also finally meets Sherlock’s clever brother Mycroft, hears stories of Sherlock’s first cases and even sees Sherlock outwitted. Watson is also first introduced to Sherlock’s...moreNow that Dr. Watson is married, he sees less and less of Sherlock Holmes. However, his former flatmate still calls on him occasionally for assistance in interesting mysteries. In The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, Watson and Sherlock encounter a stolen racehorse, an elaborate robbery, secret identities, murder and theft. Watson also finally meets Sherlock’s clever brother Mycroft, hears stories of Sherlock’s first cases and even sees Sherlock outwitted. Watson is also first introduced to Sherlock’s greatest enemy, the criminal mastermind Professor Moriarty. Sherlock’s famous confrontation with his nemesis at Reichenbach Falls is one of the eleven exciting tales in this volume.

Sherlock Holmes and Watson are back in the fourth book in the Sherlock Holmes series. There are eleven short stories (or cases) in this book. The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes is interesting because at times the reader is introduced to Sherlock before he was a consulting detective and was just a clever university student. We also get to see Sherlock’s younger brother Mycroft, who might be more intelligent than his brother but is not as driven. It was fascinating to hear about some of Holmes’ first cases. In “The Yellow Face,” Sherlock is wrong in his assumptions, further proof that Holmes is imperfect and makes mistakes, like the rest of us. While things started off strong with “Silver Blaze,” I found myself losing interest midway through the book. I read this book all at once, and I think it’s meant to be read a story at a time (which is how I read The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.) Things ended on a high note, with “The Final Problem.” This infamous story details Holmes’ first dealings with Moriarty, and their fateful fight over Reichenbach falls. While this was originally intended to be the end of Sherlock Holmes, Doyle continued writing the series. And thank goodness: imagine Sherlock Holmes without The Hound of the Baskervilles! Knowing that Holmes is not actually dead, I enjoyed this story. Of course, I would hate it if he actually died. Although it contains one of Doyle’s most famous stories, I preferred The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: I don’t remember ever losing interest, as I did midway through this book. However, it was still enjoyable and just brilliant. My favourite story was “The Stockbroker’s Clerk:” I enjoy the stories that centre around a robbery, such as “The Red Headed League” in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.

Overall, this was a great addition to the series and a must for fans of Sherlock Holmes and mystery lovers. While The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes or The Hound of the Baskervilles might be a better place to start if you have never read any of Doyle’s books, this addition to the series was clever and often exciting. While it did drag along in the middle, The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes was still a thoroughly enjoyable read.
I received this e-galley from Penguin Group USA.

4/5(less)

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Jun 26, 2011

Shari rated it

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Shelves: audiobooks

I listened to the radio dramatizations on my iPod at work, and luckily I'm by myself this week -- no coworkers or members of the public within a 5-acre radius -- because I had several unexpected reactions to the stories:

1. A shocked gasp as I realized the Hudson from "The Gloria Scott" may well be the husband of my beloved Mrs. Hudson.
2. Screaming out loud in surprise and joy when Holmes first mentioned Mycroft.
3. Delighted giggling at all the Mycroft fat jokes.
...more

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Nov 21, 2011

Martin rated it

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My love for all things Sherlock grows with each passing day and with each new story I read in the way of his adventures.
This collection of short stories was, admittedly, not as strong as 'The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes' as far too many of the mysteries went unsolved or just left. The thing I like most about Sherlock Holmes, apart from the elegant way in which the stories are written, is seeing the method in which he unravels clues to solve a crime and I am always dissapointed if that doe...more

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Jun 10, 2011

Chad rated it

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Recommends it for: Everyone

I recently finished reading the Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes on my Kindle. I have really enjoyed reading the tales of Sherlock Holmes and my dear Watson.

The Memoirs cover nearly a dozen short tales of Sherlock Holmes, in these tales we learn more about Sherlock as a person, his history, his nearly friendless time at University, his family heritage and brother. We also see that Holmes is not by any means perfect at his craft and he gets a case completely wrong.

Besides just b...more

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Oct 02, 2009

Carolyn rated it

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OK, so I started reading The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and got suckered into reading The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes since the two books were in the same edition that I had. Urgh! Sherlock Holmes is not my cup of tea to begin with, and I felt compelled to finish the entire book!!

These two books might also be found under the edition called the Complete Sherlock Holmes Vol 1. Let me save you some time if you feel so inclined to read this book! The Memoirs offer more insight into...more

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Mar 19, 2011

Nicholas Whyte rated it

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There are eleven stories in the second of the Sherlock Holmes connections, where we see Doyle expanding the fictional universe: we have a couple of accounts of Holmes' adventures before he met Watson, we have Mycroft and the relationship with the French painter Vernet, we have the recovery of a treaty lost by the Foreign Secretary's nephew, and most of all we have Moriarty. The best of these is the first, "Silver Blaze", which is the one about the missing race-horse with the original c...more

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Nov 25, 2011

Mohammed rated it

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Shelves: alltime-favourites, crime-mystery, classics, short-story-collections, sir-arthur-conan-doyle

The first 4-5 stories i thought this collection was not as consistently great as The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes collection i read before it. What i liked in this collection that was different from that collection is that several of the stories dealt with how flawed Holmes was in his detection,cases. If he didnt have enough facts,evidence he wasnt a brilliant detective. If he wasnt quick the criminals might get away forever from the police,justice.

The best stories who made the colle...more

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Feb 07, 2011

Sammy rated it

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Shelves: mystery

This collection isn't quite as good as "The Adventures", but in some ways it shows a continued improvement in Doyle's overall style.Many stories open with a more interesting description of the season, the times, or the relationship of our two central characters. (Watson's discussion of Holmes' neatness and simultaneous messiness in 'The Musgrave Ritual' is marvellous!)

After my bad experiences with the first two books, I can't believe that I now look forward to every Holmes an...more

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Apr 19, 2010

Nadia rated it

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Crea situaciones misteriosas para luego descubrir que la verdad es en realidad mucho más banal, e incluso indefensa.

"-Es una suerte que usted esté colocado del lado de la policía, y no contra ella, señor Holmes."

"El señor Melas, sin embargo, estaba aún con vida, y en menos de una hora, con la ayuda del amoníaco y del aguardiente, tuve la sensación de verle abrir los ojos y de comprender que mi mano lo había hecho volver del negro valle en el que coinciden ...more

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Feb 04, 2008

Paul rated it

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Shelves: mystery-thriller

Excellent collection. It's hard to rate it objectively now; he pioneered a vast field of literature. Holmes quite often is privy to information hidden from the reader, but it doesn't detract from the reader's enjoyment.

I listened to the version posted on www.librivox.org. Each chapter/adventure is read by a different person. Some are well-done, some not so much. But I managed to make it through them all.

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Oct 15, 2011

Chris Wolak rated it

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Shelves: mystery-thriller

When I was a kid and wanted to read a mystery, some well-meaning adult told me to read the Sherlock Holmes stories or Agatha Christie. I couldn't get into either back then (they both seemed snooty and stuffy). Other than reading Edgar Allan Poe for classes, I didn't give another mystery a try until I was in my early 30s and saw a review of Nevada Barr's Track of the Cat in an outdoors magazine. Barr opened the door to mysteries for me and I've been a mystery reader since then, so when the publis...more

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Oct 02, 2011

LORI CASWELL rated it

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Sherlock Holmes, the world's best-known and most-loved fictional detective, is more popular today than ever. This collection presents many of the most familiar cases Holmes and his assistant, Dr. Watson, ever solve, including "Silver Blaze," "The Greek Interpreter," and "The Musgrave Ritual." As Holmes's fame grows, it brings him notoriety that piques the ire of London's criminal underworld, who begin to scheme against him. It is in "The Final Problem" tha...moreSherlock Holmes, the world's best-known and most-loved fictional detective, is more popular today than ever. This collection presents many of the most familiar cases Holmes and his assistant, Dr. Watson, ever solve, including "Silver Blaze," "The Greek Interpreter," and "The Musgrave Ritual." As Holmes's fame grows, it brings him notoriety that piques the ire of London's criminal underworld, who begin to scheme against him. It is in "The Final Problem" that Dr. Watson relates the grisly, fatal, and shocking tale of how Holmes finally meets his match, encountering the diabolical Professor Moriarty in a terrible struggle at Reichenbach Falls.

I have to start out by telling you that when I was asked to review this book, it took me only seconds to respond. My husband and I are huge Sherlock Holmes fans.
Exhibit #1 Our Cats Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson and Professor Moriarty.

Back in the days when there were just 4 television selections, ABC, CBS, NBC and PBS, chances were pretty good that late nights on Fridays or Saturdays there would be a Sherlock Holmes movie on at least one of the channels. My favorite Holmes was Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce was my favorite Dr. Watson. But today with the Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes movie starring Robert Downey, Jr. and its sequel coming out in December there is a whole new audience for the Arthur Conan Doyle character. If you are a fan of the television show House you would also notice many similarities between Sherlock Holmes and Gregory House. In fact many episodes contain actual Holmes references. For example in the season two finale, House is shot by a crazed gunman credited as "Moriarty," the name of Holmes's nemesis. Today I just found this article that says CBS is working on a modern day Sherlock Holmes story. BBC already has out their own contemporary series. There are even cartoons based on the characters and books written about Holmes for all grade levels.

I guess what I am trying to say are these stories are timeless and can be read again and again at any time in your life.

Be sure to go see the new movie in December. I am not sure I like explosions and shooting but that's what is in all suspense movies these days.

I am more a fan of the Holmes in this book who uses his deductive skills, perceptions and sharp observations to solve the cases. This is a fantastic book for the older fans like me and a great way to introduce new fans on how Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson started out. The first story was published in 1887 and the character of Sherlock Holmes is still relevant today. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle has truly created characters that are timeless and who I "deduce" will be with us in one form or another forever and ever.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Penguin Books. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” (less)

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Sep 28, 2011

Maria rated it

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Shelves: short-stories

1. "Silver Blaze" - Focusing on a racehorse, this story contains the
phrase "The curious incident of the dog in the night-time" which I
had no idea originated in this cannon.
2. "The Adventure of the Yellow Face" - No,the title is not some
disturbingly racist allusion, although the issue of race does play
an integral role in the tale.
3. "The Stockbroker's Clerk" - This story is in the vein of "The ...more

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Feb 02, 2011

Melissa rated it

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Shelves: 2011, audiobook, crime, short-stories, classics

I enjoyed The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes a little less than the first collection, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, but only to the extent that I'd give the latter 8/10 and the former 7/10. Memoirs contains some very fine stories - my favourite amongst them probably "The Adventure of the Yellow Face", which holds an interesting window to society at the time.

Interestingly, the two stories narrated primarily by Holmes, rather than Watson ("The Adventure of the Gloria S...moreI enjoyed The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes a little less than the first collection, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, but only to the extent that I'd give the latter 8/10 and the former 7/10. Memoirs contains some very fine stories - my favourite amongst them probably "The Adventure of the Yellow Face", which holds an interesting window to society at the time.

Interestingly, the two stories narrated primarily by Holmes, rather than Watson ("The Adventure of the Gloria Scott" and "The Adventure of the Musgrave Ritual"), I found to be among the dullest in the collection. The framing of Holmes relating his own past effectively did away with the sense of urgency that carries the other stories forward. I also wasn't particularly enamoured with "The Adventure of the Greek Interpreter", which introduces Holmes' brother Mycroft, but on the whole the cases are solid, and the locked-room mysteries ("The Adventure of the Crooked Man" and "The Adventure of the Naval Treaty") especially were good fun to mull over.

The final story, "The Final Problem", introduces Holmes' nemesis Professor Moriarty, and was intended by Conan Doyle to be his last Holmes adventure. All I can say is that I'm glad he reneged, because "The Final Problem" does not make a fitting ending in the least. There's no foreshadowing or build-up to Moriarty - one minute, we, and Watson, have never heard of him, the next he's the pinnacle of the criminal underworld that Holmes could retire happily for having defeated. Watson's reaction left a lump in my throat, certainly, but it would have been a dreadful end to the Holmes canon had it been allowed to rest there.

Still, a very good collection all in all. I listened to this as an audiobook, but I think I'd have preferred the print version. There's just too much going on to listen and process hastily, and I think the stories would have benefited from being read at leisure, setting my own pace. I'm a little Sherlock'd out for now, but I'll definitely be dipping into The Return of Sherlock Holmes in time.(less)

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Jan 15, 2012

sabisteb rated it

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Shelves: buch, classics

The Napoleon of Crime

1. Silver Blaze (1892)
Ein erfolgreiches Rennpferd verschwindet über Nacht und er Stallknecht wird tot im Moor gefunden.
2. The Adventure of the Yellow Face (1893)
1888: Ein verzweifelter Ehemann bittet Holmes darum herauszufinden, was seine Frau bedrückt, seit die neuen Nachbarn eingezogen sind.
3. The Stockbroker's Clerk (1893)
1889: Der junge Kontorist Hall Pycroft hat nach langer Suche endlich einen Job gefunden. Ein anderer Arbeitgeber wirb...more

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Oct 03, 2011

Kathy Petersen rated it

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Shelves: x-feb-11-thru-jan-12, read-holmes, read-mysteries

The tales in The Memoirs include some bizarre and surprising stories. I remembered the trick with the horse in "Silver Blaze" (although I'd forgotten this was where we heard of the curious incident of the dog in the night) and the identity of "The Crooked Man," but I was taken aback by the owner of "The Yellow Face" and found "The Musgrave Ritual" more than a bit unbelievable.

The edition (Quiet Vision Publishing, 2005) I read was replete with ...more

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Feb 08, 2012

Chris rated it

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Shelves: mystery

More of the same, and I think I liked many in this set of stories more than "Adventures." One or two actually let you follow the mystery as it happens, rather than simply laying it out in a monologue and then delivering the explanation after the fact.
The addition of Professor Moriarty is inspired in introducing tension and, dare I say, plot to the cases. It's a shame that he only appears twice in all the Holmes stories, and I'm not surprised that adaptations since then have capit...more

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Oct 30, 2011

Louise rated it

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I think this one contains some of the best and most important stories (they start blending at some point).

I have to admit that I still could not stop. There are quite a few discrepancies between the books, but I don't think that distracts from the fact that they are so much fun to read. They might generally all be quite similar, but they are like the best of The Mentalist, Lie to Me and CSI combined. There are so many stories in each book (save the first), that I can't choose a favo...more

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Oct 27, 2011

Cleffairy rated it

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Reviewed at: Over A Cuppa Tea
Review date: 27 Oct 2011
Review link: http://cleffairy.com/?p=6287

Love Sherlock? Grew up imagining that you're Watson and tagging along with the famous fictional detective whenever he managed to sniff a mystery? Well then, this book is definitely for you, and it doesn't matter how many times you've read about the legendary detective, you wouldn't want to miss this memoir. It will definitely bring you back into the world of unsolved, exciting my...more

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Jul 11, 2009

Michael rated it

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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jan 13, 2010

Graham rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: 19th-century, anthology, literature, mystery

THE MEMOIRS OF SHERLOCK HOLMES is the second collection of short stories featuring the famous sleuth and it’s a cracker of an anthology – one of my very favourite of all time. There truly isn’t a duff story in amongst the lot. The stories collected here see Conan Doyle breathing life into the detective story, setting tales outside of London and playing with the formula established in THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES.

SILVER BLAZE prefigures THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES in its Dartmo...moreTHE MEMOIRS OF SHERLOCK HOLMES is the second collection of short stories featuring the famous sleuth and it’s a cracker of an anthology – one of my very favourite of all time. There truly isn’t a duff story in amongst the lot. The stories collected here see Conan Doyle breathing life into the detective story, setting tales outside of London and playing with the formula established in THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES.

SILVER BLAZE prefigures THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES in its Dartmoor setting. A prize racehorse is stolen and the trainer murdered, and Holmes and Watson are soon on the case. This story’s notable for containing the “curious incident of the dog in the night-time” since made popular by a book of the same title. THE YELLOW FACE has horror tinges, is oddly touching at times and a stark reminder of Victorian social values.

THE STOCK-BROKER’S CLERK sounds boring but isn’t, as the author once again retains the interest with intriguing characters and a fantastic denouement. THE “GLORIA SCOTT” is a retelling of the case that inspired Holmes to become a detective in the first place, and has a fine, TREASURE ISLAND feel to it.

THE MUSGRAVE RITUAL brings age-old secrets to the fore and is one of the weirdest tales in the book – as well as one of my favourites. Even this is pipped by THE REIGATE PUZZLE, an utterly intricate outing that sees an ill Holmes investigating a strange burglary and brutal murder. The way the story plays out in this one is brilliant and unlike anything else I’ve read.

THE CROOKED MAN is not dissimilar to THE SIGN OF FOUR and a perfectly packaged little mystery yarn; THE RESIDENT PATIENT sees Holmes putting his logical deductions to good use when he’s visited by a GP with an odd story, and THE GREEK INTERPRETOR introduces Holmes’ brother Mycroft as well as a couple of despicable villains.

THE NAVAL TREATY makes for a fine twist on the locked room mystery and the last story in the collection, THE FINAL PROBLEM, pits our hero against Professor Moriarty and is epic stuff – a battle between good and evil write large against the backdrop of Reichenbach Falls. A quite wonderful way to end a splendid collection.(less)

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About Arthur Conan Doyle

Arthur Conan Doyle was born as the third of ten siblings on 22 May 1859 in Edinburgh, Scotland. His father, Charles Altamont Doyle, was born in England of Irish descent, and his mother, born Mary Foley, was Irish. They were married in 1855.

Although he is now referred to as "Conan Doyle", the origin of this compound surname (if that is how he meant it to be understood) is unce...more

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The Complete Sherlock Holmes: All 4 Novels & 56 Short Stories

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