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The Complete Sherlock Holmes
(Sherlock Holmes #1-9)
by
A study in scarlet --
The sign of four --
Adventures of Sherlock Holmes : A scandal in Bohemia ; The red-headed league ; A case of identity ; The Boscombe Valley mystery ; The five orange pips ; The man with the twisted lip ; The adventure of the blue carbuncle ; The adventure of the speckled band ; The adventure of the engineer's thumb ; The adventure of the noble bachelor ...more
The sign of four --
Adventures of Sherlock Holmes : A scandal in Bohemia ; The red-headed league ; A case of identity ; The Boscombe Valley mystery ; The five orange pips ; The man with the twisted lip ; The adventure of the blue carbuncle ; The adventure of the speckled band ; The adventure of the engineer's thumb ; The adventure of the noble bachelor ...more
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Paperback, 1796 pages
Published
October 1st 1986
by Bantam Classics
(first published 1894)
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Brian King
A Study in Scarlet was awesome because you never saw it coming!
Community Reviews
Showing 1-30

Start your review of The Complete Sherlock Holmes

A few of the things I learned:
Once you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth
Never theorize before you have all the evidence. It biases the judgment.
Also, I now sometimes try to analyze people based on their shoes and pants when sitting on the subway. I have yet to ask anyone if I was accurate about my predictions.
Once you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth
Never theorize before you have all the evidence. It biases the judgment.
Also, I now sometimes try to analyze people based on their shoes and pants when sitting on the subway. I have yet to ask anyone if I was accurate about my predictions.

Time does not change great literature This was completely entertaining and no matter how old you are it's still great to read over the ones you enjoyed the first time. Several I had not remembered reading. I bought this book at special price from here:
https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Sherl... ...more
https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Sherl... ...more

My copy of this book is a wreck, I have read it so often. My dad gave it to me, I can't remember if it was a birthday or Christmas gift, but regardless it's one of the best books I've ever been given. You just have to read a couple of pages and you fall right into Holmes and Watson's world; it's wonderful.
...more

It's great that we got Hound of the Baskervilles right before Return of Sherlock Holmes, because, after that, the knighted author would prove to be on autopilot.
I'm afraid that the test of time has not been overly kind to the canon Sherlock lore. It was a chore sometimes, to read through these short stories that have outstayed their welcome.
Maybe the detective ought to have stayed dead. But vox populi, vox Dei. Now that the work of Doyle is in Public Domain, many more new stories keep popping up ...more
I'm afraid that the test of time has not been overly kind to the canon Sherlock lore. It was a chore sometimes, to read through these short stories that have outstayed their welcome.
Maybe the detective ought to have stayed dead. But vox populi, vox Dei. Now that the work of Doyle is in Public Domain, many more new stories keep popping up ...more

Oct 25, 2017
Michelle
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
classics,
leatherbound-editions
Holmes, who loathed every form of society with his whole Bohemian soul, remained in our lodgings in Baker Street, buried among his old books, and alternating from week to week between cocaine and ambition, the drowsiness of the drug and the fierce energy of his own keen nature. Holmes was still, as ever, deeply attracted by the study of crime, and occupied his immense faculties and extraordinary powers of observation in following out those clues and clearing up those mysteries which had been aba
...more

Apr 11, 2018
Caz (littlebookowl)
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
audiobook
Rating: 3.5-3.75 stars?

I have no idea how I let myself get so long in the tooth before finally settling down and reading this collection. Suffice to say I am glad I finally came to my senses.
It is all here, every Sherlock Holmes story ever penned by Arthur Conan Doyle. There are four complete novels and five books of case studies. Relax I am not going to even attempt to review every one of these. That would be tedious for me as well as you.
There is no doubt that my hands down favourite of the entire collection was ...more
It is all here, every Sherlock Holmes story ever penned by Arthur Conan Doyle. There are four complete novels and five books of case studies. Relax I am not going to even attempt to review every one of these. That would be tedious for me as well as you.
There is no doubt that my hands down favourite of the entire collection was ...more

I'm a fantasy girl. I never liked detective stories. Until I got Sherlocked.
...more

For the Celebrity Death Match Review Tournament, Le Petit Prince (14) versus The Complete Sherlock Holmes (19)
It was some time during the summer of 19__ that I received an urgent telegram from Holmes. Arriving at 221B, Baker Street, I was struck by how little he had changed. He was older, to be sure; but his eye was as keen as ever, and his enthusiasm not one whit abated by the passage of the years.
"I trust you have brought your passport, Watson?" he said, in lieu of greeting. "We depart for Alg ...more
It was some time during the summer of 19__ that I received an urgent telegram from Holmes. Arriving at 221B, Baker Street, I was struck by how little he had changed. He was older, to be sure; but his eye was as keen as ever, and his enthusiasm not one whit abated by the passage of the years.
"I trust you have brought your passport, Watson?" he said, in lieu of greeting. "We depart for Alg ...more

So, I'm now done with reading this whole 2-volume 1,796-page Sherlock Holmes canon. I spent 10 months reading all the 4 novels and 56 short stories contained herein.
I really liked the experience and I am proud of this accomplishment. My first time to read a canon. Before reading this, I thought that the word canon only applied to biblical works. Well, that was the first thing I learned upon adding this book in my currently-reading folder.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote in a classy classic manner a ...more
I really liked the experience and I am proud of this accomplishment. My first time to read a canon. Before reading this, I thought that the word canon only applied to biblical works. Well, that was the first thing I learned upon adding this book in my currently-reading folder.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote in a classy classic manner a ...more

Having been a fan of these stories and the main characters for years, I'd like to make two observations:
1) I guess it's based on expectations, but I think some adult readers over-react when they read these stories for the first time. I think if these stories were published as something new today, they'd be classified as YA. Which is fine. I've read my share of YA and enjoyed it. We know these books are not supposed to be on the same level as Dickens, Shakespeare, or Infinite Jest in their sophis ...more
1) I guess it's based on expectations, but I think some adult readers over-react when they read these stories for the first time. I think if these stories were published as something new today, they'd be classified as YA. Which is fine. I've read my share of YA and enjoyed it. We know these books are not supposed to be on the same level as Dickens, Shakespeare, or Infinite Jest in their sophis ...more

I can't remember how often I've read and reread this book collection. More than 20 times since elementary school. Literally the only book that never quit on me, and it was a used book I picked up for 10 cents. Sherlock was my first crush I guess. Even now I simply cannot be objective on any level in regards to this character. It's probably a good thing I moved on to the Man From U.N.C.L.E. Well, maybe not.
...more

Jun 08, 2017
Gio Listmaker
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Gio by:
Andrea
Stephen Fry Narrates Sherlock Holmes
The Characters Come To Life

The Different Voices Are Amazing
Highly Recommend
...more

Oct 07, 2008
Martha
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
those in varying states of wakefullness
I don't know if anyone else does this, but in times of stress or when I have exceptional trouble falling asleep, I find myself re-reading a favorite book. One of these used to be my complete Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series but alas, it *is* in fact possible to read those books too many times. Lately this book has been the Complete Sherlock Holmes.
What amazes me the most about these stories is that, despite having read through the entire collection a number of times, I seem to find someth ...more
What amazes me the most about these stories is that, despite having read through the entire collection a number of times, I seem to find someth ...more

One sentence until I turn up with a more powerful review :
...more


*My overall rating is 4.5 stars for the entire bind up. I do list each story and my rating individually, as well as my average rating for each collection.*
A Study in Scarlet : 4 stars
The Sign of the Four : 4.5 stars
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes : 3.9 stars
-"A Scandal in Bohemia": 4 stars
-"The Red-Headed League": 3.5 stars
-"A Case of Identity": 4.5 stars
-"The Boscombe Valley Mystery": 5 stars
-"The Five Orange Pips": 4 stars
-"The Man with the Twisted Lip": 3.75 stars
-"The Blue Carbunc ...more
A Study in Scarlet : 4 stars
The Sign of the Four : 4.5 stars
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes : 3.9 stars
-"A Scandal in Bohemia": 4 stars
-"The Red-Headed League": 3.5 stars
-"A Case of Identity": 4.5 stars
-"The Boscombe Valley Mystery": 5 stars
-"The Five Orange Pips": 4 stars
-"The Man with the Twisted Lip": 3.75 stars
-"The Blue Carbunc ...more

My impression of what a Sherlock Holmes' story is actually like.
I came down to breakfast one morning to find my dear friend, Sherlock Holmes disembowelling a gerbil with a teaspoon.
"My dear Holmes," said I, "is that really necessary?"
Barely glancing up from his gruesome task, he told me that it was. "You see, Watson," he continued, "there is matter that I believe may soon become illuminated not only to you but the whole of London society."
"Good God, Holmes!" I cried. "Whatever is this?"
"Have pat ...more
I came down to breakfast one morning to find my dear friend, Sherlock Holmes disembowelling a gerbil with a teaspoon.
"My dear Holmes," said I, "is that really necessary?"
Barely glancing up from his gruesome task, he told me that it was. "You see, Watson," he continued, "there is matter that I believe may soon become illuminated not only to you but the whole of London society."
"Good God, Holmes!" I cried. "Whatever is this?"
"Have pat ...more

I've read these stories many times over the years. My first versions, which I bought in the 70's, were a set of paperbacks as a boxed set. Often I would take one of the paperbacks along to keep me company and entertain while in waiting rooms or at a hotel for a night. Eventually the paperback pages grew yellow and began to crumble, but I still have them.
I do not usually read mysteries or thrillers, I prefer film or TV depictions, but Holmes has always been an exception. Stephen Fry is the perfe ...more
I do not usually read mysteries or thrillers, I prefer film or TV depictions, but Holmes has always been an exception. Stephen Fry is the perfe ...more

Before anything else, I'd like to make a couple of clarifications:
First of all this is an audiobook, although for reasons unknown to me it appears as a Kindle ebook and I can't change the format. Secondly, the ninth book in the Sherlock Holmes Series (The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes) is not included in this collection. Still, the first eight books are part of this collection and it all amounts to about 68 hours of audio.
Now, I won't even try to review so much material, as the stories are many an ...more
First of all this is an audiobook, although for reasons unknown to me it appears as a Kindle ebook and I can't change the format. Secondly, the ninth book in the Sherlock Holmes Series (The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes) is not included in this collection. Still, the first eight books are part of this collection and it all amounts to about 68 hours of audio.
Now, I won't even try to review so much material, as the stories are many an ...more

Aug 01, 2020
Elle (ellexamines)
marked it as tbr
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
anticipated-sequels
oh my god but this thing is so thick. and I’ve only read one part of it. help.
A Study in Scarlet - TBR
The Sign of the Four - TBR
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (collection) - ★★★★★
Review to come here.
The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes (collection) - TBR
The Return of Sherlock Holmes (collection) - TBR
The Hound of the Baskerville - TBR
The Valley of Fear - TBR
His Last Bow (collection) - TBR
The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes (collection) - TBR
Blog | Youtube | Twitter | Instagram | Spotify | About | ...more
A Study in Scarlet - TBR
The Sign of the Four - TBR
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (collection) - ★★★★★
Review to come here.
The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes (collection) - TBR
The Return of Sherlock Holmes (collection) - TBR
The Hound of the Baskerville - TBR
The Valley of Fear - TBR
His Last Bow (collection) - TBR
The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes (collection) - TBR
Blog | Youtube | Twitter | Instagram | Spotify | About | ...more

This was one of the longest books I've ever read, but well worth the read. Enjoyed it thoroughly. After reading this, it is clear that Sherlock Holmes is very well the inspiration behind most of the detective/ mystery genre we have today. I remember reading a while back, for example, that the TV show "House" was intended to be a medical version of Sherlock Holmes. I especially enjoyed reading such tales as "The Hound of the Baskervilles". One of the things that stands out about Sherlock Holmes i
...more

~currently reading~
(Click on the links for my thoughts on each story)
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
1. A Scandal in Bohemia ★★★.5
I liked this story, but my expectations weren’t exactly met. I was hoping for something better.
2. The Red-Headed League ★★★
This one was slightly disappointing, but the overal reveal was amusing. ...more
(Click on the links for my thoughts on each story)
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
1. A Scandal in Bohemia ★★★.5
I liked this story, but my expectations weren’t exactly met. I was hoping for something better.
2. The Red-Headed League ★★★
This one was slightly disappointing, but the overal reveal was amusing. ...more

Sherlock Holmes may quite arguably and deservedly be the most famous and beloved literary character ever created. I've been a fan for years, of most of the films, the radio dramatizations, some of the pastiches, and, of course, the originals, but I'd never read the complete canon straight through. I've read one of the stories or a chapter or two of one of the novels with my coffee every morning this year, and, 1408 pages later, finished this morning. I recommend them wholeheartedly without reser
...more

Jul 31, 2012
Gene
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
favorites,
crime-and-mystery
It is a classic and very entertaining read to boot. What else can I say? Sherlock Holmes outlived many generations of its readers and will outlive yet more generations while still remaining hugely popular.

Amazing narration of (mostly) amazing stories.
This is a great listen and a splendid investment of one 15-dollar Audible credit:) It's wonderful to get to reread Sherlock Holmes mysteries for the first time since secondary school and to find them still gripping and cool. Also, Fry's prefaces to each volume is a delight. ...more
This is a great listen and a splendid investment of one 15-dollar Audible credit:) It's wonderful to get to reread Sherlock Holmes mysteries for the first time since secondary school and to find them still gripping and cool. Also, Fry's prefaces to each volume is a delight. ...more

What first got me hooked on reading.
[That sounds corny, like 'Hooked on Phonics' or something...]
Either way, I found a seriously abridged and illustrated version of a few stories when I was in 3rd grade. And I've never looked back. Hands down my favorite reads ever. ...more
[That sounds corny, like 'Hooked on Phonics' or something...]
Either way, I found a seriously abridged and illustrated version of a few stories when I was in 3rd grade. And I've never looked back. Hands down my favorite reads ever. ...more
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Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was born the third of ten siblings on 22 May 1859 in Edinburgh, Scotland. His father, Charles Altamont Doyle, a talented illustrator, 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 u ...more
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 u ...more
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