His Last Bow: Some Reminiscences of Sherlock Holmes

Sherlock Holmes #8

by Arthur Conan Doyle

'We must fall back upon the old axiom that when all other contingencies fail, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.'

Sherlock Holmes's fearless chronicler Dr Watson once again opens his notebooks to bring to light eight further tales of some of the strangest and most fascinating cases to come before the enquiring mind of London's most famous detective.

These mysteries involve the disappearance of secret plans as well as of a lady of noble standing; the curious circumstances of Wisteria Lodge and of the Devil's Foot; as well as the story His Last Bow, the last outing of Holmes and Watson on the eve of the First World War.

Genres: Mystery, Classics, Fiction, Crime, Short Stories, Audiobook, Detective

260 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 22, 1917

About the author

Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle was a Scottish 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.

Reviews

[Federico DN · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Penultimate Peril.

The second last collection by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle; not exactly the best, but a fairly good one.

After sooo many stories it’s increasingly hard to make a difference between them and make them stand out individually, but at least this collection has several that succeed at that, and not a single Meh. Great to see brother Mycroft again, however briefly, some interesting villains and developments here and there, and a few nail biting moments when we almost *lost* the great detective.

Go for the Best, consider the Good, whatever the Meh.

The Best :
★★★★☆ "The Devil’s Foot." [4.5]
★★★★☆ "The Red Circle."
★★★★☆ "His Last Bow." [3.5]
★★★★☆ "The Bruce-Partington Plans." [3.5]

The Good :
★★★☆☆ "Wisteria Lodge."
★★★☆☆ "The Dying Detective."
★★★☆☆ "The Disappearance of Lady Frances Carfax."

It’s public domain, you can find it HERE.

IMPORTANT: For a sort of HEA ending for the series I strongly recommend saving 8. His Last Bow for last, after 9. The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes

Still missing, the BBC series.



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PERSONAL NOTE :
[1917] [242p] [Collection] [3.5] [Recommendable] [Beekeeper Holmes]
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★★★★☆ 1. A Study in Scarlet [3.5]
★★★☆☆ 2. The Sign of Four [2.5]
★★★☆☆ 3. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
★★★★☆ 4. The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes [3.5]
★★★★☆ 5. The Hound of the Baskervilles
★★★★☆ 6. The Return of Sherlock Holmes
★★★☆☆ 7. The Valley of Fear
★★★★☆ 8. His Last Bow [3.5]
★★★☆☆ 9. The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes [2.5]
★★★☆☆ 10. The Complete Sherlock Holmes

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El Anteúltimo Peligro.

La segunda última colección por Sir Arthur Conan Doyle; no exactamente la mejor, pero una bastante buena.

Después de taaantas historias se vuelve cada vez más difícil hacer una distinción entre ellas y hacerlas destacar individualmente, pero al menos esta colección tiene varias que lo logran, y ni un sólo Meh. Genial ver al hermano Mycroft de nuevo, aunque brevemente, algunos villanos y sucesos interesantes aquí y allá, y un par de momentos alarmantes cuando casi *perdemos* al legendario detective.

Ir por lo Mejor, considerar lo Bueno, loquesea lo Meh.

Lo Mejor :
★★★★☆ "La Aventura del Pie del Diablo." [4.5]
★★★★☆ "La Aventura del Círculo Rojo."
★★★★☆ "El Ultimo Saludo." [3.5]
★★★★☆ "La Aventura de los Planos del Bruce-Partington." [3.5]

Lo Bueno :
★★★☆☆ "La Aventura de Wisteria Lodge."
★★★☆☆ "La aventura del detective moribundo."
★★★☆☆ "La Desaparición de Lady Francés Carfax."

Es dominio público, lo pueden encontrar ACA.

IMPORTANTE: Para tener una especial de final feliz en la serie recomiendo fuertemente dejar 8. Su Ultimo Saludo para el final, después de leer 9. El Archivo de Sherlock Holmes

Queda pendiente, la serie de BBC.



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NOTA PERSONAL :
[1917] [242p] [Colección] [3.5] [Recomendable] [Holmes el Apicultor]
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[Jayson · Rating 4 out of 5]

(A-) 84% | Very Good
Notes: Precursor to the spy genre, it's Holmes, Sherlock Holmes, secret agent, with more consequential and real world plots.

[Maureen · Rating 3 out of 5]

*3.5 Stars*

Sherlock Holmes’s genius and powers of deduction shine through as expected in this storyline, with Sherlock being brought out of retirement to help the Government fight the German threat, as the First World War gets ever nearer.

“There's an east wind coming, Watson.”
“I think not, Holmes. It is very warm.”
“Good old Watson! You are the one fixed point in a changing age.”

Not my favourite but enjoyed it nevertheless.

[Adrian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Last Bow

A wonderful (as ever) book of short stories from the master (short) story teller Sir ACD

* "The Adventure of Wisteria Lodge"
Holmes receives a telegram asking if he can be consulted about a grotesque experience. Mr Scott Eccles arrives hotly pursued by Inspector Gregson who wants him for murder
* "The Adventure of the Cardboard Box"
Delivered to Miss Susan Cushing, a box containing 2 severed ears is thought by Insp Lestrade to be a joke, however Holmes sees a more sinister reason. Upon questioning Miss Cushing Holmes believes the parcel was meant for her sister.
* "The Adventure of the Red Circle"
Mrs Warren, visits Holmes as she is worried about her lodger whom she hasn’t seen since he first rented her room. He only converses with little notes and has the Daily Gazette delivered everyday. Holmes surmises, the same person is not in the room and that they are waiting on a message in the personal column.
* "The Adventure of the Bruce-Partington Plans"
Receiving a message from Mycroft saying he will be calling on Holmes and Watson surprises them both as he never deviates from his daily routine. He wishes to discuss the death of the government employee Cadogan West who was discovered with copies of secret plans in his pocket.
* "The Adventure of the Dying Detective"
Called urgently to Baker Street, Watson is shocked to discover Holmes gravely ill, and at Death’s door. Hurt that Holmes will not allow him to help, he none the less agrees to fetch Mr Culverton Smith who is an expert on foreign illnesses. Getting Watson to hide, Holmes talks to Culverton Smith, who seems to have no bedside manner whatsoever.
* "The Disappearance of Lady Frances Carfax"
Holmes sends Watson to Switzerland to track down the latest known whereabouts of Lady Carfax, who has not written to her old friend for 5 weeks which was totally against the norm. Watson discovers she has left for London with a couple names Schlessinger after dismissing her maid and attempting to avoid the intentions of a bearded man. Holmes asks for a description of Schlessinger’s ear which Watson takes as a joke. But it is only on returning to London that Watson finds Holmes was serious as things take a turn for the worse
* "The Adventure of the Devil's Foot"
Needing to convalesce, Holmes and Watson head to a cottage in Cornwall, however their rest is short-lived as Holmes is called in to the horrific but unexplained death and insanity of members of the Tregennis household. The only surviving unharmed member of the family is the vicar’s lodger , who played cards with his family but left the family house to return to his lodgings around 10pm. How and why mortimer Tregennis survived when the rest of his family are mad or dead is what troubles Holmes as he sets off for the Tregennis family house.
* "His Last Bow"
In the prelude to the first World War, this story opens with two Germans discussing the the need to obtain secret information about the British. Expecting a secret dossier von Bork awaits the American who will deliver this vital information to him, before returning to Germany. He is given a parcel which he expects to be this secret dossier but turns out to be a book on Bees. The Germans have been tricked and all the information they have been supplied with has been realistic but False.
Holmes returns to his retired life in Sussex and famously tells Watson “There is an East wind blowing , such a wind as never blew on England”


A book of excellent short stories

[Piyangie · Rating 4 out of 5]

His Last Bow is yet another great collection of Sherlock Holmes adventures. I'm returning to Sherlock Holmes after a considerable absence, and this collection reminded the pleasures I've deprived myself of by being away from the stories of this universally loved detective!

Unlike other short-story collections, His Last Bow is a short collection with just eight stories. Most of them were excellently written. And even concerning the ones I thought fell a little behind the others, I couldn’t find any major complaints. Even with this later collection, Conan Doyle has managed to maintain his brilliant craftsmanship, displaying a similar ingenuity as the likes of The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes and The Return of Sherlock Holmes.

The eight stories of this collection are:
The Adventure of the Wisteria Lodge - 4 stars,
The Adventure of the Cardboard Box - 3 stars,
The Adventure of the Red Circle - 4 stars,
The Adventure of the Bruce-Partington Plans - 3.5 stars,
The Adventure of the Dying Detective - 4 stars,
The Disappearance of Lady Frances Carfax - 4.5 stars,
The Adventure of the Devil's Foot - 4 stars, and
His Last Bow - 5 stars

Apart from the excellence of these stories, I enjoyed the warm relationship between Holmes and Dr. Watson. Both have aged and the maturity had created an unshakeable interdependent bond between the two. The natural arrogance of the detective has considerably lessened and so has his eccentricity. I've never loved this dear old soul more. The old age has softened him, and he was more human and reachable.

The last story of this collection "His Last Bow", which is also the name of the collection, is a perfect ending to this collection and the Sherlock Holmes canon. Even though there is one last volume done afterward, I'd like to remember the story as his final great performance. I will end my review with the final dialogue between Holmes and Dr. Watson and you will agree that the story "His Last Bow" is a fitting end to the adventures of the greatest fictitious detective of all times.
"There's an east wind coming, Watson."
"I think not, Holmes. It is very warm."
"Good old Watson! You are the one fixed point in a changing age."

More of my reviews can be found at http://piyangiejay.com/

[Leo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've had a complete collection of Sherlock Holmes stories but haven't finished it until now. Took about a year break I think. It's iconic and have it's charm.

[°°°·.°·..·°¯°·._.· ʜᴇʟᴇɴ Ροζουλί Εωσφόρος ·._.·°¯°·.·° .·°°° ★·.·´¯`·.·★ Ⓥⓔⓡⓝⓤⓢ Ⓟⓞⓡⓣⓘⓣⓞⓡ Ⓐⓡⓒⓐⓝⓤⓢ Ταμετούρο Αμ · Rating 4 out of 5]

«Η τελευταία υπόκλιση» στον βωμό της αξίας του κλασικού

Sherlock Holmes.

[Werner · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Goodreads friend Steve Haywood and I agreed, early this year, to read this collection together this month as a buddy read. He wanted to do a story collection; and I suggested this one, since I knew it was the only remaining book in the Holmes canon that I hadn't officially read. So, on turning the last page, I marked another literary milestone, completing an odyssey begun in childhood; there are no more original Sherlock Holmes stories to read for the first time!

As it turned out, there probably weren't any more I hadn't read even before I turned the first page. :-) Of the eight stories in this edition, the only one I possibly hadn't previously read elsewhere was "The Disappearance of Lady Frances Carfax" --I'm not sure if I'd actually read the story itself or just had very vivid memories of the adaptation on the old PBS Mystery! series, starring Jeremy Brett as Holmes. (In any case, the ending of the actual story differs significantly from that of the adaptation --and I like Doyle's better than the scriptwriters'.) Had I known this, I might not have suggested the book as a buddy read, since I rarely reread books, and the read did prove to be very quick on my end; but I did reread or closely skim most of the stories this time, and that actually proved to be quite worthwhile, because in the years since reading most of these, I'd forgotten a number of significant details, which I enjoyed re-discovering! ("The Adventure of the Cardboard Box" was the only one I didn't reread, having just read it last year and commented on it in my review of The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, where it originally appeared. It wasn't included in the original, 1917 British edition of this collection; but it did appear in the 1917 American edition published by Doran, of which this edition is a quality reprint.)

Unlike some reviewers, I find the quality of Doyle's work throughout the Holmes canon pretty consistent, and this collection is much of a piece, in style and quality, with the preceding and following ones. Holmes and Watson are their usual vividly-drawn selves, and their camaraderie and friendship adds to the enjoyment of the stories. The mysteries are solved by the application of rational deduction accompanied by minute observation of detail, but the settings and story elements often, in Romantic fashion, incorporate the exotic, the scary and the "grotesque" --a word which our heroes discuss at the beginning of "The Adventure of Wisteria Lodge," with, as it turns out, good reason. :-) All of these stories are set in England, but they may be very much subject to sinister foreign influences: the past outrages of a Central American dictatorship, the activities of southern Italy's organized crime, poison used by African witch doctors. Even in England, the Gothic and sinister may not be absent; Doyle's evocation of the Cornish seacoast and moors in "The Adventure of the Devil's Foot" would be at home in the Romantic novels of Blackmore or Du Maurier. (Doyle uses description with more skill than readers sometimes notice.)

Attempting to comment on the individual stories can be difficult without divulging spoilers (that's particularly true in the case of "The Adventure of the Dying Detective"). I can mention that "The Adventure of the Bruce-Partington Plans" is noteworthy in the Holmes canon as being one of only two in which Holmes' brother Mycroft appears. From the beginning of the title story, set just on the eve of World War I in August 1914, it's obvious that this one deals with pre-war German espionage. Written as it was during the war, its treatment of German characters is colored by wartime attitudes towards the enemy; and in hindsight we can say that it's very unlikely that the German government was consciously planning the war since 1910, and that even its date would have been predictable to their agents! The story is also notable, though, as the only Holmes story I recall with actual explicit references to God (in two places); though Doyle wasn't a Christian, the war --and especially the death of his son in it-- tended to move his thoughts in a more spiritual direction. (Ironically, though, the hope he puts in Holmes' mouth, "...a cleaner, better, stronger land will lie in the sunshine when the storm has cleared," proved to be illusory; the moral and spiritual effects of the Great War on England, and the West generally, were almost entirely demoralizing.) My favorite story in the book is probably "The Adventure of the Devil's Foot," but all of them are well-written and rewarding.

This edition is enhanced by an appended Selected Bibliography of Doyle's works (it fills about two and a half pages, since he wrote prolifically, including long and short fiction and nonfiction), and a four and a half page About the Author biographical note, which is worthwhile and informative. A must for Doyle fans, I'd recommend the collection to any fans of traditional mystery stories.

[Exina · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great collection of Sherlock Holmes stories. I've read four stories:

The Adventure of the Bruce-Partington Plans - 4 stars
My review.

The Disappearance of Lady Frances Carfax - 4 stars
My review.

The Adventure of the Dying Detective - 2 stars
My review.

His Last Bow: An Epilogue of Sherlock Holmes - 4 stars
My review.

[K.D. Absolutely · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Sherlock Holmes collection that has the fewest number of short stories: 8. It is even a story-less in its British edition. This is called His Last Bow because it shares that title with its anchor (last) story. Other than that reason, I could not associate any of the other stories with Holmes bowing out as they all have the same ingredients or formula as the earlier Sherlock Holmes literary pieces.

The Adventure of Wisteria Lodge. John Scott Eccles consults Holmes and Watson regarding the death of his Spanish friend, Aloysius Garcia. Two Scotland detectives, Gregson and Baynes, join. Garcia’s murder happened in a place called Wisteria Lodge in Esher. The murderer turns out to be from another house that Holmes was able to deduce from reconnoitering. I loved the presence of gothic element but the reconnoitering is quite unlikely in my opinion. However, if the area is peopled only by whites and Murillo is the only one from Latin America, then I may be wrong. What I mean is that Murillo’s skin could have made him a highly noticeable target. – 2 STARS

The Adventure of the Cardboard Box. Yuck, two severed human ears are inside the parcel sent to an old landlord, Miss Susan Cushing and Inspector Lestrade suspects that that this is a frank by his evicted tenants who are medical student. Holmes, as always, thinks differently and he proves that he is right. Quite ordinary but the straightforward narration plus the emotion of a wronged man made this story disquieting. For a while, I felt for the killer because his wife has a lover. Not that I could emphatize with him but Holmes held back the full information a bit there so I thought that the killer deserved my empathy. – 3 STARS

The Adventure of the Red Circle. The kidnapper of Mrs. Warren’s husband is identified using the following facts: messages sent to Daily Gazette’s Agony column, hiding in a boxroom, the lantern signal and the knowledge of Italian language. Underground terrorist activities are also involved. Aside from Pinkerton that was also mentioned in his last novel, the Italian Mafia-like organization, Red Circle, is involved here but there is no connection between Pinkerton and Red Circle. Felt like an ordinary Holmes story. - 2 STARS

The Adventure of the Bruce-Partington Plans. This is the last appearance of Mycroft, Holmes’ brother. Arthur Cadogan West is murdered and seven out of ten pages of the secret submarine plans are found with his corpse. If the 3 pages are found, the person can create a submarine that runs from Bruce to Partington. Mycroft provides information that led to the identification of the murderer near the railway. Unlike the first story in this collection, the reconnoitering of the neighborhood is plausible to identify the place where the killing happened. The reason is that the corpse is found by the railway tracks. - 3 STARS

The Adventure of the Dying Detective. Would you ever imagine Holmes getting sick? He died but he never got sick in the previous novels and short stories. In this one Holmes is said to have contacted a contagious Asian disease and Dr. Watson is called to tend on him. Watson arrives but Holmes tells him to wait up to 6pm. Holmes asks Watson to fetch Mr. Culverton Smith who Holmes has accused to have killed his nephew, Victor. I felt sad reading this novel at first because I thought all the while that Holmes was sick and could die. It was unthinkable for me and Sir Doyle was able to truly catch my interest. - 3 STARS

The Disappearance of Lady Frances Carfax. Lady Frances is missing but Holmes is busy so he sends Watson to investigate. He proceeds with the investigation and finds out that Lady Frances has gone to Germany, met the Schlessinger couple and a big bearded man. Holmes telegraphs back asking of the condition of Mr. Schelessinger’s ear. Just like “Baskervilles,” this story has Watson in the forefront of action and Holmes relegated to the back burner. Or so I thought. Just like in “Baskervilles” Sir Doyle always keeps surprises up his sleeves. - 3 STARS

The Adventure of the Devil’s Foot. Messrs. Tregennis and Roundhay consult Holmes because the former’s brothers (Owen and George) have gone mad and his sister (Brenda) died. During the investigation a cousin of the Tregennises, Dr. Sterndale, postpones his trip for the sake of the investigation. The following day, Tregannis himself is found dead by Dr. Sterndale. Who kills or turns the siblings? Read and find out for yourself. The Devil’s Foot is a chemical from a plant root in Africa. This is one of the best stories in this collection. Very engaging. - 4 STARS

His Last Bow. Von Bork is a German spy is leaving Britain for Netherlands bringing with him a lot of valuable information that may be used by German during the first World War. His friend, Von Herling says that those can make him rather a hero. Von Bork is still not happy though. He is still waiting for another tip (naval signal). I will not tell you the rest of the story because as I do not give too much away. This one is very good though. I did not see “it” coming. Also, told in a third person, this felt different because all the other works in the canon are narrated by Watson (first person). This is said to have been written during the World War I to uplift the morale of the British soldiers so this is a spy story rather than the usual detective’s tale. Truly, a breath of fresh air. - 5 STARS

On to the last collection of short stories called The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes and I will then be done with the whole Sherlock Holmes canon. Which canon I am planning to read next? I am contemplating between reading the whole works of Samuel Beckett (I have all of them) or maybe read the rest of the 11 books included in Anthony Powell’s A Dance to the Music of Time. I am still collecting, little-by-little, the whole works of William Shakespeare so, even if I want to read him next, I still cannot do that.

[Catherine Vamianaki · Rating 5 out of 5]

ένα ευχάριστο και ενδιαφέρον αστυνομικό βιβλίο του Arthur Conan Doyle.
Περιέχει μερικές σύντομες ιστορίες μυστηρίου που καλείται να λύσει ο Σέρλοκ Χολμς με τον πιστό φίλο του Ουότσον. Για όσους αγαπούν την αστονομική λογοτεχνία.

[Aishu Rehman · Rating 3 out of 5]

His Last Bow collects eight Sherlock Holmes stories that first ran in The Strand Magazine from 1908 to 1913, as well as including the eponymous “His Last Bow”, which ran in 1917. (“The Adventure of the Cardboard Box” is included in American editions of this collection; Brits will find that story in The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes.) Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson are on the case yet again, with Watson serving as Holmes’ faithful biographer for seven of the eight stories collected here. The British government under fire, women vanishing from holiday, severed ears turning up in the post of respectable women, and German spies are just the tip of the iceberg.

[Alaska Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Mi querido Watson, es usted el único punto inamovible en una era de cambios."

mi despedida con el detective es cada vez más inminente y no sé si estoy preparada para dejar ir a mis niños, pero leerlos una vez más siendo jovenes insensatos y osados, me llenan de ánimo...

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the penultimate collection of Sherlock Holmes stories. I have spent my summer going through the Sherlock canon, and I am a bit sad to be nearing the end of my time with the great detective. Even though some of the stories are not the best mysteries, they have a certain charm to them that makes them endearing to read.

In this collection, my favorites were "The Adventure of the Bruce-Partington Plans," "The Adventure of the Dying Detective," and "The Adventure of the Devil's Foot." The final piece, "His Last Bow," is unique in that it is actually a spy story set during World War I, and it is told in the third person, instead of from Dr. Watson's point of view. In this book we also learn that Holmes has retired and is now keeping bees at a small farm.

Since I have spent so many weeks with Sherlock, I have been contemplating the vastness of his influence. So many modern detective shows and stories can be traced back to Doyle's creation. Why was he so iconic? It's true we appreciate his genius, just as we admire those who can see through the lies to the truth, who can follow the trail amidst the undergrowth, who can find the solution to the mystery. But I think Sherlock would not have been quite so memorable if it had not been for his friendship with Dr. Watson. Watson always helped Holmes -- he humanized him. (He even saved Holmes' life a few times!) Sherlock always gets the praise, but I wish I could give Watson a pat on the back, too.

[Ali · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are times when only certain types of books will do, when one is feeling in need of some consoling literary friend. At such times I often reach for Agatha Christie, although another old and comforting literary companion is Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes.

This fairly slight volume contains eight fascinating Holmes stories, each of them a fairly decent length, utterly perfect to curl up with on a chilly December evening. I adore the character of Holmes, it matches exactly the mood that Doyle creates so perfectly in each story. The tension and fear that lies beneath a rarefied Englishness, the dense fogs that swirl outside the windows of Baker Street, while a great mind is figuring out the unfathomable. In my personal favourite 'The Adventure of the Devil's Foot' Holmes and Watson find themselves in a tiny Cornish village, where a woman has been apparently terrified to death, and two o her brothers left raving mad. In the final title story, a tale not narrated by Watson, the two old friends are brought back together some time after Holmes' retirement, it is August 1914. Although rather different in tome to the preceding stories it is a nice quiet finale.

[Theo Logos · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book would have been a fitting capstone to the Holmes saga, just as it’s name implies. Alas, it is actually the penultimate Holmes book, as Sir Arthur just couldn’t quit Holmes, and publish another volume after His Last Bow.

The tales in this volume returned to the quality Doyle exhibited in the early collections, The Adventures, and The Memoirs Of Sherlock Holmes. Here Holmes and Watson take on foreign intrigue, such as deposed dictators (The Adventure Of Wisteria Lodge) the Cosa Nostra (The Adventure of The Red Circle) spies selling state secrets (The Adventure of the Bruce-Partington Plans) and the Kaiser’s Prussian agents menacing Britain at the dawn of the Great War (His Last Bow). Add in a couple of home grown baddies (The Adventure of the Dying Detective and The Disappearance of Lady Frances Carfax), and another mystery where the locals suspect supernatural causes (The Adventure of the Devil’s Foot) and there’s not a weak one in the bunch.

I almost don’t want to go on and read the final Holmes volume, The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes, because this one would be such a strong finish.

[Kylie🐾 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay so I own 5 Sherlock books and this is the first one I’ve read. WOW I AM SPEECHLESS! I wish I read them sooner.
The adventure of the dying detective was absolutely superb. That story definitely had me hook from the start.

Some of the stories were a little harder to get into than most but I really enjoyed them all either way.
I really can’t wait to read the other 4.

[RJ - Slayer of Trolls · Rating 3 out of 5]

This short story collection is one of the finest and most even entries in the series. Subtitled "Some Reminiscences of Sherlock Holmes," the brief preface indicates that Holmes has retired after his war service.

The Adventure of Wisteria Lodge - 4/5 - someone's past comes back to haunt him! No, really!
The Adventure of the Cardboard Box - 4/5 - what's in the box?
The Adventure of the Red Circle: by Arthur Conan Doyle - 4/5 - insert "circle of trust joke" here
The Adventure of the Bruce-Partington Plans - 4/5 - although somewhat reminiscent of The Adventure of the Second Stain (even including the spy Oberstein) there's plenty for Holmes to do and even a couple of Mycroft appearances
The Adventure of the Dying Detective - 4/5 - another fresh plot idea, and no one's past had to come back to haunt them!
The Disappearance of Lady Frances Carfax - 4/5 - Holmes gets it wrong? Or does he...?
Adventure of the Devil's Foot - 4/5 - Holmes solves cases even while on vacation
His Last Bow -4/5 - Holmes emerges from retirement in support of the war effort

[James Tivendale · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was pretty enjoyable read consisting of 8 short stories. Although they are arguably not as consitant and entertaining as Adventures of... and Return of... I would say half the stories here are very good. Devil's Foot was one of my favourites which was reminiscent of The Hound of The Baskervilles where Sherlock goes and explores on his own via long walks in strange places and leaves the readers in the dark before the big reveals following the masterful deductions he is famous for.

I like the way a couple of the stories; such as the above mentioned - lay the facts out and then you hear the perpetrators point of view and it questions your morality and original viewpoint which adds to the layers and the readers emotions at the finale of the short tale.

The Dying Detective is very enjoyable but slightly predictive and I didn't really like The Last Bow - it seemed more of a statement than a story with the impending war approaching Europe.

Sherlock and Watson's friendship is great as always (I am sure Sherlock even called it Love in one story!). I like the mechanisms of Watson's autobiographical presentation so the stories never seem repetitive. The cast that around our duo are great such as Lestrade, Mrs. Hudson and Gregson and some of the villians are notorious as would be expected.

If you read these, like me - for Sherlock's genius, deduction and bizarre shenanigans mix with his relationship with his army doctor and biographer friend - then you will find a lot here to enjoy. I wouldn't start with this collection though. Adventures of.... and the Four full lengths should come first. Peace. x

[Charles van Buren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Includes the last Holmes adventure

Review of Kindle edition
Publication date: October 12, 2016
Publisher: Wisehouse Classics
Language: English
ASIN: B01M7P3VEM
147 pages

His Last Bow: A Reminiscence of Sherlock Holmes is a collection of 8 Sherlock Holmes stories published in October, 1917. The subtitle of the U.S. Edition was changed to Some Later Reminiscences of Sherlock Holmes.

The collection begins with a preface by Watson telling readers that, as of the date of publication, Holmes is long retired but is still alive and well, living in a rural area and keeping bees.

Six of the stories including the first story, The Adventure of Wisteria Lodge (spelled Wistaria when first published) first appeared in The Strand between September1908 and December 1913. The Adventure of Wisteria Lodge was published as A Reminiscence of Sherlock Holmes. It appeared in two parts the first titled The Singular Experience of Mr. John Eccles and the second, The Tiger of San Pedro.

The Adventure of the Cardboard Box was also included in the first edition of The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes in 1894, but was dropped from later editions of that book.

The last story, His Last Bow. The War Service of Sherlock Holmes, was first published in Collier's in September 1917, a month before the book's appearance in Britain in October. This is a spy story rather than a mystery. Published during WW1, it is regarded by many as a contribution by Doyle in aid of British home front morale. Chronologically it is the last Holmes story. It is also notable as not being narrated by Watson.

[Saadia B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Holmes was crippled by occasional attacks of rheumatism. Lived on a small farm in Eastbourne, divided his time between philosophy and agriculture. Determined that his retirement was a permanent one. The approach of the German war caused him however to lay his remarkable combination of intellectual and practical activity at the disposal of the government.

Several other cases were part of this last book which included: 'Wisteria Lodge', 'The Bruce-Partington Plans', 'The Disappearance of Lady Frances Carfax' and 'The Dying Detective' in which Dr Watson is horrified to discover Holmes at death's door from a mysterious tropical disease as his friend lays a trap for a murderer.

Holmes as always doesn't disappoint and the book is a great finale to his adventures.

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[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite a remarkable Sherlock collection. I am amazed at how cohesive a whole is formed from these several separate stories, and I can’t remember the last time I had such an enjoyable experience. I strongly disliked this collection at first, and I am still amazed at how drasticallly my opinion changed as the stories were crafted.

The book opens with a preface about how Sherlock retired to the South Downs to keep bees. I don’t know why this book starts out with that image, but I suppose it is partly Doyle’s way of assuring his readers that he will not kill off Holmes as he did before. That said, although the idea of a man living peacefully alone with a bunch of bees can be soothing, the preface felt, to me, to be rather melancholic. No matter how successful his career, he has finished with it now. Although he was once young and strong and surrounded by admirers, now he is old and alone, and he takes no interest in the concerns of the police or the mysteries of everyday life. Earlier, his mind rebelled at stagnation, and now he seems to desire it. The stories, then, before they have even begun, have already been presented as historical cases from a now long-retired detective who, as far as we know, has no contact with anyone from his former life at Baker Street. I think retirement can be a beautiful thing, and I don’t blame Sherlock for wanting rest, but his total separation from everything he’s known is described almost as an afterthought, and I found it to be a little depressing. (Plus, I felt a bit cheated dramatically. How can I worry about Sherlock putting himself in danger if I know he’s going to retire to the South Downs?)

But then the stories started, and oh! Such stories! Even at this late point in the series, it is easy to see character development, and—was Doyle getting sentimental?—at least two different events in two different stories that demonstrate the genuine warmth between Holmes and Watson. One of the stories begins with Watson explaining that he had just had a message from Holmes to publish one his accounts of their adventures, and this the first occasion to show that even in retirement, Holmes is still in touch with Watson. And these stories are magnificent. There is one that fleshes out his brother Mycroft and showcases the siblings’ cooperation and respect. We get to see Watson’s suffering as he is helpless to save his friend in “The Dying Detective,” and we see a very sick Sherlock trying to recover his health in a completely different milieu in “Devil’s Foot.” These are two of my favorite Sherlock stories, period. They’re definitely in my top five, and possibly in my top three. Sherlock is also definitely thinking with his heart in this collection; his genuine worry about an innocent lady and his desire to protect her drive the “Carfax” story, and his kindness keeps coming to the fore in many of these tales. The tone is softer, the characters (after all these years) are open and trusting, and even poor Lestrade gets to shine. Holmes and Watson have come to rely on his support, and he can be depended on to back them up. It’s a far cry from the awkward and competitive relationship they had early on.

And then, at the end of all of it, comes “His Last Bow.” Right from he beginning, this story is different. It’s told in 3rd person, and it takes place post-bees. This is a much older, steadier Sherlock Holmes. No longer is he working to support himself, or even sleuthing “for the game’s own sake”—not here. Now, the stakes are higher, the need is greater, and a threat so terrible in its magnitude has drawn Sherlock out of retirement and plunged him once more into his former profession. And now, the preface finally makes sense for me. Sherlock retires, and then Sherlock keeps going. In this story, we see for the first time the work that he has accomplished during his time on the South Downs. So even then, he has not been idle. And now, afterward, Sherlock comes back when he is needed, so that he can continue to do what he had always done. I like the idea of more, of change, of surprise. Just when you think everything has ended, there is still more to come. I like the idea of Sherlock rising up from obscurity, of standing tall, of doing, of saving, of protecting. He came back from the dead, as it were, in “The Return of Sherlock Holmes,” but this, this is his real resurrection. And it took my breath away.

Last of all, three of my favorite Sherlock Holmes quotes are found in this collection:
“I play the game for the game’s own sake.”
“I thought I knew my Watson.”
And finally,
“Quick, man, if you love me.”
Beautiful moments, all.

[Tristram Shandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

”’[…] If you cast your mind back to some of those narratives with which you have afflicted a long-suffering public, you will recognise how often the grotesque has deepened into the criminal.’”

Even if Holmes himself had not referred to the Red-Headed League to illustrate this statement of his, this case as well as the one of the Five Orange Pips, would have come to my mind immediately if I had been asked to name some examples of Sherlock Holmes stories in which the seemingly harmless would turn into something serious. In His Last Bow: Reminiscences of Sherlock Holmes, however, one gets the impression that Arthur Conan Doyle does not bother a lot about the harmlessly grotesque but goes directly into the realm of luridness – at least by the standards of his day and age –, thus giving the lie to the following statement made by the trusty chronicler Watson in one of the tales,

”In choosing a few typical cases which illustrate the remarkable mental qualities of my friend, Sherlock Holmes, I have endeavoured, as far as possible, to select those which presented the minimum of sensationalism, while offering a fair field for his talents.”

Instead of innocuous orange pips and the bemusing tale of a red-headed man, Doyle now gives us stories of people sending cut off ears to unoffending ladies, Italian criminal gangs, people left dead or out of their senses due to some unknown influence, or single travelling ladies hid away in coffins, and one cannot help but wonder whether Doyle felt himself under the obligation of stirring a fire he saw on the point of waning. Most of these stories were published in the Strand Magazine between 1908 and 1911, except for two: The Adventure of the Cardboard Box dates back to 1892 and was originally included in The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, but it was expunged from many editions of this collection – not so much because of its gruesomeness but since it dealt with the highly improper subject of adultery, which was then considered worse than depriving a person of their ears. The other story, His Last Bow, was written in 1917 as Doyle’s effort to bolster up the British war effort, and it is remarkable in two ways, first for being one of the few stories in which Watson is not taking up his role as the first person narrator – in fact, the story is told from an omniscient third person narrator’s point of view – and second for placing Holmes into a context of espionage.

This collection contains one of my personal favourite stories, namely The Devil’s Foot, in which Doyle allows himself the liberty of inventing a deadly poison which is probably based on his own experiences with a plant called yellow jessamine. We also get to know more about the close friendship between Holmes and Watson when on several occasions the master sleuth shows unmistakable and endearing signs of being deeply affected by Watson’s readiness to go through thick and thin with his friend. With the exception of the last story, which is liked by many readers but which I found showing Holmes a little out of his element, I really enjoyed every single tale, even the theft of the Bruce-Partington plans, which reminded me strongly of the disappearance of the Naval Treaty.

[Richard Alex Jenkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sherlock Holmes literature is accessible, excellently written and feels like you're in the company of good friends, nearly always told from the perspective of Dr. Watson as he recounts the adventures of his estimable colleague, Holmes.

This is volume 8 out of 10, previously comprising four independent books (novellas) and three other volumes of short stories like this one. I'm kind of exhausted, but the quality remains excellent throughout.

My main criticism is the contents not being fleshed out enough, sometimes feeling jumbled together and incomplete for the sake of ending a story. There's a lack of punch at times, like a visit from Santa Claus - here're your presents, now onto the next house while I disappear up the chimney. You're drawn in, immersed in the world for a while and then hurried along for the next instalment that is never quite enough and occasionally unsatisfying, like the contents of an all you can eat menu rather than a proper four-course meal.

When you're as talented as Arthur Conan Doyle and mostly produce short stories for periodic magazine publications, there's going to be some regret on his part. But what does it matter when the legacy is as long lasting and lovingly crafted as this? If you enjoy his intellectual and throwaway writing style, you'll be hungry for more, for his exceptional story-telling talent, charming characters and fascinating content in entertaining bursts.

This probably isn't the best Sherlock Holmes short-stories volume, but that's what you get sometimes, a smorgasbord of mixed quality.

[Lorna · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Last Bow is part of the Sherlock Holmes Literary Collection by Arthur Conan Doyle being Volume 8 of the collection, so sadly, I am approaching the end with the final Volume 9 coming up in the wonderful canon of Sherlock Holmes’ magnificent works.

This collection consists of eight works beginning with The Adventure of Wisteria Lodge; The Adventure of the Cardboard Box; The Adventure of the Red Circle; The Adventure of the Bruce-Partington Plans; The Adventure of the Dying Detective; The Disappearance of Lady Frances Carfax; The Adventure of the Devil’s Foot; and His Last Bow. The War Service of Sherlock Holmes. And this is the one that I would like to concentrate. In my edition, it is called His Last Bow - An Epilogue of Sherlock Holmes. This takes place in Germany where there is a lot of smuggling of papers and misappropriation of secrets at the height of World War I. And into this milieu we again see Sherlock Holmes and his faithful friend and biographer, Dr. Watson reunited again after many years.. It was a fitting ending to the Sherlock Holmes many tales.

[David Sarkies · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another Collection of Holmesian Adventures
28 May 2017

Since I’m trying to finish off this massively huge volume of Sherlock Holmes short stories before I go back to Adelaide (namely because it happens to be my father’s), I thought it was time to make my way through the fourth collection. Unlike the other collections, Watson indicated that this collection is actually a collection of adventures that occurred previously, and aren’t actually a new series, namely because in the previous collection the final adventure had Sherlock living in the country tending bees since he had retired of the life of the detective. As such, we jump back to learn of some futher adventures that our consulting detective became involved in.

Once again, murder seems to be the major theme throughout these stories, which as I previously mentioned, I found to be a bit of a shame because I actually preferred the adventures that either didn’t involve a murder, or weren’t even a crime afterall. However, I suspect that murder would be Holmes’ bread and butter, and due to the incredibly serious nature of the crime, would be the problem that the police generally approach him with. Not that the police generally approach him because you still get the impression that Lestrade believes that he is the greatest cop in existance and all Holmes ever does is get in the way.

The interesting thing is that in my past employment I have worked with private detectives, or more specifically investigators (as they are known here in Australia). As it turns out, the bread and butter of the investigator is generally insurance work, or spying on husbands/wives, to see if they are up to any mischief. Okay, they also do missing person work, but normally because the missing person owes somebody money, and the creditor really doesn’t want to let the debtor off the hook. Once again this is particular with the insurance industry because a simple mistake can suddenly have you owing hundreds of thousands of dollars to an insurance company, and suddenly you find that debt collectors are hounding your every move – and in this interconnected world of Facebook, Twitter, and a mobile phone that wants to share your location with the entire world, hiding from such people has become ever more difficult.

One final thought though, other than the fact that I’m going to have to write a blog post about my trip to the Sherlock Holmes Museum in London (though I have so many blog posts to actually write that this one will probably end up falling to the wayside pretty quickly), is the last story. This one actually bucks the trend in that we have the story set not only as a postscript, but also after he has retired. Actually, the final story in the previous volume was the case as well. However, this story is set at the start of World War I and we have some German spies preparing to head back to Berlin. Well, that is until Holmes steps out of the woodwork, reveals himself, and sends them packing (or at least arrests them). In fact this story was probably my favourite story in the whole collection, though it does turn Holmes into a bit of a superhero.

I guess it happens to be one of those stories that was written after the outbreak of the war, or at least fairly shortly afterwards. In a way it reminds me a bit of the superhero comics, or even the Hollywood action films, which reveals that deep desire within ourselves for some hero to come out of nowhere and to save us from an external threat – in this case Germany. Okay, while Holmes was not able to single handedly defeat Germany, he was able to bring down a massive spy operation, as well as feeding the Germans false information. Mind you, I always find it funny when Hollywood creates these heroes that go out and save us from the bad people, when in the end what we really need is a hero to come along and save us from ourselves.

[Mariah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don’t know what I’m more surprised by in this Holmes reread: His great disdain and general dislike for women, the amount of offensive names used for people of color (I know it’s the 19th century, I still don’t have to like it), Watson calling Holmes’ drug addiction as “an occasional indiscretion” or the fact that I missed most of these nuggets when I was 13 and read SH for the first time.

The Adventure of Wisteria Lodge, The Tiger of San Pedro ⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Adventure of the Red Circle ⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Adventure of the Bruce-Partington Plans ⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Adevnture of the Dying Detective ⭐️⭐️
The Disappearance of Lady Frances Carfax ⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Adventure of the Devil’s Foot ⭐️⭐️⭐️
His Last Bow ⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Within this small collection are a few stories in which Doyle seems to have been going through his motions (and who could blame him). But as his most famous creation says more than once in this volume, “We must possess our souls in patience”; and that patience is rewarded, as the collection also contains some of Doyle's finest stories, including a couple that break his own mold.

[Ria · Rating 3 out of 5]

[Sheila Beaumont · Rating 5 out of 5]

I totally enjoyed this penultimate volume of Sherlock Holmes short stories, not as long as the previous volumes, but just as entertaining. My favorite stories in this book are "The Adventure of the Bruce-Partington Plans," "The Adventure of the Dying Detective," "The Adventure of the Devil's Foot," and "His Last Bow." Now I have only one volume to go in my reread of the series.