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Sherlock Holmes
541 pages, Paperback
Published February 27, 2015
9 people are currently reading
3782 people want to read
About the author
Arthur Conan Doyle
15.8k books24.4k followersSir 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
July 20, 2018
"There is nothing more deceptive than an obvious fact."
Sherlock Holmes is a detective consulted upon by royalty and commoners alike. Where crime is concerned, Sherlock Holmes is the key. Relying on minute information Mr. Holmes is able to solve cases that Scotland Yard cannot. Wether a murder or a disapperance, a grand mansion or the streets of London Mr. Holmes is on the case. With his trusted partner and friend Dr. John Watson by his side, Mr. Holmes takes crime by storm.
My interest for British detectives was first piqued by one Agatha Christie last year. My brother suggested that since I like Miss Christie's work, I should give Sir Doyle a go. I absolutely love this collection of short stories starring Sherlock Holmes. Residing in 221B Baker Street, Mr. Holmes takes on cases that the police are unable to solve. Kings and commoners ring his doorbell when confounded by difficult situations. His partner and biographer, Dr. John Watson accompany Holmes as he tackles crime with his keen eye. Relying on deduction and observation, Holmes seeks out the most intriguing crimes. The craftsmanship of this work is impeccable. The prose well wriiten and quite entertaining. The meting out of clues perferctly paced. So many times I felt like Watson when upon hearing the same information, was astounded that Holmes had all but solved the case. I have no qualms whatsoever about this book. It was great in regards to the setting, characterization and every case was unique and intriguing. There will certainly be more Sherlock Holmes for me.
Sherlock Holmes was first introduced in 1887, in 'A Study in Scarlet' (a work that is already on my shelves). While its believed that there are multiple sources of inspiration, one of the main ones is Joseph Bell. Joseph Bell was a real Royal Infirmary surgeon for whom Doyle had worked for as a clerk. It took some time for Holmes to become widespread but once it did, it spread like wild fire. Sherlock Holmes is now a British Cultural Icon. He is a beloved literaure character that has been portrayed on screen more so that any other fictional character. An interesting fact I have learned is that the phrase "Elemtary, my dear Watson" was not actually said by Sherlock Holmes. Yet, its one of the most attributed to him. Having now read about Holmes, I can see how his popularity only seems to increase with time. A fantastic read!
Sherlock Holmes is a detective consulted upon by royalty and commoners alike. Where crime is concerned, Sherlock Holmes is the key. Relying on minute information Mr. Holmes is able to solve cases that Scotland Yard cannot. Wether a murder or a disapperance, a grand mansion or the streets of London Mr. Holmes is on the case. With his trusted partner and friend Dr. John Watson by his side, Mr. Holmes takes crime by storm.
My interest for British detectives was first piqued by one Agatha Christie last year. My brother suggested that since I like Miss Christie's work, I should give Sir Doyle a go. I absolutely love this collection of short stories starring Sherlock Holmes. Residing in 221B Baker Street, Mr. Holmes takes on cases that the police are unable to solve. Kings and commoners ring his doorbell when confounded by difficult situations. His partner and biographer, Dr. John Watson accompany Holmes as he tackles crime with his keen eye. Relying on deduction and observation, Holmes seeks out the most intriguing crimes. The craftsmanship of this work is impeccable. The prose well wriiten and quite entertaining. The meting out of clues perferctly paced. So many times I felt like Watson when upon hearing the same information, was astounded that Holmes had all but solved the case. I have no qualms whatsoever about this book. It was great in regards to the setting, characterization and every case was unique and intriguing. There will certainly be more Sherlock Holmes for me.
Sherlock Holmes was first introduced in 1887, in 'A Study in Scarlet' (a work that is already on my shelves). While its believed that there are multiple sources of inspiration, one of the main ones is Joseph Bell. Joseph Bell was a real Royal Infirmary surgeon for whom Doyle had worked for as a clerk. It took some time for Holmes to become widespread but once it did, it spread like wild fire. Sherlock Holmes is now a British Cultural Icon. He is a beloved literaure character that has been portrayed on screen more so that any other fictional character. An interesting fact I have learned is that the phrase "Elemtary, my dear Watson" was not actually said by Sherlock Holmes. Yet, its one of the most attributed to him. Having now read about Holmes, I can see how his popularity only seems to increase with time. A fantastic read!
February 15, 2018
A great collection of Sherlock mysteries in a beautifully bound book. A must own!
My Rating: 5 stars
My Rating: 5 stars
March 12, 2023
What was there NOT to love about the Sherlock Holmes stories?
Every problem was solved, then neatly tied up in a bow. And not merely giftwrapped but giftwrapped by a genius! Sherlock Holmes was so smart: Besides solving mysteries he could also play the violin.
(In high school, when I devoured these stories, I was no detective. Alas, I wasn't even much of a violinist.)
WHAT DID I LOVE MOST ABOUT THIS BOOK?
Sherlock would find the telling details, hidden in plain sight. Then he'd masterfully draw the correct conclusions.
To me, this was akin to how detectives in storybooks, like the Nancy Drew series, could not only solve mysteries. They might even find a hidden staircase or two.
If you have a taste for the ineffable... or you simply adore tightly written stories by a master prose stylist, Arthur Conan Doyle's short stories are for you, too.
Every problem was solved, then neatly tied up in a bow. And not merely giftwrapped but giftwrapped by a genius! Sherlock Holmes was so smart: Besides solving mysteries he could also play the violin.
(In high school, when I devoured these stories, I was no detective. Alas, I wasn't even much of a violinist.)
WHAT DID I LOVE MOST ABOUT THIS BOOK?
Sherlock would find the telling details, hidden in plain sight. Then he'd masterfully draw the correct conclusions.
To me, this was akin to how detectives in storybooks, like the Nancy Drew series, could not only solve mysteries. They might even find a hidden staircase or two.
If you have a taste for the ineffable... or you simply adore tightly written stories by a master prose stylist, Arthur Conan Doyle's short stories are for you, too.
February 1, 2018
I can't believe I've waited so long to pick up Sherlock Holmes! I adored these mysteries, they made for really fun reads!
September 18, 2022
What can be said that hasn't been said about The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes? This collection of short stories with a full novel to boot is simply entertaining. Any original Sherlock Holmes material is still highly enjoyable and can compete with the current genre offerings.
Since this is a collection, I've taken the liberty to grade each component work.
A Scandal in Bohemia 3/5
The Red-Headed League 4/5
The Five Orange Pips 3/5
The Blue Carbuncle 5/5
The Speckled Band 4/5
The Beryl Coronet 3/5
The Hound of the Baskervilles 5/5
I have obviously read these all when I was child. And, I can say that I probably enjoyed my reread as an adult better. Arthur really made something immortal here. Read the book while listening to unabridged audiobooks. Great experience!
Since this is a collection, I've taken the liberty to grade each component work.
A Scandal in Bohemia 3/5
The Red-Headed League 4/5
The Five Orange Pips 3/5
The Blue Carbuncle 5/5
The Speckled Band 4/5
The Beryl Coronet 3/5
The Hound of the Baskervilles 5/5
I have obviously read these all when I was child. And, I can say that I probably enjoyed my reread as an adult better. Arthur really made something immortal here. Read the book while listening to unabridged audiobooks. Great experience!
December 12, 2017
truly a classic that deserves to be read over and over again.
March 4, 2018
After watching the Sherlock Holmes series with Jeremy Brett as Holmes, I had to finally read these stories. A lot of the great classic ones in this volume.
November 8, 2016
My, my, a book that started about a woman and ended about a woman. Ironically, though, Sherlock was never again favorably impressed with other women aside from the ladies of the first and last stories in the volume.
Adventures of Sherlock Holmes consists of twelve varying tales, not all concerning crime, but each a curious case. Most of the cases had a fairly predictable plot and culprit, save for The Man with the Twisted Lip, at least for me. It is my favorite story, because I did not see what was coming, and I have to admit it was pretty funny. A Scandal in Bohemia is my second favorite among them, for the sole reason that the cunning Holmes was gracefully beaten by a, excuse me, the, woman. Interestingly, this woman did not only had Holmes' mind, but also appeared to have had Holmes' heart. I also found The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle quite engaging. I say it was the most hilarious, and I liked that the flow of the story came easily, which started in a very light tone.
The other misadventures of Holmes and Watson were filled with thievery, deaths, overprotective parents, deceit, and more deaths, ranging from accidental ones to those of sinister in nature. I enjoyed them enough, thanks to my willpower to go on and finish it. I always got frustrated with those scenes of Sherlock having it all figured out, but leaving Watson, the reader and the surprisingly stupid police force groping in the dark. And what on earth was Watson for anyway, aside from being his chronicler, extra gun (which Holmes didn't really need because he was strong as frack), and number one fan? He was almost always of no use in this book (Watson proved to be a little beneficial in The Sign of the Four), always on the I-genuinely-do-not-know-what-the-frack-is-happening mode?
So I actually looked it up--Watson was always chaperoning Holmes to provide 'humanity' in the pages, a 'buffer' for Holmes' coldness. Makes some sense.
Adventures of Sherlock Holmes consists of twelve varying tales, not all concerning crime, but each a curious case. Most of the cases had a fairly predictable plot and culprit, save for The Man with the Twisted Lip, at least for me. It is my favorite story, because I did not see what was coming, and I have to admit it was pretty funny. A Scandal in Bohemia is my second favorite among them, for the sole reason that the cunning Holmes was gracefully beaten by a, excuse me, the, woman. Interestingly, this woman did not only had Holmes' mind, but also appeared to have had Holmes' heart. I also found The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle quite engaging. I say it was the most hilarious, and I liked that the flow of the story came easily, which started in a very light tone.
The other misadventures of Holmes and Watson were filled with thievery, deaths, overprotective parents, deceit, and more deaths, ranging from accidental ones to those of sinister in nature. I enjoyed them enough, thanks to my willpower to go on and finish it. I always got frustrated with those scenes of Sherlock having it all figured out, but leaving Watson, the reader and the surprisingly stupid police force groping in the dark. And what on earth was Watson for anyway, aside from being his chronicler, extra gun (which Holmes didn't really need because he was strong as frack), and number one fan? He was almost always of no use in this book (Watson proved to be a little beneficial in The Sign of the Four), always on the I-genuinely-do-not-know-what-the-frack-is-happening mode?
So I actually looked it up--Watson was always chaperoning Holmes to provide 'humanity' in the pages, a 'buffer' for Holmes' coldness. Makes some sense.
December 4, 2017
I was so ecstatic to find this edition in the bookstore and immediately bought it knowing I would love reading all of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's infamous stories. What makes this read even more amusing and interesting is that I am coincidentally watching the BBC version of Sherlock Holmes, so I have been comparing and contrasting the original stories of Mr. Holmes with the modernized television series (ingeniously created by Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss). I already have Volume II of this edition on its way to my home as I'm typing this; so freaking excited to continue my compare/ contrast project of the most beloved Sherlock Holmes. ♥♥♥
March 31, 2022
I love love loved this !!
12 short stories of delicious crime mysteries.
I thought they was going to be really complex an hard to get your head around like Agatha Christie’s novels are… but nope ! It was an absolute joy to read, the way Mr Conan Doyle writes is so uncomplicated and so easy to follow.
Sometimes when watching films or episodes of Sherlock Holmes they can make it a bit confusing so I thought his stories on paper would be even more intricate but it was the complete opposite.
The first book I’ve read by Conan Doyle but many more books of Sherlock Holmes will be following, that I am sure of !
12 short stories of delicious crime mysteries.
I thought they was going to be really complex an hard to get your head around like Agatha Christie’s novels are… but nope ! It was an absolute joy to read, the way Mr Conan Doyle writes is so uncomplicated and so easy to follow.
Sometimes when watching films or episodes of Sherlock Holmes they can make it a bit confusing so I thought his stories on paper would be even more intricate but it was the complete opposite.
The first book I’ve read by Conan Doyle but many more books of Sherlock Holmes will be following, that I am sure of !
July 18, 2020
This is first instalment is the first set of Sherlock Holmes short stories, some rather more novellas than short stories. Reading them in sequence like this is REALLY ENJOYABLE. You get to see the growth of the Characters Holmes and Watson, the growth of their friendship and relationship, which, in itself is so enjoyable to see and read. In many cases the stories overlap and have references to previous cases.
May 28, 2016
A wonderful collection of Holmes related adventures. As a watcher of the BBC TV series, it was great to see the inspiration for many episodes and was even better to read about those that haven't made it onto our screens. This Sherlock Holmes, in my opinion, is the best one and I can't wait to read more about him.
April 10, 2015
I love everything about this book! The writing style, the mysteries, the characters especially Sherlock Holmes, and also the plot. For me, no one beats Sir Arthur Conan Doyle when it comes to writing mystery books. *Hands down*
December 28, 2015
Volume 1 of Sherlock Holmes stories. Also has Doyle's first 2 books, A Study in Scarlet and The Sign of Four.
February 6, 2017
Fantastic! Witty, clever and suspenseful. The short stories are my favourite.
January 30, 2019
“You see, but you do not observe. The distinction is clear.”
I enjoyed this collection of short stories. I think this is my favorite Sherlock Holmes so far in the series.
I enjoyed this collection of short stories. I think this is my favorite Sherlock Holmes so far in the series.
April 29, 2019
Excellent collection of Sherlock Holmes stories!
January 9, 2020
Just absolutely awesome!
March 22, 2025
The perfect bedtime stories after binge watching BBC Sherlock. Don’t forget to put the kettle on.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews