English Mysteries Club discussion
Archived Buddy Reads
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Continuing Buddy Read of the Sherlock Holmes stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, with Adrian
Read the next four stories. Milverton is the absolute worst. Felt very sorry for Sherlock's young client she apparently knew her fiance didn't love her enough to forgive "sprightly letters" but was willing to marry him anyway. Shows women's options were strictly limited. Six Napoleons is an all time favorite of mine. One of the most entertaining stories ever.
Ellen wrote: "Read the next four stories. Milverton is the absolute worst. Felt very sorry for Sherlock's young client she apparently knew her fiance didn't love her enough to forgive "sprightly letters" but was..."Well said Ellen. I'm about 3/4 of the way through and have already come across 2 stories I don't remember, but then it is probably 20 years since I last read it.
I have to agree Charles Augustus Milverton is just so despicable. As we Brits would say, a real slimy toad.
The Six Napoleons is excellent, but I also really liked The Dancing Men.
After a difficult March during which I hardly read anything, let alone Sherlock, the stories so far have really lifted me in a strange way, I guess it must be the excellence of the writing.
So, I've just finished all of the short stories in this wonderful volume, and with it being probably over 20 years since I last read this anthology I have to say I have really enjoyed it and amazingly I didn't remember all of the stories.I am just about to finalise my review, where I have broken it down by each story, (as I have tended to do recently especially around Christie's and Doyle's) and boy are them so good ones.
So for anybody still reading along, I hope you have enjoyed the stories and appreciate the descriptive powers of the author, when he only has 25/30 pages to set the scene, set the story, show the investigation, and then the reveal.
Sir ACD has to be one of the best short story mystery detective writers of all time.
Finished the last five stories and of these 5 my favorite was Abbey Grange. "The game is afoot". Unlike the Dancing Men we get a happily ever after. In this volume my favorites were Dancing Men, 6 Napoleons and Abbey Grange with Dancing Men coming out on top.
I must admit "The Dancing Men" is one of my favourite stories of all his writings. The 6 Napoleons is great in that it starts off so random until Sherlock gets involved.That said I'm glad you enjoyed them all and hope you're looking forward to His Last Bow
And so amazingly here we are on the verge of May. Here in the UK we have been locked down since early January and we are beginning to open up now, so hopefully the weather will improve. April has been the coldest for many a year with frosts virtually every night, so hopefully May will bring some sun and warmth.Anyway through May and June we shall be reading His Last Bow, this includes the following wonderful short stories. :-
"The Adventure of Wisteria Lodge" (1908)
"The Adventure of the Cardboard Box" (1892)
"The Adventure of the Red Circle" (1911)
"The Adventure of the Bruce-Partington Plans" (1908)
"The Adventure of the Dying Detective" (1913)
"The Disappearance of Lady Frances Carfax" (1911)
"The Adventure of the Devil's Foot" (1910)
"His Last Bow. The War Service of Sherlock Holmes" (1917)
Some of you may have noticed that I have included "The Adventure of the Cardboard Box" which was also in The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes. This is because, it was originally included in the USA into Memoirs, then dropped and put into His Last Bow. Either way I hope you read it and enjoy.
All of this starts tomorrow, so feel free to read at whatever pace you like, and post any thoughts you may have here.
As Ellen said above, once again, " the game is afoot"
Finished Return today, the last day of the month, so looking forward to Last Bow! I liked Abbey Grange too, but not the stories that had some complicated background in the past or when the criminal got away.
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Hope things are settling down a little for you Adrian. It really has been quite a year :(
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I'm putting His Last Bow on the home page today, for the second month of its reading. Maybe others will find this superb challenge and join in too :)
Bionic Jean wrote: "Hi Ade and Sherlock Holmes buddies, I'm putting His Last Bow on the home page today, for the second month of its reading. Maybe others will find this superb challenge and join in to..."
Thanks Jean.
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Well I am just over half way through this now. And I have to say whilst I don't remember every story I am enjoying it as much as the first short story I ever read from Sir ACD. I'm not saying they are all excellent, but they all bring something to what is a wonderful and enduring collection of short stories.
As Christie is to novels, Sir ACD is to short stories, and this collection just exemplifies it.
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I've just read The Adventure of Wisteria Lodge and enjoyed it. I've read several Sherlock Holmes stories before, and this one seemed unusual if only for the fact that the detective was pretty smart, to the point where even SH was impressed with him! That made a nice change. I thought the set-up was interesting, and I fell for at least one red herring, which is always a sign of a good detective story, to my mind!
Started His Last Bow and read Adventure of Wisteria Lodge and Adventure of the Red Circle( I had read Adventure of the Cardboard Box when we did Memoirs). My recollection of Wisteria Lodge was strong not so much Red Circle. My opinion is that the reason I didn't recall Red Circle is because it just isn't that memorable. Looking forward to the rest of the stories. If I do one a day I will be finished before the end of the month.
My apologies guys for not commenting on peoples progress or thoughts. Our house sale was brought forward so we had a week less to pack up, and now all our stuff is in storage, my wife and our cat are at her mother's and i'm staying with a good friend whilst our house purchase is finalised, its a good fortnight behind our sale.So you can imagine it is all chaos.
All of that said I'm glad Sue and Ellen that you both enjoyed The Adventure of Wisteria Lodge, it is an unusual story as you say Sue.
I've finished the book, but haven't been able to write a review as I think my copy is packed somewhere !!
Adrian wrote: "My apologies guys for not commenting on peoples progress or thoughts. Our house sale was brought forward so we had a week less to pack up, and now all our stuff is in storage, my wife and our cat a..."Wow, Adrian, that sounds like a hugely challenging time for you and the family. I hope it all settles down for you very soon.
Best wishes for your move Adrian, and hope you´ll be able to settle soon! Haven´t managed the book till now, so will probably read it next month.
Adrian wrote: "My apologies guys for not commenting on peoples progress or thoughts. Our house sale was brought forward so we had a week less to pack up, and now all our stuff is in storage, my wife and our cat a..."So sorry to hear of you being discombobulated during a house move. Always a stressful time!
Finished His Last Bow yesterday. In my opinion The Adventure of the Bruce-Partington Plans was the best of this group.
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Adrian - well done for getting through this last difficult year, and I hope you will soon no longer be all at sixes and sevens, but at ... well whatever the most settled number is!
It's the 1st, so are we starting The Valley of Fear today Adrian, or am I wildly wrong and we have another month to go yet?
I haven´t read His Last Bow yet, so I´d be happy for a bit more time.
Bionic Jean wrote: "Adrian - well done for getting through this last difficult year, and I hope you will soon no longer be all at sixes and sevens, but at ... well whatever the most..."Thanks Jean and thanks buddy readers for all your kind thoughts.
Well, after a gap of 5 weeks, I am actually back. We are now finally in our house, all together (me, wife and cat). Without going into the gory details, we now finally have hot water, a shower and most important a toilet, phew !! No carpets, dusty and dirty everywhere, but we are moving forward.
Ok, reading wise, we were meant to start The Valley of Fear in July, but hey its our buddy read so if people want a bit more time, we make sure we have a bit more time, I'm sure Jean will allow it !!.
So instead of July and august, shall we go through to end September ?
That would make The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes October and November , and put us in Dartmoor with The Hound of the Baskervilles through December and January.
If we're all ok then I suggest we adopt that new timetable.
Thanks Adrian, I´d be glad for that! Wishing you a good time at your house!
Adrian wrote: "Bionic Jean wrote: "Adrian - well done for getting through this last difficult year, and I hope you will soon no longer be all at sixes and sevens, but at ... well whatever the most..."Thanks Jea..."
I did not start The Valley of Fearin July so I am happy with the change in schedule.
Getting in under the wire for starting The Valley of Fear in August. I actually don't remember if I have ever reread this one so I will hopefully have some surprises in store.
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I finished and my reread confirmed me in my opinion that The Valley of Fear is the Sherlock Holmes I am least likely to reread. As far as I'm concerned it just has no pizzazz.
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Hi guys as ever, it has been a monster month, the plumber was with us 5 weeks, which gives you some idea of the mess the house was in. I have started work on the kitchen so for a while we washed up in a bowl of water from the sink in the toilet. So the chaos continues.But this is not DIY with Conan Doyle, its a read of all his Sherlock books, and we currently have a few weeks left of The Valley of Fear.
I must admit I finished it a few weeks ago, but have not had time to write my review, that said I did enjoy it, but I think like The Sign of Four, it is in reality a "novella" expanded to a novel.
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Best wishes Adrian with the new house! I haven´t even read His Last Bow yet, so no hurry! :)
Okay, finally read His Last Bow, and it was definitely not my favourite till now. It also includes one short story that is also in another collection.No fan of the stories that contain a large amount of history that is only presented in the end, when the culprit is finally found. I remember The Adventure of the Dying Detective though which I liked.
FYI, the new issue of Canada-based Mystery Magazine: October 2021 (formerly Mystery Weekly) is their annual Sherlock Holmes double issue -- full of intriguing new Holmes adventures, pastiches, research, & commentary from around the world. (Including mine!)
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So I won't be really boring and drone on about house renovation suffice to say I have been working non stop on my kitchen whilst my wife has been painting all the grubby walls over three floors. I have hardly read anything (and certainly have not written any of my outstanding reviews)Oh we have also managed, after battling through reams of Covid regulations, to travel to see our new grandkids in Berlin, Germany. Now that was wonderful
So once again, apologies to those still with me and to Jean, for my absence. In October November we are reading the final book of short stories The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes, and then as I mentioned before and much to my enjoyment that puts us in Dartmoor with The Hound of the Baskervilles through December and January. Woooooh
Thanks for bearing with me, now where are my screwdrivers and saw. 😊
C.J. wrote: "FYI, the new issue of Canada-based Mystery Magazine: October 2021 (formerly Mystery Weekly) is their annual Sherlock Holmes double issue -- full of intriguing new Holmes adventures,..."That sounds interesting CJ. If I get a spare second or two, I will try and grab a look. And many congrats on your entry being included, more details ??
Michaela wrote: "Best wishes Adrian with the new house! I haven´t even read His Last Bow yet, so no hurry! :)"Bionic Jean wrote: "Hang in there Ade! Things will be bound to turn around soon, and it will all have been worth it :)"
A belated thanks to you both, almost half a kitchen done now.
Adrian wrote: "C.J. wrote: "FYI, the new issue of Canada-based Mystery Magazine: October 2021 (formerly Mystery Weekly) is their annual Sherlock Holmes double issue -- full of intriguing new Holme..."Thanks for asking, Adrian! My story is "Scandal at the Savoy: The Monocle Murder." Watson begins narrating what appears to be a straightforward Holmes adventure -- & so it is, but for the setting: a recreation of London's Savoy Hotel & Theatre by a pair of Silicon Valley tech moguls who idolize Victorian tech pioneer Richard d'Oyly Carte & have recreated his world (with a dazzling cast of period characters) on Broadway in San Francisco.
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Well done for struggling through - you will get there! Both in domestic matters and this challenge YAY!
Adrian, congratulations! Sounds like a herculean job which will be very satisfying to look back on.If your home renovations stir up any brilliant visions of long-lost maps or skeletons behind old walls, be sure to turn them into a good story . . . or share them!
C.J. wrote: "Adrian wrote: "C.J. wrote: "FYI, the new issue of Canada-based Mystery Magazine: October 2021 (formerly Mystery Weekly) is their annual Sherlock Holmes double issue -- full of intri..."That sounds really interesting CJ, I will really have to try and get a copy of that magazine.
Bionic Jean wrote: "Good to hear from you Adrian - thanks for the announcement reminder too :)Well done for struggling through - you will get there! Both in domestic matters and this challenge YAY!"
Thanks Jean. I must admit the thought of Christmas on Dartmoor (in book terms) spurs me on. I might even watch the Jeremy Brett TV version as a special treat.
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Started the
and read the first four stories. Definitely not as impressive as his previous work. It didn't seem like there was much mystery to them. In fact from a modern point of view the Adventures of the Three Gables not only was the African portrayed in a demeaning way the supposedly mistreated example of British manhood was a stalker who wouldn't except when the woman told him no.
Glad to hear someone´s still doing this challenge, as I´m behind but want to finish it. :)
I was….then the boyfriend wanted to join in…..then we got sidetracked by life….and we haven’t read more than the first novel. Still hoping to finish the list provided for us here by Adrian!
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On to the next two stories Adventure of the Sussex Vampire and Adventure of the Three Gerridebs. These were much more entertaining than the first 4. Sussex Vampire mentions that famous never told adventure of the Giant Rat of Sumatra. Gerridebs had a similar plot device as Red Headed league but also shows a human emotional side to Holmes.
English Mysteries Club
Books mentioned in this topic
The Hound of the Baskervilles (other topics)The Hound of the Baskervilles (other topics)
The Annotated Sherlock Holmes (other topics)
The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes (other topics)
ABOUT SIXTY: Why Every Sherlock Holmes Story is the Best (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Graham Greene (other topics)Clive Merrison (other topics)
Clive Merrison (other topics)
Clive Merrison (other topics)
Clive Merrison (other topics)
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Thanks Michaela, well things are in the past if not completely sorted, and memories are always there to be recalled.
And likewise, because of issues, I hardly read much at all through March but I have now started and had forgotten how wonderful it is, so I hope everyone still with us enjoys them all.