Continuing Buddy Read of the Sherlock Holmes stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, with Adrian

[Ellen]

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.

[Adrian]

Bionic Jean wrote: "I'm adding the final book The Hound of the Baskervilles to our home page for December and January :) It should attract some extra interest there!"

Thanks Jean. Hopefully it will mean there's a crowd on Dartmoor !!

[Adrian]

Michaela wrote: "Glad to hear someone´s still doing this challenge, as I´m behind but want to finish it. :)"

Well Michaela, i wouldn't worry, due to hardly reading a page the last couple of months, I've only just finished "Casebook" and started on our journey to Dartmoor.

[Adrian]

Allie wrote: "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!"

Being sidetracked by life is always annoying Allie , but i shouldn't worry, the Sherlock reading list will be there for you to take at your own pace.

[Adrian]

Ellen wrote: "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 a..."

I must admit that i felt this was probably the weakest of the short story collections, although as you say Ellen, there were a few good ones, and the wonderful allusion to the giant rat. Which we will never read , shame.

[Adrian]

And so, as i alluded, to in some of my earlier messages, i to have been distracted by life (well house renovation) to the extent that i have reduced my reading target by some 25%.
It has also meant that i didn't finish The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes until a couple of days ago, but have already started on my journey by train to the wilds of Dartmoor in The Hound of the Baskervilles. I hope to share a carriage on the train with you as we trundle our way South West to the wilderness of Dartmoor and Grimpen Mire.

[Bionic Jean]

Well done Adrian! Come on everyone, it's a perfect read for the end of the year :)

[Ellen]

I started The Hound of the Baskervilles today. Marvelous end to the old year and beginning the new with Sherlock's most famous adventure.

[Bionic Jean]

Brilliant Ellen :) Yes, it feels very seasonal, doesn't it :)

[Adrian]

I’m glad someone else is following me down to Dartmoor. Enjoy Ellen

[Adrian]

Well I finished my journey just before Christmas, and actually upped my rating of the novel to 5 ⭐️stars from 4 as I really enjoyed it. Maybe it was what I needed to get my reading back on track and so that was why I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I hope those of you still exploring Dartmoor and looking for clues or dodging the terrifying dog enjoy the rest of your trip.

[Bionic Jean]

A stellar way to finish Adrian! :)

[Ellen]

Finished my reread today. Enjoyed it very much. My new thought on this current read is I had never really paid attention to the fact that we don't spend all that much time with the villain. Did anyone else ask themselves the question that he might of actually escaped? After all they didn't find a body.

[Bionic Jean]

Interesting!

[Adrian]

Ellen wrote: "Finished my reread today. Enjoyed it very much. My new thought on this current read is I had never really paid attention to the fact that we don't spend all that much time with the villain. Did any..."

Oh I'm really glad you enjoyed it Ellen. And I must admit I had never thought that "the villain" might have got away. As Jean says, an interesting premiss, hmmm 🤔

[Adrian]

Bionic Jean wrote: "A stellar way to finish Adrian! :)"

I agree Jean, and for me it was a great way to finish 2021's reading

[Bionic Jean]

Just let me know if you'd like to host another continuing buddy read Adrian! There will be a bit of a hole now this is nearing completion at the end of the month.

[Michaela]

I´m still behind, so I hope you´ll keep this open for a while, and I know of at least one further member who´s behind too. :)

[Bionic Jean]

Of course! The thread will remain open, and I'll keep it in the current folder for a while extra if you like, too :)

[Michaela]

Thanks, Jean! :)

[Adrian]

Michaela wrote: "I´m still behind, so I hope you´ll keep this open for a while, and I know of at least one further member who´s behind too. :)"

Have you reached Dartmoor yet Michaela ?

[Michaela]

Adrian wrote: "Michaela wrote: "I´m still behind, so I hope you´ll keep this open for a while, and I know of at least one further member who´s behind too. :)"

Have you reached Dartmoor yet Michaela ?"

No, I still have to cross the Valley of Fear, Adrian. ;)

[Bionic Jean]

:D

[Bionic Jean]

This read is officially completed! WOW! Well done everyone who has reached the finishing post, and a HUGE round of applause and thanks to Adrian, who has steered us so well through it all!

And no need to be down at heart about it being over, as Adrian will be back with a further ongoing buddy read of a series, quicker than you know it. The plans are afoot!

In the meantime I'll leave this current for a few days, and then archive it, but make sure it stays at the top of our archived buddy reads folder :)

[Michaela]

I forgot to mention that I listened to the audiobook of Valley of Fear this month, and it was good. Will read the next, Casebook, as I got the book at home.

In the meantime, thanks Adrian! :)

[Ellen]

I really enjoyed this reread. It didn't change my mind about my favorites. It did reinforce my belief that even a mediocre Holmes story is among the best entertainment to be had.

[Adrian]

Michaela wrote: "I forgot to mention that I listened to the audiobook of Valley of Fear this month, and it was good. Will read the next, Casebook, as I got the book at home.

In the meantime, thanks Adrian! :)"

I'm glad you managed to battle your way out of the Valley of Fear Michaela 😊
And good luck with Casebook. I will also really be interested in your thoughts on that and also "The Hound" as I have to say it is one of my favourite books.

[Adrian]

Ellen wrote: "I really enjoyed this reread. It didn't change my mind about my favorites. It did reinforce my belief that even a mediocre Holmes story is among the best entertainment to be had."

I'm really glad you enjoyed the re-read Ellen, out of interest which is/are your favourite books/stories ?

[Adrian]

Bionic Jean wrote: "This read is officially completed! WOW! Well done everyone who has reached the finishing post, and a HUGE round of applause and thanks to Adrian, who has steered us so well through it all!

And no ..."

Thanks Jean, It's nice to be appreciated and once again, I apologise for my sporadic absences due to house renovation.
In some ways it was like being paid for a job you love, except I didn't get paid, is the cheque in the post ? 😂😂
Sherlock just has to be one of my faves

As Jean says I'm looking to start something new soon. I hope to attract as many people as possible, so there will almost certainly be a poll to allow other people's thoughts to be paramount.
Jean and I have had a few discussions, so I'm sure once I finish the kitchen renovation then there'll be an announcement soon.

Once again, a big thank you to Jean for allowing me to read a load of my favourite books and share my thoughts, but also to all the people who joined (and are still joining) in. It gives me a warm fuzzy to know other people enjoy similar books to me, thanks all !!

[Bionic Jean]

One of the huge advantage of Goodreads :) I just wish I could convince a few friends in real life what they are missing!

[Ellen]

Adrian wrote: "Ellen wrote: "I really enjoyed this reread. It didn't change my mind about my favorites. It did reinforce my belief that even a mediocre Holmes story is among the best entertainment to be had."

I'..."

I don't think their is a single story in Adventures or Memoirs that isn't worth a yearly reread. If I am forced to make a choice of one from each book in Adventures it would be Red Headed League and in Memoirs the Crooked Man.

[Adrian]

Ellen wrote: "I don't think their is a single story in Adventures or Memoirs that isn't worth a yearly reread. If I am forced to make a choice of one from each book in Adventures it would be Red Headed League and in Memoirs the Crooked Man. ..."

I have to agree Ellen, that Red Headed League is one of the best stories in all the collections.

[Bionic Jean]

I completely agree, Ellen and Adrian! I haven't reviewed many of the Sherlock Holmes stories individually, but that one "makes the cut" for me :) LINK HERE if you'd like to read my review.

[Ellen]

Just ordered ABOUT SIXTY: Why Every Sherlock Holmes Story is the Best. It's essays making the case for each of the stories being the best. Should be fun.

[Adrian]

Ellen wrote: "Just ordered ABOUT SIXTY: Why Every Sherlock Holmes Story is the Best. It's essays making the case for each of the stories being the best. Should be fun."

That sounds really interesting, I must look into it.

[Tara]

Ellen wrote: "Just ordered ABOUT SIXTY: Why Every Sherlock Holmes Story is the Best. It's essays making the case for each of the stories being the best. Should be fun."

I got this book as a Christmas gift from a friend who also loves Holmes. I haven't had a chance to read it yet though.

[Adrian]

Tara wrote: "I got this book as a Christmas gift from a friend who also loves Holmes. I haven't had a chance to read it yet though. ..."

I'll be interested to hear what you think when you get to it Tara

[Michaela]

I finished The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes and found it only partly good, perhaps the weakest of the short story collections. It was funny though that Sherlock (who writes some of the stories from his perspective) has to admit that Watson was the better writer.

Hope to read The Hound of the Baskervilles next month.

[Adrian]

Excellent Michaela. I’ll book you a first class train ticket to Dartmoor 😊
And i hope you really enjoy The Hound. I must admit it rates as one of my all time favourites, certainly top ten.

I too found “Casebook “ a bit of a mixed bag, some mediocre and some really good, which made up for the mediocre in my view.

[Ellen]

Finished ABOUT SIXTY: Why Every Sherlock Holmes Story is the Best today. I found it very entertaining. I didn't binge just read a few every day so I wouldn't get saturated. It was my choice to read the book back to front since most of my favorites were the earlier stories. The factual tidbit that is going to stick with me is from the essay on The Resident Patient. The intro that appeared in the first British addition of The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes was actually scavenged from The Cardboard Box which they decided to leave out. In my Book of the Month Club set both stories have the same intro. In my The Annotated Sherlock Holmes: The Four Novels and the Fifty-Six Short Stories Complete Resident Patient has its original intro. Hope this may help someone in a trivia competition.

[Bionic Jean]

Archiving, but leaving this thread open. It will remain at the top of our buddy reads.

[Michaela]

I finally re-read The Hound of the Baskervilles and so finished this challenge before I´ll (partly) participate in the new one. Never was a big fan of this story, but it´s well written and an exciting read.

[Adrian]

Michaela wrote: "I finally re-read The Hound of the Baskervilles and so finished this challenge before I´ll (partly) participate in the new one. Never was a big fan of this story, but it´s well written ..."

Glad you made it through the Grimpen Mire Michaela. Its strange, I really enjoy, it (every time) I read this book.

[Michaela]

Thanks again for leading this challenge Adrian! :) Was nice to meet Holmes and Watson again and find some new stories.