Sherlock Holmes -- what one would you recommend?

[Regina]

I would love to read some Sherlock Holmes -- anyone have a favorite they highly recommend to start with?

[Regina]

I should add I just got 12 of the stories from from amazon (for my kindle) here: http://www.amazon.com/Adventures-Sher...

And these are the ones I have:


1. A Scandal in Bohemia
2. The Red-Headed League
3. A Case of Identity
4. The Boscombe Valley Mystery
5. The Five Orange Pips
6. The Man with the Twisted Lip
7. The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle
8. The Adventure of the Speckled Band
9. The Adventure of the Engineer's Thumb
10. The Adventure of the Noble Bachelor
11. The Adventure of the Beryl Coronet
12. The Adventure of the Copper Beeches

But if your favorite is something else I am open to consider it!

[Kelley]

Regina, I would go with The Red-Headed League, since you have that one. But, if you can get it, my all time favorite one (and maybe my all time favorite mystery story) is The Hound of the Baskervilles. I have read it several times and seen every adaptation there is of this book. The Adventure of the Speckled Band is good as well. You really can't go wrong with Doyle and Holmes :)

[Regina]

Thank you Kelley!

[Grey853]

THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES is my all time favorite Holmes story, too.

[Regina]

So I randomly started with Scandal in Bohemia and loved it! I am starting The Hound of the Bakersvilles today.

[Kelley]

Glad you enjoyed it Regina! Let me know how you like Hound of the Baskervilles :)

[Jessica]

As a Sherlock Holmes fan myself, might I suggest, when you have finished reading the Holmes stories you have on your Kindle, that you also look into reading Laurie R. King's 'Mary Russell' series. It includes a semi-retired Sherlock Holmes who befriends, is apprentice master to, and eventual partner to a young woman in pre-WW1. I've just read the first 2 in this series and found them most excellent.

[Kelley]

Jessica, I enjoyed the first 5 in the Mary Russell series myself. But, I then lost interest, but might take it up again. The Beekeeper's Apprentice was an excellent read!

[ஐ Katya (Book Queen)ஐ, Cozy Mysteries Group Owner]

I listed to The Red-Headed League as an audiobook and it was good. I have The Hound of the Baskervilles but havn't read it yet. (I have a leatherbound book that supposidly has all of the Sherlock Holmes stories in it, as it's the "complete" tales.)

[Regina]

Thank you Jessica, i will add it to my TR shelf.

[Trine]

You might also be interested in these 'Sherlock Holmes' books:


Dust and Shadow: An Account of the Ripper Killings by Dr. John H. Watson and The Shadow of Reichenbach Falls.

Happy Reading! :-)

[Regina]

Any other suggestions for favorite Sherlock Holmes stories/books?

I have read Scandal in Bohemia and The Hound of the Bakersvilles. Thanks!

[Kelley]

If I remember correctly, your numbers 7-12 might be short stories. If so, you can knock all of those out pretty quick. If not, then go with Speckled Band. It's really good.

[Jessica]

I second that recommendation of The Speckled Band, It's a favorite of mine.

[Karen]

Glad to read these suggestions. I have never read Holmes and want to start somewhere.

[Rikki]

My favourite would also be The Hound of the Baskervilles.
But I suppose a good start would also be the first story that was published which was A Study in Scarlet.

[Karen]

Speaking again of Holmes and I still have not gotten to any originals by Doylethouhg I have listened to audio books free on internet with but have read this one by author friend on here: Whitechapel: The Final Stand Of Sherlock HolmesI have a review of it on here and I picked this one up from library and reading next:The House of Silk: A Sherlock Holmes Novelso many new Sherlock Holmes books.

After seeing Study in Scarlet I did actually listen to several books of his for free on internet and that was one they had. so in a way I have read some. I will see if they have the one you suggest here Karen L.

[Melodie]

The Hound of the Baskervilles is the only Holmes I've ever ready. I must have been in about the 6th, maybe 7th, grade.......so it's been a VERY long time ago!

[❂ Murder by Death]

I've 'read' House of Silk on audio and I HATED that book! I do not recommend it to any Holmes aficionado. The author did a terrible job of portraying both Holmes and Watson (who he turned into a blithering idiot).

(It's the only time I've yelled at my iPod - lol)

[Claudia]

The Sign of the Four is my rec, I'm a huge SH fan. For modern writers of Sherlockiana I'd recommend Nicholas Meyer's "Seven-Per-Cent Solution" SH meets Sigmund Freud! It's terrific plus they made a really good film from it.
Then Caleb Carr's "The Italian Secretary" I really enjoyed his "The Alienist." You see my theme:) I too enjoyed the Mary Russell books but after the first few they just turned into action-adventure & I stopped reading.

[Erin L]

❂ Jennifer wrote: "I've 'read' House of Silk on audio and I HATED that book! I do not recommend it to any Holmes aficionado. The author did a terrible job of portraying both Holmes and Watson (who he turned into a ..."

I find it interesting that so many of the modern Sherlock books turn Watson into an idiot. It shows a complete lack of understanding of both Watson and Holmes. Holmes did not suffer idiots. Don't make Watson a useless idiot.

This is why I can't read any further in the Beekeeper's Apprentice. That and the idea that Holmes would have any involvement with a teenaged girl, regardless of how exceptional she was.

[Leslie]

I recently read The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, a collection of short stories. That was my first taste of Conan Doyle's writing. Any thoughts about what to read next? More short stories or a full novel such as The Sign of Four?

[Denise]

I think that the Memoirs was the second set of short stories, so you might want to continue with The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, which was the first.

[☯Emily]

A Study in Scarlet is the first novel written about Sherlock Holmes. Even though it is not the best novel, it is a good start to the series because it tells how Watson meet Holmes, gives more details to the theories of Holmes and introduces some of the characters and policeman who are later mentioned in the books and short stories. Of course, you need to read The Hound of the Baskervilles which is considered one of the best detective stories ever written. Overall, I prefer the short stories, but the novels are good reading also.

[ஐ Katya (Book Queen)ஐ, Cozy Mysteries Group Owner]

Thank you Emily

[Clare]

this my fav by far

[Leslie]

I've watched several episodes -- OK TV show if you pretend it has nothing to do with Sherlock Holmes of Conan Doyle. Lucy Liu's character is not at all like Watson in the books!

[Mary X]

My fave has always been Hound of The Baskervilles.

But really I would recommend them all.

[Mary X]

I love the old Basil Rathbone Holmes movies. I like the new BBC modern day version and the new movies. Haven't watched the CBS one.

[Leslie]

Mary wrote: "I love the old Basil Rathbone Holmes movies. I like the new BBC modern day version and the new movies. Haven't watched the CBS one."

I like the Basil Rathbone movies, even the ones which are clearly too "modern" for Sherlock (like when airplane plans are stolen by Nazis), but I preferred the PBS (BBC?) Sherlock Holmes from the 80's

[Mary X]

Oh yes I liked those too with Jeremy Brett.

[Denise]

I watched a few episodes of Elementary, but then there was a scheduling conflict with another show. I could watch it on On Demand, but I guess it didn't impress me quite enough to do so, although I did think it was ok. I do love the Jeremy Brett series - he really played the part well! I also like the new PBS series, and find it rather fascinating, so I guess that proves that I am not that turned off by new reimaginings of the series and characters. The last episode shown on PBS was a masterpiece, I thought (not sure if the next series has already appeared in Britain, but we will get it eventually).

[Susan]

Erin wrote: "❂ Jennifer wrote: "I've 'read' House of Silk on audio and I HATED that book! I do not recommend it to any Holmes aficionado. The author did a terrible job of portraying both Holmes and Watson (w..."

Whenever I see adaptations of Holmes that turn Watson into an idiot, I wonder if their only knowledge of the characters is from the old movies, rather than the books.

[Angela]

Out of every Sherlock Holmes mysteries, I found the Hounds of Baskerville the best and most interesting. I'm not sure why I do, but it's just become my favorite over the years! In any case, all are good and if you read one, you should just read them all! :)

[Anna]

Angela wrote: "Out of every Sherlock Holmes mysteries, I found the Hounds of Baskerville the best and most interesting. I'm not sure why I do, but it's just become my favorite over the years! In any case, all are..."

This was the first Sherlock Holmes story I read and still one of my absolute favorites.

[Jeanine]

My favorites are The Speckled Band and The red-Headed League. Clever stories.

[BK]

I am a long-time fan of the Sherlock Holmes stories, and I have to admit that "The Hound of the Baskervilles" is a favorite of mine as well. They're all good, though, really.

I have yet to watch Elementary, because I have mixed feelings on Lucy Lui being Watson, for one thing.

I am addicted to BBC's Sherlock, though. :D

[Heather L , Cozy Mysteries Moderator]

Bonti, I wasn't sure what I would think of of Watson being female, or Lucy Lui in that role, but I love her character. The writers have done a good job making it work.

[Heather L , Cozy Mysteries Moderator]

For Sherlock Holmes fans--

In checking TV listings for this week, I saw that there is a new PBS program on Tuesday night, Dec 17: How Sherlock Changed the World. Check your local PBS station for air dates in your area.

[Leslie]

Heather L wrote: "Bonti, I wasn't sure what I would think of of Watson being female, or Lucy Lui in that role, but I love her character. The writers have done a good job making it work."

I liked Lucy Lui but I hated how they changed Moriarty to be Irene Adler!!

[Carol]

I like Elementary very much. And I'm so glad they didn't make the female Watson a dumb sidekick. That would have really turned me off. I know they've taken "liberties" but I go with the moment and try not to over analyze or overthink.

[BK]

Moriarty, played by Andrew Scott, was my favorite character in the first 2 seasons of BBC's Sherlock. They had Irene Adler, too. The casting in general has just been incredible.

Leslie, that really sucks that they did that. That's kind of shameful, because there is canon you can mess with and then there's that which you should leave alone. How do you replace Moriarty?! :(

[Caitlin]

Kelley wrote: "Regina, I would go with The Red-Headed League, since you have that one. But, if you can get it, my all time favorite one (and maybe my all time favorite mystery story) is The Hound of the Baskervi..."

I love the Hound of the Baskervilles too.

[Clare]

Hi,

For those interested in modern authors writing about Holmes, Dick Gillman has put a few nice stories together into a bundle called The Sherlock Holmes Fireside Collection.

http://www.amazon.com/Sherlock-Holmes...

I liked the first Mary Russell book, and a few more, but after a few stories the charm had gone.

[Risma]

glad to have great share here, I'll read some of Sherlock Holmes' book..

[E.L.]

I realize this is an older thread, but I have to chime in. A Study in Scarlet was my first Holmes (not on purpose, either - it just happened to be the only one my dad had on his shelves), and therefore is among my favorites. I've also always loved The Sign of Four.

And I agree with the general consensus here about the Mary Russell books. I loved them at first, but I found my interest waning after Locked Rooms.

[Jeanine]

My favorite is the Red Headed League.

[Polenth]

I found A Study in Scarlet somewhat disjointed, as it has a long section that's telling the backstory of people involved in the case. It's good for the background on Holmes and Watson, but I'm generally more of a fan of the short stories.

[Leslie]

Polenth wrote: "I found A Study in Scarlet somewhat disjointed, as it has a long section that's telling the backstory of people involved in the case. It's good for the background on Holmes and Watson..."

I agree about the short stories. And if anyone wants to try one, The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle is a Christmas-y one.