8.50/10

as you can see by the started and finished date, this book took a LONG time to finish. at one point i even read it for the sake of finishing it, but nevertheless i actually found myself immersed in the multiple adventures with the characters Dr. Watson and Mr. Sherlock Holmes.

the writing in this book gained me words that i didn't know before lol, but it was all written in a very descriptive and immersing way that all was clear. i liked each characters as they were the ones that made these stories all the more interesting. and we cannot of course forget about the mysteries that taunts our curiosity as the story progressed in an unknown way until Sherlock would explain to us his deduction and all would be clear.

i am glad to have forced myself to finish this book. it was worth my time, though i don't think i will read this the second time as it took me a while to get here. i haven't watched the Sherlock Holmes film series, so maybe i'll watch it next.

The Holmes stories are always full of twists and small details play big roles.

I've read some Sherlock Holmes in the past but this is the first time I'm reading all of them in English (I've previously read all of them in Chinese). I think the nice thing about these stories is a.) Aside for the 4 novella (A Study in Scarlet, The Sign of Four, The Hound of Baskersvilles, The Valley of Fear) all of the stories are short stories, so they are pretty low commitment and b.) With maybe a couple exceptions, we all know how the story is gonna end: Holmes solves the mystery crime. There's just some amount of comfort from knowing that Holmes and Watson were always gonna save the day (you know, except that one time with Moriaty...), and the only suspense is figuring out how on earth the mystery is going to be untangled. And also there are just something appealing to the setting of Victorian England, at least as experienced by two reasonably well to do gentlemen. This specific edition of the collection from Barns and Noble Classics is especially nice because it came with some good essays from a "Holmsian Scholar" as well as some other commentary by Doyle himself, which adds a lot of nice context. There also a lot of footnotes and endnotes that explained arcane words (like the various kinds of horse-pulled carriages) that were very helpful.

El siguiente vale para la colección completa de los relatos y novelas de Sherlock Holmes de Barnes & Noble:

Sherlock Holmes es un personaje fascinante que cautiva a los lectores desde su aparición: aparte de su proverbial capacidad deductiva y su agudeza para fijarse en los más mínimos detalles, Holmes posee una cultura extraordinaria que abarca amplios conocimientos de criminalística, ciencias y cultura general; es un maestro del disfraz, espadachín, boxeador, excelente tirador y conoce el arte marcial oriental del bujitsu. A pesar de todo, Holmes no es infalible, lo que, lejos de demeritarlo, contribuye a su encanto.

Pero quizá lo que más hace encantador a este personaje no son sus habilidades sino su excéntrica personalidad: Holmes es arrogante y seguro de sí mismo; prácticamente un misántropo, trata con desdén a casi todo el mundo; desprecia a la aristocracia, pero tiene una buena relación con individuos de los barrios bajos de Londres; es meticuloso en su trabajo, pero desordenado en su vida privada; fuma compulsivamente y guarda su tabaco en sus pantuflas; consume cocaína para estimular su mente; no parece tener ningún interés en el sexo opuesto; cambia bruscamente de estados de ánimo y pasa de la euforia a la concentración meditabunda y luego a la melancolía.

Holmes está obsesionado con el castigo del crimen, debido a algún evento en su juventud que jamás se revela, y a la vez es una especie de superhombre que hace sus propias reglas según su peculiar sentido de la justicia, por lo que es capaz de dejar impune a un homicida si considera que la víctima merecía morir. “Prefiero hacer malabares con las leyes de Inglaterra que con mi conciencia”.

Quizá ninguno de los cuentos y novelas de Holmes alcanzaría por sí solo las cinco estrellas. Esta calificación es para el corpus completo. Doyle creó a uno de los personajes más influyentes de la cultura contemporánea y dio forma a uno de los géneros más importantes de la narrativa. Ya sea por la mesmérica personalidad de Holmes, su entrañable amistad con Watson o el gusto de los acertijos lógicos, esta colección forma parte de las grandes obras de la literatura universal.

Para una serie completa de textos sobre la vida y obra de Doyle, pasen por aquí:
https://www.maikciveira.com/2012/01/e...

Concluding my read of this volume with The Final Problem, which I recall having such a hard time reading in high school -- I'm realizing now in part due to, what I found this time to be, its vagueness and a good deal of storytelling dependent on the reader having encountered Holmes before. I also don't recall The Sign of Four being so cringing-ly racist but here we are. Still deeply love Doyle and the writing and the character. One of my favorite escapes.

I'll pick up The Hound of the Baskervilles and the post-Problem stories in the next volume.

when i think of mystery, i think of sherlock holmes. a true classic that can never be beat.

n  4.5 starsn

A Study in Scarlet - the story which brings Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson together and introduces them to the world. Shortly after our two heroes become flat mates a murder takes place in London. Scotland Yard is beyond its grasp and consults Holmes in the investigation. First one, then two dead Americans are discovered but Holmes is not deterred. Suddenly and unexpectedly, the arrest is made. The story then goes back in time and provides us motive for the killer. His love of a girl and his confrontation with the Mormons of Salt Lake City. Watson recounts the tale and confession of the charged individual and publishes it so that Sherlock Holmes could get his due credit.

The Sign of Four - An elegant British lady comes to Holmes and Watson and explains she has been receiving fine pearls from an unknown benefactor, but now that mystery person wishes to meet. Holmes and Watson accompany the lady and are thrown into a mystery involving a missing Indian treasure, the death of one of the seekers of the treasure and a high speed boat chase.

A Scandal in Bohemia - Bohemian royalty is the next to call upon Holmes. There is a royal wedding arranged but the Lord of Bohemia is faced with a threatening scandal. A former lover has a photograph, proving the relationship and Sherlock and Watson must retrieve it before the nuptials can be sabotaged.

The Red-headed League - Mr. Jabez Wilson is a humble pawnshop owner with fiery red hair. He is enlisted into the ranks of the Red-headed league, which dissolves after 3 months of his induction. The investigation of which leads Holmes and Watson to foil a bank heist.

A Case of Identity - Miss Mary Sutherland seeks help from Sherlock Holmes when her fiancé goes missing on the day of their wedding.

The Boscombe Valley Mystery - Mr. McCarthy is found dead in the village of Ross and his son has been arrested as the prime suspect. Sherlock has been hired to determine if there is evidence of innocence for the young McCarthy and to rebuff the case Lestrade has made against him.

The Five Orange Pips - Mr. John Openshaw tale involves both his uncle and then father receiving orange pips in the mail and then subsequently meeting their end. John Openshaw has also just received the pips and has come to Sherlock Holmes for assistance.

The Man with the Twisted Lip - Dr. Watson is requested by a family friend to return her spouse from a known opium den. While at the location Watson comes into contact with Sherlock Holmes who is investigating the disappearance of Mr. Neville St. Clair from the same opium den.

The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle - Upon visiting Holmes, Watson finds the detective musing over a hat of an unknown man who was assaulted in the road way. A simple mystery is elevated into a fight for a man's freedom as a priceless jewel is unveiled in connection with a robbery.

The Adventure of the Speckled Band - Helen Stoner seeks the aid of Sherlock Holmes and unveils a story of her sister's death shortly after her engagement. There were whistles in the night, roving bands of gypsies, and a dying reference to a speckled band. Now upon Miss Stoner is engaged herself and the same ominous whistling has begun anew.

The Adventure of the Engineer's Thumb - Mr. Victor Hatherly is brought before Watson due to the severing of his thumb. When Watson learns the thumb was not lost in a hydraulic engineering accident associated with his employment but rather an attack made by a secretive German, Watson takes the case to Holmes to investigate the and locate the attacker and his motive.

The Adventure of the Noble Bachelor - Lord St. Simon, second born of the Duke of Balmoral, has taken a bride from the American west and is primed to receive a considerable dowry in the process. When the bride goes missing after the vows were taken, the noble lord enlists Sherlock Holmes to find the missing woman.

The Adventure of the Beryl Coronet - A desperate banker arrives and confesses that he has allowed a royal heirloom to become despoiled and stolen. To his grief the financier can find no one to fault but his wayward son. Holmes however isn't so sure and takes up the case.

The Adventure of the Copper Beeches - When a young governess is offered a substantial sum to rear a single child but also perform at the trivial whims of her employer she is excited but confused, especially when he request to cut her hair short. She consults Holmes and he states he would never let a sister is his take this position. She takes the spot, but shortly after summons Holmes to her aid.

Silver Blaze - The fame race horse Silver Blaze has gone missing prior to the Wessex Cup and his handler Straker has been killed. Holmes and Watson travel to Dartmoor in order to join the case. Inspector Gregory has Fitzroy Simpson as the main suspect, but Holmes sees too many holes in that theory.

The Yellow Face - Grant Munro seeks out Holmes because his his wife Effie's deception. After asking for £100, his wife began having secret liaisons in a nearby cottage and Munro spotted a yellow face in the window.

The Stock-Broker's Clerk - Hall Pycroft consults Holmes regarding the offer of a very high paying job. After gaining employment with stockbrokers Mawson and Williams, he is approached by Arthur Pinner for a lucrative position in France. Pycroft meets Arthur's brother Harry who offers him a £100 advance And asserts that if he accepts the position he was not to send in a letter of resignation. When Pycroft states he also believes the Pinner brothers are the same person, Holmes and Watson escort Pycroft to his new place of employment to investigate.

The "Gloria Scott" - Holmes tells Watson of the first incident that started his investigations. While at the estate of his friend's father, Holmes takes up the challenge to give details of Justice of the Peace Trevor and is so spot on, Holmes causes the man to swoon. It becomes clear that the father has become uncomfortable with with Holmes has revealed. Soon a fellow arrives and begins to take advantage of the gentleman's hospitality. Holmes relates to Watson how the story resolves.

The Musgrave Ritual - When a butler is dismissed for investigating the details of an old family ritual, he goes missing followed in turn by one of the manor's house maids. Sherlock understands the ritual is a sequence of instructions to expose some family secret. Following the steps Holmes trusts he will discover the fates of the missing servants.

The Reigate Puzzle - First a robbery at the Acton estate, followed by an attempted robbery and murder at the Cunningham estate in Surrey force a quick end to Holmes vacation.

The Crooked Man - Holmes summons Watson to join him in case involving the death of Colonel James Barclay. The one suspect is his wife, who was found at the scene delirious. The couple were locked in the room and the key is missing. The window is open allowing for the possibility of a third person. The truth becomes known upon the discovery of the crooked man.

The Resident Patient - Dr. Percy Trevelyan visits Holmes and Watson and describes an account of how he became doctor and how his current practice has been arranged and supported by a resident patient. When a pair comes to visit the practice, the financing patient becomes worrisome and send Dr. Trevelyan to seek out Sherlock Holmes.

The Greek Interpreter - In this tale we are introduced to Sherlock's elder brother Mycroft Holmes. This intellectually astute man belongs to a club with a Greek interpreter by the name of Melas. The Greek tells his tale to Holmes and Watson of how he was brought to a kidnapped man and his kidnappers are trying to get him to sign something over to him. The Greek interpreter was threatened to not tell anyone. Can Holmes act fast enough to save the Greek and the hostage?

The Naval Treaty - An international treaty between England and Italy goes missing. The diplomat in charge of its secrets has been bed-ridden with brain fever for 9 weeks. As he returns to his right mind he messages Watson, an old school friend to bring Holmes to investigate the case.

The Final Problem - Holmes has uncovered the greatest criminal mastermind in Europe, Professor James Moriarty and his syndicate. Holmes seeks out Watson so the duo can spend the next weeks in Europe so Holmes can escape the clutches of Moriarty's reprisal. While on the Continent Holmes learns that the Professor escaped his noose and is likely tracking him into Europe.

The Hound of the Baskervilles - Dr. James Mortimer seeks out Holmes regarding the heir to the Baskerville Estate. Sir Henry Baskerville is the last in the line of a house haunted by a hound rumored to terrorize any Baskerville residing at the hall. Holmes is unable to attend the young baronet but sends along Watson to be his eyes and Sir Henry's shield until he can finish a case he is previously engaged upon. Watson sends back a number of communications to Holmes to keep him abreast of the activities of neighbors and servants within the hall. With a escaped convict prowling the moor and an unknown resident also dogging Sir Baskerville and Watson on the moor. Watson and eventually Holmes need to move fast to ensure the Hound of the Baskervilles does not claim another life.

A great collection of Sherlock Holmes novels and short stories. The Complete Sherlock Holmes, Volume 1 contains three novels and two books of short stories.

Novels:
1. A Study in Scarlet
2. The Sign of Four
3. The Hound of the Baskervilles

Short Stories:
1. Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
- A Scandal in Bohemia
- The Red-Headed League
- A Case of Identity
- The Boscombe Valley Mystery
- The Five Orange Pips
- The Man with the Twisted Lip
- The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle
- The Adventure of the Speckled Band
- The Adventure of the Engineer's Thumb
- The Adventure of the Noble Bachelor
- The Adventure of the Beryl Coronet
- The Adventure of the Copper Beeches
2. Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes
- Silver Blaze
- The Yellow Face
- The Stock-Broker's Clerk
- The "Gloria Scott"
- The Musgrave Ritual
- The Reigate Puzzle
- The Crooked Man
- The Resident Patient
- The Greek Interpreter
- The Naval Treaty
- The Final Problem

A very fun and quick and easy to read collection of stories. Sherlock Holmes is definitely not a loveable character, but neither is he as unpleasant as depicted in the BBC series. Holmes is someone who is proud of how clever he is, and awkwardly wants to let people know about it and lord it over them. The final stories towards the end of this omnibus, when Conan Doyle was winding down his adventures of Holmes, are great. Annotations in this version are very helpful and intriguing.

I thought that this book was really interesting and entertaining to read. It was hard to put it down, and there was never a dull moment. It was very suspenseful and got me thinking a lot. It was a little hard to read because it was written so long ago, and in such a small font but the rest of the book makes up for it because of how interesting it was once I got into it.

Sherlock Holmes and Arthur Conan Doyle remind me of James Bond and Ian Fleming. A centralizing main character that gets into fantastical adventures which can be great pulp fun but restrict its cast from ever really growing or developing.

Sherlock Holmes is a bit more entertaining in general than most Bond books but it has its highs and mids. When a Holmes story is great is when the setup is both intriguing and a somewhat grisly danger is in the air with Holmes particular and eccentric. The lows happen when Doyle rushes to the mystery and gets more lazy with establishing Holmes's eccentricities or when the mystery is too direct and obvious. Doyle can have a habit of reusing certain types of plots- how many times must a vengeful man hunt down a wealthy man who screwed him out of wealth in the past.

A few stories worthy of note:

"A Study in Scarlet" for how important it is as the first story I feel is essentially better retold in "The Sign of the Four". The background story is slotted in better than the end of Scarlet where we get a separate story about Mormons divorced of any real merit.

"Hound of the Baskervilles" is a masterpiece 5/5. A great Holmes story after the doldrums of "The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes" proving Doyle still has it when motivated. It has everything you could want in a Holmes save for the uncommon position that Holmes is absent for a large chunk of it.

Favorites:
"The Red-Headed League": A somewhat silly story but its one that I have remembered even before this read.

"The Adventure of the Speckled Band": An amazing story that fits all the best aspects of Holmes stories with an eerie mystery and a grisly end.

"Silver Blaze": A good story with good twists and reveal.

I really enjoyed this book. Knowing so much about Sherlock Holmes makes it interesting actually reading the book. As I’m reading it though I found myself thinking about how great the author was. Book is full of great characters, interesting cases and you find yourself trying to solve them before you know what actually happens. I am going to have my teenage son read it as I know he will like it as well!