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The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes #12
The Adventure of the Retired Colourman
Sherlock Holmes is hired by a retired art supply dealer from Lewisham, Josiah Amberley, to look into his wife’s disappearance.
Unknown Binding
First published January 1, 1926
13 people are currently reading
160 people want to read
About the author
Arthur Conan Doyle
15.9k books24.3k 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 - 30 of 67 reviews
January 27, 2019
Sherlock Holmes is hired by a retired art supply dealer from Lewisham, Josiah Amberley, to look into his wife’s disappearance. She has apparently left with a neighbour, Dr. Ray Ernest, taking a sizeable quantity of cash and securities. Amberley wants the two tracked down.
Holmes is busy with another case; so he sends Dr. Watson to Lewisham to observe and report, though Watson soon believes this case needs Holmes touch. Still, he does his best, observing that Amberley is busy painting his house, which seems rather unusual. He also gets a look at Amberley’s wife’s unused theatre ticket from the night she disappeared. She had plead a headache, leaving Amberley to go to the theatre alone, and was gone by the time he returned. Watson notes the seat number.
Holmes is busy with another case; so he sends Dr. Watson to Lewisham to observe and report, though Watson soon believes this case needs Holmes touch. Still, he does his best, observing that Amberley is busy painting his house, which seems rather unusual. He also gets a look at Amberley’s wife’s unused theatre ticket from the night she disappeared. She had plead a headache, leaving Amberley to go to the theatre alone, and was gone by the time he returned. Watson notes the seat number.
January 16, 2024
4 stars & 4/10 hearts. Well, this is an interesting story. I just wish the evildoer had met Justice...
It’s hard to share the plot without spoilers, but it involves murder, a wizened old man, a young wife, a boyish doctor, and a mysterious stranger. A. was terrible, but B. was fascinating and I so do wish he too shown up in more of the stories!! This is another of the stories where Watson investigates and Holmes tears his work to shreds, and then Watson plays decoy. Both Holmes & Watson were as splendid as ever, of course, and what I really loved was all the doses of Sherlock’s satirical humour…
Content: D*mned; de**l; a wife may have been unfaithful.
A Favourite Quote: “You'll get results, Inspector, by always putting yourself in the other fellow's place, and thinking what you would do yourself. It takes some imagination, but it pays.”
A Favourite Beautiful Quote: “It is like some penurious patrician who has sunk into the company of his inferiors. You know that particular quarter, the monotonous brick streets, the weary suburban highways. Right in the middle of them, a little island of ancient culture and comfort, lies this old home, surrounded by a high sun-baked wall mottled with lichens and topped with moss…”
A Favourite Humorous Quote: “There being no fear of interruption I proceeded to burgle the house. Burglary has always been an alternative profession had I cared to adopt it, and I have little doubt that I should have come to the front. Well, then came an incident which was rather unexpected to myself. I was slipping through the pantry window in the early dawn when I felt a hand inside my collar, and a voice said: ‘Now, you rascal, what are you doing in there?’… He had watched the house for some days and had spotted Dr. Watson as one of the obviously suspicious characters who had called there. He could hardly arrest Watson, but when he saw a man actually climbing out of the pantry window there came a limit to his restraint.”
It’s hard to share the plot without spoilers, but it involves murder, a wizened old man, a young wife, a boyish doctor, and a mysterious stranger. A. was terrible, but B. was fascinating and I so do wish he too shown up in more of the stories!! This is another of the stories where Watson investigates and Holmes tears his work to shreds, and then Watson plays decoy. Both Holmes & Watson were as splendid as ever, of course, and what I really loved was all the doses of Sherlock’s satirical humour…
Content: D*mned; de**l; a wife may have been unfaithful.
A Favourite Quote: “You'll get results, Inspector, by always putting yourself in the other fellow's place, and thinking what you would do yourself. It takes some imagination, but it pays.”
A Favourite Beautiful Quote: “It is like some penurious patrician who has sunk into the company of his inferiors. You know that particular quarter, the monotonous brick streets, the weary suburban highways. Right in the middle of them, a little island of ancient culture and comfort, lies this old home, surrounded by a high sun-baked wall mottled with lichens and topped with moss…”
A Favourite Humorous Quote: “There being no fear of interruption I proceeded to burgle the house. Burglary has always been an alternative profession had I cared to adopt it, and I have little doubt that I should have come to the front. Well, then came an incident which was rather unexpected to myself. I was slipping through the pantry window in the early dawn when I felt a hand inside my collar, and a voice said: ‘Now, you rascal, what are you doing in there?’… He had watched the house for some days and had spotted Dr. Watson as one of the obviously suspicious characters who had called there. He could hardly arrest Watson, but when he saw a man actually climbing out of the pantry window there came a limit to his restraint.”
July 28, 2024
Great.
This was great, but not going to review it.
For the moment at least.
It’s public domain. You can find it HERE.
-----------------------------------------------
PERSONAL NOTE :
[1927] [30p] [Crime] [3.5] [Recommendable]
-----------------------------------------------
★★★★☆ 1. A Study in Scarlet [3.5]
★★★☆☆ 2. The Sign of Four [2.5]
★★★☆☆ 3. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
★★★★☆ 4. The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes [3.5]
★★★★☆ 5. The Hound of the Baskervilles
★★★★☆ 6. The Return of Sherlock Holmes
★★★☆☆ 7. The Valley of Fear
★★★★☆ 8. His Last Bow [3.5]
★★★☆☆ 9. The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes [2.5] <--
★★★☆☆ 10. The Complete Sherlock Holmes
-----------------------------------------------
Genial.
Esto estuvo genial, pero no voy a reseñarlo.
Al menos por ahora.
Es dominio público, lo pueden encontrar ACA.
-----------------------------------------------
NOTA PERSONAL :
[1927] [30p] [Crimen] [3.5] [Recomendable]
-----------------------------------------------
This was great, but not going to review it.
For the moment at least.
It’s public domain. You can find it HERE.
-----------------------------------------------
PERSONAL NOTE :
[1927] [30p] [Crime] [3.5] [Recommendable]
-----------------------------------------------
★★★★☆ 1. A Study in Scarlet [3.5]
★★★☆☆ 2. The Sign of Four [2.5]
★★★☆☆ 3. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
★★★★☆ 4. The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes [3.5]
★★★★☆ 5. The Hound of the Baskervilles
★★★★☆ 6. The Return of Sherlock Holmes
★★★☆☆ 7. The Valley of Fear
★★★★☆ 8. His Last Bow [3.5]
★★★☆☆ 9. The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes [2.5] <--
★★★☆☆ 10. The Complete Sherlock Holmes
-----------------------------------------------
Genial.
Esto estuvo genial, pero no voy a reseñarlo.
Al menos por ahora.
Es dominio público, lo pueden encontrar ACA.
-----------------------------------------------
NOTA PERSONAL :
[1927] [30p] [Crimen] [3.5] [Recomendable]
-----------------------------------------------
November 20, 2021
2.5 stars. An excellent premise, but there are too many explanations of Holmes and too little action.
SYNOPSIS: "Sherlock Holmes is hired by a retired art supply dealer from Lewisham, Josiah Amberley, to look into his wife's disappearance. She has left with a neighbour, Dr. Ray Ernest, taking a sizeable quantity of cash and securities."
SYNOPSIS: "Sherlock Holmes is hired by a retired art supply dealer from Lewisham, Josiah Amberley, to look into his wife's disappearance. She has left with a neighbour, Dr. Ray Ernest, taking a sizeable quantity of cash and securities."
December 4, 2022
«هل رأيتَه؟»
«تعني العجوز الذي خرج للتوِّ؟»
«بالضَّبط.»
«نعم، قابلتُه عند الباب.»
«وما رأيك فيه؟»
«كائن مثيرٌ للشفقة؛ مُحطَّمٌ وغير ذي جَدوى.»
«بالضبط يا واطسون. مُثير للشفقة وغير ذي جَدوى. لكن أليسَت الحياة برمَّتها مُثيرةً للشفقة، وغير ذات جدوى؟ أليستْ قصته صورةً مصغَّرة لما يُعانيه الجميع؟ لا نكاد نَحصُل على ما سعَينا خلفَه حتى نجده قد تحوَّل في أيدينا في النهاية إلى سرابٍ، أو خيالٍ، أو ما هو أسوأ من الخيال … الشَّقاء.»
«تعني العجوز الذي خرج للتوِّ؟»
«بالضَّبط.»
«نعم، قابلتُه عند الباب.»
«وما رأيك فيه؟»
«كائن مثيرٌ للشفقة؛ مُحطَّمٌ وغير ذي جَدوى.»
«بالضبط يا واطسون. مُثير للشفقة وغير ذي جَدوى. لكن أليسَت الحياة برمَّتها مُثيرةً للشفقة، وغير ذات جدوى؟ أليستْ قصته صورةً مصغَّرة لما يُعانيه الجميع؟ لا نكاد نَحصُل على ما سعَينا خلفَه حتى نجده قد تحوَّل في أيدينا في النهاية إلى سرابٍ، أو خيالٍ، أو ما هو أسوأ من الخيال … الشَّقاء.»
August 24, 2024
ما حدش يضحك على شيرلوك.
May 26, 2020
من بعض الملاحظات الخفيفه والغير مثيرة للانتباه تستطيع حل ابسط القضايا ولكن يجب ان يكون لديك عقل شيرلوك هولمز وصديق كالدكتور واطسون.
من ملاحظة رائحة الطلاء الحديثه الملفته للانتباه وسرقه غرفه محصنه وكيفيه عمل هذه الغرفه
استطاع شيرلوك الايقاع بعامل الطلاء.
فالعقول المظلمه التي تتوقع حدوث مدبرات ومكائد طوال الوقت والبخل والشح والمعامله السيئه لاتستطيع حتي ان تثق باصابعك.
لاتثق بنفسك انك ذكي فانك ستقع ف اسهل مكائدك حتي لو كنت تلعب الشطرنج ولديك عقل مدبر.
من ملاحظة رائحة الطلاء الحديثه الملفته للانتباه وسرقه غرفه محصنه وكيفيه عمل هذه الغرفه
استطاع شيرلوك الايقاع بعامل الطلاء.
فالعقول المظلمه التي تتوقع حدوث مدبرات ومكائد طوال الوقت والبخل والشح والمعامله السيئه لاتستطيع حتي ان تثق باصابعك.
لاتثق بنفسك انك ذكي فانك ستقع ف اسهل مكائدك حتي لو كنت تلعب الشطرنج ولديك عقل مدبر.
June 18, 2019
Sherlock Holmes is hired to try and find some missing people, but sends Dr. Watson to investigate for him first, as he did in "The Hound of the Baskervilles." It definitely has the panache of earlier Sherlock Holmes stories, but maybe not quite as effective in its conclusion.
December 31, 2022
Honestly one of the more underwhelming Sherlock stories in my opinion. Had a bit of a hard time following what was happening at times and felt no real attachment towards anything or anyone involved.
September 12, 2023
اليوم التاسع والعشرون في تحدي ٣٠ كتاب ورواية في ٣٠ يوم
مغامرة الرجل المتقاعد لارثر كونان دويل
والمحقق المحبوب شرلوك هولمز
عن شخص يقوم بخطة شيطانية للقضاء الى زوجته وعشيقها ويوهم الجميع ان الامر مجرد حادث
قصيررررة جدااااً لكن ممتعة
تمت بحمد الله ١١/٩/٢٠٢٣ لكن نسيت ان انشرها البارحة
مغامرة الرجل المتقاعد لارثر كونان دويل
والمحقق المحبوب شرلوك هولمز
عن شخص يقوم بخطة شيطانية للقضاء الى زوجته وعشيقها ويوهم الجميع ان الامر مجرد حادث
قصيررررة جدااااً لكن ممتعة
تمت بحمد الله ١١/٩/٢٠٢٣ لكن نسيت ان انشرها البارحة
November 29, 2021
2,6 sterren. In dit avontuur moet SH wel veel verklaren om tot de oplossing te komen.
August 28, 2025
#Binge Reviewing my previous Reads #Holmes
When I first read The Adventure of the Retired Colourman in 1997, fresh into Class XI and full of the excitement of senior school, I wasn’t prepared for how small, almost domestic, a Holmes story could be. I had expected the grand scale of The Hound of the Baskervilles or the exotic intrigue of The Sign of Four. Instead, Doyle gave me a retired paint merchant, a suburban house, and a missing wife.
Yet, in its compactness, it taught me something about Holmes’ versatility—his genius extended as easily to the sordid and petty as to the epic and world-shaking.
The “retired colourman” of the title is Josiah Amberley, a querulous old man who drags Holmes and Watson into what seems like a straightforward case: his much younger wife has disappeared, apparently running off with a neighbour and taking a large sum of money. Amberley presents himself as the wronged husband, a victim of betrayal and theft. On the surface, it looks like a dreary case of elopement. But Holmes, as ever, sniffs something off-key.
What follows is a late-period Holmes investigation, one in which the detective himself is less the whirlwind of action and more the calm orchestrator. He actually sends Watson out to do a fair bit of the legwork, which, as a teenager reading it in 1997, I found both amusing and slightly disappointing—where was the great man himself? But that, in retrospect, is part of the charm of these late stories: they show Holmes as a general directing his faithful lieutenant, letting Watson’s boots and observations carry much of the narrative weight.
The case unfolds with characteristic Doyle economy. The missing wife is not missing at all but murdered, poisoned by Amberley himself, who had grown jealous and resentful of her affections for another man. The supposed elopement was a cover-up, the theft a fiction to disguise his crime. Holmes, seeing through Amberley’s self-pity and manipulative narrative, exposes the truth with quiet precision. There is no grand chase, no gothic setting, no imperial treasure—just the sordid reality of a jealous old man who killed to keep control.
What strikes me now is how psychological the story is. Amberley is not a master criminal or a flamboyant villain; he is small-minded, mean-spirited, and tragically believable. Doyle paints him with a sharp eye for human pettiness—the kind of bitterness that festers in retirement, the suspicion that curdles into obsession, and the desperation of an aging man who cannot accept losing his young wife’s devotion. Holmes��� final verdict is chilling not because of any melodramatic climax, but because it feels so close to the bone of ordinary domestic cruelty.
Holmes himself is in an interesting mode here. He is irritable at Amberley from the beginning, calling him “a most unpleasant scoundrel,” and his irritation turns out to be well-founded. There is little of the theatrical flourish of his younger days; instead, he is curt, clinical, and impatient with the colorman’s whining. In a sense, Holmes’ weariness mirrors Doyle’s own—by the 1920s, he was writing these last stories more out of obligation than inspiration. And yet, there is still power in the stripped-down simplicity.
Watson, too, has a slightly larger role, sent off to gather evidence and report back. Reading it in Class XI, I remember feeling a certain kinship with Watson—tasked with errands, feeling useful but still in awe of the master. It was a small reminder that Holmes is not a one-man act; the friendship and division of labour is part of what makes the stories enduring.
As a late Holmes tale, The Adventure of the Retired Colourman lacks the glamour of the early adventures, but it compensates with psychological realism. Its villain is believable, its crime is depressingly ordinary, and its resolution carries the grim satisfaction of seeing justice done. It may not dazzle, but it leaves a residue of unease—evil here is not grand, but petty, not exotic, but next door.
Looking back, it’s almost fitting that I read this at a threshold moment in my own life, stepping into Class XI. Holmes, too, was at a threshold in these stories—older, more cynical, less enchanted by the drama of crime, but still sharp enough to strip away lies.
This story may be one of the quieter notes in the Holmes symphony, but it resonates with a kind of late wisdom: even the small lives, the small jealousies, deserve the clarity of truth.
When I first read The Adventure of the Retired Colourman in 1997, fresh into Class XI and full of the excitement of senior school, I wasn’t prepared for how small, almost domestic, a Holmes story could be. I had expected the grand scale of The Hound of the Baskervilles or the exotic intrigue of The Sign of Four. Instead, Doyle gave me a retired paint merchant, a suburban house, and a missing wife.
Yet, in its compactness, it taught me something about Holmes’ versatility—his genius extended as easily to the sordid and petty as to the epic and world-shaking.
The “retired colourman” of the title is Josiah Amberley, a querulous old man who drags Holmes and Watson into what seems like a straightforward case: his much younger wife has disappeared, apparently running off with a neighbour and taking a large sum of money. Amberley presents himself as the wronged husband, a victim of betrayal and theft. On the surface, it looks like a dreary case of elopement. But Holmes, as ever, sniffs something off-key.
What follows is a late-period Holmes investigation, one in which the detective himself is less the whirlwind of action and more the calm orchestrator. He actually sends Watson out to do a fair bit of the legwork, which, as a teenager reading it in 1997, I found both amusing and slightly disappointing—where was the great man himself? But that, in retrospect, is part of the charm of these late stories: they show Holmes as a general directing his faithful lieutenant, letting Watson’s boots and observations carry much of the narrative weight.
The case unfolds with characteristic Doyle economy. The missing wife is not missing at all but murdered, poisoned by Amberley himself, who had grown jealous and resentful of her affections for another man. The supposed elopement was a cover-up, the theft a fiction to disguise his crime. Holmes, seeing through Amberley’s self-pity and manipulative narrative, exposes the truth with quiet precision. There is no grand chase, no gothic setting, no imperial treasure—just the sordid reality of a jealous old man who killed to keep control.
What strikes me now is how psychological the story is. Amberley is not a master criminal or a flamboyant villain; he is small-minded, mean-spirited, and tragically believable. Doyle paints him with a sharp eye for human pettiness—the kind of bitterness that festers in retirement, the suspicion that curdles into obsession, and the desperation of an aging man who cannot accept losing his young wife’s devotion. Holmes��� final verdict is chilling not because of any melodramatic climax, but because it feels so close to the bone of ordinary domestic cruelty.
Holmes himself is in an interesting mode here. He is irritable at Amberley from the beginning, calling him “a most unpleasant scoundrel,” and his irritation turns out to be well-founded. There is little of the theatrical flourish of his younger days; instead, he is curt, clinical, and impatient with the colorman’s whining. In a sense, Holmes’ weariness mirrors Doyle’s own—by the 1920s, he was writing these last stories more out of obligation than inspiration. And yet, there is still power in the stripped-down simplicity.
Watson, too, has a slightly larger role, sent off to gather evidence and report back. Reading it in Class XI, I remember feeling a certain kinship with Watson—tasked with errands, feeling useful but still in awe of the master. It was a small reminder that Holmes is not a one-man act; the friendship and division of labour is part of what makes the stories enduring.
As a late Holmes tale, The Adventure of the Retired Colourman lacks the glamour of the early adventures, but it compensates with psychological realism. Its villain is believable, its crime is depressingly ordinary, and its resolution carries the grim satisfaction of seeing justice done. It may not dazzle, but it leaves a residue of unease—evil here is not grand, but petty, not exotic, but next door.
Looking back, it’s almost fitting that I read this at a threshold moment in my own life, stepping into Class XI. Holmes, too, was at a threshold in these stories—older, more cynical, less enchanted by the drama of crime, but still sharp enough to strip away lies.
This story may be one of the quieter notes in the Holmes symphony, but it resonates with a kind of late wisdom: even the small lives, the small jealousies, deserve the clarity of truth.
August 24, 2020
This is a story of a robbed man, robbed of love, robbed of money. A retired gentleman with money, marries a much younger woman who runs off with a doctor. He, in turn goes to consult Sherlock Holmes. But, all is not what it seems.
What was nice about this story was that Holmes handed over more of the reigns to Watson by looking further into the case for him. Even when Watson made some errors, instead of being condescending as Holmes was earlier on in these novels, he pointed out Watson’s errors and used them as ‘teachable lessons’.
Although an excellent premise for a story, two things drew it down; 1) It was too short for what it covered and 2) Once Holmes had solved the mystery, because the story was SO SHORT, there weren’t enough details to allow the reader to draw any such conclusions that Holmes drew. You were just blind sided and felt kind of cheated by it.
What was nice about this story was that Holmes handed over more of the reigns to Watson by looking further into the case for him. Even when Watson made some errors, instead of being condescending as Holmes was earlier on in these novels, he pointed out Watson’s errors and used them as ‘teachable lessons’.
Although an excellent premise for a story, two things drew it down; 1) It was too short for what it covered and 2) Once Holmes had solved the mystery, because the story was SO SHORT, there weren’t enough details to allow the reader to draw any such conclusions that Holmes drew. You were just blind sided and felt kind of cheated by it.
July 10, 2024
FULL REVIEW ON MY WEBSITE
https://thebookcornerchronicles.com/2...
To be fully honest here this story was a little bit weak but let me explain why I say so.
The plot here was a little bit off and weak in my opinion. It for sure wasn’t one of the best Sherlock Holmes stories but it still bring joy and entertaining while reading it. But after reading it and thinking about this story I gotta say that it could have been better than it actually was.
The characters here are okay but when it comes to Sherlock Holmes and doctor Watson they are an amazing due and I loved they both because they have something in them which makes us relate to them.
The writing style here was okay but I think that sir Arthur Conan Doyle could have done better in this book.
https://thebookcornerchronicles.com/2...
To be fully honest here this story was a little bit weak but let me explain why I say so.
The plot here was a little bit off and weak in my opinion. It for sure wasn’t one of the best Sherlock Holmes stories but it still bring joy and entertaining while reading it. But after reading it and thinking about this story I gotta say that it could have been better than it actually was.
The characters here are okay but when it comes to Sherlock Holmes and doctor Watson they are an amazing due and I loved they both because they have something in them which makes us relate to them.
The writing style here was okay but I think that sir Arthur Conan Doyle could have done better in this book.
May 26, 2021
This isn't one of my favorites, but it was definitely enjoyable. It just didn't have that classic Holmes story feel that I guess I've become used to at this point.
Holmes is hired by a retired miser to look into the disappearance of his very young wife. On the surface, it appears the miser's wife stole some of his valuables and ran away with his doctor friend. Something to note is that he sends Watson to investigate first as his "understudy" but Watson "missed everything of importance." This was kind of a funny exchange. Another note is that this is the first time we officially learn of Mr. Barker, who Holmes describes as his rival. They end up working together to solve the case.
Holmes is hired by a retired miser to look into the disappearance of his very young wife. On the surface, it appears the miser's wife stole some of his valuables and ran away with his doctor friend. Something to note is that he sends Watson to investigate first as his "understudy" but Watson "missed everything of importance." This was kind of a funny exchange. Another note is that this is the first time we officially learn of Mr. Barker, who Holmes describes as his rival. They end up working together to solve the case.
November 2, 2021
AUTHOR Doyle, Arthur Conan
TITLE The Adventure of the Retired Colourman
DATE READ 10/21/21
RATING 4.5/B+
FIRST SENTENCE Sherlock Holmes was in a melancholy and philosophic mood that morning.
GENRE/PUB DATE/FORMAT/LENGTH Fiction/1926/ SS
SERIES/STAND ALONE
CHALLENGE Good Reads 2021 Reading Goal 90/120
GROUP READ Sherlock Holmes Group
TIME/PLACE England/ 1920’s
CHARACTERS Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson, Retired “colourman” art supply owner
COMMENTS Love the writing/words of the Sherlock Holmes stories and the clever mystery. This one for me was the writing over the mystery although definitely still a worthwhile read.
TITLE The Adventure of the Retired Colourman
DATE READ 10/21/21
RATING 4.5/B+
FIRST SENTENCE Sherlock Holmes was in a melancholy and philosophic mood that morning.
GENRE/PUB DATE/FORMAT/LENGTH Fiction/1926/ SS
SERIES/STAND ALONE
CHALLENGE Good Reads 2021 Reading Goal 90/120
GROUP READ Sherlock Holmes Group
TIME/PLACE England/ 1920’s
CHARACTERS Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson, Retired “colourman” art supply owner
COMMENTS Love the writing/words of the Sherlock Holmes stories and the clever mystery. This one for me was the writing over the mystery although definitely still a worthwhile read.
January 8, 2025
A retired art supply dealer, hires Mr Sherlock Holmes , to track down his young wife , who has apparently left with his neighbour with sizeable quantity of cash / bonds
In this adventure, Holmes takes a back seat and most of the investigation / grunt work is done by Watson.
It runs on the theme , that reality may have multiple layers than what is being visible apparently.
In the story , as usual Scotland Yard takes assistance from Holmes , to fulfil their own target, somehow it made me feel that Lestrade had more loyalty as compared to Inspector Mackinnon, present in this tale.
This is not as exciting as other Holmes adventure and could be a casual read.
In this adventure, Holmes takes a back seat and most of the investigation / grunt work is done by Watson.
It runs on the theme , that reality may have multiple layers than what is being visible apparently.
In the story , as usual Scotland Yard takes assistance from Holmes , to fulfil their own target, somehow it made me feel that Lestrade had more loyalty as compared to Inspector Mackinnon, present in this tale.
This is not as exciting as other Holmes adventure and could be a casual read.
November 23, 2017
:))
"You certainly seem to have met every difficulty," said the inspector. "Of course, he was bound to call us in, but why he should have gone to you I can't understand."
"Pure swank!" Holmes answered, "He felt so clever and so sure of himself that he imagined no on could touch him. He could say to any suspicious neighbour, 'Look at the steps I have taken. I have consulted not only the police but even Sherlock Holmes.'"
The inspector laughed.
"We must forgive you your 'even,' Mr. Holmes," said he, "it's a work-manlike a job as I can remember."
June 1, 2024
This review is for a print version of the story.
Josiah Amberley, the retired colourman of the title, is a miserable man. His wife has run off with his best friend, and stolen all his money to boot. Can Holmes help? Actually, Holmes is busy, but he sends Watson to investigate --but Watson is himself followed by a mysterious dark man! All is not what it seems in this story.
Screen history:
1965 -- BBC -- Douglas Wilmer/Nigel Stock --good, basic retelling
Josiah Amberley, the retired colourman of the title, is a miserable man. His wife has run off with his best friend, and stolen all his money to boot. Can Holmes help? Actually, Holmes is busy, but he sends Watson to investigate --but Watson is himself followed by a mysterious dark man! All is not what it seems in this story.
Screen history:
1965 -- BBC -- Douglas Wilmer/Nigel Stock --good, basic retelling
September 14, 2025
A short but simple Holmes, technically the last one ever published by Doyle as it is the last story of the last collection, but enjoyable nonetheless!
My rating: 4/5
Would I own/re-read?: Yeah.
TW: Murder, Death, Attempted Suicide
Does the animal die?: No animals are harmed by the Retired Colourman.
How difficult was the mystery?: Not too difficult, but the exact details that Holmes uses for deduction we don't have. But there's still enough there to figure out the main beats.
My rating: 4/5
Would I own/re-read?: Yeah.
TW: Murder, Death, Attempted Suicide
Does the animal die?: No animals are harmed by the Retired Colourman.
How difficult was the mystery?: Not too difficult, but the exact details that Holmes uses for deduction we don't have. But there's still enough there to figure out the main beats.
December 23, 2019
A wealthy avaricious retired man weds a lady 20 years his junior. He comes to Sherlock seeking help and claiming that his young wife has run off with a young doctor with whom he played chess, and to make matters worse they stole all his money. Unfortunately for him, Sherlock took the case. Five stars because it Sherlock, which means that it is essential reading for those who like to read.
October 27, 2025
«أليست الحياةُ برمتها مثيرةً للشفقة وغيرَ ذاتِ جدوى؟
أليست قصته صورةً مصغرةً لما يعانيه الجميع؟
لا نكاد نحصلُ على ما سعينا خلفه حتى نجده قد تحوّل في النهاية إلى سرابٍ أو خيال، أو ما هو أسوأ من الخيال.. الشقاء»
أداء صوتي ررررائع قدّمه إسلام عادل، أما كتابات آرثر كونان دويل فتبقى مدهشةً كعادتها، لا تحتاج إلى تعريف♥️
أليست قصته صورةً مصغرةً لما يعانيه الجميع؟
لا نكاد نحصلُ على ما سعينا خلفه حتى نجده قد تحوّل في النهاية إلى سرابٍ أو خيال، أو ما هو أسوأ من الخيال.. الشقاء»
أداء صوتي ررررائع قدّمه إسلام عادل، أما كتابات آرثر كونان دويل فتبقى مدهشةً كعادتها، لا تحتاج إلى تعريف♥️
October 27, 2025
Quite good this one. Never hire Sherlock hoping he will prove your fake alibi.
“Exactly, Watson. Pathetic and futile. But is
not all life pathetic and futile? Is not his story a
microcosm of the whole? We reach. We grasp. And
what is left in our hands at the end? A shadow. Or
worse than a shadow—misery.”
“Exactly, Watson. Pathetic and futile. But is
not all life pathetic and futile? Is not his story a
microcosm of the whole? We reach. We grasp. And
what is left in our hands at the end? A shadow. Or
worse than a shadow—misery.”
June 3, 2020
This was better than some, but it wasn't my favorite Sherlock story. On the bright side, listening to this audiobook brings an end to my long journey of listening to every Sherlock Holmes story that Arthur Conan Doyle ever wrote.
Final rating = 3.5 stars
Final rating = 3.5 stars
December 16, 2021
قصة جيدة و يظهر فيها ذكاء شرلوك هولمز من ملاحظته الدقيقة و بالتأكيد تقديره لملاحظات صديقه واطسون والجديد انها تظهر جانب مختلف من سماحته الشخصية فالمهم عنده هو انجاز المهمة و ليس التفاخر بالأعمال و تقديرها علي العلن بشكل فج يكفي ثقته الرهيبة بنفسه
April 8, 2023
One of my favorites. A lot darker than I had first anticipated. There were a few clues that were a bit far fetched, but I understood where they were coming from later on. Quick, easy, read, with lots of excitement!
September 14, 2023
Entertaining Sherlock Holmes short story.
I read this first in 2018. It is a very much Holmes and Watson solving a mystery.
I listened to this for the second time in 2023. It was just a good as the first time.
I would highly recommend the Casebook of Sherlock Holmes.
I read this first in 2018. It is a very much Holmes and Watson solving a mystery.
I listened to this for the second time in 2023. It was just a good as the first time.
I would highly recommend the Casebook of Sherlock Holmes.
January 6, 2024
2.25/5
Honestly, one of the more boring Sherlock stories. Had a bit of a hard time following what was happening at times and felt no real attachment towards anything or anyone involved. The action was happening primarily in the background.
Honestly, one of the more boring Sherlock stories. Had a bit of a hard time following what was happening at times and felt no real attachment towards anything or anyone involved. The action was happening primarily in the background.
January 13, 2025
I can't say the final adventure of the final collection of the two volume set of collective works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle struck me as memorable or outstanding. And that's a shame. But there are two parodies and two essay which complete the work and for which I'm hopeful.
October 20, 2017
Taká rýchlovečka ... nič náročné, ani prevratné, ale volný čas to vyplní :D
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