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Sherlock Holmes Selected Stories
This volume includes Silver Blaze, The Speckled Band, The Sign of Four, A Scandal of Bohemia, The Naval Treaty, The Blue Carbuncle, The Greek Interpreter, The Red-Headed League, The Empty House, The Missing Three-Quarter, and His Last Bow.
Hardcover
First published January 1, 1951
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583 people want to read
About the author
Arthur Conan Doyle
15.8k 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 40 reviews
September 19, 2022
Things I liked:
- The fact that when Sherlock isn’t on a case he is so bored by the mundanity of life that he fills his time with injecting heroin or cocaine depending on his mood. I think this says so much more to his character and makes him more relatable than him being a super human. Just another neurodivergent human
- Irene Adler beating Sherlock at his own game
Things I didn’t:
- The risk of reading books from this era is the casual racism: referring to black or ethnic people as savages and the very coloniser view that white people are superior. It’s always such a downer
- The fact that when Sherlock isn’t on a case he is so bored by the mundanity of life that he fills his time with injecting heroin or cocaine depending on his mood. I think this says so much more to his character and makes him more relatable than him being a super human. Just another neurodivergent human
- Irene Adler beating Sherlock at his own game
Things I didn’t:
- The risk of reading books from this era is the casual racism: referring to black or ethnic people as savages and the very coloniser view that white people are superior. It’s always such a downer
October 20, 2015
Sherlock Holmes never disappoints. I absolutely love this detective.
July 8, 2024
hey so what the FUCK was stephen moffat doing with bbc sherlock?? i want him imprisoned actually
September 18, 2019
Just plain enjoyable.
February 1, 2019
This book holds a treasure of suspense. Stories that it hold will make you doubt your wit and wisdom. They will make you chuckle, they may also make you cringe at places, but, most of all, they will make you wonder and ponder.
It was an absolute incredible collection that I had gotten a chance to read.
It was an absolute incredible collection that I had gotten a chance to read.
May 28, 2013
Who could ever forget Sherlock Holmes, the legendary detective.
I stumble and found this book and it's there on my special shelf up until now. Sherlock Holmes has been played and interpreted so many times until we forgot the real character that Arthur Conan Doyle created.
I think in modern day, the lamest (yet more fun) version is the Hollywood one with Robert Downey Jr. While the closest one to the original is the UK version, 'Sherlock' with Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock and Martin Freeman as Dr.Watson.
I remembered laughing when Sherlock said with contempt to Anderson that "I'm not a psychopath, Anderson, I'm a high-functioning sociopath. Do your research."
For all of you Sherlock Fans out there, you should try to watch the TV version. I think they already launched the DVDs.
I stumble and found this book and it's there on my special shelf up until now. Sherlock Holmes has been played and interpreted so many times until we forgot the real character that Arthur Conan Doyle created.
I think in modern day, the lamest (yet more fun) version is the Hollywood one with Robert Downey Jr. While the closest one to the original is the UK version, 'Sherlock' with Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock and Martin Freeman as Dr.Watson.
I remembered laughing when Sherlock said with contempt to Anderson that "I'm not a psychopath, Anderson, I'm a high-functioning sociopath. Do your research."
For all of you Sherlock Fans out there, you should try to watch the TV version. I think they already launched the DVDs.
May 15, 2014
"The Sign of Four" shows the true bond that Sherlock Holmes and Watson have. There are at two different places in life and the mystery that they are trying to solve show the difference between the two men. Holmes is a cocaine addict and Watson tags along on the mystery to help Holmes stop doing cocaine, and to see that Holmes really does only uses power of observation, power of deduction and power of knowledge in order to have all the qualities of a detective to solve all the mystery. the book is easy to read; however, it is very lengthy because of all the action that is packed into the book. the book does not drag on to find out who the murders are and it keeps your attention and it keeps you guessing.
June 10, 2016
3.5 stars.
Well, this book took me long enough to read. While Sherlock Holmes is an absolutely entertaining and brilliant detective, and I flew through a lot of the stories in the book, I didn't really look forward to reading it, and found it too easy to put down. There are other authors and genres of books that I enjoy much more.
Well, this book took me long enough to read. While Sherlock Holmes is an absolutely entertaining and brilliant detective, and I flew through a lot of the stories in the book, I didn't really look forward to reading it, and found it too easy to put down. There are other authors and genres of books that I enjoy much more.
July 2, 2018
“A Scandal in Bohemia” (1891)
This story owes a clear debt to Poe's "Purloined Letter." In it, the King of Bohemia asks Holmes to help him get some compromising photographs of him and Irene Adler--an America opera singer whom he met in Warsaw where she was prima donna and with whom he once has a secret liaison. Now that he his preparing to marry a diplomatic Scandinavian princess, he can't afford to have those photographs out and about and he thinks that Irene will blackmail him with them. Holmes manages to find out where the photographs are by playing a trick on Adler: he disguises himself as clergymen, is beat up, takes refuge in her house, has Watson toss in a smoke rocket, and tricks her into believing that he house is on fire, after which, on cue, she rushes to preserve her most prized possession, the photograph of her and the King of Bohemia, which she conceals in a secret panel behind the bell pull. But Adler immediately suspects she has been tricked, and denies a trick of her own: she leaves Britain the following morning with her financee and puts a photograph of herself in place of the other photograph of her and the King. This is what Holmes finds, and he finds himself beaten by a "woman's wit." Irene claims that she never intended to blackmail the king and kept the photo only for her protection, although she was very badly used by him, as he promised to marry her and then abandoned her. Holmes asks for the photograph of Irene as a reward for his trouble.
“The Red-Headed League” (1891)
In which the London criminal John Clay attempts to rob a bank (freshly infused with a shipment of French gold coins) by devising the following elaborate scheme: by getting a job in the London Pawn shop next to the bank in question under the alias of Vincent Spaulding and luring his employer--the red-headed Jabez Wilson--out of the pawn shop for several hours a day. He does this by placing an add in the paper about a high-paying job for a man with red hair. Apparently, this job was created by a man with red hair who wanted men of his kind to get ahead in the world and involves his coming into an office for a few hours each day and copying the encyclopedia Brittanica. Jabez is fooled, and while he's at the office of the red-headed league, Clay succeeds in tunneling his way into the adjacent bank. He nearly steals the gold, but Holmes beats him to it.
“The Speckled Band” (1892)
In which the greedy Dr. Roylott--who used to serve as a physician in India and keeps a number of exotic animals in his Surrey estate--attempts to kill off his second step daughter, Helen Stoner, in the manner in which he killed his first, just before she married. His goal in doing so is to keep the inheritance that she is scheduled to inherit after her impending marriage. Roylott attempts to kill Helen by forcing her into her sister's room under the pretense that he is mending the outer wall of her bedroom and by then inserting a venomous swamp adder (Indian cobra) through a ventilator into her room. His plan backfires when he is bitten by the snake after Holmes startles the serpent back into Roylott's chambers just as the former is being led into Helen's sister's room. The mysterious "speckled band" Helen's sister saw just before her death turns out to be the swamp adder.
“Silver Blaze” (1892)
In which John Straker, the trainer of the prize-winning racing horse Silver Blaze, is killed after being kicked on the forehead by the horse after trying to nick its tendon and lame it so that he could influence the results of an upcoming horse race and make a small fortune--something he needs to support the lavish and expensive tastes of his mistress.
“The Final Problem” (1893)
There's not a mystery or whodunnit at the heart of this story; instead we have a longstanding rivalry coming to a climax, the rivalry between Holmes and his nemesis Dr. Moriarty. In the beginning, we discover that Moriarty has had his men try to kill Holmes three times (in a crash, by a thug, and by dropping a brick), but to no avail. Holmes escapes with Watson to the Swiss Alps, but Moriarty is on them like a hound. Holmes, concerned for Watson's safety, urges the latter to return to England, but Watson refuses to leave his best friend behind. Finally, Moriraty catches up and fights Holmes to death against the dramatic backdrop of Reichenbach Falls, while Watson is back at the village, responding to a fraudulent note claiming that a woman at the inn was ill and needed his medical help. Watson rushes toward the falls to help his friend when he realizes he's been tricked with the note, but it's too late; Holmes is (supposedly, until Doyle resuscitates him in "The Empty House") dead. Watson reflects that Holmes was one of the greatest men he ever knew.
"The Dancing Men" (1903)
This one owes a debt to Poe's "Gold Bug," which also has a substitution chipher at the heart of the story. In Doyle's story, Abe Slaney journeys to England and chases down the recently married daughter of the Chicago crime boss he works for, Elsie. Elsie flees Chicago because she doesn't want to be involved in the family's dubious criminal activities. She falls in love with Hilton Cubitt of Thorpe Manor in Norfolk, and the two marry, although Elsie makes Cubitt promise that he will never ask her about her past, although she is totally innocent. He agrees, and they enjoy a short period of blissful married life until a series of mysterious messages involving dancing men keeps appearing on Cubitt's manor--messages which terrify Elsie and perplex her husband, who turns to Holmes for help. Sadly, Cubitt is shot by Slaney when trying to save Elsie, who was on the verge of virtually being abducted by Slaney. Thanks to Holmes, Slaney is gradually caught, and, after recovering from her attempted suicide, Elsie recovers and inherits the manor.
This story owes a clear debt to Poe's "Purloined Letter." In it, the King of Bohemia asks Holmes to help him get some compromising photographs of him and Irene Adler--an America opera singer whom he met in Warsaw where she was prima donna and with whom he once has a secret liaison. Now that he his preparing to marry a diplomatic Scandinavian princess, he can't afford to have those photographs out and about and he thinks that Irene will blackmail him with them. Holmes manages to find out where the photographs are by playing a trick on Adler: he disguises himself as clergymen, is beat up, takes refuge in her house, has Watson toss in a smoke rocket, and tricks her into believing that he house is on fire, after which, on cue, she rushes to preserve her most prized possession, the photograph of her and the King of Bohemia, which she conceals in a secret panel behind the bell pull. But Adler immediately suspects she has been tricked, and denies a trick of her own: she leaves Britain the following morning with her financee and puts a photograph of herself in place of the other photograph of her and the King. This is what Holmes finds, and he finds himself beaten by a "woman's wit." Irene claims that she never intended to blackmail the king and kept the photo only for her protection, although she was very badly used by him, as he promised to marry her and then abandoned her. Holmes asks for the photograph of Irene as a reward for his trouble.
“The Red-Headed League” (1891)
In which the London criminal John Clay attempts to rob a bank (freshly infused with a shipment of French gold coins) by devising the following elaborate scheme: by getting a job in the London Pawn shop next to the bank in question under the alias of Vincent Spaulding and luring his employer--the red-headed Jabez Wilson--out of the pawn shop for several hours a day. He does this by placing an add in the paper about a high-paying job for a man with red hair. Apparently, this job was created by a man with red hair who wanted men of his kind to get ahead in the world and involves his coming into an office for a few hours each day and copying the encyclopedia Brittanica. Jabez is fooled, and while he's at the office of the red-headed league, Clay succeeds in tunneling his way into the adjacent bank. He nearly steals the gold, but Holmes beats him to it.
“The Speckled Band” (1892)
In which the greedy Dr. Roylott--who used to serve as a physician in India and keeps a number of exotic animals in his Surrey estate--attempts to kill off his second step daughter, Helen Stoner, in the manner in which he killed his first, just before she married. His goal in doing so is to keep the inheritance that she is scheduled to inherit after her impending marriage. Roylott attempts to kill Helen by forcing her into her sister's room under the pretense that he is mending the outer wall of her bedroom and by then inserting a venomous swamp adder (Indian cobra) through a ventilator into her room. His plan backfires when he is bitten by the snake after Holmes startles the serpent back into Roylott's chambers just as the former is being led into Helen's sister's room. The mysterious "speckled band" Helen's sister saw just before her death turns out to be the swamp adder.
“Silver Blaze” (1892)
In which John Straker, the trainer of the prize-winning racing horse Silver Blaze, is killed after being kicked on the forehead by the horse after trying to nick its tendon and lame it so that he could influence the results of an upcoming horse race and make a small fortune--something he needs to support the lavish and expensive tastes of his mistress.
“The Final Problem” (1893)
There's not a mystery or whodunnit at the heart of this story; instead we have a longstanding rivalry coming to a climax, the rivalry between Holmes and his nemesis Dr. Moriarty. In the beginning, we discover that Moriarty has had his men try to kill Holmes three times (in a crash, by a thug, and by dropping a brick), but to no avail. Holmes escapes with Watson to the Swiss Alps, but Moriarty is on them like a hound. Holmes, concerned for Watson's safety, urges the latter to return to England, but Watson refuses to leave his best friend behind. Finally, Moriraty catches up and fights Holmes to death against the dramatic backdrop of Reichenbach Falls, while Watson is back at the village, responding to a fraudulent note claiming that a woman at the inn was ill and needed his medical help. Watson rushes toward the falls to help his friend when he realizes he's been tricked with the note, but it's too late; Holmes is (supposedly, until Doyle resuscitates him in "The Empty House") dead. Watson reflects that Holmes was one of the greatest men he ever knew.
"The Dancing Men" (1903)
This one owes a debt to Poe's "Gold Bug," which also has a substitution chipher at the heart of the story. In Doyle's story, Abe Slaney journeys to England and chases down the recently married daughter of the Chicago crime boss he works for, Elsie. Elsie flees Chicago because she doesn't want to be involved in the family's dubious criminal activities. She falls in love with Hilton Cubitt of Thorpe Manor in Norfolk, and the two marry, although Elsie makes Cubitt promise that he will never ask her about her past, although she is totally innocent. He agrees, and they enjoy a short period of blissful married life until a series of mysterious messages involving dancing men keeps appearing on Cubitt's manor--messages which terrify Elsie and perplex her husband, who turns to Holmes for help. Sadly, Cubitt is shot by Slaney when trying to save Elsie, who was on the verge of virtually being abducted by Slaney. Thanks to Holmes, Slaney is gradually caught, and, after recovering from her attempted suicide, Elsie recovers and inherits the manor.
Read
December 13, 2021I read a 45-page abridged version of the book that contained just 5 or so stories, simplified for young readers and containing color illustrations. It was a great introduction to the sleuthing style practiced by Sherlock Holmes - relying on your senses instead of technology to find clues and solve mysteries.
The stories were interesting and diverse - one about a man who was arrested on suspicion for his own murder; one about a man trying to steal a compromising photo from his ex before his wedding; one about a man who is trying to kill his relatives so he can be the full heir to a will. Some of the stories were a little shocking in their content but it also has some teaching opportunities for children if read with an adult.
The stories were interesting and diverse - one about a man who was arrested on suspicion for his own murder; one about a man trying to steal a compromising photo from his ex before his wedding; one about a man who is trying to kill his relatives so he can be the full heir to a will. Some of the stories were a little shocking in their content but it also has some teaching opportunities for children if read with an adult.
October 28, 2025
This is my first time reading Sherlock Holmes, and I have to confess that I didn’t really like it 🙂 I love detective stories and criminal investigations, but Sherlock Holmes just wasn’t my cup of tea. I’m not sure if it’s because of the stories or because of the character himself. However, I found it quite boring and couldn’t finish the book. Maybe I’ll give it another chance someday.
May 8, 2020
Finally finished this volume after reading it on and off for five years. Excellent classic!
June 10, 2020
Massive fan of sherlock Holmes stories are just brilliant
March 24, 2022
I definitely understand why Holmes had endured for so long.
December 4, 2014
To begin, I found this reading to be rather difficult at a high school level, but still navigatable. I had heard of Sherlock Holmes before considering how many movies and TV series were based off of Arthur Conan Doyle’s popular character, but I had never read the book of course. This book was both challenging and enjoyable since some of the phrases and words that were used in the text were beyond my vocabulary at the moment.
It should be said that this isn’t really a book that follows a chronological order, but is a collection of short stories with John Watson and Sherlock Holmes as the star cast each time. Each adventure and mystery is different, from A Scandal in Bohemia which introduced an interesting character that goes by the name Irene Adler, to The Sign of the Four, a tale spanned much longer than the other stories, but each still provided its own unique dialogue and twists.
I have to say that one of my favorite stories from this collection is A Case of Identity, one of the shorter adventures. The story involves a young woman, Miss Sutherland, who was about to be married but her soon to be husband, Mr Hosmer Angel, didn’t show up. She was worried for him and wanted Sherlock to take a look into it and so he did. Sherlock solved the case with ease and it was revealed that the woman’s fiance actually was her stepfather, Mr James Windibank, who had kept Miss Sutherland to himself so that he could keep the benefits of having her, mainly money. The story ends with the stepfather running from Sherlock after he was discovered and essentially the law. It isn’t told what happens to the stepfather, but Sherlock implied that he would eventually face the gallows. The reason why this one was one of my favorites is how quickly Sherlock was able to discover what was awry and his reaction to when Windibank ran. Each story is similar to this in some way or another, but they all have unique quirks and interesting dialogue from Sherlock, Watson, and the other surrounding characters.
To me, this book is a must buy for anyone who is interested in classic literature or something to challenge their current reading ability, which is what put me onto the series in the first place.
It should be said that this isn’t really a book that follows a chronological order, but is a collection of short stories with John Watson and Sherlock Holmes as the star cast each time. Each adventure and mystery is different, from A Scandal in Bohemia which introduced an interesting character that goes by the name Irene Adler, to The Sign of the Four, a tale spanned much longer than the other stories, but each still provided its own unique dialogue and twists.
I have to say that one of my favorite stories from this collection is A Case of Identity, one of the shorter adventures. The story involves a young woman, Miss Sutherland, who was about to be married but her soon to be husband, Mr Hosmer Angel, didn’t show up. She was worried for him and wanted Sherlock to take a look into it and so he did. Sherlock solved the case with ease and it was revealed that the woman’s fiance actually was her stepfather, Mr James Windibank, who had kept Miss Sutherland to himself so that he could keep the benefits of having her, mainly money. The story ends with the stepfather running from Sherlock after he was discovered and essentially the law. It isn’t told what happens to the stepfather, but Sherlock implied that he would eventually face the gallows. The reason why this one was one of my favorites is how quickly Sherlock was able to discover what was awry and his reaction to when Windibank ran. Each story is similar to this in some way or another, but they all have unique quirks and interesting dialogue from Sherlock, Watson, and the other surrounding characters.
To me, this book is a must buy for anyone who is interested in classic literature or something to challenge their current reading ability, which is what put me onto the series in the first place.
April 26, 2018
Finally finished all of the Sherlock Holmes books and short stories. They are a great read but I would recommend reading the short stories between other books as they can seem similar and formulaic.
April 24, 2014
Growing up loving Sherlock Holmes, especially the recent movies staring Robert Downey Jr., The Sign of Four acted as a window into how Holmes was in the beginning, before the influences of the 21st century. Still the famous super sleuth we all know and love, the book paints a slightly different picture of the timeless character. The most surprising of these different characteristics is that Holmes is a cocaine addict, especially so when he is attempting to cope with boredom. No different from the modern stories, however, is Holmes' love for mystery. As the murder case unfolds and Holmes and Watson go on journeys by carriage, steam boat, and foot, with Toby, their four legged guide, at the lead, Holmes' baffling knowledge and unconventional ways of looking at things, all while being witty and slightly condescending, never ceases to amaze. The Sign of Four is the perfect choice if you're looking for a humorous mystery tale staring the infamous Mr. Sherlock Holmes.
April 3, 2013
Sherlock Holmes in a Folio Society edition, what’s not to like? I found a used copy in great condition and read through it pretty quickly. A lot of the stories in this version are found in the Barnes and Noble Leather-bound Edition, the only major differences are the Folio version has a bigger font and some illustrations through out. They are fairly short stories, I think the longest is around fifty pages or so, eleven stories in this version which makes it a pretty quick read. I would recommend this for anyone who is a fan of crime, mystery, murder type stories – but it’s pretty difficult to find the Folio versions while the B&N version is about $20 and you get all of the stories.
December 22, 2012
I got as far as finishing The Navel Treaty and I couldn't bring myself to read anymore. I'm not sure why these stories are so popular as I just couldn't get into it at all. Holmes is not a likeable character. The way I described him to a friend was 'an arrogant know-it-all.' Maybe I'm missing the whole point but even after reading four more Holmes stories, I still wasn't believing in him.
It's Christmas break and I have too many other books that I'm longing to read before I have to start reading for university again to delay any longer on a book I don't like. Maybe I'll give it another chance one day but not now when my time is tight.
It's Christmas break and I have too many other books that I'm longing to read before I have to start reading for university again to delay any longer on a book I don't like. Maybe I'll give it another chance one day but not now when my time is tight.
March 27, 2014
The story that I read within this book was "The Sign of Four." My favorite part of the book was the beginning when Watson and Holmes talk about being a detective. Holmes talks about mental stimulation and Watson discusses the potential side effects of "Mental stimulation." After this, Holmes inquires about Watson and his watch and he ends up being absolutely correct. Watson gets angry and Holmes explains his reasoning and Watson is put in this place. I thought that this was a very clever way of opening up the story and a very comedic one at that. The rest of the story is certainly not as light-hearted and humorous as this scene.
May 12, 2014
Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson are on the case again, this time, starring in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's "The Sign of Four". When Sherlock is approached by Mary Morstan in 1888 when her father disappears, He takes the case. With the initial clues, Sherlock and Watson are sent all over London, among other places to find her father. Once Sherlock finds him dead, the real case begins. Sherlock’s character is brought down to Earth after a dry spell from cases. His drug use and coping mechanisms are in the spotlight in a way that has never been showcased before.
December 28, 2021
Det er interessant å se hvordan tv-serien Sherlock har blitt en moderne utgave av blant annet fortellingene i denne samlingen. Til tross for at jeg er en ACD-fan, er det dessverre slik at Holmes’ deduksjoner gjør seg bedre på tv-skjermen enn i bokform etter min mening. Det som likevel gjør fortellingene om Holmes og Watsons eventyr innholdsrike (i alle fall for en som studerer engelsk) er å se hva diskursen i ACDs fortellinger sier om det Viktorianske samfunnet på samme tid; altså hva den forteller om det britiske imperiet, klasse, fordommer, kjønnsforskjeller og kriminalitet, blant annet.
May 13, 2014
I only read the story of The Sign of Four, and I did like the story because of the scientific concepts and intelligence the book shows by Holmes. It was not easy, however, to follow the sequences of the story because I could not easily understand the significance of every event at first. Sometimes I had to go back and read the page again. Overall the book was rich of knowledge.
January 13, 2014
I have put off reading these for far too long (afraid of 1890's mothballs I guess?) but most stories are short enough to breeze through and not too confusing wth period jargon. I look forward to more!
January 26, 2017
I re-read these stories recently, and they're still as entertaining as my first encounter in the 1960's. This little collection satisfies, and is literally small enough to carry in a pants pocket, making it a wonderful book while traveling.
September 1, 2007
analisisnya lebih mudah dpahami, lbh simple dan masuk akal drpd cerita detektf lainnya exp. conan or bukuna agatha christie...
January 4, 2010
Excellent, of course! Now that my appetite has been whetted I want to read more!
November 21, 2010
Fun. Well written. Timeless. I love AC Doyle.
September 29, 2011
Not only were the stories typically good Sherlock Holmes, but the introduction about the bibliography of Sir Doyle's books was highly entertaining.
June 3, 2011
Short, intriguing, entertaining. What more do you want?
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews