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Видатний англійський письменник Артур Конан Дойл (1859—1930) написав понад 50 оповідань про геніального сищика Шерлока Голмса. До цієї книжки увійшли ті, що сам автор вважав найвдалішими — «Людина з розсіченою губою», «Пригода з мідяними буками», «Пригода з бісовою ногою», «Пригода зі строкатою стрічкою», «Пригода з чоловічками в танці» та інші. В усіх них за допомогою свого методу Голмс розплутує найскладніші злочини і викриває злочинців.
166 pages, ebook
First published August 24, 1924
About the author
Arthur Conan Doyle
16.5k books24.8k 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 52 reviews
September 28, 2015
This is a super cool item. It should be a hit with lovers of Arthur Conan Doyle, doll and doll house lovers and fans of the royal family. Super short story that most people don't even know exists as well as super hilarious. Beautiful presentation that would make a fantastic gift.
August 6, 2016
It is more of joke than short story with Doyle telling us why Sherlockean tricks are not to be done at home. Read it here (takes about two minutes)
September 13, 2015
Oh, bless Watson! Did he really think that Sherlock's deducing skills were that easy to acquire?
A fun, very short story written by Arthur Conan Doyle for the Queen Mary's doll's house in Windsor.
A fun, very short story written by Arthur Conan Doyle for the Queen Mary's doll's house in Windsor.
October 18, 2016
Such a fun, short little Holmes parody by Doyle! It's basically a little scene that happens a great deal in the Sherlock Holmes stories, and even in the BBC Sherlock series.
September 18, 2024
A spiritual sequel to 'The Field Bazaar', this time only a few paragraphs in length. These short little windows into the lives of Holmes and Watson really deepen the relationship between them. Like with that earlier work, it's such a shame this story isn't longer. 3 stars.
January 4, 2017
This is a replica of the Sherlock Holmes short story that was written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in 1922 for Queen Mary, wife of King George V. Many writers of the time were requested to create books for Queen Mary's Doll House library. This is an original story that has Watson trying and failing to use Sherlock's method of deductive reasoning. This is a beautiful reproduction of the original handwritten manuscript. Readers who enjoy Sherlock Holmes or miniature books will find this of interest; readers who enjoy both will be thrilled.
December 18, 2015
Oh this was so much fun to read, Doyle trolling Watson! I have no idea why this short story is not included in the "Complete Sherlock Holmes" collection ...it is written by Doyle after all.
April 22, 2018
This was a teeeeeny tiny book written in Doyle's handwriting for a royal dollhouse. Super fun!
July 1, 2018
A short parody where Dr. Watson thinks he's learned a few things while watching Sherlock Holmes. Witty and clever.
March 19, 2019
This is an extremely short story, but it gives the reader one more opportunity to see Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson discussing his "methods" of deduction.
April 5, 2024
Short and humorous: exceptionally entertaining and quick-witted. I adore Sherlock Holmes and any short story I can find, I appreciate.
January 11, 2026
really sweet <3
January 30, 2026
305 words but damn it, it counts towards my Goodreads goal
July 13, 2023
words cannot explain how much i enjoy these little exchanges between holmes and watson, simply adorable
May 17, 2023
A super short blurb where Watson attempts to deduct a bunch of things about Sherlock one morning.
Pretty funny. Very very short.
Pretty funny. Very very short.
December 29, 2017
I got this for Christmas as a bit of a lark, hoping that Watson would ... ah but that would be spoilers. It was great, the background reading booklet was super interesting and the sweetest miniature Sherlock Holmes book to go with it. Perfect for the Holmesian collector or just a little bookwork needing books for the dolls house.
February 16, 2024
Read on a Sherlock Holmes fan website. It was alright, I guess.
Fun fact: This story was hand-written by Arthur Conan Doyle as a tiny manuscript and gifted to Queen Mary for her Dolls’ House Library.
Fun fact: This story was hand-written by Arthur Conan Doyle as a tiny manuscript and gifted to Queen Mary for her Dolls’ House Library.
February 4, 2017
The story was all right. It was kinda humorous, but all in all, it felt like it was still in its old time frame of speaking. To simplify, the story did not age well.
March 12, 2022
It is basically a satirical take on Watson's attempt to outsmart Sherlock Holmes.
May 25, 2023
Eh...it was all right.
I really am very sorry to rate this so low for an original Sherlock Holmes story written by Arthur Conan Doyle of all people, because if anyone knows me, that means they know that the Sherlock Holmes series is my favorite literary series of all time. However, this tiny little story absolutely had the potential to still hit home, but it just...didn't. I remember being extraordinarily excited when I first heard about this and "The Field Bazaar," ACD's other lesser-known Holmes story. But while *that* was actually pretty good, this literally read so satirically that it felt like I was reading a badly written pastiche by a non-Sherlockian who thought he'd just take a stab at writing Victoriana. Seriously. The Watson portrayed here is the ONLY time in the Canon that it feels like a Nigel Bruce Watson and not a Jude Law/David Burke/Edward Hardwicke/Martin Freeman Watson. It seems so out of character for him to claim that Holmes's deductive faculties can be "really easily acquired." I understand he said that "severely," meaning he was probably just trying to jab at him out of jealousy or something (similarly to in The Sign of Four), but still...this story didn't feel nearly as in-character as the rest of the Canon.
I obviously don't hate it, and I did think it was funny to read, but then again, since when was the point of reading a Sherlock Holmes story for it to be "funny" to read? Entertaining? Yes. Intriguing? Definitely. Containing amusing scenes along the way? Sure; of course! But that was never the focal point of an SH story. Thankfully, it's short enough to be tolerable in its amusement. I did like "The Field Bazaar," though, even though it was really more an advertisement than anything else. XD
All in all, if you like incredibly minuscule short stories, go for it. Won't do ya any harm. But please...for my sake, for Holmes's sake, and for the sake of all things Victorian...READ THE CANON.
I really am very sorry to rate this so low for an original Sherlock Holmes story written by Arthur Conan Doyle of all people, because if anyone knows me, that means they know that the Sherlock Holmes series is my favorite literary series of all time. However, this tiny little story absolutely had the potential to still hit home, but it just...didn't. I remember being extraordinarily excited when I first heard about this and "The Field Bazaar," ACD's other lesser-known Holmes story. But while *that* was actually pretty good, this literally read so satirically that it felt like I was reading a badly written pastiche by a non-Sherlockian who thought he'd just take a stab at writing Victoriana. Seriously. The Watson portrayed here is the ONLY time in the Canon that it feels like a Nigel Bruce Watson and not a Jude Law/David Burke/Edward Hardwicke/Martin Freeman Watson. It seems so out of character for him to claim that Holmes's deductive faculties can be "really easily acquired." I understand he said that "severely," meaning he was probably just trying to jab at him out of jealousy or something (similarly to in The Sign of Four), but still...this story didn't feel nearly as in-character as the rest of the Canon.
I obviously don't hate it, and I did think it was funny to read, but then again, since when was the point of reading a Sherlock Holmes story for it to be "funny" to read? Entertaining? Yes. Intriguing? Definitely. Containing amusing scenes along the way? Sure; of course! But that was never the focal point of an SH story. Thankfully, it's short enough to be tolerable in its amusement. I did like "The Field Bazaar," though, even though it was really more an advertisement than anything else. XD
All in all, if you like incredibly minuscule short stories, go for it. Won't do ya any harm. But please...for my sake, for Holmes's sake, and for the sake of all things Victorian...READ THE CANON.
January 4, 2025
I'm including this more for the sake of completion than anything else. "How Watson Learned the Trick" is less a story and more a fun little anecdote. At only 500 words, we see Watson getting a bit full of himself and showing off to Holmes how "easy" his deductions are to make.
Not to read too much into it, but I think it also serves as a little reminder from Doyle that he doesn't write Holmes stories by plucking unbelievable deductions out of thin air like SOMEONE (Moffat). But that the deductions conjured should generally:
a) Fall within a window of reasonability.
b) Weave within one another to paint a single image - rather that disparate images that then need to be woven together again.
In other words, as Holmes himself puts it, "It 's a very superficial trick Watson, and no doubt you will soon acquire it"
Not to read too much into it, but I think it also serves as a little reminder from Doyle that he doesn't write Holmes stories by plucking unbelievable deductions out of thin air like SOMEONE (Moffat). But that the deductions conjured should generally:
a) Fall within a window of reasonability.
b) Weave within one another to paint a single image - rather that disparate images that then need to be woven together again.
In other words, as Holmes himself puts it, "It 's a very superficial trick Watson, and no doubt you will soon acquire it"
March 21, 2024
NB: Did not actually read this edition, just read the stories online.
Both very short, to the point where I feel like I'm cheating counting this as 24 pages in my Goodreads count, and both just little vignettes where Holmes proves that he's smarter than Watson while they eat breakfast. "Field Bazaar" is particularly limp, since Holmes' brilliant deduction mostly comes down to "I figured out who sent you a letter by reading the envelope." "How Watson Learned the Trick" at least has a mildly amusing punchline.
Anyway, far from the best Holmes stories, but not the worst way that you could spend ten minutes.
Both very short, to the point where I feel like I'm cheating counting this as 24 pages in my Goodreads count, and both just little vignettes where Holmes proves that he's smarter than Watson while they eat breakfast. "Field Bazaar" is particularly limp, since Holmes' brilliant deduction mostly comes down to "I figured out who sent you a letter by reading the envelope." "How Watson Learned the Trick" at least has a mildly amusing punchline.
Anyway, far from the best Holmes stories, but not the worst way that you could spend ten minutes.
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February 27, 2025No rating - this is more of a historical/literary curiosity than a full fledged literary work. It was written for a collection of stories destined to appear in a miniature book, part of Queen Mary’s Doll house.
June 20, 2025
I was so excited to find out there was another Sherlock Holmes story I hadn't read! I enjoyed immersing myself in Doyle's world again. Watson was very sassy which I found hilarious. Holmes was acceptably superior.🔎
July 30, 2018
3.5 out of 5
March 8, 2020
Watson's experience here would likely match my own, were I to attempt to apply Holmes' logic.
March 21, 2020
Such a beautiful book! The booklet of information about the doll's house is far more interesting than Doyle's slightly contrived story though.
June 24, 2020
Poor perpetually suffering Watson. I would’ve liked a few more of these!
I would love to see this up close and personal in its fully realised miniature doll house book form 🙊
I would love to see this up close and personal in its fully realised miniature doll house book form 🙊
October 18, 2020
Charming, hilarious, wry, brilliant, and relevant.
February 22, 2021
This was a fun parody written by ACD about how Watson tells Holmes how he 'learned' his method of solving crimes through logical deduction.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews