The Extraordinary Cases of Sherlock Holmes

by Arthur Conan Doyle, Jonathan Stroud (Introduction)

Through the foggy streets of Victoria London to the deepest countryside, Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson embark on eight thrilling investigations. In some of his best known cases including 'The Speckled Band' and 'The Reigate Puzzle', Holmes brings his unique powers of deduction to bear on the most challenging mysteries.

The adventure of the speckled band --
The adventure of the blue carbuncle --
The Musgrave ritual --
The Reigate puzzle --
Silver blaze --
The adventure of the dancing men --
The adventure of the six Napoleons --
The missing three-quarter.

Genres: Mystery, Classics, Fiction, Short Stories, Crime, Thriller, Classic Literature

273 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1988

About the author

Sir 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.

Reviews

[Diamond · Rating 5 out of 5]

The books is extraordinary!)

[Fizah(Books tales by me) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actual Rating 3.5
I knew about Sherlock Holmes but didn’t get the chance to read his stories. I really liked the first story but didn’t find much character development after that I decided to watch Sherlock Holmes season and spent the whole weekend watching it. After that when I read the rest of the stories, it was so easy to understand the character but I must say I like modern Sherlock better than the real one. For a short story, there were so many characters and they sounded the same to me. Stories were so interesting to read and endings make me feel like an Idiot (which is a positive thing).

But I don’t think I’ll read Sir Conan Doyle again as old English (if it is the right term to use) is not my cup of tea and act as an obstacle while reading because I can’t understand what their real expressions are.

PS. This kind of writing reminded me of Narnia which I DNFed after 4 books.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

excellent palate cleanser from the otherwise ubiquitous thesis-writing; send help

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

These are eight stories of Sherlock Holmes. They aren't any of the well-known ones, but they are still good mysteries and I enjoyed them. I've watched the Sherlock Holmes series on BBC and also seen Elementary and I'm confused as to how they decided to make Sherlock such a jerk. In the stories, he's more then willing to teach others and is delighted at what they discover for themselves.

My one complaint is that Doyle makes Watson out to be such an idiot. I mean, the man is a doctor and served in the army. That means he knows a thing or two. And yet, Watson continues to be astounded by how Holmes solves cases and figures out little things and never figures anything out by himself. That's not realistic.

[Doctor DJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a classic mystery book, I've always been a fan of Sherlock Holmes and Sir. Arthur Conan Doyle. It was good read.

[Caro · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really good read. I enjoyed all the stories and the details. Curious and intriguing. I liked the characters and don't know why I waited so long to read these. I wish they had considered this author in the classics they read in school, but alas they don't. Great for any time reading and passing time. Definitely keeps you interested and turning pages. Have Fun!

[fatima · Rating 4 out of 5]

ngl there were times when I had no idea how the mystery would end, but overall a great autumn read.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

More extraordinary than elementary. Great stuff.

Reminded me a lot of the early few (and good series) of Jonathan Creek which was great. Alan Davies is great in that. Probably where this Doyle chap got his inspiration.

Great times had reading this with my son, trying to second guess the mysteries as they unfolded, top notch!

[Julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

*3.5

[noah · Rating 3 out of 5]

so classic

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Always a fan of Sherlock Holmes and Conan Doyle. Have read these multiple times now, Conan Doyle never dissappoints. Special faviorite is The Dancing Men.

[ria · Rating 5 out of 5]

sherlock holmes is a very smart detective who notices the smallest details! i enjoyed reading every case. my most favourite is the adventure of the dancing men as i love reading about secret codes! if you aren't familiar with sherlock holmes and dr watson, i suggest you read this book to start with :)

[Sean · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is too confusing.

[Andy Howells · Rating 5 out of 5]

Throughout the years, I have appreciated numerous adaptations of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes tales through various mediums such as audio, theatre, television, and film. However, I have seldom taken the time to read the original stories. My attempts have not been lacking, as several volumes have passed through my collection, yet I am now on a mission to rekindle my reading habits. Consequently, I have included several Sherlock Holmes books on my reading list to finally achieve this long-held aspiration.

This anthology of eight short stories serves as an excellent starting point. Some narratives, such as The Adventure of the Speckled Band, Silver Blaze, and The Adventure of The Six Napoleons, felt somewhat familiar, while others, including The Adventure of The Dancing Men, The Reigate Puzzle, and The Adventure of The Blue Carbuncle, were entirely new to me. Although these stories were penned in the late 1800s, which may deter some readers due to the antiquated language and references, this edition includes a glossary to assist with understanding these terms. Additionally, one can always utilise online resources to clarify words and expressions like Vestas and Don Juan if needed.

The tales, recounted by Dr. John Watson, the trusted companion of Holmes, are rich in detail, encompassing both the characters and the intricate plotlines. Although I encountered some initial difficulty, I ultimately became quite engaged with Conan Doyle's writing style by the conclusion of the book. I found Holmes' deductive techniques particularly enjoyable, as they render the detective lively, unpredictable, and entertaining. This edition includes several activities at the back, designed to encourage younger or novice readers—though age is truly inconsequential—to reflect on their reading, serving as an excellent introduction for aspiring literary detectives.

[Kyera · Rating 4 out of 5]

I may be good, but Sherlock Holmes is better. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle weaves unusual and fantastical tales about the globally beloved detective in this collection of stories. Each is short and can be devoured in less than an hour. They are some of his more famous short works and highly enjoyable.

Doyle paints a narrative through the eyes of Holmes' companion, Dr. Watson and makes the tale more accessible to the average reader. Holmes' sharp mannerisms and lofty thoughts would not be as intriguing if Watson's nobler sentiments and smoothing words did not soften him. Each mystery slowly unfolds before the reader's eyes and if their powers of deduction are keen, they may even discover some clues or Holmes' motives before they're expressly detailed.

The adventures of Sherlock Holmes and John Watson were beloved in their time and are now classics for a reason. This is a wonderful collection of stories and highly recommended to fans of detective stories, classic novels, or have never read a story about Sherlock Holmes before and wish to give them a shot. (You won't be disappointed.)

[Brigette Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

The stories of Sherlock Holmes is truly a classic. Reading this, you can see how multiple contemporary problem-solving characters are inspired by Sherlock. It was enjoyable to read the different cases Sherlock faced in this book, although, I think I prefer the new adaptations of these characters. I found it difficult to fully understand the nuanced meaning between dialogue because of the dated British manner of speaking. It just goes to show how literature continues to evolve into newer and adapted versions of itself.

[seher]

I literally love these cases. They give off mysterious, spooky vibes and have you guessing till the end who the culprit might be which is characteristic of all Sherlock Holmes books. Although I personally prefer the full length novels to the short stories since there's more room for development with the full novels. Although that's just a personal thing.
Also, the Holmes and Watson duo is iconic.

[Alexey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although some parts of the book bored me, the book was truly extraordinary. The enjoyment and satisfaction there was when I read was very great. I recommend this book to everyone who is interested in CSI and amazing adventures.

[Molly Mejstrik · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this collection of stories! My favorites were "The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle" and "The Adventure of the Dancing Men".

[BibleBoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very very interesting! I really enjoyed it! I liked it because the way it was written like a mystery. I like detective stories!

[Josiah Fruge · Rating 4 out of 5]

Classic tales of mystery and intuition. I always enjoy reading Sherlock Holmes stories. While these are by no means perfect they are the foundation on which our standards were built.

[Lucieishima · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book about Sherlock Holmes, maybe not the best known ones

[Adriana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book, it was an easy read to get into the world of Sherlock Holmes.

[Jem · Rating 4 out of 5]

love a good sherlock :)

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book! Loved all the cases, though I wish that Watson had a bit more input in the cases? I don't know, but he seems sort of like an idiot. I mean, he was a doctor, wasn't he?

[Sukhneet · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really beautiful and amusing collection of the finest cases of Sherlock Holmes, the private detective. My favorites are "The Speckled Band" and "The Reigate Puzzle".

[Muhammad Sameer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved it.

[Oleia Green · Rating 3 out of 5]

Liked it a lot at first then I found it got very repetitive

[Sophie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love it. If you like spy's this is the book.

[Yousra · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not really my thing.
It’s, understandably, dry and I generally prefer mysteries in which I can try to peace it together myself as well and this is obviously not one of them.