Sherlock Holmes: The Complete Illustrated Short Stories

by Arthur Conan Doyle

This handsome collection contains all fifty-six short stories written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle about the world's most famous detective, Sherlock Holmes.

The stories were originally published to widespread acclaim in The Strand Magazine, London's most celebrated illustrated periodical, between 1891 and 1927; they are still just as popular today.

These fascinating tales of Holmes's deductive genius will enthrall every armchair sleuth but will also fascinate those readers who simply enjoy an exciting adventure mystery.

This collected edition of the Sherlock Holmes short stories is enhanced by original illustrations from The Strand Magazine.

A companion volume, The Complete Illustrated Novels, is also published by Chancellor Press.

Genres: Fiction, Classics, Mystery, Crime, Short Stories, Detective, Anthologies

986 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1927

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

[Aishu Rehman · Rating 2 out of 5]

This collection brings together many of the most famous short stories about the great fictional detective Sherlock Holmes by the great writer Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

Books
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1892)
by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes (1894)
by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes is a collection of Sherlock Holmes stories originally published in 1894.

The Return of Sherlock Holmes (1905)
by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
His Last Bow: A Reminiscence of Sherlock Holmes (1917)
by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

[Reem · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has the five collections of Sherlock Holmes short stories, a dozen each, not including the separate novellas which I feel like I must read because they keep referring to them. I will add thoughts to this review after each collection.



The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
I have only watched one movie adaptation and the amazing show Sherlock, and they always show him as uncaring and self centered. imagine my surprise when he is actually a very fun, caring, protective and humble man. he might change as the story goes on but he’s very interesting, the cases are amusing like the one with ‘the red headed league’ which is my favorite so far; and I finally read my favorite SH quote:
“Whenever you have excluded the impossible, whatever remains however improbable, must be the truth.”

The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes
this one took me awhile because the cases weren't that all interesting to me, BUT we finally meet Mycroft, who SH admits to "has better powers of observation than I." and Moriarty. my hope is to getting more of Mrs Hudson, who have been only mentioned once up until now and she brought them breakfast; which honestly made me laugh because of Sherlock's badass mrs H.

The Return of Sherlock Holmes
This one is definitely my favorite, good cases, good characters and most of them were fun! four of the cases were a little familiar, which turns out, they were the ones from the show. now I’m a tiny bit interested in watching ‘elementary’ just for the cases; my brothers like it and keep telling me it’s good🙄? (ETA: I couldn't get past 6 minutes of the first episode! blegh!)

His Last Bow
I guess now I understand why there are Holmes/Watson shippers😂 since SH’s general opinion on women was apparently that he ‘disliked and distrusted them’ and was kind of flirty? with JW in a couple of these shorts. also, he said the thing!!! ”the east wind is coming.”

The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes
Unfortunately, this collection was bad. I did not like any of the stories in it.

[Grace Wong · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Haven't you read this book like, 20 times?"
"....Yep."

After reading it so many times... There are new realisations of the flaws in the deductions and conclusions. But I still rate this collection highly because the stories are not merely whodunnits, which lose its value after the first read. There is something delightful about his writing, where one feels transported back to the Victorian times.

[Erik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sherlock Holmes is great.

[Nina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I finally did it. All the Sherlock Holmes short stories are now read, and what a treat they are.

I would have finished them sooner had I not been sidetracked by other books, but oh well. I got there.

There are a lot of great mysteries here, and a few not so great (*cough*the Veiled Lodger *cough*), but great as they are, it's Sherlock Holmes's personality and the dynamic between him and good friend Watson that lift the stories to the next level - the level of eternal devotion of a huge fan base. The conversations between the two are at times hilarious, and though Holmes is an eccentric character and Watson the complete opposite the bond between them is so strong. There is real respect and understanding there. Dr Watson has many descriptions of silent train journeys or silent afternoons at Baker Street while he lets Holmes' brain power on undisturbed. "He'll tell me later, better not disturb the genius." Holmes, on the other hand, has a real fondness for Watson and appreciates his company, maybe because Watson seems to understand Holmes' need for undisturbed quietness and his whims. If Holmes tells Watson to do something, Watson complies, even if he doesn't himself understand what is going on. He knows that Sherlock knows, and that's enough for him.

Lestrade has fewer appearances than I would have thought, based on how everyone knows that he is the police inspector in the SH universe. Mrs Hudson has even fewer appearences. Moriarty and Mycroft even fewer. But there are a lot of domestic scenes at Baker Street and that makes up for it. Holmes and Watson at Baker Street is such a comfy cozy image, even if they are working on a murder case, or the sneaky Sherlock is tricking Watson into going on a long and arduous journey as part of his secret plan.

This is a charming read with lots of little gems. (And my respect for Gatiss and Moffat has only increased. They really know their Sherlock and it was a lot of fun discovering the show's references to the short stories - tobacco hidden in slippers, "Come at once if convenient. If inconvenient, come anyway", etc.)

These are great, they really are. Lots of fun revolving around one of literature's most iconic characters. And rightly so. He is just that great.

[Henrik Haapala · Rating 5 out of 5]

2023-08-20:
A handsome collection of 56 short stories of the world’s most famous detective Sherlock Holmes - it was originally published in “The strand magazine”. Truly classic masterpiece.

These stories have been reprinted over and over and this is a Bounty books (2004) edition and it’s been around for 19 years. Copyright 1985 octopus publishing group LTD.

Sherlock Holmes most classic stories by Arthur Conan Doyle are brilliant and unique! Highest recommendation!

There is a lot to learn from the character of SH reasoning skills and calm collected manner, even though it’s fictional. It’s actually based on a professor Joseph Bell who the author met in 1877 in Edinburgh. Like Holmes, Bell was noted for drawing broad conclusions from minute observations.

Lessons are: awareness. get the data first. See and observe, then draw conclusions. Create a hypothesis to explain the facts, test it. Work at the problem.

“A scandal in Bohemia” (1891-1892):

“He was, I take it, the most perfect reasoning and observing machine that the world has seen: but, as a lover, he would have placed himself in a false position.”

“Quite so, he answered, lighting a cigarette, and throwing himself down into an armchair. You see, but you do not observe. The distinction is clear. For example, you have frequently seen the steps which lead up from the hall to this room.”
‘Frequently’
‘How often?’
‘Well, some hundreds of times’
‘Then how many are there?’
‘How many! I don’t know.’
Quite so! You have not observed. And yet you have seen. That is just my point. Now, I know that there are 17 steps, because I have both seen an observed.”

“This is indeed a mystery, I remarked. What do you imagine that it means?
I have no data yet. It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data.
Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts.”

[miriam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Look Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson are my dads and I love them idk what you want me to tell you. Anyway here's the top ten faves:
- Speckled Band
- Red Headed League
- Solitary Cyclist
- Resident Patient
- Copper Beeches
- Dancing Men
- Second Stain
- Man with the twisted lip
- Charles Augustus Milverton
- Devil's Foot
Honorable mention: the Blue Carbuncle because you have to have the Christmas special.

[Tobi ﾄﾋﾞ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories emerged during a time of great fascination with detective fiction in late 19th and early 20th-century England. Serialised in magazines such as The Strand, Holmes quickly became a literary sensation, captivating readers with his deductive prowess and keen observational skills. The popularity of the character skyrocketed, turning Holmes into a cultural icon whose influence continues to be felt today.

Conan Doyle drew inspiration for his stories from a variety of sources, including his medical background, personal experiences, and contemporary crime cases. While many of the stories are purely fictional, some were indeed based on real events or inspired by true crimes of the time. For example, The Adventure of the Speckled Band is said to have been inspired by a real-life case of a woman who died under mysterious circumstances.

Set against the backdrop of Victorian England, the Sherlock Holmes stories provide a fascinating glimpse into the social, political, and cultural landscape of the era. From the bustling streets of London to the fog-covered moors of the countryside, Conan Doyle's vivid descriptions transport readers to a bygone era characterised by rapid industrialisation, class tensions, and scientific advancements.

The Sherlock Holmes stories exhibit a unique blend of narrative styles, characterised by their fast-paced plots, witty dialogue, and meticulous attention to detail. Conan Doyle's use of first-person narration through the eyes of Dr. John Watson adds a really interesting detail to the stories, allowing readers to experience Holmes's deductive process firsthand. Additionally, Conan Doyle's medical background lends authenticity to Holmes's forensic techniques, adding a layer of realism to the mysteries.

The Sherlock Holmes canon collection is a mixed bag of thrilling mysteries and lackluster narratives, earning an average rating of 2.5 stars from me. While the main four longer novels, including A Study in Scarlet, The Sign of Four, The Hound of the Baskervilles, and The Valley of Fear, stand out as highlights of the collection, the short stories often feel rushed and formulaic.

The rushed writing style observed in many of the short stories may indeed be attributed to Conan Doyle's prioritisation of quantity over quality. During the serialisation of his works in magazines like The Strand, Conan Doyle faced tight deadlines and pressure to churn out new stories regularly to satisfy readers' demand for more Holmes adventures. This commercial imperative likely influenced Conan Doyle's writing process, leading to the occasional lack of depth and nuance in the shorter tales.

While the Sherlock Holmes short story collection may have its shortcomings, it remains a timeless classic that continues to captivate readers with its intriguing mysteries, memorable characters, and rich historical context, so I’d still definitely recommend reading these if you ever get the opportunity.

[Amalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

For those of who don’t know (highly unlikely) , Sherlock Holmes is a private investigator who operates out of his rooms at 221B Baker Street in London, England.

He is a well-to-do bachelor, takes only the cases that interest him. He is high-strung and restless, and, although he finds a creative emotional outlet in playing the violin, it is often not enough to amuse his troubled mind when he is not on a case. He then injects himself with cocaine. It takes a great amount of time and efforts for his associate/ faithful sidekick, Dr. Watson, to wean him away from his addiction, whether he’ll be completely successful in his attempts, is something for the readers to find out.

Holmes is tall and obsessively clean. His voice is 'cold, incisive, ironical.' A brilliant thinker, his education is at once broad and narrow. For example, although he is able to identify different brands of tobacco at a sniff, he knows nothing about astronomy until Dr. Watson explains to him that the earth orbits the sun. Holmes is a wit and takes delight at the opportunity to outwit the clever villains and foils his schemes. He is given to dramatic flair; he amazes listeners with his deductions from seemingly slight clues, and he enjoys disguising himself, as though he were an actor. For all his genius, however, he is fallible. In the stories, the master criminal Professor Moriarty eludes him more than once, and sometimes he fails to adequately protect a client.

This edition (collector’s edition) contains all the written/published short stories of Sherlock Holmes with significant illustrations to each story along with pictures from the museum of Sherlock Holmes. The Collections included in this are,
Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes
The Return of Sherlock Holmes
His Last Bow
The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sherlock Holmes will forever be the second love of my life, just second behind my husband

Pg. 6- It is a capital mistake to theorise before on has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts.
15- The stage lost a fine actor, even as science lost an acute reasoner, when he became a specialist in crime.
43- My life is spent in one long effort to escape from the commonplace of existence. These little problems help me to do so.
44-My dear fellow, life is infinitely stranger than anything which the mind of man could invent. We would not dare to conceive the things which are really mere commonplaces of existence. If we could fly out of that window hand in hand, hover over this great city, gently remove the roofs, and peep in at the queer things which are going on, the strange coincidences, the plannings, the cross-purposes, the wonderful chains of events, working through generations, and leading to the most outre results, it would make all fiction with its conventionalities and forseen conclusions most stale and unprofitable.
146-But we shall have horrors enough before the night is over:for goodness sake let us have a quiet pipe, and turn our minds for a few hours to something more cheerful.
203- I knew my man, however, and I clapped a pistol to his head before he could strike.
206- Crime is common. Logic is rare. Therefore it is upon the logic rather upon the crime what you should dwell. You have degraded what should have been a course of lectures into a series of tales.-telling Watson off about how the writes :) Pshaw, my dear fellow, what do the public, the great unobservant public, who could hardly tell a weaver by his tooth or a composer by his left thumb, care about the finer shades of analysis and deduction! But indeed, if you are trivial, I cannot blame you, for the days of the great cases are past. Man, or at least criminal man, has lost all enterprise of originality. As to my own little practice, it seems to be degenerating into an agency for recovering lost lead pencils and giving advice to young ladies from boarding-schools. zi think that I have touched bottom at last, however. This note I had this morning marks my zero point, I fancy. Read it! Dear Mr. Holmes I am very anxious to consult you as to whether I should or should not accept a situation which has been offered to me as governess. Yours faithfully, Violet Hunter
243- I follow my own methods, and tell as much or as little as I choose. That is the advantage of being unofficial.
373- My dear Watson, I cannot agree with those who rank modesty among the virtues. To the logician all things should be seen exactly as they are, and to under-estimate oneself is as much a departure from truth as to exaggerate one's own powers.
398-Our highest assurance of the goodness of Providence seems to me to rest in the flowers. All other things, our powers, our desires, our food, are really necessary for our existence in the first instance. But this rose is an extra. It's smell and its colour are an establishment of life, not a condition of it. It is only goodness which gives extras, and so I say again that we have much to hope from the flowers.
448- There are some trees Watson, which grow to a certain height and then suddenly develop some unsightly eccentricity. You will see it often in humans. I have a theory that the individual represents in his development the whole procession of his ancestors, and that such a sudden turn in good or evil stands for some strong influence which came into the line of his pedigree. The person becomes, as it were, the epitome of the history of his own family.
491- I shall, however, preserve my former rule, and give the preference to those cases with derive their interest not so much from the brutality of the crime as from the ingenuity and dramatic quality of the solution.
677-My mind is like a racing engine, tearing itself to pieces because it is not connected up with the work for which it was built.
739- "I followed you." "I saw no one" "That is what you may expect to see when I follow you"
942- Women have seldom been an attraction to me, for my brain has always governed my heart, but I could not look upon her perfect clear-cut face, with all the soft freshness of the Downlands in her delicate colouring, without realizing that no young man would cross her path unscathed.

[Maria B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. This is a fiction book, and the genre is mystery and adventure, and sometimes science fiction. I chose to read the book since Sherlock Holmes is a very famous character, and I wanted to read the stories, but also because I adore the BBC TV show Sherlock, and wanted to read the original stories my favourite episodes were based on.
The story takes place in London, England. The central characters are Sherlock Holmes, a detective and Doctor Watson, his companion. The characters deal with mysterious crimes that the police are unable to understand, and always solve them, thanks so Sherlock’s incredible mind. Since this is a compilation of many stories, there isn’t one plot.
The characters were extremely interesting, because while reading the book you were able to see how someone with such a high intellect as Sherlock’s reacts to a situation compared to a “normal” person’s thoughts, which are shown through John Watson. I would recommend this book and the whole Sherlock Holmes world to all of my friends, since it is very interesting and it really reels you in. I would recommend this book to a more grown up audience, so from the ages 12 and up. I would give this book a 10/10.

[Roz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. Let us just ignore the date I stared reading this. It's the problem with short stories: they are easy to put down at the end of the story, and hard to pick up again when in the middle of a novel.

This was a fabulous read. I had read most of these a couple (or more) decades ago, so my memory of them was mostly non-existent.

What a delightful week! I can why people thought he was real. Sherlock is not successful with every case - even though his performance is always impressive. It is a pleasant change from the mindset of the participation trophy - where everyone is a winner.

There were some things that did make me groan a bit. All the generalisation about how women think, while appropriate for the times, was annoying. I really felt like pointing out that child birth should prove that ALL women are not weak little delicate beings. Anyway. There is no point fighting history. I'm just glad that has changed.

I would really recommend this edition to fans of Sherlock too. The illustrations made it a beautiful experience, and not just entertaining and thrilling.

[Mark Higginbottom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally finished it!!! Phew.992 pages ....I first started this exact same copy when I was around 15 years old....dipped in dipped out...but always started at the beginning again....so I thought it's high time I finally read to the end.So glad I did.Its little wonder the Holmes stories were so successful...and still are today.They are just so fascinating,so readable,so enjoyable.From despicable murders to blackmail to corruption to robbery...the 56 cases are varied and mixed.It is no surprise that people today still want to further the adventures of Mr.Sherlock Holmes,the characters of he and Doctor Watson are just brilliant creations.Thoroughly enjoyable stuff!

[Liz Alexander · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not sure this the exact book that I listened to for almost 63 hours on Audible (billed as Sherlock Holmes: The Definitive Collection, prefaced and narrated by the wonderful Stephen Fry). But if there's any indication of the dedication of this reader for the stories of the wonderful Arthur Conan Doyle - that amount of time spent over the period of a month, listening every night rapt by the ingenuity of the author and the brilliance of the narrator - must count for something. Absolutely wonderful. There is no one like either of them (Doyle and Fry), or the partnership of the inimitable Mr. Sherlock Holmes and his trusty old friend, Dr. Watson.

[Katie · Rating 2 out of 5]

unfortunately my thoughts on this are not as positive as i wanted them to be. i really enjoyed reading it at times, and there are stories that stand out, but it felt like it dragged on and on and sometimes made me incredibly sleepy and i ended up napping... not exactly what i thought was going to happen. i would like to read the novels as i think the longer form will be more engaging. also, it does occur to me that perhaps 56 short stories are not intended to be read at once, which i did try but did come close to achieving

[Simeon Scott · Rating 2 out of 5]

A really interesting experience but mostly for the historical perspective. As a casual Holmes fan I really enjoyed seeing how different the character was at the outset and the way stories were done back then, but after a while things did start to blend together for me so I didn't get a whole lot out of it.

[Murtaza Beda · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Star

This is best book to start series of Sherlock Holmes. It’s collection of short stories. All stories are really enjoyable. I was able to complete one story in a day, this was amazing part.
Only thing is language was bit difficult for me. Because it was written not in our time.
Overall a great and must read !

[Maartje Volder · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short stories of Sherlock is a bit overwhelming. You switch so fast between one issue and the next. So I had to take a breather between stories sometimes. The stories do give room for little anecdotes and a further view into Sherlock his life on which many a show has been made. And also gives some failures or false deductions, showing even the detective is not always right.

[Rachel Cz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is always my comfort book. Everytime life gets a little too much. I sink into these with a smile and a happy smile. Holmes and Watson are just like a warm, slightly battered pair of socks, that are so comfortable to wear.

[Outlander · Rating 5 out of 5]

The mastery of Sherlock Holmes by the master author Sir A C Doyle - perfection ! This is the correct title but not the same cover as my copy, printed by John Murray, Albemarle Street, London - dated 1971.

[Hunter Pearson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read / listened to most, if not all, of these 56 short stories over the years. Some of my favorite reads. Relaxed pace but engaging. Highly recommend.

Also, if you listen, the Magpie Audio versions are free on YouTube and the narrator is awesome.

[Iohn · Rating 4 out of 5]

These are pretty fun, though the style is a little dated...obviously.

[Alex Day · Rating 5 out of 5]

Still sounds fresh.

[Daisy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sherlock is by far one of my favorite literary characters and These stories are easy and fun to read with my particular favorite being the Hound of the Baskervilles.

[Kaye · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read the three stories I needed to read for a class. Excellent of course.

[Thành Đô St · Rating 5 out of 5]

👍

[Mariah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so much more entertaining than I was expecting - it was a pretty fun read.

[Wilde Sunshine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this!

[S]

Didn't read this version--LFW

[Jebin · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can I even say to this it's Sherlock holmes.