The Sherlock Holmes Collection Paperback – May 1, 2012

Like many people, I was familiar with Sherlock to since childhood. I'd read a couple of stories in high school, seen a few Sherlock Holmes movies. This collection of Sherlock Holmes stories contains an exhaustive collection of original Sherlock Holmes stories written in Victorian English. I loved these stories, both novels and novella's. I appreciated the ability to highlight a word and get the definition because I was unfamiliar with.many of the old English words and terms. Even for a rabid reader, this collection offers many hours of reading. It kept my interest all through the collection because no one story is too long in and of itself. The writing is so convincing that I had to look up Sherlock Holmes after finishing reading the collection because I was convinced Watson and Holmes must have been real people! I thoroughly enjoyed being transported back in time to 1880's and 1890's London where Holmes done most of his work. Doyle's descriptions of the man and the places he lived and worked are amazingly vivid. Nearly every time I was sure I had a case figured out, I would be surprised at the outcome and would find myself saying "of course, that was so obvious!" I would recommend this collection for everyone from teens through retirees! I came to love the stories that contained the infamous Professor Moriarty, Holmes' chief nemesis. I also enjoyed meeting Holmes brother, Mylof, who, though blessed with the same uncanny ability for deductive reasoning as his more famous brother, instead used his skills in service to the English government instead of crime fighting. Whether you're familiar with Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson's adventures, or have never read a Sherlock Holmes book, I believe most people will find this collection to be addictive reading once you start. There are some typos, and unless you're a scholar in vintage English language, you will probably do as I did and consult the embedded dictionary often, but I was truly sorry when I read the last story. I read at least 2 or 3 stories a day for weeks and yet I crave more. For a free book, you can't go wrong here. Go ahead, give it a shot... I think you'll be happy you did!

This was free on Amazon.I have read or listened 🎶 to all of the stories individually or as last of other multiple story books 📚. I would recommend this collection and author to 👍 readers and fans of Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. 2023 😀😯👑🏰

Being a Gary Jennings devotee, this 1200 page tome didn’t deter me. I’d read a few Sherlock Holmes stories in my life, but never really considered myself a fan, by any means. It was only after being captivated by the BBC‘s current version of Sherlock, that I decided to read more of Doyle’s work. About halfway through, I was becoming tired of Sherlock; at 850 pages, I was thoroughly exhausted. But with 350 pages left, I dug in and went for the gold. Most people with common sense will take their time with this book, reading a few stories at a time. Unfortunately for me, I am not one of these people. Regardless, by the end, there’s no way I can give him less than five stars. Even if the stories are lackluster and rushed at times, the body of work Arthur Conan Doyle was able to accomplish and the quality thereof as a whole, deserves the best I can give; because his best is exactly what he gave to so many readers- and it still shows- over a century and a half later.

Very good collection of Holmes stories. The stores are great and wonderful to read. Nice to have all in one place.

I just bought the Kindle version of this book. I have a couple of other versions already (that I can now expunge forever), but they are all US versions. Many people may not realize that the manuscripts were altered when they were published in the US. For instance, The Reigate Squires became The Reigate Puzzle. The rival stables in Silver Blaze changed from Capleton to Mapleton (goodness only knows why). And some entire passages were omitted. For example, in the Yellow Face, there is a whole passage where Holmes talks about the putting of sham flies into the sham amber of pipes that is completely missing from US editions. So far I have also not come across any of the egregious typos that appear in other Kindle editions of Holmes. There are no illustrations, as another reviewer has pointed out, but as I already own an excellent two volume annotated hardcover set by William S. Baring-Gould, that does not bother me. I just wanted this to read while traveling.Update 5/27/2014 I would take off 1/2 a star because there is not a decent table of contents. You cannot jump to an individual story. I didn't realize how important that is until I lost my place while reading!

I loved every single minute of the audiobook with one major exception: The Valley of Fear. Whoever the female narrator is, she is absolutely the worst. She reads haltingly and every sentence has this bizarre up and down emphasis with the same identical pattern. Which clearly is insane as she ends up stressing words that should not be emphasized. Hard to explain until you hear it. It is as if it was a bad ARtificial Intelligence reader who had never encountered the English language emphasizing the wrong key words in sentences. I could not understand and follow more than 5 minutes before I gave up. Let me know if you feel the same way. Part 5 Chapter 85.Oh yeah, and missing a bunch of cases so this is not a definitive version.

I must admit I am a fan of the movies and the TV shows. Those led me to take a chance on the actual legend behind those stories portrayed in the visual arts. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's series are from a bygone era, but the narratives are clear enough to enable one to see the action. The language and the use of 'technology' common to the era make me consult a dictionary, but this is a fun read, still. I have a long way to go; I still haven't been introduced to Moriarity, or Myncroft, but I have been introduced to Irene; and I look forward to what comes next each time I pick up my Kindle.