The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

Written by Arthur Conan Doyle

Narrated by Patrick Tull

Venture back in time to Victorian London to join literature's greatest detective team - the brilliant Sherlock Holmes and his devoted assistant, Dr. Watson - as they investigate a dozen of their best-known cases. Originally published in 1892, this is the first and best collection of stories about the legendary sleuth. It's also the least expensive edition available. Featured tales include several of the author's personal favorites: "A Scandal in Bohemia" - in which a king is blackmailed by a former lover and Holmes matches wits with the only woman to attract his open admiration - plus "The Speckled Band," "The Red-Headed League," and "The Five Orange Pips." Additional mysteries include "The Blue Carbuncle," "The Engineer's Thumb," "The Beryl Coronet," "The Copper Beeches," and four others.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: Nov 25, 2011
• ISBN: 9781461810148

Arthur Conan Doyle

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859–1930) was a Scottish writer and physician, most famous for his stories about the detective Sherlock Holmes and long-suffering sidekick Dr Watson. Conan Doyle was a prolific writer whose other works include fantasy and science fiction stories, plays, romances, poetry, non-fiction and historical novels.

Reviews for The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

[bookmarkaussie · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Excellent short stories with the same detective and his friend Dr. Watson, the stories normally being less than 20 pages. I like how the stories are bizarre yet still realistic and that logic plays such a big part. Quite entertaining.

[comfypants · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Sherlock Holmes solves mysteries.2.5/4 (Okay).Some of these are pretty bad, especially the early ones where Doyle (and therefor Holmes) is on the side of the villains as often as not. They improve as they go, as Doyle settles into a formula. Unfortunately, unlike the preceding novellas, there's no character development at all.(May 2022)

[kevn57-163679 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I liked the first and the last stories the best, but I really like the longer novel length stories the best in the Holmes canon. 3 1/2 stars

[tobinelliott · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This first collection of shorter Holmes and Watson adventures is massively enjoyable.

Yes, the stories are a touch formulaic in that Holmes and Watson are typically met by a confused or panicked individual who manages to provide a completely coherent and well-observed summary of the mystery. Then Holmes almost always has the answer almost immediately and heads off to confirm his theory, then there is the denouement where certain suspicions are confirmed, and Holmes walks us through his solution.

And yet, for all of that, each one is vastly entertaining and well-written. Holmes is surely one of the pinnacles of fictional characters.

Love this stuff.

[kristelh_15 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Rating 3.8ReviewI've had this on my TBR for a long time. I thought I had the one that is part of 1001 but I checked further and not all are the Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. This consisted of 12 short stories narrated by the good doctor Watson POV. Entertaining, not complicated, easily to engage stories. I had read only one previously The Blue Carbuncle which was a free one at Christmas time a few years back. These stories are full of social justice issues.

[murderbydeath · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

If you've ever read Sherlock Holmes, you don't need me to tell you how brilliant this collection of stories is.  It has most of my favourites: A Scandal in Bohemia, The Adventure of the Red-Headed League, The Five Orange Pips, The Man with the Twisted Lip and The Adventure of the Speckled Band.   The rest are all great too, but those have always been the stories I remember, even after reading the entire collection at least half a dozen times. Sherlock Holmes is, far and away, my favorite all-time literary character and I never get tired of reading him; Watson... ok, if I read too many stories in a row I want to throttle Watson because surely he can't be that obtuse all the time?  But he's a big teddy bear and someone needs to play the straight man to Holmes' brilliance. [PopSugar 2015 Reading Challenge: A banned book.]

[smokler_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Classic, great, fun all that. I think I'm just more partial to the pacing and length of the four novels.

[tgraettinger_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Enjoyed more than I expected! I hadn't read some of these stories since high school, but some of the memories came sprinting back. Looking forward to reading more of the Holmes canon.

[drfuriosa · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A varied, intriguing collection. My favorites are "A Scandal in Bohemia," "A Case of Identity," "The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle," and "The Adventure of the Copper Beeches," because they are fascinating but deliciously plotted mysteries. "The Adventure of the Speckled Band" is suuuuper creepy (and it involves a creature I hate), but it's one of the most suspenseful stories in the collection.

[leslie398 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

2020 reread via this Tantor audiobook:An excellent way to experience these short stories but unfortunately, it is missing the 2nd story "The Red-headed League". According to the pdf file that came with the audiobook, this story should have been included; it is possible this defect is individual due to my download but for those considering buying this audiobook, make sure that you get the whole book.Simon Prebble did a good narration.

[jguidry-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The classic collection of Sherlock Holmes short stories. I enjoyed re-reading these classic favorites. My favorite story was "The Five Orange Pips". There have been many watered down retellings of this story, but the original is much grittier and unusual for the setting.

[muumuumousie · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

These are the classic Sherlock tales, and they’re probably the best known of all the short stories. I remember my dad reading these aloud to my brother and me when we were children. These stories are distinctive and quite enjoyable, and in my opinion, some of Sherlock’s most memorable moments occur within these pages. I liked that not all of these stories involved traditional crimes, and I also liked that several of them featured strong women. Holmes fails in at least two of these stories, and it really was something to see the great detective in his lower moments as well. He is still a very human character, for all his powers, and he’s very well fleshed-out here. On the whole, a wonderful collection of tales.

[tjl-13 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A wonderful collection of Sherlock Holmes short stories. At first, I wasn't thrilled with the narrator, but shortly into the first story I found that he suited the material well. I only wish he would have tried for different voices for Holmes and Watson, but that's a minor point.

Out of this collection, "A Scandal in Bohemia" is the rough basis for the season 2 Sherlock premiere, "A Scandal in Belgravia". Reading it, you can definitely see where the TV series borrowed portions. Not that either suffers from the comparison. It's also the where Irene Adler first appears in a Holmes story.

There's a variety of different kinds of mysteries in the collection. Some are terrible crimes to be solved/averted while others are simply interesting mysteries to be solved. But, one can't always tell which stories fits into which category. Some stories are truly fantastic, while others are merely good.

I'd highly recommend that fans of mysteries and in particular, fans of the BBC series read these stories. You won't regret it.

[cbl_tn · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This collection of a dozen short stories recorded by Dr. Watson showcases the deductive skills of Sherlock Holmes. The crimes range from murder to blackmail, robbery, and missing persons. They’re not in chronological order. Watson is married in some stories, and in others he is a bachelor sharing rooms with Holmes. The impression one gets is that Watson is writing up cases from his notes as something triggers his memory of a particular case. This time around I listened to the audio by Ralph Cosham. I prefer Edward Hardwicke’s narration of the Holmes stories, perhaps because he played Watson in the Granada TV series.

[asxz-2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

My first collection of Sherlock's shorts and they were super fun. Witty, varied, self-referential, Holmes is a much gentler fellow in these tales than he appears in recent incarnations. He fights for the underdog and cares about the wronged. Some of these stories seem to have been told and retold in every detective series ever imagined but they shine here in their original forms.

[helenliz_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I've read this multiple times, having first come to Holmes as a teenager. This was the first time I've listened to them, and having Stephen Fry narrate is a stroke of genius. He has that patrician voice that seems to match nicely with the tone I can hear in Watson as he narrates the stories. The short stories make it easy to listen while commuting. That and the fact that as I listened to them I could remember what the puzzle or situation involved meant this was a bit like revisiting an old friend and finding them both changed and reliably the same.

[matke-261098 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A strong collection of Holmes stories, highlighted by the powerfully creepy “The Speckled Band,” the modesty gothic “The Copper Beeches,” and the delightful “A Scandal in Bohemia.”The only story that was substandard for me was “The Blue Carbuncle,” in which the plot was too fantastic to be believed. But even that story is full of the late Victorian atmosphere and Holmes at his best.We tend to forget how much mystery stories and novels owe to Conan Doyle. His ideas and plots are being used even today as inspiration for authors.If you long for gas-lit London, hansom cabs, fog, and excellent detecting, try this volume, either for the first or fifth time. You’ll be glad you did.

[cubsfan3410 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Great little mystery stories, I had fun reading this!

[purplequeennl · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is the first book I have read out of all Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes books, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It has made me want to read the actual novels, names and incidents of which were mentioned in several of the stories in this book.

I loved both the observation of Sherlock Holmes himself, by Dr. Watson who writes the accounts of their investigations, in the first person. I love how, seemly odd events come together to make such intriguing tales. It is less 'mystery thriller' or 'whodunnit' and more the small almost imperceptible occurrences which grow into something more, or baffling accidents which become investigative worthy. I loved the simplicity of how such detailed and convoluted happenings come together and unfold into something criminal - things that would be completely missed by anyone but Sherlock Holmes' keen eye.

I loved the style of late Victorian writing, reminiscent of a time gone by. It made me realise that the recent Sherlock Holmes films (staring Robert Downey Jr.) reflect both the time and the writing. This has book has turned me into a Sherlock Holmes fan!

[marcusbastos-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The Powers of ObservationSherlock Holmes was a busy detective. In this stage of his illustrious career there is so much to tell. Dr. Watson, his faithful companion and oficial schreiber, gives us a summary of Holmes’s most interesting cases. The short stories found in this book provide the reader enough material to appreciate Holmes’s powers of careful observation and enlightened deduction. Holmes’s path to mystery solving is quite unique. His behavior somewhat funny. The short stories show all this. Although I cannot recollect the details of most stories, I enjoy a lot the book. Above all one feel more familiarity with Holmes and that is good.

[m.belljackson · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great mystery stories that I will miss reading on the couch each night.The clues offered give readers a chance to figure out the crime and criminalsand none is gruesome or horrifying, though The Thumb can be rough to endure.The characters of Holmes and Watson are so finely tuned that we fit right in as soonas the fireplace or dressing gown or breakfast are mentioned.A few of the stories could have used more suspense, as though Doyle was tired and just wanted to end them,yet what a variety!

[nx74defiant · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It was nice to re-read these.

[stbalbach_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1892) is the first book-length collection of Holmes short stories, they were originally published in The Strand Magazine 1891-92. Most of them have small references to other stories so there is a sense of coherence and world-building. It includes "The Adventure of the Speckled Band" which Doyle considered his all-time favorite Holmes story. It's gaslight entertainment that evokes an age. The spooky mansions with the evil mastermind, brutish henchmen and the locked room with a mystery. Well, it's better than Saturday morning cartoons.

[tonifgmamtc · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This is filled with several short stories. They were interesting and live up to the adventures part of the title. I believe the shortness of the stories made me not get into them as much. I still liked them for sure.

[andrew1theqm · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really liked this one, it had a number of interesting short stories in highlighting the skills of Sherlock Holmes. I much prefer longer novels to short stories but I did all these stories fully engaging. Onto the Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes now.

[phyllis2779 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I read these short stories a long time ago. But Sherlock Holmes never ages and I wanted a keeper copy. I'm disposing of the paper copy.

[jenniferrobb · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Prior to this, the only Sherlock Holmes I had attempted to read was "The Hound of the Baskervilles" which I started at least twice but never finished. I've enjoyed the PBS series "Sherlock" and a friend mentioned that some of the events in that corresponded with what she'd read in the stories/novels. So when this one came up as free on Amazon, I downloaded it and decided I'd give it a try. I enjoyed the stories, but I don't follow the clues that Holmes sees/hears as he investigates--so his reveal is always a bit of a surprise to me.

[rayski_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A collection of short stories as told by Dr Watson of his cases with Sherlock Holmes. Watson (author Doyle) isn't afraid to demonstrate Holmes' personality tics and general moral faults, while admiring Holmes' ability to find a needle in a haystack through keen observation and precise deduction. Holmes is CSI before there was CSI and does it without the tools of today's TV shows. Holmes listens to his interviewees in great detail, is quick to observe the littles things (her left hand was more worn than her right with that crease in her dress she therefore was spending great deal of time sewing) and is able to connect all the dots and even add the missing dots. Entertaining and very easy to read, leave and pickup because each story is only an hour or so read.

[lukerik-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I previously read A Study in Scarlet and The Sign of Four and found them a little underwhelming. With this book though the game really is afoot. I've read a lot of short stories so I'm a bit fussy and these are some of the best.

[jessica_reads · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book included 12 adventures titled:
1. A Scandal in Bohemia
2. The Red-Headed League
3. A Case of Identity
4. The Boscombe Valley Mystery
5. The Five Orange Pips
6. The Man with the Twisted Lip
7. The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle
8. The Adventure of the Speckled Band
9. The Adventure of the Engineer's Thumb
10. The Adventure of the Noble Bachelor
11. The Adventure of the Beryl Coronet
12. The Adventure of the Copper Beeches

I loved these. It was awesome to read the mystery to which Sherlock needed to solve and see his mannerisms. Then out of absolutely nothing it seemed he had solved it! I loved how the story included through Sherlock on how he solved cases. Noticing the little things was mostly how he did it and I found myself trying to use those same tricks as best I could from reading to figure things out. It was a fun and awesome read.