Case Book of Sherlock Holmes (Sherlock Holmes Short Stories)

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Astrologically, it tells me that Saturn is in Leo. Theologically, it tells me that God is great and we are small and insignificant.

Horologically, it tells me that it's about 3 AM. Meteorologically, it tells me that we will have a beautiful day tomorrow. What does it tell you, Holmes? By the time Arthur Conan Doyle wrote the dozen stories that make up "The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes," from to , he had clearly tired of the character. He had already tried to kill off the sleuth once, after all, and was forced by fans to bring him back.

By the '20s, he obviously wasn't putting the same effort into the tales he once had, and turned to entertaining himself, seemingly, by experimenting with the Sherlock Holmes format. While the bulk of the Holmes canon is told from Watson By the time Arthur Conan Doyle wrote the dozen stories that make up "The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes," from to , he had clearly tired of the character. While the bulk of the Holmes canon is told from Watson's point of view, one in "Case-Book" is told in third person, and two others are narrated by Holmes himself.

The former, "The Adventure of the Mazarin Stone," is jarring to read, particularly when Watson leaves the scene for the first time. The latter two, "The Adventure of the Blanched Soldier" and "The Adventure of the Lion's Mane," are not quite as disorienting, with Holmes speaking directly to us, the readers, in much the same way he usually addresses Watson. Most of the book's other stories, though, are more enjoyable, while still paling in comparison to Doyle's earlier work. Even with a couple elements unpleasant to modern readers -- Holmes' condescending treatment of a black man, and a debt-ridden baronet said to be "in the hands of the Jews" -- it's hard to completely dislike even the least of the Sherlock Holmes books.

As usual some of the short stories were a tad predictable but overall they were all quite entertaining. I liked the more modern setting of the early s compared to the late s of earlier stories, it made things seem a bit more refreshing. One thing that I really disliked about the series was Sherlock's claim that more or less every case was the most complex or most interesting he'd ever come across, it just made me roll my eyes. Also, the repetition of words throughout was irritating to re As usual some of the short stories were a tad predictable but overall they were all quite entertaining.

Also, the repetition of words throughout was irritating to read, the word 'singular' was used way too much. This is the last collection of Holmes stories before Sir Arthur's death, when he was churning them out for money. Try as he might to kill him off, Holmes dogged him to the last.

The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes, by Arthur Conan Doyle

I found this interesting to read knowing that Sir Arthur absolutely despised Holmes by this time in his career, and also, somehow I missed this collection! So it was a delight to read new-to-me Holmes tales These stories are short and snappy. Also, Doyle experiments with tales told by Sherlock himself, and t This is the last collection of Holmes stories before Sir Arthur's death, when he was churning them out for money. Also, Doyle experiments with tales told by Sherlock himself, and the third person, which is an interesting departure!

On the down side, this collection is, well, weak. A couple "solutions" are transparent from the beginning. The racism is shocking. The cloak of anachronism is slipping off of the misogyny. Doyle's frustration seems to be finding vent in some very dark and vengeful stories and resolutions. Therefore, not a completely enjoyable escape. I found I couldn't avoid being aware of all the problems, despite the well-oiled story-telling format and form; all the characters reappearing like familiar old friends.

With this book I have re-read the entire Sherlock Holmes canon. I loved every minute and will probably do it again several times with whatever amount of time I have left to me. The complete canon would be a great desert island suggestion. A tip--get these books with the original illustrations.

Makes them even more fun. After a year, I've read all Sherlock Holmes books, at last.

Arthur Conan Doyle

I loved each one of them and this whole world created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle changed my life. I thought to pay my final homage to this series by listing each book of it by my personal liking. Can't say why I love one more than another: I've always, completely, followed my instincts. And here it is: Well, I've now read the nine books in the Sherlock Holmes canon, and what a ride! After the initial two disappointing novels came three very good short story collections, a great novel, a better-than-average novel and a slightly-better-than-average short story collection.

To finish off the series, "The Case-Book" is On the one hand, Conan Doyle's prose skills have developed considerably from the early days of A Study in Scarlet and his handling of both atmosphere and the Well, I've now read the nine books in the Sherlock Holmes canon, and what a ride! However, there's not really a lot to recommend here.

In truth, it's 2 stars for a non-Holmes fan, and 2-and-a-half if you know and love the guy already. One of the most frustrating elements of this book admittedly a collection of individually-published short stories are how often similar character tropes pop up. There are three - maybe four - fiery foreign ladies whose ethnicity is a key part of the solution. The Adventure of the Creeping Man - the biggest letdown in the canon. This story features the single most arresting, chilling images that Holmes and Watson ever encounter, but is ruined by a gobsmackingly bad denouement.

The Adventure of the Mazarin Stone - adapted from a play, this story not only relies on previously unheard-of architectural features at Baker Street, but fails to capture the reader's interest or render the characters particularly realistically. The Illustrious Client - can barely even remember it. The thoroughly average Intriguingly, many of the stories herein are structured less as 'whodunnits' and more as 'howdunnits'. Very few of the stories indeed, only really two feature more than one suspect. Some stories never even attempt to hide the perpetrator, the question is instead "what is going on?

This is not unprecedented in the canon by any means, but is highly concentrated here. Thor Bridge - while it has a clever denouement and some good characterisation, it is another story that doesn't stick in the mind. The Three Gables - this story is noted most for the questionable racial stereotype character who opens the piece.

The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes

Personally, I'd argue he has at least two dimensions, and he is a bad guy who happens to be black rather than any kind of argument being made, but it's still a bit edgy, I'll concede. The story itself is quite readable, but no great secret or particularly intriguing characters jump out at us.

Indeed, the story has mild echoes of other stories in the canon. The unsatisfying The Lion's Mane - one of two stories in this volume to be narrated by Holmes and not to feature Watson at all , the tone of voice is delightful, and the atmosphere electric. However - as with the much earlier story The Five Orange Pips - it is ultimately unsatisfying. This ISN'T Conan Doyle's fault for once; but as with that story, most modern readers will pick up the solution the minute the clues arrive, as it is no longer something mysterious The odd Perhaps most interesting is to see how public sensibilities changed over the years.

The early works could only hint at impropreity, while the crimes in this and the previous collection are far more wide-ranging. Bodies - when they appear, which is actually quite rare here - are often brutally destroyed; people having affairs are clearly now having sexual ones; alcohol is far more prevalent. A window into a world. The Veiled Lodger is a strange, haunting little piece.

It is one of the better stories in the collection, although a bizarre addition. It isn't really a mystery at all, but a retelling of a "cold case", with a dark and brooding central figure who has spent years following Holmes' career. Unsettling, but also un-Holmesian. The Sussex Vampire - atmospheric and ripe for adaptation, yes. Along with one of our many fiery Latin women, the solution hearkens back to the exotica and melodrama of the early Holmes novels.

While the true villain of the piece is deftly handled, the vampirism is a tad overdone. One shouldn't assume this book is a 'write-off', it's just that even the four most typical Holmes stories, as outlined below, are somewhat lacking. Shoscombe Old Place and The Blanched Soldier - have some intriguing set pieces, but aren't particularly memorable aside from the latter being written by Mr.

The Retired Colourman - the most Holmesian story in the collection, but - as mentioned before - lacks suspects. However, it is also possibly the best story in the collection as it features some lovely secondary characters. The Three Garridebs - well-plotted but, aside from lacking in suspects, is basically a shot-for-shot remake of an early and very memorable Holmes short story. I apologise for the length, but this sums up both the story and the collection: Conan Doyle had tired of Holmes to an extent, and what we get here are stories that focus on the complexity of how the crime was done, rather than making the surrounding elements - suspects, primarily - a mystery.

As a result, we generally get a puzzle followed by a chase. Not always unsatisfying, but never as captivating as the earlier works. In closing, if you're new to the wonderful world of Holmes, there are many other better ideas. If ALL of those suit you, then come crawling to this one. Don't bother with The Sign of Four as no good can come from that. May 13, Evripidis Gousiaris rated it it was amazing Shelves: Dec 09, Shayantani Das rated it liked it.

And with this I finish reading the Sherlock Canon. Although some of the stories in this collection have the classical characteristics — Holmes being a prick and using his deductive and acting skills to solve mystery, Watson with his modesty and loyalty and a range of queer cases; yet mostly this novel is rather disappointing. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was rather tired of this character by the time he wrote this book. He had almost killed him off in some previous part and the lack of enthusiasm is r And with this I finish reading the Sherlock Canon.

He had almost killed him off in some previous part and the lack of enthusiasm is reflected in some of the cases. Reading them made me realise how fond I am of Watson as a character. Thus for me, the best part of the book was when Watson gets shot and Holmes drops his impersonal facade and for the first time shows his love for his good old pal. Other than that, the climax of most of the cases will make you stare at the last line for a few seconds, then shake your head and move on to the next chapter. Reading the canon has been an immensely enjoyable experience.

I liked Sherlock from the very beginning but it is only on finishing the last novel that I have realised how much I adore Watson too.

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Thank you Sir Doyle for these memorable characters and such amazing cases. Dec 08, Dahlia added it. You have not read the book yet 2. The collection I have has 10 stories: This is a case from the latter years of Sherlock's career. Baron Gruner's wife supposedly died in an accident, but it's suspected that the Baron killed her. She admits she was his last mistress. He used her and ruined her and now she wants revenge. Miss Winter tells them about Baron's book with a lock which contains list of women he used. Does this remind anyone of Cruel Intentions?

D He takes the case but soon is beaten by Gruner's henchmen, so Doctor Watson is sent to the Baron disguised as a collector to get some information out of him. However, the Baron realises he's a spy. Luckily, Sherlock appears and Gruner goes after him in rage. When he tries to exit his house, a woman appears and attacks him with something and the Baron ends up screaming with his face burned and mutilated.

Sherlock later reveals he stole the diary while the doctor was talking to Gruner. Soon, they find out there will be no marriage and that Kitty Winter will stand trial. Sherlock is prosecuted for burglary. Doctor Watson is no longer Sherlock's flatmate. He now lives at Queen Anne Street. Sherlock Holmes has an assistant called Shinwell Johnson, an ex-villain, who is working for him as an underground agent.

When Sherlock meets Violet he actually shows interest in her. Too late for that now, Sherlock old man. After Sherlock is seriously injured in an assault, Watson goes to him and offers to beat the guys up. It's a beautiful, but also sad: This is very ambiguous, Doyle. This is a very dark and disturbing story.

It's different from the other stories by Doyle and I liked it a lot. Because, as SH, explains: John Watson's accounts are superficial. He needs to stick to facts and figures. Yeah, just admit you're missing Watson, Holmes. The story is set in January Holmes is visited by Mr. Dodd who asks him to help him find his friend, Godfrey Emsworth. They were in the army together and after the war he sent him a letter but got no response. He tried to contact him again, but Emsworth's father replied his son had gone on a voyage round the world. Dodd is suspicious of this and tells Holmes he went to his friend's house and after he spent some time there, got an impression his friend is involved in some scandal.

His suspicion was confirmed when he saw Godfrey's pale face outside the window. He is convinced he is hiding, but does not know the reason. Of course, Sherlock and John help the young man. They discover that after Godfrey was shot, he ended up in a place where everyone was disfigured. He later found out it was a hospital and that he slept in a leper bed. That is the reason why the young man has been hiding and could not see anyone. However, the story has a happy ending.

A doctor informs them it's not leprosy but some other disease and that he is going to be all right. Sherlock admits how important John is to him: When you have eliminated all which is impossible, then whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth. Although I think this is a sad story, it's also one of the best Doyle's stories about friendship. Here we have a young man who is determined to find his old friend and we have Sherlock who misses his faithful companion.

The only thing I did not like is that the story is short and has ends abruptly. You wait to see the happy reunion of two friends who have not seen each other in a long time, and all you get is a woman fainting. Sherlock is involved in the Case of the Crown Diamond. He confesses to John he expects to be murdered and that is the reason why he has the wax figure in his house again read The Empty House if you want to know why he used it before.

The main suspect is Count Negretto who comes to see him and find out how much Sherlock knows. Sherlock cleverly uses the wax dummy, a gramophone, the curtain and John to get the stone. Sherlock has a page called Billy. Sherlock likes to dress as a workman, and old man etc. And you will, for you have never failed to play the game. I am sure you will play it to the end.

Sherlock sounded so bitter, and alone in this story. I felt sorry for him. A house agent comes to see an old lady to make an offer. He will buy her house and everything in it. Sherlock Holmes concludes that the person who hired the agent wants something she recently obtained. Soon, after she refuses to sell the house, someone brakes into the house and steals something, leaving a torn piece of a paper. It turns out the paper is from a book written by her son. A woman who was involved with her son.

She decided to leave him because he wanted to marry her. He did not take it well and wrote a story about her. In the end, Sherlock makes a deal with the woman and the case is closed. Sherlock likes to gossip. I did like the story, especially the end but I think it was too short. The woman was an intriguing character.

I wish Doyle wrote more about her. Gibson was found murdered but before that, her servant girl saw her trying to suck blood of her child. The servant girl is accused because they found a gun in her wardrobe. Sherlock is not fooled; he is convinced someone placed it there. She explains how Mrs Gibson was jealous of her and hated her.

Sherlock works his magic and discovers-it was suicide. No, I did not. This could have been a great story. It started off well, but then you got a crazy, jealous woman who killed herself. I am very disappointed. Trevor Bennett believes his colleague, a well-known professor, is crazy. He has begun acting strangely after his engagement. The things get worse after he comes back from Prague with a box. He starts receiving mysterious letters marked with a cross.

He was also attacked by his dog twice. One night he even saw him crawling in a hallway. Because Sherlock does not want the dog to bite his master again, he goes to solve the case. The love affair gave him the idea he could turn himself into a young man. See what loves does to you? Next time, dear professor, go find someone your age! After Sherlock whines more about his life and how our dear doctor does not visit him anymore, he goes for a walk and meets a man called Harold. Harold was walking to the river when he saw a man dying.

The secret is revealed when a dog dies in the exact same place as its master. The main suspect has also been attacked and Sherlock figures out that, in fact, an animal killed them all! This story has a bad ending. Jun 29, Jolanda rated it liked it Shelves: By finishing this book, I not only finish "just a book", I have also arrived at the final stop of a journey. The journey of mr. So I would like to recap for just a moment on that journey through over fifty short stories and four novels.

It's been a fun journey, I've seen a writer grow and employ his skills better and better. I've seen the stories grow more and more interesting, more exciting. I'm actually quite sad knowing there's nothing new in store for me, the journey h By finishing this book, I not only finish "just a book", I have also arrived at the final stop of a journey. I'm actually quite sad knowing there's nothing new in store for me, the journey has been a fascinating one. Sadly, the last set of stories disappoints.

If you'd ask me, Doyle should have stopped writing these stories the second he finished "His Last Bow", the return and his last bow being my favourite set of stories. These stories were excellent, fun, inventive and up to the "Holmes standard". The stories included in the Case-Book, are often far-fetched and uninspiring. Also, the cases don't seem to focus on criminal issues anymore. Instead, in a couple of stories, Holmes gets called in in, well, seemingly domestic problems of course, in the end the problems always turn out to be well within the criminal spectrum, or at least bordering on it.

I could feel the writer getting tired of the character of Sherlock Holmes. Most stories are shorter than the standard short story, which is about thirty pages and the writing seems.. I occasionally lost track of where the plot was going in these books, because the writing felt rushed. I've never experienced that with the earlier stories. The stories are repetitive, some cover similar, if not the same, storylines or details that earlier stories have featured.

But, of course there are interesting aspects to these stories. This collection features two stories that are narrated by Holmes himself, which is quite refreshing. The reader also is treated to an inside look in the place where the detective has decided to retire. I had grown fond of Sherlock Holmes and John Watson's adventures and now I know that my previous reviews were not much useful to understand my real feeling toward their stories, however I can swear that I truly love them.

I began this last book with a heavy heart knowing that everything would soon be all over. This collection starts with an introduction written by A. Doyle, that really made me come to tears. It was beautiful, and sad, and I still cannot realize tha That's it. It was beautiful, and sad, and I still cannot realize that I will not read anything new about those two. It was a pleasure to read their adventures, because it was my opportunity to prove my intelligence, to see if I would have been able to solve the mystery like Sherlock did, or if I would have stared in amazement the final revelation.

Sometimes I was able to solve it, sometimes not, sometimes I did both. Anyway, it was an amazing thrill.

It was a great ending, tho. Not only for the stories themselves, probably among the strangest cases Holmes and Watson had ever followed, but also for the writing style: Anyway, I really enjoyed these short stories, I really had great times with them. Oh, I feel so sad. The ninth and final volume of the Sherlock Holmes canon is once again a collection of short stories; the fifth collection.

Although some of the stories are actually really good, by this stage Sir Arthur Conan Doyle has become formulaic in his approach and there is a distinct much-of-a-muchness about the stories; which is a shame. The short story that gave the previous collection its title — His Last Bow — is the last of all the stories in terms of chronology and would have made a fitting finale The ninth and final volume of the Sherlock Holmes canon is once again a collection of short stories; the fifth collection.

The short story that gave the previous collection its title — His Last Bow — is the last of all the stories in terms of chronology and would have made a fitting finale to the phenomenon that is Sherlock Holmes. Conan Doyle recognises that this must be the end in the preface to this collection by begging the Sherlockians to allow him to let his creation fade away!

Although there are some great short stories in the later volumes, they tend to be concentrated in the earlier volumes, and the four novels are even better still.

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My least favorite of Doyle's Sherlock Holmes story collections. Still here and there I found the Case-Book enjoyable, the rest of the stories seemed phoned in. Doyle wasn't carving new channels here, but his craft was still formidable. I thought that the final Holmes short story collection was the weakest of the lot - perhaps one as a reader is a bit satiated even with these great stories when one has gotten this far, or it may be true that the author was thoroughly fed up with his hero by here.

Anyway, does not matter much, the rating is still a possibly rounded up 4-star and this is well worth your time. My thoughts on each of the Case view spoiler [ The Adventure of the Mazarin Stone This one was short and dumb like he literally sat in the room pretending to be his life like replica, it was stupid. The Problem of Thor Bridge That's messed up that Maria tried to frame this poor young governess, for her murder because her asshole husband had the hots for her. Also, how can a girl be so pretty that she can only have good intentions? Like she using Mr.

Gibson's to manipulate for the good of the world My thoughts on each of the Case view spoiler [ The Adventure of the Mazarin Stone This one was short and dumb like he literally sat in the room pretending to be his life like replica, it was stupid. Gibson's to manipulate for the good of the world, what? The Adventure of the Creeping Man This is the stupidest case so far!! It's like a s viagra that made the guy like a rabid dog all so he could marry a younger woman, this is so stupid!!!!! The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire This one was interesting because it started out trying to make you believe that there was really a vampire and many of the other stories do that.

However, they had slightly different titles. Further confusing the issue of the title, some later publishers released the collection under the title The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes "Casebook" as a single word. The first edition of The Case-Book , published by John Murray in , does not present the stories in the order in which they were published: The first two stories "The Adventure of the Mazarin Stone", , and "The Problem of Thor Bridge", are already in the public domain since they were published before The other stories will enter the public domain on 1 January of the year after the 95th anniversary of each story's publication: The Conan Doyle Estate Ltd.

The company has a web page setting out its views about other claimants to those rights. For background, see a note by Peter Blau, January As came to an end, the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois handed down a ruling about copyright protection, not for the stories themselves, but for the characters of Holmes and Watson.

The defendant in the case was Conan Doyle Estate Ltd. In the case of Klinger vs. Conan Doyle Estate Ltd. Although some of the stories are comparable with Doyle's earlier work, this collection is often considered a lesser entry in the Sherlock Holmes canon. Three stories of the collection are not narrated by Dr.

Watson, as most Sherlock Holmes stories are.

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