4 stars – I liked it; it was good
The last of my Arcturus boxed set! I’m wondering why it doesn’t include The Hound of the Baskervilles; I suppose I’ll have to buy that book separately.
Read: April 6 – April 7, 2024
Audience: General
Book contains: murder, attempted murder, death, crime
Purchase a copy from Amazon.ca
The podcast I listened to was from great Audiobooks, the first part of which you can listen to here. I added the stories to my Audiobooks playlist in the order in section order (Part I, Part II, etc.) and luckily they were in the same order as they were printed in my book.
I found these tales less pleasing than some of the earlier ones, but I guess that’s understandable, as the author only continued the tales for the readers, not because he had more stories he wanted to share. The last two especially were somewhat bland for my tastes. That being said, I really liked following Holmes and Watson, and reading the mysteries as they were solved.
The Adventure of Wisteria Lodge is the first of this book, and deals with the murder of a man who most definitely was alive the hour of his death. The prime suspect goes to Holmes for assistance.
How strange would it be to go to someone’s house for the night and wake up to find the house empty? I’d be incredibly confused as well. Too bad there’s no Sherlock Holmes for me to consult.
The Adventure of the Cardboard Box sounds so anachronistic to me. I can’t imagine “cardboard” and “Sherlock Holmes” in the same sentence, but here we are.
It’s not so much the box but what’s inside that really matters: a pair of severed ears. Truly gruesome for poor Susan Cushing, who received the parcel.
The Adventure of the Red Circle is told in two parts and is a case of international dangers. When a landlady comes to Holmes about a mysterious tenant, he endeavours to investigate.
A couple on the run and a brutal murderer on their tails. Luckily Holmes and Watson were on the case! A very peculiar mystery with codes and foreign languages!
The Adventure of the Bruce-Partington Plans labels the murder victim a traitor to his country, though the man’s fiancée doesn’t believe it. Holmes and Watson must discover the truth!
It’s really interesting what criminals think to do to cover up their crimes. Too bad they’re no match for Sherlock!
The Adventure of the Dying Detective was far too short for my liking. It was quick and clean, as Holmes figured out a lot of the case before John even showed up, but I would’ve liked more from the storyline.
Like how “The Final Problem” was the only case we had involving Moriarty, I was disappointed by the lack of buildup. All we got was the clever conclusion to Holmes’ investigation.
The Disappearance of Lady Frances Carfax is quite explanatory. The lady has disappeared, and Holmes has been retained to find her. He follows her trail like a dog on a scent, with Watson trailing behind.
It’s a good thing dead ends don’t slow Holmes down! This case had so many twists and turns.
The Adventure of the Devil’s Foot is a case that puts the boys into some serious danger, but they make it through! Death by unabated terror is not the best way to go.
Holmes sure loves testing things on himself and Watson. It nearly got them killed this time.
His Last Bow – The War Service of Sherlock Holmes is a case that takes place after Holmes’ retirement. He comes back during the war to help the British government one last time.
I was confused at first with this case, as all other cases were written in first person by Watson, yet this one wasn’t. It showed scenes that Watson couldn’t possibly know. Still, it was good; the plan devised by Holmes was as cunning as ever.
Though the quality in the mysteries dropped slightly by the end, I still enjoyed solving the cases alongside Sherlock, and I learned a lot from reading them. It was a very enjoyable weekend!
If you read the other stories, I recommend reading this collection as well, just to properly bookend the series. I don’t regret reading these mysteries, and I likely would’ve regretted skipping them.
A Study in Scarlet & The Sign of the Four by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
The Return of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
His Last Bow by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
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