Being an Account of Another Amazing Adventure of Professor Challenger

This audiobook version sucks! You get what you pay for - janky, staticky reading of the book without accent. The audio isn't automatically downloaded with the book; you have to go to a whole other website in order to listen to it, which of course they don't tell you how to do. It was the the store Kindle customer service team that helped with this part.

If you're looking for a quality audiobook of this story, pay more money for it... The written version is OK so far.

THE SIGN OF THE FOUR, a classic Sherlock Holmes novella, is a good story, well told. As with many works from this time period (1890), it is a trifle long-winded; the denouement in particular was really too long.

That said, however, it's still well worth reading -- and listening. This particular edition (which features a truly excellent price tag, btw) has a companion Audible version featuring WhisperSync, which lets the reader read and/or listen to a professional narration of the novel without losing one's place. I actually listened to it on my commute. The Audible version is very well narrated by Patrick Tull. If you haven't tried listening to books before, and like the Sherlock Holmes series, you might want to start here. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Reading British mysteries is my kind of fun. Especially the old ones! Doyle was a master. Engaging, witty, serious and ever so detailed!
All this without a smart phone, GPS, fingerprints or a computer. I do marvel at the sleuths of an age gone by.

I could go on about the Sherlock Holmes stories, but seeing as how there are plenty of reviews for The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes itself, I'll just review the BBC Books reprint.

It has all the candour of the Sherlock Holmes canon but in a lovely reprint. Don't get me wrong- the older versions of the books are lovely as well (I collect both)- but, being a fan of the BBC version of Sherlock, this is perfect. You have the original stories with a new face to it. And what lovely faces they are, Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman's. Gatiss' spiel in the beginning of the book is very much 'Gatiss'; amusing but poignant in such a few words at the same time.

The point is: if you like BBC's Sherlock and you like the Sherlock Holmes canon, put the two together and buy this book. It's great reading and it's great to look at, plain and simple.

Decades ago I used to watch the Sherlock Homes movies with Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce, but I never read the books. But with the advent of the superb PBS series, Sherlock, and entertainment shows like Elementary, my interest in all things Sherlock was renewed. As a result, I couldn't resist ordering an Arthur Conan Doyle ebook from the store. After reading just one story, I went back online and ordered this ebook for my kindle so that I'd have all the stories at my fingertips. And what a great price for such classic stories!
I totally recommend this book to all you sleuths out there, and to anyone who simply enjoys good writing and a great read. Many of the stories are short enough for me to finish in one sitting. And I enjoy trying to solve the clues along with one of my favorite detectives.

This is the original Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle. I honestly can't imagine why I need to say more. These stories converted police work from bumbling around until somebody confesses into a profession that relies on scientific evidence. (At least that's what's supposed to happen.) Doyle didn't invent forensic science, but he told the world about it, and that's even more important. Read it, you'll like it!Sherlock Holmes: The Complete Collection (Mahon Classics)

This is a beautiful presentation of a literary classic. It may seem hard to believe, but Conan Doyle was an important influence on the entire field of criminal investigation. Before Sherlock Holmes, there was little emphasis on scientific examination of crime scenes or evidence. Doyle's characterization of Inspector Lestrade as a plodder seems to have been quite correct and quite typical.. With the debut of Sherlock Holmes in A Study in Scarlet there was suddenly an example of what was possible. The explanations of his approach and method caused real detectives to question themselves and say "I could do that". And slowly but surely they did too. And Holmes set the change in motion.

I am a new Kindle user . . . I have THIS version of the Sherlock Holmes stories, as well as the other version with the EXACT SAME NAME and COVER. I would give this version a 5 star rating if it navigated more easily!

(The OTHER version was: ASIN B0013XW2F4 for $1.99)

THIS version is much better because it contains all the illustrations by Sidney Paget! :-) However this version is also much more difficult to navigate . . . it is much harder to go to any individual story.

One of the things about the Sherlock Holmes culture is that you need to be able to quickly navigate between individual stories! Any diehard Sherlockian will verify this.

A way around this is to "highlight" any particular story's title as you find your way through this e-book. Then, you can "View my Notes and Marks", and thus find your way to any story quickly and immediately. This is a very important point.

I really love all the Sherlock Holmes stories, and I have both the "Baring-Gould" and the "Klinger" Annotated printed hardcopy books as well as many other printed books . . . so I know what I am talking about here.

The the store Kindle is one of the best inventions of this century!

But, a major problem seems to be in deciding WHICH e-book to buy out of any particular series with the SAME NAME AND TITLE, and which one will work the best with your Kindle. You can't tell exactly what you're getting until it's delivered to your device.

I wish the store would help this by providing a little more detail in their Kindle book descriptions, perhaps showing the TOC for the book, etc.

Thanks and all best,
Joe

So far, this collection is my favorite in the Sherlockian canon, which I'm currently making my way through. It is an interesting experience because it is like witnessing the progression of the entire adult lives of both Sherlock Holmes, the character, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the writer.

As for Holmes, I like where he is in this collection. He is a man who no longer lives entirely for the excitement of solving cases. He has been on the run for several years, hunting down Moriarty's men, away from what few friends and family he had, having to be as clever and resourceful and careful as he is capable, and with, I imagine, ample time to consider how dangerous his work is and how much power he wields.

And his character after his return reflects this newfound maturity. He uses his power more judicially, he is less narcissistic, and he cares more overtly for his friends. He invokes his power and reputation to frighten and manipulate villains, but he also refrains from lending his help to the police to aid avengers and victims. He now follows more the spirit of the law than the letter, acting according to conscience rather than to a prideful need to resolve all mysteries.

Though there is still only one Sherlock Holmes, he makes good on his previous assertions that he is not entirely unique in his powers by beginning to train and depend on a protégé, a new Scotland Yard detective, Stanley Hopkins.

Holmes's relationships are also changed. For instance, Lestrade is definitely counted among his friends now. Watching the relationship between Holmes and Watson evolve is, in my opinion, the greatest pleasure of the Sherlockian canon, far more so than the mysteries themselves (which can often either be entirely predictable or entirely obscure). And their relationship has never been stronger than here. In what is perhaps my favorite tale in the whole canon so far, "Charles Augustus Milverton," this exchange occurs:

Watson: When do we start?
Holmes: You are not coming.
Watson: Then you are not going.

For me, this sums up where they are in their friendship. At this point, Sherlock is more concerned than ever about protecting Watson from danger and Watson is more determined than ever to never leave Sherlock's side. And given what they've both been through during the "Great Hiatus," these stances are logical and appropriate.

As for Doyle, I find his writing in this collection to be more mature and of a higher quality than in previous ones. The language is richer, full of many lovely turns of phrase and some very fabulous sarcastic lines. As well, I find the plots more interesting: more full of action and adventure, sometimes on par with the novels.

In fact, my experience of this collection was so positive, I have managed not to be too bothered by the one glaring omission (which I fear I will never get a proper answer to): what EXACTLY happened to Mary Morstan Watson?

I first read these stories back in ...ah... was it??? High school? Back in the Dark Ages, anyway, and have enjoyed various film and TV versions randomly since. With my immersion in the BBC series, I thought it best to revisit the original tales (the folks doing the BBC series are the utmost Sherlockian fanboys ever, and include many many references to the Doyle canon). This set is a convenient carry out size (pack it anywhere to read while waiting in line), a good price, and contains every single bit of Sherlock ever written by Doyle: 56 short stories and 4 novels. (I have another book that contains just the stories published in the Strand Magazine with the Sidney Paget illustrations, nice, but it doesn't have ALL the stories). A must for anyone who's fallen in love with Downey and Law in the films, or been thoroughly Cumberbatched by the BBC series.

Sherlock Holmes is captivating. So far, I haven't found the statement "Elementary, my dear Watson." I have heard of some people who have the same characteristics as the character Sherlock Holmes. Those people thankfully, don't work as detectives. Most of them are scientists. The book is brilliant and well done. Sir Arthur is a genius for his time. Jules Verne was also of the same caliber. As for the realism in the book, Jeremy Brett was superb in his role as the Detective and both David Burke and Edward Hardwicke were also superb and distinctive in their roles as Dr. Watson. There are some distinct and noticable differences in the productions and the book. For instance, "the Mazarin Stone," and "the Disappearance of Lady Frances Carfax." There is only one story--the Mazarin Stone---Sir Arthur writes as the narrator. Sir Arthur also writes as Sherlock Holmes in "the Blanched Soldier" and "the Lion's Mane". Of course the first novel---A Study in Scarlet--has a real humour to it. Since I am from Utah and Sir Arthur assumed so much of the Mormons in early but very poor literature, he really could have used a better education.

When searching for a good copy I noticed two things from the reviews: (1) a lot of options didn't actually have the ENTIRE collection, (2) TOC and organization was poor in most options. Being the first to review this item, I'll offer my opinion. I hope this helps out anyone looking to purchase this book.

Bought on the Kindle Fire Hd. I have yet to read the entire book - this is just a review on the collection, TOC, and organization. However, from what I have read there were no errors. I'll update later when I actually finish the book.

From what I can tell, this option does in fact offer the entire collection and is set up in the following manner. The TOC does include links to individual short stories; I disregarded them here out of practicality.
Volume I
A Study In Scarlet (Part 1 and 2)
(Mr. Sherlock Holmes, The Science of Deduction, The Lauriston Garden Mystery, ect.)
The Sign of Four
Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
Volume II
Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes
The Hound of the Baskervilles
Volume III
The Return of Sherlock Holmes
The Valley of Fear (Part 1 and 2)
Volume IIII
His Last Bow
The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes

The TOC works perfectly fine. It may be a little confusing for some though. I'd recommend you take a look at "peak inside" option the store offers if you're a bit confused. There's really no difference between any other Kindle books I've bought. There are actually two TOC's - one displaying volumes and the other for content within the volumes. The "Volumes" TOC is located right being the cover (Loc 2). The Volume TOC will link you to individual volumes; then there will be a TOC for the volume itself.

The Kindle version offers some images as well; no distortions and are a nice addition.

I know there are many free versions out there, but I decided spend the $3. I'm not disappointed at all; if you are there is a seven day period which you can return for full refund.

Well if you like Sherlock Holmes stories "as they were originally written " ! They are all right here in this nice quality leather bound package . The book is so nice that I hate to even handle it for fear or scratching or damaging it somehow . It has nice heavy paper pages with gold edging on the outside along with a built in silk bookmark , much like a bible . I collect older books and it seems to be a copy of the old Readers Digest leather bound version from the 1970s . It's really a good value for the cost .

Get the mass market paperback edition. People that are complaining about it being a bad PDF version bought the Sherlock Homes Illustrated paperback. There is a difference. The mass market paperback comes with both volume 1 and 2 in a small cardboard display box which I'm sure someone has already posted a picture of. Great quality!

Important note: I scored these on a lightning deal for $19.99.

Books are beautiful, box design is lovely, and the collection itself - while appropriately critiqued by other reviews for being a less than perfect 'complete set' - is nevertheless satisfying to a lifelong Holmes fan who has already read these stories dozens of times over the years.

I would heartily recommend this to fans of the BBC show Sherlock who have caught the fever - this is a great way to introduce the books to a modern reader who enjoys dipping a toe into another era's writing. This would be a proud display for - and I honestly say this without malice - a hipster's bookshelf or a classic fan who shuns Kindle. (I wouldn't be surprised to see this recommended on a Buzzfeed list).

Main issue - as mentioned by others - is simply the quality of the materials, especially the display box. This is a very heavy set that got a bit banged up in the shipment; the cardboard casing that houses the books so cleverly just isn't up to that kind of travel. Mine is a bit nicked up, but survives mainly intact. Put in perspective based on price - I don't care. Ain't nobody got time for that.

Having watched many a crime show on tv I expected to find Holmes to suffer from the traditional problems that plague detectives, namely that no matter where they go they will always run into murder. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find that every case Holmes came across was unique, with some not involving murder, or even a crime at all, which is better then the overly trod formula television tends to use. My only qualm is with how Doyle Treats the Character of Holmes, who he hated since no one wanted him to write anything else. The further you read, the more callous Holmes acts, and its sad that the Author couldn't appreciate his own character's success. If he had only treated Holmes better near the end than this would have been five stars

I have read the entire collection multiple times in print and have the very large annotated version in print. The only limitation I would note is that on my Kindle at least, the diagrams within the stories do not show. Some of those help to understand the plot. I could probably draw them by heart, so less of a problem for me. Some of the illustrations etc. are at the end, but not the diagrams. Subject to that, it was well done with very few errors that I saw.

Sherlock Holmes stories are timeless. I enjoyed reading them as youngster and I enjoy re-reading them this week. There is a large number of The Complete Sherlock Homes stories, this one contains 9 volumes in one book. This collection stories was published in 2016.

Ali Julia review

seems unnecessary to rate Sherlock Holmes stories. However my "complete set" for my Kindle wasn't complete. The final book in the series, The Casebook of S.H. has 12 short stories. My first download (some time ago) showed just one. I tried a second download a few days ago ang got a second! But 10 are still missing.

Breathtaking book! The cover isn't as pictured here, so I was worried at first. After I opened the sealed wrapping and looked inside, all my fears of a bait-and-switch were alleviated! It is exactly as described and leather-bound. You can smell the leather as soon as the airtight wrapper is removed. The book is in perfect condition and I appreciate how quickly it arrived. This is a gift for my daughter's 16th birthday next week, so I am 100% pleased with the purchase! I would have liked the cover art to have been the same as shown, but when all is said and done, it is just a cover.

I started out by reading the free Sherlock Holmes book available for free on the store. Once that was done, I was hooked and wanted more. I found this one for an extremely cheap price, and have recently finished reading the whole collection. You can't beat the price for this collection. There are images in some stories that help depict what's going on. There's a table of contents so you navigate between the stories easier, although I personally didn't have an issue with the way the stories were ordered. I have seen some complaints regarding the table of contents not being accessible, but I assure you it is there. Just hit Menu > Go to... > Cover > then click over about three pages and it should be there. I did find a couple of actual typos in there that were not spelling variances, but the amount that were present were so minimal that I don't think it's worth complaining over.

Generally, it is those books I read and reread that I must have in a physical, paper format. This, however, is wonderful considering the amount of material contained therein and the limited remaining space on my bookshelves.

What a pleasant change after having just finished The Adventures of Arthur Conan Doyle!

I enjoyed all the stories in this book, and the illustrations were wonderful. I didn't find any parts that I thought should have been omitted as I did when I read the biography of the author. Although I had not read any Sherlock Holmes stories for many years, I enjoyed them all very much.

I did find the Kindle dictionary help a bit lacking. Sometimes I didn't know what a word meant in the late 1800's in the British Isles. However, when I requested that my Kindle dictionary help me with the word Bradshaw, I was told about a football player from the United States who was not alive when the book was written.

For the price, though, I cannot complain.

I have found the reading interesting but dated. I wanted to see what the movies were based on and some of these short stories are quite interesting. You can see how the attitudes and views have changed in over 100 years. Some of the slang terms used in the book would be considered in marginal taste in our hypersensitive 21st century world. If you keep in mind the day and age it was written in, you can get past some of the racial stereotypes and the comments on womens role in society (of the day).

I honestly enjoyed the read, though found some of the cases intentionally vague so the protagonist can divulge his deductions in grand fashion, though you the reader are not given all the aspects that he "sees" when investigating. Far less dramatic than any of the movies, though I would highly recommend if you want to see the roots of where tales came from.

Fabulous reading. Must read the intro. I read all two volumes and have checked off my favorites (which are abundant) to reread. Thank goodness it debunks Dr. Watson as a bumbling idiot as portrayed in films of years gone by. I have always loved Sherlock Holmes (even the PBS version) and these two volumes are pure delightful reading. Excellent seller performance.

I love this product on my Kindle. There are complaints about various Sherlock Holmes publications on the web but I used to British spelling and have encountered no major errors. I use my dictionary look-up for many terms in these stories since the time and place are so different from what we use.
I read one or two stories each evening. The author's meta-model is pretty much the same from story to story. You can usually guess where the analysis needs to be applied but Sherlock is able to observe far more than what is presented to the reader until the end of each story.
I like the flexibility that Sherlock shows regarding justice rather than following the letter of the law. Humanity and intelligence are not something we see much in today's judicial system.

In this collection of short stories and novels published from 1887 to 1927, the ponderous language made for slow reading for this American reader. Despite that difficulty, it has been a fun read, offering insights into life in nineteenth-century England together with suspense to keep one reading. As usual, I prefer the book to the TV shows!

Doyle created an enduring character that, through various iterations over the decades, has become one of the most easily recognizable and most admired detectives. What is interesting, however, is that through reading the originals, I find that Holmes seemed to stretch the bonds of credulity with his deductions. Either that, or Watson was not the best narrator in his documenting of the cases. Still they are a fun read and certainly have made for some great viewing over the years.

This is a fantastic collection of the amazing works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle!
His "Sherlock Holmes" series is not only thrilling, but very enthralling also.
He takes you on a journey of arid, western, settings, and even of mild-temper European afternoons.
I highly recommend this book to anyone that likes sleuth/detective novels.

For a devoted Sherlock Holmes fan who has already read these stories, I was thrilled to order this book which is so very beautiful. It is sturdy, so well made, and feels like something out of a library from long, long ago. It is one of the best combined and well-made compilations I have ever seen. And for the price, it is an amazing deal. Just love it, so glad I have it now to add to my book collection.

I have purchased two of this book: one from Costco, and one from the store. The Costco one was returned because the binding was falling out. I then ordered one on the store, and the binding is falling out of it as well. I can't imagine I just happened to get the only two defective ones, so heads up. It is a very good price for a hardback of the complete works, if it didn't involve me having to reglue binding.

Fun read. Kindle edition is OK except for foreign symbols are messed up (currency, some words). Currency amounts can be an important detail in these stories, so this leaves a bit of a hole in the narrative. And disrupts the flow.

This is the first Sherlock Holmes mystery I have ever read and was surprised as to how much I enjoyed it --- and is only 156 pages so I probably read it in four hours – I enjoyed his idiosyncrasies (morphine, cocaine, pipe smoking, violin playing, general impatience) and his companion Watson and how they often disagreed but still got the job done basically because of Holmes but truly an enjoyable read!

This is just another example of the unique style and masterful mystique of the brilliance of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The plot of this story is very involved and shrouded in total mystery. Every twist and turn keeps you guessing who did what and why . I was happy to see that we were made privy as to how and where the good Doctor Watson met his wife . All in all, another masterpiece by the truly great writer of this wonderful series.

Hard to decide whether something is predictable or full of surprises when the stories have all been out for a hundred years and you've read them dozens of times. I still enjoy them though. I bought this copy when I realized that I didn't actually have copies of any Sherlock Holmes novels. Now I have them in one very nicely bound volume for perusing when I am out of stuff to read.

This is a fantastic collection of the amazing works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle!
His "Sherlock Holmes" series is not only thrilling, but very enthralling also.
He takes you on a journey of arid, western, settings, and even of mild-temper European afternoons.
I highly recommend this book to anyone that likes sleuth/detective novels.

For a devoted Sherlock Holmes fan who has already read these stories, I was thrilled to order this book which is so very beautiful. It is sturdy, so well made, and feels like something out of a library from long, long ago. It is one of the best combined and well-made compilations I have ever seen. And for the price, it is an amazing deal. Just love it, so glad I have it now to add to my book collection.

This ISBN (1523855789) is a very cheap quality print and is something I'm seeing more commonly now with stories in the public domain--particularly soft covers. The cover is a poor quality image and the printing is crooked. The quality of paper is ok, the text printing is ok, BUT the margins don't give enough room to read all words in each row. The last word is too close to--or inside--the binding, which is a terrible reading experience.

I have purchased two of this book: one from Costco, and one from the store. The Costco one was returned because the binding was falling out. I then ordered one on the store, and the binding is falling out of it as well. I can't imagine I just happened to get the only two defective ones, so heads up. It is a very good price for a hardback of the complete works, if it didn't involve me having to reglue binding.

Fun read. Kindle edition is OK except for foreign symbols are messed up (currency, some words). Currency amounts can be an important detail in these stories, so this leaves a bit of a hole in the narrative. And disrupts the flow.

This is the first Sherlock Holmes mystery I have ever read and was surprised as to how much I enjoyed it --- and is only 156 pages so I probably read it in four hours – I enjoyed his idiosyncrasies (morphine, cocaine, pipe smoking, violin playing, general impatience) and his companion Watson and how they often disagreed but still got the job done basically because of Holmes but truly an enjoyable read!

I already had the complete works of Sherlock Holmes in hardback edition. But, who can resist a Kindle version for when you’re on the beach! I never get tired of reading the stories. The make me remember my childhood. Sherlock Holmes, and Encyclopedia Brown! Awesome, awesome books!

This is just another example of the unique style and masterful mystique of the brilliance of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The plot of this story is very involved and shrouded in total mystery. Every twist and turn keeps you guessing who did what and why . I was happy to see that we were made privy as to how and where the good Doctor Watson met his wife . All in all, another masterpiece by the truly great writer of this wonderful series.

Hard to decide whether something is predictable or full of surprises when the stories have all been out for a hundred years and you've read them dozens of times. I still enjoy them though. I bought this copy when I realized that I didn't actually have copies of any Sherlock Holmes novels. Now I have them in one very nicely bound volume for perusing when I am out of stuff to read.

This is an International thriller of the highest order. The story which about if Hitler had survived is scary and also very imaginative. It is fast paced, and has you hooked from the very first page. Part history and part mystery it becomes all the more poignant when we learn the hero’s great-grandfather was in the holocaust. Very chilling and believable, I would think the author must have done a lot of research to get her facts right. Very educational too, I learnt a lot about the war that I didn’t know. Excellent, I loved it.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle brings to life his greatest creation, the famed Detective Sherlock Holmes. These classic stories are well written and fun to read. Victorian England is a fascinating setting as the reader is transported back to this more formal and reticent time. The mystery is always entertaining and the action and suspense will still resonate with readers today. Read and enjoy.

I have two worn out paperbacks with the collected works of Doyle that have the complete collection of his Sherlock Holmes stories. I wanted to buy this to have a nicer set. It is that... super nice. Three volumes with a ribbon, and the box is actually really cool too, it closes with a little magnet or something. Keepin' it classy! Way better than the Barnes and Noble collected works, which is pretty but way too bulky to actually read. These three are also more cumbersome than the paper backs, but not too much so, and the end pages are so pretty. Love it, must have for book collectors.

Has everything you could want as far as Sherlock complete literature goes, however I am a little disappointed by how small the print and the size of the book since I bought this for my uncle for Secret Santa. If you have good eye sight, it's a good price for what you're getting.

Great value! Well over 1,000 pages and hard cover for less than $10! Excellent quality and looks good too! It's so nice looking and affordable that I'm tempted to buy another book. One to read and not have to worry about messing it up and one to display on my shelf.

This is a great adaptation, what is even better is what due to public domain, the download was free. I've been a fan of the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle since I was a child. It is startling how many of his works are the basis of some of the more common tropes in movies and novels today. That being said these stories still feel fresh and engaging in spite of this. I highly recommend these books, not all classics age well, but this one did in every way that matters.

I picked up the Sherlock Holmes Complete Collection because my mom had already downloaded it and I was mildly curious. Holmes was the best book I've read in a while, definately my favorite in the Mystery genre.

I love the characters. Doyle whips up such fantastically real people out of no where with the most outrageous situations and stories. The main characters are priceless. Holmes has a very deep compassion for humanity buried among his quirks and strange habits. Watson is such a genuine, sympathetic companion and narrator that it feels like a friend telling a story over coffee.

Let me put it this way, I'm bitterly upset that I finished the series. Bitterly. I wish with all my heart that I could just have a fresh Sherlock Holmes mystery every day. Definately a book I'll pick up again and recommend to everyone I know. My brother read them when he was a preteen/teenager, and I loved them at 24 y/o. I'm sure that a more mature audience would appreciate Holmes, also.

This classic work is both interesting and informative, my dear Watson. The stories vary, but all are intriguing, showcasing the observation skills of the Master Detective. Truth be known, Dr Watson contributed much to the work, and I believe he was an actual person. Holmes had a drug habit, not illegal at that time, and probably an effort to hold his tremendous intellect in check. Eventually, he overcame it, and took a few years sabbatical, as it were, where he dropped out of sight to peruse the world cultures outside of England. I enjoyed reviewing the stories again, having read them years ago as a erstwhile detective. Some might say the book is "elementary" but the depth is cleverly hidden.
JDM>Ap2013

These books are pure gold. I love all the different versions of these characters in the different shows and movies. Now I love the characters that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle created. The books are fantastic. The writing goes so far beyond the characters. You will be fully immersed in each case. You will have the chance to explore so much more than you ever realized were in each story. The format of this Kindle collection is among the best I have ever seen. It is cohesive, it flows well, and it is easy to manage. This is a must-own for your book collection, especially on the Kindle.

I thought I had read everyone of the Sherlock Homes books, more then once I might add. But in this collection I find a few I have never read before. I have always loved the adventures of the first CSI. Very few times have I been able to predict the bad guy. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was a master at detective as shows it here in this huge collection of his works. I am not a good reviewer of books but did have to put my 2 cents in on this one. If you love Sherlock Homes and haven't read it in a while I advise this collection. You won't be disappointed.

The Sherlock Holmes Adventures have always been a favorite of mine and so when I found a friend who had never read them, I couldn't wait to introduce them to her. She informs me that she loves them as much as I do and that it is a very nicely bound volume. I asked her how she would rate the volume and the writing and she gave each 5 stars.

It's Sherlock Holmes. Doyle was masterful in his telling of the man, even if there are some elements we would consider trite today. It's a brilliant read, filled with suspense, who-done-it moments, and the bizarre discovery of just how strange Sherlock was. I highly suggest it for any mystery fan or fans of the new TV shows and movies coming out, though I find Sherlock far more strange in the pages than he's ever been portrayed on the screen. Except maybe the movie.

I already have the same book from a previous purchase, but when I discovered this version had copies of the original artwork that went into the magazines where Sherlock Holmes was serially published, I just had to get it. It was well worth it. A simple "double click" blows up the picture on my screen. It makes me feel like I'm actually part of what the original readers experienced...the only difference is I already know how the stories end. I love the artwork. It brings an additional dimension to the works.

An excellent compilation of Sherlock Holmes which can be combined with the audio book narrated by Simon Vance if desired. The narration tracks the book precisely and provides a depth to the experience. Synchronizing the two is a manual process complicated by the fact that the audio book is broken into 7 segments with no external indication of which is which (Very tacky on someone's part) so one doesn't find out until actually starting a segment which one it is. The Kindle is in 4 parts each clearly marked.

Great collection of short stories. Be prepared for the resolutions to be brief and somewhat anti-climactic; these are the real tales written by Doyle. A refreshing break from overly dramatized cinema, just simple narratives with charming verbiage and the vernacular of a different time. I enjoyed this read over several weeks, one at a time as relaxing bedtime reading.

The epilogue was set to introduce the reader to the 19th century London and the mentality of the writer. With the background set, each story was much more enjoyable. After each story, a taste of the story lingers. It takes time to read because personally, I stopped each time a new evidence was found in a case to play the Sherlock. The books are definitely thrilling!

Sherlock Holmes, the world’s first consulting detective, is bored. And when he’s bored he injects himself with one of two types of drugs–cocaine or morphine. His housemate and biographer, Dr Watson, hates to see the genius in such a state so when Mary Morstan turns up at 221B Baker Street with a puzzling case he is relieved. Relieved, and other things. Miss Morstan is rather fetching.

The young woman presents her story, which involves her long-missing father, pearls that began arriving mysteriously a few years ago and, now, a note promising to explain everything if only she meets a stranger that very evening and doesn’t bring any police. She may bring two friends, though. Holmes and Watson will do nicely and they’re certainly up for it.

Off they go and are soon mired in a story involving a locked-room murder and missing treasure and a boat race on the Thames.

And casual racism. Sakes alive, the casual racism. One has to be prepared for it in fiction from 100+ years ago–the Victorians in particular loved some anthropologically-based racism. They started stumbling across new races of people and immediately began ascribing all sorts of negative and offensive characteristics to them. This novel is particularly rife, though.

Story-wise I’d give this one a 4/5. Holmes is doing his typical deductive thing, which is why I like reading the stories and why I assume others do, too. If you’re a completest and want to read all of them then it’s a fine read, though if casual racism puts you off stories, this one is going for gold.

The Sign of Four is the second story featuring Sherlock Holmes. The first was A Study in Scarlet .

[Completely off-topic editorializing: Dang, white people are awful. Just because you own the world doesn’t mean you’re the barometer against what everything else should be measured. Reading it from the point of view of a person writing from the country that had the largest empire on Earth at the time is interesting in terms of getting a sense of ego. It’s a digression, but I kept thinking about it while reading the book so it became part of the experience of the novel for me.]