Holmes (obviously with the wrong head gear!) near ACD’s birth place in Edinburgh

“Elementary,” said he. “It is one of those instances where the reasoner can produce an effect which seems remarkable to his neighbor, because the latter has missed the one little point which is the basis of the deduction.

These are the very words that for me are the foundation of all great mystery stories – and for me they start with Sherlock Holmes. I have read Wilkie Collins’ The Moonstone and Edgar Allan Poe’s Murders in the Rue Morgue (which Arthur Conan Doyle actually mentions in Holmes’ first outing A Study in Scarlet!), but neither managed to capture my imagination and admiration as much as the Sherlock Holmes stories.

It is only just, therefore, that I dedicate a reading project to the famous consulting detective and his faithful friend Dr. Watson.

And what could be better than starting this project off with a buddy read with my friend over at KnightofAngels.com, a true Sherlockian and awesome blogger and apparently she has completely forgotten about my exasperating rants that accompanied our James Bond buddy read. (Shhh!)

Seriously, tho, I am honoured and excited to embark on this new reading adventure that will see us re-examine another shared favourite: Holmes, the man, the mystery, the myth.

For this little project, I will be listening to Stephen Fry’s narration of The Definitive Audio Collection  and read The Complete Sherlock Holmes: with an introduction from Robert Ryan (Simon & Schuster UK. Kindle Edition.)

So, here we go …

A Study in Scarlet (1887) – 3* – Review

The Sign of Four (1890) – 3* – Review

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1892):

  • A Scandal in Bohemia – 5* – Review
  • The Red-Headed League – 4* – Review
  • A Case of Identity – 3* – Review
  • The Boscombe Valley Mystery – 2* – No review. I have nothing to say about this one.
  • The Five Orange Pips – 4* – Review
  • The Man with the Twisted Lip – 3*
  • The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle – 5*
  • The Adventure of the Speckled Band – 5* – Review
  • The Adventure of the Engineer’s Thumb – 4* – Review
  • The Adventure of the Noble Bachelor – 3* – Review
  • The Adventure of the Beryl Coronet – 2* – Review
  • The Adventure of the Copper Beeches – 3.5* – Review

The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes (1893):

  • The Adventure of Silver Blaze – 2.5* – Review
  • The Adventure of the Cardboard Box
  • The Adventure of the Yellow Face
  • The Adventure of the Stockbroker’s Clerk – 3.5* – Review
  • The Adventure of the Gloria Scott
  • The Adventure of the Musgrave Ritual – 4* – Review
  • The Adventure of the Reigate Squire
  • The Adventure of the Crooked Man
  • The Adventure of the Resident Patient
  • The Adventure of the Greek Interpreter
  • The Adventure of the Naval Treaty
  • The Adventure of the Final Problem – 5* – Review

The Hound of the Baskervilles (1901–02)  – Review

The Return of Sherlock Holmes (1903-04)

  • The Adventure of the Empty House
  • The Adventure of the Norwood Builder
  • The Adventure of the Dancing Men
  • The Adventure of the Solitary Cyclist
  • The Adventure of the Priory School
  • The Adventure of Black Peter
  • The Adventure of Charles Augustus Milverton
  • The Adventure of the Six Napoleons
  • The Adventure of the Three Students
  • The Adventure of the Golden Pince-Nez
  • The Adventure of the Missing Three-Quarter
  • The Adventure of the Abbey Grange
  • The Adventure of the Second Stain

His Last Bow (1908-17)

  • The Adventure of Wisteria Lodge
  • The Adventure of the Red Circle
  • The Adventure of the Bruce-Partington Plans
  • The Adventure of the Dying Detective
  • The Disappearance of Lady Frances Carfax
  • The Adventure of the Devil’s Foot
  • His Last Bow

The Valley of Fear (1914–15)

The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes (1921-27)

  • The Adventure of the Mazarin Stone
  • The Problem of Thor Bridge
  • The Adventure of the Creeping Man
  • The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire
  • The Adventure of the Three Garridebs
  • The Adventure of the Illustrious Client
  • The Adventure of the Three Gables
  • The Adventure of the Blanched Soldier
  • The Adventure of the Lion’s Mane
  • The Adventure of the Retired Colourman
  • The Adventure of the Veiled Lodger
  • The Adventure of Shoscombe Old Place

Obviously, I am neither a historian nor a true Sherlockian, so anything I have written in connection with this reading project is purely based on my own impressions from ACD’s stories. This is not meant to be an exhaustive source of information on all things Holmes (there are actual societies dedicated to that – google them!), this is just a fan’s reading journal.