book review the return of sherlock holmes

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Book Review: The Return of Sherlock Holmes

This book is a series of short stories that appeared first in a magazine called The Strand over 1903-1904. Holmes’s clients vary from a governess to the prime minister, and the cases include a missing heir, a stalker, a blackmailer, and crust ship’s captain, busted busts of Napoleon, a student cheating on an exam, a missing rugby player, a false testimony, and a stolen document which could lead to war if not found. Quite a variety! Watson says “As I have preserved very full notes of all these cases, and was myself personally engaged in many of them, it may be imagined that it is no easy task to know which I should select to lay before the public. I shall, however, preserve my former rule, and give the preference to those cases which derive their interest not so much from the brutality of the crime as from the ingenuity and dramatic quality of the solution.” Holmes accuses Watson once of sensationalism: “Your fatal habit of looking at everything from the point of view of a story instead of as a scientific exercise has ruined what might have been an instructive and even classical series of demonstrations. You slur over work of the utmost finesse and delicacy, in order to dwell upon sensational details which may excite, but cannot possibly instruct, the reader.” When asked why Holmes doesn’t write them himself, he replies that one day he will in textbook form.

Holmes’s personality continues to unfold in these stories. Here are a few of Watson’s comments:

“My friend, who loved above all things precision and concentration of thought, resented anything which distracted his attention from the matter in hand. And yet, without a harshness which was foreign to his nature, it was impossible to refuse to listen to the story of the young and beautiful woman, tall, graceful, and queenly, who presented herself at Baker Street late in the evening, and implored his assistance and advice.”

“Holmes, however, like all great artists, lived for his art’s sake, and, save in the case of the Duke of Holdernesse, I have seldom known him claim any large reward for his inestimable services. So unworldly was he—or so capricious—that he frequently refused his help to the powerful and wealthy where the problem made no appeal to his sympathies, while he would devote weeks of most intense application to the affairs of some humble client whose case presented those strange and dramatic qualities which appealed to his imagination and challenged his ingenuity.”

“Lestrade and I sat silent for a moment, and then, with a spontaneous impulse, we both broke at clapping, as at the well-wrought crisis of a play. A flush of colour sprang to Holmes’s pale cheeks, and he bowed to us like the master dramatist who receives the homage of his audience. It was at such moments that for an instant he ceased to be a reasoning machine, and betrayed his human love for admiration and applause. The same singularly proud and reserved nature which turned away with disdain from popular notoriety was capable of being moved to its depths by spontaneous wonder and praise from a friend.”

“My friend’s temper had not improved since he had been deprived of the congenial surroundings of Baker Street. Without his scrapbooks, his chemicals, and his homely untidiness, he was an uncomfortable man.”

“I may have remarked before that Holmes had, when he liked, a peculiarly ingratiating way with women, and that he very readily established terms of confidence with them. In half the time which he had named, he had captured the housekeeper’s goodwill and was chatting with her as if he had known her for years.”

“Sherlock Holmes was a past-master in the art of putting a humble witness at his ease.”

Some of what I have read concerning modern depictions of Holmes seem to cast him as socially awkward, even rude, and perhaps having Asberger’s. I think these samples show that he was not socially awkward at all – he was described as being quite genial when he wanted to be, and he could carry on a conversation with anyone. But he preferred working alone or with Watson and one or two others – a classic introvert, in my opinion.

There were a few cases before now and a couple of cases here where Holmes decided justice was served, and he did not see a reason to report his findings to the police even when he was working with them. In one case he said, “No, I couldn’t do it, Watson…Once that warrant was made out, nothing on earth would save him. Once or twice in my career I feel that I have done more real harm by my discovery of the criminal than ever he had done by his crime. I have learned caution now, and I had rather play tricks with the law of England than with my own conscience. Let us know a little more before we act.” I wouldn’t advocate that in real life, but it did make sense in the context of the story.

At the end of this book Holmes was said to have retired, and only allowed Watson to tell a few of the stories long after they occurred. Since there are three more books about him, however, either he didn’t retire, or those stories are more past cases.

Once again I listened to the audiobook version superbly narrated by Derek Jacob i. In my journey through the Holmes books, I look for versions read by Jacobi now. I also looked at some portions in closer detail in the online version of the book provided by Project Gutenberg .

(This will also be linked to Semicolon ‘s Saturday Review of Books. )

book review the return of sherlock holmes

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BOOK REVIEW: The Return of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle

The Return of Sherlock Holmes (Sherlock Holmes, #6)

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The return of sherlock holmes, by arthur conan doyle, recommendations from our site.

“I could have picked the first Sherlock Holmes collection as well. I could have picked The Hound of the Baskervilles, which is brilliant. I could’ve picked anything Sherlock Holmes. But if someone said to me, ‘You can only reread one Sherlock Holmes story’ that first story in The Return would be the one for me. It’s both a brilliant locked-room mystery and you have Holmes returning. It’s great.” Read more...

The Best Classic Crime

Stig Abell , Journalist

Other books by Arthur Conan Doyle

The adventure of the dancing men by arthur conan doyle, the lost world by arthur conan doyle, the hound of the baskervilles by arthur conan doyle, the adventure of the speckled band by arthur conan doyle, a study in scarlet by arthur conan doyle, our most recommended books, on liberty by john stuart mill, middlemarch by george eliot, war and peace by leo tolstoy, nineteen eighty-four by george orwell, the confessions by augustine (translated by maria boulding), republic by plato.

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Book Review

The return of sherlock holmes.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Historical , Mystery

Readability Age Range

Originally published in 1905 by McClure, Phillips & Co.; the Readers Digest Association Inc., edition reviewed was published in 1991

Year Published

The Return of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle has been reviewed by Focus on the Family’s marriage and parenting magazine .

Plot Summary

After faking his own death, Holmes reappears several years later to carry on his criminal investigations. Dr. John Watson joins him once more as his aide and biographer. Holmes often assists an up-and-coming Scotland Yard inspector named Hopkins in his cases. The book consists of 13 stand-alone short stories.

The Adventure of the Empty House Watson expresses interest in the case of a young socialite, Ronal Adair, who has no apparent enemies and has recently been shot to death. He misses Holmes, who is thought to have died several years earlier at the hands of his archenemy, Moriarty. Holmes appears in disguise and reveals himself to his shocked partner. He tells Watson how he painstakingly faked his own death to rout out his enemies. Holmes determines a man who cheated Adair in a card game was the socialite’s killer.

The Adventure of the Norwood Builder A young lawyer named McFarlane knows he’s about to be accused of murder when he approaches Holmes. A family acquaintance named Oldacre had recently asked his help in writing a will. Since Oldacre was a bachelor, he wanted to leave everything to McFarlane. The day after the will was drawn up, Oldacre was killed. Holmes fakes a fire in Oldacre’s house to prove the old man is still alive and hiding out. Oldacre had faked his death to get McFarlane imprisoned as revenge on McFarlane’s mother, who had spurned Oldacre’s love years earlier.

The Adventure of the Dancing Men A man named Cubitt finds images of dancing stick figures scrawled in chalk on his shed door. His American wife, Elsie, who has refused to share her mysterious past, is distressed by the images. Cubitt asks Holmes to investigate, and Holmes discovers the dancing figures form a code. Before Holmes can intervene, Cubitt is shot to death, and Elsie attempts suicide with a gun. Holmes leaves a message using the code. It summons Abe Slaney, the criminal who killed Cubitt. Slaney admits he was in an American gang led by Elsie’s father and that he followed Elsie, his former girlfriend, to England to reclaim her.

The Adventure of the Solitary Cyclist Cyclist Violet Smith approaches Holmes after a mysterious man begins to follow her by bike each day. She tells Holmes after her father’s death that two men from his past tracked her down. One, Mr. Carruthers, became her employer and asked her to marry him. The other, Mr. Woodley, later kidnaps Violet and tries for force her to marry him. Carruthers shoots Woodley. He admits to Holmes he’s been following Violet by bike to keep her safe. Carruthers and Woodley had plotted to steal Violet’s money, but Carruthers couldn’t go through with the crime after falling in love with her.

The Adventure of the Priory School Lord Saltire, the 10-year-old son of a prestigious duke, goes missing from his boarding school. A German professor, Heidegger, disappears at the same time, and his body is found in the woods. Holmes learns the duke’s illegitimate son, James, lured the boy away from the school. James was jealous of the younger boy’s claim to his father’s inheritance. When Heidegger tried to rescue the boy, James killed the professor.

The Adventure of Black Peter Peter Carey, former sea captain, was a mean drunk and mistreated his family and crew members. When he’s killed with a harpoon, Hopkins asks for Holmes’ insight. Holmes disguises himself as a captain looking for harpooners. He captures one of the applicants, Patrick Cairns, and the man admits he was once Black Peter’s first mate. He had heard about Peter’s stock scheme and wanted in. He came to Peter’s studio, the two fought and Cairns killed Peter with the old captain’s harpoon.

The Adventure of Charles Augustus Milverton Lady Eva Blackwell asks for Holmes’ help when a professional blackmailer named Milverton threatens to ruin her relationship. Holmes, in disguise, woos and gets engaged to one of Milverton’s maids to gain access to the house. He and Watson sneak in to steal Eva’s letter and other incriminating papers in Milverton’s safe. While Holmes and Watson are hiding in the study, one of Milverton’s former blackmail victims enters and shoots Milverton to death. Holmes burns Milverton’s letters in the fireplace as he and Watson escape.

The Adventure of the Six Napoleons Holmes learns someone is breaking into various establishments and smashing busts of Napoleon. When a man is murdered, Holmes and Watson help Inspector Lestrade determine why someone is obsessed with these sculptures. Holmes visits the place where this lot of sculptures was created and learns who purchased them. He discovers a criminal hid a pearl in the wet plaster of one as he made a quick escape. After serving a year in jail for a different crime, the man had returned to find the pearl.

The Adventure of the Three Students Soames, a professor of Greek at a prestigious university, is about to administer an exam. One student will receive a large scholarship. Soames finds papers scattered in his office, indicating someone may have stolen information to cheat on the exam. Holmes discovers Soames’ butler, Bannister, used to work for the father of a student named Gilchrist. Banister admits he covered for Gilchrist when he realized the young man had planned to cheat. Gilchrist apologizes and says he’s leaving the school to work in South Africa.

The Adventure of the Golden Pince-Nez Willoughby Smith, assistant to the invalid Professor Coram, is killed. A pair of gold women’s glasses are found near the body. Holmes assists Hopkins and discovers the killer is Coram’s estranged wife, Anna. Coram and Anna were former Russian revolutionaries until Coram betrayed his co-conspirators, including his wife. Anna came to England to get papers from Coram that would show her friend Alexis should be freed from prison. Anna accidentally killed Smith when he caught her in the study. Anna poisons herself. Before dying, she asks Holmes to help free Alexis.

The Adventure of the Missing Three-Quarter Well-known rugby player Godfrey Staunton is missing, and his teammate Cyril Overton approaches Holmes. Overton reports that Staunton was heir to his wealthy uncle’s fortune. Holmes traces a telegram Staunton received to a Dr. Armstrong, and he follows the doctor’s carriage. He finds the distraught Staunton with his recently dead wife. Dr. Armstrong had been caring for her through a severe illness. When Staunton learned she was dying, he had come at once. Staunton had kept his marriage to this lower-class woman a secret so his uncle wouldn’t disinherit him.

The Adventure of the Abbey Grange Hopkins asks Holmes to help solve the murder of Sir Eustace Brackenstall, one of the wealthiest men in Kent. Brackenstall’s widow, Mary, and her life-long maid describe a gang of well-known thieves as the perpetrators. Holmes discovers that Brackenstall was an abusive drunk. He deduces that Mary, her maid and an officer they’d met on their voyage from Australia, Jack Crocker, had killed the man. This would free Mary from the abuse and allow her to be with Crocker.

The Adventure of the Second Stain The prime minister and Trelawney Hope, the European Secretary, beg Holmes to help them find a missing document that could potentially start a war. Holmes learns Hope’s devoted wife, Hilda, was being blackmailed over an old, indiscreet note that could ruin her marriage. The blackmailer would return her letter if she would get him a specific document belonging to her husband. She didn’t know the nature of the document, and when she discovered its importance, she stole it back from the blackmailer. Holmes helps her put it back in her husband’s papers so he will think he simply misplaced it.

Christian Beliefs

A few people off-handedly mention God’s blessings or justice.

Other Belief Systems

Authority roles.

Police inspectors, including Lestrade and Hopkins, admire Holmes’ perceptiveness and are eager to work with him.

Profanity & Violence

The Lord’s name is used in vain a few times. Several people are murdered or attempt suicide with guns, and mutilated body parts are mentioned. A gang covers a dog in petroleum and sets it on fire. People are depicted with bleeding wounds, and bloodstains are often found at crime scenes.

Sexual Content

A man forcibly kisses a woman.

Discussion Topics

Get free discussion questions for this book and others, at FocusOnTheFamily.com/discuss-books .

Additional Comments

Drug/Alcohol use: In older stories outside of this collection, Holmes used cocaine. Watson has helped wean him off of it. Watson mentions his concern in this book, however, that Holmes’ boredom might lead him back to the habit. Characters in stories including “The Adventure of Black Peter” and “The Adventure of Abbey Grange” are mean drunks who terrorize and abuse their families.

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The Return of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle – Book Review

The Return of Sherlock Holmes (Wordsworth Classics) by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is the final short-story collection penned by the inventor of the fictional sleuth. It includes the last 13 canonical limited-words tales featuring the adventures of Holmes and his colleague, Dr. John Watson.

It was a treat to finally have finished this last compilation of Sherlockian short-fiction. Years ago I had completed all the canonical literary material featuring Holmes save for this one. Having forgotten about this book I only noticed it last week when I was inspecting my oldest bookshelf.

I started reading the original SH stories after watching the first season of the BBC program, Sherlock, in 2010. I had doubts about going through the books because their contents took place in the last 1800s and the early 1900s, while the show was based in the 21st century.

However, I was amazed at the quality, and even more so, by the pace of Doyle’s writing. Unlike other 20th-century mystery scribes, such as Agatha Christie and Ruth Rendell, Doyle’s penmanship showcased how the power of reasoning could overshadow any seemingly unsolvable crime. Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes was also a far more intellectual detective than both Christie’s equally Hercule Poirot and Rendell’s Inspector Wexford.

Without further ado, I present to you each story below, in order of their appearance in the table of contents, reviewed separately. The individual ratings, as well as the aggregate score, can be seen in the Review Overview section following the end of this article. SPOILERS ahead.

The Empty House: A direct sequel to Doyle’s short story, The Final Problem, which showcased the apparent death of the expert sleuth. The Empty House pays tribute to the title of the collection, The Return of Sherlock Holmes, not only because it depicts his return to London, but also that Holmes’ explanation of being alive is finally illustrated literature-wise. An overall enticing tale but the subplot of Holmes’ comeback frequently distracts from the main plot of an otherwise engaging case.
The Norwood Builder: Points for uniqueness because the suspect is outlined as visiting the Baker Street house instead of the victim. The unveiling of the actual perpetrator was handled with finesse, but the comprehensive case-solving could have done with a tad less predictability.
The Dancing Men: One of the most memorable stories in this compilation. Holmes not only gets to reveal his knowledge of semiotics, by telling others that he has analyzed one hundred and sixty separate ciphers, but he also puts it to productive usage in of the most bizarre cases that’ll be narrated to first-time readers. Finding out about the death of the person who requested Holmes’ aid, Hilton Cubitt, was a depressing scenario, but the well-penned epilogue depicted how his wife helped carry on her unfortunate ex-husband’s legacy.
The Solitary Cyclist: A clichéd yarn featuring an almost comical case. What’s worse is that it seems Doyle combined the subplots of 2-3 previous entries in his past collections and then made a mess of the end result.
The Priory School: The solving of the case by Holmes was as usual, amusing, but near the point of the dilemma’s solution, the plot became unnaturally anti-climactic.
Black Peter: The unique factor was the introduction of Stanley Hopkins, an inspector, unlike Lestrade, who fully acknowledges Holmes’ traits of deduction. However, it’s a semi-predictable case which will be swiftly deciphered, early into the story, by the most veteran of mystery enthusiasts.
Charles Augustus Milverton: The titular character is the most loathsome villain that Holmes has encountered since Moriarty’s debut. Moriarty’s personality was expertly utilized by Doyle as a plot device, and the author’s descriptive writing is at the height of his literary abilities here—as we also get to read about Holmes and Watson carrying out a mission of crime for the greater good. The only drawback in this one-of-a-kind yarn is that there’s almost no trace of a mystery till the last few pages.
The Six Napoleons: Such an ingeniously contrived mystery that, even if you have guessed the reasoning behind the crime halfway into the story, you’ll still be shocked by how superhumanly Holmes connected the dots which were initially scattered everywhere. Overall, one of Doyle’s finest short-stories featuring the unparalleled acumen of the world’s most famous fictional detective.
The Three Students: A seemingly unsolvable puzzle. It’s a case even the most experienced Sherlockians will find difficult to crack.
The Golden Pince-Nez: This one has undoubtedly taken a top 10 spot in my list of favorite SH short-stories. I am safe to state that the majority of this compilation’s readers will share my viewpoint. It was also delightful to come across again the indirect scolding of Stanley Hopkins, by his mentor, Sherlock Holmes.
The Missing Three-Quarter: I found that Holmes’ thoughts on amateur sports were more entertaining than this involuntarily prolonged account.
Abbey Grange: The first half overshadowed the second and my notion is that this aspect always undermines the effect of an entry in the mystery genre. Still, this story is a rarity as it concludes with Holmes passing down judgment on the accused on the basis of love rather than true justice.
The Second Stain: I can’t term this story as the last but not the least of the collection. Yes, the thriller encompassed international politics, but the man tasked with unraveling it might as well have been James Bond. The tension was successfully built up at the onset of the tale with the stakes risen to an almost impossible level. But Doyle could have certainly done with a superior farewell for his signature character in this concise form of prose fiction.

That’s it for the lineup of the 13 stories incorporated in The Return of Sherlock Holmes. What makes this Wordsworth Classics edition even better is the foreword written by John S. Whitley, Emeritus Reader of American Studies, at the University of Sussex. In the introductory section of this book, he has analyzed the everlasting value of Sherlockian literature, as well as the mystery genre as a whole, with an incomparable flair.

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A classic is a book that has never finished saying what it has to say. – italo calvino, book review – the return of sherlock holmes by sir arthur conan doyle.

Title: The Return of Sherlock Holmes Author: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Genre: Crime and mystery Date: 2011 (1905) Publisher: Penguin Pages: 394 Started: June 2013 Completed: 23rd June 2015 Rating: 4/5 Summary: ‘Holmes,’ I cried. ‘Is it really you? Can it indeed be that you are alive? Is it possible that you succeeded in climbing out of that awful abyss?’ Missing, presumed dead, for three years, Sherlock Holmes returns triumphantly to his dear companion Dr Watson. And not before time! London has never been in more need of his extraordinary services: a murderous individual with an air gun stalks the city. Among thirteen further brilliant tales of mystery, detection and deduction, Sherlock Holmes investigates the problem of the Norwood Builder, deciphers the message of the Dancing Men, and cracks the case of the Six Napoleons. – from Goodreads

The Return of Sherlock Holmes is a collection of short stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. As the title suggests, these short stories were released after Conan Doyle killed Holmes off in ‘The Final Problem’ (included in The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes ). However, after a public outcry and pressure from fans and publishers Conan Doyle took up his pen again and went on to write many other Sherlock Holmes stories.

This collection includes thirteen (13) short stories about the adventures of Sherlock Holmes told from the point of view of his companion Dr John Watson. Each short story focuses on a new, fresh case for the detective and this makes for a fun read as you’re taken on many different adventures.

In my collection this book is preceded by The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes and succeeded by The Hound of the Baskervilles.

I love Conan Doyle’s writing style. It’s quick, witty, funny, and gripping. The stories are never slow and boring and the cases presented to the reader are fun and thrilling. Some of Holmes’ cases are more serious than others but I enjoyed how Conan Doyle mixed humorous cases with more important ones as it makes the book more interesting.

As this book is a collection of short stories I found that it took me a long time to read because I would finish a story and put the book down for months. However, I really liked that I could put this book in my bag and read it on the train without being worried about not fully engaging with the overarching plot. My favourite short stories from this collection are ‘The Dancing Men’, ‘The Six Napoleons’, and ‘The Second Stain’. These are the cases that really caught my imagination and they’re the ones I remember the most, even three months after completing the book.

I didn’t really dislike anything about this collection, except for how long it took me to read 13 short stories. The only reason I’ve given it 4/5 is because I enjoyed some of the other Sherlock Holmes books more than I enjoyed this one.

I really enjoyed this book overall. I love that it’s a collection of short stories and that each short story is as interesting as the last.

I would definitely recommend this book to people who enjoy reading crime and mystery novels. Even though these stories are very old, considered Classics, they’re still full of suspense and twists in the narrative. I love modern crime fiction (a lot) but I also love the Sherlock Holmes’ stories.

I’d also recommend this collection to anyone who enjoys Sherlock, Elementary, Robert Downey Jr’s Sherlock Holmes films or anything to do with Sherlock Holmes at all. However, I would also recommend reading some of the other Sherlock Holmes stories before reading this collection as it comes after ‘The Final Problem’ in terms of narration.

It’s been such a long time since I last posted a review! I thought I’d try out a new way of reviewing books by having the information and rating at the top of the page. I don’t know if I like it. What do you think?

I may end up taking this review down and rewriting it because I’m not happy with how it turned out. I really needed to post it though because otherwise I’d just put it off forever.

Classics Considered

by Marian H

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The Return of Sherlock Holmes

Note: I am writing this review at the airport—and a day late, at that!—so I will be brief for once. 🙂

In this collection of tales, Sherlock Holmes returns to the reader in every way, wrapping up loose threads from “The Final Problem” and picking back up more or less where Doyle left off. The Return has him once again helping (plucky) damsels in distress, confronting the worst men in London (there are many), and taking on high-stakes cases for government officials. While lamenting the limits Holmes has imposed on his authorly endeavors, Watson nonetheless shares with us stories that have since become iconic, such as “The Dancing Men” and “The Six Napoleons.”

My experience with these stories was mixed, and I ended up giving them a heavily weighted 5 stars on Goodreads, mainly because the highs were very high, in spite of certain lows. “The Norwood Builder” and the aforementioned Napoleons are two of my very favorite Holmes outings from the Jeremy Brett TV series, and rereading them, I found the stories stood up well on their own for having delightful novelty and a little dash of humor. “The Second Stain” is another story I like very much, mainly for its quiet and yet enormously satisfying ending. Needless to say, some stories’ strengths lie mainly in their novelty, such as “The Solitary Cyclist,” and these were a bit boring for me this time around, since I already knew well what was coming. And, as my reading buddy Cyberkitten mentioned in his review, it’s clear to see some of the stories simply follow a formula that Doyle had used before.

Nonetheless, I liked the Return , and if this is your first time reading it, you are unlikely to be disappointed. It was pretty cheeky of Doyle to blame Holmes’s retirement for the ending of the series. But as we know, that was not to be long-lived, either. 🙂

by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

These notes were contributed by members of the GradeSaver community. We are thankful for their contributions and encourage you to make your own.

Written by Timothy Sexton

The Empty House

Sherlock Holmes returns from the dead! Three years earlier, Dr. Watson saw evidence suggesting that Sherlock and Prof. Moriarty had fallen to the deaths from atop Reichenbach Falls. An old book peddler shows up at his medical office one day, Dr. Watson turns away for a few seconds, and when turns back around there is his old friend. An empty house across the street from 221B on Baker Street appears to be the perfect spot from which Moriarty can gain revenge from his actual place in the grave. Until Watson and Holmes stop his lieutenant Sebastian Moran, that is.

The Norwood Builder

A revenge fantasy involves an old man faking his death so he can pin it on the son of the woman who rejected him many decades earlier. A little digging into the embers of a fire and the financial records of the “dead” man soon has Sherlock shouting fire in a crowded house.

The Dancing Men

A young woman from Chicago is near death, the victim of a gunshot. Her older husband is dead. The only clues are coded messages in the form of peculiar stick drawings that appear to be dancing left furtively on the man’s country estate. Holmes has broken the code, but can he prevent a vicious Chicago criminal from taking what he believes is rightly his?

The Solitary Cyclist

Why does a threatening figure with a beard keep interrupting Violet Smith ’s bicycle ride? Even stranger, why he back off when she turns around and starts biking directly toward him? Is he the devil’s messenger or a guardian angel?

The Priory School

The ten year old son of a very wealthy and influential man has suddenly disappeared from his exclusive prep school. The boy’s German teacher also disappears, but is quickly found dead. Was it the work of local Gypsies? Or perhaps someone much, much closer to the family?

The Black Peter

How often is a detective called upon to investigate death by harpoon and never even get the water, much less a boat? A distinctly unpleasant man is found dead with a harpoon sticking out of his body in a landlubber’s cabin. The trail of clues will eventually lead to a boat named the Sea Unicorn, but this sea drama is a dry as the tobacco pouch that is an essential clue.

Charles Augustus Milverton

The title character is the ultimate blackmailer and, what’s worse, believes that since his victims are themselves morally repugnant, standard conventions of morality do not apply to his criminal offenses against him. Holmes is so repulsed by Milverton that after watching the man murdered by one of his victims, he invokes his own moral philosophy by allowing her to get away with it.

The Six Napoleons

The titular emperors are actually just plaster busts and all signs point to their destruction being the work of a mentally disturbed immigrant. Holmes suspects the madness of the destruction is a cover for something far more rational and calculated. Needless to say, Holmes is correct.

The Three Students

In a plot somewhat reminiscent of “The Naval Treaty” a college instructor makes the mistake of leaving important papers briefly unattended. Holmes is called upon to determine which one of the title characters is cheater who took advantage of that opportunity afforded by the absent professor.

The Golden Pince-Nez

Another tale of avenging an old betrayal is combined with the collection’s second suspect who will spend much of the story in a secret hiding place where Holmes and Watson have interrogated suspects before.

The Adventure of the Missing Three-Quarter

Holmes is called in to investigate the disappearance of Godfrey Staunton. Holmes has been asked to locate many missing things in which the political stability of Europe has hung in the balance, but this time something truly monumental is dependent upon Holmes solving the case: Cambridge will almost certainly lose an important ruby match to Oxford is key player Staunton is not found before the game.

The Abbey Grange

Another dead husband. Another wounded wife. Another mysterious third party. But there is nothing like “The Dancing Men.” The husband was beast and the mystery man is not American thug, but one of the straightest arrows Holmes has ever come across.

The Second Stain

Speaking of finding lost items on which the balance of peace in Europe hangs, Holmes is tasked with locating a high sensitive state document misplaced by yet another careless young man. Of which there seem to be more in the employment of the British government that should be allowed. What’s worse: Holmes is also eventually tasked with leaning heavily on the young man’s own wife in order to produce the document. The explanation for the whereabouts of the document defy belief, but everybody is too grateful to have it back to care.

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The Return of Sherlock Holmes Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for The Return of Sherlock Holmes is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

What three things helped Holmes solve the case?

• pencil shavings

• a small triangle of black putty on the floor

• a scratch on a table.

when the story happend

The first story is set in 1894 and has Holmes returning in London and explaining the period from 1891–1894, a period called "The Great Hiatus" by experts on Holmes.

THE RETURN OF SHERLOCK HOLMES

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Study Guide for The Return of Sherlock Holmes

The Return of Sherlock Holmes study guide contains a biography of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

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Introduction


(1859-1930) in by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, which was published after what Holmes enthusiasts call the Great Hiatus. was published in 1905. In 1891, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was completely exasperated by the seemingly endless appetite of readers who welcomed each new Sherlock Holmes story with the greatest delight. He wrote to his mother confessing that he was “thinking of slaying Holmes... He takes my mind from better things.” His mother's famous reply, “You won't, you can't, you mustn't!” only echoed the voice of his readers. However, in 1893, Conan Doyle did the unthinkable; he finished off Holmes in the Reichenbach Falls in and thought he had done with the man for good. He hadn't reckoned with his readers. There was a flood of protest. Letters to the editors of newspapers, a stream of mail to his publishers and himself, all demanding that Holmes be kept alive. Finally, he gave in and was greeted with huge delight. Though came out in 1902, it was set in a time before Holmes' “death.” is a collection of 13 stories. Among them are , a tale of a reclusive old bachelor who suddenly vanishes, , a delightful puzzle involving a mysterious message that contains a series of stick figures, in which a lovely young governess is being stalked by a man on a bicycle, and many others. The last story, has Watson revealing that Holmes is now completely retired and would not like Watson to write any more stories about him! is indeed a delightful continuation of the Holmes saga and a great addition to your repertoire!

(1859-1930)

in by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, which was published after what Holmes enthusiasts call the Great Hiatus.

was published in 1905. In 1891, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was completely exasperated by the seemingly endless appetite of readers who welcomed each new Sherlock Holmes story with the greatest delight. He wrote to his mother confessing that he was “thinking of slaying Holmes... He takes my mind from better things.” His mother's famous reply, “You won't, you can't, you mustn't!” only echoed the voice of his readers. However, in 1893, Conan Doyle did the unthinkable; he finished off Holmes in the Reichenbach Falls in and thought he had done with the man for good.

He hadn't reckoned with his readers. There was a flood of protest. Letters to the editors of newspapers, a stream of mail to his publishers and himself, all demanding that Holmes be kept alive. Finally, he gave in and was greeted with huge delight. Though came out in 1902, it was set in a time before Holmes' “death.”

is a collection of 13 stories. Among them are , a tale of a reclusive old bachelor who suddenly vanishes, , a delightful puzzle involving a mysterious message that contains a series of stick figures, in which a lovely young governess is being stalked by a man on a bicycle, and many others. The last story, has Watson revealing that Holmes is now completely retired and would not like Watson to write any more stories about him!

is indeed a delightful continuation of the Holmes saga and a great addition to your repertoire!


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Reviews Stars - 19 reviews)

User - Narration Its good, its plesent to hear and easy to understand.
Elisangela -
Joshua Holzkamper - Narration I love the narration. It is fantastic. Thank you all.
Mary Griffith - Narration Narrators throughout are easy to understand and emphasize appropriately which makes stories exciting.
Mary Griffith - Love Holmes Book is well read. Plot is solid as Holmes never disappoints.
barjanbear -
Anonymous - Why a woman reading the book I couldn't get into this because a woman was reading the book it needs to be a man with an English accent
lexireader - Bgirl I wish we can read mattybraps' s books on here.From a phone.:'(
kayjay -
An - Love this Good as always!
sherlock_watson - amazing doing great..listening stories is really thriling & awesome xperience...keep it up...and keep going
The - reader Has Watson become an American female. .ditch this volume. .no genre credibility!
... - Adventures of Sherlock Holmes review I really like this, I'm up to the builder thingy. Wadevz. I skipped part 2'because... Sorry to dob, but... I really didn't like that reader. But, it's enjoyable.
Dave - Return of Sherlock Holmes The readers of most of these adventures do a very nice job. I enjoyed listening to this book!
Athith - Adeventures of Sherlock holmes Mark Smith's flow was good and the variation was marvelous.
Audrey - A few good readers, some awful ones The adventure of the golden pince-nez was well done, and abbey grange pretty good. Most were alright, if the wrong pronunciations for English names could be forgiven. The missing three quarter was far too quickly read, so much so that it was near impossible to follow some parts. Those that read without any regard for voice acting could at least have tried to adopt a less shrill and hurried tone.
Ivan - Variable quality Abbey Grange is very well read, but most are not so good.
Abul Qasim - Very well done!! I enjoyed listening to Zachary Geiss.
David Browne - The Adventures of Sherlock Homes What a great job has been done Smith, the narrator, simply marvelous.

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The Return of Sherlock Holmes (Collins Classics)

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The Return of Sherlock Holmes (Collins Classics) Paperback – September 12, 2013

HarperCollins is proud to present its incredible range of best-loved, essential classics.

Originally published in 1903–1904, The Return of Sherlock Holmes is the thirteen-story collection of one of the greatest-ever fictional detectives. Three years after the supposed death of Sherlock Holmes and his archenemy Professor Moriarty in the torrent of Reichenbach Falls, Holmes makes a disguised reappearance to Baker Street and his good friend Dr Watson.

Featuring one of Holmes’ greatest adversaries, Charles Augustus Milverton, as well as trademark astute logic, forensic science, murder, crytograms and magic, this collection retains all the hallmark brilliance of Arthur Conan Doyle’s best work.

Part of series Sherlock Holmes
Print length 384 pages
Language English
Publisher William Collins
Publication date September 12, 2013
Dimensions 4.37 x 0.94 x 7.01 inches
ISBN-10 9780007934423
ISBN-13 978-0007934423
See all details

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About the author.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859–1930) was a Scottish physician and writer. He is internationally renowned for his tales of the detective Sherlock Holmes, which have been turned into immensely popular films, comics, and TV series. Conan Doyle’s work included mystery, fantasy and science fiction, as well as poetry, stories, plays, novels, and non-fiction.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ 0007934424
Publisher ‏ : ‎ William Collins; First Edition (September 12, 2013)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 384 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9780007934423
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0007934423
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 7.4 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 4.37 x 0.94 x 7.01 inches
#22,932 in Traditional Detective Mysteries (Books)
#81,765 in Classic Literature & Fiction
#682,109 in Genre Literature & Fiction

About the author

Arthur conan doyle.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was born in Edinburgh in 1859 and died in 1930. Within those years was crowded a variety of activity and creative work that made him an international figure and inspired the French to give him the epithet 'the good giant'. He was the nephew of 'Dickie Doyle' the artist, and was educated at Stonyhurst, and later studied medicine at Edinburgh University, where the methods of diagnosis of one of the professors provided the idea for the methods of deduction used by Sherlock Holmes.

He set up as a doctor at Southsea and it was while waiting for patients that he began to write. His growing success as an author enabled him to give up his practice and turn his attention to other subjects. He was a passionate advocate of many causes, ranging from divorce law reform and the Channel Tunnel to the issuing of inflatable life-jackets to sailors. He also campaigned to prove the innocence of individuals, and his work on the Edjalji case was instrumental in the introduction of the Court of Criminal Appeal. He was a volunteer physician in the Boer War and later in life became a convert to spiritualism.

His greatest achievement was, of course, his creation of Sherlock Holmes, who soon attained international status and constantly distracted him from his other work; at one time Conan Doyle killed him but was obliged by public protest to restore him to life. And in his creation of Dr Watson, Holmes's companion in adventure and chronicler, Conan Doyle produced not only a perfect foil for Holmes but also one of the most famous narrators in fiction. Penguin publish all the books about the great detective, A Study in Scarlet, The Sign of Four, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, The Hound of the Baskervilles, The Return of Sherlock Holmes, The Valley of Fear, His Last Bow, The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes, The Uncollected Sherlock Holmes and The Penguin Complete Sherlock Holmes.

Photo by Walter Benington (RR Auction) [US Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.

Customer reviews

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Customers say

Customers find the readings enjoyable and recommend the 1987 edition. They also love every story and find the characters fascinating. Readers say the book is easy to read and the mysteries make it easy to follow.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Customers find the book fascinating, brilliant, and amusing. They also say it's a very nice collection of short stories after Holmes' return from his assumed demise.

"...The Return of Sherlock Holmes is an excellent 1987 edition by The Mysterious Press * New York...." Read more

"...with The Second Stain, these are a series of stories that are purely entertaining and enlightening. Any Holmes fan must read these stories...." Read more

"...I completely enjoyed these readings ...." Read more

"...Very nice illustrations as well. A very nice collection of short stories (cases), after Holmes' return from his assumed demise...." Read more

Customers find the story well written, classic, and fascinating to follow. They also say the plots are puzzlers and Sherlock is human.

"...It is fascinating to follow his logic which, when explained, is understandable, but to follow his logic in selecting the plot of the scheme is..." Read more

" CLASSIC mystery-- well written , plots are really puzzlers 😎 and Sherlock is a very human, likeable character!..." Read more

"...The stories do hold up after so many years." Read more

" Loved every story . Excellent read. Recommended highly. Hope to read again and again. A classic ending to the Sherlock Holmes mysteries." Read more

Customers find the characters in the book fascinating.

"...mystery-- well written, plots are really puzzlers 😎 and Sherlock is a very human , likeable character!..." Read more

"...So far, so good! Sir Doyle created a fascinating character and I cannot get enough! A most excellent read!!!" Read more

"Doyle wasn't the greatest writer of all time but Sherlock is iconic and always amusing." Read more

Customers find the book easy to read.

"Each chapter is a case that Sherlock Holmes solved which makes reading easy ...." Read more

"This is an accumulation of the stories. They are an easy read and somewhat short. Good to read in a pinch" Read more

" Great bedtime reads ..." Read more

Customers find the writing style wonderful and typical of Arthur Doyle.

"...books are beautifully bound, with a pristine hardcover, and superb writing on the cover ...." Read more

"...Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was such a wonderful writer ." Read more

" Typically good Arthur Doyal !" Read more

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COMMENTS

The Return of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle
Read 2,280 reviews from the world's largest community for readers. 'Holmes,' I cried. ... Needless to say, I thorougly enjoyed this book. The Return of Sherlock Holmes was first published as separate short stories in The Strand Magazine from 1903-1904. This volume follows right after Holmes' "death" in The Final Problem, published in 1893 ...
Book Review: The Return of Sherlock Holmes
This book by Arthur Conan Doyle is titled The Return of Sherlock Holmes because Holmes was thought to have died at the end of The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes.Doyle had wanted to end the Holmes series to concentrate on historical novels, but he published The Hound of the Baskervilles (set before Holmes' supposed death though published after) a few years later, and it was such a success that he ...
BOOK REVIEW: The Return of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle
This short story collection is the sixth book in the Sherlock Holmes canon, and - as the title suggests - it marks the return of the famous fictional detective after a hiatus. Doyle had tried to kill off the Holmes character so that he could work on other projects. At the end of "The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes," Doyle leads us to ...
The Return of Sherlock Holmes
I could have picked The Hound of the Baskervilles, which is brilliant. I could've picked anything Sherlock Holmes. But if someone said to me, 'You can only reread one Sherlock Holmes story' that first story in The Return would be the one for me. It's both a brilliant locked-room mystery and you have Holmes returning. It's great.".
The Return of Sherlock Holmes
The Return of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle has been reviewed by Focus on the Family's marriage and parenting magazine. ... Book reviews cover the content, themes and worldviews of fiction books, not their literary merit, and equip parents to decide whether a book is appropriate for their children. The inclusion of a book's review ...
The Return of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
The Return of Sherlock Holmes (Wordsworth Classics) by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is the final short-story collection penned by the inventor of the fictional sleuth. It includes the last 13 canonical limited-words tales featuring the adventures of Holmes and his colleague, Dr. John Watson. It was a treat to finally have finished this last compilation.
Book Review
The Return of Sherlock Holmes is a collection of short stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. As the title suggests, these short stories were released after Conan Doyle killed Holmes off in 'The Final Problem' (included in The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes).However, after a public outcry and pressure from fans and publishers Conan Doyle took up his pen again and went on to write many other ...
The Return of Sherlock Holmes
The book was first published in February 1905 by McClure, Phillips & Co. (New York). then on 7 March 1905 by Georges Newnes, Ltd. (London) [3] It was the first Holmes collection since 1893, when Holmes had "died" in "The Final Problem".Having published The Hound of the Baskervilles, set before Holmes's "death", in 1901-1902, Doyle had come under intense pressure to revive the character.
The Return of Sherlock Holmes
The one and only Sherlock Holmes is sensationally back from the dead, and devoting his life once more to examining the criminal complexities of the capital. Cases of mysterious codes, persecuted millionaires, stalkers, abductions and a meeting with 'the worst man in London' are all attacked with renewed vigour.
The Return of Sherlock Holmes / His Last Bow
Kindle $2.51. However keen he was to polish off Holmes, in The Final Problem Conan Doyle forgot to produce a body; so, with willing suspension of disbelief by all concerned, the detective returned. These two collections, 21 tales in all, include some of the stories that Doyle himself regarded as his best.
Sherlock: The Return of Sherlock Holmes
Penguin publish all the books about the great detective, A Study in Scarlet, The Sign of Four, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, The Hound of the Baskervilles, The Return of Sherlock Holmes, The Valley of Fear, His Last Bow, The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes, The Uncollected Sherlock Holmes and The Penguin ...
The Return of Sherlock Holmes
The Return of Sherlock Holmes. With an Introduction by John S. Whitley, University of Sussex. After Sherlock Holmes' apparently fatal encounter with the sinister Professor Moriarty at the Reichenbach Falls, the great detective reappears, to the delight of the faithful Dr Watson in The Adventures of the Empty House.
The Return of Sherlock Holmes (Reader's Digest)
The Return of Sherlock Holmes is an excellent 1987 edition by The Mysterious Press * New York. Its American illustrations are more "modern" and different from Paget's work, and is the only other edition to consider if you are looking for the best and most complete collection of Sherlock Holmes stories.
Sherlock Holmes Series by Arthur Conan Doyle
Sherlock Holmes Series. 9 primary works • 65 total works. Sherlock Holmes is a fictional consulting detective in London ~1880-1914 created by Scottish author and physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Holmes, master of disguise, reasoned logically to deduce clients' background from their first appearance. He used fingerprints, chemical analysis ...
The Return of Sherlock Holmes
The Return of Sherlock Holmes. In "The Final Problem," the tale that preceded this collection, the world's most famous detective had a seemingly fatal encounter with his nemesis, Professor Moriarty. When Sherlock Holmes's devoted fans refused to allow Arthur Conan Doyle to kill their beloved sleuth, the author complied with more stories.
The Return of Sherlock Holmes Study Guide: Analysis
The resurrection of Sherlock Holmes in "The Empty House" connects in a starkly defined line through his disguises and role-playing in " Charles Augustus Milverton " and his secretive undercover work on the Moors when Watson thought he was back in London throughout the bulk of " The Hound of the Baskervilles.".
The Return of Sherlock Holmes
Note: I am writing this review at the airport—and a day late, at that!—so I will be brief for once. 🙂. In this collection of tales, Sherlock Holmes returns to the reader in every way, wrapping up loose threads from "The Final Problem" and picking back up more or less where Doyle left off. The Return has him once again helping (plucky) damsels in distress, confronting the worst men ...
The Return of Sherlock Holmes Summary
An old book peddler shows up at his medical office one day, Dr. Watson turns away for a few seconds, and when turns back around there is his old friend. An empty house across the street from 221B on Baker Street appears to be the perfect spot from which Moriarty can gain revenge from his actual place in the grave.
The Return of Sherlock Holmes
The Return of Sherlock Holmes. A young gambler is found shot dead in a closed room. Dr. Watson, who still mourns the disappearance of his famous friend is intrigued enough to step out of his house and take a look at the crime scene. A crowd has gathered there, curiously gazing up at the room where the crime is supposed to have taken place.
The Return of Sherlock Holmes by Janet McAlpin
In 1891, the great detective, Sherlock Holmes, disappeared in Switzerland while working on a dangerous case. Everyone thought he was dead, but three years later he returned to England. Holmes and his friend, Dr Watson, had many more adventures together. Three of his most interesting cases feature in this book.
The Return of Sherlock Holmes (Oxford World's Classics)
Arthur Conan Doyle famously killed off Sherlock Holmes in 1893, in the short story 'The Final Problem', but was tempted to bring him back to life ten years later, in the thirteen tales that comprise The Return of Sherlock Holmes. While the outcry that supposedly followed Holmes' death was mostly apocryphal (the claim that readers wore black armbands in mourning has been frequently cited but ...
The Return of Sherlock Holmes (The ^AOxford Sherlock Holmes)
The Return of Sherlock Holmes is an excellent 1987 edition by The Mysterious Press * New York. Its American illustrations are more "modern" and different from Paget's work, and is the only other edition to consider if you are looking for the best and most complete collection of Sherlock Holmes stories.
The Return of Sherlock Holmes (Collins Classics)
The Return of Sherlock Holmes is an excellent 1987 edition by The Mysterious Press * New York. Its American illustrations are more "modern" and different from Paget's work, and is the only other edition to consider if you are looking for the best and most complete collection of Sherlock Holmes stories.

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