Written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
SUMMARY:
Initially published in 1892 in Britain and the U.S., this 321-page softcover edition was released by Penguin Books in the U.S. in 2009. This printing was meant to help stoke interest in Robert Downey Jr.’s big-screen film. The short story compilation consists of:
- A Scandal in Bohemia: Holmes is employed by a snooty European royal, now publicly engaged, to retrieve a potentially embarrassing photograph from an elusive ex-girlfriend. This story is Irene Adler’s sole appearance in Doyle’s Holmes canon.
- A Case of Identity: Mary Townsend’s fiancé mysteriously vanishes just minutes before their wedding, so she asks Holmes to find out what happened to him.
- The Red-Headed League: Aging, down-on-his-luck pawnbroker Jabez Wilson may be the pawn of an elaborate scam, as Holmes suspects.
- The Boscombe Valley Mystery: Holmes believes that, contrary to strong circumstantial evidence, young James McCarthy didn’t murder his belligerent father amidst a heated quarrel.
- The Five Orange Pips: Twice before, envelopes ominously containing five orange pips directed at client John Openshaw’s uncle and later his father may have signaled their imminent death warrants. When a third envelope arrives, will Holmes be too late to save his client in time?
- The Man With the Twisted Lip: A distraught wife/mother urges Holmes to find out what happened to her husband, who evidently vanished inside an opium den.
- The Blue Carbuncle: During the Christmas season, a stolen blue gem is unexpectedly found within a holiday goose. Holmes and Watson backtrack the sales history of the goose to the thief.
- The Speckled Band: Helen Stoner is terrified that she will meet the same ghastly fate of her twin sister only two years before once she is forced to move into the same bedroom.
- The Engineer’s Thumb: Holmes & Watson aid a victimized hydraulic engineer, whose thumb has been severed. They backtrack the truth behind the engineer’s ordeal.
- The Noble Bachelor: An American bride disappears shortly after her wedding to a British noble. Holmes has an alternate explanation compared to the grim theory held by Scotland Yard.
- The Beryl Coronet: An anguished banker seeks Holmes’ aid when an invaluable state treasure is damaged, as three of its priceless gems stolen. The only suspect is the banker’s own wayward son, who refuses to cooperate.
- The Cooper Beeches: Already wary of her peculiar new employers, governess Violet Hunter calls upon Holmes & Watson for help when she realizes that something truly sinister is afoot.
REVIEW:
To Penguin Books’ credit, this attractive softcover is perfect for casual fans, as its comfortable font size makes for a leisurely read. Narrated by Watson, this dozen mysteries remain a terrific introduction to English literature’s first super-detective. In particular, Doyle’s wording is remarkable in that it hardly seems dated to modern readers.
Yet, there are a few grammatical issues to be aware of. Aside from Doyle’s odd goof in The Man With the Twisted Lip where Watson’s own wife mistakenly refers to him as “James” instead of “John,” there will be some occasional pronoun trouble and confusing punctuation. Specifically, Doyle isn’t always specific enough as to who the pronoun “he” refers to during conversations between Holmes, Watson, and a male client. Also, lengthy client flashbacks can be confusing, as the pronoun “I,” isn’t always clear as to whether the client is still speaking, or if it refers to Watson as the story’s overall narrator. Lastly, Doyle tends to use exclamation points rather than question marks when a speaker excitedly asks questions.
As for the stories themselves, for the most part, they are indeed timeless. Yet, some contrived plot elements don’t age well. Whether it is the absurd personal motive for The Man With the Twisted Lip to stay behind bars (and even risk execution), weddings gone awry, unusual scams, or the tyrannical daddy buffoons seen in The Copper Beeches and The Speckled Band, some of Doyle’s ‘villains’ are merely glorified caricatures, often with a macabre twist. Invariably, as Holmes and Watson dominate the screen time, Doyle neglects to bolster depth in Holmes’ adversaries, as well as his clients, in these short tales.
Besides the amusing Blue Carbuncle and Red-Headed League, Doyle’s best efforts include the intriguing Scandal in Bohemia, as well as the terror-inducing double-header of The Speckled Band and The Five Orange Pips. Another solid excursion is The Boscombe Valley Mystery, as even its contrived elements implicating the prime suspect don’t sabotage an otherwise compelling tale. Similarly, parts of The Beryl Coronet’s solution (i.e. how the Coronet is actually broken) seem ridiculous, but the story itself is generally well-played.
It’s really no wonder that future mystery authors, such as Agatha Christie and Dorothy L. Sayers, were inspired by bits and pieces of Doyle’s creativity. Even his weaker stuff (i.e. A Case of Identity, The Noble Bachelor, The Man With the Twisted Lip, and an unsatisfying finish for The Engineer’s Thumb) boast a few great ideas that future sleuths, i.e. Christie’s Hercule Poirot, would satisfyingly improve upon. Swallowed with the necessary grains of salt, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes makes a first-class read anytime.
ADDITIONAL FEATURES:
Its table-of-contents is helpful. There’s also a two-paragraph biography of Doyle. Penguin Classics advertises brief synopses for The Hound of the Baskervilles; The Sign of Four; and A Study in Scarlet. A final advertisement refers to Doyle’s A Life in Letters re: a collection of the author’s private correspondence.
BRIAN’S 10-STAR RATING: 10 Stars
