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Sherlock Holmes: His Last Bow: A Complete & Unabridged Reading by Derek Jacobi by Arthur Conan Doyle

1 review

chalkletters's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.5

I keep thinking I've reached the end of the Sherlock Holmes series, only to discover there's more books still to come. In the case of His Last Bow, that feels forgivable; both the title and the final story feel like the intended end of the series. I don't own a copy of The Case-book of Sherlock Holmes, so it might be a while before I find out exactly how that fits into the chronology, but I'm pretty sure I've heard at least some of the stories before, so His Last Bow will always been the last book that was new to me.

His Last Bow takes some time to get going. The first three stories (The Adventure of Wisteria Lodge, The Adventure of the Cardboard Box and The Adventure of the Red Circle) aren't particularly memorable. Things pick up with The Adventure of the Bruce-Partington Plans (which Sherlock viewers will recognise as the basis for The Great Game) which, despite being a story of naval plans, poses an interesting mystery. 

The second half of His Last Bow is definitely the stronger, and feels themed around the winding up of Sherlock Holmes' career. Both The Adventure of the Dying Detective and The Adventure of the Devil's Foot serve to place a neat cap on the Holmes-Watson relationship, showing how much both men care about their friendship. Admittedly, this is somewhat undermined by Holmes' irritation with Watson in The Disappearance of Lady Frances Carfax, but at least that story has an interesting solution which somewhat makes up for the sting. Finally, in His Last Bow (the story), Arthur Conan Doyle offers a glimpse into the future, bringing Holmes and Watson back together for one final case.

Overall, while His Last Bow has few stories that stand out individually, the overall impression is cohesive in a way that feels appropriate. 
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