A review by halberdbooks
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle

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

4.0

One reason for me rereading the entire Sherlock Holmes series before the end of the year is do that I would have an excuse to read this beautiful Penguin Clothbound. I am counting it as a new book on my list, because it has additional essays and thorough annotations. These notes would get in the way of a first readthrough, but they add tremendous depth to a second. About two third of the notes provide valuable background and context that I lacked the first time, and one third of the notes are pointing out all of the times Doyle just pulled stuff out of his ass. These stories are full of inaccuracies and contradictions, and yet they still stand up as some of the best short-form mysteries of all time. What a true delight.