12/9/10 - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - Sherlock Holmes The Complete Novels

Only 4 Holmes novels - but there are some short stories I have never read. The first "A Study in Scarlet" introduces Watson ad Holmes - to us and each other - along with their shared apartment 221B Baker St. Half however was a tedius American back-story - I just wanted to get back to Holmes. "The Sign of Four" was more fun - with the body in the locked room - how did they do it? Also had a bizaar boat chase along the Thames - felt like a 19th Century car chase. Third was my favorite - "Hound of the Baskervilles" - which I remembered reading when I had hair - so I worked out who-done-it even before Holmes I like to think. Some suspense and the big old desolate manor house in the moors. I had always thought it was Yorkshire - but turns out it was Devon. Starts off with the lovely debate between Watson and Holmes on who owned the walking stick. He is such a smart cookie that Holmes and Watson is just not up there. Finally I have just finished "The Valley of Fear". By now I was just wanting to finish the collection - bit over Holmes right now - but wouldn't mind watching another Holmes movie. Again this one had a long back story in America - filling in the whys and wherefores once Holmes had worked it all out. Was certainly more fun than the first though. But although the back-story was a little more interesting with a few twists and turns - the best part of the book was Holmes' deductions and just being 2 steps ahead of Watson and Scotland Yard.