Just Finished re-Reading: The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (FP: 1893) [261pp] 

As with my previous re-read (last read around 40-45 years ago!) this is a series of 11 short stories, and as before they run the gamut of crime, mysteries and puzzles with the Holmes and Watson duo at the centre of things. Being SO long since I first read these stories most of them appeared fresh although I did remember bits of several of them. Overall, I was certainly entertained although I didn’t think I was wowed as much as I’d been expecting. Some things did, however, stick out for me: 

‘The Gloria Scott’ was both an intriguing and fun read. It did rely on (again!) an exposition from one of the main players in the drama regarding past indiscretions and foreign climes – this time Australia – that ACD seems inordinately fond of. But it did give a taste of the exotic to things. The most interesting aspect to the whole thing though was the fact that it was Holmes’ first ‘case’ on behalf of a university friend and was instrumental in Holmes taking up the consulting detective mantle. Although he never said *which* University he attended I’m guessing from his use of “college” that he went to either Oxford or Cambridge. Although I’m not 100% sure I don’t know of other universities using a collegiate system at that time – although I could be wrong!  

We learnt a bit more about Sherlock’s habits in ‘The Musgrave Ritual’ where he is described as both being VERY untidy and an obsessive record keeper – after Watson complains their shared accommodation is becoming unliveable – and the fact that Holmes used an end wall for target practice with his pistol! I couldn’t help but wonder exactly how bullet-proof his wall was, what was on the other side and did any GAS pipes go through it – to say nothing of people innocently passing through the room not expecting to get shot! 

In ‘The Greek Interpreter’ we are finally introduced to Sherlock’s older (by 7 years) brother Mycroft who is equal to Holmes intellectually but far more sedentary and rather portly (so, not as portrayed in the last TV adaptation). We also learn that Holmes’ grandmother was French and the sister of a famous artist – although it's unclear which of three artists of that name he was referring to. That was certainly something new to me. 

The thing that struck me in ‘The Naval Treaty’ - apart from the shockingly inept handling of highly classified documents – was the fact that Holmes had at one-point, curried chicken for BREAKFAST. Now, I do like my curries.... but breakfast? I think not. It was clever how Holmes worked out what happened to the document though! 

Finally, in more ways than one, we have ‘The Final Problem’ where Holmes finally crosses paths with the Napoleon of Crime Professor Moriarty (who also has a brother). This was an interesting story on multiple levels and honestly quite breathless at times as Holmes races against Moriarty’s plans. This all comes to an end – or does it! - at the Reichenbach Falls. I thought that the introduction of a Moriarty type character was inevitable given Holmes’ status as a super-sleuth. The problem with any ‘super’ is that they need – eventually – to be pitted against someone almost as good as they are. Super-heroes need super-villain's and super-sleuths need super-criminals. Seemingly ACD had had enough of Holmes at this point and decided to write something else. Apparently, his numerous readers had other ideas (I’m not sure who much myth surrounds this) and the rather ambiguous ending in ‘Final’ allowed some wriggle room! But next in the tales of Sherlock Holmes is my favourite outing: ‘The Hound of the Baskervilles’. I wonder if I’m going to like it as much as I remember back in my teens/early 20’s? I guess we’ll see in a few months!