I actually surprised myself by reading all the way through the collected Sherlock Holmes stories. To begin with, I found the narratives stilted, unsure and formulaic and didn't expect to get too far. However, as Conan Doyle refined his characters and writing style, I was drawn in, and began trying to second guess the details.

As with all legendary characters, I believe that your introduction to the literature is key in shaping your perception of them. I had a vague recollection of reading one of the shorter stories when studying detective fiction at school and finding it thrilling and full of tension. Working my way through I eventually realised it was "The Adventure of the Speckled Band", and although I wasn't approaching it with the same sense of discovery, I think it's still one of the strongest of the works.

Overall I enjoyed them. I wanted some to continue and be drawn out more, whereas some I felt were quite obvious and underdeveloped. I liked that Conan Doyle's frustration is evident in his writing, and that later in his career he feels he can experiment around the formula more. I'd happily read the stories again in future, once I've forgotten the solutions! ( )