The Return of Sherlock Holmes (Sherlock Holmes #6) by Arthur Conan Doyle - 13 classic mystery collection / Books Teacup and Reviews

The Return of Sherlock Holmes, 13 classic mystery collection, covers cases from 1894 to 1901 and gives us everything from riddles to revenge to near-rescue missions.

The Return of Sherlock Holmes

The Return of Sherlock Holmes (Sherlock Holmes #6) by Arthur Conan Doyle

Publication Date : January 1, 1905

Read Date : April 1, 2025

Genre : Classic / Mystery

Pages : 394

Source : Own

Previous Books I Read In Series –

A Study in Scarlet (Book 1)
The Sign of Four (Book 2)
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (Book 3)
The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes (Book 4)
The Hound of the Baskervilles (Book 5)

Synopsis

Three years have passed since Sherlock Holmes and his nemesis Moriarty vanished into the abyss of the Reichenbach falls. In that time the criminals of London have been able to sleep safe in their beds. But with the appearance of a dangerous individual with an air gun, the capital has never been in greater need of its protector.

And so it is that Dr Watson meets a mysterious deformed man who reveals the truth behind the fateful final conflict between Holmes and Moriarty, and paves the way for the extraordinary return of the world’s greatest sleuth in thirteen new tales of mystery and deduction …

Review

I don’t know what I expected, but not a condensed follow-up to The Return of Sherlock Holmes. This is another collection of stories with first story set in 1894 that highlights Sherlock’s dramatic reappearance after his encounter with Moriarty that lead world believe he was dead. All the stories takes place after the return of Sherlock Holmes.

The Adventure of the Empty House – Ronald Adair is murdered in his locked room, with no enemies and no shady habits—except gambling, which he approached like a cautious accountant. Watson, still reeling from Sherlock’s “death,” tries his hand at detective work, only to be stunned when Holmes returns—of course, right in the middle of the case. The explanation of Sherlock’s survival and his methodical trap for Moriarty’s last man is solid, but the story wraps up a little too fast for my taste. Still, classic Holmes-Watson duo never fails.

The Adventure of The Norwood Builder – A slimy villain with a seemingly perfect plan for revenge and money. He fools everyone but Sherlock, naturally. I didn’t guess a single thing, and it really did look bad for the innocent client. It had a satisfying unraveling.

The Adventure of The Dancing Men – This one was awesome. I’ve seen that cipher before but didn’t know Conan Doyle invented it. The dancing stick figures bring a dark, foreboding tone, and even Sherlock takes a little too long to solve it. It was a gripping tale of a wife’s secret past, a persistent stalker, and a tragic ending.

The Adventure of The Solitary Cyclist – This looked simple at first: rich uncle, creepy men, secret inheritance. But who was the mysterious cyclist and what was the music teacher gig really about? Turns out, it’s far more sinister than it seems, and Sherlock arrives just in time.

The Adventure of The Priory School – A missing child, an absent professor, and a trail that leads to jealousy, murder, and class deception. Loved this one. Sherlock’s on-point from the start.

The Adventure of Black Peter – A brutish sea captain ends up dead and no one mourns him. A week later, the police bring it to Sherlock after hitting a dead end. Sherlock’s deduction brings the case to a satisfying conclusion.

The Adventure of Charles Augustus Milverton – Milverton is human garbage. A rich scumbag who blackmails women with compromising secrets. Even Sherlock can’t play it straight here—he and Watson go full vigilante. It’s rare to see them cross the legal line, and I thoroughly enjoyed the whole story and also what happened to Milverton.

The Adventure of The Six Napoleons – A weirdo smashing busts of Napoleon turns deadly. What starts as property damage becomes a murder mystery. The twist is clever and Sherlock’s reasoning is sharp as ever.

The Adventure of The Three Students –interesting case of stealing exam papers or rather copying it. Sherlock wasn’t ready to take the case from the professor at first but narrative was enough to rouse his interest and they narrowed down to 3 students. What I liked most in this is there was no harm done to any character here that never happened in any other cases.

The Adventure of The Golden Pince-Nez – A murder with no clear motive and barely any evidence. Sherlock pieces it all together from minuscule clues, unmasking not just the killer but their motive, however I didn’t anticipate the tragic end.

The Adventure of The Missing Three-Quarter – A sportsman vanishes before a big match. Ransom? Nope. The real reason is much more tender and unexpected. Quietly satisfying.

The Adventure of The Abbey Grange – This one was genius. The crime scene screams domestic horror, and Sherlock almost buys the lie. But once the truth is out, the twist is brilliant—and Sherlock’s choice at the end is admirable.

The Adventure of The Second Stain – A political thriller with a missing diplomatic document and potential for international disaster. Throw in a murder and a few buried secrets, and you’ve got a delicious scandal. Again, Sherlock’s moral compass shines in the end.

Overall The Return of Sherlock Holmes, 13 Classic Mystery Collection, covers cases from 1894 to 1901 and gives us everything from riddles to revenge to near-rescue missions. I liked how each story subtly revealed more of Holmes’ quirks—his distaste for certain types of people, his odd methods, and above all, his bond with Watson and unwavering love for crime. My personal favorites: The Empty House, Priory School, Black Peter, Charles Augustus Milverton, The Abbey Grange, and The Second Stain.