Try free for 30 days

A 30-day trial plus your first audiobook free.
1 credit/month—to buy any title you like, yours to keep.
Listen all you want to a selection of thousands of Audible Originals, audiobooks and podcasts.
$16.45 a month after 30 day trial. Cancel anytime.
Sherlock Holmes: The Definitive Collection cover art

Sherlock Holmes: The Definitive Collection

By: Stephen Fry - introductions,Arthur Conan Doyle
Narrated by: Stephen Fry
Free with 30-day trial

$16.45/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $99.99

Buy Now for $99.99

Pay using voucher balance (if applicable) then card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions Of Use and Privacy Notice and authorise Audible to charge your designated credit card or another available credit card on file.

Publisher's Summary

Now updated to include Chapter Name Information, so you can easily find your favourite story or novel

Winner of Audible's 2017 Members' Choice Award 

"...it was reading the Sherlock Holmes stories as a boy that first turned me on to the power of writing and storytelling." (Stephen Fry) 

Ever since he made his first appearance in A Study In Scarlet, Sherlock Holmes has enthralled and delighted millions of fans throughout the world. Now Audible is proud to present Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes: The Definitive Collection, read by Stephen Fry. A lifelong fan of Doyle's detective fiction, Fry has narrated the complete works of Sherlock Holmes - four novels and five collections of short stories. And, exclusively for Audible, Stephen has written and narrated nine insightful, intimate and deeply personal introductions to each title. 

Stephen Fry is an English actor, screenwriter, author, playwright, journalist, comedian, television presenter, film director and all round national treasure. He is the acclaimed narrator of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter audiobooks and most recently recorded The Tales of Max Carrados for Audible Studios. Stephen has contributed columns and articles to newspapers and magazines, appears frequently on radio and has written four novels and three volumes of autobiography. 

Part 1
Chapter 1: Opening Credits and Introduction to A Study in Scarlet
Chapters 2-15: A Study in Scarlet
Chapter 16: Introduction to The Sign of Four
Chapters 17-21: The Sign of Four, Part 1
Part 2
Chapters 1-7: The Sign of Four, Part 2
Chapter 8: Introduction to The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
Chapters 9-21: The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, Part 1
Part 3
Chapter 1: The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, Part 2
Chapter 2: Introduction to The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes
Chapters 3-14: The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes
Chapter 15: Introduction to The Hound of the Baskervilles
Chapters 16-21: The Hound of the Baskervilles, Part 1
Part 4
Chapters 1-9: The Hound of the Baskervilles, Part 2
Chapter 10: Introduction to The Return of Sherlock Holmes
Chapters 11-21: The Return of Sherlock Holmes, Part 1
Part 5
Chapters 1-2: The Return of Sherlock Holmes, Part 2
Chapter 3: Introduction to The Valley of Fear
Chapters 4-18: The Valley of Fear
Chapter 19: Introduction to His Last Bow
Chapters 20-21: His Last Bow, Part 1
Part 6
Chapters 1-7: His Last Bow, Part 2
Chapter 8: Introduction to The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes
Chapters 9-20: The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes and Closing Credits

©2017 Stephen Fry (introductions); original text public domain (P)2017 Audible, Ltd

Critic Reviews

"The pairing of Fry and Holmes is a bit of a marriage made in heaven...." (New York Times)

"[Fry] gets into character with his habitual genius..." (The Times)


"Sherlock Holmes. Narrated by Stephen Fry. Need I say more? Honestly though, what a perfect way to get away from it all while you're cooking dinner, commuting, or tidying up this weekend." (Buzzfeed)


"If you're a fan of Sherlock Holmes, Stephen Fry, or the simple pleasure of the audiobook, today's your lucky day. Audible have unveiled a brand new reading of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's entire Sherlock Holmes catalogue, all performed by Fry's dulcet tones." (Evening Standard)

  
"If you've ever listened to the Harry Potter audiobooks, you'll know that Stephen Fry is responsible for the cosy and eternally reassuring voice that plays out during the recording of J.K Rowling's iconic books. Now, he's turned his talents to a brand new reading of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's entire Sherlock Holmes catalogue - and the thought of it has already got us clambering to pull up a comfy armchair in front of a roaring fire." (Metro)


"Having already narrated one of the world's best-selling book series in the form of Harry Potter, Stephen Fry has returned to the recording booth to take on another hugely popular series." (BBC)

"It doesn't get much more British than Stephen Fry talking about Sherlock." (Mashable)


"Sherlock Holmes is the unfading literary icon - as beloved and as relevant as he was over 120 years ago. To celebrate his currency, Audible has released Sherlock Holmes: The Definitive Collection; Arthur Conan Doyle's complete adventures of the famed detective, as narrated by lifelong fan Stephen Fry, including nine personal introductions exclusive to Audible." (The Independent)

What listeners say about Sherlock Holmes: The Definitive Collection

Average Customer Ratings
Overall
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    2,660
  • 4 Stars
    238
  • 3 Stars
    61
  • 2 Stars
    12
  • 1 Stars
    20
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    2,575
  • 4 Stars
    111
  • 3 Stars
    25
  • 2 Stars
    6
  • 1 Stars
    11
Story
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    2,354
  • 4 Stars
    272
  • 3 Stars
    55
  • 2 Stars
    8
  • 1 Stars
    12

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

I can't believe I've never read this before!

Of course I've heard of Sherlock Holmes and even caught a glimpse of his stories retold on film but I've never read the books. How wonderful to hear them for the first time read by Stephen Fry. I thoroughly enjoyed every second of this reading.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

39 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

New life in an old story

Would you consider the audio edition of Sherlock Holmes: The Definitive Collection to be better than the print version?

Yes having read the collection myself Stephens reading is outstanding adding so much colour to the characters

What other book might you compare Sherlock Holmes: The Definitive Collection to, and why?

difficult to compare with anything other than alternate readings of the Sherlock Holmes saga

What about Stephen Fry’s performance did you like?

Loved the introductions and Stephens reflections

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No to long for one sitting. Great to look forward to the next listening

Any additional comments?

Outstanding combination of first rate stories that have stood the test of time and superb and sympathetic reading.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

33 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

How can you sell this MESS!!

As others have complained chapters are not in order and some sttories are not finished! And audible is selling this CRAP for 80 dollars! You crazy? SHAME on you! Critics are all positive, it look like NOONE of them listen to this mess. Im very disapointed about this. narrator and story are perfect but that doesnt matter when chapters are not in order and some stories are unfinished.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

20 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Magic ...

Stephen Fry is a magical actor!! His performance captivating and never fails to keep you smiling. These fantastic 72 hours kept me engaged and excited for over 800kms of running and walking. Finishing the performance was like saying goodbye to a friend. Mr Fry has handed his great love for Sherlock onto myself and from me to my son. Thankyou.
The only problem with his performance is that it makes all others sound amateurish, monotone, and pretty boring... again thanks Mr Fry :-)
Yes do yourself a favour, use a credit, and get the best value performance on audible - even if you don't think Sherlock is your thing - its just elementary!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

17 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

"Come, Watson, come!" he cried. The game is afoot

Unfamiliar with the Holmes stories as written, this narration was an excellent introduction. With a 2 hour round trip each day, Holmes and Watson made the commute thoroughly enjoyable and after 70 hours together I am sad to see my friends go. I love Stephen Fry and distinguished between the characters with ease, however for people listening in shorter bursts or not familiar with Fry, they may have some difficulties distinguishing between different characters. Some of the initial stories were also a little confusing switching times and continents without introduction.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

14 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Just getting going and

It is awesome. Stephen Fry's narration is so good. So glad I can continue my Sherlockian experience with such entertaining voices. 😁

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

12 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

great stories but split strangely

I love all of these Sherlock Holmes stories. there is not perfect continuity but very entertaining.

However, the way Audible split them into chapters and books is so bizarre. Some stories were stopped mid sentence to change books, but could have been clearly split by the narrative portions provided by Stephen Fry (who was awesome)

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Absolute classic performance of classic works

What can I say? I am overwhelmed by the quality of these audio books. What an absolute pleasure to sit back and listen to the amazing Mr Stephen Fry performing these works - do yourself a favour and download this right now! You will enjoy every second!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent

The only drawback lies in the navigation, Instead of each file being labelled I’m resigned to checking the key to find out which is which. Possibly this is an audible app issue, but if not it needs addressing so as to assist in navigating the multitude of stories, chapters and books.

Fry’s performance, for want of a better word, is of course magnificent.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

"Excellent read guaranteed, just brilliant"

Loved the book. Stephen Fry really showcased the characters at the highest level. Very entertaining!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

5 people found this helpful

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Antanas Grincevicius
  • Antanas Grincevicius
  • 23-10-2017

Excellent production

Previously bought Charlton Griffiths production of Sherlock Holmes.
Bought this one as I would like to listen to Stephen Fry’s narration.

Did an excellent job of pronunciation, characterisation including excellent Australian, South African and German accents.
The female voices were believable and added to the story.
Particularly liked the tone and inflection of the narration which fit with the speech. Eg Sherlock chuckled resulted in the passage being read with a chuckle.

Things which could have been added that I enjoyed Charlton Griffiths production were certain sound effects. Eg the gunshots during the narration of the killing of the despicable blackmailer Augustus Milverton.

Other than that very minor point would highly recommend to anybody wanting to transport themselves to a different age as I found it highly immersive.

I now press play to hear it again.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

30 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for absRTP
  • absRTP
  • 03-07-2018

Best bang for credit!

Oh-my-god! Best purchase ever, 1 credit for 70+ hours of audio book! Stephan Fry is an amazing reader, he is a big fan of Sherlock Holmes and it shows!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

22 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Aud Jorunn Hakestad
  • Aud Jorunn Hakestad
  • 28-04-2017

Stephen Fry's mastery performance

The stories are magical. The performance is splendid. One of my best listening experiences ever. Fry's different voices gives life to the great detective and his partner in a way that you think you're in the opposite chair.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

11 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for SMB
  • SMB
  • 17-08-2017

Outstanding!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would recommend this to anyone without hesitation.

What about Stephen Fry’s performance did you like?

Stephen Fry is truly a treasure. His style and technique are simply perfect. He is clear and his tone is steady and consistent. His voice characterizations are realistic and do not, in any way, irritate me like so many other readers. Additionally, Mr. Fry provides commentary at the start of each section. His comments are humorous and intelligent. I can't think of anyone else of this calibre. It is so easy to see that this is truly a work of love for Mr. Fry.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

It is impossible to listen to 71 hours in one sitting!

Any additional comments?

I have read the original stories many times. I also have many variations of Sherlock Homes, either radio productions or voiced reading. By far and above, this is absolutely the finest collection and reading made. For anyone who wants a "definitive" version which will be their "go to" version, this is it. Hands down. I will be listening to this collection for many years.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

10 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Aaron Upward
  • Aaron Upward
  • 19-04-2017

WOW

I could listen to Stephen Fry all day, and I did, for multiple days, weeks even. This is a truely massive collection of stories and well worth the money!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Joanne
  • Joanne
  • 04-06-2017

technical issues

What disappointed you about Sherlock Holmes: The Definitive Collection?

After Chapter 40, it is impossible to choose any of the next 60 or so chapters at random. The default selection is chapter 40. Don't try rewinding either after Chapter 40. Love Stephen Frye. Hate the quality of the audiobook. I want my money back.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for DFK
  • DFK
  • 09-09-2019

A gem to take in doses

Just shy of 72 hours, this is not a “book” (it is a collection of books) to listen to continuously. Sherlock Holmes stories can become a bit boilerplate, so it is good to listen to some, and then it it aside for a while, though many times when you think you figured it out, you missed something. But every one is delightful in itself, and I recommend that you definitely add this to your library, and then listen to a few stories at a time, especially when you need a break from whatever might be getting you down. You couldn’t get a better deal (and I think I got it on some sale), penny per amount of pleasurable listening. Stephen Fry is magical. In the introduction he tells us that he is a big fan, and you can hear the enchantment in his superlative rendition. (Even his American accent is not bad!) I felt truly privileged to listen to him read to me.
I would not be responsible, though, if I did not express my usual dismay at the bits of racism and anti-Semitic tropes found here and there in these stories. It is no surprise - it is pretty standard for literature of the time, but I squirmed when a particular thug, who happened to be black (why am I told this at all? Why the dialect?) was described as a savage, or his hair as wooly. We read of a “Jew peddler” and other such tropes, and, in the very last story, The Case of Shoscombe Old Place, we repeatedly hear about “the Jews”, when the intent is creditors. In fact, Sir Robert - a bad guy in deep debt - says that his “chief creditor” is Sam Brewer, which doesn’t sound like a Jewish name at all. But even if he is Jewish, Sir Robert is not “in the hands of the Jews”. He owes a lot of money to Sam Brewer. Like much other literature that is otherwise worthy, my own approach is that we should call it out, we should express our discomfort and hopes that it is history and that readers today recognize these attitudes for the bigotry that they were, but we can still enjoy the books. In the case of this collection, these are definitely minor warts (unlike, for example, Shylock or Fagin). There are essays and articles that address Arthur Conan Doyle’s attitudes to people who were not white and to Jews - they are worth looking at to put a historical context on this problem.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Andy
  • Andy
  • 25-10-2018

For a sherlock holmes fan , just the best

Stefen Fry is a great interpreter for audio books and this collection contains all of the original stories,

just loved it

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Esbern Holmes
  • Esbern Holmes
  • 13-10-2018

Holmes & Fry can't go wrong

although the Holmes stories are not all world class 90 % are and Fry is always 100 %

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for jbb_librolistener
  • jbb_librolistener
  • 26-06-2020

A narrator to fit the story.

The immortality of the stories about the adventures of Sherlock Holmes and John Watson speaks for themselves.
What makes this collection special is the narration of Stephen Fry. He makes the characters come to life and gives them personality with his splendid performance. A truly extraordinaire storyteller.
His forewords too are filled with passion for the Sherlock-saga, personal anecdotes and information about the author, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
I can only recommend this!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for PJM
  • PJM
  • 10-03-2017

Brilliant audio book, shame about the navigation.

Sherlock Holmes has deserved an audiobook of this standard for a long time. Fry's narration is superb, his skills as an actor giving depth to all of the different characters that crop up in Conan Doyle's work. It's just such a shame that Audible don't seem to be able to divide the various books and parts that make up this epic book in a sensible way. The first part, consisting of 21 chapters, contains all of A Study in Scarlet, but only half of The Sign of Four. Why not just bundle both books into the first part, or have them in their own separate parts? It makes navigation very confusing, and the lack of a viewable guide in the audible app makes navigation extremely annoying. To find a favourite story, you either have to adopt a tiring method of trial and error, or look up the chapter divisions on the website. It's a shame that something so avoidable has let down what will become the definitive narration of Conan Doyle's masterpiece.

Update: Audible have created and sent out a brilliant chapter guide to accompany this audition, so it is now much easier to navigate. Thank you audible.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

690 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Kindle Customer
  • Kindle Customer
  • 06-03-2017

Location Location Location....

Love Stephen Frys narration
Loved the books for 50 years
Very good marketing by Audible, I bought it immediately and listened to Mr Frys introductions. He rightly points out that you can start anywhere but this isn't quite the case with the audiobook version. Whilst there is a chapter list on the website and on each download part the chapter numbers restart with each volume so the chapter numbers don't correlate. Also chapter numbers don't assist in finding a particular or favourite story. This is a terrible weakness for any compilation so I'd request audible to give it some thought and come up with a PDF file at leat to assist in. Avocation

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

418 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Mr
  • Mr
  • 08-03-2017

Navigation Navigation Navigation...

What disappointed you about Sherlock Holmes: The Definitive Collection?

This is an amazing work with a great performance from Stephen Fry - HOWEVER... The chapter navigation is impossible to use - try scanning through 71+hours of audio to find the beginning of the short stories....

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

212 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for sophiesticate
  • sophiesticate
  • 29-03-2017

Dreadful organization of stories

Is there anything you would change about this book?

There is no way to see the order of the books, no chapter headings, no named books...it seems to be a start at the beginning and go all the way through..The book is divided into 9 parts, fair enough...it's a lot to download at one time, but the order is impossible to follow...for example Section 3, Chapter 3 was Silver Blaze Chapter 13 is the adventure of the Naval Treaty Chapter 19 is called Chapter 4 of Hound of the Baskervilles Chapter 7 of Hound of the baskervilles is the first part of section 4....and so it goes on

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

173 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for R. M. O'Shea
  • R. M. O'Shea
  • 05-03-2017

Navigation

The design for navigating many chapters and for bookmarking needs revision, it is difficult to know where Titles as opposed to chapters begin, this becomes significant in large works encompassing multiple books

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

153 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Colin S
  • Colin S
  • 07-03-2017

Layout is an issue

Any additional comments?

This would have been an undoubtable 5-star review. Sherlock Holmes read by Stephen Fry - of course - 5 star! However it is very difficult to navigate to individual books let alone stories and practically impossible on Alexa.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

152 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Mr. N. J. Murphy
  • Mr. N. J. Murphy
  • 22-03-2017

NAVIGARTION, NAVIGATION, NAVIGATION, TERRIBLE

Any additional comments?

Excellent stories, brilliantly read. HOWEVER YOU CANNOT FIND YOUR WAY ROUND OVER 70 HOURS OF RECORDING. AUDIBLE YOU MUST SORT THIS. The whole production is RUINED by poor navigation because it is IMPOSSIBLE to find any particular book or short story unless you search the whole 70 hours of recording.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

150 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Kindle Customer
  • Kindle Customer
  • 02-01-2018

Irritating beyond belief

I love this collection of stories. But the badly curated and non titled chapters makes it so irritating to listen to. Sort it out Audible...

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

123 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Steve Hunt
  • Steve Hunt
  • 05-03-2017

Over 70 hours of pure brilliance.

Would you consider the audio edition of Sherlock Holmes: The Definitive Collection to be better than the print version?

100%. Stephen Fry brings such love to the writings.

What other book might you compare Sherlock Holmes: The Definitive Collection to, and why?

No other

Which character – as performed by Stephen Fry – was your favourite?

The works. You cannot pick a winner here.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes.

Any additional comments?

If you are reading this you are already interested in the writings of SACD. Let me tell you now, when you listen to this you will be truly blown away. The story telling genius of Mr Fry excels anything you have heard before and he raises the bar very high, very high indeed.I too like Stephen Fry enjoyed reading the stories as a child, but this performance blew me away! Let me explain. I am a 47 year old who listens to audio books whilst travelling the length and breadth of the UK with my job whilst driving. This reading was paused after the first 5 minutes of the introduction because I wanted to indulge on every word. From the opening gambit the listener is drawn into Victorian London, you can almost taste the vile stench of poverty and feel almost embarrassed about sitting in the opulence of 221b Baker Street watching the unraveling of peoples lives. John Watson takes you through the memoirs of the worlds greatest "consulting" detective with such realism, the performance is immense. I won't write anymore as I do not wish to be branded a reviewer for Amazon. Just take my word for it, if you are a fan, or even a passing visitor to the world of Sherlock Holmes, just buy it.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

98 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Vicuña
  • Vicuña
  • 01-03-2017

Surely the definitive narration..?

Would you listen to Sherlock Holmes: The Definitive Collection again? Why?

Without a doubt. I've read the books and have another audio version of the oeuvre, but Stephen Fry's narration is superb.

What does Stephen Fry bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

His voice has the right timbre; it's mellifluous and just wonderful to listen to. He's added a new dimension to stories I'm familiar with and can now hear with a different voice to the one that comes through whilst reading.

Any additional comments?

As a child in the 1950's, Doyle was one of my favourite authors. I loved his books which took me into different worlds. I was transfixed by Holmes who could deduce from seemingly little. He taught me the value of quiet observation and deduction. But aside from that, these are belting good stories which stand the test of time. This edition, narrated by Fry is, to my mind, definitive. I'm only part way through, but absolutely engrossed and I'll listen to these stories again. Outstanding value.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

67 people found this helpful