Recently, I’ve borrowed my Dad’s copy of The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes. I came across a story in it called The Adventure of the Yellow Face (link contains spoilers) It’s now my favorite…anybody else read this one? Which Holmes story is your favorite? (My other one is the Empty House)
The Red-Headed League.
What made you choose The Yellow Face, out of curiosity? It’s usually seen as a bit of an embarrassment nowadays.
"Silver Blaze, "if I were forced to choose only one.
The Empty House is by far my favorite. The Three Garridebs is second. I like both of them because of the relationship between Holmes and Watson. For the story itself, I like The Man with the Twisted Lip. And for pure creepiness, The Musgrave Ritual.
My vote is for The Speckled Band, though the instrument and method of murder seem completely ridiculous to me.
I wasn’t a huge fan of “The Yellow Face,” but I recently read most of the Holmes stories for the first time and was intrigued at Doyle’s take on various aspects of U.S. history. One thing too, as an American, I’m used to hearing about the U.S. as a place where people ran to in order to escape their past and start a new life. There are several Holmes stories where that theme is reversed–Americans running from their past and attempting to start a new life in England. “The Yellow Face” has this theme, as does “The Five Orange Pips” and “The Adventure of the Dancing Men.” Even the first Holmes novel, A Study in Scarlet, uses this motif.
Honestly, I first of all find it rather unique. Holmes drew a totally false Conclusion from the facts of the case, as they were presented to him. Secondly, the combination of the twist ending, coupled with the fact that it is a happy one (can’t help it, I’m a softie) made it really stick out to me. It seems so dated now, but was pretty radical for it’s time. Plus also the fact that it’s not one you hear about much. I had never heard of it.
BTW, I’m just getting ready to watch the Red Headed League!
Interesting observation–I’d never thought about that, but you’re right.
I’m not a serious enough Holmesian to have a favorite story, despite having read the whole canon at least twice now. I’ve tended to keep my poorly copy-edited B&N leather-bound complete Holmes at bedside for when I can’t figure out anything else to read; I open it randomly and read whatever I fall on, unless it’s one that I know is a bit of a clunker. So my favorite tends to be whatever I’ve read last–currently, I think, the Six Napoleons. I’m also fond of… whatever one it is that he gets the critical deduction from the cigarettes that the villain smokes.
Don’t know the exact titles, but my top three:
The Problem of Thor Bridge
The Musgrave Ritual
The Mystery of the Second Stain
The Yellow Face is definitely unique. Holmes is dead wrong in his conclusions…and the ending is tear-renderingly happy. The last line is great among Holmes’ classic lines:
“Watson, if it should ever strike you that I am getting a little overconfident in my powers, or giving less pains to a case than it deserves, kindly whisper ‘Norbury’ in my ear, and I shall be infinitely obliged to you.”
My favorite of the mysteries is the framing story of “The Valley of Fear.” The story-within-the-story, about Vermissa Valley and the Scowrers, is good – although plagiarized! – but the mystery of John Douglas of Birlstone Manor is brilliant, far and away one of Watson’s best.
(er, I mean, of course, Conan Doyle’s. ahem.)
I’d agree that the Red-head League is the best one upon initial reading. I had no idea what the deal was.
Interesting that both “The Three Garridebs” and “The Red-Headed League” got mentioned (the former story largely recycles the plot of the latter - elderly man is lured out of his house by a crook under the illusion that he’s going to make lots of money).
For short stories, “Silver Blaze” and “The Adventure of the Norwood Builder” are classics. If you include novel-length stories, “The Hound of the Baskervilles” is in my opinion the greatest of them all.
ITA on The Yellow Face–for the unusual resolution that many have mentioned, and for its Crowning Moment of Heartwarming ending. (Adopting a dark-skinned child as his own was a BIG DEAL for an upper-class Victorian gentleman. And I love the line, “I’m not a very good man, Effie, but I think I’m a better man than you’ve given me credit for.”)
BTW, how do you think Holmes would have reacted if Watson had taken him up on that offer? 
The Speckled Band is a given. I also love the ones with unusual reveals–A Case Of Identity and The Man With The Twisted Lip. (The latter, BTW, is the infamous one where Watson’s wife calls him “James”.) The Cardboard Box is gripping, The Dying Detective is marvelous, and I love The Blue Carbuncle for the holiday atmosphere.
I like the various moments in the novels and stories where Holmes shows his thoughtful, compassionate side and his robust sense of humor…which occur far more often than those who subscribe to the “tortured, misanthropic genius” exaggeration would believe. Like the moment in The Solitary Cyclist where he teases the young girl, “Oh, Cyril is his name” when she inadvertently reveals she’s engaged. Or the moment in A Case Of Identity where he’s about to beat the living crap out of someone who’s wronged a young woman.
It’s for this reason that I rather like The Veiled Lodger, one that doesn’t get much love from fans since Holmes really doesn’t do anything but listen to a disfigured woman’s story. But I like it for the compassionate picture it paints of Holmes…he shows sympathy and sorrow for the woman’s plight, and (successfully) counsels her against suicide.
And I agree that The Valley of Fear is an underrated gem. I’ve always thought that this would make a terrific movie if they Godfathered it up and alternated the scenes set in the past with the present-day mystery.
A Study in Emerald.
Oh wait, that’s not exactly a Sherlock Holmes story…
The Sign of Four
The Speckled Band
The Musgrave Ritual
The Solitary Cyclist
Hermione, yeah. that was the line for me too where the room got all ahem dusty.
I will have to check some of these out… espically the “hidden gems” thanks, all!
He seems to have some protective feelings about girls named Violet–the heroine of “The Solitary Cyclist,” and also Violet Hunter in “The Copper Beeches” (a favorite of mine I don’t think has been mentioned yet). When she accepts the job with the peculiar family at the Copper Beeches, he grumbles that he wouldn’t want a sister of his out there.
I assume you’re referring to “The Blue Carbuncle”?
lol No. I meant in the figurative sense. Though I will probably read it.
I read a bunch of Holmes in middle school, and absolutely none of it stuck.
I’m going with “The Hounds of Baskerville” from Sherlock, because while it seems a little lackluster upon first viewing, it brilliantly sets up almost everything that happens in the next episode.
Bit surprised with all of the love for Valley of Fear–that’s one that’s always been on my “clunkers” list.