When I started thinking of writing this post, I didn’t even suspect that there might be different ways of reading Sherlock Holmes stories. Naturally, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was rather prolific, in spite of his developed frustration with the character that brought him fame, but it never occured to me that somebody could read the stores not in the publicated order - because it was the way I read them as a child.

I don’t remember how I was introduced to Sherlock Holmes stories. They seem, just like The Three Musketeers (although with that book I do remember the first time I read it), to always have been in my life. I think that it might have been my grandfather who introduced me to Sherlock Holmes. Or perhaps, I watched the tv show first. I honestly can not recall.

However, I do remember always reading the stories by starting with A Study in Scarlet.

Here is the list of all stories in chronological order by the publication date (taken from Baker Street Wiki):

1887: A Study in Scarlet
1890: The Sign of the Four
July 1891 to December 1892: Stories that would make up The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes published in The Strand magazine
December 1892 to November 1893: Stories that would make up The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes published in The Strand
1901-2 (serial): The Hound of the Baskervilles
October 1903 to January 1905: Stories that would make up The Return of Sherlock Holmes published in The Strand
1908–1913, 1917: Stories that would make up His Last Bow (short stories) published.
1914-15: The Valley of Fear
1921–1927: Stories that would become The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes published.

After looking into some forums and discussions and thinking about it, I was surprised to see that many people suggest skipping A Study in Scarlet, as it is the first story written by Doyle and therefore not as polished and a bit too long, and just dive into The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and then The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes.

Well, personally, I would not skip A Study in Scarlet, no matter how boring it is, as it introduces the main characters to us and just like the first episode of many Sherlock Holmes adaptations - you don’t want to miss that.

So, in honour of January being a Sherlock Holmes reading month and the read-a-long #SHReads18, I decided to introduce you to my favourite reading order of all Sherlock Holmes stories. I am participating in this January event, however, I have a bigger goal in mind. One of my reading challenges for 2018 is to re-read all of Sherlock Holmes stories and for that I am listening to them as audiobooks - the complete collection of stories read by Stephen Fry (one of my most favourite narrators)! The complete collection is an exclusive production by Audible and was released last year.

As I am writing this, I have already listened to A Study in Scarlet and started on The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Follow me on GoodReads, if you want to follow me on my epic re-read :)

There is no right or wrong way to read the stories - besides Doyle himself sometimes messed up facts and dates. However, The Final Problem and The Empty House have to be read together as they are tied in plot. Save The Hound of the Baskervilles for the last, as it is pretty good.

Here is my reading order, in which I will be doing this:

I. A Study in Scarlet (novel, 1887)

II. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

The Red-headed League, 1891
A Case of Identity, 1891
The Boscombe Valley Mystery, 1891
The Five Orange Pips, 1891
The Man with the Twisted Lip, 1891
The Blue Carbuncle, 1892
The Speckled Band, 1892
The Engineer's Thumb, 1892
The Noble Bachelor, 1892
The Beryl Coronet, 1892
The Copper Beeches, 1892
A Scandal in Bohemia, 1891 (I plan to read this story the last in the book)

III. The Sign of the Four (novel, 1890)

IV. The Valley of Fear (novel, 1914-15)

(or read this novel between the stories from The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, but before The Final Problem)

V. The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes

Silver Blaze, 1892
The Yellow Face, 1893
The Stock-broker's Clerk, 1893
The 'Gloria Scott', 1893
The Musgrave Ritual, 1893
The Reigate Squires, 1893
The Crooked Man, 1893
The Resident Patient, 1893
The Greek Interpreter, 1893
The Naval Treaty, 1893
The Final Problem, 1893

VI. The Return of Sherlock Holmes

The Empty House, 1903
The Norwood Builder, 1903
The Dancing Men, 1903
The Solitary Cyclist, 1903
The Priory School, 1904
Black Peter, 1904
Charles Augustus Milverton, 1904
The Six Napoleons, 1904
The Three Students, 1904
The Golden Pince-Nez, 1904
The Missing Three-Quarter, 1904
The Abbey Grange, 1904
The Second Stain, 1904

VII. The Hound of the Baskervilles (novel, 1901-02)

VIII. The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes

The Illustrious Client, 1924
The Blanched Soldier, 1926
The Mazarin Stone, 1921
The Three Gables, 1926
The Sussex Vampire, 1924
The Three Garridebs, 1924
Thor Bridge, 1922
The Creeping Man, 1923
The Lion's Mane, 1926
The Veiled Lodger, 1927
Shoscombe Old Place, 1927
The Retired Colourman, 1926

IX. His Last Bow

Wisteria Lodge, 1908
The Cardboard Box, 1893
The Red Circle, 1911
The Bruce-Partington Plans, 1908
The Dying Detective, 1913
Lady Frances Carfax, 1911
The Devil's Foot, 1910
His Last Bow, 1917

It is not, by any means, a strict reading order. I might mix things as I go, but if you are new to Sherlock Holmes stories or haven’t had a chance to read them all - I hope you find my little guide handy.

#SHReads18 - In Which Order to Read Sherlock Holmes Stories?