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Sherlock Holmes: The Definitive Collection  By  cover art

Sherlock Holmes: The Definitive Collection

By: Stephen Fry - introductions, Arthur Conan Doyle
Narrated by: Stephen Fry
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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
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

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.

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30 people found this helpful

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

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!

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22 people found this helpful

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

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.

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11 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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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.

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10 people found this helpful

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

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!

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9 people found this helpful

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

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.

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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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.

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4 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
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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

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Holmes & Fry can't go wrong

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

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3 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

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!

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