Sherlock Holmes: The Ultimate Collection

I suppose this is really a 4.5-star read for me - some of the individual stories are less than great. However, even the lesser stories benefit hugely from Stephen Fry's reading. It's just pure fun to listen to him recount the adventures of Holmes & Watson. (Even his slightly strained American accent is charming, and his depictions of Holmes and Watson are perfect.) Fry's knowledgeable and fond reflections preface each book, providing a nice peek behind the scenes without distracting from the stories.

The stories themselves are remarkably engrossing given their publication dates from 1892-1927. There are of course some cultural references (and sadly, cultural biases) that don't translate well to modern day, but on the whole, the narration provides an easy and natural immersion in Holmes's London, and triggers a keen desire to find out the solution to each mystery. It was delightful to find myself eager to get back to a 100-year-old story to find out what happens next.