(Borrowed from the Jackson Heights Library) Finished off the short stories collected in The Complete Sherlock Homes, Vol. I, a 1000-plus page paper back. Doyle was forced to revive Holmes after a public outcry in reaction to his supposed death over the falls with Prof. Moriarty. Holmes and Watson are reunited at Baker Street. It appears Watson is now a widower since they are rooming together once again. Doyle attempts to finish off Holmes once and for all by retiring him to Sussex to take up beekeeping. (It didn't take, he came back again--in movies, TV and radio as well as more stories.) We have another round of puzzling mysteries with Holmes always outsmarting the thick-witted Inspector Lastrade and the eager Hopkins. In many of these stories, Holmes acts as judge and jury of the committer of the crime, often allowing them to go free since their violation was justifiable in his opinion. That strikes me as a dangerous precedent. Still enjoyable. The Golden Pince-Nez was my favorite of this group.
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