Dr. Moriarity, the man behind the near death of Sherlock Holmes, reappears in The Valley of Terror, the first book in this collection, which tells the tale of the ringleader of the most sadistic criminal gang that Holmes has ever seen. Previously, a man had fought this group that takes delight in their criminal exploits and now he hides in London to avoid their vengeance.The second book, His Last Bow, represents a new attempt by Conan Doyle to end Holmes, even if it means retiring him on a farm. In this collection, Holmes and Watson face various interesting cases, including ones that deal with severed human ears, a demonic being, the coherence of Watson, and the caustic personality of Holmes. Such intriguing mysteries ultimately help us forget the author's final plans for the detective.