Reception on publication was respectful rather than enthusiastic, the collection arriving during wartime without the cultural fanfare of earlier Holmes publications. The title story attracted particular attention for its patriotic framing and its valedictory tone, with contemporary reviewers noting its departure from the standard Watson-narrated format. Modern critical assessment regards His Last Bow as the most uneven collection after the Case-Book, containing The Adventure of the Bruce-Partington Plans which is consistently ranked among the canon's best alongside several stories considered among its weakest. The title story itself divides critical opinion - its emotional register is recognised as unique within the canon but its merits as a mystery are considered slight.