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A Study in Scarlet - The Sherlock Holmes Collector's Library
A Study in Scarlet - The Sherlock Holmes Collector's Library
A Study in Scarlet - The Sherlock Holmes Collector's Library
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A Study in Scarlet - The Sherlock Holmes Collector's Library

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A Study in Scarlet is the first Sherlock Holmes novel and marks the beginning of many illustrious adventures for literature’s favourite detective.

Set in the atmospheric, lamplit fog of Victorian London, this novel introduces the sleuthing duo, Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson, for the first time. Returning from service in Afghanistan, Watson is wounded and searching for living quarters. He takes up residence in a flat at 221B Baker Street with the peculiar Holmes and is soon embarking on a series of mysterious adventures. Accompanying the amateur detective to the scene of a bloody crime, Watson is horrified and baffled by the dead body that shows no sign of violence. But Holmes already has a theory forming…

Originally published in the 1887 edition of Beeton's Christmas Annual, A Study in Scarlet was Arthur Conan Doyle’s first significant work. This edition features a specially commissioned introduction as well as an article by Arthur Conan Doyle and an essay on the history of detective fiction by S.S. Van Dine.

LanguageEnglish
Release dateApr 26, 2013
ISBN9781473382923
A Study in Scarlet - The Sherlock Holmes Collector's Library
Author

Conan Doyle

Arthur Conan Doyle was a British writer and physician. He is the creator of the Sherlock Holmes character, writing his debut appearance in A Study in Scarlet. Doyle wrote notable books in the fantasy and science fiction genres, as well as plays, romances, poetry, non-fiction, and historical novels.

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Rating: 3.842993449303008 out of 5 stars
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  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    A Study in Scarlet was the first Sherlock Holmes story published. Given its age (1886) it reads surprisingly well with crisp non-florid prose, almost like a novel written in 2017 by someone pretending to be from the 1800s. This is the first Sherlock Holmes I've read. It gives a sense that, while you may be confused, someone else understands the world and answers can be had. That is comforting, like a parent reassuring an anxious child. This is echoed in the name "Sure" as in assurance or confidence; "Lock" as in holding the key to the mystery; and "Holmes" which sounds like "Home", a reassuring feeling. The clues to the mystery are somewhat beside the point, contrived and making sense only after the explanation. Regardless, I really enjoyed it and look forward to dipping into more in a sequential fashion as they were published. Giving 5 stars as the origin story of Sherlock Holmes.For modern readers the Mormon sub-plot is weird and maybe a little offensive. However in the 1880s, they were indeed a novel, strange and exotic people who engaged in massacres and "harems". In the story they come to London, to the homes of the readers. It's a classic "invasion novel" popular at the time, similar to Dracula which saw Eastern Europeans as the invaders. The invasion of London by secretive sub-cultures is a common theme Holmes stories.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    My first ever Holmes. Wonderfully there is much of the modern understanding of Sherlock Holmes clearly laid out on the page. He is perhaps even more self aware than TV and movie adaptations allow describing his mood swings and eccentricities to Dr. Watson even before they move in together.

    There is a remarkable section in the middle where the narrative goes all Fenimore Cooper and we are transported from London to the snowy peaks of Utah. Quite unexpected. This was more fun even than I had expected. Fortunately I have already purchased further volumes.
  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    I would have liked it better if most of part 2 didn't feel so completely separate from the rest (and maybe were more accurate and less bigoted), but the detectiving part was alright. Holmes is a bit insufferable, but interesting too.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This is an enjoyable introduction to both Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, and it will be interesting to see how their characters develop across the series. I particularly enjoyed the large section that took place on the American Plains (not something you expect in a Sherlock Holmes book!) and how the story unravelled that led up to events being investigated in London. This was particularly well done. I look forward to continuing with the series.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This is the first book I have read by the famed creator of Sherlock Holmes, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. A Study in Scarlet is Doyle's first book featuring the infamous Sherlock Holmes. Holmes' character has been portrayed in the movies so much that I feel like I already knew the character. Reading the original text by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is, not surprisingly, better than any other theatrical take I have seen. A Study in Scarlet is an easy read that could easily be completed in one day. The edition that I own contains illustrations by the famous caricaturist, Gris Grimly. I am not a fan of graphic novels or even illustrations in books because it distract my own imagination of how things should appear. On the other hand, the illustrations are very impressive so if you are into that kind of thing, I would recommend this edition. Holmes' first adventure in detection in A Study in Scarlet reveals to the world the detectives impeccable deductive powers. Holmes meets his sidekick Dr. Watson in Doyle's freshman detective novel, where the two rent an apartment on Baker Street. It is a widely known fact that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle single handedly revolutionized the science of Forensics and crime scene investigation. There is an in-depth documentary about how Sherlock Holmes' methods were used in Doyle's fiction novels before they were ever used in real life. Knowing this fact makes reading these books much more interesting and entertaining to read. I plan on chronologically reading all the books written by Doyle that feature Sherlock Holmes.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I've long felt bad about never having read any of the nine books that make up the Sherlock Holmes canon, so finally I've rectified that... and what an odd little work it is.

    The first half of the book is what's important, historically, but it's the least interesting. Conan Doyle doesn't write natural dialogue, and a result the discussions between Watson and Holmes come across more like a treatise on how detective work - in the real world and in novels - is evolving and progressing. While this is all very very interesting, particularly to someone like myself who has read a lot of Christie and Poe etc, it feels like an essay that has been structured in story form, rather than the other way around.

    On top of this, I concede that I have a bias against this "one really smart quirky man always outdoes everyone" formula. Holmes started it, but it's returned in the last ten years or so to television, and personally I think it just weakens the narrative when every other character functions only as a sounding board for our god of a leading man. Sherlock is cunningly described by Watson as a seemingly paradoxical man who in fact has rational reasons for all of his education and activities, although even the great detective can't seem to fix his (bipolar?) moods. As their friendship is still embryonic at this stage, Watson can give us no insight into Holmes' life, and Holmes offers none, so he remains a cipher. But I'm treating this as a pilot episode, so that's okay. More immediately fascinating are the elements of contemporary life: street beggars working for Holmes, the necessary advantages and disadvantages that came from being a police officer in the era - thrilling stuff.

    The second half is a mixed bag also. Conan Doyle is an admirable prose writer, and his description of the events twenty years prior to the murders is captivating and gripping. On the other hand, it is filled with amazingly anti-Mormon sentiment. I'm no religious sympathiser myself, but I couldn't take it seriously when the narrator assured us that all Mormons kill or destroy anyone who attempts to leave their faith.

    An odd little novel, and I've already started the second one, since I'm very eager to see if Conan Doyle can somehow retain his marvelous leading character, whilst furthering his skills in the other required areas.

    (Two and a half stars)
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Sherlock Holmes, Mormons, murder. Great read!
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    On one hand, it's lovely to meet young Sherlock and Watson before they've formed their scabrous, mean adult exoskeletons, but goddamn is the second half of this book DUMB. On one hand, it's pretty hilarious to see Conan Doyle's version of a BODICE RIPPIN WESTERN. On the other hand HOW THE HELL IS THIS EVER A PUBLISHABLE SENTENCE: "an old-standing and romantic feud, in which love and Mormonism bore a part." Sweet Jesus.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    A Study in Scarlet is both Doctor Watson's and the world's first introduction to the frustrating, arrogant, and brilliant Sherlock Holmes. Watson in seeking a new flat to in which to live ends up paired with the consulting detective at 22B Baker Street. While at first Sherlock's profession and strange behavior is a mystery to the Doctor, he soon finds himself following Sherlock along in seeking out the truth behind the mysterious death of an American traveler. While I didn't like it as much as I enjoyed the tales in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, the novel is short and a quick read with a compelling mystery.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    I read The Hound of the Baskervilles when I was in high school, but not anything else till I read this--the first Holmes novel, published in 1887. The first hald of the book where we are introduced to Dr. Watson and to Holmes' methods, is of some interest. But the second hald,which tells of events before the muders in the first hald, is creaky and anot much. The Mormons in Utah are the villians, as they are in Zane Grey's Riders of the Purple Sage. I don't think I need read any more Holmes books
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This is the first Sherlock Holmes I read on my own. I remember reading the hound of baskerville in school, but forced to do so, didn't remember that I enjoyed it.With the movie that came out recently, I found myself wanting to know more about sherlock and watson. There relationship and the type of intrigue that they would solve.I really enjoyed this one, it is short and sweet, but a good read nonetheless.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Study in Scarlet is in two parts. Part one: "Being a Reprint from the Reminiscences of John H. Watson, M.D., Late of the Army Medical Department." It's here that Dr. Watson and Mr. Sherlock Holmes meet for the first time. Watson, arriving in London and needing a place to stay, learns of Holmes looking to share his apartment. From the very beginning they are thrown together in a murder mystery. Watson is astounded by Holmes's ability to deduce facts from the smallest pieces of evidence.Part two: "Country of the Saints" steps back in time and tells the story of the Brigham Young and the Mormons settling in the plains of Utah. John Ferrier meets up with the four elders, Stangerson, Kemball, Jonston & Drebber and they take him and his young companion in. This story sets the backdrop for the murder mystery Holmes is trying to solve.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    I was not expecting the Church of Latter-Day Saints but maybe Sherlock was.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This story is the first work about Homes.For the widespread oh this story, his name has been famous.And this story shows the first contact of Homes and watson.You can know the root oh their relationship, if you read this.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Der erste Band der Krimis um Sherlock Homes kann zweifellos als Klassiker des Genres gelten. Mit Sicherheit ist es einer der ersten Krimis, der das deduktive Schließen zur Lösung des Falls benutzt. Außerdem wurde in diesem Krimi das Detektivpaar etabliert, in dem es zum genialen Detektiv den vernünftigen SideKick gibt. In diesem Buch lernen sich Sherlock Homes und Doktor Watson kennen. Sie ziehen gemeinsam in die Wohnung in der Baker Street. Durch Zufall wird Watson von Holmes mit in die Lösung eines Falles hineingezogen, in der ein Mann tot in einer leeren Wohnung aufgefunden wurde. Der mittlere Teil des Buches beschreibt die Vorgeschichte dieses Mordes und ist enorm spannend und fesselnd. Der Fall selber wird von Sherlock Homes auf seine übliche geniale Weise gelöst.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Not even gonna try to calculate how long it's been since I've read these original Holmes stories. They're still just as good as I remember from way back when. I admit I skip the little detour in the middle about how the original crimes happened. It's not necessary to enjoy the real story, which is how Holmes and Watson got together and started solving crimes. Very good story.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    The first Sherlock Holmes book -- did Conan Doyle invent the filtering of a story through a secondary participant (Dr. Watson)? I haven't ever read any Sherlock Holmes books, and I wasn't overly impressed. It was okay and a quick read, but Holmes seems like a pretty arrogant SOB to me. Knows too much and is glad to tell everyone so. The Utah digression was distracting.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    READ IN ENGLISH

    I'm a fan of the BBC-series called 'Sherlock' and that made me want to read the original books. I really loved to see that the series were based so much on the book. It became a search to find all the resemblances between the two. When the second part started (about the Mormons) I at first thought there was some sort of mess up whit my version of A Study in Scarlet (and that it was a completely different story). I read it anyway and it happened to be just a part of this book. That was a thing I thought was a bit strange, but I liked the over all story. The next books are on my To-Be-Read-List...
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Sherlock was one of the books I thought I'd never read... until I caught the BBC series. After reading, I think both the series and the books are fantastic in their own ways. This is my favorite of the first three Sherlock books. I'm planning on reading the others at another time. I had to write a review after a previous reviewer said they didn't like the books after seeing the series. It IS possible to enjoy both!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    The first book I read in 2012 was The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes. I remarked back then that I was a bit disappointed in my first-ever reading of a story featuring the detective we all know so well. I also wondered if going back and starting at the beginning might make a difference, and indeed it did.A Study in Scarlet is the first Holmes novel, and it beautifully sets the stage for everything that (we know now) is to come. Here we witness the first meeting between Holmes and his faithful assistant, Doctor Watson. We witness Holmes' scientific experiments, his amazing breadth of knowledge in some areas and equally amazing ignorance in others that he does not perceive useful. In this first novel, Sherlock is called upon to help the police solve a seemingly impossible crime: a man's body has been found in an abandoned house, with no apparent cause of death and no clues. Wait, did I say no clues? Ha! Not with Sherlock on the case. He quickly figures out virtually the whole scenario that first night, but establishing standard protocol Conan Doyle withholds the key information from Dr. Watson who withholds it from us.I was startled by an interlude in the mystery, which switches to third person (most of the Sherlock stories are told in the first person as a memoir by Watson) to provide some key background information about the murdered man and his killer. It was completely unexpected to me, which I guess proves that there are still surprises to be found even in an overly familiar canon.There was one other factor that made A Study in Scarlet more enjoyable to me. The novel-length story really gave room for Sherlock's wizardry and subsequent reveal to seem more natural. In the short stories of The Memoirs, I felt the solution to the puzzle was almost tacked on as an afterthought. There was too much telling and not enough showing, I think. Thankfully, Scarlet does not suffer that fate, and it's an excellent beginning to my planned chronological read of all the Holmes stories.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This is the first Sherlock Holmes book I've read. I'm not particularly well read in the mystery/detection genre - its not my usual cup of tea - but I really enjoyed this work, burning through the short, light read in no time. I enjoyed the characterisation of Holmes and the dynamics of his interactions with Watson, from whose point of view most of the story is told. I did find the sudden transition to the wilds of Utah in the middle of the book somewhat odd - I even checked to make sure my copy of the novel hadnt been misbound, mixing in the pages of some pulp western with the Holmes story! But it all made sense in the end - just Arthur Conan Doyle developing the background to the mystery while also dipping into the moral panic occasioned by Mormon religious practices such as polygamy. Setting that and other niggling fin-de-seicle British bourgeoisisms (the murderer had learnt vindictiveness from the Indians, the dirty street children are nicknamed arabs, etc.) this is a greatly enjoyable read and certainly good enough to instill a desire to read more of the adventures of Holmes and Watson.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This is the first book about Sherlock Holmes, and begins with his initial meeting and growing friendship with Dr Watson, who narrates the story. It's set in the latter part of the 19th century, and is in two parts. The first shows Holmes' analytical mind and attention to detail as he explains to Watson how he solves a rather unpleasant crime. Part One ends with the perpetrator being arrested.Part Two goes back in time, introducing a man and a young girl travelling rough in the United States after the rest of their group perished. They've given up on finding water, when they're discovered by a band heading to Utah. I don't know how accurate the portrayal of Mormon life and culture in the 19th century is, but it makes an excellent story, albeit quite spine-chilling at times. Ethics and morals are not pointed out, but it gradually becomes clear that there are often two sides to any story, and that the initial clear-cut crime could have quite clear motivations. Recommended to teens or adults who like historical crime fiction. I read it on my Kindle but it's widely available in other forms, mostly inexpensively or (from Project Gutenberg) free.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I only have one of the Sherlock Holmes books on my Crime Fiction list, and that is The Hound of the Baskervilles, but I prefer to get everything and since there are books set before that one, I decided to read them. Besides, they're available for free on Project Gutenberg. Besides, I saw the new movie, with Robert Downey Jr., a couple of weeks ago. I read this one on the train, more or less without stopping once. I was surprised by how easy it was to read and be absorbed in, given how old it is, but it really is a pleasure to read. Actually reading the books dispels a lot of mental assumptions about Sherlock Holmes which I gained through, I think, some kind of cultural osmosis. E.g. Watson is young, went to war, not a bad doctor, etc.

    I have two main complaints, really. One is that it's not the kind of book that really allows you to find things out for yourself. Holmes is so opaque -- at least to me! -- that I'm really just as confused as Watson, most of the time. And the other complaint is about the big flashback in the middle. I almost wondered if my ebook version had somehow got muddled with another book! It's not uninteresting, but it's hard to see at first how it connects up, because the transition is so sudden.

    Still, enjoyable -- and nice to meet the great detective himself, after so much hearsay.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I was very much enjoying this book when all of a sudden I realized I was entirely lost.The writing style, characters, narration and the facts leading up to the mystery were all remarkably good, but in the end I was left completely confused and I found myself questioning if I somehow missed something. After that ridiculous backstory of the murderer, I still have to ask... Who the hell is it? What just happened?I will certainly read more of Holmes as there is much to come back for. I may have to re-read this one to see where I fell off from the story.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I liked the first part - it was fun to read about Watson's first impressions of Holmes. The second part was such a change that I had to check that I was still reading the same book (I read this as part of The Complete Sherlock Holmes)! Although it all tied up in the end, it didn't work that well for me.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    good book, it makes you think!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I just loved everything about this book!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Amazing book! Most (all?) of the other Sherlock Holmes books take place totally in Great Britain. This one makes a *very* interesting side trip to the United States.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    My version of the book contained A STUDY IN SCARLET (the first Sherlock Holmes adventure) and A SCANDAL IN BOHEMIA (the episode in which Irene Adler appears). The book opened on a very interesting introduction, and so I would encourage reading the VINTAGE 2009 edition of the Conan Doyle books.(I must say I read the book after watching the Guy Ritchie movie that just came out and so had Robert Downey Jr in mind reading this : somehow, he really fits the character as portrayed in the book!)I'm not a big fan of detective fiction in general, and my knowledge in that field is, well.... next to non-existent (although I was an avid watcher of cartoon series such as 'Sherlock Hounds' and 'Dog City', as a kid... Does that count? Heh, heh?) It's just not the kind of story I'm usually drawn to/into, but I must say Arthur Conan Doyle knows how to put the FUN in detective fiction!The Sherlock Holmes books are not books you read trying to figure out who is the killer before the detective does, since mister super-sleuth always knows the answer way before anyone. The main interest of the book is the character himself and his crazy deduction methods.This first episode (A study in Scarlet) has ups and downs: the whole Mormon segment that takes place in the U.S. seems way too long and slow paced in comparison to the London scenes... In the introduction to my edition, it was discussed that the two stories were probably written independently from one another and put together by Conan Doyle when he decided to publish. In A SCANDAL IN BOHEMIA, Holmes is outsmarted by a fancy woman, and the conclusion to the story is delightfully cute and funny.A good read, very entertaining!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    ** spoiler alert ** I was a little worried going into this, just unsure of how a longer Holmes story would read. I really enjoyed The Hound of Baskerville when I read it but I loved the short stories I read between these two. I shouldn't have been too worried however, this was excellent. I really enjoyed the second portion of the story, deviating from Sherlock and Watson to give us the back story of our murderer. It was different from the previous books in it's delivery and made the victims seem more the villains and our murderer more the almost hero. A great way to turn it around. Overall, a great one. I really enjoyed it and will definitely recommend it for any new fans of the series.Side note - this was the story that the first Sherlock episode is based on. That tickles me.

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A Study in Scarlet - The Sherlock Holmes Collector's Library - Conan Doyle

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A STUDY IN SCARLET

THE SHERLOCK HOLMES

COLLECTOR'S LIBRARY

By

ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE

First published in 1887

Copyright © 2023 Detective Fiction Classics

This edition is published by Detective Fiction Classics,

an imprint of Read & Co.

This book is copyright and may not be reproduced or copied in any

way without the express permission of the publisher in writing.

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available

from the British Library.

Read & Co. is part of Read Books Ltd.

For more information visit

www.readandcobooks.co.uk

Contents

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Intro Essay

A STUDY IN SCARLET

PART I

CHAPTER I

MR. SHERLOCK HOLMES

CHAPTER II

THE SCIENCE OF DEDUCTION

CHAPTER III

THE LAURISTON GARDENS MYSTERY

CHAPTER IV

WHAT JOHN RANCE HAD TO TELL

CHAPTER V

OUR ADVERTISEMENT BRINGS A VISITOR

CHAPTER VI

TOBIAS GREGSON SHOWS WHAT HE CAN DO

CHAPTER VII

LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS

PART II

CHAPTER I

ON THE GREAT ALKALI PLAIN

CHAPTER II

THE FLOWER OF UTAH

CHAPTER III

JOHN FERRIER TALKS WITH THE PROPHET

CHAPTER IV

A FLIGHT FOR LIFE

CHAPTER V

THE AVENGING ANGELS

CHAPTER VI

A CONTINUATION OF THE REMINISCENCES OF JOHN WATSON, M.D.

CHAPTER VII

THE CONCLUSION

FURTHER READING

SOME PERSONALIA ABOUT MR. SHERLOCK HOLMES

An Article by Arthur Conan Doyle

THE DETECTIVE NOVEL

An Essay by S. S. Van Dine

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Arthur Conan Doyle was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1859 to Charles and Mary Doyle. He was the eldest of nine siblings, seven of whom reached adulthood. His mother was effectively a single parent for the majority of his childhood due to his father’s struggle with alcoholism. In 1864, the family were separated, and Conan Doyle lived with a family friend for three years. When he was reunited with his parents and siblings, they lived in three squalid tenement flats. With the support of his extended family, he was sent to a Jesuit boarding school in England at the age of nine before moving to Austria at 16 to complete his education. Despite attending Catholic schools, he later rejected the faith and described himself as agnostic.

Between 1876 and 1881, Conan Doyle studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh. While studying, he began writing short stories. His first piece, ‘The Mystery of Sasassa Valley’ (1879), was published in Chambers's Edinburgh Journal before he was 20. He also met the man who would later become the inspiration for his remarkable character Sherlock Holmes. Doctor Joseph Bell was a highly observant man whose powerful skills of deduction influenced the fictional detective’s unparalleled attention to detail.

Graduating with a Bachelor of Medicine and Master of Surgery in 1881, Conan Doyle went on to work onboard the SS Mayumba as the ship’s surgeon. He then completed his Doctor of Medicine degree and moved to Plymouth to practice medicine in 1882. Settling in Southsea, he opened an independent medical practice and began writing in between seeing patients. It was here that he fell in love with Louisa Hawkins, and the pair married in 1885. They went on to have two children, Mary Louise (1889–1976) and Arthur Alleyne Kingsley (1892–1918).

After several unsuccessful attempts to get his fiction published, Conan Doyle’s first significant work, A Study in Scarlet, was printed in Beeton’s Christmas Annual in 1887. The novel is the first instalment in the Sherlock Holmes series and introduces the detective and his loyal confidant, Doctor John Watson. When he began to write short Holmes stories for The Strand Magazine in 1891, his writing career took off, and he abandoned his medical practices.

The Sherlock Holmes stories were a commercial triumph, garnering an international following. Despite being one of the best-paid authors of the time, Conan Doyle wanted to write less of the detective’s adventures so he could focus on the work he truly enjoyed: historical fiction. He attempted to end Holmes’ narrative on multiple occasions, but both the fans and the publishers demanded more. The beloved character features in a total of 56 short stories and four novels, including Conan Doyle’s magnum opus, The Hound of the Baskervilles (1902).

Aside from his fiction, Conan Doyle was also a passionate political campaigner. A pamphlet he published in 1902 defending the United Kingdom’s much-criticised role in the Boer War is seen as a major contributor to his receiving of a knighthood later that same year.

Since rejecting his Catholic upbringing, the author turned to mystic spiritualism. He developed a close friendship with the American escape artist Harry Houdini before the two had a public falling out in 1922 when the magician publicly declared his disbelief in spiritualism.

Conan Doyle’s first wife passed away in 1906 after battling tuberculosis. The following year, he married his close friend, Jean Elizabeth Leckie, who shared his spiritual interests and was a self-proclaimed psychic medium. They had three children together, Denis Percy Stewart (1909–1955), Adrian Malcolm (1910–1970), and Jean Lena Annette (1912–1997).

In the last years of his life, Conan Doyle dedicated most of his time to preaching the spiritualist movement. Travelling Australia, Northern America, and Europe, he gave a series of lectures on the subject. In 1925, he opened The Physic Bookshop dedicated to spiritualism in London. Having published the final volume of Holmes stories in 1927, Conan Doyle launched a five-month tour of Africa the following year, giving more lectures across the continent. Exhausted from his travels, he suffered a heart attack in 1929. Despite doctors’ advice, he continued to work, which led to a final heart attack in his East Sussex home on 7th July 1930. He passed away aged 71 as the most famous detective fiction writer of all time.

THE LEGACY OF

SHERLOCK HOLMES

An Introduction

Known for his sharp mind, astute observations, and remarkable skills of deduction, Sherlock Holmes is the most influential and beloved detective in literary history. Written between 1887 and 1927 by Arthur Conan Doyle, the Holmes stories were a turning point in the evolution of crime fiction, with the original Holmes universe spanning an impressive 40 years across four novels and 56 short stories.

The detective’s obsessive personality, unrivalled intelligence, and cold, calculating demeanour are combined with his exceptional skills of observation and deduction, making him a remarkable sleuth but an almost unbearable person to be around. Despite this, the community of Holmes fans stretches to every corner of the globe over a century after the detective’s first story was published. So, what makes the character so widely loved? And how did the Victorian London setting, combined with the author’s tragic personal life, influence the character? Explore the legacy of Sherlock Holmes and examine the detective’s story beyond his fictional adventures.

Arthur Conan Doyle was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, on 22nd May 1859 to Charles and Mary Doyle. His father struggled greatly with depression and alcoholism, and in 1864, the family were separated. Forced to live across the city with various family friends due to Charles Doyle’s drinking habits, it wasn’t until 1867 that the family came together again to live in squalid tenement flats. In 1876, Charles Doyle was dismissed from his job and sent to a nursing home for alcoholics, where he developed epilepsy. This troubling background of alcohol abuse and addiction crept from Conan Doyle’s personal life into his writing. Holmes himself is seen using cocaine and morphine (both of which were legal at the time) in many of his stories. The detective's knowledge of chemistry and anatomy is utilised to manage his usage, but Conan Doyle doesn’t attempt to hide the drug-induced mania that many addicts suffer from.

In the same year as his father’s admission to the rehabilitation centre, Conan Doyle began studying at the University of Edinburgh Medical School. While studying, he met the man who would become the inspiration for Holmes’s iconic character. Doctor Joseph Bell (1837–1911) was a Scottish surgeon and lecturer and was considered a forensic science pioneer. He mesmerised Conan Doyle with his remarkable ability to deduce a stranger’s occupation and ailments by simply observing them. While working as Doctor Bell’s clerk at the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, Conan Doyle beheld the surgeon’s skills and considered the potential such abilities held outside of diagnosis. The seed of a remarkable idea was forming, and in 1887, Conan Doyle wrote the short story often considered the Sherlock Holmes prototype. The protagonists of the early piece, ‘Uncle Jeremy’s Household’, Hugh Lawrence and John H. Thurston, work together as an amateur detective duo and bear a strong resemblance to Sherlock Holmes and John H. Watson.

Just months later, Conan Doyle altered the course of his life with the publication of the first Holmes novel, A Study in Scarlet (1887). It was printed in Beeton’s Christmas Annual, and although it didn’t bring the author instant success, it was the springboard he needed. In 1889, the Managing Editor of Lippincott’s Monthly Magazine invited Conan Doyle to dinner, along with the prolific Irish writer Oscar Wilde. The three dined together, and both The Picture of Dorian Gray (1890) and the second Holmes novel, The Sign of the Four (1889), were commissioned in a single evening.

Conan Doyle’s real breakthrough came in 1891 when he discovered The Strand Magazine. Proposing a series of short stories detailing a masterful detective’s adventures, he published the first short Holmes tale, ‘A Scandal in Bohemia’, in the literary magazine, then quickly signed a contract to provide one story per month. Abandoning his medicinal practices, he was able to devote himself to his writing.

Despite Holmes’ cold and often selfish persona, his fanbase grew rapidly as Conan Doyle’s short stories continued to be released. Each issue of The Strand was available for sixpence, which was half the cost of similar publications, making the magazine an accessible form of literature. Set in the heart of fog-shrouded Victorian London, the serialised stories often highlight the drastic class divide of the nineteenth century. Holmes’ adventures stretch from the grand houses built on the wealth of the British Empire to the Dickensian side of the city, where cholera and typhoid ravaged the population and children made a living for their families in the workhouses. Despite Conan Doyle only living in the capital for a total of four years (and often presenting misinformation regarding London in his work), he successfully captured the rapidly transforming city. London is as vivid a character in the stories as the detective himself.

Holmes is a protagonist like none other in literary history. His remarkably sharp mind and renowned skills of deduction and observation are juxtaposed with his emotional incapabilities and complete lack of empathy. Yet he remains a true Victorian gentleman, consistently taking care of his appearance and working to preserve social order. Not only does he have detailed knowledge of science, literature, and law, but he also excels in fencing and boxing and is a talented violinist. His combination of inconceivable brilliance and calculating coldness makes him fascinating.

To this day, the name Sherlock Holmes remains more famous than Arthur Conan Doyle’s, and fans widely believed that the detective was a real individual. This possibly arose due to the stories being narrated by Doctor Watson, Holmes' trusted companion and sleuthing partner. The author often received fan mail addressed to Holmes alongside requests for his autograph and letters asking him to find their missing possessions. Avid readers began identifying as Sherlockians or Holmesians, and the more stories Conan Doyle produced, the deeper the fans’ faith in the detective seemed to go.

There was just one problem, despite the overwhelming adoration the character had garnered, Conan Doyle couldn’t tolerate Holmes. The pressure to continually produce narratives featuring the detective weighed heavily on the author. Holmes had metamorphosed into Conan Doyle’s own version of Frankenstein’s monster, and the only plausible escape he could envision was to lay the detective’s storyline to rest permanently. He finally reached a breaking point when his father passed away after enduring a protracted period of medical intervention. In December 1893, just two months following his father’s death, ‘The Final Problem’ was published. The author was inspired to set the climactic battle between Holmes and Professor Moriarty at Switzerland's Reichenbach Falls, a location he had visited earlier in the year. When the battling pair appeared to have plunged to their demise, the public was outraged.

The fans’ love for Holmes was so ingrained they couldn’t come to terms with the idea of never reading another story featuring the detective. Conan Doyle was less affected by the death of his protagonist. The day he wrote the ill-fated scene, his journal entry simply read, ‘Killed Holmes.’ But he began receiving threats through the post, demanding he revive the beloved character. Londoners were even reported to be wearing black armbands in mourning. The impact of the fictional death was not only felt by the author but also inflicted a blow on The Strand Magazine. Reportedly, the number of readers who cancelled their subscription to the publication amounted to over 20,000, nearly causing it to go out of print.

Over the ensuing eight-year break, there was an inordinate demand for more Holmes stories. Entreated by the fans, Conan Doyle released a new novel, The Hound of the Baskervilles (1902), featuring Holmes but set before the detective's death. This period became known among readers as the Great Hiatus, and The Strand staff were reported to have referred to Holmes’ death as ‘the dreadful event’. The real comeback occurred in 1903 when ‘The Adventure of the Empty House’ was first published in the magazine. In a long-awaited twist, the short story is set three years after Holmes’ supposed death. Featuring the detective’s revival, Holmes reveals to Watson that he faked the scene at Reichenbach Falls to delude and escape Moriarty’s vengeful henchmen.

The Strand published a further 12 stories before Conan Doyle again attempted to end the series in Holmes’ retirement. In an interview with the Daily Mail in 1904, the author stated that Holmes was moving to the countryside and taking up beekeeping, concluding that ‘there is not the slightest intention of his ever again entering on the work of the detection of crime.’ Yet, finding himself once more in the position of Victor Frankenstein, it was impossible for Conan Doyle to destroy the monster he had created. Three subsequent volumes of Holmes stories, including another novel, were published before the author’s death. Two are set prior to the detective’s retirement, and ‘The Last Bow’ details his service during the First World War. The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes (1927) concludes the series with a collection of short stories set before the war.

In 1930, Conan Doyle died of a heart attack in his home at the age of 71 as one of the best-paid authors of the time. Despite the detective’s tales having come to an indisputable end, the author’s death heightened the public’s fascination with Sherlock Holmes.

In 1934, the first official Sherlock Holmes literary society was founded by American novelist Christopher Morley. Eponymously named the Baker Street Irregulars (BSI) after the group of young street urchins Holmes occasionally called upon for assistance, the group still regularly publish a range of scholarship dedicated to their favourite literary figure. Operating as an exclusive, invitation-only club, notable members include Isaac Asimov and Neil Gaiman. There were no female members until 1991, when Conan Doyle’s second daughter, Jean, was invested. The BSI has its own printing press dedicated to publishing volumes related to Sherlock Holmes and Conan Doyle. The Baker Street Journal is also released quarterly by the society featuring scholarly articles and pieces revolving around the Great Game, in which fans imagine and record character backstories and history not provided by Conan Doyle. The Great Game, also known as Holmesian Speculation and the Sherlockian Game, is based on the belief that Watson is the true author of the detective’s adventures. Members must avoid using Conan Doyle’s name when attending BSI meetings and events and instead refer to him as Watson’s literary agent. Other notable societies include the Sherlock Holmes Society of London (founded in 1951) and the Adventuresses of Sherlock Holmes, which was founded in the 1960s as an exclusive women’s society.

Over a century since Sherlock Holmes made his first appearance, the iconic character has become a cultural touchstone. Inspiring generations of fans, filmmakers, and writers, the detective has made an ineradicable mark not only on the literary world but wider pop culture. Conan Doyle’s work altered the way readers interact with literature, prompting the formation of many dedicated fan groups worldwide, including prestigious societies and printing presses. From the smoke-filled rooms of 221B Baker Street and the spirited streets of Victorian London to the rolling countryside hills and misty moors, the Holmes stories are a rich portrayal of nineteenth-century England and enhance our understanding of the social and cultural context of the time. Conan Doyle’s literary influence will continue to captivate and inspire for many decades to come. The legacy of Sherlock Holmes is a testament to the enduring power of great storytelling.

Lizzie Stoddart

Bristol, 2023

A STUDY IN SCARLET

PART I

Being a reprint from the

Reminiscences of John H. Watson, M.d.,

Late of the Army Medical Department.

CHAPTER I

MR. SHERLOCK HOLMES

In the year 1878 I took my degree of Doctor of Medicine of the University of London, and proceeded to Netley to go through the course prescribed for surgeons in the army. Having completed my studies there, I was duly attached to the Fifth Northumberland Fusiliers as Assistant Surgeon. The regiment was stationed in India at the time, and before I could join it, the second Afghan war had broken out. On landing at Bombay, I learned that my corps had advanced through the passes, and was already deep in the enemy’s country. I followed, however, with many other officers who were in the same situation as myself, and succeeded in reaching Candahar in safety, where I found my regiment, and at once entered upon my new duties.

The campaign brought honours and promotion to many, but for me it had nothing but misfortune and disaster. I was removed from my brigade and attached to the Berkshires, with whom I served at the fatal battle of Maiwand. There I was struck on the shoulder by a Jezail bullet, which shattered the bone and grazed the subclavian artery. I should have fallen into the hands of the murderous Ghazis had it not been for the devotion and courage shown by Murray, my orderly, who threw me across a pack-horse, and succeeded in bringing me safely to the British lines.

Worn with pain, and weak from the prolonged hardships which I had undergone, I was removed, with a great train of wounded sufferers, to the base hospital at Peshawar. Here I rallied, and had already improved so far as to be able to walk about the wards, and even to bask a little upon

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