Sherlock Holmes is by far the most widely recognized detective character of all time, made famous by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, which first appeared in the story A Study in Scarlet in the year 1887. Although many have speculated on the existence of a real Sherlock Holmes, rightly so, it turns out the inspiring imagination of the author was behind it all. Doyle based the storied character on an old teacher, Joseph Bell, M.D. (1837‐1911), who was renowned for his surgical and deductive reasoning skills. While Mr. Bell was a scholarly genius he was never employed as an official detective working cases, running down clues and living an adventurous life like that of the infamous Sherlock Holmes character. The character was also inspired in large part by Edgar Allan Poe’s story Murders in the Rue Morgue, which is widely considered to be the first detective story – written in 1847. The story features C. Auguste Dupin, a man who solves mysteries through observation and deduction.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote 4 novels and 56 short stories featuring the Sherlock Holmes character. The novels include A Study in Scarlet, The Sign of the Four, The Hound of the Baskervilles and The Valley of Fear. There are 5 short story collections widely available today – The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, The Return of Sherlock Holmes, His Last Bow and The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes. It should be noted that the stories included in these collections may vary depending on the publication.

According to Guinness World Records, Sherlock Holmes is the most portrayed detective of all-time. In recent years, the timeless character inspired the blockbuster movies Sherlock Holmes and Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows starring Robert Downey Jr and Jude Law; Sherlock the Masterpiece series on PBS starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman; and the CBS television series Elementary starring Jonny Lee Miller and Lucy Liu. If you’re a Sherlock fan – you’ll be happy to know season 4 is premiering January 1, 2017 on PBS. For a sneak peak, check out the preview below:

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The hit Masterpiece series Sherlock on DVD

Books about the hit television series Sherlock

The popular CBS television series Elementary on DVD

Movies based on and/or inspired by the Sherlock Holmes stories

Learn More About the Sherlock Holmes character

Sherlock Holmes Novels and Short Stories in Print

The New Annotated Sherlock Holmes: Volumes 1 & 2 (the short stories) by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Vol. 1 | Vol. 2 This monumental edition promises to be the most important new contribution to Sherlock Holmes literature since William Baring-Gould’s 1967 classic work. In this boxed set, Leslie Klinger, a leading world authority, reassembles Arthur Conan Doyle’s 56 classic short stories in the order in which they appeared in late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century book editions. Inside, readers will find a cornucopia of insights: beginners will benefit from Klinger’s insightful biographies of Holmes, Watson, and Conan Doyle; history lovers will revel in the wealth of Victorian literary and cultural details; Sherlockian fanatics will puzzle over tantalizing new theories; art lovers will thrill to the 800-plus illustrations, which make this the most lavishly illustrated edition of the Holmes tales ever produced. The New Annotated Sherlock Holmes illuminates the timeless genius of Arthur Conan Doyle for an entirely new generation of readers.

The New Annotated Sherlock Holmes: Volume 3 (the novels) by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle The publication of Leslie S. Klinger’s brilliant new annotations of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s four classic Holmes novels in 2005 created a Holmes sensation. Klinger reassembles Doyle’s four seminal novels in their original order, with over 1,000 notes, 350 illustrations and period photographs, and tantalizing new Sherlockian theories. Inside, readers will find: A Study in Scarlet (1887)—a tale of murder and revenge that tells of Holmes and Dr. Watson’s first meeting. The Sign of Four (1889)—a chilling tale of lost treasure…and of how Watson met his wife. The Hound of the Baskervilles (1901)—hailed as the greatest mystery novel of all time. The Valley of Fear (1914)—a fresh murder scene that leads Holmes to solve a long-forgotten mystery. Whether as a stand-alone volume or as a companion to the short stories, this classic work illuminates the timeless genius of Conan Doyle for an entirely new generation.

Sherlock Holmes Novels (eAudiobooks)

Sherlock Holmes Short Story Collections (eAudiobooks)

Novels and Short Stories Inspired by Sherlock Holmes (Books)

Novels and Short Stories Inspired by Sherlock Holmes (eBooks)