The Case Book Of Sherlock Holmes

These are the last twelve stories Conan Doyle wrote about Holmes and Watson. They reflect the disillusioned world of the 1920s and also include some of the wittiest passages in the series.

The last twelve stories written about Holmes and Watson, these tales reflect the disillusioned world of the 1920s in which they were written. Some of the sharpest turns of wit in English literature are contrasted by dark images of psychological tragedy, suicide, and incest in a collection oftales that have haunted generations of readers.

A classic British mystery anthology containing the last twelve stories featuring the most famous fictional detective of all time. Enter the world of Sherlock Holmes for this final collection of short stories showcasing one of English literature’s greatest sleuths as he solves some of his more puzzling cases. From the criminal London underworld to the estates of the most illustrious aristocrats, Holmes engages his trademark deductive reasoning to locate a missing war veteran, recover a stolen gem, track down a Sussex vampire, and even discover why a university professor has begun to creep about like a beast. These are just a few of the mysteries that have come to the attention of Holmes and his loyal companion, Dr. Watson, some of which have baffled even the ranks of Scotland Yard. For Sherlock Holmes enthusiasts and lovers of classic British detective fiction, The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes is a must-read compendium of crime fiction from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle about one his most beloved literary creations. “The whole Sherlock Holmes saga is a triumphant illustration of art’s supremacy over life.” —Christopher Morley, author and founder of The Baker Street Irregulars

The adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson are recounted in selected short stories and in two longer works, "A Study in Scarlet" and "The Hound of the Baskervilles."

From the fertile crescent to the far east, the great adventures of Holmes and Watson during the three-year gap between Holmes's "death" and his dramatic return. What exactly happened during Sherlock Holmes's “great hiatus” after his supposed death and triumphant return three years later? Riccardi images his travels in Europe and Asia during those years in nine original short stories set in places as far flung as Sumatra and Tibet. Given the uncertain grip of the British empire over its colonies, the murders and other mayhem Holmes confronts often have potentially grave political repercussions. Filled with local color and Holmes’ signature wit and logic, Sherlockians the world over will relish this missing chapter in the life of the world’s greatest detective.

The Sherlock Holmes Book, the latest in DK's award-winning Big Ideas Simply Explained series, tackles the most "elementary" of subjects--the world of Sherlock Holmes, as told by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The Sherlock Holmes Book is packed with witty illustrations, clear graphics, and memorable quotes that make it the perfect Sherlock Holmes guide, covering every case of the world's greatest detective, from A Study in Scarlet to The Adventure of Shoscombe Old Place, placing the sorties in a wider context. Stories include at-a-glance flowcharts that show how Holmes reaches his conclusions through deductive reasoning, and character guides provide handy reference for readers and an invaluable resource for fans of the Sherlock Holmes films and TV series. The Sherlock Holmes Book holds a magnifying glass to the world of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's legendary detective.

The criminal Steve Dixie comes to 221B Baker Street, warning Sherlock Holmes not set a foot in Harlow unless he wants trouble with him. But Holmes has just received a message from Mrs. Maberley, who has been living at the Three Gables in Harlow for almost two years. Her son has just died in Rome and someone is trying to buy her out of her house with a most unconventional contract; Holmes is set on helping her. "The Adventure of the Three Gables" is part of "The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes". Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930) was born in Scotland and studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh. After his studies, he worked as a ship’s surgeon on various boats. During the Second Boer War, he was an army doctor in South Africa. When he came back to the United Kingdom, he opened his own practice and started writing crime books. He is best known for his thrilling stories about the adventures of Sherlock Holmes. He published four novels and more than 50 short-stories starring the detective and Dr Watson, and they play an important role in the history of crime fiction. Other than the Sherlock Holmes series, Doyle wrote around thirty more books, in genres such as science-fiction, fantasy, historical novels, but also poetry, plays, and non-fiction.

I fear that Mr. Sherlock Holmes may become like one of those popular tenors who, having outlived their time, are still tempted to make repeated farewell bows to their indulgent audiences. This must cease and he must go the way of all flesh, material or imaginary. One likes to think that there is some fantastic limbo for the children of imagination, some strange, impossible place where the beaux of Fielding may still make love to the belles of Richardson, where Scott’s heroes still may strut, Dickens’s delightful Cockneys still raise a laugh, and Thackeray’s worldlings continue to carry on their reprehensible careers. Perhaps in some humble corner of such a Valhalla, Sherlock and his Watson may for a time find a place, while some more astute sleuth with some even less astute comrade may fill the stage which they have vacated. His career has been a long one — though it is possible to exaggerate it; decrepit gentlemen who approach me and declare that his adventures formed the reading of their boyhood do not meet the response from me which they seem to expect. One is not anxious to have one’s personal dates handled so unkindly. As a matter of cold fact, Holmes made his debut in A Study in Scarlet and in The Sign of Four, two small booklets which appeared between 1887 and 1889. It was in 1891 that “A Scandal in Bohemia,” the first of the long series of short stories, appeared in The Strand Magazine. The public seemed appreciative and desirous of more, so that from that date, thirty-nine years ago, they have been produced in a broken series which now contains no fewer than fifty-six stories, republished in The Adventures, The Memoirs, The Return, and His Last Bow. and there remain these twelve published during the last few years which are here produced under the title of The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes. He began his adventures in the very heart of the later Victorian era, carried it through the all-too-short reign of Edward, and has managed to hold his own little niche even in these feverish days. Thus it would be true to say that those who first read of him, as young men, have lived to see their own grown-up children following the same adventures in the same magazine. It is a striking example of the patience and loyalty of the British public. I had fully determined at the conclusion of The Memoirs to bring Holmes to an end, as I felt that my literary energies should not be directed too much into one channel. That pale, clear-cut face and loose-limbed figure were taking up an undue share of my imagination. I did the deed, but fortunately no coroner had pronounced upon the remains, and so, after a long interval, it was not difficult for me to respond to the flattering demand and to explain my rash act away. I have never regretted it, for I have not in actual practice found that these lighter sketches have prevented me from exploring and finding my limitations in such varied branches of literature as history, poetry, historical novels, psychic research, and the drama. Had Holmes never existed I could not have done more, though he may perhaps have stood a little in the way of the recognition of my more serious literary work.

Sherlock Holmes is the greatest fictional detective in the world. The hero of 56 short stories and four novels, he is so convincing that letters still arrive at 221 b Baker Street seeking his help, and when it was thought that he had died in his clash with the evil Professor Moriarty ('the Napoleon of Crime') young men in London wore black armbands.