The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
The most accessible introduction to Doyle's detective fiction and the Holmes–Watson partnership.
Author guide
Arthur Conan Doyle Books in Order
Arthur Conan Doyle (1859–1930) was a Scottish physician and extraordinarily prolific author. His fiction ranged across detective, historical, adventure, supernatural, medical, science-fiction, and war genres; he also wrote poetry, plays, military histories, memoirs, travel books, spiritualist works, and pamphlets. He is best known for the four Sherlock Holmes novels and fifty-six Holmes short stories, but his broader bibliography includes more than twenty novels and numerous separately published collections.
detective fictionhistorical fictionadventurescience fictionsupernatural fictionhorrormedical fictionwar literaturenonfictionmemoirspiritualismpoetrydrama
Catalog record updated .
Not sure where to begin?
Start with one of these
The Lost World
A self-contained adventure and the opening novel of the Professor Challenger series.
The White Company
A representative historical adventure and the best-known entry to Doyle's medieval fiction.
Memories and Adventures
The principal autobiographical account of Doyle's life and literary career.
Read in order
Books by series
detective-fiction-series · completed
Sherlock Holmes
Arthur Conan Doyle's canonical Sherlock Holmes novels and original short-story collections.
- 2 A Study in Scarlet
Book 1 · novel · 1887 Optional
The first of the Sherlock Holmes' adventures, this book introduces the great sleuth and explains how Dr. Watson and Holmes come to share rooms together and solve mysteries together.
- 3 The Sign of Four
Book 2 · novel · 1890 Optional
The Penguin English Library edition A dense yellow miasma swirls in the streets of London as Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson accompany a beautiful young woman to a sinister assignation. For Mary Marston has received several large pearls -…
- 1 The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
Book 3 · story-collection · 1892
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes is a collection of twelve short stories by Arthur Conan Doyle, first published on 14 October 1892. It contains the earliest short stories featuring the consulting detective Sherlock Holmes, which had been…
- 4 The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes
Book 4 · story-collection · 1893
Table of Contents Silver Blaze The Cardboard Box The Yellow Face The Stockbroker's Clerk The 'Gloria Scott' The Musgrave Ritual The Reigate Squire The Crooked Man The Resident Patient The Greek Interpreter The Naval Treaty The Final Problem
- 5 The Hound of the Baskervilles
Book 5 · novel · 1902 Optional
The country doctor has come to 221B Baker Street, •the famous lodgings of Sherlock Holmes, with an eerie tale—the legend of the Hound of the Baskervilles, the devil-beast that haunts the lonely moors around the Baskervilles' ancestral…
- 6 The Return of Sherlock Holmes
Book 6 · story-collection · 1905
13 Tales of Mystery & Suspense—Including the Incredible Story of Sherlock Holmes’s Return from the Dead This Top Five Classics edition of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Return of Sherlock Holmes features: • All 95 Strand illustrations by…
- 7 The Valley of Fear
Book 7 · novel · 1915 Optional
A coded warning of imminent danger sends Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson to the country house of the reclusive Jack Douglas. When they arrive too late to prevent a tragic death, they must follow bewildering clues to find a murderer.
- 8 His Last Bow: Some Reminiscences of Sherlock Holmes
Book 8 · story-collection · 1917
- 9 The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes
Book 9 · story-collection · 1927
The Illustrious Client The Blanched Soldier The Adventure Of The Mazarin Stone The Adventure of the Three Gables The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire The Adventure of the Three Garridebs The Problem of Thor Bridge The Adventure of the…
science-fiction-series · completed
Professor Challenger
The Professor Challenger science-fiction novels.
- 1 The Lost World
Book 1 · novel · 1912
This is a historical reproduction of the first edition of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's original Professor Challenger story.
- 2 The Poison Belt
Book 2 · novel · 1913
Being an account of another adventure of Prof. George E. Challenger, Lord John Roxton, Prof. Summerlee and Mr E. D. M alone, the discoverers of "The Lost World".
- 3 The Land of Mist
Book 3 · novel · 1926
Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle, DL (1859-1930) was a Scottish author. He is most noted for his stories about the detective Sherlock Holmes, which are generally considered a major innovation in the field of crime fiction, and for the…
historical-adventure-series · completed
Brigadier Gerard
Historical adventure stories featuring the boastful Napoleonic cavalry officer Etienne Gerard.
- 1 The Exploits of Brigadier Gerard
Book 1 · story-collection · 1896
"Brigadier Etienne Gerard is a Hussar in the French Army, in Napoleon's service. He's a vain man, believing in his own superiority in many things: being the bravest soldier, the greatest swordsman, and most gallant lover in all France.…
- 2 The Adventures of Gerard
Book 2 · story-collection · 1903
A series of short stories about a fictional French soldier during the Napoleonic wars.
historical-fiction-series · completed
Sir Nigel and The White Company
Two linked medieval historical novels centered on Sir Nigel Loring and the Hundred Years' War.
- 1 Sir Nigel
Book 1 · novel · 1906
Dame History is so austere a lady that if one, has been so ill-advised as to take a liberty with her, one should hasten to make amends by repentance and confession. Events have been transposed to the extent of some few months in this…
- 2 The White Company
Book 2 · novel · 1891
In 1366, while England is at war with Spain, young Alleyne Edricson becomes a squire to Sir Nigel Loring and travels to France to join a bold band of archers known as the White Company.
Outside the series
Bibliography by category
Novels (34)
- The Mystery of Cloomber
novel · 1888
- Micah Clarke
novel · 1889
- The Firm of Girdlestone
novel · 1890
- The Doings of Raffles Haw
novel · 1891
- Beyond the City
novel · 1892
Destiny brings three peculiar households together in the placid English countryside. The desire for money and romance drive these Victorians beyond the natural boundaries of their middle class lives. As the web of lust and deceit draws…
- The Great Shadow
novel · 1892
- The Refugees
novel · 1893
A small band of religious-freedom-seeking Huguenots escape France, only to hazard dangerous sea voyages, stranding on an iceberg, and a perilous trek through Canadian forests, to avoid both Catholic Frenchmen and Indians.
- The Parasite
novel · 1894
- The Stark Munro Letters
novel · 1895
From the book:The letters of my friend Mr. Stark Munro appear to me to form so connected a whole, and to give so plain an account of some of the troubles which a young man may be called upon to face right away at the outset of his career,…
- Rodney Stone
novel · 1896
From the book:On this, the first of January of the year 1851, the nineteenth century has reached its midway term, and many of us who shared its youth have already warn-ings which tell us that it has outworn us. We put our grizzled heads…
- Uncle Bernac
novel · 1897
- The Tragedy of the Korosko
novel · 1898
This is a duplicate. Please update your lists. See https://openlibrary.org/works/OL262501W.
- A Duet, with an Occasional Chorus
novel · 1899
- The Maracot Deep
novel · 1929
The Maracot Deep (sub-titled: The Lost World Under the Sea) is a short novel written by Arthur Conan Doyle first published in The Strand Magazine from october 1927 to february 1928, then continued as The Lord of the Dark Face in april and…
- The Narrative of John Smith
novel · 2011
Arthur Conan Doyle wrote The Narrative of John Smith in 1883 when he was just 23, living in Portsmouth and struggling to establish himself as a doctor and a writer. By that time he had succeeded in getting a number of short stories…
- The Great Boer War
nonfiction · 1900
- The War in South Africa: Its Cause and Conduct
nonfiction · 1902
- Through the Magic Door
nonfiction · 1907
- The Crime of the Congo
nonfiction · 1909
King Leopold's rule was subject to severe criticism, especially from British sources. In this book Arthur Conan Doyle criticizes the 'rubber regime'. This book was written to aid the work of the Congo Reform Association. Doyle contrasts…
- The Case of Oscar Slater
nonfiction · 1912
- The German War: Some Sidelights and Reflections
nonfiction · 1914
- A Visit to Three Fronts
nonfiction · 1916
- The British Campaign in France and Flanders
nonfiction · 1916
- The New Revelation
nonfiction · 1918
From the book:Many more philosophic minds than mine have thought over the religious side of this subject and many more scientific brains have turned their attention to its phenomenal aspect. So far as I know, however, there has been no…
- The Vital Message
nonfiction · 1919
- The Coming of the Fairies
nonfiction · 1922
- The Case for Spirit Photography
nonfiction · 1922
- The Spiritualist's Reader
nonfiction · 1924
- The History of Spiritualism
nonfiction · 1926
The Scottish writer Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930) is best known for his creation of the character Sherlock Holmes. Trained as a medical doctor, Doyle - like many Victorian intellectuals - became fascinated by spiritualism and its…
- Pheneas Speaks
nonfiction · 1927
- The Edge of the Unknown
nonfiction · 1930
- Survival
nonfiction · 1924
- My Religion
nonfiction · 1925
Nonfiction (6)
- Memories and Adventures
memoir · 1924
- Dangerous Work: Diary of an Arctic Adventure
memoir · 2012
- The Wanderings of a Spiritualist
memoir · 1921
- Our American Adventure
memoir · 1923
- Our Second American Adventure
memoir · 1924
- Our African Winter
memoir · 1929
Short fiction (19)
- Mysteries and Adventures
story-collection · 1889
- The Captain of the Polestar and Other Tales
story-collection · 1890
- The Gully of Bluemansdyke and Other Stories
story-collection · 1892
- My Friend the Murderer and Other Mysteries and Adventures
story-collection · 1893
- The Great Keinplatz Experiment and Other Stories
story-collection · 1894
- Round the Red Lamp: Being Facts and Fancies of Medical Life
story-collection · 1894
- The Green Flag and Other Stories of War and Sport
story-collection · 1900
- Round the Fire Stories
story-collection · 1908
Originally published in 1908 and out of print for more than half a century, this collection of stories, complete with a Preface by the author, presents Sir Arthur Conan Doyle at his finest. These 17 tales of suspense and adventure are…
- The Last Galley: Impressions and Tales
story-collection · 1911
- The Great Shadow and Other Napoleonic Tales
story-collection · 1912
- Danger! and Other Stories
story-collection · 1918
A collection of short stories, by the creator of Sherlock Holmes, including the future war story "Danger!" and the science fiction tale "The Horror from the Heights, " "The Fall of Lord Barrymore, " "The Prisoner's Defence, " and "The…
- Tales of the Ring and Camp
story-collection · 1922
- Tales of Pirates and Blue Water
story-collection · 1922
Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle, DL (1859-1930) was a Scottish author. He is most noted for his stories about the detective Sherlock Holmes, which are generally considered a major innovation in the field of crime fiction, and for the…
- Tales of Terror and Mystery
story-collection · 1922
From the book:The idea that the extraordinary narrative which has been called the Joyce-Armstrong Fragment is an elaborate practical joke evolved by some unknown person, cursed by a perverted and sinister sense of humour, has now been…
- Tales of Twilight and the Unseen
story-collection · 1922
- Tales of Adventure and Medical Life
story-collection · 1922
- Tales of Long Ago
story-collection · 1922
- Three of Them
story-collection · 1923
- The Maracot Deep and Other Stories
story-collection · 1929
Essays and speeches (12)
- Spiritualism and Rationalism
pamphlet · 1920
- The Early Christian Church and Modern Spiritualism
pamphlet · 1925
- Psychic Experiences
pamphlet · 1925
- A Word of Warning
pamphlet · 1928
- What Does Spiritualism Actually Teach and Stand For?
pamphlet · 1928
- The Roman Catholic Church: A Rejoinder
pamphlet · 1929
- An Open Letter to Those of My Generation
pamphlet · 1929
- Divorce and the Church
pamphlet · 1913
- In Quest of Truth
pamphlet · 1914
- If I Were a Preacher
pamphlet · 1929
Poetry (4)
- Songs of Action
poetry-collection · 1898
- Songs of the Road
poetry-collection · 1911
God save Wales, from Snowdon's valesTo Severn's silver strand!For all the grace of that old raceStill haunts the Celtic land.And, dear old Ireland, God save you,And heal the wounds of old,For every grief you ever knewMay joy come…
- The Guards Came Through and Other Poems
poetry-collection · 1919
Reproduction of the original: The Guards came through and Other Poems by Arthur Conan Doyle
- The Poems of Arthur Conan Doyle
poetry-collection · 1922
Plays (16)
- Jane Annie; or, The Good Conduct Prize
play · 1893
- Foreign Policy
play
- A Story of Waterloo
play · 1907
- Brothers
play
- Sherlock Holmes
play · 1922
Sherlock Holmes is the most famous detective ever imagined in fiction. He is so widely loved that it seems no detective stories existed before his character was created. One reason people like to read detective stories is because in real…
- A Duet
play · 1903
- Brigadier Gerard
play · 1986
- The Fires of Fate
play
- A Pot of Caviare
play
- The Lift
play
- Dawn
play
- Angels of Darkness: A Drama in Three Acts
play · 2001
- Mrs. Thompson
play
Frequently asked questions about Arthur Conan Doyle
Who was Arthur Conan Doyle?
Arthur Conan Doyle (1859–1930) was a Scottish physician and writer from Edinburgh, best known as the creator of Sherlock Holmes. He also wrote fiction, poetry, history, and nonfiction on varied subjects.
Sources: ed.ac.uk (opens in a new tab)arthurconandoyle.co.uk (opens in a new tab)
Did Arthur Conan Doyle work as a doctor?
Yes. He studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh, served as a ship’s physician, and opened a general practice in Southsea in 1882 before writing became his primary career.
Sources: medicine-vet-medicine.ed.ac.uk (opens in a new tab)arthurconandoyle.co.uk (opens in a new tab)
What inspired Sherlock Holmes?
Doyle drew heavily on Dr Joseph Bell, his medical teacher at Edinburgh, whose skill at diagnosing people through observation and deduction helped shape Holmes’s methods.
Sources: medicine-vet-medicine.ed.ac.uk (opens in a new tab)museum.rcsed.ac.uk (opens in a new tab)
Was Arthur Conan Doyle ever knighted?
Yes. King Edward VII knighted him at Buckingham Palace on October 24, 1902, in recognition of his public defense of Britain’s position during the Boer War.
Sources: arthurconandoyle.co.uk (opens in a new tab)sherlockholmes.stanford.edu (opens in a new tab)
Why is Arthur Conan Doyle still famous today?
His Sherlock Holmes stories became the foundation of his literary legacy and continue to influence mystery fiction, film, television, and worldwide fan culture.
Sources: sherlockholmes.stanford.edu (opens in a new tab)conandoylecollection.com (opens in a new tab)