Arthur Conan Doyle
in order.
The creator of Sherlock Holmes, the most famous detective in literary history.
60+ million (Sherlock Holmes canon, est.)
Copies sold
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was a Scottish physician and writer born in Edinburgh in 1859. While waiting for patients at his struggling medical practice, he wrote A Study in Scarlet (1887), introducing consulting detective Sherlock Holmes and his loyal chronicler Dr. John Watson. The character became a global phenomenon after short stories began appearing in The Strand Magazine in 1891, making Doyle one of the best-paid authors of his era.
Doyle famously grew tired of Holmes and killed him off at the Reichenbach Falls in 1893, only to resurrect him a decade later under overwhelming public demand. Beyond Holmes, he wrote science fiction (the Professor Challenger stories), acclaimed historical novels like The White Company, and extensive nonfiction. He was knighted in 1902 and spent his later years championing spiritualism. He died in 1930, leaving a detective canon of four novels and 56 short stories that has never gone out of print.
Where to start
The Sherlock Holmes canon reads best in publication order, starting with A Study in Scarlet (1887), which introduces Holmes and Watson and explains how they met. From there, continue to The Sign of the Four, then the short story collections beginning with The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes — many fans consider the short stories the heart of the canon. If you want to start with the single most famous book, The Hound of the Baskervilles (1902) works well as a standalone entry point. For Doyle beyond Holmes, begin the Professor Challenger series with The Lost World (1912).
Sherlock Holmes 9 BOOKS · IN ORDER
The complete canon of four novels and five short story collections, in publication order, following the brilliant consulting detective of 221B Baker Street and Dr. Watson.
01
A Study in Scarlet 1887
Holmes and Watson meet for the first time and solve a murder rooted in revenge that stretches back to Utah.
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02
The Sign of the Four 1890
A missing father, a stolen Indian treasure, and a one-legged man draw Holmes into his second recorded case — and Watson into romance.
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03
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes 1892
The first and most beloved story collection, including 'A Scandal in Bohemia,' 'The Red-Headed League,' and 'The Speckled Band.'
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04
The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes 1894
Eleven stories introducing Mycroft Holmes and Professor Moriarty, ending with Holmes's apparent death at the Reichenbach Falls in 'The Final Problem.'
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05
The Hound of the Baskervilles 1902
Doyle's masterpiece pits Holmes against a spectral hound haunting a cursed family on the fog-shrouded moors of Devon.
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06
The Return of Sherlock Holmes 1905
Holmes comes back from the dead in 'The Empty House' and takes on thirteen new cases after a decade-long public outcry for his return.
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07
The Valley of Fear 1915
The final Holmes novel entwines a country-house murder with a secret society in the Pennsylvania coalfields — and Moriarty's shadow.
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08
His Last Bow 1917
Eight stories including the title tale, in which an aging Holmes comes out of retirement to outwit a German spy on the eve of World War I.
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09
The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes 1927
The final twelve Holmes stories, published three years before Doyle's death, closing the canon at 60 adventures.
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Professor Challenger 5 BOOKS · IN ORDER
Science fiction adventures starring the brilliant, bad-tempered Professor George Edward Challenger, beginning with the dinosaur classic The Lost World.
01
The Lost World 1912
Challenger leads an expedition to a South American plateau where dinosaurs still roam — the template for every lost-world adventure since, including Jurassic Park.
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02
The Poison Belt 1913
Challenger and his companions watch what appears to be the end of the world as Earth passes through a belt of poisonous ether.
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03
The Land of Mist 1926
A spiritualism-focused novel reflecting Doyle's own late-life beliefs, as Challenger confronts the possibility of an afterlife.
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04
When the World Screamed 1928
A short story in which Challenger drills to the center of a living Earth.
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05
The Disintegration Machine 1929
A short story pitting Challenger against the inventor of a dangerous disintegration device.
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Standalone books by Doyle 8 BOOKS · BY YEAR
In publication order — read these in any order you like.
01
Micah Clarke 1889
Historical novel of the Monmouth Rebellion of 1685, Doyle's first major book outside detective fiction.
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02
The White Company 1891
Doyle's own favorite among his works — a rousing historical adventure following English archers in the Hundred Years' War.
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03
Round the Red Lamp 1894
Short stories drawing on Doyle's years as a practicing physician.
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04
The Exploits of Brigadier Gerard 1896
Comic adventures of a vain, brave Hussar officer in Napoleon's army, among Doyle's most entertaining non-Holmes work.
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05
Rodney Stone 1896
A Regency-era novel of boxing, mystery, and high society.
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06
The Tragedy of the Korosko 1898
A tense adventure about tourists kidnapped on the Nile.
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07
The Adventures of Gerard 1903
A second volume of Brigadier Gerard's swashbuckling Napoleonic exploits.
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08
Sir Nigel 1906
A prequel to The White Company, chronicling the young knighthood of Nigel Loring.
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The movies READ IT BEFORE YOU WATCH IT
The Lost World 1925
Based on: The Lost World
Landmark silent film whose stop-motion dinosaurs paved the way for King Kong.
The Hound of the Baskervilles 1959
Based on: The Hound of the Baskervilles
Hammer Films' gothic classic starring Peter Cushing as Holmes and Christopher Lee.
Sherlock Holmes 2009
Based on: The Sherlock Holmes canon (original story)
Guy Ritchie's action-heavy take with Robert Downey Jr. as Holmes and Jude Law as Watson.
Sherlock (TV series) 2010
Based on: The Sherlock Holmes canon, updated to modern London
The BBC phenomenon starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman; episodes remix canon stories like 'A Scandal in Bohemia' and 'The Final Problem.'
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows 2011
Based on: 'The Final Problem' (loosely)
The Downey Jr. sequel builds to the fateful confrontation with Moriarty at the Reichenbach Falls.
Elementary (TV series) 2012
Based on: The Sherlock Holmes canon, reimagined in New York
Jonny Lee Miller's Holmes and Lucy Liu's Joan Watson ran for seven seasons on CBS.
Frequently asked questions
What order should I read the Sherlock Holmes books in?
Publication order is the standard recommendation: A Study in Scarlet (1887), The Sign of the Four (1890), The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1892), The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes (1894), The Hound of the Baskervilles (1902), The Return of Sherlock Holmes (1905), The Valley of Fear (1915), His Last Bow (1917), and The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes (1927). This order matches how the stories were written and lets key events, like Moriarty's arrival and Holmes's return, land as intended.
How many Sherlock Holmes books are there?
The official canon consists of nine books: four novels and five short story collections, containing 60 stories in total (4 novels and 56 short stories). Everything else — and there is a vast amount of it — is pastiche or adaptation written by other authors.
Do I have to read Sherlock Holmes in order?
No — most Holmes stories are self-contained cases, so you can dip in almost anywhere. That said, A Study in Scarlet introduces Holmes and Watson, and 'The Final Problem' and 'The Empty House' form a two-part arc around Moriarty, so publication order gives the smoothest experience.
What is the best Sherlock Holmes book to start with?
Start with A Study in Scarlet if you want the beginning of the story, or The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes if you want the strongest introduction to the short stories. If you'd rather begin with the most famous single book, The Hound of the Baskervilles stands alone perfectly well.