The Best of Sherlock Holmes

The fifteen short stories in this book were chosen by David Stuart Davies, former editor of Sherlock magazine, and show the master detective Sherlock Holmes at his most ingenious. Faithfully supported by his chronicler, Dr. Watson, Holmes pits his wits against the Napoleon of Crime, Professor Moriarty, assists European royalty threatened by disgrace, solves the mysterious death of a young woman due to be married, and tackles other intrigues that defeat the detectives of Scotland Yard.

Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle was born in Edinburgh in 1859. After a rigorous Jesuit education, he trained to become a doctor at Edinburgh University. Eventually he set up in a medical practice in Southsea and during the quiet spells between patients he turned his hand to writing. It was here that he created his scientific detective Sherlock Holmes, a character based to some extent on one of his tutors at Edinburgh, Dr. Joseph Bell. Although Holmes was Doyle’s greatest creation, he was more proud of his historical novels such as Micah Clarke, Sir Nigel, and The White Company. A man of many interests and talents, he was an expert in photography and was a pioneer of cross-country skiing. Toward the end of his life he devoted much of his time to his belief in spiritualism. He died in 1930.