Sherlock Holmes appeared in over sixty short stories and novels by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, written over a forty-year period from 1887 to 1927. Holmes was unique - as the first fictional detective to solve crimes by using empirical deduction and icy logic, untainted by romanticism and preconceived notions.

As a medical student at Edinburgh University, Conan Doyle learned advanced techniques of diagnosis, which could equally well be applied to crime solving. Theatrical demonstrations in the art of diagnostics staged by his Medical School tutor, Dr. Joseph Bell, inspired the author to endow Holmes with a similar ability to shock his colleagues and culprits by dramatically revealing the secret heart of a crime.

Eventually, Conan Doyle tired of the pressure to continually write Sherlock's adventures He first killed off his masterpiece in the famous plunge over the Reichenbach Falls, Holmes locked in combat with his arch nemesis, Moriarty. But each time he tried to put an end to Holmes, Conan Doyle succumbed to public pressure (and financial necessity), to revive his best-loved creation, and the stories remain classics to this day.

The Mysterious World of Sherlock Holmes is a one-of-a-kind companion volume, bringing the master detective and his world back to life through carefully researched text and more than 150 illustrations. It examines his famous cases and enemies, reawakens the streets of crime-ridden Victorian London, featuring real-life murder weapons of the period, invites you into 221b Baker Street and details Holmes memorabilia and the detective's legacy today.

For Holmes enthusiasts, collectors, and crime students alike, The Mysterious World of Sherlock Holmes is essential reading to unlock the essence of these classic crime tales and draw connections to their real life counterparts.