Canon of Sherlock Holmes
Encyclopedia
Canon (fiction)
In the context of a work of fiction, the term canon denotes the material accepted as "official" in a fictional universe's fan base. It is often contrasted with, or used as the basis for, works of fan fiction, which are not considered canonical...
of Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes is a fictional detective created by Scottish author and physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The fantastic London-based "consulting detective", Holmes is famous for his astute logical reasoning, his ability to take almost any disguise, and his use of forensic science skills to solve...
consists of the fifty-six short stories
Short Stories
Short Stories may refer to:*A plural for Short story*Short Stories , an American pulp magazine published from 1890-1959*Short Stories, a 1954 collection by O. E...
and four novels written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Arthur Conan Doyle
Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle DL was a Scottish physician and writer, most noted for his stories about the detective Sherlock Holmes, generally considered a milestone in the field of crime fiction, and for the adventures of Professor Challenger...
. In this context, the term "canon
Canon (fiction)
In the context of a work of fiction, the term canon denotes the material accepted as "official" in a fictional universe's fan base. It is often contrasted with, or used as the basis for, works of fan fiction, which are not considered canonical...
" is an attempt to distinguish between Doyle's original works and subsequent works
Pastiche
A pastiche is a literary or other artistic genre or technique that is a "hodge-podge" or imitation. The word is also a linguistic term used to describe an early stage in the development of a pidgin language.-Hodge-podge:...
by other authors using the same characters.
Canon
The traditional canon consists of the four novels and fifty-six short stories collected.Novels
Here is the list of the four novels of the canon:- A Study in ScarletA Study in ScarletA Study in Scarlet is a detective mystery novel written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, introducing his new character of Sherlock Holmes, who later became one of the most famous literary detective characters. He wrote the story in 1886, and it was published the next year...
(published 1887) - The Sign of the Four (published 1890)
- The Hound of the BaskervillesThe Hound of the BaskervillesThe Hound of the Baskervilles is the third of four crime novels by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle featuring the detective Sherlock Holmes. Originally serialised in The Strand Magazine from August 1901 to April 1902, it is set largely on Dartmoor in Devon in England's West Country and tells the story of an...
(serialised 1901–1902 in The Strand) - The Valley of FearThe Valley of FearThe Valley of Fear is the fourth and final Sherlock Holmes novel by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The story was first published in the Strand Magazine between September 1914 and May 1915, and the first book edition was published in New York on 27 February 1915.- Part I: The Tragedy of Birlstone...
(serialised 1914–1915)
Short stories
The fifty-six short stories are collected in five books:- The Adventures of Sherlock HolmesThe Adventures of Sherlock HolmesThe Adventures of Sherlock Holmes is a collection of twelve stories by Arthur Conan Doyle, featuring his famous detective and illustrated by Sidney Paget....
- The Memoirs of Sherlock HolmesThe Memoirs of Sherlock HolmesThe Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes is a collection of Sherlock Holmes stories, originally published in 1894, by Arthur Conan Doyle.-Contents:The twelve stories of the Memoirs are:*"Silver Blaze"...
- The Return of Sherlock HolmesThe Return of Sherlock HolmesThe Return of Sherlock Holmes is a collection of 13 Sherlock Holmes stories, originally published in 1903-1904, by Arthur Conan Doyle.-History:...
- His Last BowHis Last BowHis Last Bow is a collection of seven Sherlock Holmes stories by Arthur Conan Doyle, as well as the title of the last story in that collection...
- The Case-Book of Sherlock HolmesThe Case-Book of Sherlock HolmesThe Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes is the final collection of Sherlock Holmes stories by Arthur Conan Doyle. Originally published in 1927, it contains stories published between 1921 and 1927....
Frequently, "The Adventure of …" is dropped from some story titles in current-day anthologies. However, in their original appearance in The Strand
Strand Magazine
The Strand Magazine was a monthly magazine composed of fictional stories and factual articles founded by George Newnes. It was first published in the United Kingdom from January 1891 to March 1950 running to 711 issues, though the first issue was on sale well before Christmas 1890.Its immediate...
, this is how the titles were given in many cases.
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
Contains 12 stories published in The StrandStrand Magazine
The Strand Magazine was a monthly magazine composed of fictional stories and factual articles founded by George Newnes. It was first published in the United Kingdom from January 1891 to March 1950 running to 711 issues, though the first issue was on sale well before Christmas 1890.Its immediate...
between July 1891 and December 1892 with original illustrations by Sidney Paget
Sidney Paget
Sidney Edward Paget was a British illustrator of the Victorian era, best known for his illustrations that accompanied Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories in The Strand magazine.- Life :...
.
- "A Scandal in BohemiaA Scandal in Bohemia"A Scandal in Bohemia" was the first of Arthur Conan Doyle's 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories to be published in The Strand Magazine and the first Sherlock Holmes story illustrated by Sidney Paget....
" - "The Adventure of the Red-Headed League"
- "A Case of IdentityA Case of Identity"A Case of Identity" is one of the 56 short Sherlock Holmes stories written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and is the third story in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.-Plot summary:...
" - "The Boscombe Valley MysteryThe Boscombe Valley Mystery"The Boscombe Valley Mystery", one of the 56 short Sherlock Holmes stories written by British author, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is the fourth of the twelve stories in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. It was first published in the Strand Magazine in 1891.-Plot summary:Lestrade summons Holmes to a...
" - "The Five Orange PipsThe Five Orange Pips"The Five Orange Pips", one of the 56 short Sherlock Holmes stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is the fifth of the twelve stories in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes....
" - "The Man with the Twisted LipThe Man with the Twisted Lip"The Man with the Twisted Lip", one of the 56 short Sherlock Holmes stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is the sixth of the twelve stories in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. The story was first published in the Strand Magazine in December 1891...
" - "The Adventure of the Blue CarbuncleThe Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle"The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle", one of the 56 short Sherlock Holmes stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is the seventh story of twelve in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes...
" - "The Adventure of the Speckled BandThe Adventure of the Speckled Band"The Adventure of the Speckled Band" is one of the 56 short Sherlock Holmes stories written by Scottish author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It is the eighth of the twelve stories collected in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. It is one of four Sherlock Holmes stories that can be classified as a locked...
" - "The Adventure of the Engineer's ThumbThe Adventure of the Engineer's Thumb"The Adventure of the Engineer's Thumb", one of the 56 short Sherlock Holmes stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is the ninth of the twelve stories collected in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. The story was first published in Strand Magazine in March 1892.-Synopsis:In his...
" - "The Adventure of the Noble BachelorThe Adventure of the Noble Bachelor"The Adventure of the Noble Bachelor", one of the 56 short Sherlock Holmes stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is the tenth of the twelve stories collected in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes...
" - "The Adventure of the Beryl CoronetThe Adventure of the Beryl Coronet"The Adventure of the Beryl Coronet", one of the 56 short Sherlock Holmes stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is the eleventh of the twelve stories collected in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. The story was first published in Strand Magazine in May 1892.-Synopsis:A banker, Mr...
" - "The Adventure of the Copper BeechesThe Adventure of the Copper Beeches"The Adventure of the Copper Beeches", one of the 56 short Sherlock Holmes stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is the last of the twelve collected in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes...
"
The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes
Contains 12 stories published in The Strand as further episodes of the Adventures between December 1892 and November 1893 with original illustrations by Sidney PagetSidney Paget
Sidney Edward Paget was a British illustrator of the Victorian era, best known for his illustrations that accompanied Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories in The Strand magazine.- Life :...
.
- "Silver BlazeSilver Blaze"Silver Blaze", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 12 in the cycle collected as The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes. It was adapted in 1937 to a film starring Arthur Wontner, and an ITV drama starring Christopher Plummer which was...
" - "The Adventure of the Cardboard BoxThe Adventure of the Cardboard Box"The Adventure of the Cardboard Box" is one of the 56 short Sherlock Holmes stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It is the second of the twelve Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes in most British editions of the canon, and second of the eight stories from His Last Bow in most American...
" (this story is included as part of His Last BowHis Last BowHis Last Bow is a collection of seven Sherlock Holmes stories by Arthur Conan Doyle, as well as the title of the last story in that collection...
in American editions of the canon) - "The Adventure of the Yellow FaceThe Adventure of the Yellow Face"The Adventure of the Yellow Face", one of the 56 short Sherlock Holmes stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is the third tale from The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes...
" - "The Adventure of the Stockbroker's ClerkThe Adventure of the Stockbroker's Clerk"The Adventure of the Stockbroker's Clerk" is one of the 56 short Sherlock Holmes stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It is the fourth of the twelve collected in The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes in most British editions of the canon, and third of eleven in most American ones...
" - "The Adventure of the Gloria ScottThe Adventure of the Gloria Scott"The Adventure of the 'Gloria Scott'", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 12 stories in the cycle collected as The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes...
" (Holmes's first case, described to Watson) - "The Adventure of the Musgrave RitualThe Adventure of the Musgrave Ritual"The Adventure of the Musgrave Ritual" is a short story by Arthur Conan Doyle, featuring his fictional detective Sherlock Holmes. The story was originally published in Strand Magazine in 1893, and was collected later in The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes. Unlike the majority of Holmes stories, the main...
" (another early case, told by Holmes to Watson) - "The Adventure of the Reigate SquireThe Adventure of the Reigate Squire"The Adventure of the Reigate Squire", also known as "The Adventure of the Reigate Squires" and "The Adventure of the Reigate Puzzle", was one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It is one of 12 stories in the cycle collected as The Memoirs of...
" - "The Adventure of the Crooked ManThe Adventure of the Crooked Man"The Adventure of the Crooked Man", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 12 stories in the cycle collected as The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes...
" - "The Adventure of the Resident PatientThe Adventure of the Resident Patient"The Adventure of the Resident Patient", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 12 stories in the cycle collected as The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes...
" - "The Adventure of the Greek InterpreterThe Adventure of the Greek Interpreter"The Adventure of the Greek Interpreter", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 12 stories in the cycle collected as The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes. The story was originally serialised in Strand Magazine in 1893. This story...
" (Mycroft appears for the first time) - "The Adventure of the Naval TreatyThe Adventure of the Naval Treaty"The Adventure of the Naval Treaty", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 12 stories in the cycle collected as The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes. Doyle ranked "The Adventure of the Naval Treaty" nineteenth in a list of his nineteen...
" - "The Final Problem" (Watson reports the death of Holmes)
The Return of Sherlock Holmes
Contains 13 stories published in The Strand between October 1903 and January 1905 with original illustrations by Sidney PagetSidney Paget
Sidney Edward Paget was a British illustrator of the Victorian era, best known for his illustrations that accompanied Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories in The Strand magazine.- Life :...
.
- "The Adventure of the Empty HouseThe Adventure of the Empty House"The Adventure of the Empty House", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 13 stories in the cycle collected as The Return of Sherlock Holmes. Public pressure forced Conan Doyle to bring the sleuth back to life, and explain his...
" (the return of Holmes) - "The Adventure of the Norwood BuilderThe Adventure of the Norwood Builder"The Adventure of the Norwood Builder", one of the 56 short Sherlock Holmes stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is the second tale from The Return of Sherlock Holmes. The story was first published in Strand Magazine in 1903 with original illustrations by Sidney...
" - "The Adventure of the Dancing MenThe Adventure of the Dancing Men"The Adventure of the Dancing Men", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 13 stories in the cycle collected as The Return of Sherlock Holmes....
" - "The Adventure of the Solitary CyclistThe Adventure of the Solitary Cyclist"The Adventure of the Solitary Cyclist", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 13 stories in the cycle collected as The Return of Sherlock Holmes.-Synopsis:...
" - "The Adventure of the Priory SchoolThe Adventure of the Priory School"The Adventure of the Priory School", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 13 stories in the cycle collected as The Return of Sherlock Holmes...
" - "The Adventure of Black PeterThe Adventure of Black Peter"The Adventure of Black Peter" is a Sherlock Holmes story by Arthur Conan Doyle. This tale is in the collection The Return of Sherlock Holmes, but was published originally in 1904 in the Strand Magazine and Collier's.-Plot summary:...
" - "The Adventure of Charles Augustus MilvertonThe Adventure of Charles Augustus Milverton"The Adventure of Charles Augustus Milverton" is one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It is one of 13 stories in the cycle collected as The Return of Sherlock Holmes and was published in 1904....
" - "The Adventure of the Six NapoleonsThe Adventure of the Six Napoleons"The Adventure of the Six Napoleons", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 13 stories in the cycle collected as The Return of Sherlock Holmes.-Synopsis:...
" - "The Adventure of the Three StudentsThe Adventure of the Three Students"The Adventure of the Three Students", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 13 stories in the cycle collected as The Return of Sherlock Holmes.-Synopsis:...
" - "The Adventure of the Golden Pince-NezThe Adventure of the Golden Pince-Nez"The Adventure of the Golden Pince-Nez", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 13 stories in the cycle collected as The Return of Sherlock Holmes.-Synopsis:...
" - "The Adventure of the Missing Three-QuarterThe Adventure of the Missing Three-Quarter"The Adventure of the Missing Three-Quarter", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 13 stories in the cycle collected as The Return of Sherlock Holmes. It was originally published in Strand Magazine in 1904 with illustrations by...
" - "The Adventure of the Abbey GrangeThe Adventure of the Abbey Grange"The Adventure of the Abbey Grange", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 13 stories in the cycle collected as The Return of Sherlock Holmes.-Synopsis:...
" - "The Adventure of the Second StainThe Adventure of the Second Stain"The Adventure of the Second Stain", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 13 stories in the cycle collected as The Return of Sherlock Holmes....
"
His Last Bow
Contains seven stories published 1908–1913, 1917.- "The Adventure of Wisteria LodgeThe Adventure of Wisteria Lodge"The Adventure of Wisteria Lodge" is one of the fifty-six Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Arthur Conan Doyle. One of eight stories in the cycle collected as His Last Bow, it is a lengthy, two-part story consisting of "The Singular Experience of Mr...
" (originally published simply as "A Reminiscence of Mr Sherlock Holmes," this story is made up of two parts given separate titles: "The Singular Experience of Mr. John Scott Eccles" and "The Tiger of San Pedro") - "The Adventure of the Red CircleThe Adventure of the Red Circle"The Adventure of the Red Circle" is one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Arthur Conan Doyle. It is included in the anthology His Last Bow.-Synopsis:...
" - "The Adventure of the Bruce-Partington PlansThe Adventure of the Bruce-Partington Plans"The Adventure of the Bruce-Partington Plans" is one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It is one of eight stories in the cycle collected as His Last Bow...
" (Mycroft appears) - "The Adventure of the Dying DetectiveThe Adventure of the Dying Detective"The Adventure of the Dying Detective", in some editions simply titled "The Dying Detective", is one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Together with seven other stories, it is collected as His Last Bow.-Plot summary:Dr...
" - "The Disappearance of Lady Frances CarfaxThe Disappearance of Lady Frances Carfax"The Disappearance of Lady Frances Carfax" is one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It is one of the eight stories in the cycle collected as His Last Bow.-Synopsis:...
" - "The Adventure of the Devil's FootThe Adventure of the Devil's Foot"The Adventure of the Devil's Foot" is one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Arthur Conan Doyle. It is one of eight stories in the cycle collected as His Last Bow....
" - "His Last BowHis Last Bow (story)"His Last Bow" is one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by Scottish author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and one of seven collected in the anthology His Last Bow. Unlike most other Holmes stories which are written from the point of view of Dr...
" (told in third-person)
The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes
Contains 12 stories published 1921–1927.- "The Adventure of the Mazarin StoneThe Adventure of the Mazarin Stone"The Adventure of the Mazarin Stone", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 12 stories in the cycle collected as The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes....
" (told in third-person) - "The Problem of Thor BridgeThe Problem of Thor Bridge"The Problem of Thor Bridge" is a Sherlock Holmes murder mystery by Arthur Conan Doyle, which appears in the collection The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes...
" - "The Adventure of the Creeping ManThe Adventure of the Creeping Man"The Adventure of the Creeping Man", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 12 stories in the cycle collected as The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes.-Synopsis:...
" - "The Adventure of the Sussex VampireThe Adventure of the Sussex Vampire"The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short-stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 12 stories in the cycle collected as The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes.- Plot summary :...
" - "The Adventure of the Three GarridebsThe Adventure of the Three Garridebs"The Adventure of the Three Garridebs", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 12 stories in the cycle collected as The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes....
" - "The Adventure of the Illustrious ClientThe Adventure of the Illustrious Client"The Adventure of the Illustrious Client", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 12 stories in the cycle collected as The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes.-Plot summary:...
" - "The Adventure of the Three GablesThe Adventure of the Three Gables"The Adventure of the Three Gables", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 12 stories in the cycle collected as The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes.-Synopsis:...
" - "The Adventure of the Blanched SoldierThe Adventure of the Blanched Soldier"The Adventure of the Blanched Soldier", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 12 stories in the cycle collected as The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes...
" (narrated by Holmes; Watson does not appear) - "The Adventure of the Lion's ManeThe Adventure of the Lion's Mane"The Adventure of the Lion's Mane", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 12 stories in the cycle collected as The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes. It is notable for being narrated by Holmes himself, instead of by Dr...
" (narrated by Holmes; Watson does not appear) - "The Adventure of the Retired ColourmanThe Adventure of the Retired Colourman"The Adventure of the Retired Colourman", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 12 stories in the cycle collected as The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes.-Synopsis:...
" - "The Adventure of the Veiled LodgerThe Adventure of the Veiled Lodger"The Adventure of the Veiled Lodger", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 12 stories in the cycle collected as The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes.-Synopsis:...
" - "The Adventure of Shoscombe Old PlaceThe Adventure of Shoscombe Old Place"The Adventure of Shoscombe Old Place", is the last of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and is one of 12 stories in the cycle collected as The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes...
"
Extracanonical works
Since the author's death, professional and amateur Sherlockians have discussed endlessly the expansion of this canon, to include other works by Doyle, including works in other media, into the current complete adventures. Rumours have always surrounded lost works, and in recent years further investigations have revealed more to the traditionally collected canon. As there exists no definitive body to argue what is, and what is not canon beyond the already established novels and stories, it is unlikely that any piece, no matter how good its claim to be 'canonical' will ever be popularly received into published versions of the Complete Sherlock Holmes. However, as many as eighteen works have been cited as possible entrants. These works include plays, poems, essays on the character, and even short stories.Three works which speak most on this subject were published in the late 1980s and 1990s: Sherlock Holmes: The Published Apocrypha edited by Jack Tracy
Jack Tracy
Jack Tracy was an American jazz producer and journalist.- Early years :...
, The Uncollected Sherlock Holmes, edited by Richard Lancelyn Green
Richard Lancelyn Green
Richard Lancelyn Green was a British scholar of Arthur Conan Doyle and Sherlock Holmes, generally considered the world's foremost scholar of these topics.-Background:...
, and The Final Adventures of Sherlock Holmes edited by Peter Haining
Peter Haining
Peter Alexander Haining was a British journalist, author and anthologist who lived and worked in Suffolk...
. These works discussed several titles and their place in the canon. More recently, the final volume of Leslie Klinger's Sherlock Holmes Reference Library contained the Apocrypha. All of these works have at least slightly different contents.
Works by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
In addition to the canon Conan Doyle wrote (occasionally with a co-writer) a number of vignettes, play adaptations and essays involving Holmes, and two short stories in which Holmes makes a possible cameo appearance. Most were published in various places during his lifetime, another has only come to light since his death. These are listed below with further detail."The Field Bazaar" (1896)
"The Field Bazaar" was written during an Edinburgh University fundraising event. Doyle had been requested by his university to contribute a short piece of literature for a charity magazine. In the story Watson has received a similar request and whilst he reads the letter at breakfast, Holmes correctly deduces the sender of the letter and Watson's thoughts with regard to the letter. It shares many similarities to the canonical stories. Aside from the metafictional twist in which Watson supplants Doyle as the author publishing his own stories in a magazine, it also plays not only about the famous skill of Holmes' observations producing apparently miraculous results, but also upon the notion of the 'traditional breakfast scenes' which open many Holmes short stories."The Lost Special" (1898)
Though Doyle had killed off his character by 1894, he still wrote other short stories for publication in the Strand MagazineStrand Magazine
The Strand Magazine was a monthly magazine composed of fictional stories and factual articles founded by George Newnes. It was first published in the United Kingdom from January 1891 to March 1950 running to 711 issues, though the first issue was on sale well before Christmas 1890.Its immediate...
. "The Lost Special
The Lost Special
"The Lost Special" is a short story by Arthur Conan Doyle first published in 1898. It is implied to be a Sherlock Holmes story, though his name is not used.-Synopsis:This story concerns the baffling disappearance of a special train on its journey to London...
" was one such story, a seemingly inexplicable mystery in which a special train and its few passengers disappear between two stations. After the mystery is described in full, it is stated that a letter appeared in the press, giving a proposed solution from "an amateur reasoner of some celebrity". It is possible, and has been proposed by Haining, Tracy and Green amongst others that this 'amateur reasoner' was Sherlock Holmes. The strongest clue to this is the infamous quote "once one has eliminated the impossible..." used by Holmes throughout his deductions. However, this suggested solution is proved wrong by a confession from the organising criminal once he is later arrested for an unrelated crime. It is suggested by Haining that Doyle was 'getting out some Holmes' during the series hiatus, but given the failure of the unnamed detective it appears he was parodying his most famous creation. The story was published in book form in Arthur Conan Doyle’s Tales of Terror and Mystery in 1923 and has for years appeared in French editions of the complete adventures.
"The Man with the Watches" (1898)
Like "The Lost Special", "The Man with the Watches" also appeared in the Strand (in 1898), and later in Tales of Terror and Mystery. It follows the same pattern, the mystery this time surrounding the appearance of a dead man in a railway carriage, with six pocketwatches in his jacket. An explanation is offered by an amateur detective, but the narrator notes it to be flawed as it doesn't take into account all the facts. A man involved in the accidental murder of the victim writes a letter to the detective, saying that it was a 'mighty clever solution' but entirely incorrect. It shares the same backing for categorising as a Sherlock Holmes story as 'The Lost Special', and appears in French Anthologies. The story was adapted for BBC Radio 4 in 2009 as 'The Thirteen Watches', in an episode from The Further Adventures of Sherlock HolmesThe Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
This article is about the BBC Radio 4 series transmitted from 2002 to 2010. There is also a U.S. produced series, which began in 1998, that transmits under the same title....
. The number of watches was changed because the new title came from a reference (in the Holmes story The Noble Bachelor) to Holmes' involvement with the watches incident.
"The Adventure of the Tall Man" (c. 1900)
When searching through Conan Doyle’s papers, a biographer of his came across an uncompleted story, complete with plan and quotes. Various authors have attempted to complete the story and put it alongside the canon. Some are very close to Doyle’s plot, others including variations. However no 'official' completion has been made (In the same way as The Exploits of Sherlock HolmesThe Exploits of Sherlock Holmes
The Exploits of Sherlock Holmes is a short story collection written by Adrian Conan Doyle and John Dickson Carr, first published in 1954.The stories contained in the collection are:*"The Adventure of the Seven Clocks"*"The Adventure of the Gold Hunter"...
was intended as an official continuation of the canon).
"How Watson Learned the Trick" (1924)
In 1924, several authors were approached to contribute to the library of Queen Mary's Dolls' HouseQueen Mary's Dolls' House
Queen Mary's Dolls' House is a doll's house built in the early 1920s, completed in 1924, for Queen Mary, the wife of King George V.The idea for building it originally came from the Queen's cousin, Princess Marie Louise, who discussed her idea with one of the top architects of the time, Sir Edwin...
. Conan Doyle wrote a short Sherlock Holmes story, just 503 words long, onto the tiny pages of a specially constructed miniature book: "How Watson Learned the Trick
How Watson Learned the Trick
How Watson Learned the Trick is a Sherlock Holmes parody written by Arthur Conan Doyle in 1922. It concerns Doctor Watson attempting to demonstrate to Holmes how he has learned the latter's "superficial trick" of logical deduction by giving a summary of Holmes' current state of mind and plans for...
". The story was later published alongside works by other authors in The Book of the Queen's Dolls' House Library. Though written 28 years after "The Field Bazaar", this is almost a sister piece to that story. Like "The Field Bazaar", this story is a breakfast scene, during which Watson attempts to mimic Holmes's style in guessing his thoughts. Watson's intuitions are proved wrong however. Unlike almost all parts of the Sherlock Holmes story it is written in the third person, presumably due to its length.
Sherlock Holmes on stage
Sherlock Holmes: A Drama in Four Acts (or Sherlock Holmes) (1899)The original Sherlock Holmes play written by Arthur Conan Doyle and William Gillette
William Gillette
William Hooker Gillette was an American actor, playwright and stage-manager in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries who is best remembered today for portraying Sherlock Holmes....
had a successful run of over thirty years. It has many original parts which are not found in the short stories, but borrows many events from the canonical adventures, namely "A Scandal in Bohemia
A Scandal in Bohemia
"A Scandal in Bohemia" was the first of Arthur Conan Doyle's 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories to be published in The Strand Magazine and the first Sherlock Holmes story illustrated by Sidney Paget....
" and "The Final Problem". Also, it had elements from A Study in Scarlet
A Study in Scarlet
A Study in Scarlet is a detective mystery novel written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, introducing his new character of Sherlock Holmes, who later became one of the most famous literary detective characters. He wrote the story in 1886, and it was published the next year...
, The Sign of Four, "The Boscombe Valley Mystery
The Boscombe Valley Mystery
"The Boscombe Valley Mystery", one of the 56 short Sherlock Holmes stories written by British author, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is the fourth of the twelve stories in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. It was first published in the Strand Magazine in 1891.-Plot summary:Lestrade summons Holmes to a...
" and "The Adventure of the Greek Interpreter
The Adventure of the Greek Interpreter
"The Adventure of the Greek Interpreter", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 12 stories in the cycle collected as The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes. The story was originally serialised in Strand Magazine in 1893. This story...
". It includes the very first mention of the phrase "Elementary, my dear Watson." While Conan Doyle wrote the original version, it is unclear how much of his material survived in the play as performed, which was written by Gillette. Conan Doyle and Gillette later revised the play together; it has since been revised by others twice.
The Speckled Band (or The Stonor Case) (1902)
Around 1902 Doyle wrote and produced a play based on his short story "The Adventure of the Speckled Band
The Adventure of the Speckled Band
"The Adventure of the Speckled Band" is one of the 56 short Sherlock Holmes stories written by Scottish author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It is the eighth of the twelve stories collected in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. It is one of four Sherlock Holmes stories that can be classified as a locked...
". It did not premiere until 8 years later, at the Adelphi Theatre
Adelphi Theatre
The Adelphi Theatre is a 1500-seat West End theatre, located on the Strand in the City of Westminster. The present building is the fourth on the site. The theatre has specialised in comedy and musical theatre, and today it is a receiving house for a variety of productions, including many musicals...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
on 4 June 1910, with H. A. Saintsbury as Sherlock Holmes and Lyn Harding
Lyn Harding
Lyn Harding was a Welsh actor who spent 40 years on the stage before entering British made silent films, talkies and radio...
as Dr. Grimesby Roylott. The play, originally entitled The Stonor Case, differs from the story in several small details, such as the names of some of the characters.
The Crown Diamond: An Evening With Mr Sherlock Holmes (1921)
"The Crown Diamond" is an alternate version of the short story "The Adventure of the Mazarin Stone
The Adventure of the Mazarin Stone
"The Adventure of the Mazarin Stone", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 12 stories in the cycle collected as The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes....
" though it predates its counterpart by some time, Sometime during the original run the short story was adapted from the play, this is the reason that the narrative is told in third person rather than by the traditional narrator Watson. However, some claim that the play originally appeared in an early draft of "Sherlock Holmes" (above) and later removed, with some elements finding their way into "The Adventure of the Empty House
The Adventure of the Empty House
"The Adventure of the Empty House", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 13 stories in the cycle collected as The Return of Sherlock Holmes. Public pressure forced Conan Doyle to bring the sleuth back to life, and explain his...
" before the entire play was ressurected, some years later, into "The Crown Diamond" and "The Mazarin Stone."
Essays and retrospectives
Arthur Conan Doyle rarely gave interviews or publicly discussed his character. However, the following is a list of Conan Doyle essays and interviews on his character which are currently in publication, either in Green or Haining's book or in standard editions of the Complete Stories:"A Gaudy Death" (1901)
Subtitled "Conan Doyle Tells The True Story of Sherlock Holmes’s End", this appeared in a weekly magazine Tit-Bits
Tit-Bits
Tit-Bits was a British weekly magazine founded by George Newnes on 22 October 1881 until 18 July 1984, when it was taken over by Associated Newspapers' Weekend, which itself closed in 1989. The last editors were David Hill and Brian Lee...
, a publication related to The Strand Magazine. It is an interview which is given by Doyle during the great hiatus, and mentions inklings to write more Holmes adventures.
"Some Personalia about Sherlock Holmes" (1917)
This essay was featured in the Strand Magazine as a Christmas treat to its readers. It talks of the way Holmes had caught the public imagination, and Conan Doyle’s view on his character.
"The Truth About Sherlock Holmes" (1923)
An essay from Collier's Weekly, in which Doyle explains exactly where Holmes came from. It contains, at the end, JM Barrie’s "The Adventure of the Two Collaborators", and this may be the reason why many assumed it to be a Holmes tale by Doyle himself.
"To An Undiscerning Critic" or "The Case of the Inferior Sleuth" (1924)
A curiosity known as "To an Undiscerning Critic’" by Green, and "The Case of the Inferior Sleuth" by Haining, Doyle was criticised in an Arthur Guiterman
Arthur Guiterman
Arthur Guiterman was an American writer best known for his humorous poems.-Life and career:Guiterman was born of American parents in Vienna, graduated from the College of the City of New York in 1891, and was married in 1909 to Vida Lindo. He was an editor of the Woman's Home Companion and the...
verse written in his book The Laughing Muse, for his alleged snubbing of Dupin and Lecoq
Monsieur Lecoq
Monsieur Lecoq is the creation of Émile Gaboriau, a 19th-century French writer and journalist. Monsieur Lecoq is a fictional detective employed by the French Sûreté...
in A Study in Scarlet. Doyle countered with a like poem in which he defends himself, stating that Holmes’ views on the two fictional detectives were not his own. The riposte was published in Some Piquat People in 1924
"Mr. Sherlock Holmes to his Readers" (1927)
This appeared in The Strand Magazine to introduce a competition to name the best Sherlock Holmes adventures. The same essay, with a paragraph cut, appears as the preface to The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes.
"My Favourite Sherlock Holmes Adventures" (1927)
This is the sequel to the article mentioned above. In it, Conan Doyle listed what he thought were the best Holmes adventures. He noted that had he been able to include stories from The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes he would certainly have included "The Adventure of the Lion's Mane
The Adventure of the Lion's Mane
"The Adventure of the Lion's Mane", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 12 stories in the cycle collected as The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes. It is notable for being narrated by Holmes himself, instead of by Dr...
" and "The Adventure of the Illustrious Client
The Adventure of the Illustrious Client
"The Adventure of the Illustrious Client", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 12 stories in the cycle collected as The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes.-Plot summary:...
". (Haining speculates this claim was intended to raise sales of the forthcoming volume, which included those stories.) The list is as follows:
- "The Adventure of the Speckled BandThe Adventure of the Speckled Band"The Adventure of the Speckled Band" is one of the 56 short Sherlock Holmes stories written by Scottish author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It is the eighth of the twelve stories collected in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. It is one of four Sherlock Holmes stories that can be classified as a locked...
" - "The Adventure of the Red-Headed League"
- "The Adventure of the Dancing MenThe Adventure of the Dancing Men"The Adventure of the Dancing Men", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 13 stories in the cycle collected as The Return of Sherlock Holmes....
" - "The Final Problem"
- "A Scandal in BohemiaA Scandal in Bohemia"A Scandal in Bohemia" was the first of Arthur Conan Doyle's 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories to be published in The Strand Magazine and the first Sherlock Holmes story illustrated by Sidney Paget....
" - "The Adventure of the Empty HouseThe Adventure of the Empty House"The Adventure of the Empty House", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 13 stories in the cycle collected as The Return of Sherlock Holmes. Public pressure forced Conan Doyle to bring the sleuth back to life, and explain his...
" - "The Five Orange PipsThe Five Orange Pips"The Five Orange Pips", one of the 56 short Sherlock Holmes stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is the fifth of the twelve stories in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes....
" - "The Adventure of the Second StainThe Adventure of the Second Stain"The Adventure of the Second Stain", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 13 stories in the cycle collected as The Return of Sherlock Holmes....
" - "The Adventure of the Devil's FootThe Adventure of the Devil's Foot"The Adventure of the Devil's Foot" is one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Arthur Conan Doyle. It is one of eight stories in the cycle collected as His Last Bow....
" - "The Adventure of the Priory SchoolThe Adventure of the Priory School"The Adventure of the Priory School", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 13 stories in the cycle collected as The Return of Sherlock Holmes...
" - "The Adventure of the Musgrave RitualThe Adventure of the Musgrave Ritual"The Adventure of the Musgrave Ritual" is a short story by Arthur Conan Doyle, featuring his fictional detective Sherlock Holmes. The story was originally published in Strand Magazine in 1893, and was collected later in The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes. Unlike the majority of Holmes stories, the main...
" - "The Adventure of the Reigate SquireThe Adventure of the Reigate Squire"The Adventure of the Reigate Squire", also known as "The Adventure of the Reigate Squires" and "The Adventure of the Reigate Puzzle", was one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It is one of 12 stories in the cycle collected as The Memoirs of...
"
Works not featuring Sherlock Holmes
These works, two short stories and a play, are cited by Haining as of interest to Holmes fans."The Mystery of Sasassa Valley" (1879)
"The Mystery of Uncle Jeremy’s Household" (1887)
Peter Haining includes these stories in his book as they include what he claims to be archetypes of Holmes characters and situations, that are of interest to those studying the evolution of Sherlock Holmes. They were serialised in Boys' magazines of the late nineteenth century.
Angels of Darkness (c. 1889)
Unpublished until 2000, this play was written shortly after A Study in Scarlet was published. It is essentially a rewrite of the American chapters of A Study in Scarlet, with the London action moving to San Francisco. Holmes is not present, but Watson is, in a very different form. He acts discreditably, and even marries another woman. The publication of this play was at first suppressed, Doyle’s biographer, John Dickson Carr
John Dickson Carr
John Dickson Carr was an American author of detective stories, who also published under the pen names Carter Dickson, Carr Dickson and Roger Fairbairn....
stated that it would do no good for the public to read this, a view that Haining endorses readily. The play is notable for its contrasting sensationalist and comic scenes. It is contained in Klinger's Apocrypha.
Works of interest by other authors
These are works which have in the past been thought to have been written by Doyle. Some have been conclusively proved to have no Conan Doyle input, the composition of others still remains unclear.Short stories
"The Case of the Man who was Wanted" (c. 1914)This mystery, a completed Sherlock Holmes story, was found in 1942 by a Conan Doyle biographer, Hesketh Pearson, searching through a box of Doyle’s papers. It was originally announced that the story would not be published by the Doyle estate, but it was announced it certainly was by Doyle, as the manuscript supposedly appeared in his own handwriting. However, according to Jon L. Lellenberg in Nova 57 Minor, the manuscript was not in Conan Doyle's handwriting, but typewritten. The Strand Magazine published extracts from it in August 1943, and was finally published after demand from Sherlock Holmes societies in 1947, when it was embraced as a new (if slightly inferior) part of the canon by The Baker Street Irregulars amongst others. Initial suspicions of forgery were reported by Vincent Starret and it was eventually discovered by Hesketh Pearson that the story was originally written by Arthur Whitaker, who had sent it to Conan Doyle in hope of a collaboration. Doyle had bought the story, in the thought that he might use the idea at a later date, but he never did. Pearson, Green, Tracy and the Doyle estate agree that Whitaker wrote the story, though Haining still claims that “the opening scene between Holmes and Watson betrays the hand of the master,” and that the story is partly written by Conan Doyle. He points out that Doyle's wife, sons and biographer were fooled by the style, and it is possible there was a redraft made. The story is published in Penguin's The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes collection under the title of The Adventure of the Sheffield Banker.
"The Adventure of the Two Collaborators" (first published 1923)
Though never claimed by any serious critic to be a Conan Doyle work, this parody is listed here due to a popular misconception that this was written by Doyle for his friend, J. M. Barrie
J. M. Barrie
Sir James Matthew Barrie, 1st Baronet, OM was a Scottish author and dramatist, best remembered today as the creator of Peter Pan. The child of a family of small-town weavers, he was educated in Scotland. He moved to London, where he developed a career as a novelist and playwright...
(of Peter Pan
Peter Pan
Peter Pan is a character created by Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie . A mischievous boy who can fly and magically refuses to grow up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending childhood adventuring on the small island of Neverland as the leader of his gang the Lost Boys, interacting with...
fame). (Perhaps contributing to this misconception is the fact that the play appears for the first time only in a work of Conan Doyle's, and all subsequent printings are from that source.) In fact, this story was written by Barrie for Doyle following a period of the two of them working together on a play. The story itself involves Doyle and Barrie visiting Holmes, with Doyle killing Holmes due to his irritating intelligence (which perhaps reflects Doyle's killing off of the character in "The Adventure of the Final Problem
The Adventure of the Final Problem
"The Final Problem" is a short story by Arthur Conan Doyle featuring his detective character Sherlock Holmes. It was first published in Strand Magazine in December 1893. It appears in book form as part of the collection The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes...
").
Sherlock Holmes on stage
The Painful Predicament of Mr Sherlock Holmes (1905)The recognition of William Gillette as Sherlock Holmes was growing as a result of the success of the play Sherlock Holmes. Playing upon his most famous role, a short comedy sketch performed by William Gillette as a curtain raiser to an unrelated play. It involves a mute Sherlock Holmes, and a very talkative client. In Haining and Tracy’s books, they speculate as to whether or not this play was written by Arthur Conan Doyle. Certainly Gillette would have needed Doyle’s consent to write an original work involving Sherlock Holmes, as the character was under copyright, but it is presumed by most Sherlockians that Gillette wrote the whole thing himself. Haining, however claims that Gillette may have asked Doyle to ‘whip up something quickly for him’. However, no manuscript exists in Doyle’s hand, and no reference of the play is left by him, it has been assumed by most that it is little more than a William Gillette curiosity.
Canon
- Sherlockian.Net: The original stories
- Read the stories at sirconandoyle.com
- Arthur Conan Doyle at Project GutenbergProject GutenbergProject Gutenberg is a volunteer effort to digitize and archive cultural works, to "encourage the creation and distribution of eBooks". Founded in 1971 by Michael S. Hart, it is the oldest digital library. Most of the items in its collection are the full texts of public domain books...
- Writings about the Agent, the Canon, and the Apocrypha