Best Selling Books by Arthur Conan Doyle

"From the point of view of the criminal expert," said Mr. Sherlock Holmes, "London has become a singularly uninteresting city since the death of the late lamented Professor Moriarty." "I can hardly think that you would find many decent citizens to agree with you," I answered

HarperCollins is proud to present its new range of best-loved, essential classics.

Shortly after my marriage I had bought a connection in the Paddington district. Old Mr. Farquhar, from whom I purchased it, had at one time an excellent general practice; but his age, and an affliction of the nature of St. Vitus''s dance from which he suffered, had very much thinned it. The public not unnaturally goes on the principle that he who would heal others must himself be whole, and looks askance at the curative powers of the man whose own case is beyond the reach of his drugs. Thus as my predecessor weakened his practice declined, until when I purchased it from him it had sunk from twelve hundred to little more than three hundred a year. I had confidence, however, in my own youth and energy, and was convinced that in a very few years the concern would be as flourishing as ever. For three months after taking over the practice I was kept very closely at work, and saw little of my friend Sherlock Holmes, for I was too busy to visit Baker Street, and he seldom went anywhere himself save upon professional business. I was surprised, therefore, when, one morning in June, as I sat reading the British Medical Journal after breakfast, I heard a ring at the bell, followed by the high, somewhat strident tones of my old companion''s voice. "Ah, my dear Watson," said he, striding into the room, "I am very delighted to see you! I trust that Mrs. Watson has entirely recovered from all the little excitements connected with our adventure of the Sign of Four."

The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes is the final set of twelve (out of a total of fifty-six) Sherlock Holmes short stories by Arthur Conan Doyle first published in the Strand Magazine between October 1921 and April 1927.The first British edition and the first American edition of the collection were both published in June 1927. However, they had slightly different titles. The title of the British collection was The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes (hyphenated "Case-Book"), whereas title of the American was The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes ("Case Book" as two words).Further confusing the issue of the title, some later publishers published the collection under the title The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes ("Casebook" as a single word).

A secret pact between four convicts and two prison guards over the division of buried treasure can only lead to one thing: murder and another case for Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson. The Sign of the Four is the second Sherlock Holmes novel and in many ways presents a more human side to the great detective. For instance the reader finds out about his drug habit and we discover that Holmes is not as omnipotent as we might imagine. And for the fortunate Dr Watson there is the opportunity to meet a person who will change his life forever. This edition includes An Introduction to Sherlock Holmes by J. S. Williams.

Dramatization of The adventure of the speckled band, which originally appeared in the author''s The adventures of Sherlock Holmes.

The Sign of the Four (1890), also called The Sign of Four, is the second novel featuring Sherlock Holmes written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Doyle wrote four novels and 56 stories starring the fictional detective. The story is set in 1888. The Sign of the Four has a complex plot involving service in East India Company, India, the Indian Rebellion of 1857, a stolen treasure, and a secret pact among four convicts ("the Four" of the title) and two corrupt prison guards. It presents the detective''s drug habit and humanizes him in a way that had not been done in A Study in Scarlet. It also introduces Doctor Watson''s future wife, Mary Morstan.

The Lost World It''s London, 1907. Journalist Edward Malone, rejected by the girl he loves because he''s as well prosaic, decides to proceed in search of experience and fame to show himself worth her. Immediately after, he meets Professor George Challenger, a scientist who statements to possess discovered a ''lost globe'' populated by pterodactyls along with other prehistoric monsters.

The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes collects together eleven stories detailing the famous exploits and adventures of Baker Street''s greatest detective. Arthur Conan Doyle''s compilation was originally published in 1894 and contains these stories: "Silver Blaze", "The Adventure of the Yellow Face", "The Stockbroker''s Clerk", "The Gloria Scott", "The Musgrave Ritual", "The Adventure of the Reigate Squire", "The Adventure of the Crooked Man", "The Resident Patient", "The Greek Interpreter", "The Naval Treaty" and "The Final Problem."

This classic book is always read again and again."What is the classic book?""Why is the classic book?"READ READ READ.. then you''ll know it''s so cool.

His Last Bow: Some Reminiscences of Sherlock Holmes is a collection of previously published Sherlock Holmes stories by Arthur Conan Doyle, including the titular short story, "His Last Bow. The War Service of Sherlock Holmes" (1917). The collection''s first US edition adjusts the anthology''s subtitle to Some Later Reminiscences of Sherlock Holmes. All editions contain a brief preface, by "John H. Watson, M.D.", that assures readers that as of the date of publication (1917), Holmes is long retired from his profession of detective but is still alive and well, albeit suffering from a touch of rheumatism.

"The classic book has always read again and again.""What is the classic book?""""Why is the classic book?""READ READ READ.. then you''ll know it''s excellence."