Most Popular Books by Arthur Conan

Holmes decodes a warning from Porlock, an informant against arch-criminal Moriarty, for "Douglas" resident five years at "Birlstone". Scotland Yard''s MacDonald asks them to investigate a corpse with the same look and circle-in-triangle brand on the forearm as Birlstone owner Douglas. The head was blown off by an American-style sawed-off shotgun. Apparently, an intruder dropped a card with VV341, and left across a shallow moat. Watson observes the bereaved English wife and best male friend in unusually good spirits. When Holmes pretends the moat will be drained, the conspirators retrieve a missing dumb-bell weighting down the visitor''s clothes beneath the water. Douglas comes from hiding, to explain he killed the assassin Baldwin in self-defence; the plan was to save him from more attacks by criminal survivors of Vermissa Valley. He hands Dr. Watson the following account. Young McMurdo gains reputation as tough counterfeiter, Freemen Lodge member fleeing murder charges in Chicago. In the Vermissa coal mine area, McGinty rules Scowrers branded by a circle in square, the local Lodge 341 who extort, murder, and exchange vicious deeds with nearby Lodges. Pretty Ettie prefers McMurdo to nasty Baldwin, and wants to flee, but will wait some months. When word comes that Pinkerton sent Edwards, McMurdo gathers ringleaders in one room, and springs his trap on them, surrounded by the law. Although the worst were hanged, after ten years, villains were freed, and chased McMurdo-Edwards-Douglas, despite changes of name, location, and wife. He married Ettie, then she died in California, where he made a fortune. The Valley of Fear, notable for Professor Moriarty''s involvement, is set before "The Final Problem", the short story in which Moriarty was introduced. This introduces a logical difficulty, as in "The Final Problem" Dr. Watson has never heard of Moriarty, whereas by the end of The Valley Of Fear he is, or should be, familiar with his name and character. The "Moriarty" element in the story is tied into the fate of the informer in the story. It ties the Molly Maguire background to another event of that period: the murder of James Carey, an informer who was shot on board a ship off the coast of Natal, South Africa in 1883 by Patrick O''Donnell, an Irish republican who had relatives in the Mollies and briefly visited the Pennsylvania coal mining district, supposedly looking for the suspected informer among them.

The Sign of the Four hides a secret pact among four convicts and two corrupt prison guards. According to Mary Morstan, her father requested her to meet him at the Langham Hotel in London upon his safe return from India. When Mary arrived at the hotel, she was told her father had gone out the previous night and not returned. Despite all efforts, no trace has ever been found of him. The second puzzle is that she has received six pearls in the mail from an anonymous benefactor, one per year since 1882. With the last pearl she received a letter remarking that she has been wronged and asking for a meeting. Holmes takes the case and soon discovers that Major Sholto, a friend of Mary''s father, had died in 1882 and that within a short span of time Mary began to receive the pearls, implying a connection. The only clue Mary can give Holmes is a map of a fortress found in her father''s desk with four names.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle''s first novel—and the origin story of Sherlock Holmes and John Watson—is reimagined in the first unabridged, fully illustrated version since its debut, by acclaimed and bestselling illustrator Gris Grimly. The year is 1881. The city, London. A man lies dead in an empty house, not a mark upon him, and no clues—save for the word "RACHE" scrawled in blood on the wall above. Elsewhere, two men—a former army doctor called John Watson and a brilliant eccentric called Sherlock Holmes—meet for the first time. These two events set in motion an adventure into the darkest corners of men''s hearts as the cold, calculating investigative methods of Mr. Holmes are put to the test in a case that spans decades and continents, rife with danger and intrigue. Originally published in 1887, A Study in Scarlet was the first novel to feature a character whose name would become synonymous with the art of deduction. Today it is completely reimagined with artwork by the modern master of gothic romanticism, Gris Grimly, bringing this thrilling tale of love and revenge to a new generation of readers.

Mr. Sherlock Holmes, who was usually very late in the mornings, save upon those not infrequent occasions when he was up all night, was seated at the breakfast table. I stood upon the hearth-rug and picked up the stick which our visitor had left behind him the night before. It was a fine, thick piece of wood, bulbous-headed, of the sort which is known as a "Penang lawyer." Just under the head was a broad silver band nearly an inch across. "To James Mortimer, M.R.C.S., from his friends of the C.C.H.," was engraved upon it, with the date "1884." It was just such a stick as the old-fashioned family practitioner used to carry-dignified, solid, and reassuring. "Well, Watson, what do you make of it?" Holmes was sitting with his back to me, and I had given him no sign of my occupation. "How did you know what I was doing? I believe you have eyes in the back of your head."

The Adventures of Gerard is a compilation of short stories that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote regarding a French Brigadier named Etienne Gerard who thinks very highly of himself as can be reflected in how he told his stories. The book is divided into chapters containing different segments of his life as a soldier under the leadership of Napoleon together with his personal exploits and the romance that swept his way in between. Typical of war stories, some depicts bloody encounters with his enemies and how he was able to escape those encounters. However, there were soft moments particularly his encounter with women along the way even if she is from their enemy. Includes a biography of the author.

The Sign of Four, is the second novel featuring Sherlock Holmes written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. 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 the preceding novel A Study in Scarlet. It also introduces Doctor Watson''s future wife, Mary Morstan. In 1888 a client, Mary Morstan, comes with two puzzles for Holmes. The first is the disappearance of her father, British Indian Army Captain Arthur Morstan in December 1878. According to Mary, her father had telegraphed her upon his safe return from India and requested her to meet him at the Langham Hotel in London. When Mary arrived at the hotel, she was told her father had gone out the previous night and not returned. Despite all efforts, no trace has ever been found of him. Mary contacted her father''s only friend who was in the same regiment and had since retired to England, one Major Sholto, but he denied knowing her father had returned. The second puzzle is that she has received 6 pearls in the mail from an anonymous benefactor once a year since 1882 after answering an anonymous newspaper query inquiring for her. With the last pearl she has received a letter remarking that she has been a wronged woman and asking for a meeting. Holmes takes the case and soon discovers that Major Sholto had died in 1882 and that within a short span of time Mary began to receive the pearls, implying a connection. The only clue Mary can give Holmes is a map of a fortress found in her father''s desk with the names of Jonathan Small and three Sikhs named Dost Akbar, Abdullah Khan, and Mahomet Singh.

The Return of Sherlock Holmes is a collection of 13 Sherlock Holmes stories, originally published in 1903-1904, by Arthur Conan Doyle.The book was first published on March 7, 1905 by Georges Newnes, Ltd and in a Colonial edition by Longmans. 30,000 copies were made of the initial print run. The US edition by McClure, Phillips & Co. added another 28,000 to the run.This was the first Holmes collection since 1893, when Holmes had "died" in "The Adventure of the Final Problem". Having published The Hound of the Baskervilles in 19011902 (although setting it before Holmes'' death) Doyle came under intense pressure to revive his famous character.

In "The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes," Arthur Conan Doyle presents a collection of twelve captivating stories featuring his iconic detective, Sherlock Holmes. The book employs a first-person narrative from the perspective of Dr. John Watson, offering a unique intimacy and immediacy to the thrilling escapades. With its intricate plotting, vivid characterizations, and sharp dialogue, Doyle''s literary style harmoniously blends suspense with wry humor, showcasing the Victorian fascination with rationalism and crime. The collection includes notable tales such as "The Adventure of the Musgrave Ritual" and "The Adventure of the Final Problem," where Doyle ultimately pits Holmes against his greatest adversary, Professor Moriarty, framing the interplay of intellect and morality in a rapidly changing world. Arthur Conan Doyle, a physician by training, drew heavily on his scientific background to shape the logical reasoning and deduction skills that characterize Holmes. The interplay between scientific inquiry and detective work reflects Doyle''s personal interests in the mysteries of the human psyche and the ethics of justice. Inspired by real-life figures such as Dr. Joseph Bell, a surgeon and Doyle''s mentor, these stories reflect the author''s lifelong exploration of human nature and morality in the context of late 19th-century British society. "The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes" is an essential read for enthusiasts of detective fiction and those intrigued by the complexities of human behavior. Doyle''s mastery of suspense and his pioneering contributions to the genre ensure this collection remains a timeless classic. Readers are invited to immerse themselves in the brilliant mind of Sherlock Holmes, where every mystery unveils deeper truths about humanity.

A Study in Scarlet is a detective mystery novel written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, introducing his new characters, "consulting detective" Sherlock Holmes and his friend and chronicler, Dr. John Watson, who later became two of the most famous characters in literature. Conan Doyle wrote the story in 1886, and it was published the following year. The book''s title derives from a speech given by Holmes to Doctor Watson on the nature of his work, in which he describes the story''s murder investigation as his "study in scarlet": "There''s the scarlet thread of murder running through the colourless skein of life, and our duty is to unravel it, and isolate it, and expose every inch of it.

The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle