Sherlock Holmes

For other uses, see Sherlock Holmes (disambiguation).

Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes character
Sherlock Holmes in a 1904 illustration by Sidney Paget
First appearanceA Study in Scarlet (1887)
Last appearance"The Adventure of Shoscombe Old Place" (1927, canon)
Created bySir Arthur Conan Doyle
In-universe information
OccupationConsulting private detective
FamilyMycroft Holmes (brother)
NationalityBritish
Born1854

Sherlock Holmes (/ˈʃɜːrlɒk ˈhoʊmz/) is a fictional detective created by British author Arthur Conan Doyle. Referring to himself as a "consulting detective" in his stories, Holmes is known for his proficiency with observation, deduction, forensic science and logical reasoning that borders on the fantastic, which he employs when investigating cases for a wide variety of clients, including Scotland Yard.

The character Sherlock Holmes first appeared in print in 1887's A Study in Scarlet. His popularity became widespread with the first series of short stories in The Strand Magazine, beginning with "A Scandal in Bohemia" in 1891; additional tales appeared from then until 1927, eventually totalling four novels and 56 short stories. All but one[a] are set in the Victorian or Edwardian eras between 1880 and 1914. Most are narrated by the character of Holmes's friend and biographer, Dr. John H. Watson, who usually accompanies Holmes during his investigations and often shares quarters with him at the address of 221B Baker Street, London, where many of the stories begin.

Though not the first fictional detective, Sherlock Holmes is arguably the best-known.[1] By the 1990s, over 25,000 stage adaptations, films, television productions, and publications had featured the detective,[2] and Guinness World Records lists him as the most portrayed human literary character in film and television history.[3] Holmes's popularity and fame are such that many have believed him to be not a fictional character but an actual individual;[4][5][6] numerous literary and fan societies have been founded on this pretence. Avid readers of the Holmes stories helped create the modern practice of fandom.[7] The character and stories have had a profound and lasting effect on mystery writing and popular culture as a whole, with the original tales, as well as thousands written by authors other than Conan Doyle, being adapted into stage and radio plays, television, films, video games, and other media for over one hundred years.


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  1. ^ Sutherland, John. "Sherlock Holmes, the world's most famous literary detective". British Library. Archived from the original on 28 June 2017. Retrieved 3 July 2018.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference :2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ "Sherlock Holmes awarded title for most portrayed literary human character in film & TV". Guinness World Records. 14 May 2012. Archived from the original on 10 December 2019. Retrieved 5 January 2020.
  4. ^ Rule, Sheila (5 November 1989). "Sherlock Holmes's Mail: Not Too Mysterious". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 11 March 2016. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
  5. ^ Simpson, Aislinn (4 February 2008). "Winston Churchill didn't really exist, say teens". The Daily Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Archived from the original on 10 January 2022. Retrieved 30 December 2019.
  6. ^ Scott, C. T. (6 October 2021). "The curious incident of Sherlock Holmes's real-life secretary". The Economist. ISSN 0013-0613. Archived from the original on 10 October 2021. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  7. ^ Armstrong, Jennifer Keishin (6 January 2016). "How Sherlock Holmes changed the world". BBC. Archived from the original on 17 February 2018. Retrieved 20 December 2019.