The Return of Sherlock Holmes

What It's About

This is a collection of thirteen short stories that marked Sherlock Holmes's return to fiction after Arthur Conan Doyle had killed him off in "The Final Problem" in 1893. The opening story, "The Adventure of the Empty House," explains how Holmes survived his apparent death at the Reichenbach Falls, and the rest of the collection follows him and Dr. Watson through a fresh run of cases, from blackmail and burglary to more unusual puzzles involving disguise, deception, and hidden identities.

Key Concepts

The stories continue the established Holmes formula of close observation and logical deduction, but also explore his methods of disguise and misdirection, the loyalty of his friendship with Watson, and the moral grey areas Holmes sometimes navigates when he decides a client's interests matter more than the strict letter of the law.

About the Author

Arthur Conan Doyle (1859–1930) was a Scottish writer and trained physician. Born in Edinburgh, he worked as a doctor before turning to writing full-time, and in later life became a committed and outspoken advocate for spiritualism.