Born on 22 May 1859 in Edinburgh SIR ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE started writing stories as a student. With a repertoire of over thirty books hundred and fifty short stories essays plays and poems he earned the distinction of being one of the greatest short story writers ever since Edgar Allan Poe. A master of all literary genres his memorable creation is the invincible sleuth Sherlock Holmes whom the readers are introduced to in his first novel A Study in Scarlet (1887). Such was the charisma of this Great Detective that when the author decided to kill Holmes in ‘His Last Bow’ (1893) he was compelled to bring Holmes back after vociferous demands from readers. A two-volume com- pendium Sherlock Holmes: The Complete Novels & Stories 1 comprises some of the significant adventures of the iconoclastic detective—‘The Adventure of the Speckled Band’ ‘The Musgrave Ritual’ ‘A Scandal in Bohemia’ and ‘The Five Orange Pips’ among others. The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes adds another dimension to this comprehensive collection. A war correspondent a spiritualist an athlete and a historian the author was knighted for his contribution in a South African field hospital during the Boer War in 1902. He died on 7 July 1930 in Crowborough Sussex.
<p>In this collection of short stories Sherlock Holmes and his friend Dr. Watson go around London solving the queerest of cases. We see Holmes using his sharp well-honed sense of observation coupled with his unerring instinct. It is an ability which utterly amazes and impresses Dr. Watson. In The Red-Headed League we see them solving the purpose of a dubious organisation for red-headed men. In The Speckled Band a young woman finds out how her twin sister was killed the meaning behind her strange dying words and an escape from a life of great terror. The Boscombe Valley Mystery sees Holmes rescuing a falsely accused young man while in The Blue Carbuncle he helps a trapped simpleton find justice.</p>
