Books by Arthur Conan Doyle Read Free Online Full Text

Arthur Conan Doyle was born on May 22, 1859, in Edinburgh, Scotland. He studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh, where he began writing short stories between lectures. Though he practiced as a physician for a time, it was his literary talent that ultimately shaped his legacy. Doyle’s early writing showed promise, but it was the creation of Sherlock Holmes in 1887 that catapulted him to worldwide fame.

His detective stories, beginning with “A Study in Scarlet,” introduced readers to the brilliant, analytical mind of Holmes and the warm, faithful voice of Dr. Watson. Doyle’s deep understanding of logic, deduction, and human psychology gave his stories a timeless quality. Over the years, he wrote four full-length novels and 56 short stories featuring Holmes, many of which first appeared in The Strand Magazine and were eagerly awaited by the public.

Although he became best known for his detective fiction, Doyle also wrote historical novels, science fiction, and political essays. He was a man of many interests, including spiritualism, which he publicly supported later in life. Despite his efforts to move beyond Sherlock Holmes, the character remained immensely popular, even after Doyle famously attempted to kill him off in “The Final Problem.” Public outcry led to Holmes’s revival in later stories.

Arthur Conan Doyle passed away on July 7, 1930, but his influence endures. His contributions helped define the detective fiction genre, setting a standard for storytelling, character development, and narrative structure that continues to inspire writers and entertain readers to this day.