The Penguin Complete Sherlock Holmes

Sherlock Holmes is not only the most famous character in crime fiction, but arguably the most famous character in all fiction. This beautiful new edition contains a new foreword by Ruth Rendell

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930) was born in Edinburgh where he qualified as a doctor, but it was his writing which brought him fame, with the creation of Sherlock Holmes, the first scientific detective. He was also a convert to spiritualism and a social reformer who used his investigative skills to prove the innocence of individuals.

Holmes is a mesmerising creation and Conan Doyle a master storyteller The Times The immense talent, passion and literary brilliance that Conan Doyle brought to his work gives him a unique place in English letters... Personally, I'd walk a million in tight boots just to read his letters to the milkman. -- Stephen Fry Why do people still read Sherlock Holmes in an age of DNA testing and electron microscopes? It's elementary. Holmes has a timeless intelligence that puts him head, shoulders and deer-stalker above all other detectives -- Alexander McCall Smith I read every Sherlock Holmes story...they have certainly found a permanent place in English literature -- Winston Churchill The world's most famous detective -- Ruth Rendell The brilliance of the stories lies in the relationship between Holmes and Watson, which is both funny and touching -- Jonathan Coe Now, as in his lifetime, cab drivers, statesmen, academics, and raggedy-arsed children sit spellbound at his feet... No wonder, then, if the pairing of Holmes and Watson has triggered more imitators than any other duo in literature -- John Le Carre