The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle

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The short story collection that gave birth to the most famous detective in literature.

The stories found in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes were originally published in The Strand magazine as serial episodes. This collection, the first of five, contains the earliest of Arthur Conan Doyle's short stories, and laid the groundwork for later full-length novels about the "high-functioning sociopath" and his mustachioed sidekick.

Sherlock Holmes' popularity in literature seems to transcend fiction, as his demeanor and accoutrement (hat, pipe, magnifying glass, et al.) are nearly synonymous with his perceived personhood.

It comes as no surprise that Doyle—through Sherlock Holmes—laid the groundwork for detective fiction that persists to this day.

It’s elementary.