The Return of Sherlock Holmes.

London had mourned him, and then, to Watson's astonishment, there he stood alive. Arthur Conan Doyle's The Return of Sherlock Holmes brings the great detective back to the fog and gaslight, and to the puzzles only he can solve.

What it's about

This collection reunites Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson after Holmes's apparent death, opening with the detective's dramatic reappearance and continuing through thirteen self-contained mysteries. Blackmail, theft, murder and stranger crimes still are laid before Holmes at Baker Street, each unravelled by the observation and reasoning that made him famous, with Watson faithfully recording every twist.

Themes

Doyle celebrates the power of logic and attention over confusion and fear, while sketching the anxieties, secrets and hidden lives of late-Victorian England. Justice here is often a matter of Holmes's private judgement as much as the law's.

Why it still matters

These stories cemented Holmes's return to popular life and remain among the most beloved in the canon. Their clockwork plotting and enduring double act continue to define the detective story.

Who it's for

Mystery lovers, newcomers to Holmes, and longtime admirers of Baker Street will find this a superb gathering of classic detective fiction.

Sources and references

Verified references for this edition: Open Library, WorldCat.