By Deidre Liebman
On May 22, 1859, exactly 167 years ago today, the famous author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was born in 1859, the eldest son of nine children. Doyle, one of England’s most prolific authors, lived to the age of 71 and penned over 300 works of fiction during his lifetime. Doyle’s birthday is the perfect time to remember his impressive career by reading some of his books which feature his most famous character: a brilliant detective named Sherlock Holmes.
One of Doyle’s most well-known works, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, is a collection of short stories narrated by Holmes’ close friend, Dr. Watson. The stories chronicle his many adventures as he deduces logical solutions to baffling cases. Many readers attempt to solve each case before Holmes does as they peruse the tales!
Another famous novel featuring Sherlock Holmes is The Hound of the Baskervilles. It begins with a young nobleman, Sir Henry Baskerville, asking for the detective’s protection. He explains that he has recently inherited a mansion on the English moor but is frightened to take up residence there because the previous owner died of unknown causes. The baronet attributed his demise to an ancient legend that a demonic dog roams the moor, ready to murder members of the Baskerville family.
If you enjoy detective novels, then I would recommend Agatha Christie’s books. Her most famous works include Murder on the Orient Express, where a wealthy man is killed in his locked cabin aboard a luxurious train. As each suspect is interviewed, secrets about their past—and their connections to the dead man—are revealed. The novel’s red herrings and plot twists keep the reader guessing until the surprise ending!
Although both Arthur Conan Doyle’s and Agatha Christie’s novels feature cases which seem impossible until their dénouements, their main characters are completely different. Sherlock Holmes is cold and seemingly emotionless, whereas the detective in Murder on the Orient Express, Hercule Poirot, is dignified and courteous.
If you are looking for a mystery that keeps you guessing until the last minute, I highly recommend both Arthur Conan Doyle’s and Agatha Christie’s works.