Skip to Main Content (Press Enter)
ACTUALLY GOOD EMAILS FOR BOOK LOVERS
  • How To Read More in 2025
    How To Read More in 2025
    Learn More >

  • Books Bans Are on the Rise in America
    Books Bans Are on the Rise in America
    Learn More >

  • The Best Picture Books of 2025 (So Far)
    The Best Picture Books of 2025 (So Far)
    Learn More >
  • <
    Books>
  • Popular
  • New & Noteworthy
  • Bestsellers
  • Graphic Novels & Manga
  • The Must-Read Books of 2025
  • Popular Books in Spanish
  • Coming Soon
  • Fiction
  • Classics
  • Romance
  • Literary Fiction
  • Mystery & Thriller
  • Science Fiction
  • Spanish Language Fiction
  • Nonfiction
  • Biographies & Memoirs
  • Wellness
  • Cookbooks
  • History
  • Spanish Language Nonfiction
  • Series
  • Gray Man
  • Rebel Blue Ranch
  • All Souls
  • A Song of Ice and Fire
  • Penguin Classics
  • <
    View All>
  • <
    Kids>
  • Popular
  • New & Noteworthy
  • Bestsellers
  • Award Winners
  • The Parenting Book Guide
  • Kids' Corner
  • Books for Middle Graders
  • Trending Series
  • Who Was?
  • Magic Tree House
  • The Last Kids on Earth
  • Mad Libs
  • Planet Omar
  • Beloved Characters
  • The World of Eric Carle
  • Bluey
  • Llama Llama
  • Dr. Seuss
  • Junie B. Jones
  • Peter Rabbit
  • Categories
  • Board Books
  • Picture Books
  • Guided Reading Levels
  • Middle Grade
  • Graphic Novels
  • <
    View All>
  • <

    Popular

  • Trending
  • Trending This Week
  • Romantasy Books To Start Reading Now
  • Page-Turning Series To Start Now
  • Books to Cope With Anxiety
  • Short Reads
  • Anti-Racist Resources
  • Staff Picks
  • Romance
  • Mystery & Thriller
  • Fiction
  • Memoir & Fiction
  • Features & Interviews
  • Emma Brodie Interview
  • James Ellroy Interview
  • Nicola Yoon Interview
  • Qian Julie Wang Interview
  • Deepak Chopra Essay
  • How Can I Get Published?
  • For Book Clubs
  • Reese's Book Club
  • Oprah’s Book Club
  • Guide: Tell Me Everything
  • Guide: James
  • <
  • <
    Authors & Events>
  • Our Authors
  • Michelle Obama
  • Han Kang
  • Emily Henry
  • Dan Brown
  • Colson Whitehead
  • In Their Own Words
  • Qian Julie Wang
  • Patrick Radden Keefe
  • Phoebe Robinson
  • Emma Brodie
  • Ta-Nehisi Coates
  • Laura Hankin
  • <
    View All>
  • <
    Recommendations>
  • Book Lists
  • The Best Celebrity Book Club Picks of The Year
  • Western Romance Novels
  • Insightful Therapy Books To Read This Year
  • Historical Fiction With Female Protagonists
  • Best Thrillers of All Time
  • Manga and Graphic Novels
  • Articles
  • Start Reading Happy Place
  • How to Make Reading a Habit with James Clear
  • How Can I Get Published?
  • Why Reading Is Good for Your Health
  • 10 Facts About Taylor Swift
  • <
    View All>
  • <
    Audio>
  • Popular
  • New Releases
  • Award Winners
  • Coming Soon
  • Featured
  • Memoirs Read by the Author
  • Our Most Soothing Narrators
  • Press Play for Inspiration
  • Audiobooks You Just Can't Pause
  • Listen With the Whole Family
  • <
    View All>
cart
Penguin Random House

Books

Popular


New & Noteworthy

Bestsellers

Graphic Novels & Manga

The Must-Read Books of 2025

Popular Books in Spanish

Coming Soon

Fiction


Classics

Romance

Literary Fiction

Mystery & Thriller

Science Fiction

Spanish Language Fiction

Nonfiction


Biographies & Memoirs

Wellness

Cookbooks

History

Spanish Language Nonfiction

View All >

Series


Gray Man

Rebel Blue Ranch

All Souls

A Song of Ice and Fire

Penguin Classics

View All >

New Releases
New Releases
Learn More >
close menu

Kids

Popular


New & Noteworthy

Bestsellers

Award Winners

The Parenting Book Guide

Kids' Corner

Books for Middle Graders

Trending Series


Who Was?

Magic Tree House

The Last Kids on Earth

Mad Libs

Planet Omar

View All >

Beloved Characters


The World of Eric Carle

Bluey

Llama Llama

Dr. Seuss

Junie B. Jones

Peter Rabbit

Categories


Board Books

Picture Books

Guided Reading Levels

Middle Grade

Graphic Novels

View All >

The Best Picture Books of 2025 (So Far)
The Best Picture Books of 2025 (So Far)
Learn More >
close menu

Popular

Trending


Trending This Week

Romantasy Books To Start Reading Now

Page-Turning Series To Start Now

Books to Cope With Anxiety

Short Reads

Anti-Racist Resources

Staff Picks


Romance

Mystery & Thriller

Fiction

Memoir & Fiction

Features & Interviews


Emma Brodie Interview

James Ellroy Interview

Nicola Yoon Interview

Qian Julie Wang Interview

Deepak Chopra Essay

How Can I Get Published?

For Book Clubs


Reese's Book Club

Oprah’s Book Club

Guide: Tell Me Everything

Guide: James

Books Bans Are on the Rise in America
Books Bans Are on the Rise in America
Learn More >
close menu

Authors & Events

Our Authors


Michelle Obama

Han Kang

Emily Henry

Dan Brown

Colson Whitehead

View All >

In Their Own Words


Qian Julie Wang

Patrick Radden Keefe

Phoebe Robinson

Emma Brodie

Ta-Nehisi Coates

Laura Hankin

How To Read More in 2025
How To Read More in 2025
Learn More >
Join Our Authors for Upcoming Events
Join Our Authors for Upcoming Events
Learn More >
close menu

Recommendations

Book Lists


The Best Celebrity Book Club Picks of The Year

Western Romance Novels

Insightful Therapy Books To Read This Year

Historical Fiction With Female Protagonists

Best Thrillers of All Time

Manga and Graphic Novels

Articles


Start Reading Happy Place

How to Make Reading a Habit with James Clear

How Can I Get Published?

Why Reading Is Good for Your Health

10 Facts About Taylor Swift

Browse All Our Lists, Essays, and Interviews
Browse All Our Lists, Essays, and Interviews
See What We’re Reading >
Jasmine Guillory Books To Read Right Now
Jasmine Guillory Books To Read Right Now
Read More >
close menu

Audio

Popular


New Releases

Award Winners

Coming Soon

View All >

Featured


Memoirs Read by the Author

Our Most Soothing Narrators

Press Play for Inspiration

Audiobooks You Just Can't Pause

Listen With the Whole Family

View All >

New Stories to Listen to
New Stories to Listen to
Learn More >
10 Audiobook Originals You Need To Hear
10 Audiobook Originals You Need To Hear
Learn More >
close menu
search
Penguin Random House Penguin Random House
cart
search
close search
close search
The ReadDown

Where to Start: The Must-Read Sherlock Holmes Stories

“Elementary,” “Sherlock,” “House,” “Sherlock Holmes”: These are just some of the more obvious adaptations of the great series of work by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle made in recent years. If you are a fan of any one of these, or if you are simply looking to dive into classic literature that has shaped detective-storytelling for decades, here is a cheat sheet for the must-read stories from Doyle’s fantastic collection of works.

  1. 1
    A Study in Scarlet Book Cover Picture
    Add A Study in Scarlet to bookshelf
    Add to Bookshelf

    A Study in Scarlet

    by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

    If you want to acquaint yourself with Sherlock Holmes and his partner-in-crime-solving, Dr. John Watson, you should really start at the beginning. Doyle’s characters are still taking shape in this first tale, but it’s truly essential to set up the rest of the stories. In it, we learn how the pair came to meet and work together, and are introduced to Sherlock’s idiosyncratic and ingenious ways.
    A Study in Scarlet Book Cover Picture
    Add A Study in Scarlet to bookshelf
    Add to Bookshelf

    Paperback
    $10.00

    Buy from Other Retailers:

  2. 2
    The Sign of Four Book Cover Picture
    Add The Sign of Four to bookshelf
    Add to Bookshelf

    The Sign of Four

    by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

    “The Sign of Four” explains how Watson came to be married: a key point in the relationship between the two men. Watson as the domesticated man is a stark contrast to Holmes’s independent and disconnected nature, and is often depicted in — and at the core of — various adaptations of Doyle’s work.
    The Sign of Four Book Cover Picture
    Add The Sign of Four to bookshelf
    Add to Bookshelf

    Paperback
    $11.00

    Buy from Other Retailers:

  3. 3
    The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes Book Cover Picture
    Add The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes to bookshelf
    Add to Bookshelf

    The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

    by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

    The first story in the collection The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, this may not be Doyle’s longest tale, but it has left quite a lasting impression as the only piece to reference “The Woman” Irene Adler. Doyle’s stories frequently refer to “women’s intuition” and many of his female characters are perceived as quite clever (if not, perhaps, untrustworthy), but only Adler has gone on to be repeatedly portrayed in television and films as one of the people held highest in Holmes’s esteem. For anyone interested in the character’s origins, “A Scandal in Bohemia” is essential. Other stories from The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes worth noting are: The Boscombe Valley Mystery, The Man With the Twisted Lip, The Speckled Band, and The Copper Beeches.
    The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes Book Cover Picture
    Add The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes to bookshelf
    Add to Bookshelf

    Hardcover
    $26.00

    Buy from Other Retailers:

  4. 4
    The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes Book Cover Picture
    Add The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes to bookshelf
    Add to Bookshelf

    The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes

    by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

    Brought to the reader in the final story of the collection The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, James Moriarty is considered to be the arch-nemesis of detective hero Sherlock Holmes. He is described by Holmes as the “Napoleon of crime” and the only man to match him in wit. Simply put, no list of Holmes must-reads would be complete without the tight but significant story of their battle at the falls of Reichenbach. Other stories from The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes to consider adding to your list are The Gloria Scott, The Greek Interpreter, and The Naval Treaty.
    The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes Book Cover Picture
    Add The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes to bookshelf
    Add to Bookshelf

    Paperback
    $22.00

    Buy from Other Retailers:

  5. 5
    The Hound of the Baskervilles, A Study in Scarlet, The Sign of Four Book Cover Picture
    Add The Hound of the Baskervilles, A Study in Scarlet, The Sign of Four to bookshelf
    Add to Bookshelf

    The Hound of the Baskervilles, A Study in Scarlet, The Sign of Four

    by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

    Written after The Final Problem but set before, The Hound of the Baskervilles is probably Doyle’s most famous Holmes adventure and therefore should not be missed. Rather than a short, Hound is a longer novel like A Study in Scarlet and The Sign of Four and an enjoyable romp of a mystery that stands alone better than any other Holmes work.
    The Hound of the Baskervilles, A Study in Scarlet, The Sign of Four Book Cover Picture
    Add The Hound of the Baskervilles, A Study in Scarlet, The Sign of Four to bookshelf
    Add to Bookshelf

    Hardcover
    $28.00

    Buy from Other Retailers:

  • Share:
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on X
  • Pin it
  • SMS
  • Email

More to Explore

See all
ACTUALLY GOOD EMAILS FOR BOOK LOVERS

Connect

Sign up for news about books, authors, and more from Penguin Random House

global.penguinrandomhouse.com

© 2025 Penguin Random House

  • About Us
  • Our Story
  • Our People
  • Our Contributors
  • Locations
  • Management
  • Social Impact
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers
  • Imprints
  • Quick Links
  • Partnerships
  • Media Queries
  • Influencers
  • Company Reads
  • PenguinRandomHouse.biz
  • Email Preferences
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • CA Privacy Policy
  • Do Not Sell My Personal Info
  • Affiliate Program Disclosure
  • Avoid Publishing Scams
  • Help
  • Publishing Process
  • FAQ
  • Shopping & Shipping FAQ
  • For Educators
  • Subrights
  • Permissions

Connect

Sign up for news about books, authors, and more from Penguin Random House

global.penguinrandomhouse.com

© 2025 Penguin Random House

Visit other sites in the Penguin Random House Network

Raise kids who love to read

Brightly

Raise kids who love to read

Today's Top Books

Today's Top Books

Want to know what people are actually reading right now?

An online magazine for today’s home cook

TASTE

An online magazine for today’s home cook

×
My Account
Sign In Create An Account
Hi,
Member Since

Account Overview Recommendations Orders Account Details Email Preferences Bookshelf

Success!

Your account has been created. Upload book purchases, access your personalized book recommendations, and more from here.