The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes

The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle (1894)

Eleven stories including Holmes' apparent death at Reichenbach Falls in "The Final Problem" — the story that shocked the world and made 20,000 Strand Magazine subscribers cancel in protest.

Historical Significance:
Published in 1894, the Memoirs include some of the most celebrated Holmes stories: "Silver Blaze" (featuring the "curious incident of the dog in the night-time"), "The Musgrave Ritual," "The Greek Interpreter" (introducing Mycroft Holmes), and the devastating "Final Problem" where Holmes and Moriarty plunge together over the Reichenbach Falls. Doyle, tired of Holmes overshadowing his "serious" historical fiction, intended to kill the character permanently. London readers wore black mourning bands. The public outcry was so intense that Doyle eventually resurrected Holmes a decade later.

This public domain classic was originally published in 1894. Free to read and share.