A Study in Scarlet

A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle (1887)

The very first Sherlock Holmes story. Dr. Watson meets the eccentric detective at 221B Baker Street, and together they investigate a mysterious murder in an empty London house. The beginning of the world's greatest literary partnership.

Historical Significance:
Doyle wrote A Study in Scarlet at age 27 while waiting for patients in his struggling medical practice in Southsea. He modeled Holmes on Dr. Joseph Bell of Edinburgh, who could diagnose patients' occupations by their appearance. The story was rejected by several publishers before Ward, Lock & Co. bought it for £25 — about £3,000 today. Doyle never received another penny for it. The phrase "the game is afoot," Watson's narrative voice, and Holmes' methods of deduction were all established here and would captivate readers for the next 40 years across 4 novels and 56 short stories.

This public domain classic was originally published in 1887. Free to read and share.