Don’t you hate articles that don’t get to the point? Let’s get to the point: This article is about how to download all the original Sherlock Holmes books for free. The books are in the public domain, so nothing shady going on here. The only shady thing is when people try to get you to pay for them.
Also, this article is a two-parter. Part One is quick, it’s the links to download the books for free from Project Gutenberg, a non-profit with the mission of getting every public domain book in the world digitized for the welfare of humanity and to offer those books for free. Part Two is about Sherlock Holmes books that are not in the public domain or are apocrypha, what they are, who wrote them, and where you can get them from (Amazon).
I’m getting dangerously close to not getting to the point, so I’ll stop here and get to the point.
The Original Sherlock Holmes Stories In The Public Domain Available For Download In Ebook Form For Free From Project Gutenberg
The original Sherlock Holmes canon is collected in 9 books–4 novels and 5 books of short story collections (56 short stories total). There is great debate about what order the works should be read in, to keep things simple, I present them to you chronologically via publishing date. All of these are free from Project Gutenberg. The italicized summaries are taken from Project Gutenberg.
- A Study In Scarlet (1887)“A Study in Scarlet” by Arthur Conan Doyle is a detective novel published in 1887. This groundbreaking work introduces Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson as they investigate a mysterious murder in London. When a man is found dead with the word “RACHE” written in blood, Holmes must unravel the scarlet thread of murder running through the case. The investigation leads to a dramatic tale of revenge spanning two continents, connecting a London crime scene to events in Utah’s Salt Lake Valley decades earlier.
- The Sign Of The Four (1890) “The Sign of the Four” by Arthur Conan Doyle is a detective novel published in 1890. When Mary Morstan seeks Sherlock Holmes’s help regarding her missing father and mysterious annual gifts of pearls, the investigation leads to a buried treasure, a vengeful one-legged man, and murder. Holmes and Watson must pursue suspects through London, unraveling a decades-old conspiracy that stretches from India’s colonial past to the Thames. The case tests both Holmes’s deductive powers and Watson’s loyalty to their intriguing client.
- The Adventures Of Sherlock Holmes (1892) “The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes” by Arthur Conan Doyle is a collection of short stories first published in 1892. These twelve tales feature the legendary consulting detective Sherlock Holmes and his companion Dr. Watson, narrated from Watson’s perspective. Each mystery explores social injustices while showcasing Holmes’s brilliant deductive methods and unconventional approach to justice. The stories introduce memorable characters and cases that have captivated readers for over a century, establishing Holmes as one of literature’s most enduring detectives.
- The Memoirs Of Sherlock Holmes (1894) “The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes” by Arthur Conan Doyle is a collection of short stories first published in 1893. This second collection features twelve cases of the consulting detective, originally appearing in The Strand Magazine. Doyle intended these to be Holmes’s final adventures, culminating in “The Final Problem,” where he planned to kill off his famous detective. However, overwhelming reader demand eventually prompted the character’s return. The stories showcase Holmes at work solving mysteries ranging from missing racehorses to naval treaties, cementing his place in literary history.
- The Hound Of The Baskervilles (1902) “The Hound of the Baskervilles” by Arthur Conan Doyle is a crime novel serialized from 1901 to 1902. Sherlock Holmes and Watson investigate a centuries-old legend of a demonic hound haunting the Baskerville family on the desolate moors of Dartmoor. When Sir Charles Baskerville dies under mysterious circumstances, his heir Sir Henry arrives from Canada to claim his inheritance—only to face strange threats and supernatural dangers. Holmes must determine whether the curse is real or if a cunning murderer lurks behind the legend.
- The Return Of Sherlock Holmes (1905) “The Return of Sherlock Holmes” by Arthur Conan Doyle is a collection of 13 stories published in 1905. After Holmes’s apparent death in 1893’s “The Final Problem,” Doyle faced intense pressure to revive his famous detective. This collection marks Holmes’s dramatic return to London, explaining his mysterious absence from 1891 to 1894. The stories follow Holmes and Watson through new cases involving cryptic codes, missing persons, and dangerous criminals across Victorian England.
- The Valley Of Fear (1915) “The Valley of Fear” by Arthur Conan Doyle is a novel first published in 1915. In this fourth Sherlock Holmes mystery, the detective receives a coded warning about a plot against a country gentleman named Douglas. When Holmes arrives to investigate, he discovers Douglas has been murdered at his moated manor house. The case leads to dark secrets involving American coal miners, a corrupt trade union, and the dangerous Professor Moriarty. Holmes must unravel a mystery that spans two continents and threatens more lives.
- His Last Bow (1917) “His last bow : Some later reminiscences of Sherlock Holmes” by Arthur Conan Doyle is a collection published in 1917. This volume gathers eight previously published Sherlock Holmes stories, spanning cases from 1893 to 1917. The collection includes a preface assuring readers that Holmes, though long retired and battling rheumatism, remains alive and well. The final story serves as an epilogue about Holmes’ war service, bringing together adventures that showcase the detective’s enduring brilliance across different eras of his remarkable career.
- The Case-Book Of Sherlock Holmes (1927) “The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes” by Arthur Conan Doyle is a collection of twelve short stories published between 1921 and 1927. This final set of Holmes mysteries marks the detective’s last adventures, featuring cases narrated by Watson, Holmes himself, and even a third-person perspective. Set against the changing world of the 1920s, these stories experiment with new narrative styles as Doyle returned one final time to his legendary creation, though some critics consider them a lesser entry in the Holmes canon.
10 Noteworthy Non-Canonical Books Of Sherlock Holmes
To me, there seems to be three categories of Non-Canonical Sherlock Holmes Books:
- Ignoring The Copyright Stories: Back in the day copyright laws didn’t seem to be taken seriously, so there are many derivative Holmes stories with characters names like Herlock Sholmes or the stories skirted on the edges of what was under copyright and what was not. Most of those books reached an agreement with the Doyle estate.
- Stories Blessed By The Doyle Estate: While still considered non-canonical, there are many stories approved by the Doyle estate and gives them a feel of being official.
- Public Domain Stories: Once Sherlock Holmes entered the public domain, as with any popular character, there was an explosion of new books and short stories.
Two types appear in my 10 Noteworthy Non-Canonical Holmes Book Section. The blessed stories and the public domain stories. Also, I prefer complete books instead of individual short stories floating around, so my below list is only books, either novels or collections of short stories. All the links take you to Amazon. They are affiliate links.
- The Seven-Per-Cent Solution (1974) by Nicholas Meyer Considered the gold standard for Sherlock Holmes pastiches, Holmes partners with Dr. Sigmund Freud to solve a mystery in which millions of lives hang in the balance.
- The House Of Silk (2011) and Moriarty (2014) by Anthony Horowitz These two novels were green lighted by the Doyle estate and made a big splash, selling many copies. “Anthony Horowitz throws down the gauntlet in his infernally clever Sherlock Holmes pastiche.” — New York Times Book Review.
- Dust And Shadow (2009) by Lindsay Faye Sherlock Holmes hunts down Jack The Ripper in gritty London’s East End in a battle that pushes Holmes to the brink. Can Holmes outwit this brutal killer?
- Art In The Blood (2015) by Bonnie MacBird Relapsing on cocaine in 1888, Holmes gets a letter that sets the game afoot and puts him back on the trail of a mysterious murder. If you like it, this book is a series starter.
- Exploits Of Sherlock Holmes (1954) by Adrian Conan Doyle and John Dickson Carr This collection of 12 Holmes short stories was written by Arthur Conan Doyle’s son and John Dickson Carr, an American mystery writer. Mixed reviews, but it’s fun that the stories were directly written by the Doyle estate. Amazingly, there is no ebook version. You’ll have to grab an old paperback or hardback.
- Shadows Over Baker Street (2003) This collection of 14 short stories by a multitude of authors explores Sherlock Holmes confronting the world of H. P. Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos, where solutions to great mysteries goes beyond what is logical. This collection includes Neil Gaiman’s A Study In Emerald, which won the 2004 Hugo aware for best short story.
- The Italian Secretary (2005) by Caleb Carr Originally meant for the Shadows Over Baker Street collection, this short story kept growing until it was a full-length novel. Authorized by the Doyle estate. Mixed reviews, but fun and Sherlock fans will like it.
- A Slight Trick Of The Mind (2005) by Mitch Cullin A 93 year old Sherlock Holmes reflects on his life of cold-hearted logic as his mind begins to fail. Taking place two years after WW2, Sherlock tends to his bees and thinks about a case from 35 years ago.
- The Final Solution (2004) by Michael Chabon An elderly Sherlock Holmes, never actually named in the book–just the “old man”–solves the case of a missing parrot belonging to a 9 year old Jewish boy, but nobody besides Holmes understands the horrific implications of the puzzle.
- Bonus Book: Mastermind: How To Think Like Sherlock Holmes (2013) by Maria Konnikova A different kind of Sherlock Holmes books, this time psychologist Maria Konnikova, who was brought up on the Holmes stories, explores the underlying psychology of Sherlock Holmes and suggests how we can use some of his tactics to sharpen our minds and powers of observation.
I had a ball writing this article and I am now thoroughly convinced I need to delve deeper in the world of Sherlock Holmes, and maybe I’ll even take a stab at my own Sherlock Holmes detective story. Who knows!