Sherlock Holmes: The Novels

AllfourofArthurConanDoyle'slegendarySherlockHolmesnovels,collectedinauniqueGraphicDeluxeeditionwithanintroductionbyMichaelDirdaIn1886,anunsuccessfulophthalmologistonthesoutherncoastofEnglanddecidedtotryhishandatwritingadetectivestory.Unlikehishistoricalromances,whichrequiredtheutmostcare,thiscouldbedashedoffquickly.Thefirstdraft,featuringaMr.SherrinfordHolmes,wasabitrougharoundtheedges,butwithalittlerevision,somethingastonishingemerged:SherlockHolmes,Dr.Watson,andAStudyinScarlet.Asifwithnowarning,theysprungforthfromtheircreator'shead,fully-formedinanewstylesowell-defineditfeltimmediatelylikeanestablishedgenre.Theirpartnershipcementedwithinpagesofthebook'sopening-thesumoftheirpartsaccomplishingfarmorethantheycouldapart.Sportinghissignaturebillowingcoatandpipeinhand,thegeniusinvestigatorHolmescaptivatedreaderswithhisalluringmelancholyandsuperhumanintuition,whileWatsonremainedevertheperfectfoil,aclassicVictoriangentlemanwithbrilliantintellect.CollectedhereareallfourHolmesnovels-AStudyinScarlet,TheSignofFour,TheHoundoftheBaskervilles,andTheValleyofFear-tracingtheoriginsofthepairupthroughtheirgreatestshowdownswitharch-enemyProfessorMoriarty.Setintheseductiveshadow-worldofVictorianLondon,theyareatonceanindelibleportraitoftheirtimeandimmortalstoriesunmarredbypassingtime.Thoughendlesslyreinterpreted,reinventedandimitated,theyhaveneverbeensurpassed:thestoriesofHolmesandWatsonlivesonasimmediateandoriginalinourtimeasintheirown.