Is Sherlock Holmes a real person?
No, Sherlock Holmes is a fictional detective created by Scottish author Arthur Conan Doyle. He first appeared in the novel A Study in Scarlet in 1887 and became one of the most famous fictional characters ever.
Holmes is a brilliant detective who solves crimes using observation, logic and deduction. He lives at 221B Baker Street in London with his friend Dr John Watson, who narrates most of the stories.
Conan Doyle based Holmes partly on Joseph Bell, a surgeon who taught him at the University of Edinburgh and was known for his powers of observation.
The stories
Conan Doyle wrote four novels and 56 short stories about Holmes. Famous stories include The Hound of the Baskervilles and A Scandal in Bohemia.
In 1893, Conan Doyle killed Holmes in The Final Problem, but public demand led him to bring the character back.
The Sherlock Holmes Museum is at 221B Baker Street in London, although the address did not exist when the stories were written.
Holmes has been played by many actors, including Basil Rathbone, Jeremy Brett, Robert Downey Jr. and Benedict Cumberbatch.