Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's timeless Sherlock Holmes series has inspired countless lives since it was first published in Beeton's Christmas Annual on December 1st, 1887. This unique edition from BayMar Publishing contains a biography of this accomplished author that provides insight into the life of the man behind the pen and what events inspired his work. This edition also includes an in-depth literary critique of the classic text analyzing what makes the fictional writings of Dr. John Watson, Sherlock Holmes' lifelong friend and scribe, endure. This volume contains the first two Holmes stories ever published: A Study in Scarlet and The Sign of the Four . In A Study in Scarlet, Watson is introduced to the enigmatic Sherlock Holmes. When a bizarre string of murders hits London, Watson accompanies his new acquaintance on the hunt for a clever poisoner. This was the first story published in Beeton's Christmas Annual, kicking off a legacy. The Sign of the Four follows the pair as they investigate a curious circumstance explained by Mary Morstan, with whom Watson becomes smitten. A case that begins with mysterious gifts that may be connected to her missing father becomes a race for the possession of forgotten treasures. The Sign of the Four was the second story Sir Doyle shared with the world, published in 1890.