A Study in Scarlet

A Study in Scarlet first appeared in 1887 in Beeton's Christmas Annual and was marked the first appearance of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, who would become the most famous detective duo in popular fiction. The book's title derives from a speech given by Holmes, a consulting detective, to his friend and chronicler Watson on the nature of his work, in which he describes the story's murder investigation as his "study in scarlet". The story, and its main characters, attracted little public interest when it first appeared. This book is the first of four full-length novels about Holmes. Doyle's other works were collections of short stories.