The Return of Sherlock Holmes

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The Return of Sherlock Holmes is a collection of Sherlock Holmes stories, originally published in 1903-1904, by Arthur Conan Doyle.

The book was first published on March 7, 1905 by Georges Newnes, Ltd and in a Colonial edition by Longmans. 30,000 copies were made of the initial print run. The US edition by McClure, Phillips & Co. added another 28,000 to the run.

This was the first Holmes collection since 1893, when Holmes had "died" in "The Adventure of the Final Problem." Having published The Hound of the Baskervilles in 1901 (although setting it before Holmes' death) Doyle came under intense pressure to revive his famous character.

This collection contains stories set from 1894, giving Holmes the period from 1891-94 to explain - "The Great Hiatus" has been the subject of intense speculation and analysis by Sherlockian enthusiasts.

Also of note is the fact that Watson states, at the end of the cycle, that Holmes has retired and forbid him to publish any more stories.

• "The Adventure of the Empty House" (the return of Holmes)
• "The Adventure of the Norwood Builder"
• "The Adventure of the Dancing Men"
• "The Adventure of the Solitary Cyclist"
• "The Adventure of the Priory School"
• "The Adventure of Black Peter"
• "The Adventure of Charles Augustus Milverton"
• "The Adventure of the Six Napoleons"
• "The Adventure of the Three Students"
• "The Adventure of the Golden Pince-Nez"
• "The Adventure of the Missing Three-Quarter"
• "The Adventure of the Abbey Grange"
• "The Adventure of the Second Stain"