Sherlock Holmes is a fictional detective character created by the late 19th-century British detective novelist Arthur Conan Doyle, portraying an extremely intelligent detective. Holmes referred to himself as a 'consulting detective,' meaning that other private or official detectives often sought his help when they encountered difficulties. The stories reveal that Holmes could often solve many difficult problems without leaving his house, but most stories focus on cases that are relatively challenging and require Holmes to investigate in person. Holmes is skilled at solving problems through observation and deduction. Conan Doyle drew inspiration for creating Holmes from a keenly observant teacher at the University of Edinburgh where he studied.
Holmes' information: Holmes is undoubtedly the most famous detective in history, but in fact, detective novels already existed before Doyle created Holmes. Many subsequent detective fiction writers also created their own detectives, such as Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot, Ellery Queen, Perry Mason, Kindaichi Kosuke, and Hawthorne.
Holmes has an assistant, Dr. John H. Watson. Before he got married, Watson shared a flat with Holmes at 221B Baker Street in London, and after Watson got married, Holmes continued to live there alone. Watson is not only Holmes' assistant but also the recorder of Holmes' cases (Holmes' 'Boswell'). Almost all of the Holmes stories are narrated by Watson, although Holmes often criticizes Watson for describing the investigation in a novel-like style rather than presenting the facts objectively and scientifically.
Holmes also has a brother named Mycroft Holmes, who appears in three cases: 'The Greek Interpreter,' 'The Final Problem,' and 'The Bruce-Partington Plans.' In the novels, this brother is an important advisor to the British government. The novels do not provide detailed information about Holmes' family background, but they reveal that he is descended from a country squire and that his grandmother was the sister of the French painter Horace Vernet.
In three stories, Holmes employs a group of street children to help gather intelligence; they are referred to as the 'Baker Street Irregulars.'
