Arthur Conan Doyle (1859–1930) was a British writer and physician, best remembered as the creator of the legendary detective Sherlock Holmes. Born in Edinburgh, Scotland, Doyle studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh, where the analytical methods of his professor, Dr. Joseph Bell, later inspired Holmes's remarkable powers of deduction.
While practicing medicine, Doyle began writing fiction, and in 1887 he published "A Study in Scarlet," the first story featuring Sherlock Holmes and his loyal companion Dr. Watson. The character quickly captured the public's imagination. His major collections and novels include The Sign of Four (1890), The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1892), The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, and the celebrated The Hound of the Baskervilles (1902). In 1893, Doyle famously killed off Holmes in "The Final Problem," but overwhelming public demand eventually forced him to resurrect the detective.
Beyond detective fiction, Doyle wrote historical novels such as The White Company (1891) and science fiction including The Lost World (1912), which introduced Professor Challenger. Knighted in 1902 for his literary and public service, Doyle later became a devoted advocate of spiritualism. His works remain among the most influential in English literature.