DOYLE'S WORLD is no ordinary biography about one of the world's most influential writers. It is instead a work that deciphers in particular the cryptic origins and actual scientific methods used by fiction's most famous consulting detective Sherlock Holmes—and a work that provides a detailed look into the psyche and working life of Holmes’ creator, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

The book follows Doyle’s entire illustrious literary career, with emphasis on the Sherlock Holmes mysteries as they evolved from the late 1880s to the early 1900s. The authors offer answers to long-debated and mysterious questions, such as:

* From whom did Sherlock Holmes actually learn the art of detective work?

* Why did Doyle kill off Sherlock Holmes—and how did the country of Japan inspire how he brought his famous detective back to life after nearly a decade?

* What story elements did Doyle borrow from Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island?

* How did Doyle apply his fervent belief in Spiritualism to a variety of Holmes stories?

* Who inspired Doyle to write about civil rights after a steamship journey in 1882?

* How did the women in Doyle's life come to influence the relationships with women that both Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson have across sixty written adventures?

DOYLE'S WORLD is divided into three sections. The first is dedicated to the elements—both good and bad—that comprised Doyle’s childhood and early adult years. The second section emphasizes the highly complex themes and plots present in the Sherlock Holmes adventures, while it also thoroughly examines some of Doyle’s strengths—and weaknesses—as a public figure of his time. And in the third section, the authors offer two “lost” stories they uncovered that were written by Doyle under a pseudonym.

This is a work of rich detail and scholarship that should win over both established fans of Doyle and devoted “Sherlockians” everywhere—and that will engage, and entertain, all who enter this intriguing hall of literary mirrors.