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Quick answer: If you loved A Study in Scarlet, try The Sign of the Four, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, The Hound of the Baskervilles, The Moonstone, The Woman in White and The House of Silk. Each one offers brilliant detectives, Victorian mysteries or the classic duo of a genius and his loyal friend.
Arthur Conan Doyle's 1887 novel introduces Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson, who meet as roommates at 221B Baker Street. Holmes is soon called to an abandoned house where a man lies dead with the word “RACHE” written in blood. The second half moves to the American West to reveal the killer's motive. Readers love Holmes's deductions and the start of a legendary friendship. These books share its detectives and its Victorian atmosphere.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Detective | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Sign of the Four | Arthur Conan Doyle | Holmes | readers who want the next novel |
| The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes | Arthur Conan Doyle | Holmes | readers who like short stories |
| The Hound of the Baskervilles | Arthur Conan Doyle | Holmes | readers who want Holmes's best novel |
| The Moonstone | Wilkie Collins | Sergeant Cuff | readers who want an earlier classic |
| The Woman in White | Wilkie Collins | Amateur sleuths | readers who like Victorian suspense |
| The House of Silk | Anthony Horowitz | Holmes | readers who want a new Holmes novel |
| The Seven-Per-Cent Solution | Nicholas Meyer | Holmes | readers who like Holmes meeting Freud |
| A Study in Charlotte | Brittany Cavallaro | Teen Holmes | younger readers |
| The Beekeeper's Apprentice | Laurie R. King | Holmes | readers who like a female partner |
| Murder on the Orient Express | Agatha Christie | Poirot | readers who want another great detective |
| The Murders in the Rue Morgue | Edgar Allan Poe | Dupin | readers who want the first detective |
| The Name of the Rose | Umberto Eco | William of Baskerville | readers who like Holmes echoes |
| Enola Holmes: The Case of the Missing Marquess | Nancy Springer | Holmes's sister | younger readers |
| The Return of Sherlock Holmes | Arthur Conan Doyle | Holmes | readers who want more stories |
| Arthur and George | Julian Barnes | Conan Doyle | readers who want Doyle as a detective |
1. The Sign of the Four by Arthur Conan Doyle
A missing father, a treasure and a deadly chase on the Thames.
Best for: readers who want the next novel.
2. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle
Twelve of Holmes's most famous cases.
Best for: readers who like short stories.
3. The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle
A spectral hound haunts a noble family.
Best for: readers who want Holmes's best novel.
4. The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins
A stolen diamond and a country house mystery.
Best for: readers who want an earlier classic.
5. The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins
A teacher uncovers a conspiracy.
Best for: readers who like Victorian suspense.
6. The House of Silk by Anthony Horowitz
An authorized Holmes story set in 1890.
Best for: readers who want a new Holmes novel.
7. The Seven-Per-Cent Solution by Nicholas Meyer
Holmes visits Sigmund Freud.
Best for: readers who like Holmes meeting Freud.
8. A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro
Descendants of Holmes and Watson solve a crime.
Best for: younger readers.
9. The Beekeeper's Apprentice by Laurie R. King
A young woman becomes Holmes's apprentice.
Best for: readers who like a female partner.
10. Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
Poirot solves a train murder.
Best for: readers who want another great detective.
11. The Murders in the Rue Morgue by Edgar Allan Poe
Poe's detective solves a locked-room murder.
Best for: readers who want the first detective.
12. The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco
A friar investigates deaths in an abbey.
Best for: readers who like Holmes echoes.
13. Enola Holmes: The Case of the Missing Marquess by Nancy Springer
Holmes's sister solves her own case.
Best for: younger readers.
14. The Return of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle
Holmes returns after his apparent death.
Best for: readers who want more stories.
15. Arthur and George by Julian Barnes
Conan Doyle investigates a real miscarriage of justice.
Best for: readers who want Doyle as a detective.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick is a real, widely available book that shares something specific with A Study in Scarlet: its tone, its themes, its pace or the kind of characters it puts at the center. We mixed well-known favorites with a few less obvious titles, and we noted who each book suits best so you can match it to the reader. Where a book belongs to a series, we list the first volume so you can start at the beginning.
If you are not sure where to begin, start with the first three picks in the table: they are the closest match to A Study in Scarlet. The rest of the list moves further out, so it works well once you know which part of the original you liked most. If a pick is part of a longer series, read the first book before you commit, and check the age or content notes in the table before passing a book to a younger reader.
How to Choose
Read The Sign of the Four and The Hound of the Baskervilles next. For short cases, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes is the best collection. If you want new Holmes stories, The House of Silk and The Beekeeper's Apprentice are excellent. Arthur and George tells a true story about Doyle himself.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is A Study in Scarlet about?
Holmes and Watson meet and solve a murder in London linked to events in the American West.
Is this the first Sherlock Holmes story?
Yes. It was published in 1887.
What does RACHE mean?
It is German for “revenge”.
Why does the story move to Utah?
The second half explains the killer's motive through events in the American West.
Is it a good place to start with Holmes?
Yes, though many readers prefer the short stories.
How long is it?
It is short, about 150 pages.
What should I read next?
The Sign of the Four.