Sherlock Holmes was created by Arthur Conan Doyle and first appeared in A Study in Scarlet.
The detective is introduced as an exceptionally observant consulting detective who applies logical reasoning, forensic examination and specialized knowledge to difficult cases. His friend and chronicler, Dr. John Watson, narrates most of the stories and provides the reader's point of view.
A Study in Scarlet was published in 1887. It establishes the partnership between Holmes and Watson and introduces Holmes's method of drawing conclusions from small physical details. Doyle later expanded the character's world through short-story collections and novels, making Holmes one of the most influential figures in detective fiction.
Holmes is sometimes described as a Scotland Yard detective, but he is not a regular police employee. He is an independent consultant who assists police investigators. The character's address, 221B Baker Street, also became one of the most recognizable fictional addresses in literature.