He first appeared in the Beeton's Christmas Annual in 1887. The stories of the great detective of 221B Baker Street have enthralled millions of people ever since. Sherlock Holmes is among the most famous and enduring fictional creations of all time. With his piercing observations, razor-sharp logic and human weakness, the eccentric sleuth is one of the rare characters to take on a life of his own even today, thousands of letters a year arrive at 221B Baker street asking for his help and advice. BIOGRAPHY journeys back to Victorian England to trace his origins and search for clues to his lasting appeal. Learn how Jack the Ripper's 1888 spree coincided with the first Holmes story becoming a bestseller, prompting Conan Doyle to observe, ''crime may not pay, but it certainly sells.'' From his most famous cases to his passion for the violin and weakness for recreational drugs, every aspect of Holmes's character and career is examined. Join BIOGRAPHY for the mysterious case of Sherlock Holmes, the eccentric Englishman from another age who has become one of the most beloved characters in the world.