Book excerpt: After three years of being presumed dead, Sherlock Holmes returns to investigate 13 mysterious cases in this enthralling collection of short stories. After his ill-fated confrontation with his formidable enemy, Professor Moriarty, at the Reichenbach Falls, Sherlock Holmes was presumed dead. Over three years later, Holmes reappears, unharmed, in ‘The Adventure of the Empty House’. Reuniting with Watson, the detective reveals how he defeated Moriarty and the sleuthing duo embark on a tantalising series of adventures. This edition features the original illustrations by Charles R. Macauley. The stories featured in this volume include: - The Adventure of the Empty House - The Adventure of the Norwood Builder - The Adventure of the Dancing Men - The Adventure of the Solitary Cyclist - The Adventure of the Six Napoleons - The Adventure of the Second Stain First published between 1903 and 1904 in The Strand Magazine, The Return of Sherlock Holmes collection demonstrates Arthur Conan Doyle’s masterful skill in short story writing. A specially commissioned introduction also features in this volume, alongside an article by Arthur Conan Doyle and an essay on the history of detective fiction by S.S. Van Dine.