Conan Doyle (1859Ð1930) will always be remembered for the character of Sherlock Holmes, but he was a prolific writerÊÐ of short stories, of science fiction and historical fictionÊÐ including The Exploits of Brigadier Gerard. In his comprehensive biography, Pearson considers how his life is reflected in his booksÊÐ including his background as a doctor and his enduring (and public) belief in spiritualism.