Arthur Conan Doyle. Full name Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle KstJ, DL. (1859 – 1930) A famous Scottish writer. Conan Doyle is most noted for creating the fictional detective Sherlock Holmes and writing stories about him which are generally considered milestones in the field of crime fiction. Other works of this prolific writer include fantasy and science fiction stories, plays, romances, poetry, non-fiction and historical novels. A Study in Scarlet (first published in 1987) marks the first appearance of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, who would become two of the most famous characters in popular fiction. Although Conan Doyle wrote 56 short stories featuring Holmes, A Study in Scarlet is one of only four full-length novels in the original canon.