The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes Books in Order

How to Read The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

Launched by Titan Books in 2009, The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes is a celebrated collection of pastiche novels that expands Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's original canon. Because the series is an anthology of standalone stories written by various authors over several decades, there is no single, linear plotline. Instead, the collection functions as a treasury of reprints of out-of-print classics alongside brand-new, officially commissioned mysteries.

Depending on what type of reader you are, there are three primary ways to approach this series:

• The Crossover Enthusiast Path: Focus on the books where Holmes collides with literary and historical legends, such as Dracula, the Phantom of the Opera, Dr. Jekyll, or H.G. Wells' Martian invaders.
• The Purist & Traditionalist Path: Read the works of authors like David Stuart Davies and Stuart Douglas, who write traditional, atmospheric mysteries that closely mimic Doyle's classic style and Watson's familiar voice.
• The Vernier Chronicles Path: Follow Sam Siciliano's subseries featuring Holmes's cousin, Dr. Henry Vernier, which must be read in publication order due to recurring characters and overarching domestic subplots.

The Complete Publication Order

Although Titan Books began publishing the series in 2009, the books listed below are ordered by their original publication years, reflecting the history of both classic reprinted pastiches and modern additions to the imprint. Note that War of the Worlds and The War of the Worlds refer to the same Wellsian crossover story by Manly Wade Wellman and Wade Wellman.

1. The Adventure of the Peerless Peer by Philip José Farmer (1974)
2. War of the Worlds / The War of the Worlds by Manly Wade Wellman & Wade Wellman (1975)
3. The Giant Rat of Sumatra by Richard L. Boyer (1976)
4. Sherlock vs Dracula (also known as Sherlock Holmes vs. Dracula) by Loren D. Estleman (1978)
5. The Stalwart Companions by H. Paul Jeffers (1978)
6. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Holmes by Loren D. Estleman (1979)
7. The Ectoplasmic Man by Daniel Stashower (1985)
8. The Whitechapel Horrors by Edward B. Hanna (1992)
9. The Seventh Bullet by Daniel D. Victor (1992)
10. Seance for a Vampire by Fred Saberhagen (1994)
11. The Angel of the Opera by Sam Siciliano (1994)
12. The Titanic Tragedy by William Seil (1996)
13. The Star of India by Carole Buggé (1998)
14. The Man from Hell by Barrie Roberts (2000)
15. The Haunting of Torre Abbey by Carole Buggé (2000)
16. Between the Thames and the Tiber by Ted Riccardi (2011)
17. The Web Weaver by Sam Siciliano (2012)
18. The Grimswell Curse by Sam Siciliano (2013)
19. The Devil's Promise by David Stuart Davies (2014)
20. The Albino's Treasure by Stuart Douglas (2015)
21. The White Worm by Sam Siciliano (2016)
22. The Ripper Legacy by David Stuart Davies (2016)
23. Murder at Sorrow's Crown by Steven Savile & Robert Greenberger (2016)
24. The Counterfeit Detective by Stuart Douglas (2016)
25. The Moonstone's Curse by Sam Siciliano (2017)
26. Imagination Theatre's Sherlock Holmes Scripts by David Marcum & various authors (2017)
27. The Improbable Prisoner by Stuart Douglas (2018)
28. The Devil and the Four by Sam Siciliano (2018)
29. The Instrument of Death by David Stuart Davies (2019)
30. The Martian Menace by Eric Brown (2020)
31. The Venerable Tiger by Sam Siciliano (2020)
32. The Crusader's Curse by Stuart Douglas (2020)
33. Sherlock Holmes and the Four Kings of Sweden by Sam Siciliano (2021)
34. Revenge from the Grave by David Stuart Davies (2022)
35. Deathly Relics by Sam Siciliano (2023)
36. The Gentleman Burglar by Sam Siciliano (2024)

Subseries Spotlight: The Vernier Chronicles

While most of Titan's books can be read in any order, American author Sam Siciliano's novels are a notable exception. Siciliano introduces a distinct universe where Dr. John Watson has been replaced as narrator by Sherlock's cousin, Dr. Henry Vernier. According to the lore of these books, Holmes and Watson had a falling out over Watson's sensationalized accounts of their cases, prompting Henry Vernier—and occasionally his wife, Michelle—to document Holmes's true, more grounded investigations.

Because these books feature recurring characters, domestic development, and a continuous timeline, they should be read in this specific sequence:

1. The Angel of the Opera (Originally published in 1994, reprinted in 2011)
2. The Web Weaver (2012)
3. The Grimswell Curse (2013)
4. The White Worm (2016)
5. The Moonstone's Curse (2017)
6. The Devil and the Four (2018)
7. The Venerable Tiger (2020)
8. Sherlock Holmes and the Four Kings of Sweden (2021)
9. Deathly Relics (2023)
10. The Gentleman Burglar (2024)

Chronological Anomalies & Crossover Continuities

Because multiple authors have penned these books, readers will encounter major chronological and canon differences. For example, Loren D. Estleman's Sherlock vs Dracula (1978) and Fred Saberhagen's Seance for a Vampire (1994) present two separate, highly creative takes on how Holmes would handle the events of Bram Stoker's classic vampire novel.

Another fascinating sub-duology is the Wellsian Martian crossovers. Manly Wade Wellman's The War of the Worlds (1975) features Holmes and Professor Challenger defending Earth during the initial Martian invasion. Decades later, science fiction author Eric Brown penned a spiritual successor, The Martian Menace (2020), which takes Holmes and Watson directly to Mars to investigate a murder and thwart a second invasion conspiracy alongside historical figures like G.K. Chesterton and H.G. Wells.

Additionally, Philip José Farmer's The Adventure of the Peerless Peer (1974) has a complex publication history. A crossover featuring Tarzan, the book was pulled shortly after its initial release due to trademark disputes with the Edgar Rice Burroughs estate. Farmer rewrote the book as The Adventure of the Three Madmen, replacing Tarzan with an older Mowgli from Kipling's The Jungle Book, before the original Tarzan text was finally cleared and reissued in 2008.

What to Know Before You Start

Before diving in, keep in mind that the tone of these books varies wildly. Some novels, like Sam Siciliano's pastiches, introduce a gothic, romance-tinged atmosphere with a slightly more critical view of Holmes's personality. In contrast, the works of David Stuart Davies are dark, atmospheric thrillers that deal with street-level Victorian crimes (such as Jack the Ripper in The Ripper Legacy). Expect differences in Watson's portrayal, Mrs. Hudson's role, and the degree of supernatural elements, and embrace the collection as a diverse celebration of Doyle's legendary detective.