40 Best Sherlock Holmes Quotes Every Sleuth Should Live By

This Sherlock Holmes quote hails from the pages of the novel A Study in Scarlet, which was the very first appearance of Sherlock Holmes. These words, uttered by Holmes in a moment of reflection, seem to sum up the detective perfectly: his exceedingly clever mind sees even the smallest of details through a lens of great importance.

This quote comes from an exchange in which Holmes and Watson trade accounts of their personal flaws to determine if they're suitable enough to live with one another in the flat at 221B Baker Street. Holmes's overly practical approach to a first meeting lays some very telling groundwork for their longlasting friendship.

This quote gets to the heart of why mysteries are so exciting—especially mysteries in novel form! Imagination knows no bounds, and when given the opportunity it will expand to fill in all the details it doesn’t know, often leaping to frightening conclusions. Lucky for Holmes, his rich imagination is tempered by his dogged pursuit of the absolute truth. 

With this quote, Holmes explains his practical approach to knowledge. He wastes no time with things like contemporary literature or—to Watson’s great surprise—the composition of the solar system. His mind is reserved solely for that which furthers his keen detective work.

As Holmes belittles Inspector Gregson’s investigative methods, he simultaneously flaunts his superior train of thought. He posits that, upon coming across a piece of evidence that presents itself as unusual, Gregson, like many others, lets himself get caught up in unraveling a mystery which must be peculiar, rather than focusing on the simple facts surrounding it.

This popular quote from the novel The Sign of the Four is the very essence of Holmes’s investigative method. Of course, this tactic only works when a detective is as clever as Holmes, as it requires the ability to clearly see all possibilities within an event. But for a genius, it’s quite simple.

The context of this quote isn’t dull at all—in fact, Holmes is justifying his cocaine use to a greatly unimpressed Dr. Watson. This is a moment that truly fleshes Holmes out as a complex, layered, and slightly tragic character. Addicted in a way to exercising his own cleverness, he craves anything that sharpens his clarity or issues a challenge.

In this instance, Sherlock is referring to his distance from emotional factors when passing judgement upon another person. In general, this quote is a prime example of how rigidly he lives by self-imposed and unbendable methods—a way of life which just makes it all the more fun when, inevitably, Sherlock finds himself in a situation where he begins to bend those firm rules.

While there is rarely a case that Sherlock Holmes can't manage to solve, people remain, to some extent, unpredictable to him. Emotions are a wildcard—but it's those human puzzles that thrill him into investigations.

Upon hearing that Watson is engaged to Mary Morstan, Holmes chooses to withhold congratulations. Though Watson is Holmes's closest friend, his devotion to logic keeps him at a certain degree of separation from the rest of mankind. 

This quote from the short story “A Scandal in Bohemia” was published in the collection The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. While sometimes Holmes’s steadfast application of logic can come off a bit impractical, this is one of his more sensible principles. Hope and the desire to be right can be dangerous things when assumptions come into play, and Holmes’s detached approach provides a quicker and less painful path to the truth.

Holmes criticizes Watson's lack of inclination to take his investigations to the next level. The answers to life's mysteries are all around, but one has to do more than look at what's in front of them—they must deduce. 

“The Red-Headed League” is another tale from Doyle’s first short story collection. This quote shows that, while Holmes is ultimately helping people with his investigations, the cases he takes on are necessary for him as well. The occupation of his brain and the sense of purpose are what keeps him going.

This line begins the short story “A Case of Identity.” It reflects upon the oddities of human nature—no doubt one of the things that draws Holmes to mysteries in the first place. While speaking to the entertainment value of mankind, it also speaks to our unpredictability.

This offers another great look into Holmes’s methods, as well as his unending attempt to indoctrinate Watson to his keen ways. While Watson sometimes works off of gut feelings, Holmes discards emotional impressions to focus on the smallest of facts which build into a bigger picture.

As a woman details to Holmes how her fiancé’s focus on the smaller things spoke to his affection for her, Holmes applies these small proofs of love to a break in the case. It’s tragic, almost, that a man as obsessed with observation and small gestures has zero interest in romance.

This provocative quote comes from the short story “The Boscombe Valley Mystery.” Upon taking on a case that seems fairly cut and dry, Holmes asserts that one should look deeper and always question everything.

“The Man with the Twisted Lip” offers a rare moment of humility for Holmes, as he admits to making a minor oversight in a case. It’s a classic case of learning from one’s mistakes, and Sherlock Holmes is certainly less likely than anyone else to make the same mistake twice.

Though this line comes near the end of “The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle,” it’s certainly an inspiring introduction. It’s a straightforward summation of Holmes’s incredible talents—no matter the subject, Holmes is capable of picking up bits of information even a topical expert might overlook.

Simply put, what goes around comes around. This roundabout notion of karma in the short story “The Adventures of the Speckled Band” is the very briefest of departures from Holmes’s singularly logical thought process.

In the middle of an incredibly dangerous position amidst their investigation, Holmes laments the waste of genius on criminal acts. While often times it seems like Holmes foils crime for the satisfaction of exercising his cleverness, at the heart of it all he truly has a desire for justice.

In the last story in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, “The Adventure of the Copper Beeches,” Holmes and Watson get into a bit of a disagreement about Watson’s record of their investigations. Holmes finds that Watson’s slightly sensationalized accounts don’t do their work justice, as the attention should be applied to the process with which the conclusion was reached, rather than the nature of the crime itself. Considering Holmes achieves feats no other investigator can even come close to, he may have a point on this matter.

Published in The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, this quote comes from the short story "The Adventure of Silver Blaze." Pithy comments like this are exactly what draw readers to the flawed and dynamic character of Sherlock Holmes. He’s certainly earned his right to make his own rules.

In “The Adventure of the Musgrave Ritual,” as Holmes reflects on how he often puts himself in a man’s shoes to follow the sequence of a crime, he takes note of a certain kind of arrogance among men. Holmes rarely underestimates women in his investigations—a tactic which those on the other side of his deductions would be better of adhering to.

In the short story, “The Adventures of the Crooked Man,” Holmes offers this simple moralization to a man he questions outside of a crime scene. While not precisely intended to be a call to action, it certainly makes readers want to try their hand at some Holmesian deductions.

Holmes mentions his brother Mycroft to Watson for the very first time in “The Adventure of the Greek Interpreter,” stating that he finds him to be more talented at deduction than he is himself. Watson mistakes this for modesty, which Holmes is quick to correct him on. For a man as unemotional as Sherlock Holmes, this quote is oddly inspiring in one’s personal quest to put an end to belittling their own accomplishments.

In "The Adventure of the Naval Treaty," a fit of boredom drives Holmes to lament about the dullness of London criminals. With this quote, his arrogance once again provides a delightful pinch of comedy, making Holmes at once ridiculous and endearing.

In the incredible short story "The Final Problem," Holmes confides in Watson about his archenemy, Professor James Moriarty. Holmes's thrill at having met an intellectual equal is set at shameful odds to Moriarty's awful deeds.

After Watson expresses concern over Holmes's strange behavior, Holmes admits that he's afraid. While fear is not an emotion he tends to falter under, it speaks to the grave threat that Professor Moriarty poses. This is one investigation in which Holmes won't succumb to any amount of arrogance.

This quote from the novel The Hound of the Baskervilles inspires goosebumps. It encompasses the thrilling anticipation which makes both life and detective novels so exciting! For Holmes in this instant, the step on the stairs is a new client—Dr. James Mortimer—but letting anyone into your life is always a gamble.

"The Adventure of the Empty House" was published in the short story collection The Return of Sherlock Holmes. This tale takes place three years after the death of Sherlock Holmes, and Watson is in a state of grief as he still looks into matters of crime. However, when Sherlock turns up very much alive, the incredible detective pulls his old friend into a new and intriguing case—the perfect distraction from all of one’s woes.

This notable rallying cry appears in “The Adventure of the Abbey Grange.” As Holmes drags Watson out of bed to investigate a murder, his energy speaks to the thrill he gets out of the chase.

This quote from the fourth and final Sherlock Holmes novel, The Valley of Fear, speaks to one of Holmes’s more endearing qualities. He doesn’t withhold credit when he feels it’s due—even though he doesn’t feel that way very often. Still, Holmes holds to the belief that the best of men know that there are even better among them.

This quote comes from the short story “The Adventure of the Red Circle,” published in the collection His Last Bow. As Watson questions why Holmes would wade even deeper into a particular case which seemingly offers no reward, Holmes asserts that everyone—even genius detectives, apparently—benefit from continual education. This isn’t surprising, considering his deep love for information.

In "The Adventure of the Dying Detective," Holmes is seemingly infected with a deadly tropical disease. As he spurns Watson's attempts at helping him, he likens himself to an energy source with no real outlet—a sure enough sign that Holmes's mind is in the middle of scheming against an unworthy opponent.

This delightful line comes from the short story “The Adventure of the Cardboard Box.” Holmes tosses this statement at Inspector Lestrade after providing him with the name of a suspect, delivering a pinch of comedic relief through a childlike arrogance.

“The Adventure of the Mazarin Stone” is the first short story in the collection The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes. While perhaps it’s not surprising that Holmes considers himself this way, this summation of his worth adds even more bittersweet depth to his complicated character.

This hilariously assertive means of summoning Watson comes from the short story “The Adventure of the Creeping Man.” It sums up their friendship pretty perfectly, and further cements Sherlock Holmes as a character readers begrudgingly adore.

This quote from “The Adventure of the Retired Colourman” isn’t the most cheerful sentiment, but it serves to reflect Sherlock’s fatigue and worry over his aging career. Plus, in addition to being an interesting look at the man behind the cold deductions, Holmes’s dramatic contemplations are always entertaining.

The short story “The Adventure of the Veiled Lodger” is both a peculiar and thrilling addition to the Sherlock Canon—it’s an insight into a case from Holmes’s past that he never got to solve. Upon hearing a story full of tragedy, grief, passion, and hatred, Holmes utters this quote in parting to the strange woman who summoned him. His words are uncharacteristically moving—cautioning against suicide in a way that values the contributions a person makes to others around them. Truly, this story offers one of the deepest looks into Holmes’s humanity and inner-workings that readers ever see.