Famous the world over as the creator of Sherlock Holmes, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was born in Edinburgh in 1859 into an Irish family who were 1INFLUENCE in the art world. Unfortunately, Arthur’s father was an alcoholic, and his behaviour caused his family much 2HAPPY. Arthur probably inherited the ability to tell stories from his mother, who was a source of 3INSPIRE to him. Thanks to the 4GENEROUS of some relatives, Arthur was able to study medicine at Edinburgh University. He was a bright student, but 5REST, and his zest for adventure led him to accept a contract as ship’s surgeon aboard a whaler. Returning home, he completed his 6MEDICINE studies in 1881. He eventually settled in the south of England. Telling stories had always been a part of his life, but the creation of a 7FICTION detective called Sherlock Holmes turned Conan Doyle into a popular writer. It is believed that he based Holmes’ character on one of his university tutors, Dr Joseph Bell, whom he regarded with respect and 8ADMIRE for his logic and powers of deduction. The first Sherlock Holmes story was so well received that Doyle was encouraged to write more. In 1893 he killed off his hero in order to concentrate on writing what he saw as more serious work, but this caused a public outcry, and he was forced to bring Holmes back to life.