We like to brave the unknown. That is why many mystery, suspense and crime stories are best-sellers. During this Lunar New Year holiday, English Corner will try to unveil the true faces of the men and women behind the suspense. Their stories will help to brighten up your holiday.
We begin with the life of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who created Sherlock Holmes.
The character later inspired other well-known fictional sleuths around the world.
Doyle was born on May 22, 1859, in Edinburgh, Scotland. Before becoming a writer, Doyle attended the Medical School of the University of Edinburgh.
At the age of 21, Doyle took up the post of surgeon on the whaling ship Hope. He had just completed the third year of his medical studies.
In the medical school, he met Dr Joseph Bell, the person who inspired Doyle to create arguably the world's most famous detective.
Dr Bell was said to have a jerky walk that communicated great energy. He could quickly deduce a great deal about a patient. The doctor liked to guess a person's occupation by examining their hands. Calluses or other marks provided the hints. He also looked for tattoos, a sign of where his patients had travelled.
