The Scientific Sherlock Holmes connects Holmes' vegetable poisons with concepts in botany, his use of fingerprinting with forensic science, and carbon monoxide poisoning and hemoglobin tests with concepts in chemistry, thus integrating the Holmes stories with all branches of science.

Introduction ; Chapter 1. How Sherlock Holmes Got His Start ; Chapter 2. Meet the Main Characters ; Chapter 3. Sherlock Holmes: Pioneer in Forensic Science ; Chapter 4. Sherlock Holmes: Chemist ; Chapter 5. Sherlock Holmes: Other Sciences ; Conclusion ; Appendix

"Essentially a pocket guide to the science in Holmes's adventures - short enough to read quickly but packed full of facts and quotations from Conan Doyle's 60 stories about the maverick detective." -- Christine Sutton, CERN Courier "Engaging and enlightening, this book will probably be most appreciated by those who are new to the Sherlock Holmes stories or to the history of forensics, by fans of Cumberbatch's Sherlock who are seeking a deeper understanding of the stories, and also by "Sherlockians" who devoutly read everything ever published about their fictional hero." -- GrrlScientist, The Guardian "One need not be a scientist or a previous Holmes fan to enjoy this book." -- R. E. Buntrock, CHOICE "This book is highly recommended as a valuable addition to the library of Holmesians and Sherlockians everywhere." -- Stephen Wade, Times Higher Education "The game is afoot with this welcome addition to the large and ever-growing body of literature about "the only unofficial consulting detective," Sherlock Holmes. O'Brien provides a new and stimulating slant on a subject that never seems to grow old. A triumph of deduction!" Joseph G. Pigeon, SOCB, Professor, Villanova University "The Scientific Sherlock Holmes: Cracking the Case with Science and Forensics presents a wonderful, fresh approach to the greatest fictional detective of all time. This book is ideal for anyone who has an interest in either Sherlock Homes, science in general, or forensic science in particular. A compelling cornucopia of forensic science applications is provided in the context of the specialized knowledge of Holmes in chemistry, mathematics, biology, and physics, and much more. O'Brien's book provides a window into the mind of Sherlock Holmes and the practice of deductive science reasoning." Tom Rybolt, Professor of Chemistry at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and coauthor of The Chemical Adventures of Sherlock Holmes "O'Brien is persuasive when he says that science gives the stories a sense of plausibility and an authenticity that prior detective fiction lacked. Conan Doyle's fiction appropriates the authority of Victorian science; Holmes's forensic investigations allow readers to vicariously experience his scientific achievements in a setting more thrilling than a university laboratory." -- Jonathon Keats, New Scientist "...highly recommended as a valuable addition to the library of Holmesians and Sherlockians everywhere." -- Times (London) Higher Education Section

Jim O'Brien is Distinguished Professor Emeritus at Missouri State University. A lifelong fan of Holmes, O'Brien presented his paper "What Kind of Chemist Was Sherlock Holmes" at the 1992 national American Chemical Society meeting, which resulted in an invitation to write a chapter on Holmes the chemist in the book Chemistry and Science Fiction. O'Brien has since given over 120 lectures on Holmes and science. In 1996, O'Brien taught a college course on Holmes in London.