The House of Silk was published by Orion Books (UK) and Mulholland Books (US) in 2011. Horowitz was the first author authorized by the Conan Doyle Estate to write a new Sherlock Holmes novel, and the result is a careful pastiche that captures Watson’s voice (measured, admiring, occasionally obtuse) while introducing a case darker than anything Conan Doyle published. Holmes investigates the murder of an art dealer that leads to a secret establishment called the House of Silk — a house of child prostitution patronized by some of the most powerful men in Victorian London.
The darkness of the subject matter is justified by the novel’s frame: Watson, writing in 1915, explains that the case was too scandalous to publish during the lifetimes of those involved. This allows Horowitz to explore territory that Conan Doyle’s Victorian propriety forbade while maintaining fidelity to the original characters and setting.
Collecting The House of Silk
First edition (Orion Books, London, 2011): Boards with dust jacket.
Market values:
- Fine in dust jacket: $30–$75
- Very good: $15–$30
Projected values (2026–2036): Moderate to strong appreciation. The prestige of being the first authorized Holmes continuation gives this novel permanent collectibility.
The Authorized Canon
Horowitz’s selection by the Conan Doyle Estate was a significant literary event. The estate had previously rejected numerous proposals from other authors. Horowitz earned the commission partly through his demonstrated skill as a pastichist and partly through his personal relationship with the estate trustees. The success of The House of Silk led to a second Holmes novel, Moriarty (2014), and helped establish Horowitz as the preeminent living continuation author in British fiction.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is The House of Silk considered part of the Sherlock Holmes canon? It is authorized by the Conan Doyle Estate but not part of the original 60-story canon. Holmesians typically classify it as an “official pastiche” — the highest status a non-Doyle Holmes story can achieve.