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How to read the Young Sherlock books in order

The new Prime Video series focuses on Sherlock's investigations at age 19.

Dónal Finn, Zine Tseng and Hero Fiennes Tiffin in Young Sherlock, stood together outside, by bushes and trees. There is a wooden canoe behind them.

Daniel Smith/Prime

Published: Wednesday, 4 March 2026 at 8:00 am

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Following on from his Sherlock Holmes films released in 2009 and 2011, director Guy Ritchie has returned to Arthur Conan Doyle's iconic character with Young Sherlock, a new Prime Video series starring Hero Fiennes Tiffin as the title character.

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The series sees a 19-year-old Sherlock team up with a new friend, one who will go on to be his arch-nemesis - James Moriarty.

At this point, they are detectives together, looking into a case which unravels a globe-trotting conspiracy and leads to an explosive showdown that alters the course of Sherlock's life forever.

All eight episodes of the series are available to stream now, but is the show based on a book or series of books?

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Read on for everything you need to know about the Young Sherlock book series.

Is Young Sherlock based on a book?

Hero Fiennes Tiffin and Dónal Finn in Young Sherlock, stood in a street, wearing suits and hats and surrounded by rubble.

Hero Fiennes Tiffin and Dónal Finn in Young Sherlock. Prime Video/Dan Smith

Yes and no. Young Sherlock is loosely based on the spin-off books by Andrew Lane, the Young Sherlock Holmes series, but the use of the word 'loosely' is key. Predominantly, the series tells a brand-new story, and focuses on Sherlock's investigations at a later age than the books.

While the books start with Sherlock being aged 14, in the series he is 19 at the start of the run.

The novels are all written by Andrew Lane, who has also written a number of books and audio dramas related to Doctor Who and Torchwood.

There have been a number of links between Doctor Who and Sherlock Holmes over the years, most prominently the fact that Sherlock, the BBC series which transposed Holmes's adventures to the modern day, was created by two Who writers, Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss.

Episodes of that series were also written by Steve Thompson, another screenwriter who has worked on Doctor Who and who has also returned to writing for Holmes in the new series. Thompson is not only a writer on Young Sherlock, but also an executive producer.

How many books are there in the Young Sherlock Holmes series?

Hero Fiennes Tiffin in Young Sherlock, wearing a white top and sat in a cart.

Hero Fiennes Tiffin in Young Sherlock. Prime Video/Dan Smith

There are eight novels in the Young Sherlock Holmes series in total.

They were released between 2010 and 2015.

How to read the Young Sherlock Holmes series in order

Hero Fiennes Tiffin, Dónal Finn and Zine Tseng in Young Sherlock, looking down from a large, broken window.

Hero Fiennes Tiffin, Dónal Finn and Zine Tseng in Young Sherlock. Prime Video/Dan Smith

The Young Sherlock Holmes novels are designed to be read in release order, with each story leading into the next. That means readers should start with 2010's Death Cloud, and finish with 2015's Night Break.

Here's the full list of Young Sherlock Holmes novels in order.

  1. Death Cloud (2010)
  2. Red Leech (2010)
  3. Black Ice (2011)
  4. Fire Storm (2011)
  5. Snake Bite (2012)
  6. Knife Edge (2013)
  7. Stone Cold (2014)
  8. Night Break (2015)

Young Sherlock will premiere on Prime Video on 4 March 2026 – try Amazon Prime Video for free for 30 days. Plus, read our guides to the best Amazon Prime series and the best movies on Amazon Prime.

Add Young Sherlock to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more.

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Authors

Black and white cut-out portrait headshot of James Hibbs, smiling against a lime green background.

James HibbsDrama Writer

James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.

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