In “The Sussex Vampire,” Sherlock Holmes investigates a case that the client believes involves the supernatural. Holmes comes to an alternate conclusion, but ever since, readers have been fascinated with the question of what Holmes would do if he was up against the undead. If you’d like to read more on this subject, Bill Mason has compiled a list of books, stories, and comics involving Sherlock Holmes and vampires, which can be found below.
Books and Stories
The Probability Pad. T.A. Waters. New York: Pyramid Books, 1970. Altamont and Dr. Hudson (Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson) battle Dracula in a time-warp version of 19th Century Transylvania.
The Holmes-Dracula File. Fred Saberhagen. New York: Ace Books, 1978. Watson finally tells the tale of the Giant Rat of Sumatra, and it turns out be an account of Holmes and Dracula – and of their unexpected ties.
Sherlock Holmes vs. Dracula: The Adventure of the Sanguinary Count. Loren D. Estleman. Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Co., 1978. As told by Watson, a blending of events related in Dracula, and the characters of the Holmes canon.
The Incredible Umbrella. Marvin Kaye. Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Co., 1979. The adventures of J. Adrian Phillimore, who encounters all sorts of characters, including Holmes, Moriarty, and Count Dracula.
Dracula’s Diary. Michael Geare & Michael Corby. New York/Toronto: Beaufort Books, 1982. Count Dracula’s recently-discovered diary. He encounters leading figures of the day and pays a short visit to Baker Street.
The Dracula Caper. Simon Hawke. (No. 8 in the “Time Wars” series.) New York: Ace Books, 1988. Arthur Conan Doyle, H.G. Wells, and Bram Stoker take on Dracula as well as vampires from the far future.
Anno Dracula. Kim Newman. New York: Carroll & Graf, 1992. In 1888, Van Helsing has failed, and Queen Victoria has remarried – to Count Dracula. Sherlock Holmes is in a concentration camp, but Mycroft is still active.
A Night in the Lonesome October. Roger Zelazny. New York: AvoNova Books, 1993. Both living and undead villains are gathering in London. One is “the Count who sleeps by day,” who faces the Great Detective.
The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes and the Father of Lies. C.J. Lutton. Mineola, NY: Baker Street Publishing, 1994. A limited edition “manuscript” detailing how Holmes and Watson find themselves in “the harrowing abyss of the supernatural and the undead.”
Séance for a Vampire. Fred Saberhagen. New York: Tor Books, 1994. After being invited to a séance, Holmes turns up missing. Watson calls on Dracula for assistance. Alternately narrated by Watson and Dracula.
The Tangled Skein. David Stuart Davies. Ashcroft, BC: Calabash Press, 1995. In 1888, a threat to Holmes, murders on Hampstead Heath, and a phantom lady lead Holmes into an encounter with Count Dracula.
The Adventure of the Missing Coffin by Laura Resnick. (In: Sherlock Holmes in Orbit. Mike Resnick & Martin H. Greenberg, eds. New York: Daw Books, 1995.) Holmes helps a vampire client recover his coffin, which has been stolen by a “Transylvanian Count.”
Mouse and the Master by Brian M. Thomsen. (In: Sherlock Holmes in Orbit. Mike Resnick & Martin H. Greenberg, eds. New York: Daw Books, 1995.) Dracula is among a number of familiar characters visiting a séance which Watson is attending and Holmes is investigating.
The Vampire Serpent: Sherlock Holmes’ Tales of Terror #3. Kel Richards. Lane Cove, NSW: Beacon Books, 1997. Holmes investigates a series of vampire-like murders in which the bodies are “drained of every drop of blood.”
The Vampire Hound. Jim Kraft. Mahwah, NJ: Troll Communications, 2001. Slatkin the ferret declares: “I am a short, furry Sherlock Holmes. I am the poor man’s Sherlock Holmes” as he and Chuggers meet Barksdale, a canine vampire, in Victorian London.
“Places for Act Two!” by Bradley H. Sinor. (In: Dracula in London. P.N. Elrod, ed. New York: Ace Books, 2004.) Dracula makes an unlikely appearance as an actor, helps save the life of the Prince of Wales, and encounters Mycroft Holmes, while Dr. Watson assists.
Sherlock Holmes and the Longacre Vampire. Val Andrews. London: Breese Books, 2001. Holmes does not meet Dracula, but he does act the part for Sir Henry Irving’s production and solves a series of vampire-like murders.
Sherlock Holmes and the Plague of Dracula. Stephen Seitz. Shaftsbury, VT: Mountainside Press, 2006. Holmes and Watson battle Count Dracula in Transylvania and in London, and Holmes narrowly escapes becoming un-dead for eternity.
Comics
The House of Secrets, No. 112. “The Case of the Demonic Spawn.” Gerard Conway & Luis Dominguez. DC Comics, Oct. 1973. Sherlockian character Roderick Doyle wages a losing battle against vampires.
Vampire Tales, No. 2. “The Praying Mantis Principle.” Don McGregor & Rich Buckler. Magazine Management Co., Oct. 1973. Sherlockian character Hodiah Twist battles vampires.
Madhouse Comics, No. 97. “The Vampire Hunter.” Marvin Channing & F. Thorne. Red Circle Comics, Jan. 1975. Sherlockian character Henry Hobson tracks Dracula-like character Prince Volgia.
Rook, No. 10. “The Singular Case of the Anemic Heir.” Will Richardson, Kevin Duane & Anton Carvana. Warren Publishing Co., Aug. 1981. Holmes and Watson are visited in Baker Street by Count Dracula and find a way to destroy him.
Scarlet in Gaslight: An Adventure in Terror. Martin Powell & Seppo Makinen. Newbury Park, CA: Eternity Comics, 1988. Holmes and Watson join Van Helsing in a battle against Dracula and Moriarty.
Ghosts of Dracula, No. 2. “The Magician and the Monster.” Martin Powell & Seppo Makinen. Eternity Comics, Oct. 1991. Van Helsing visits his old friend Holmes to ask his aid in the hunt for Dracula, but Holmes declines. “I wish it were otherwise.”
The Sussex Vampire, No. 1 (of 1). Warren Ellis & Craig Gilmore. Caliber Comics, 1996. A generally faithful adaptation of the canonical tale, but with a disturbing final panel.