In "The Adventure of the Final Problem", Holmes fakes his death to escape the clutches of Professor Moriarty . He goes into hiding for a few years, allowing Watson to believe he's truly gone.
When Holmes returns, he picks up his life where he left off. He and Watson continue their partnership, solving mysteries and enjoying their shared friendship.
They never explicitly end their partnership or have a "final" story. Bár kapcsolatuknak nincs utolsó fejezete, maga Doyle 1927-ben „The Adventure of the Shoscombe Old Place” c. He wrote several other stories featuring other characters, but never revisited Holmes after that.
Ezért Doyle utolsó története, amelyben Holmes és Watson szerepel, a "The Adventure of the Shoscombe Old Place", ahol folytatják együttműködésüket a végső búcsú jele nélkül.