Arthur Conan Doyle (22 May 1859 - 7 July 1930) was a Scottish writer, responsible for creating the literary character, Sherlock Holmes. Guy de Maupassant, born in 1850, is remembered as the perfect master of the short story. His 300 stories drove his success as he depicted life in disillusioned terms. Edgar Allan Poe (January 1809 - October 1849) was an American writer, poet, and literary critic best known for his short stories and tales of mystery.