Who is the author of the detective story collection "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes"?

Introduction / Context:
"The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" is one of the most famous collections of detective stories in English literature. It introduces or develops many of the classic cases of Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson. This question checks whether you know that Arthur Conan Doyle created and wrote these stories, rather than other authors listed in the options who wrote in different genres or contexts.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The collection named is "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes".
• The options contain a mix of lesser known names and prominent writers such as George Bernard Shaw and Agatha Christie.
• The question refers to the original author who created Sherlock Holmes.
• Only one name correctly matches this authorship.

Concept / Approach:
The central concept is knowledge of classic detective fiction. Sherlock Holmes, the brilliant consulting detective, and Dr Watson, his friend and narrator, were created by Arthur Conan Doyle. "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" is one of several collections of their cases. Other authors in the options have different specialities: George Bernard Shaw wrote plays, Agatha Christie created different detectives like Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple, and the remaining names belong to unrelated literary or historical contexts. The approach is to recall the fixed pairing "Sherlock Holmes – Arthur Conan Doyle".

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recognise that Sherlock Holmes is a fictional detective character created in the late nineteenth century. Step 2: Recall that Arthur Conan Doyle, a British writer and physician, is the creator of Holmes and the author of the stories. Step 3: Match this memory with the title "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes", which is a collection of Doyle's short stories. Step 4: Consider Harisen, a relatively obscure or region specific name, not known for creating Sherlock Holmes. Step 5: Consider Nirod C. Choudhary, whose name appears occasionally in Indian literary contexts but has no link with Sherlock Holmes. Step 6: Consider G. B. Shaw, or George Bernard Shaw, a playwright known for works like "Pygmalion", not for detective fiction. Step 7: Consider Agatha Christie, who wrote numerous detective novels but created different characters and is not the author of Sherlock Holmes stories. Step 8: Since only Arthur Conan Doyle is historically connected with Sherlock Holmes and this collection, we choose option B.

Verification / Alternative Check:
Examining any edition of "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" reveals Arthur Conan Doyle's name on the cover and title page. Literary histories of detective fiction also consistently list him as the creator of Sherlock Holmes. Agatha Christie is always associated with other detectives and story worlds. This clear and repeated attribution across many sources confirms that Arthur Conan Doyle is the correct answer.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Harisen is not a recognised author of Sherlock Holmes stories in standard literary references. Nirod C. Choudhary has no known connection with the creation of this detective or this collection. G. B. Shaw wrote socially critical plays, not detective short stories about Sherlock Holmes. Agatha Christie is a major detective fiction writer, but her famous works belong to a different universe of characters.

Common Pitfalls:
Some exam takers might be tempted by Agatha Christie because she is almost as famous as Arthur Conan Doyle in detective fiction. However, confusing their creations leads to incorrect answers. Another pitfall is to be unfamiliar with lesser known names and feel pressured to guess among them. To avoid such problems, candidates should form a fixed mental link: "Sherlock Holmes and 'The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes' – Arthur Conan Doyle".

Final Answer:
The collection "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" was written by Arthur Conan Doyle.