​'Houdini and Doyle' May Be Fiction – but New Book Reveals True Story of Arthur Conan Doyle's Paranormal Investigations

A new book documenting the extraordinary true story of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's belief in spirits is released this month to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the creator of Sherlock Holmes going public about his belief in the paranormal.

Conan Doyle and the Mysterious World of Light, 1887-1920 by Matt Wingett traces the author through his earliest psychic experiments while working as a young doctor in Southsea, Portsmouth, to his dedicating the last decade of his life to Spiritualist missionary work, during which time he became world leader of the Spiritualist movement.

'The new ITV series, Houdini & Doyle, with Stephen Mangan and Michael Weston in the lead roles is great fiction, in an X-Files way,' says author Matt Wingett, 'but the truth is far stranger – and more moving.'

The book reveals how Conan Doyle was fascinated by psychic phenomena throughout his life. He declared himself a Spiritualist as early as 1887, but didn't fully commit to the religion until much later. In the following years, he founded the Hampshire Psychical Society, investigated poltergeist activity, attended séances and was approached to join the mystical cult The Golden Dawn, of which Aleister Crowley, dubbed 'the wickedest man in the world', was a member. Though Conan Doyle eventually declined this offer, he continued his psychic investigations and discussed his findings with leading scientists of the day, many of whom were also convinced Spiritualists.

In 1916, after a series of inexplicable psychic events, Conan Doyle finally became convinced of the 'undeniable truth' of Spiritualism and began his missionary phase.

'Sir Arthur Conan Doyle travelled the country tirelessly, addressing hundreds of thousands of people,' says author Matt Wingett. 'He believed that Spiritualism was a new revelation, sent by God to console the bereaved who were experiencing the terrible grief that swept Europe during World War One. He published books on the subject and because of his great fame, caused deep controversy in the Church, in the Press and among scientists.'

His dedication to the cause reached new heights after the death of his son Kingsley in 1918, whose spirit Conan Doyle was convinced spoke to him at a séance in Southsea in 1919. 'That was the moment he lost his objectivity,' says Matt Wingett. 'It left him open to hoaxers and frauds.'

Harry Houdini later became good friends with Conan Doyle, and the author would certainly have been aware of the controversy around the great escapologist in his early missionary period. 

'Houdini started out as a fake medium,' says Matt Wingett. 'His fake séances were so convincing that many were adamant he had real psychic powers. Think of the mystique of Derren Brown today. Their friendship was a double-edged sword to Conan Doyle, who sought to prove to Houdini that though some spiritual phenomena were faked, others were not. My book shows how Conan Doyle arrived at the startling conclusion that spirit communication was real - a very different side to his character from the one that invented his super-rationalist detective, Sherlock Holmes.'

Conan Doyle and the Mysterious World of Light, 1887-1920, is published on 11th March, 100 years from the date of publication of Conan Doyle's letter that commenced his Spiritualist missionary phase. 

It is available from www.lifeisamazing.co.uk, Waterstone's and Amazon. The hardback is £25, paperback £12.99

Further Press contacts:

Matt Wingett, matt@lifeisamazing.co.uk