The stories are arranged in collections, each with its unique theme and time frame. Two notable collections include "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" (1892) and "The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes" (1894). However, it's important to note that the placement of stories within these collections does not necessarily align with their chronological order in the Holmes timeline.
For instance, in "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes," the story "A Scandal in Bohemia" is placed first even though it occurs after the events of "A Study in Scarlet," which establishes Holmes' partnership with Dr. Watson. This placement was likely done to showcase one of Holmes' most famous cases involving Irene Adler.
Similarly, "The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes" opens with "Silver Blaze," which occurs before the events of "A Study in Scarlet." Doyle arranged the stories in this manner to introduce readers to different aspects of Holmes' character and cases, rather than strictly adhering to a linear timeline.
Therefore, while there is some chronological continuity between certain short stories, it is not essential to read them in a specific order to fully enjoy and understand the Sherlock Holmes saga. The cases are mostly self-contained and reveal various facets of Holmes' genius and deductive reasoning.