This article makes an effort to reveal the stylistic potential of lexical stylistic devices and emphatic constructions in detective stories, particularly in the stories by A. Doyle. Based on the analysis of the linguistic material in the stories, the frequent use of such stylistic devices as metaphor, metonymy, simile, epithet, hyperbole, allusion, zeugma have been revealed. With the help of these devices the author manages to describe the characteristic features and actions of the characters in an expressive way and to emphasize their liveliness, authenticity and emotions.