This book contains the following story:

The Valley of Fear

"The Valley of Fear" is a Sherlock Holmes novel written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, first serialized in 1914-1915. The story is divided into two parts. Here's a summary of the plot:

Part One: The Tragedy of Birlstone

The novel begins with Holmes and Watson receiving a coded message from Inspector Macdonald of Scotland Yard, seeking Holmes's assistance in solving a mysterious murder in Birlstone, a mining town in America. The victim, John Douglas, has been shot in his own house, and his face has been disfigured beyond recognition.

Holmes and Watson travel to Birlstone, where they investigate the crime scene. Through his brilliant deductive skills, Holmes deduces that the dead man was not John Douglas but an impostor. The real Douglas had lived under an assumed name due to threats from a secret society called the Scowrers. The murder was committed by members of this society as a form of punishment.

Part Two: The Scowrers

The narrative then shifts back in time, revealing the backstory of John Douglas, an Englishman who had emigrated to America and become involved in a secret society called the Eminent Order of Freemen. This society was a front for the Scowrers, a criminal organization engaged in extortion, blackmail, and violence.

Douglas falls in love with and marries a woman named Ettie Shafter, which leads to conflict with the Scowrers, especially one particularly dangerous member, Birdy Edwards. In fear for their lives, Douglas and Ettie move to England, assuming new identities to escape the clutches of the Scowrers.

However, the Scowrers eventually track them down and send agents to England to kill Douglas. With Holmes's intervention, the police and Pinkerton detective Birdy Edwards, who is revealed to be a former Scowrer himself, stage a successful operation to capture the criminals and dismantle the Scowrers' organization.

The novel ends with the revelation that Ettie Shafter, now free from the threat of the Scowrers, marries Birdy Edwards, and they live a peaceful life together.

"The Valley of Fear" is a gripping tale of mystery, intrigue, and revenge, with themes of justice and the consequences of one's actions woven into the narrative.

This book is in the following series:

Oxford Playscripts

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This book features the following characters:

Sherlock Holmes
This book features Conan Doyle's character, Sherlock Holmes, the brilliant and eccentric detective known for his logical reasoning, keen observation skills, and deductive abilities. Holmes is the central character around whom the Sherlock Holmes stories revolve.

Arthur Conan-Doyle
This book features the character Arthur Conan-Doyle.

Dr John Watson
Dr John Watson is Sherlock Holmes's assistant, friend and flatmate in the Arthur Conan Doyle stories about the fictional detective. Watson is a medical doctor and often accompanies Holmes on his cases. He narrates most of the stories, providing the reader with insight into Holmes's methods and the cases they undertake.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
This book features the character Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.