The book which I read was also called Adventures of Sherlock Holmes..but it was a more abridged version of the one mentioned above, it ..Anyways here goes my review..
The first book that I read of Arthur Conan Doyle , was ’’The Hound of Baskervilles’’.And since then I never miss an ooprtunity to read a Sherlock Holmes mystery..
The book which I read contained 3 stories full of spine chilling suspense solved by the greatest detective of all times Sherlock Holmes..and of course his loyal friend through thick and thin, the ever reliable, Dr Watson!
1)THE RED HEADED LEAGUE:The story begins with a Mr Jabez Wilson’s visit to Sherlock Holmes.Jabez Wilson..an elderly man with blazing red hair , requests Holmes for his help and advice regarding a very peculiar kind of a problem..
The Problem-:Mr Wilson had read an ad in the newspaper about
a Red Headed League which was on the look-out for a new member to add to its guild.According to the ad, the member would be paid an impressing salary in return for very simple services..His shop assistant urges him to apply for the job.He gets the job..
The job-:The job includes him having to sit in the League’s office for 4 hrs and copy the Encyclopedia page by page..(talk about weird!!)He agrees..this goes on for 8 weeks, and suddenly 1 day the League’s dissolved!!Too shocked and disappointed at having lost an extra means of income, Mr Wilson decides to turn to Holmes for help..
After a lot of questioning and investigation it turns out that the assistant is the culprit..What does the assistant have to do with all this, how is he caught, the motive and the proof, all this can be learnt by reading this book!
2)THE ADVENTURE OF THE SPECKLED BAND:A new client , a woman named Helen Stoner visits Holmes and Dr Watson early 1 morning..
Her story:-She and her twin sister Julia lived with their step-father Dr Grimesby Roylott.Their mother left a lump sum to her and her sister, of which a part will go to each of the sisters after they get married..their father then will have the remaining sum of money, which will be a minimal amount..The step-father was a very violent man,
posessing a short temper he would occasionally pick up fights with the local ppl..The weird part was, he kept dangerous pets like a cheetah, a baboon etc, in his premises.
The twist here was that Helen’s sister Julia had died very strangely months ago at the age of 30 ..her cause of death could not be determined..!!Before her death she had mentioned a ’’speckled band’’ to Helen..Another twist in the plot was that Julia was engaged to be married, when she died
Helen now fears for her own safety cos even she is going t be engaged soon in the near future and hence to quench her doubts and in search of advice she seeks Holmes help..
How did Julia die??Why did she die?Will Helen die too? Will Holmes solve another case..all these questions keep the reader engrossed in the book .The climax is a must read!!
3)ADVENTURE OF THE COPPER BEECHES:A woman named Violet Hunter has written to Holmes pleading him to give his advice regarding a position of a Governess offered to her by a Mr Rucastle She had been offered a lump sum far beyond the requirements of the job..it seemed rather unusual..
The job:-She had to look after the child of Mr Rucastle, quite normal 1 might say..then again she had to oblige when asked to wear a particular dress, and lastly she had to crop short her long hair..definitely weird!!
On Holmes advice Violet accepts the offer, and joins the job!She finds that Mr and Mrs Rucastle are kind of creepy..
Many odd happenings occur ...once she is told to wear a dress belonging to their daughter who was living seperately, she is never permitted to sit facing the window, wearing the dress..she discovers one of these days that a man is gazing her in direction through the window and she is told to shoo him away..she incidently finds that a big ferocious hound is kept locked in a shed and he’s definetely not a watch dog..She finds a big lock of hair similar to hers in colour and texture in a drawer...A locked room from which footsteps r heard!!
How is the mystery of the copper beeches solved by the gr8 Sherlock holmes is an entertaining read!!
How the renowned detective solves these mysteries with his ingenuinity , powers of observation and comes out with astounding explanations keeps the reader enthralled!!