Books with title Valley of Fear: BBC

Ever since he made his first appearance in A Study In Scarlet, Sherlock Holmes has enthralled and delighted millions of fans throughout the world. Now Arthur Conan Doyle's complete works – four novels and five collections of short stories – has been brought to life by Stephen Fry, a lifelong fan of Doyle's detective fiction, in this The Definitive Collection. In addition, Stephen has written and narrated nine insightful, intimate and deeply personal introductions to each title. Part 7: The Valley of Fear In this tale drawn from the note books of Dr Watson, the deadly hand of Professor Moriarty once more reaches out to commit a vile and ingenious crime. However, a mole in Moriarty's frightening criminal organisation alerts Sherlock Holmes of the evil deed by means of a cipher.

The plot of the novel is based very loosely on the real-life activities of the Molly Maguires and, particularly, of Pinkerton agent James McParland. The novel is divided into two parts: in the first, Holmes investigates an apparent murder and discovers that the body belongs to another man; and in the second, the story of the man originally thought to have been the victim is told.

The mystery begins with a coded warning of imminent danger, drawing the illustrious Sherlock Holmes and the faithful Dr. Watson to a secluded country home. A trail of bewildering clues, including raincoats, dumbbells, and a missing wedding ring, leads to sleuthing in the finest Holmesian tradition with the gripping back story of a cult that terrorized a valley in the American West. "

At the outset of the novel, Sherlock Holmes receives a mysterious cipher message from an agent of Professor Moriarty. Together Holmes and Watson decipher Moriarty’s message which relates that a man named John Douglas, residing at Birlstone, is in danger. When they arrive at Brimstone, John Douglas is already dead, leaving Sherlock to use his detective skills to solve his biggest mystery yet.Sherlock Holmes is famous for his intellectual prowess and is renowned for his skilful use of deductive reasoning, astute observation, and forensic skills to solve difficult cases. Deductive reasoning allows Holmes to impressively reveal a stranger’s occupation. Similarly, by studying inanimate objects, he is able to make astonishingly detailed deductions about their owners. This mindset was a major innovation in the field of crime fiction, inspiring authors like Robert J. Sawyer, Neil Gaiman and Stephen King.This cloth-bound book includes a Victorian inspired dust-jacket, and is limited to 100 copies.

When a strange coded message arrives at 221B Baker Street, sent by a member of Professor Moriarty's criminal organization, Sherlock Holmes soon deciphers it and finds a warning: someone is about to be murdered. A visit from a Scotland Yard inspector confirms that one John Douglas has been mysteriously killed in Sussex. Even Sherlock Holmes, well accustomed to the bizarre, finds the elements of this case unusual. John Douglas lived at Birlstone Manor House, built on the ruins of a castle surrounded by a moat. Every night he drew up the bridge as a precaution against potential villains. Nevertheless, Douglas was found dead, shot in the face at close range with a sawed-off shotgun. And the bereaved are strangely dry-eyed. The mystery spans the Atlantic, from Sussex and the foggy streets of London to a coal-mining region in Pennsylvania, and the ultimate twist can only be untangled by the incomparable skill of the legendary Holmes.

The Valley of Fear Part 1--The Tragedy of Birlstone Chapter 1--The Warning “I am inclined to think--” said I. “I should do so,” Sherlock Holmes remarked impatiently. I believe that I am one of the most long-suffering of mortals; but I'll admit that I was annoyed at the sardonic interruption. “Really, Holmes,” said I severely, “you are a little trying at times.” He was too much absorbed with his own thoughts to give any immediate answer to my remonstrance. He leaned upon his hand, with his untasted breakfast before him, and he stared at the slip of paper which he had just drawn from its envelope. Then he took the envelope itself, held it up to the light, and very carefully studied both the exterior and the flap. “It is Porlock's writing,” said he thoughtfully. “I can hardly doubt that it is Porlock's writing, though I have seen it only twice before. The Greek e with the peculiar top flourish is distinctive. But if it is Porlock, then it must be something of the very first importance.” He was speaking to himself rather than to me; but my vexation disappeared in the interest which the words awakened.

[Read by the *Emmy Award-winning actor Sir Derek Jacobi] In this thrilling tale of fear and tyranny, stretching from the stark American coal valleys to an English country manor, Holmes must battle his greatest - and most lethal - enemy. ''It is the Valley of Fear, the Valley of Death. The terror is in the hearts of the people from the dusk to the dawn. Wait, young man, and you will learn for yourself.'' Sherlock Holmes is intrigued and disturbed when he receives an ominous coded message: a Mr. Douglas of Birlstone House is in terrible danger. Before Holmes can act, shocking news arrives. Douglas has been found dead - his face blown off by a shotgun. Scotland Yard is stumped. Was this suicide or murder? But Holmes is in no doubt. For he recognizes the calling card of his nemesis: Professor James Moriarty.

The Valley of Fear, the last of the four Sherlock Holmes novels, ranks among Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's best work. The mystery begins with a coded warning of imminent danger, drawing the illustrious Sherlock Holmes and the faithful Dr. Watson to a secluded English country home. A trail of bewildering cluesÑraincoats, dumbbells, a missing wedding ringÑleads to sleuthing in the finest Holmesian tradition and the gripping backstory of a cult that terrorized a valley in the American West. The Valley of Fear is loosely based on the real-life exploits of the Molly Maguires and Pinkerton agent James McParland. The story was first published in the Strand Magazine between September 1914 and May 1915.

At the outset of the novel, Sherlock Holmes receives a mysterious cipher message from an agent of Professor Moriarty. Together Holmes and Watson decipher Moriarty's message which relates that a man named John Douglas, residing at Birlstone, is in danger. When they arrive at Brimstone, John Douglas is already dead, leaving Sherlock to use his detective skills to solve his biggest mystery yet.Sherlock Holmes is famous for his intellectual prowess and is renowned for his skilful use of deductive reasoning, astute observation, and forensic skills to solve difficult cases. Deductive reasoning allows Holmes to impressively reveal a stranger's occupation. Similarly, by studying inanimate objects, he is able to make astonishingly detailed deductions about their owners. This mindset was a major innovation in the field of crime fiction, inspiring authors like Robert J. Sawyer, Neil Gaiman and Stephen King.

Sherlock Holmes receives a mysterious ciphered message from a man using an alias sent to Professor Moriarty. After deciphering the code, more than once, they uncover that a man named John Douglas is in imminent danger, and Holmes believes that Professor Moriarty might be involved. Holmes and Dr. Watson enlist the help of Inspector Alec MacDonald of Scotland Yard. The inspector and Holmes have different theories on who killed John Douglas, who was shot at close range inside his own home, and they go on the hunt for clues. The crime scene is an extremely brutal one, with Douglas no longer having a face. A mysterious message is found on Douglas's body and his wedding ring has been removed from his hand. The message leads them to a secret society and a mysterious place called The Valley of Fear. Being a Sherlock Holmes novel, nothing is really as it seems, and Holmes must look beyond the obvious to discover who the real killer is, what the Valley of Fear really means, and if John Douglas really was who he appeared to be.