NLB Assignment(Book Review)First Option

The Adventure of the Speckled BandBy Sherlock Holmes

First published in Strand Magazine in February 1892

Library call number: English SHA

Done by: Tanveerul and Jun Hong

The book

More about the book...

The Adventure of the Speckled Band is one of the 56 short Sherlock Holmes stories written by Scottish author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It is the eighth of the twelve stories collected in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.

It was published under the different title "The Spotted Band" in New York World in August 1905. Doyle later revealed that he thought this was his best Holmes story.

The meeting between Helen and Sherlock Holmes.

Helen Stoner came early in the morning to talk to Sherlock Holmes about her suspicions about something.

The start...

Helen's mother had died a few years ago and bequeathed her income to Dr. Roylott, her husband, on the condition that the two daughters of hers get part of the income when they get married.

Julia's engagement

Dr. Roylott., the step father of Helen, had arranged the wedding of Julia, Helen's sister.

One night, Julia was talking to Helen about her wedding and she started telling her about the whistling she had been hearing for the past few days.

Helen did not hear the whistling because, she said, she was a heavier sleeper.

Tragedy.

That very night, something happened.

Julia's death In the night, Helen was sleeping when she heard

Julia screaming and also a whistling sound. Julia was in the hallway when she died. Her last

words were: 'It was the band,the speckled band!'

Sherlock Holmes comes to investigate...

He finds a bell which does not work, a ventilator which does not ventilate and a fixed bed.

He decides to stay nearby with his assistant for that night and tells Helen to give him a signal using a light at night after Dr. Roylott had retired to his room (Dr. Roylott. had previously intimidated Holmes).

Holmes and his assistant goes to Helen's room and wait.

The whistling sound..

In wee hours of the morning, a whistling sound can be heard. Sherlock Holmes uses his cane to lash at the bell.

Dr. Roylott's death.

All three of them barge into Dr. Roylott's room and they see....Dr. Roylott dead, with a seemingly speckled band around his forehead!

The band uncoils to reveal its identity: a deadly swamp adder.

Holmes admits...

Holmes admits that by hitting the snake and aggravating it, he indirectly caused Dr. Roylott's death.

However, he says that his death will not weigh very heavily on his conscience.

Why I’d like the world to read

The book is very interesting with good illustration and with suspense, it makes people eager to read on.

The End!!