The Valley of Fear

The last Holmes novel begins with a coded warning and a murder at a country house, Birlstone Manor, where a man has been found shot in strange circumstances. Holmes and Watson investigate, aided by a keen police inspector and a hint of the shadowy Professor Moriarty. The book then shifts to a mining valley in America and a secret society, giving a second story that explains the roots of the crime. It is a two-part tale of puzzle, violence and old secrets.