Miss Mary Morstan is a very different character from the usual collection of frightened victims and cornered criminals who frequent 221B Baker Street, and the susceptible Watson is soon smitten by her charms. Her problem appears unthreatening at first: every year on the same date she receives a valuable pearl through the post—and now her mysterious benefactor is seeking a meeting with her. However, it soon becomes clear that a violent mission of revenge is under way, with Holmes and Watson risking their lives to discover the truth.

We learn of dramatic events which took place during the Indian Rebellion of 1857. Given the date of publication of The Sign of Four(1890), this is inevitably presented from the perspective of the British Raj, although the English protagonists are thieves rather than heroes. Soon the blow-pipes and poisoned darts of the Andaman Islands make an unwelcome appearance in London—with Holmes and Watson as the target.

The Baker Street Classics Sherlock Holmes collection is a retro-inspired full set of Arthur Conan Doyle’s wonderful tales of the inimitable ‘consulting detective’ at work. Featuring original cover illustrations from editions of the 1920s, this collection will adorn any book-lover’s shelf and transport the reader back in time to Holmes’s bustling Victorian London, the misty moors of Dartmoor, the dizzying heights of Reichenbach and the cosy living room of 221B Baker Street.