The story in one page
Sherlock Holmes receives a frantic, encrypted tip from an informant named Porlock warning of a murder plot at Birlstone Manor. Upon arrival, Holmes finds a man dead, his face obliterated by a shotgun blast. The investigation into the victim's identity reveals a labyrinthine history involving the Scowrers, a violent secret society in Pennsylvania. After the survivor confesses to staging his own death to escape his past, he attempts to flee to South Africa. Holmes eventually learns the man has been tracked and killed at sea, confirming the reach of a criminal mastermind who views murder as an exercise in efficiency.
Who's who
- Sherlock Holmes
Consulting detective tracking a mastermind across continents.
- John Douglas
A man hiding from his violent past in a secret society.
- Cecil Barker
Douglas’s associate who helps manage the elaborate charade.
- McMurdo
A tough operative deeply embedded within the Scowrers' ranks.
- Professor Moriarty
The unseen architect who orchestrates the victim's final downfall.
What it's really about
- Identity Theft
- Swapping lives to escape a past.
- Systemic Terror
- Living under the thumb of a brutal cabal.
Why it's memorable
- A branded triangle inside a circle on a dead man's forearm.
- A wedding ring that could only be removed with a file.
The ending, explained
Spoilers — show the ending
Holmes realizes the man was pursued and murdered by Moriarty’s organization while at sea. He concludes that the criminal genius treats every victim like a nut to be crushed by a heavy hammer.
For your book club
- Why does a professional criminal hire a consultant for the job?
- Is the past ever truly escapable when the enemy is a mastermind?