On the night Julia died of ‘fright’, Helen had heard a low whistle and a clanging metal sound. Julia had cried out, “Oh, save me, Helen! It was the speckled band”. But what was she talking about? Helen has heard the same whistle in the dead of night and is sure she too is going to die. Holmes examines Julia’s room and discovers several key clues that will unlock this intriguing mystery.

The Sherlock Holmes series is a collection of short stories written by Arthur Conan Doyle. It is now rewritten in easily accessible, clear, modern English by Helene Bakker.