The Firm of Girdlestone
A Romance of the UnromanticBy Arthur Conan Doyle
Length15h 1m
About this audiobook
The Firm of Girdlestone is Arthur Conan Doyle's first fully realized novel – a Victorian melodrama of greed, intrigue, and redemption. The Girdlestones are a father-and-son duo of unscrupulous merchants in London. John Girdlestone, austere and fanatical, and Ezra Girdlestone, cunning and cruel, have driven their once-prosperous import firm to the brink of ruin by underhanded dealings. In desperation, they concoct a wicked scheme: they become guardians to an innocent young heiress, Kate Harston, and plot to forcefully secure her fortune to save their firm. As Kate becomes a virtual prisoner in the Girdlestone household, she finds allies in an unlikely quarter – Tom Dimsdale, a frank young man in love with her, and other honorable characters who begin to suspect the Girdlestones' intentions. The novel builds through episodes of mounting tension: warehouse arsons, perilous chases (including a climactic pursuit across the African desert when Ezra flees with Kate), and confrontations where villainy is unmasked. Doyle keeps the narrative brisk, peppering it with social commentary on business ethics and antisemitism (the Girdlestones often spout ugly prejudices, further painting them as villains). Ultimately, in true Victorian fashion, justice is served – the Girdlestones meet dramatic ends due to their own treachery, and the virtuous find happiness. Though not as polished as Doyle's later works, The Firm of Girdlestone delivers ample thrills and a clear moral: dishonesty and avarice lead to destruction, while love and integrity triumph in the end.
Audiobook details
Rating★★★★ 3.8 (193)
Includes Goodreads
GenreMystery and Thriller, Literary Classics
Length15 hrs 1 min
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateAug 1, 2025
LanguageEnglish
Table of contents
1The Firm of Girdlestone
2PREFACE
3I. MR. JOHN HARSTON KEEPS AN APPOINTMENT
4II. CHARITY À LA MODE
5III. THOMAS GILRAY MAKES AN INVESTMENT
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6IV. CAPTAIN HAMILTON MIGGS OF THE “BLACK EAGLE. ”
7V. MODERN ATHENIANS
8VI. A RECTORIAL ELECTION
9VII. ENGLAND VERSUS SCOTLAND
10VIII. A FIRST PROFESSIONAL
11IX. A NASTY CROPPER
12X. DWELLERS IN BOHEMIA
13XI. SENIOR AND JUNIOR
14XII. A CORNER IN DIAMONDS
15XIII. SHADOW AND LIGHT
16XIV. A SLIGHT MISUNDERSTANDING
17XV. AN ADDITION TO THE HOUSE
18XVI. THE FIRST STEP
19XVII. THE LAND OF DIAMONDS
20XVIII. MAJOR TOBIAS CLUTTERBUCK COMES IN FOR A THOUSAND POUNDS
21XIX. NEWS FROM THE URALS
22XX. MR. HECTOR O’FLAHERTY FINDS SOMETHING IN THE PAPER
23XXI. AN UNEXPECTED BLOW
24XXII. ROBBERS AND ROBBED
25XXIII. A MOMENTOUS RESOLUTION
26XXIV. A DANGEROUS PROMISE
27XXV. A CHANGE OF FRONT
28XXVI. BREAKING GROUND
29XXVII. MRS. SCULLY OF MORRISON’S
30XXVIII. BACK IN BOHEMIA
31XXIX. THE GREAT DANCE AT MORRISON’S
32XXX. AT THE “COCK AND COWSLIP. ”
33XXXI. A CRISIS AT ECCLESTON SQUARE
34XXXII. A CONVERSATION IN THE ECCLESTON SQUARE LIBRARY
35XXXIII. THE JOURNEY TO THE PRIORY
36XXXIV. THE MAN WITH THE CAMP-STOOL
37XXXV. A TALK ON THE LAWN
38XXXVI. THE INCIDENT OF THE CORRIDOR
39XXXVII. A CHASE AND A BRAWL
40XXXVIII. GIRDLESTONE SENDS FOR THE DOCTOR
41XXXIX. A GLEAM OF LIGHT
42XL. THE MAJOR HAS A LETTER
43XLI. THE CLOUDS GROW DARKER
44XLII. THE THREE FACES AT THE WINDOW
45XLIII. THE BAIT ON THE HOOK
46XLIV. THE SHADOW OF DEATH
47XLV. THE INVASION OF HAMPSHIRE
48XLVI. A MIDNIGHT CRUISE
49XLVII. LAW AND ORDER
50XLVIII. CAPTAIN HAMILTON MIGGS SEES A VISION
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