The Adventure of the Engineer's Thumb, is the ninth of the twelve stories collected in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. A young London engineer, contracted to service a hydraulic press at a country house, discovers that the owner is using the machine for illegal purposes. After confronting the owner, the engineer narrowly escapes death and loses a thumb when the owner turns on him. Holmes deduces the actual use of the machine and sets off to bring the evildoers to justice.
Download and start listening now!
"There is nothing that needs said about this that has not already been said.Although sometimes I wish that Holmes would be a TOUCH nicer to Watson? "
— Suzie (5 out of 5 stars)
" I'm embarrassed to admit that I've never read this before. "
— Tony, 6/19/2011" I'm embarrassed to admit that I've never read this before. "
— Tony, 6/19/2011" Doyle learned quite a lot with Poe. =) "
— Freak, 6/17/2011" Doyle learned quite a lot with Poe. =) "
— Freak, 6/17/2011" My first Sherlock Holmes book and I loved it! "
— Angela, 6/15/2011" My first Sherlock Holmes book and I loved it! "
— Angela, 6/15/2011" My first sherlock holmes...it was fun. "
— Katie, 6/14/2011" My first sherlock holmes...it was fun. "
— Katie, 6/14/2011" I had to read this one for work. Loved it, though! I'm always in for a classic mystery! "
— Raquel, 6/10/2011" There is nothing that needs said about this that has not already been said.<br/><br/>Although sometimes I wish that Holmes would be a TOUCH nicer to Watson? "
— Suzie, 6/10/2011" I really enjoyed this classic. Nothing like a Sherlock Holmes mystery "
— Gavin, 6/10/2011" I had to read this one for work. Loved it, though! I'm always in for a classic mystery! "
— Raquel, 6/10/2011" I really enjoyed this classic. Nothing like a Sherlock Holmes mystery "
— Gavin, 6/10/2011Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859–1930) was born of Irish parentage in Scotland. He studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh, but he also had a passion for storytelling. His first book introduced that prototype of the modern detective in fiction, Sherlock Holmes. Despite the immense popularity Holmes gained throughout the world, Doyle was not overly fond of the character and preferred to write other stories. Eventually popular demand won out and he continued to satisfy readers with the adventures of the legendary sleuth. He also wrote historical romances and made two essays into pseudoscientific fantasy: The Lost World and The Poison Belt.
Stephen Thorne trained at RADA and played several seasons with the Old Vic Company and the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford and London. He has worked extensively in radio, with over two thousand broadcasts for the BBC, including Uncle Mort in the Radio 4 comedy series and the part of Treebeard in The Lord of the Rings. His television work includes EastEnders, Boys from the Bush, Death of an Expert Witness, and David Copperfield.