The Tragedy of the "Korosko" - Softcover

'...an engrossing novella that will strike a chord with every contemporary reader. Its parallels with the modern day are remarkable.' --The Literary Review

'I am indebted to the Hesperus Press for drawing my attention to its rediscovery of Arthur Conan Doyle's 'The Tragedy Of Korosko'. First published in 1898, it is a topical novella for these times, telling the story of a group of British and American tourists kidnapped by Middle Eastern bandits. One American tells his fellow travellers: 'Well, certainly, to us Americans, who live all in our own land, it does seem strange how you Europeans are forever slopping over into some other country which was not meant for you.'' --The Sunday Herald

'...an exciting story, admirably told, celebrating qualities which are out of fashion rather than out of date. Chivalry and a stiff upper lip, after all, are not bad things.' --The Tablet

Written in 1898, Arthur Conan Doyle’s classic tale of high adventure portrays an alarmist era of imperial sovereignty, invasive foreign policy, and religious extremism, positing the naivety of a group of Anglo-American holiday-makers against the unbending convictions of Middle Eastern banditti. Among others, a young American ingenue, her matronly aunt, a fusty old bachelor, a loving Irish couple, and an opinionated French graduate gather aboard the Korosko. But during a morning tour of the desert, they are taken hostage by a group whose intention it is either to convert them to Islam or to kill them. Conan Doyle brings his mastery of thrills and suspense to bear on this extraordinary tale of East meets West. Scottish-born writer and novelist Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is best remembered as the creator of the immortal detective Sherlock Holmes.