The Firm of Girdlestone. A Romance of the Unromantic

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.