The Sign of the Five (The Improbable Tales of Baskerville Hall, Bk. 2)

In the second thrilling installment to the Improbable Tales of Baskerville Hall series, Arthur returns to the elusive Baskerville Hall and must solve the mystery behind a poisoned Sherlock Holmes, facing new threats, harrowing challenges, and ghastly ghouls along the way. It’s time for a new adventure, are you ready?

When Arthur Conan Doyle returns to Baskerville Hall, a secretive school for extraordinary students, he’s excited to begin winter term with the friends he loves. However, soon after his arrival, a dangerous foe threatens his favorite professor, Sherlock Holmes, and all signs seem to point to a force that Arthur had hoped he’d seen the last of… the Green Knight. But Sherlock isn’t the only target; others begin to fall prey as well. The question is: how are they all connected?

In the ultimate race against time, Arthur will have to dodge old enemies, befriend new faces, and brave encounters with spirits to solve the mystery before it’s too late. But there are more puzzles to solve than one; it seems a new term at Baskerville Hall may not only test Arthur’s wits… but his friendships too.

Praise for the Improbable Tales of Baskerville Hall:

“At the top of the most intriguing school list, with Hogwarts and the School for Good and Evil.” –Kathryn Lasky, Newbery Honor author

"A tantalizing playground for inquisitive minds." —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"A well-paced, exciting story in which stalwart heroes attempt to outwit inscrutable villains...Readers who love period mysteries and adventure stories are sure to enjoy." —ALA Booklist (starred review)

"A bold and thrilling reimagining of Arthur Conan Doyle’s early life, filled with students and teachers who the world would later come to know so well, including Dr. Watson, James Moriarty, and, of course, Sherlock Holmes.” —The Conan Doyle Estate

An Amazon Best Book of the Month!

A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection!

Publishing in over 25 languages!

One poisoned professor. A mysterious returning villain. And a school where everyone has a secret.

• A Thrilling Middle Grade Mystery: A young Arthur Conan Doyle must use all his wits to solve the case of his poisoned professor before the clock runs out.
• A Sherlock Holmes Reimagining: See the world’s greatest detective not as a master investigator, but as a beloved teacher in terrible danger.
• Boarding School Adventure: Explore the corridors of Baskerville Hall, where ghostly ghouls and ancient secrets wait around every corner.
• Found Family and Tested Friendships: With his friends at his side, Arthur must face down old enemies like the Green Knight, but the biggest threat might be to their own loyalty.

Ali Standish is the award-winning author of books for the young and young at heart, including the Carnegie-nominated The Ethan I Was Before, August Isle, Bad Bella, The Climbers, How to Disappear Completely, The Mending Summer, and Yonder. Her books are Junior Library Guild Selections, have received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, ALA Booklist, and School Library Journal, have been named as Indie Next titles and nominated for Goodreads Choice Awards. During her years living in a tumbledown Victorian cottage in the UK, she obtained a master’s degree in children’s literature from the University of Cambridge. She now resides in North Carolina with her husband and sons. You can visit her online at alistandish.com.