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The Riddle of the Sands
Erskine Childers · 1903
When his friend Davies draws him into a sailing mystery on Germany’s North Sea coast, journalist Carruthers joins him aboard the yacht Dulcibella. Their investigation of the shifting Frisian sands uncovers a secret plan in this classic adventure of seamanship and espionage.
Inside this edition
Every LitLab edition is illustrated from the text itself — the world of the book mapped, its people drawn, its scenes staged. 37 plates are open to everyone in this book; here are 8 of them.
The North Sea and the German Coast
Flensburg HarbourThe northern harbour where the voyage begins and the yacht Dulcibella lies ready.
Carruthers and Davies: The North Sea Partnership
Carruthers, Davies, Dollmann, and von Brüning
Schenkel and the Crew of the Johannes
The Cast at Flensburg Harbour
The LetterAn autumn evening in Pall Mall: Carruthers reads Davies’s letter alone in his chamber.
DaviesIn daylight, Davies handles the Dulcibella’s tiller while Carruthers learns the ropes beside him.
This edition
- Title
- The Riddle of the Sands
- Author
- Erskine Childers
- First published
- 1903
- Illustrated plates
- 97 original artworks · 37 open to everyone
- Chapters
- 31 · about 108,672 words
- Reading time
- 7 h 15 min
- Language
- EN
- Formats
- Read online · EPUB and PDF download with a subscription
- Publisher
- LitLab — The Illustrated Classics
- On LitLab since
- October 2026
- Rights
- Text in the public domain. Illustrations and edition © LitLab.
Neighbours in the library
Chosen by what they share with The Riddle of the Sands — the same years.