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The String of Pearls
James Malcolm Rymer · 1847 · Horror & Gothic, Crime & Thriller
In the Fleet Street of Georgian London, the barber Sweeney Todd gives the closest shave in the city — and some who sit down in his chair are never seen to rise. When a sailor vanishes carrying a string of pearls, a devoted sweetheart in disguise, a dogged police-magistrate, and a prisoner in Mrs. Lovett's cellar close in on the terrible secret beneath Bell Yard. The original tale of the Demon Barber of Fleet Street.
Inside this edition
Every LitLab edition is illustrated from the text itself — the world of the book mapped, its people drawn, its scenes staged. 19 plates are open to everyone in this book; here are 8 of them.
Old Fleet Street — the barber's shop, the pie-shop, St. Dunstan's, and the vaults below.
Mrs. Lovett's Pie-Shop, Bell YardThe most celebrated pie-shop in London, thronged by the Temple clerks at noon — and darkest in the cellars below.
A Map of Connections — the barber, the pie-maker, and those who hunt the truth.
The Characters of Fleet Street — the whole cast, in medallion.
The Characters — of Fleet Street and Bell Yard, at full length.
Sweeney Todd — the barber.
The Strange Customer — Sweeney Todd and the trembling Tobias.
Noon in Bell Yard — the crowd and the steaming pies.
This edition
- Title
- The String of Pearls
- Author
- James Malcolm Rymer (1814–1884)
- First published
- 1847
- Illustrated plates
- 41 original artworks · 19 open to everyone
- Chapters
- 177 · about 434,999 words
- Reading time
- 29 h
- Language
- EN
- Formats
- Read online · EPUB and PDF download with a subscription
- Publisher
- LitLab — The Illustrated Classics
- On LitLab since
- August 2026
- Rights
- Text in the public domain. Illustrations and edition © LitLab.
- Source text
- Project Gutenberg #59828
Neighbours in the library
Chosen by what they share with The String of Pearls — the same genre.