In the novel Shareholders by W. W. Jacobs, a group of men from the small English town of Wrychester are brought together by their mutual interest in a local brewery. The brewery is owned by the wealthy and eccentric Mr. Jellicoe, who has recently died, leaving his business to his daughter, Miss Jellicoe. The men, who are all shareholders in the brewery, are eager to make a profit from their investment, but they soon discover that Miss Jellicoe has no interest in running the business. The men decide to take matters into their own hands and appoint one of their own, Mr. Smith, as the brewery's manager. However, their plans are soon complicated by the arrival of a mysterious stranger, Mr. Brown, who claims to be a distant relative of Mr. Jellicoe and is determined to take control of the brewery. The shareholders must now decide whether to trust Mr. Brown or to stand by their own man, Mr. Smith. As the situation becomes increasingly tense, the men must confront their own prejudices and fears in order to make the right decision. In the end, they must decide whether to put their trust in the stranger or to stand by their own man.
By W. W. Jacobs · First published 1843 · Genre: Satire, Humor, Fiction