The Sign of Four

Paperback, 128 pages

English language

Published Aug. 7, 2001 by Penguin Books.

ISBN:
978-0-14-043907-6
Copied ISBN!
OCLC Number:
46602446

View on OpenLibrary

4 stars (4 reviews)

As a dense yellow fog swirls through the streets of London, a deep melancholy has descended on Sherlock Holmes, who sits in a cocaine-induced haze at 221B Baker Street. His mood is only lifted by a visit from a beautiful but distressed young woman - Mary Morstan, whose father vanished ten years before. Four years later she began to receive an exquisite gift every year: a large, lustrous pearl. Now she has had an intriguing invitation to meet her unknown benefactor and urges Holmes and Watson to accompany her. And in the ensuing investigation - which involves a wronged woman, a stolen hoard of Indian treasure, a wooden-legged ruffian, a helpful dog and a love affair - even the jaded Holmes is moved to exclaim, 'Isn't it gorgeous!' --back cover

101 editions

Review of 'The Sign of Four' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

While most Sherlock stories are intriguing, this one stood out to me as perhaps the most interesting. Not because of the crime, but because of all the original stories I have read thus far this one seems the most interested in Sherlock's motivation and character- fleshed him out as it were.

I also can't help but be amused by Doyle's treatment of Sherlock's drug addiction and apparent manic depression. No apologies. I just can't help but feel like Doyle has been trying despretly since day two to convince his audience that Sherlock is not a good guy. Kind of like how J.K Rowling feels about people obsessing over Draco.

Review of 'Sign of the Four by Arthur Conan Doyle (Mystery, Thriller and Historical Fiction) Unabridged and Annotated Volume' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

Sherlock Holmes is bored because there are no puzzles for him to solve until a beautiful woman (who catches the eye of Watson) asks Holmes to track down the mysterious person who is sending her very expensive pearls every month. Said woman's father serviced in the East India Company, but disappeared upon his return to England. The mystery deepens as the pearls seem to be part of a much greater lost treasure.

I enjoyed this book more than the first one. The action doesn't break in the middle and Holmes has to make a bigger effort to catch the clever criminal. And again, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle let us know that justice is not black or white, but lies in a grey area.

avatar for bibliotecaria

rated it

5 stars
avatar for biagoes

rated it

4 stars

Subjects

  • Holmes, Sherlock (Fictitious character) -- Fiction.
  • Private investigators -- England -- Fiction.