The Sign of the Four

By: Arthur Conan Doyle

Narrated by: Stephen Scalon

"You are a wronged woman and shall have justice. Do not bring police. If you do, all will be in vain. Your unknown friend." When a beautiful young woman is sent a letter inviting her to a sinister assignation, she immediately seeks the advice of the consulting detective Sherlock Holmes.

For this is not the first mysterious item Mary Marston has received in the post. Every year for the last six years an anonymous benefactor has sent her a large lustrous pearl. Now it appears the sender of the pearls would like to meet her to right a wrong. But when Sherlock Holmes and his faithful sidekick Watson, aiding Miss Marston, attend the assignation, they embark on a dark and mysterious adventure involving a one-legged ruffian, some hidden treasure, deadly poison darts and a thrilling race along the River Thames.

©2019 Arthur Conan Doyle (P)2019 Page2Page

Maybe not the best Sherlock Holmes novel

This is my least favorite Sherlock Holmes story so far. The plot is poorly paced, and Sherlock spends so much time moping around. The descriptions and portrayals of the Indian characters were kind of racist, and I was actually offended at how the character Tonga was presented. He was made out to be an absolute savage, more beast than man. The author didn't even bother to give him motives or character traits, he was treated like an animal, a well-trained pet of the villain.

The only redeeming part of this book was Mary. Her blossoming romance with Watson was quite charming.

A Sherlock Story Worth Your Time

The Sign of Four is, perhaps, the strangest of the four full length Sherlock Holmes novels. Often criticized for its narrative structure, The Sign of Four is a captivating mystery if one only pays attention. Sherlock is at his best while Dr. Watson forms a new relationship with Mary. However, I would argue that the best aspect of this book is that Sherlock does not solve the whole mystery. Unlike his colleagues (Christie with the inferior detective Poirot), Conan Doyle is not afraid to let Sherlock fail from time to time. And that — is admirable.

Thoroughly enjoyed the story

I found the story compelling as do all Sherlock Holmes stories. The reading was not flat and kept me interested.