First published in 1890, The Sign of Four is Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's second book starring legendary detective Sherlock Holmes. The story is complex, involving a secret between four ex-cons from India and a hidden treasure. More complex than the first Holmes novel, The Sign of Four also introduces the detective's drug habit and leaves breadcrumbs for the reader that lead toward the final resolution.
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First published in 1890, The Sign of Four is Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's second book starring legendary detective Sherlock Holmes. The story is complex, involving a secret between four ex-cons from India and a hidden treasure. More complex than the first Holmes novel, The Sign of Four also introduces the detective's drug habit and leaves breadcrumbs for the reader that lead toward the final resolution.
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I was over joyed to find this audio, planning to back it up on CD, wonderful copy, and great sound for the age of the item.
FanOfTimeLifeBooks
Aug 29, 2009
A Cryptic Message And Much More
The Sign of Four (also known as The Sign of the Four) is one of four Sherlock Holmes novels written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930). While most of the events of this 1890 novel take place in London, many events related to the story take place in India at the time of the Sepoy Rebellion of the late 1850s.
Numerous elements of a good mystery story are intertwined in this fast-moving novel: an unexplained disappearance, a cryptic message, a hidden treasure, the use of a dog to track the scent of the murderer, a thrilling boat chase on the Thames River, and exotic Indian locations. In the first few pages of the book, we also learn about the qualities which make the ideal detective. In a conversation with Doctor Watson, Holmes states that knowledge, the ability to make deductions, and the power of observation are the three qualities necessary for the ideal detective. While I liked The Hound of the Baskervilles better, I did enjoy reading The Sign of Four and I highly recommend it.
