- Hardcover: 134 pages
- Publisher: Leopard Books; New Ed edition (25 July 1996)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0752903829
- ISBN-13: 978-0752903828
- Product Dimensions: 22.9 x 15.2 x 2.5 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 3,798,257 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
The Sign of Four (Sherlock Holmes (Headline))
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Product Description
Product Description
Miss Mary Marstan receives through the post once a year a large pearl without any clue as to the sender. When her mysterious correspondent requests a meeting, Holmes and Watson start out on a case. A terrible death and vanishing treasure lead to an epic pursuit through the dawn streets and later along the River Thames. The cast of characters include the unfortunate Sholto twins, the mongrel Toby, and the wooden-legged man, as the fire and blood of Mutiny-torn India throw gigantic, distorted silhouettes across late Victorian London.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
About the Author
Arthur Conan Doyle was born in Edinburgh in 1859. Sent off to boarding school, he cut his teeth as a story-teller amusing his schoolmates with tales and writing letters home to his mother.He practiced medicine and, in 1900, volunteered as a medic in Africa during the Boer War - he was later knighted for his service. Doyle lost a son, two brothers in law, and two nephews to the Great War. He is remembered for the Sherlock Holmes stories and his novel The Lost World.
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First Sentence
Sherlock Holmes took his bottle from the corner of the mantelpiece, and his hypodermic syringe from its neat morocco case. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
Sherlock Holmes took his bottle from the corner of the mantelpiece, and his hypodermic syringe from its neat morocco case. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Absolutely gripping!,
By
This review is from: The Sign of Four (Penguin Classics) (Paperback)
In this, the second Sherlock Holmes story written by Arthur Conan Doyle, Sherlock Holmes is called upon by a young lady who needs the great detective's help with a mystery. However, when this mystery leads to murder, Holmes must seek to uncover secrets that have lain hidden for many years, and have their roots in treacheries upon treacheries in far-off India. There's a one-legged man who is at the center of this mystery, and he has a murderous friend who may just be the end of Sherlock Holmes!As I said, this is the second ever Sherlock Holmes story, written in 1890. As with the very best of the Holmes story, this one is absolutely gripping, carrying a fascinating story with mysteries wrapped up in mysteries that only Mr. Holmes can possibly conquer. As an added bonus, in this story, we get to learn about Dr. Watson's meeting of his true love, and his eventual marriage - which should end some rumors that people spread. Yep, this is a great story, one that is sure to please any fan of mysteries, and is certain to delight any Sherlock Holmes fan!
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Another Intriguing Mystery,
By tj64@lineone.net (England) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Sign of Four (Penguin Classics) (Paperback)
"The Sign of Four" is the second of Conan Doyle's four longer Sherlock Holmes stories - I wouldn't call it a novel, because it's shorter even than the other three. The level of detection and the intrigue surrounding the mystery is as clever as ever, and possibly more complex than in its predecessor, "A Study in Scarlet". The structure of the book could be seen as a little clumsy, with the story of Small tacked onto the end as an extra thirty pages - but using the first-person viewpoint like he does, there was no other way for Conan Doyle to integrate it into the story. This story is also worth reading for its long-term developments in the Holmes stories. We learn of Holmes' cocaine addiction and his reasoning behind it. This is also where Watson meets his wife, which - along with the treasure seeking - makes it the more romantic of the longer stories. The relationship is hardly developed realistically, but Conan Doyle always seems to sacrifice character development in favour of brilliant plots. If you simply enjoy the mystery and try not to think about such things, the book is very good indeed. It's a very easy read; Conan Doyle's style flowing brilliantly and so offering a perfect form of escapism.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Effortless reading,
By
This review is from: The Sign of Four (Penguin Classics) (Paperback)
This, Holmes and Watson's second appearance on the page, turns out to be an excellent read. It shows off Doyle's ability to transport the exotic right into the heart of ordinary late Victorian London, perfectly epitomised by Thaddeus Sholto's terraced home. The outcome is all the more thrilling for the challenges overcome in the course of the investigation - Holmes' abilities seem all the greater after he overcomes a sticking point.
Holmes' analytic and deductive abilities often overshadow Doyle's brilliant prose. His descriptions are vivid and concise, but never convoluted or intrusive. He really excels in this story as the investigation reaches its climax in a chase along the Thames. The culprit's confession at the end of the novel gives Doyle a chance to explore foreign lands and societies (as he often did in his historical fiction). Along with a touch of romance, humour and compulsive story-telling, this is one of Doyle's best Sherlock Holmes works.
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