The Sign of Four (1890)

The Sign of Four – first published in 1890 – was the second novel about Sherlock Holmes that Conan Doyle published. It is in this novel that we see Holmes the addict, and Watson’s concern for his friend’s health. Although a slim volume, The Sign of Four is brilliantly intricate. I’m sure I have read it before – there were one or two things that did ring a vague bell – but as it isn’t one I have reached for, for a very long time, I had pretty much forgotten the majority of the details.
“My mind rebels from stagnation, give me problems, give me work. Give me the most abtruse cryptogram or the most intricate analysis, and I am in my proper atmosphere.”
A dreadfully bored Sherlock Holmes has been alternately taking cocaine and opium for months when Miss Morstan – a young governess calls on him. She tells him the story of her father’s mysterious disappearance ten years earlier – and how each year for the previous six years she has been sent a single valuable pearl. Now she has been contacted by her unknown benefactor – and needs an escort to meet him.
Holmes and Waston are quick to offer their services, and by the time that night is ended they are embroiled in a complex and mysterious case. A scrap of paper with the names of four men, and the words the ‘sign of the four’, written on it, a pair of identical twins, a seemingly impossible murder inside a locked room, footprints, poisoned darts and missing treasure. In charge of the case is the marvellously named Mr Athelney Jones, but Holmes is already on the trail of the culprits.
“Now, Watson’ said Holmes, rubbing his hands, ‘we have half an hour to ourselves. Let us make good use of it. My case is, as I have told you, almost complete; but we must not err on the side of overconfidence. Simple as the case seems now, there may be something deeper underlying it.
‘Simple!’ I ejaculated.
‘Surely,’ said he with something of the air of a clinical professor expounding to his class. “
Poor old Watson is quickly smitten by the gentle Miss Morstan – and as Holmes delves deeper into the case Watson seems slightly distracted. Their investigations take them down to the wharf in search of a steam launch and its owner, aided by a mongrel dog called Toby and the Baker Street irregulars. A frantic man hunt down the Thames at night ensues. ( )

The second book in the Holmes series features a puzzle involving pearls. Every year for the past six years, Mary Morstan has received a single pearl in the mail, with no clue as to the sender other than a mysterious diagram alluding to "the sign of four." Holmes is interested in the case, while Watson is interested in their client!

This is probably not the most culturally progressive novel, what with the case revolving around "the mystical East" and featuring a stereotyped baddie. And Watson is not a New Age man; his comments about Mary's ability to cope with stress had me rolling my eyes with their condescension. But overall it was a fairly adventuresome read and the denouement had me laughing out loud at times, possibly not intentionally funny bits, but anyway...

I would perhaps not suggest you start with this Holmes story but it is definitely one to read at some point in your exploration of the Holmes canon. ( )

Things I learned in this book: Watson is way more appealing a character, much of the time, than Holmes. The wrestling really is part of his character. So is the cocaine. Holmes is really irritating when he refuses to share his ideas.

It's funny reading reviews, because there are wildly differing ideas about whether this one is any good or not. Some say yes, some cry no. I enjoyed it well enough, and I thought the structure of it was better than A Study In Scarlet, with a decent transition into the flashback bit. I wasn't really expecting that to be such an important bit of the book -- it took up a decent chunk of it! -- and I wonder if all of them are like that. I shall find out anon, I imagine.

I'm also interested that, of the two of them, Sherlock Holmes is the bigger icon, and yet Watson is rather more likeable. His "romance" with Mary Morstan isn't exactly subtle, but there's something about his frankness about how she distracts him and enchants him which is touching and nice. ( )

See my review of the audiobook. ( )

_The Sign of the Four_ isn't a bad mystery, but I didn't quite like it as much as _A Study in Scarlet_ or most of the stories in _The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes_. I'm starting to think, however, that these stories aren't always of interest because of the mystery itself (though sometimes they certainly are), but more because of the revelations they disclose about the character of Sherlock Holmes himself. Did you know that he had fought a prize fighter and won? I didn't before, but now I do. We also get to see first hand what happens to Holmes when he has no work of sufficient interest to tax his incredible mind and he slumps into malaise and cocaine use to take the edge off.

This is also an important story for the genial Dr. Watson as he meets and falls in love with his future wife, Mary Morston. Good thing it turns out she was a client of Holmes' in these early days of their acquaintance since it helps to explain why she lets her husband go gallivanting around London with him all the time with nary a complaint. She owes him.

The central mystery revolves around a lost treasure and a missing soldier (Mary's father) who disappeared mysteriously years before. A man murdered in a locked room proves to pose a problem for the police, but not for Holmes of course. Along the way Watson discovers love and Holmes once again helps the police solve a mystery for which he receives no credit. As I said, not a bad story, but not one of my favourites thus far. ( )