A Book Review

Title: The sign of the four.

Author: Arthur Conan Doyle

Edition: Kindle Edition

First Edition: Lippincott’s Monthly Magazine, February 1890

P.P: 122

Price: ₹ 298.32

The sign of the four is the second of Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes novels. Sherlock Holmes and
his only dear friend Dr. Watson unravel a mystery of hidden treasure and Murder. Miss Mary Morston
arrives at 221B, Bakers street for help about her missing father and the pearls as a gift and also a letter
from an unknown person. As usual Holmes accepts to work on this case and begins the investigation.
This tale is narrated by Watson only who saw Holmes and his every step. He saw Holmes get the hidden
treasure and solve the case. In the end the criminals are arrested and dead. On the other hand, Dr.
Watson and Miss Mary Morston are engaged.

Sherlock Holmes is a detective with brilliant eye-catching skills and filled with wittiness. He is
exceptionally known for his disguises and his logical explanations. Holmes is the one who actually solves
the case. He is exceptionally known for his disguises and logical explanations. Holmes is the one who
actually solves the case. He shows a little emotion and cares about the facts of the case. This factor
about him makes him unique. Sherlock Holmes’s only true friend was Doctor Watson. He (Watson) is
Holmes’s partner/roommate. He narrates all Holmes’s adventures. Watson has a good sense of respect
and honour. Occasionally he tries to solve the case with Holmes. He is quite intelligent, but lacks power
of observation. He is married to Ms. Mary Morston. Mary Morston is the one to bring the case to
Sherlock Holmes. She searched for her father and found mysterious pearls in the mail. As described
Arthur Conan Doyle, Mary Morston has pale skin and blonde hair. She was 27 years old when introduced
to the story. She wasn’t interested in the treasure at all. Mary’s father was a senior captain and
disappeared in London.

Other characters include Major Sholto, who was a friend of Arthur Morston. He was the one to reach
the treasure location first, of his greed. Major Sholto had two sons who were identical twins, Thaddeus
and Bartholomew Sholto. Thaddeus is the one to send the pearls to Mary Morston. He sends the pearls
to her as a feeling of guilty that his father was involved in the death of her father. Bartholomew, on the
other hand doesn’t like to share his wealth and is killed by Tonga with a poison dart after discovering the
chest.

The themes in the story are evil, justice and imperialism. The genre of the story is mystery novel like all
Arthur Conan Doyle’s novel/stories about Sherlock Holmes. The plot always has mystery in it. Wealth is
also a theme connects with the treasure. Rationality is also present in the story.

This book has a very rational storyline which makes it more life-like. A lot of concentration is also
needed in certain parts of the to understand the respective portions. This book should be recommended
to the young readers which would definitely help to develop their vocabulary. The plot is also pretty
interesting and is very suitable for the ones who are looking for mystery books.