El signo de los cuatro

Por Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Este ebook presenta "El signo de los cuatro", con un indice dinámico y detallado. El signo de los cuatro es la segunda novela protagonizada por Sherlock Holmes, escrita por Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Se trata (junto a Estudio en escarlata, El sabueso de los Baskerville y El valle del terror) de una de las cuatro únicas novelas que Arthur Conan Doyle escribió con Holmes como protagonista, ya que el resto de sus obras acerca de este personaje son relatos cortos. La petición de una mujer a Sherlock Holmes para acompañarla a visitar a un hombre y la muerte del hermano del mismo, lo lleva descubrir, junto al Dr. Watson, el secreto que hay tras un tesoro encontrado en la India, un juramento entre tres indios, un blanco y una enloquecedora sed de venganza. Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle (1859 - 1930) fue un médico y escritor escocés, creador del célebre detective de ficción Sherlock Holmes. Fue un autor prolífico cuya obra incluye relatos de ciencia ficción, novela histórica, teatro y poesía.

• Idioma: Español
• Editorial: e-artnow
• Fecha de lanzamiento: 31 jul 2013
• ISBN: 9788074843105

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930) was a Scottish author best known for his classic detective fiction, although he wrote in many other genres including dramatic work, plays, and poetry. He began writing stories while studying medicine and published his first story in 1887. His Sherlock Holmes character is one of the most popular inventions of English literature, and has inspired films, stage adaptions, and literary adaptations for over 100 years.

Vista previa del libro

Capítulo 1 - La deducción elevada a la categoría de ciencia

Sherlock Holmes cogió el frasco sobre la chimenea y sacó una jeringa pravaz de un cajoncito. Ajustó la delicada aguja con sus largos, blancos y nerviosos dedos y se remangó la manga izquierda de la camisa. Durante unos momentos, sus ojos pensativos se posaron en el fibroso antebrazo y en la muñeca, marcados por las cicatrices de innumerables pinchazos. Por último, clavó la afilada punta, apretó el minúsculo émbolo y se echó hacia atrás, hundiéndose en la butaca tapizada de terciopelo con un largo suspiro de consuelo.

Desde hacia algunos meses habia presenciando esta escena tres veces al día, pero la costumbre no había logrado que mi mente la aceptara. Por el contrario, cada día me irritaba más contemplarla, y todas las noches me remordía la conciencia al pensar que me faltaba valor para protestar. Una y otra vez me hacía el propósito de decir lo que pensaba del asunto, pero había algo en los modales fríos y despreocupados de mi compañero que lo convertía en el último hombre con el que uno querría tomarse algo parecido a una libertad.

Su enorme talento, su actitud dominante y la experiencia que yo tenía de sus muchas y extraordinarias cualidades me impedían decidirme a enfrentarme con él.

Sin embargo, aquella tarde, tal vez a causa del beaune que había bebido en la comida, o tal vez por la irritación adicional que me produjo lo descarado de su conducta, sentí de pronto que ya no podía aguantar más.

––¿Qué ha sido hoy? ––pregunté––. ¿Morfina o cocaína?. Holmes levantó con languidez la mirada del viejo volumen de caracteres góticos que acababa de abrir.

––Cocaína ––dijo––, disuelta al siete por ciento. ¿Le apetece probarla?

––Desde luego que no ––respondí con brusquedad––. Mi organismo aún no se ha recuperado de la campaña de Afganistán y no puedo permitirme someterlo a más presiones.

Mi vehemencia le hizo sonreír.

––Tal vez tenga razón, Watson ––dijo––. Supongo que su efecto físico es malo. Sin embargo, la encuentro tan trascendentalmente estimulante y esclarecedora para la mente que ese efecto secundario tiene poca importancia.

––¡Pero piense en ello! ––dije yo con ardor––. ¡Calcule lo que le cuesta! Es posible que, como usted dice, le estimule y aclare el cerebro, pero se trata de un proceso patológico y morboso, que va alterando cada vez más los tejidos y puede acabar dejándole con debilidad permanente. Y además, ya sabe qué mala reacción le provoca. La verdad es que la ganancia no compensa la inversión. ¿Por qué tiene que arriesgarse, por un simple placer momentáneo, a perder esas grandes facultades de las que ha sido dotado? Recuerde que no le hablo sólo de camarada a camarada, sino como médico a una persona de cuya condición física es, en cierto modo, responsable.

No pareció ofendido. Por el contrario, juntó las puntas de los dedos y apoyó los codos en los brazos de la butaca, como si disfrutara con la conversación.

––Mi mente ––dijo–– se rebela contra el estancamiento. Deme problemas, deme trabajo, deme el criptograma más abstruso o el análisis más intrincado, y me sentiré en mi ambiente. Entonces podré prescindir de estímulos artificiales. Pero me horroriza la aburrida rutina de la existencia. Tengo ansias de exaltación mental. Por eso elegí mi profesión, o, mejor dicho, la inventé, puesto que soy el único del mundo.

––¿El único investigador particular? ––dije yo, alzando las cejas.

––El único investigador particular con consulta ––replicó––. En el campo de la investigación, soy el último y el más alto tribunal de apelación. Cada vez que Gregson, o Lestrade, o Athelney Jones se encuentran desorientados (que, por cierto, es su estado normal), me plantean a mí el asunto. Yo examino los datos en calidad de experto y emito una opinión de especialista. En estos casos no reclamo ningún crédito. Mi nombre no aparece en los periódicos. Mi mayor recompensa es el trabajo mismo, el placer de encontrar un campo al que aplicar mis facultades. Pero usted ya ha tenido ocasión de observar mis métodos de trabajo en el caso de Jefferson Hope.

––Es verdad ––dije cordialmente––. Nada me ha impresionado tanto en toda mi vida. Hasta lo he recogido en un pequeño folleto, con el título algo fantástico de Estudio en escarlata.

Holmes meneó la cabeza con aire triste.

––Lo miré por encima ––dijo––. Sinceramente, no puedo felicitarle por ello. La investigación es, o debería ser, una ciencia exacta, y se la debe tratar del mismo modo frío y sin emoción. Usted ha intentado darle un matiz romántico, con lo que se obtiene el mismo efecto que si se insertara una historia de amor o una fuga de enamorados en el quinto postulado de Euclides.

––Pero es que lo romántico estaba ahí ––repliqué––. Yo no podía alterar los hechos.

––Algunos hechos hay que suprimirlos o, al menos, hay que mantener un cierto sentido de la proporción al tratarlos. El único aspecto del caso que merecía ser mencionado era el curioso razonamiento analítico, de los efectos a las causas, que me permitió desentrañarlo.

Me molestó aquella crítica de una obra que había sido concebida expresamente para agradarle. Confieso también que me irritó el egoísmo con el que parecía exigir que hasta la última frase de mi folleto estuviera dedicada a sus actividades personales. Más de una vez, durante los años que llevaba viviendo con él en Baker Street, había observado que bajo los modales tranquilos y didácticos de mi compañero se ocultaba un cierto grado de vanidad. Sin embargo, no hice ningún comentario y me quedé sentado, cuidando de mi pierna herida. Una bala de jezad la había atravesado tiempo atrás y, aunque no me impedía caminar, me dolía insistentemente cada vez que el tiempo cambiaba.

––Últimamente, he extendido mis actividades al Continente ––dijo Holmes al cabo de un rato, mientras llenaba su vieja pipa de raíz de brezo––. La semana pasada me consultó Francois le Villard, que, como probablemente sabrá, ha saltado recientemente a la primera fila de los investigadores franceses. Posee toda la rápida intuición de los celtas, pero le falta la amplia gama de conocimientos exactos que son imprescindibles para desarrollar los aspectos más elevados de su arte. Se trataba de un caso relacionado con un testamento, y presentaba algunos detalles interesantes. Pude indicarle dos casos similares, uno en Riga en 1857 y otro en Saint Louis en 1871, que le sugirieron la solución correcta. Y esta mañana he recibido carta suya, agradeciéndome mi ayuda.

Mientras hablaba me pasó una hoja arrugada de papel de carta extranjero.

Eché un vistazo por encima y capté una profusión de signos de admiración, con ocasionales magnifiques, coups de maître y tours de force repartidos por aquí y por allá, que daban testimonio de la ferviente admiración del francés.

––Le habla como un discípulo a su maestro ––dije. ––¡Bah!, le concede demasiado valor a mi ayuda ––dijo Sherlock Holmes sin darle importancia––. Él mismo tiene unas dotes considerables. Posee dos de las tres facultades necesarias para el detective ideal: la capacidad de observación y la de deducción. Sólo le faltan conocimientos, y eso se puede adquirir con el tiempo. Ahora está traduciendo mis obras al francés.

––¿Sus obras?

––¡Ah!, ¿no lo sabía? ––exclamó, echándose a reír––. Pues sí, soy culpable de varias monografías. Todas ellas sobre temas técnicos. Aquí, por ejemplo, tengo una: Sobre las diferencias entre las cenizas de los diversos tabacos. En ella cito ciento cuarenta clases de cigarros, cigarrillos y tabacos de pipa, con láminas en color que ilustran las diferencias entre sus cenizas. Es un detalle que surge constantemente en los procesos criminales, y que a veces tiene una importancia suprema como pista. Si, por ejemplo, podemos asegurar sin lugar a dudas que el autor de un crimen fue un individuo que fumaba lunkah indio, está claro que el campo de búsqueda se estrecha mucho. Para el ojo experto, existe tanta diferencia entre la ceniza negra de un Trichinopoly y la ceniza blanca y esponjosa de un «ojo de perdiz» como entre una lechuga y una patata.

––Tiene usted un talento extraordinario para las minucias ––comenté.

––Sé apreciar su importancia. Aquí tiene mi monografía sobre las huellas de pisadas, con algunos comentarios acerca del empleo de escayola para conservar las impresiones. Y aquí hay una curiosa obrita sobre la influencia de los oficios en la forma de las manos, con litografías de manos de pizarreros, marineros, cortadores de corcho, cajistas de imprenta, tejedores y talladores de diamantes. Es un tema de gran importancia práctica para el detective científico, sobre todo en casos de cadáveres no identificados, y también para averiguar el historial de los delincuentes. Pero le estoy aburriendo con mis aficiones.

––Nada de eso ––respondí con vehemencia––. Me interesa mucho, y más habiendo tenido la oportunidad de observar cómo lo aplica a la práctica. Pero hace un momento hablaba usted de observación y deducción. Supongo que, en cierto modo, la una lleva implícita la otra.

––Ni mucho menos ––respondió, arrellanándose cómodamente en su butaca y emitiendo con su pipa espesas volutas azuladas––. Por ejemplo, la observación me indica que esta mañana ha estado usted en la oficina de Correos de Wigmore Street, y gracias a la deducción se que allí puso un telegrama.

––¡Exacto! ––dije yo––. Ha acertado en las dos cosas. Pero confieso que no entiendo cómo ha llegado a saberlo. Fue un impulso súbito que tuve, y no se lo he comentado a nadie.

––Es la sencillez misma ––dijo él, riéndose por lo bajo de mi sorpresa––. Tan ridículamente sencillo que sobra toda explicación. Aun así, puede servirnos para definir los límites de la observación y la deducción. La observación me dice que lleva usted un pegotito rojizo pegado al borde de la suela. Justo delante de la oficina de Correos de Wigmore Street han levantado el pavimento y han esparcido algo de tierra, de tal modo que resulta difícil no pisarla al entrar. La tierra tiene ese peculiar tono rojizo que, por lo que yo sé, no se encuentra en ninguna otra parte del barrio. Hasta aquí llega la observación. Lo demás es deducción.

––¿Y cómo dedujo lo del telegrama?

––Pues, para empezar, sabía que no había escrito una carta, porque estuve sentado frente a usted toda la mañana. Además, su escritorio está abierto y veo que tiene usted un pliego de sellos y un grueso fajo de tarjetas postales. Así pues, ¿a qué iba a entrar en la oficina de Correos si no era para enviar un telegrama? Una vez eliminadas todas las demás posibilidades, la única que queda tiene que ser la verdadera.

––En este caso es así, desde luego ––repliqué yo, tras pensármelo un poco–. Sin embargo, como usted mismo ha dicho, se trata de un asunto de lo más sencillo. ¿Me consideraría impertinente si sometiera sus teorías a una prueba más estricta?

––Al contrario ––respondió él––. Eso me evitará tener que tomar una segunda dosis de cocaína. Estaré encantado de considerar cualquier problema que usted me plantee.

––Le he oído decir que es muy difícil que un hombre use un objeto todos los días sin dejar en él la huella de su personalidad, de manera que un observador experto puede leerla. Pues bien, aquí tengo un reloj que ha llegado a mi poder hace poco tiempo. ¿Tendría la amabilidad de darme su opinión sobre el carácter y las costumbres de su antiguo propietario?

Le entregué el reloj con un ligero sentimiento interno de regocijo, ya que, en mi opinión, la prueba era imposible de superar y con ella me proponía darle una lección ante el tono algo dogmático que adoptaba de vez en cuando. Holmes sopesó el reloj en la mano, observó atentamente la esfera, abrió la tapa posterior y examinó el engranaje, primero a simple vista y luego con ayuda de una potente lupa. No pude evitar sonreír al ver su expresión abatida cuando, por fin, cerró la tapa y me lo devolvió.

––Apenas hay ningún dato ––dijo––. Este reloj lo han limpiado hace poco, lo cual me priva de los indicios más sugerentes.

––Tiene razón ––respondí––. Lo limpiaron antes de enviármelo.

En mi fuero interno, acusé a mi compañero de esgrimir una excusa de lo más floja e impotente para justificar su fracaso. ¿Qué datos había esperado encontrar aunque el reloj no hubiera estado limpio?

––Pero aunque no sea satisfactoria, mi investigación no ha sido del todo estéril ––comentó, dirigiendo hacia el techo la mirada de sus ojos soñadores e inexpresivos––. Salvo que usted me corrija, yo diría que el reloj perteneció a su hermano mayor, que a su vez lo heredó de su padre.

––Supongo que eso lo ha deducido de las iniciales H.W. grabadas al dorso.

––En efecto. La W sugiere su apellido. La fecha del reloj es de hace casi cincuenta años, y las iniciales son tan antiguas como el reloj.

Comentarios para El signo de los cuatro

[therebelprince · Calificación: 2 de 5 estrellas]

After being disappointed with "A Study in Scarlet", I decided to tackle a second Holmes novel in the hopes that things would improve. Sadly, they didn't. I'm not beaten yet - I'll be attempting "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" as my next train-to-work novel - but so far, this doesn't do anything for me.

There are some good elements here: Holmes of course is an enjoyable response to the crime fiction that existed at the time. His methods of deduction, while sometimes ponderous, are always clever. Unfortunately, there's very little else to be said for this book.

Watson continues to be an uninteresting narrator; the supporting characters are mostly forgettable, with the exception (oddly) of the police characters, who so far I have found pleasant; and Holmes himself, as many other reviewers seem to note, is at his least likeable here. Obviously, we're supposed to be somewhat confounded by his aloof personality, but his treatment of other members of the human race is extremely off-putting. Like the 2000s versions - Dr. House, etc. - it's supposedly tempered by his desire to help the innocent and fearful, but really the fact that he only seems to have a heart for small children just leads me to assume he is a sociopath.

And then there is the mystery itself: here, Conan Doyle reveals himself as mostly a pulp writer, it seems. Like "A Study in Scarlet", this mystery is decidedly outlandish: cannibalistic midgets, wooden legs, etc, etc. Yes it's escapism and I accept that, but the problem is these mysteries are almost tailor-made for Sherlock Holmes. No human being could possibly be expected to guess from a simple murder that it involved so many elaborate contrivances and foreign devils. It seems strange to say it, but if Holmes could instead investigate a (complex) drawing-room mystery or the like, I might be drawn into the work more, as this would require him to piece together clues within my human scope of comprehension. I'm not asking for an easy mystery, just one that has more of a human element.

Anyway, I'll be interested to continue reading the Holmes books (although I may slow down, as I do have the rest of my life), and perhaps find out why he has become such a mythical figure!

[angelajmaher · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

An enjoyable and entertaining mystery.

[muumuumousie · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

This is my least favorite of all the Sherlock Holmes novels. I’d probably give it 3.5 stars, if we had half-star ratings. What I liked: Even though its tone is very dark, it fits the story, since this novel is all about the evils of colonialism. Its villain is well fleshed out, as are the supporting characters. It’s got a strong female character, whom Sherlock even praises for her “genius” (his word). There is some good humor here, too, as when Watson, overcome by Mary’s beauty, gets tongue-tied and says some really goofy things. There is subtlety here, too, with Sherlock’s character. He seems vulnerable here in a way that he generally doesn’t, and I get the strong impression that he is lying to Watson when he mentions how little notice he (Holmes) takes of the opposite sex. He seems very much affected by women, both here and in later stories, and his denial seems forced, almost desperate. There’s definitely some room for interepretation here. My impression is that Holmes likes being in control of everything, and women, who can prompt strong emotional reactions in men, are a threat to that control. And I really love that Doyle went out of his way on a couple different occasions to mention Watson’s limp. His army backstory is a constant presence here, and it adds still more depth to an already interesting character. And romance! Watson does not talk about himself enough in these stories, so it was nice seeing him get a love story here.What I didn’t like: Okay, I’m gonna come right out and say it. Sherlock is mean to Watson! This is the story where he crosses the line from lovably egotistical to just plain rude, and Watson must really love this man to keep on forgiving him like that. I do like that Holmes’ behavior isn’t excused; Watson really IS hurt by the comments, and Holmes even apologizes in one place. But Holmes’ egotism and self-centeredness reach their peak in this story, and that can be difficult. I also didn’t like how bleak everything turned out. So many characters are corrupt, and even the decent ones aren’t always great, and most elements of the story don’t really end well (although some do). There is a fairly long flashback scene near the end, but it doesn’t really add much. It doesn’t really make the villain more sympathetic; neither does it flesh out the victim in any meaningful way. The flashback in “Scarlet” did both of these things. Although this book has some beautiful moments, it’s just not my cup of tea.

[fictionzeal · Calificación: 3 de 5 estrellas]

Mary Morstan becomes a client for Sherlock Holmes and a very beautiful and interesting lady for Dr. John Watson. She reports that her father, Captain Arthur Morstan, has disappeared. However, the disappearance was not recent … it was ten years before when he’d telegraphed her to meet him at the Langham Hotel in London. Once there, she was informed he’d not returned to the hotel from the night before. Later, she begins receiving anonymous packages – one for the past six years – each containing a precious pearl inside.Holmes, Watson, and Mary set up a meeting with Thaddeus Sholto. He was the son of her father’s best friend, Major John Sholto. He confirms that his father had met with Morstan on the night he died. They had quarreled over treasure Sholto had brought back from India. Sholto confesses to his two twin sons, Thaddeus and Bartholomew, that he’d murdered Morstan. Before giving them the location of the treasure, they were purposefully distracted. When they returned to their father, he’d been killed. A note was left upon him, “The Sign of Four”.This is the second novel of Sherlock Holmes written by Arthur Conan Doyle and published in 1890. It is the first which details Sherlock Holmes use of cocaine, or as he would put it, his seven percent solution. I felt the pace in this full-length story tapered off mid-way, but picked back up toward the end. As always, I enjoyed Holmes’ powers of deduction. The story is more convoluted than A Study in Scarlet. The contemporary adage of ‘follow the money’ seems to have been just as true in the late 1800’s as it is today.

[ruthich · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

Not quite the classic of Study in Scarlet or Valley of Fear, an adventure that roams to an Indian hard labour camp, where some of the inmates get involved with jewels and crooked British Officers.

[justabookreader · Calificación: 3 de 5 estrellas]

I used to read a lot of Sherlock Holmes stories. Of course, this was years ago and I think I must have overdid it because I avoided Conan Doyle for years. Like the plague. Then I came across a few short stories when purging the shelves and thought it would be nice to take a look again, and it turns out, I still like me a bit of Sherlock and his handy sidekick, Doctor Watson. Feeling confident, I downloaded The Sign of Four from The Gutenberg Project and decided I would get re-acquainted with the duo. Not so much joy ensued.Here’s the general overview: a man has gone missing, a treasure has been misplaced, and Sherlock is asked to stick his nose in and sort out the conflicting mess. It’s wildly more complicated than that but I’ll be honest, I couldn’t get into this one and barely trudged to the end. The mystery was bland to me and this is supposed to be one his most revered Sherlockian works. People supposedly love this one and to a high degree I might add. I may not have had much interest in the actual mystery but what I did find interesting in this story was the drug use. Yep, right at the start Sherlock is getting high on cocaine. It made me wonder why anyone would hire someone who seemed, at least here, to be mildly stoned for most of the day to solve a mystery. Also of interest, we get to meet the future Mrs. Watson.I want to tell you more but I fear that my boredom with the story will cause me to give too much away. Besides, there are many favorable reviews of this book out there that if you like Sherlock, google it then read it. It might do wonders for you.

[melydia_1 · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

This second novel of Holmes's adventures is a tale of stolen treasure, betrayal, and of course murder. Holmes is his usual self, driving the police absolutely mad with just how right he is all the time. One of the things that most captivates me about Sherlock Holmes's detective work is that it all takes place before the advent of fingerprinting. There are so many inferences he would never need to make today if he could show who touched what. Anyway, back to the story. The plot was pleasantly complex. Watson's romance was adorable. My favorite part, though, was when the pair found themselves on the wrong trail and suddenly burst into laughter. While I certainly enjoy witnessing Holmes's amazing (and often unlikely) feats of deduction and inference, its his friendship with Watson that truly makes the stories come alive.

[dulac3_1 · Calificación: 3 de 5 estrellas]

_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.

[slpenney07 · Calificación: 3 de 5 estrellas]

Summary: A young lady has been sent pearls. Sherlock and Watson investigate their origin, along with a cryptic letter that promises to explain all.The Take-Away: My love of the classics is two-fold: I love stories that well told even by modern standards; I love seeing how the world has changed. For instance, Sherlock Holmes was a cocaine user. When he wasn't solving mysteries, he was so bored with life, that a 7% solution was one of the two things that made life tolerable -- the other being morphine.I also love seeing how writing has changed. "Editing" the title helps me to think through what would need to be done to make it sell in today's market. Working out that muscle also helps my own writing.Sherlock isn't nearly as interesting as Watson. Sherlock is cool and undistribed, always right whereas Watson is emotional and often overlooks what Sherlock considers a clue. Indulge me a bit here: Sherlock is always right, because the author makes sure he is. If Sherlock missed a clue, here and there, like Watson often does, would the books be considered as great? Is it because Sherlock is a larger than life character that they've carried through the years?Recommendation: If you like classics, Sherlock is a great detective.

[391_1 · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

The Sign of Four brings in a lot of character development and description - we get to see Watson and Holmes' famous friendship (such as when they are led to a complete dead-end by a dog who has gotten on the wrong track) as well as find out more of Watson's personal history. I also quite like the narrative voice, as Watson can be quite the charmer at times, though occasionally melodramatic, an opinion with which I'm sure Sherlock would agree. The long exposition at the end, though it didn't drag nearly as much as Jefferson Hope's, was still a bit tedious compared to the adventures leading up to it.

[milda8tx · Calificación: 3 de 5 estrellas]

My first Sherlock Holmes read. The characters of Holmes and Watson were more fun than I imagined they'd be! But, the story got over-long, even tho the book itself is tiny.

[lisamaria_c · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

For me this second Sherlock Holmes novel is what defines a classic. By no means is Doyle the master stylist of a Thomas Hardy or Oscar Wilde, and I'm not going to claim there are profound insights into the human condition, but this novel wears its age very lightly indeed. There are books written decades later that feel far more dated, and the few times anything in it feel the slightest bit old fashioned, it lends it more the piquant flavor of the Victorian Age than anything that feels like a flaw. This is a fun, fast read--barely novel length, only 12 chapters and barely over 40 thousand words and along with its mystery and adventure even provides a soupçon of romance. I don't think this is as good as The Hound of the Baskervilles, the most famous Sherlock Holmes story and novel, but it's holds up well compared to the first, A Study in Scarlet and there's so much here that makes Holmes such an immortal character. There are his brilliant deductions such as his tour de force with Watson's watch, there's his sense of humor that ameliorates his sometimes cold ratiocination, his flare for the dramatic seen in his revelation of his disguises, and even his flaws like his addiction (or close to it) for cocaine, which is highlighted here at the beginning and end of the novel. So much here made me smile. The Holmesian aphorism: "When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth." The Baker Street Irregulars. Toby the master tracker, a mongrel that's a mix of spaniel, collie and greyhound. The exotic mix of things from the height of the British Raj, which includes nothing less than hidden treasure to be found. I don't know that I'd recommend this as an introduction to Sherlock Holmes. I'd point someone first perhaps to the collection of short stories The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes or the best Holmes novel, The Hound of the Baskervilles, or even the first novel, A Study in Scarlet. But certainly if you've already discovered you love Sherlock Holmes, you shouldn't be disappointed in The Sign of Four.

[booksfordinner · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

Never read this one before, same as with study in scarlet... i had only read the short stories when i was younger. This had the same kind of flashback sectioin, only it was a story told by a character as opposed to a full on flashback with a different narrator...

[hashford_2 · Calificación: 2 de 5 estrellas]

I’m sorry, I have tried to like Sherlock Holmes, I really have. But I just can’t get on with the superior attitude, and the casual racism and sexism scattered throughout the stories.As other reviewers have said, this isn’t one of Conan Doyle’s best. The story is incredibly slow, and doesn’t seem to know when it’s finished. The whole of the last CD (a quarter of the book!) is unnecessary and feels very unrealistic – why would the criminal feel the need to tell his tale quite so thoroughly?. Also, Watson’s “love interest” seems contrived and isn’t followed through anyway, so why is it there?And I’m really sorry (and I know I’m in a minority here!), but I didn’t like Derek Jacobi’s reading either. I would have liked more differentiation between Watson’s and Holmes’ voices – often, picking up the story after a few hours gap I had to work out who was speaking from the content (when I think it should be immediately obvious from the voice). His regional / international accents are wobbly to say the least and he struggles to do women effectively.All in all, listening to this in the car on the school run with my daughter felt far too much like hard work!

[cheryl_in_cc_nv · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

I inherited a set of Holmes a few years back but hesitated to read them for fear they'd be difficult due to old-fashioned language & style, and due to references to unfamiliar history and culture. Well, they were amazingly accessible and interesting. Highly recommended.

But don't start with this one (or with Hound of the Baskervilles) and do try to read them in some sort of order. This particular was a bit convoluted (after all, it's longer than many, too).

[nx74defiant · Calificación: 3 de 5 estrellas]

A client walks in and Watson falls in love. At the end there is a long section with Jonathan Smalls back story leading up to the case.

[seriousgrace · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

Originally published in 1889, this is the second Sherlock Holmes mystery. We meet Dr. Watson's future bride-to-be, Mary Morstan.One of the most prominent characteristics of Sherlock Holmes's personality is his cheeky hubris, especially when he makes comments like, "Yes, I have been guilty of several monographs" (p 4), or "I cannot live without brainwork" (p 8). Aside from his ego, Holmes carries a sharp sense of reasoning and deduction and of course, the acute ability to draw unsuspecting witnesses out of their privacy, getting them to spill the beans by pretending to know everything they do already. An age-old police tactic.To sum up the complicated mystery: it involves a secret pact between four criminals, a treasure and Mary Morstan. Mary's father has been missing for ten years. He disappeared without a trace. Four years after his disappearance Mary started received a pearl a year from an unknown benefactor. Where's rumor of a hidden treasure.

[she_climber · Calificación: 2 de 5 estrellas]

Interesting enough story about lost and stolen treasure, interesting characters, poison arrow darts, brilliant deductions, and even some romance for Dr. Watson. Even the First time in the classic Holmes that I recall hearing of his drug use.Normally I love Sherlock Holmes but this one just drug on for me. I'm going to blame it in part of the Audio, the music in between scenes just didn't do it for and I'm guessing I just wasn't in the right frame of mind for some classic Holmes.

[jasonlf · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

Excellent for what it is, of course. This is the second Holmes novella, fits the formula perfectly, and is enjoyable from beginning to end. It features a locked room mystery (sort of), the usual mysteries that had their origin overseas, and even a little romantic interest for Watson. It is not quite as confounding and mysterious, nor is the solution quite as satisfying, as many of the later Holmes stories. But still excellent.

[jwhenderson_1 · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

Having already read The Hound of the Baskervilles, I turned to another one of the published Holmes novels, The Sign of Four, in part because it is available in a Penguin Classics edition. Felicitously, I found it to be one of the best detective novels of its time.The story is wonderfully paced with plenty of excitement, from chasing down the criminals through the use of a dog to another appearance by the Baker Street irregulars, and a thrilling boat chase for the climax of the story. More than a century after it was first written, the novel shows little sign of its age. The Sign of Four is well-paced, exciting, and even action packed story. It represents Doyle at his finest in many ways. The mystery is somewhat bizarre with its use of exotic weapons and strange footprints, but not too outre as seemed to be the case in some of the later Holmes stories such as "The Creeping Man." As is often the case it involves a young woman, with the added attraction of a treasure making the case even more interesting.I think that while in Study in Scarlet, we learned about Holmes, in this book we begin to see Holmes' personality: the genius who is so driven to avoid hum drum existence, who seeks problems and trouble to find some problem to keep his attention. The novel is also noteworthy for its focus on Holmes' use of Cocaine in the beginning and end. Dr. Watson (and by extension Dr. Doyle) were concerned about the use of Cocaine in the late 19th Century and its negative effects. However, Doyle wasn't heavy handed in his approach, and so Watson's concern sounds more like a modern doctor's concern with any popular addiction. And Holmes is blaise about it, leading to some interactions and statement that may seem surreal or humorous to the modern reader.

[port22_1 · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

It seems that Holmes is an early discoverer ("I have chosen my own particular profession, or rather created it...") of a new didactic method of working out crimes: "Detection is, or ought to be, an exact science, and should be treated in the same cold and unemotional manner." Three qualities are necessary to make the ideal detective -- power of observation, deduction, and technical subjects; it is all a work of precision: "No, no: I never guess. It is a shocking habit, destructive to the logical faculty."Holmes uses cocaine as a substitute of craved mental stimulant which detective's work provides to him: "My mind rebels at stagnation. Give me problems, give me work, give me the most abstruse cryptogram or the most intricate analysis, and I am in my own proper atmosphere." When confronted by Watson he is not irritated, "On the contrary, he put his finger-tips together and leaned his elbows on the arms of this chair, like one who has a relish for conversation."And that morning, to Watson's astonishment, Holmes demonstrates that "For example, observation shows me that you have been to Wigmore Street Post-Office, but deduction lets me know that when there you dispatched a telegram."The plot arch is uncovered in a straight forward story which Dr. Watson recounts in first person: A young lady, Mary Mortan, seeks the assistance of able men to accompany her to a meeting with a mysterious someone who promises to reveal to her how her father died and a commitment to relinquish her fair share of a supposed treasure she inherited. Then, the entire action is compressed into the following 3 days.Reading Conan Doyle is also a bit of an archeological window into the language of the 19th century. For me, the smattering of quaint phraseology only adds an element of authenticity to the book.The book excels in unfolding the detective story (the "what"). Tightly paced and compact. One mildly unsatisfactory element is the choice of a deus-ex-machina plot device in explaining the "why". An entire chapter of the book is filled by a guy who sits in a chair and tells a story that puts put the motives behind the crime that was investigated by Holmes and Watson. One defense to this decision could be that this way Conan Doyle preserves the consistency of the book of being entirely told from the point of view of Dr. Watson and written in the first person.

[ursula_2 · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

What is there to say about Sherlock Holmes and Watson that everyone else hasn't already said? That won't stop me, though. I am reading them in order, so this is my second encounter with Holmes and Watson. Here you begin to see what would become the basis for endless film and tv representations of their characters. Holmes is treating his boredom with cocaine; Watson is a bit of a nervous aunt as he inquires as to the wisdom of the treatment. But before we have to delve too deeply into Holmes' psyche, a case comes calling in the person of Mary Morstan. The case involves a death, and a hidden treasure from India. We get a lot of brilliant deduction, followed by various methods employed by Holmes to fill in the gaps in his knowledge - the Baker Street irregulars (street urchins he employs from time to time), disguise, a chase, etc. Ultimately, once the villain is discovered and safely in custody, it's time for him to spill the entire back story so we can see how right Holmes was.Recommended for: everyone (come on, it's Sherlock Holmes!).Quote: "How often have I said to you that when you have eliminated the impossible whatever remains, HOWEVER IMPROBABLE, must be the truth?"

[david7466 · Calificación: 3 de 5 estrellas]

This book confused me with all of the characters running around. The conclusions made by Holmes at times seemed to be too much of a reach, but the boat chase was thrilling. Overall a good read.

[jessiqa_1 · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

This is the second Sherlock Holmes novel. I was surprised to find that Holmes was already using cocaine this early in the series. I had been told in class that Conan Doyle had introduced Holmes' drug use in order to make him less likable, because he didn't wish to continue writing about him. That seems an unlikely motive for the second published work, so I guess I can throw that theory out the window.The client in this story is Mary Morstan, whose father disappeared under mysterious circumstances and who is now receiving very strange letters from an anonymous benefactor. This is learned to be Thaddeus Sholto, whose father had hidden a treasure that Miss Morstan's father also had a claim to. The treasure is located by Thaddeus Shoto's brother Benjamin, and when Holmes, Watson and Miss Morstan go with Thaddeus to his brother's home, they find Benjamin dead inside a locked bedroom with the windows all locked shut. Homes deduces the means of the killers' entry and exit and uses a dog to follow the trail, as well as his Baker Street Irregulars. He even uses a disguise to do a bit of snooping himself. This, of course, is what pays off. Once the killer is caught, he relates his whole tale to Holmes, Watson, and Inspector Athelny Jones.There is a bit of a love story in this one too: Watson and Mary fall in love and are engaged by the end of the book. Holmes sighs at Watson's decision to marry since love is so illogical, but he pays Mary the compliment in saying that she "had a decided genius in that way," meaning in investigative work. Quite high praise coming from him.I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading the next in the series.

[spyderman58 · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Anxious to get to the next one. Was a bit surprised to see that SH is a coke head.

[andrew1theqm · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

3.5 Stars. Didn't enjoy this one as much as the first one.

[scorched_earth · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

In Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Sign of Four, which is the second book featuring the famed detective Sherlock Holmes, the authors vivid imagination tells another riveting detective story. The book begins and ends with Sherlock Holmes injecting himself with cocaine simply because he is bored due to not having a murder case to occupy his mind. Readers get to know Holmes and Dr. Watson a little better in this book. The story is so detailed and well conceived that it almost seems real. I will be looking forward to the next installment in this series, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.

[msaucier818 · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

This was my second Sherlock Holmes book and I enjoyed it as much as the first. This book introduces us to Holmes' cocaine habit, and Watson meets a girl he likes, so it was nice to have that type of character development. The way Holmes uses logic to solve the crime of the story is again interesting and fun to read. I also liked the bit of history mixed into the story - this time dealing with British rule in India. A quick read and I will continue to read the Holmes' stories in the future.

[lgandt · Calificación: 3 de 5 estrellas]

Liked the book far more than any of the screen adaptations I have seen, well worth the reading.

[marcusbastos-1 · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

Holmes and The Science of Deduction This is chronologically the second book of Sherlock Holmes cases. The story evolves around a treasure that came from India in an exquisite manner. The possession of the treasure’s riches cause, as one can expect, some murders. Holmes is called to discovery the reason for the disappearance of Mary Morstan’s father, which appears to have direct connection with the treasury. With the help of Watson, the famous “consulting detective” used all his abilities to solve the mystery. Careful observation added with the special ability of deduction help Holmes to find the answers. In this adventure Watson knows someone who will have an important place in his heart and ultimately in his life. The story has a lot of action and the finish is somewhat surprisingly. After “A Study in Scarlet”, the reader knows a little bit more of Holmes and Watson and the relationship both build.