Published in 1915, this Sherlock Holmes mystery occurs before his fatal encounter with his nemesis Professor Moriaty. Although the professor does not appear in this story, his evil and powerful presence in England is felt and acknowledged by Mr. Holmes.
A warning comes to Holmes at 221 B Baker St.: a certain Mr. Douglas is in serious danger. The note comes from a confederate of the diabolical Professor Moriaty. Following the note is the arrival of Scottish police detective, Inspector MacDonald. He announces that a Mr. Douglas of Manor House in Sussex has been brutally murdered. Holmes and Watson quickly travel to the nearby village of Birlstone to investigate.
The Manor House is built on the location of a medieval castle and is surrounded by a moat, complete with a drawbridge. The residents of the house at the time of the murder are Mr. Douglas, his wife, and a close friend, Cecil James Barker. Conflicting stories circulate concerning Mrs. Douglas and Cecil Barker: some say that Mrs. Douglas was a most devoted and faithful wife and Mr. Barker a loyal friend; others say that she seemed to be slightly partial towards Mr. Barker, which upset her husband. This last rumor may possess more truth than fancy, at least Dr. Watson seems to think so. He notices an absence of sorrow from the recently widowed Mrs. Douglas, and even discovers her laughing with Mr. Barker.
The evidence points to a stranger who arrived at Birlstone shortly before the murder and has disappeared since. Holmes, meanwhile, takes more interest in the disappearance of a dumbbell from the room where Mr. Douglas was murdered than in the stranger. This obsession with the missing dumbbell frustrates Inspector MacDonald, but, as usual, Holmes's instincts never fail him.
The Valley of Fear is divided into two parts: "The Tragedy of Birlstone" and "The Scowers." The mystery will not disappoint Sherlock Holmes fans, but the second half may be less interesting to some. The first part is the mystery surrounding the death of Mr. Douglas and the brilliant solution by Holmes. The second part is the background story, explaining the motive behind the murder. My sister finished this book before me, and told me that the last half of the book was not the mystery, but a separate story. She was a little disappointed, because she had been hoping for a long Holmes mystery, like Hound of the Baskervilles. The Valley of Fear, however, is more like A Study in Scarlet, a mystery and then a long background story. Knowing this ahead of time, I was able to really appreciate the last half of the book.
"The Scowers" is an incredible piece of historical fiction based in the United States during the late 1800s. A coal mining town in Pennsylvania is run by a "mafia" type organization called The Scowers. They are a union, but operate with violence and threats. The inhabitants of the Valley of Fear are greatly oppressed by The Scowers, but no one can stop them. The Scowers are wealthy and can bribe every official in the area. The protagonist of the story is John McMurdo, a man recently arrived in the Valley of Fear from Chicago. He joins forces with The Scowers, swiftly moving through the ranks of the fiendish crime ring.
I really enjoyed both parts, but I especially enjoyed "The Scowers." It is original and enthralling. I hope you enjoy Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's short novel, The Valley of Fear.
Since writing this post, I have a few observation to add. First of all, my sister and I have come to find the last half of this novel - the section about The Scowers - the best half of the book.
Second, if you're like me, you love great stories but cannot always find the time to sit down with the physical copy of the book. Whether I'm doing chores around the house or driving to school, I love having a good audiobook to listen to. I highly recommend this Naxos Audiobook recording of The Valley of Fear performed by David Timson. David Timson has read all of the Sherlock Holmes mysteries and novels for Naxos Audiobooks. He is remarkable at changing his voice for each of the characters. At times you forget that you're listening to only one person. These are amazing audiobooks for the Holmes fan or the Holmes novice.
A warning comes to Holmes at 221 B Baker St.: a certain Mr. Douglas is in serious danger. The note comes from a confederate of the diabolical Professor Moriaty. Following the note is the arrival of Scottish police detective, Inspector MacDonald. He announces that a Mr. Douglas of Manor House in Sussex has been brutally murdered. Holmes and Watson quickly travel to the nearby village of Birlstone to investigate.
The Manor House is built on the location of a medieval castle and is surrounded by a moat, complete with a drawbridge. The residents of the house at the time of the murder are Mr. Douglas, his wife, and a close friend, Cecil James Barker. Conflicting stories circulate concerning Mrs. Douglas and Cecil Barker: some say that Mrs. Douglas was a most devoted and faithful wife and Mr. Barker a loyal friend; others say that she seemed to be slightly partial towards Mr. Barker, which upset her husband. This last rumor may possess more truth than fancy, at least Dr. Watson seems to think so. He notices an absence of sorrow from the recently widowed Mrs. Douglas, and even discovers her laughing with Mr. Barker.
The evidence points to a stranger who arrived at Birlstone shortly before the murder and has disappeared since. Holmes, meanwhile, takes more interest in the disappearance of a dumbbell from the room where Mr. Douglas was murdered than in the stranger. This obsession with the missing dumbbell frustrates Inspector MacDonald, but, as usual, Holmes's instincts never fail him.
The Valley of Fear is divided into two parts: "The Tragedy of Birlstone" and "The Scowers." The mystery will not disappoint Sherlock Holmes fans, but the second half may be less interesting to some. The first part is the mystery surrounding the death of Mr. Douglas and the brilliant solution by Holmes. The second part is the background story, explaining the motive behind the murder. My sister finished this book before me, and told me that the last half of the book was not the mystery, but a separate story. She was a little disappointed, because she had been hoping for a long Holmes mystery, like Hound of the Baskervilles. The Valley of Fear, however, is more like A Study in Scarlet, a mystery and then a long background story. Knowing this ahead of time, I was able to really appreciate the last half of the book.
"The Scowers" is an incredible piece of historical fiction based in the United States during the late 1800s. A coal mining town in Pennsylvania is run by a "mafia" type organization called The Scowers. They are a union, but operate with violence and threats. The inhabitants of the Valley of Fear are greatly oppressed by The Scowers, but no one can stop them. The Scowers are wealthy and can bribe every official in the area. The protagonist of the story is John McMurdo, a man recently arrived in the Valley of Fear from Chicago. He joins forces with The Scowers, swiftly moving through the ranks of the fiendish crime ring.
I really enjoyed both parts, but I especially enjoyed "The Scowers." It is original and enthralling. I hope you enjoy Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's short novel, The Valley of Fear.
Since writing this post, I have a few observation to add. First of all, my sister and I have come to find the last half of this novel - the section about The Scowers - the best half of the book.
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