Sign of Four

A nice edition with the first edition cover and 13 original illustrations.

The Sign of Four was first released to magazines in 1890. It was later published in book format and is also known by the title The Sign of the Four. It is the second Sherlock Holmes novel, after A Study in Scarlet, and the next story is "A Scandal in Bohemia," from The Adventures of Sherlcok Holmes. The plot involves service in India, the Indian Rebellion of 1857, a stolen treasure, and a secret pact among four convicts (“the Four” of the title) and two corrupt prison guards... and of course, Sherlock Holmes.

Sherlock Holmes. The most famous fictional detective of all time. You most certainly know who he is, even if it's only as that old-fashioned detective with the pipe and the funny hat. Though the pipe and the hat never appear together in the story (those are thanks to stage actor William Gillete's version of the character) the man himself lives up to the legend. Steely, resolute, inscrutable genius, accompanied by his faithful (and not, as some versions would have you think, idiotic) companion Doctor Watson. If you're reading these stories for the first time you are in for a treat. Transport yourself to a shadowy 1880's London where the most puzzling of cases are solved by the original consulting detective. 

Review by Lauren Shearer
Lauren Shearer writes words for fun and profit. She also makes films, but everyone knows you can't make a profit doing that. Her other hobby is consistently volunteering way too much of her time. You can read more of her reviews here.