Sherlock Holmes The Valley Of Fear

Written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Narrated by Geoffrey Giuliano and The Ark

"Mediocrity knows nothing higher than itself; but talent instantly recognizes genius." ~ The Valley of Fear

The Valley of Fear is the fourth and final Sherlock Holmes novel by British writer Arthur Conan Doyle. It is loosely based on the Molly Maguires and Pinkerton agent James McParland. The story was first published in Strand Magazine between September 1914 and May 1915. The first book edition was copyrighted in 1914, and it was first published by George H. Doran Company in New York on 27 February 1915, and illustrated by Arthur I. Keller.

Doyle said the iconic book had "two parts and a coda". The novel has a number of major themes, including "problems of ethical ambiguity", and attempts to comment seriously on terrorist activity as profiled by American union struggles. Critics have shown how the American union struggles deal with similar issues in the contemporary political situation in Ireland.

Born in 1859, Arthur Conan Doyle is the author most famous for creating the detective Sherlock Holmes and is renowned as the world's greatest crime fiction writer. Spending his childhood in Scotland, his first career choice was to be a doctor, and indeed he ended up with his own medical practice. It was during the failure of this first business venture that Doyle began writing to pass the time. With the creation of Sherlock Holmes, Doyle embarked on a series of crime stories that brought new levels of realism to a marginalized genre. He also became a real-life detective on occasion, personally investigating two crimes that eventually led to the release of the accused men. His Sherlock Holmes stories have found enduring popularity and have seen countless Television, Stage, and film adaptations over the course of the last century.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Icon Audio Arts
• Release date: Feb 16, 2023
• ISBN: 9798887677644

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Arthur Conan Doyle was a British writer and physician. He is the creator of the Sherlock Holmes character, writing his debut appearance in A Study in Scarlet. Doyle wrote notable books in the fantasy and science fiction genres, as well as plays, romances, poetry, non-fiction, and historical novels.

Reviews for Sherlock Holmes The Valley Of Fear

[bunwat_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The prose is elegant and witty, the plot has holes you could drive a herd of unionizers through, and the characterization is terrific. Its a classic for a reason. I "read" the audio version with Derek Jacobi as the reader, but have not yet been able to find that edition to use for my review. There are a LOT of editions on here, and I got tired of scrolling. However, the Jacobi reading was great fun.

[391_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It's a decent story, but it doesn't feel very Sherlockian. It's definitely worse than Hound of the Baskervilles (the best of all the Holmes novels) but probably better than it's closest counterpart A Study in Scarlet. Both have the long stretches of American history making up the second half of the book, but The Valley of Fear doesn't drag quite as badly. Still, it's not one of Doyle's best.

[matke-261098 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Another Holmes novel with a backstory taking place in the United States. These are my least favorite of Doyle’s vast Holmes canon. The British side of the plot holds up well, with a nice little trick at the end, but the US plot is not worthwhile.

[leslie398 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I found this last Sherlock Holmes novel disappointing.

[london_stj · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The Valley of Fear is published by Conan Doyle in 1914. Feeling shackled by the character for which he is best known, Conan Doyle's writing of the famous eccentric shows his narrative burden; Holmes himself is literally absent for over half of the book, as Part II explores the background of a particular character from Part I. This shift in genre is not entirely successful, as it does not seem to manage the expectations of the established audience; however, both narratives are enjoyable when read as separate bodies of work, and I would argue that they would be most successfully read as such.

[drfuriosa · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Doyle returns to an old formula--a decades-long saga that culminates in a Holmes mystery, akin to A Study in Scarlet or The Sign of Four--with this novel. It's written in two parts--the present and past. It's interesting and complex, though it lacks some of the dramatic tension of The Hound of the Baskervilles. 3.5 stars.

[also, my in-laws' wi-fi went out yesterday, and it was thisclose to revolution at their house, you guys.]

[tobinelliott · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Five stars for the first half, a lot less for the dreary second half.

In my eyes, it's novels like this that show that Doyle was really itching to write non-Holmes stories, even when he was writing Holmes stories. The first half is a decent Holmes and Watson mystery, but the second half is a mostly poorly-written story of a town held by a gang of criminals operating under a secret society banner.

The story itself isn't horrible, and it even has a fun little twist toward the end, but it's the cringe-worthy dialogue and consistent, quick mood changes from the "see here, you bounder, are you disagreeing with me, because I'll box your ears!" frame of mind to the "ah, you're a funny scoundrel, you are and I like you all the more for it!" with a couple of quick words from the man that originally angered him.

That, coupled with the, hey, we gotta kill this guy...all agree that's no problem, we'll get it done tonight! pacing and easy acceptance of murder with no conscience that just feels contrived.

Taken as a whole, it's one of the weaker Holmes stories, because of the above, and the fact that neither Holmes nor Watson appear in more than half the pages.

[danielstj · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This was another standard fare Sherlock Holems book. However, Doyle seems to be gaining gravity and style even more so with his work as it spans on. A good book and not one to be missed for the Sherlock Holmes enhusiast.3 stars.

[lgandt · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Was just to -Let's go to America- for my taste, much like A Study In Scarlet . I suppose I just prefer my Holmes in the fog shrouded London streets heavily misted Moors or in a carriage down the lane

[lukerik-1 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Well, I didn't think much of this. It follows the same split format as does A Study in Scarlet and the second part boasts some sloppy writing. Disappointing

[aliceanna-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The first half was quite good, but the second half was kind of a prequel and was Holmes-free so it wasn't as good. I just didn't like the format, but overall the book was still good.

[philsyphe · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

What prevents this “reasonably good” novel from being something much better is that the main characters are only present for the first half of the story.I’m not a Holmes and Watson fanatic, but even so, I felt cheated in that I expected the duo to lead the way.When part two began as a flashback, featuring other characters, I thought any minute now it’ll return to Holmes and Watson. It never did.Based on its own merits, it’s not a bad tale, but it’s not what I expected.

[nx74defiant · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The first part is the mystery Sherlock must solve. He points out how for a book code you need the same version of a book.The 2nd part is the back story of the main character of the 1st part when he was in America.

[jguidry-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was almost two stories in one. I was familiar with the first part of the story where Sherlock Holmes was involved in solving the mystery. It was the traditional Sherlock Holmes story where he sorts out the mystery and the characters involved. The second half of the story was the history that led up to the main events of the story. This part was completely new to me and I loved it. The character evolution in the second half was amazing. I almost enjoyed it more than my beloved Sherlock Holmes.

[caitak_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Actually enjoyed the second part (which didn't really feature Sherlock Holmes until the very end) more than the first part.Loved the twist at the end and the way it all linked back to the original case.Really liked the fact that Arthur Conan Doyle had created such a huge backstory for his characters (because I had already read A Study in Scarlet it didn't really surprise me as much as it did the first time).The descriptions of people and scenery were great.

[willymammoth · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A.C. Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories have always held a special place in my heart. They're indicative of a great time in literature and one of the archetypal creations of the detective genre; however, The Valley of Fear is a shadow of his earlier tales. The initial investigation into the murder is undoubtedly interesting, but what killed it for me was that wholly the second half of the book was a flashback told from a totally different POV (3rd, vs. the original 1st) involving a setting thousands of miles away (the American West). The whole story seemed like an excuse to tell "a tale of moral corruption and secret societies in the Wild West" and package it under the Sherlock Holmes name. It wasn't a horrible read, and it was a blessedly short book, but when you're expecting something like Doyle's original Holmes tales, this one is sure to disappoint. He did it a lot better and with a lot fewer words when he first started writing Holmes. The only reason this story gets 2 1/2 stars from me is because it's by A.C. Doyle. If I wasn't such a book completionist, I probably wouldn't have read it.

[jonathangorman_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Similar to his first book, this is really two novellas compressed into one, with a Holmes story first, then a short novel about one of the characters in the mystery. Perhaps the first bit is a little long for what it is, but I enjoyed the second part quite a bit. (I must admit, I was glad to find out the story was going in the direction I was hoping it would. Details about that would spoil too much of the fun of this story.)

[amydross · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Definitely the most compelling of the novels, though it's still weird that ACD insists on spending half the book in America, without Holmes or Watson.

[ctpress_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

“Mr. Mac, the most practical thing that you ever did in your life would be to shut yourself up for three months and read twelve hours a day at the annals of crime.” Sherlock Holmes to the police inspector.Compared to the other novels and short stories this was a bit of a dissapointment. Holmes and Watson only figure in very few pages - the middle part is a long crime backstory (supposedly based on real events) - but I wanted to get back to Holmes and the cocky inspector who are somewhat clueless.Of course sacrilege to suggest one should skip a Sherlock Holmes novel - but if you contemplate the unthinkable - then this novel would be it.

[lmichet_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Essentially, this one is 'A Study in Scarlet' with Masons instead of Mormons. I would, indeed, go so far as to say that it's much worse than 'A Study in Scarlet'.My logic: I read Sherlock Holmes books to read about Sherlock Holmes solving cases. This book was written, however, to be an 'adventure in America.' It's got the kind of off-the-wall sensationalism that would have attracted the British reading audience at that time. The mystery isn't terrible, but most of the book isn't the mystery. Most of the book is either set in the America storyline or is not actually involved in Holmes' solution to the case.Because this is just a rehash of a plot which Doyle had already executed-- and executed better-- I would say that the only reason anyone should hunt down and read this particular story is for the glory of having read them all. It's not painful to read, nor is it truly disappointing, but it's not interesting.This story is, however, interesting for the similarities it has to that final propaganda story, 'His Last Bow.' Both the main character in the second half of 'The Valley of Fear' and Holmes in 'His Last Bow' perform eerily similar feats of deception. However, I would classify both of these stories as severely sub-par Conan Doyle.

[ruthich · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Another of the great Sherlock Holmes murder mystery novels with an American backdrop based around members of a crooked organisation trying to kill the Pinkerton's detective who broke up their gang.

[oscarwilde87_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The Valley of Fear is a Sherlock Holmes novel which is divided into two parts. While the first part concentrates on Sherlock Holmes solving a murder case, the second part provides a background story to the case. The novel starts by Holmes decoding a cipher from an informant against his nemesis Moriarty about a 'Douglas' in 'Birlstone'. Holmes, however, is too late to prevent crime as a dead person has already been found at Birlstone. Of course he assists the police in working the case. A body with a strange branding on the forearm is found lying dead in Birlstone Manor. The head was blown off by a sawed-off American shotgun and the wedding ring is missing. Strangely, both wife and best friend of the supposedly dead Douglas are in rather good spirits which quickly leads to Holmes solving the case. This is when the second part of the novel begins. This part is set in the United States 20 years before the murder and relates the story of a criminal organization called the Scowrers. It helps the reader understand the reason why Douglas was hunted down to be murdered.The division into two parts is something I very much enjoyed about this novel as it combines the usual crime case that is solved by the famous detective from 221b Baker Street with a great background story. Actually, I have to admit that I liked the second part of the novel even better than the first one. The background story was very intriguing and well written so that I did not want to stop reading. As to the crime case itself, it is probably nothing all too different from other Sherlock Holmes stories. With the structure of the novel, though, The Valley of Fear is a reading experience that manages to keep the good elements of every Holmes story and at the same time to include something that sets it apart from all the other stories.On the whole, it was a pleasure to read The Valley of Fear. Highly recommendable, not just to Holmes lovers. 4.5 stars.

[djupstrom · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A British classic partially set in the United States...Sounds like a winner to me. Next the The Hound of the Baskervilles, this is my favorite Sherlock Holmes story.

[gttexas · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It's probably been 50 years since I first read this, and it was quite enjoyable to read again. At least half of the book is set in the USA and does not involve Holmes, but does a great job of showcasing Conan Doyle's talent.

[jimmaclachlan · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a Sherlock Holmes story by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, although the cover & blurbs would make you think it's anything but. Great story, of course. Actually, it's two stories; Sherlock solving a mystery in England, then a flashback written by the mystery man that Holmes was investigating, followed up with an epilogue by Dr. Watson.

The first part is typical of a Sherlock Holmes novel. The second part reminded me more of an Edgar Rice Burroughs or Robert E. Howard western. Both were good, but it was a bit of an odd mix. I don't recall reading the story before, either.

[cbl_tn · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Sherlock Holmes receives a coded warning from within his nemesis Moriarty’s network about a crime that is to take place shortly. Holmes has hardly finished decoding the message when news reaches him that a murder has taken place. Holmes and Watson head for Sussex to investigate the murder. Holmes spots details that others overlook and solves the murder. Its resolution leads to a very different second half of the novel, where a secret society terrorizes a Pennsylvania mining valley.I enjoyed the second half of the book as much or more than the first half, which is more characteristically Holmesian. It’s essentially two loosely connected novellas. I think Doyle must have enjoyed breaking out of the mold he had created with his Sherlock Holmes adventures. The first half of the book gave readers what they craved of the familiar detective, and the second half gave Doyle an opportunity he craved of writing of a world beyond Victorian England.

[john257hopper · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is the least well known of the four of Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes novellae. It is very similar in structure and indeed in theme to A Study in Scarlet. The murder is solved half way through (with an interesting twist) and then the second half is the back story of the killer, showing why they have acted as they have, and again here showing an American past involving a shady cult or secret society, in this case a renegade branch of the Eminent Society of Freemen called the Scowrers who hold the Vermissa Valley mining communities in fear and terror. The similarities are too stark not to be noticed and this lacks the impact of its predecessor, though the choking atmosphere of fear and casual, brutal violence engendered by the Scowrers is vividly described. 4/5