THe Four Sherlock Holmes Novels, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

NOTE: Our local library group is having a “Summer of Sherlock.”  In June, we read Arthur and Sherlock, by Michael Sims.  (This book is about how Sir Arthur Conan Doyle created Sherlock Holmes and who were the models for the detective.)  In July, we will discuss the four novels listed below.  In August, we will discuss three current Sherlock Holmes novels authorized by the Conan Doyle Estate: Moriarty and The House of Silk, by Anthony Horowitz, and The Italian Secretary by Caleb Carr.

Characters
Sherlock Holmes Dr. John Watson
A Study in Scarlet	The Sign of the Four	The Hound of the  Baskervilles	The Valley of Fear
John Rance – constable Lestrade – detective Tobias Gregson – detective Victims: Enoch J. Drebber Joseph Stangerson John Ferrier Lucy – adopted daughter Jefferson Hope For discussion: How were the warning signs placed in the Ferrier’s home?	Gregson Lestrade Athelney Jones – police Mary Morstan Captain Morstan - father Mrs. Cecil Forrester – Mary’s employer Mrs. Hudson – housekeeper Major John Sholto Thaddeus – son Bartholomew – son The sign of the four: Jonathan Small Mahomet Singh Abdullah Khan Dost Akbar Tonga – with Small Baker Street irregulars Wiggins – leader For discussion: In this book in particular the police detectives were more prominent and took the credit for solving the crime.  Why did this not bother Sherlock more?	Sir Charles Baskerville -descendent of Hugo, murdered Mr.  Henry Baskerville – son of Charles’ 2nd brother Stapleton – son of Rodger, Charles’ 3rd brother Beryl – wife John Barrymore – butler Eliza – wife Selden – Notting Hill murderer, escaped, Eliza’s brother John Mortimer Mr. Frankland – neighbor, always filing law suits Hound – phosphorus on mouth to mimic flames	Dr. Moriarty Inspector MacDonald White Mason – local officer Sergeant Wilson – Sussex police John Douglas – Birlstone Manor a.k.a. Birdy Edwards – Pinkerton, also John McMurdo Ivy - 2nd wife Cecil Barker Ames – butler Mrs. Allen – housekeeper Ted Baldwin – bicyclist In America: Ancient Order of Freemasons #341 (Scowrers) Councillor Jack McGinty John McMurdo Brother Morris Ted Baldwin - rival for Ettie Mike Scanlon – McMurdo’s roommate Shafter – boarding house Ettie - daughter

For Discussion:

1. Sherlock felt that his skill as a detective was because he could reason backwards (analytically).  On the other hand, being able to reason forward (synthetically) was more useful in everyday life (A Study in Scarlet, Part 2, Chapter 7).   Do you agree?  When would each type of thinking be useful?
2. In The Sign of the Four, Sherlock listed skills necessary for a good detective.  How did he exhibit these skills?
1. Never guess.  “It is a shocking habit – destructive to the logical faculty” (chapter 1).
2. Never overlook the simple things.  “It is just these very simple things which are extremely liable to be overlooked” (chapter 10).
3. Eliminate all wrong answers to determine correct one. “Eliminate all other factors, and the one which remains must be the truth” (chapter 1).
4. Examine objects used every day to learn about the person. (chapter 1)
5. Also, in The Valley of Fear, Sherlock said he liked to be in the place where the crime happened to see if he could learn anything from the atmosphere.  “I’m a believer in the genius loci” (Part 1, chapter 6). 
3. Referring back to learning about a person by examining what they use every day, what would the things you use and touch every day tell Sherlock about you?
4. Many mystery writers include a red herring, false clue, to throw off the reader.  Were there any red herrings in the novel you read?
5. Three of the four stories (nor Hound of the Baskervilles) almost had two separate stories, one about the crime and Sherlock Holmes’ detective work and the second the back story of the crime.  Did you like this approach?
6. In The Sign of the Four, Sherlock restated a premise by Winwood Reade that “as an individual man is an insoluble puzzle, in the aggregate he becomes a mathematical certainty” (chapter 10).   Do you agree?  Were there examples in this novel or the other three?  What about in our current world?
7. If you read Arthur and Sherlock, by Michael Sims, how did that information influence your reading of the four novels?
8. If the novels were published today would they be any different?

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