The Valley of Fear
More actions
Stub | |
| The Valley of Fear | |
|---|---|
| Informations | |
| ← Preceded by | ← Previous The Hound of the Baskervilles |
– Father Morris
The Valley of Fear is a mystery novel written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The novel was first published in 1915 and is the fourth and final novel featuring Sherlock Holmes.
The story begins with a coded warning received by Holmes, indicating that a murder is about to take place in a small mining town called Vermissa Valley. Holmes and his trusted companion Dr. Watson investigate the case and uncover a complex web of deceit, revenge, and secret societies. The novel is divided into two parts, with the first part focusing on the murder mystery in Vermissa Valley and the second part delving into the backstory of the main suspect and his connection to a secret society called the "Scowrers". This part of the novel takes the reader back to the United States and the criminal underworld of the late 19th century.
Conception edit
To be added
Storyline edit
Sherlock Holmes receives a coded message from a secret informant named Fred Porlock, an agent within Professor Moriarty’s criminal network. The message warns of imminent danger to a man named John Douglas, but before Holmes can act, Inspector MacDonald of Scotland Yard arrives with news that Douglas has already been murdered at his estate, Birlstone Manor.
Holmes and Dr. Watson travel to Birlstone, where they learn that Douglas was shot in the head at close range with a shotgun. His body lies beside a sawed-off shotgun, and a bloody mark of a triangular brand is found on his forearm. The manor’s moat was raised overnight, suggesting an effort to prevent the killer’s escape or entry. Douglas’s wife, Ivy, and his friend, Cecil Barker, both claim they heard the shot and found the body soon after. Barker insists that the murderer must have fled through the open window. Holmes quickly notices inconsistencies. The victim’s wedding ring is missing, but his other jewelry remains untouched. Furthermore, the unusual triangular brand suggests a connection to a secret society. Holmes deduces that Douglas had been living in fear of an old enemy and that his past held the key to the murder.
At this point, the novel shifts to a backstory set in 19th-century America. It follows a man named Jack McMurdo, a new arrival in the lawless coal-mining town of Vermissa Valley, controlled by a brutal gang called the Scowrers. Posing as a criminal, McMurdo gains the gang’s trust and rises through the ranks. The Scowrers, led by the ruthless Boss McGinty, use violence and intimidation to maintain control. McMurdo, however, falls in love with a woman named Ettie Shafter, who urges him to leave his dangerous life behind. It is eventually revealed that McMurdo is actually John Douglas, an undercover Pinkerton detective infiltrating the Scowrers to bring them to justice. After collecting enough evidence, he betrays the gang, leading to their downfall. However, he is marked for death by the surviving members of the secret society and is forced to flee America. He eventually settles in England under a new identity, but the Scowrers never stop hunting him.
Back in the present, Holmes reveals the truth: Douglas was not actually murdered. Knowing he was being pursued, Douglas faked his own death with the help of his friend Cecil Barker. The real victim was Ted Baldwin, one of the Scowrers who had come to kill him. Douglas overpowered and killed Baldwin, then staged the scene to appear as if he were the victim, using the shotgun blast to make identification difficult. He and Barker disposed of Baldwin’s body in the moat after the police arrived. Holmes admires Douglas’s ingenuity but warns that Moriarty will not let Douglas escape so easily. Soon after, Douglas disappears from police custody, and a report arrives stating that his body has been found in a river. Holmes grimly concludes that Moriarty has taken his revenge, proving that even Holmes is not beyond the reach of the criminal mastermind. The novel ends with Holmes vowing to bring down Moriarty, setting the stage for their upcoming confrontation.
Characters edit
Real figures cited edit
Reception edit
To be added