The Valley of Fear
Encyclopedia
The Valley of Fear is the fourth and final Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes is a fictional detective created by Scottish author and physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The fantastic London-based "consulting detective", Holmes is famous for his astute logical reasoning, his ability to take almost any disguise, and his use of forensic science skills to solve...

 novel by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Arthur Conan Doyle
Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle DL was a Scottish physician and writer, most noted for his stories about the detective Sherlock Holmes, generally considered a milestone in the field of crime fiction, and for the adventures of Professor Challenger...

. The story was first published in the Strand Magazine
Strand Magazine
The Strand Magazine was a monthly magazine composed of fictional stories and factual articles founded by George Newnes. It was first published in the United Kingdom from January 1891 to March 1950 running to 711 issues, though the first issue was on sale well before Christmas 1890.Its immediate...

between September 1914 and May 1915, and the first book edition was published in New York on 27 February 1915.

Part I: The Tragedy of Birlstone

Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson receive a letter from an informant known by the pseudonym Fred Porlock. Porlock is part of Professor Moriarty
Professor Moriarty
Professor James Moriarty is a fictional character and the archenemy of the detective Sherlock Holmes in the fiction of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Moriarty is a criminal mastermind, described by Holmes as the "Napoleon of Crime". Doyle lifted the phrase from a real Scotland Yard inspector who was...

's criminal organisation. The letter is written in a numeric code, and Holmes realises that the numbers refer to words in a book , by page and column. They decode the letter (finding the book in question to be Whitaker's Almanack
Whitaker's Almanack
Whitaker's Almanack is a reference book, published annually in the United Kingdom. The book was originally published by J Whitaker & Sons from 1868 to 1997, then by The Stationery Office, from 2003 to 2010 by A & C Black and from 2011 by .-Content:...

), which warns that John Douglas of Birlstone House is about to be murdered.

After they have deciphered the message, Inspector MacDonald of Scotland Yard comes to consult Holmes. MacDonald is astonished when he sees the message, because it has pre-empted his news: a man called John Douglas has indeed been mysteriously killed in Sussex. MacDonald demands to know the true identity of the informant who predicted the crime, but Holmes does not know it, because he promised not to try and find out who 'Porlock' really is. Holmes can only tell MacDonald that the informant works for Professor Moriarty
Professor Moriarty
Professor James Moriarty is a fictional character and the archenemy of the detective Sherlock Holmes in the fiction of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Moriarty is a criminal mastermind, described by Holmes as the "Napoleon of Crime". Doyle lifted the phrase from a real Scotland Yard inspector who was...

.

MacDonald, Holmes and Watson go to the Birlstone Manor House in Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...

, working with Scotland Yard and beginning their investigation along with Inspector White Mason and other officers from the local police force. At least five people were in the house at the time of the murder. John Douglas, Ivy Douglas (his wife), Ames (a butler), Cecil Barker (a friend) and Mrs Allen (a servant). Cecil Barker is an old friend of Douglas and had been intending to stay at Birlstone House for a few months on holiday. He had met Douglas in America many years before and become his partner as well as his friend.

The house is surrounded by a moat that is fed from a nearby stream. The moat is wide but only two or three feet deep, so no one can really swim (or drown) in it. The house has a drawbridge, which is lowered every morning and raised every night. Barker tells the detectives that Douglas locked all of the windows in the house every night, and that he felt safer when the drawbridge was raised. It is concluded that the murderer walked across the drawbridge and hid close to the house before it was raised. The murderer could not have entered the house after 6:30 pm, since at that time the drawbridge was up.

Douglas's body can only be identified by a strange brand on his arm, a circle with a triangle inside it. He has been shot in the head with a sawed-off shotgun, at close range. The investigators soon learn from Barker that Douglas' wedding ring is missing. It stayed on the same finger, under the nugget-ring he wore, which was found intact on the body. That means the assassin removed both rings, and stole one while replacing the other. The assassin also left a card reading "VV 341".

They find a footprint imprinted in blood on the window sill, suggesting that the assassin jumped through the window and waded across the moat to freedom, but they can find no tracks, nor has anyone spotted a wet man wandering nearby. A bicycle and bag are also discovered, connected to a man staying at a nearby hotel, whose physical description is similar to that of the victim. However, this man left no trace of his identity at the hotel. After a short while, Holmes discovers that one of Douglas' dumbbells is also missing, suggesting the killer might have taken it. Holmes wants to find the dumbbell, so that afternoon he borrows Watson's large umbrella, sits on the window sill and fishes around in the moat. He finds the dumbbell, which had been used to weigh down a bundle of clothes. He puts it back in the moat where he found it. He then tells MacDonald to write a note to Barker, advising that the moat will be drained to search for evidence. MacDonald says this would be physically impossible, but sends the note nonetheless.

That night, MacDonald, White Mason, Holmes and Watson hide in some bushes near the manor. When everyone goes to bed, they see a light go on in the study where Douglas was killed. Shortly after, they see a man grabbing the bundle from the moat. They charge into the house and into the study, and find Cecil Barker with the bundle. McDonald accuses him of murdering Douglas, but he denies it. Then Mrs Douglas comes in and says that she is prepared to tell all. She crosses to the fireplace, presses a button, and it opens up. A man steps out, and introduces himself as John Douglas.

Douglas explains that the intruder was the one who was shot. The intruder carried the same brand as Douglas. He says that he became a member of a gang in Vermissa Valley, under a different name. To join this gang, one's arm had to be branded, which explains why Douglas and the intruder had the same brand. This gang member, Ted Baldwin, had come to England to kill Douglas. Douglas had seen Baldwin in the village on the day he broke into the house, and became very scared. When he saw Baldwin in the study, he picked up a hammer to defend himself against Baldwin's sawed-off shotgun. Baldwin fell in their struggle and accidentally shot himself in the face, killing himself instantly.

Douglas and Baldwin had a similar build. Barker came to help Douglas change Baldwin into his clothes, so that it seems Douglas himself was killed. Baldwin's clothes were wrapped up in a bundle, weighted with the dumbbell, and thrown into the moat. The only three who knew about this are Douglas, Barker and Mrs Douglas. They keep quiet until they are discovered.

Douglas presents some handwritten notes to Watson, which tell his backstory in America. Holmes assures Douglas that English law is just, and he will be treated fairly. Holmes tells Mr and Mrs Douglas that they are still in danger and must be on their guard.

Watson then speaks directly to the reader, promising that, after Douglas's story is told, we can all return to the rooms at Baker Street. With that, the reader is introduced to Part 2 (much in the same way as A Study in Scarlet
A Study in Scarlet
A Study in Scarlet is a detective mystery novel written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, introducing his new character of Sherlock Holmes, who later became one of the most famous literary detective characters. He wrote the story in 1886, and it was published the next year...

)
.

Part II: The Scowrers

This story begins February 4, 1875, on a train approaching the coal-and-iron-ore-mining region of Vermissa Valley. The narrator instructs the reader to look at a young man seated by himself ("Take a good look at him; for he is worth it"), who can be recognized as the younger John Douglas by his shrewd, humorous gray eyes. He carries a large navy revolver, which catches the attention of another passenger, Mike Scanlan. The young man introduces himself as John McMurdo, and remarks that he is from Chicago and a member of the Eminent Order of Freemen. Scanlan verifies that he is a Brother of the Order, then identifies himself as a Brother from Lodge 341 in Vermissa Valley.

McMurdo is soon shown to have a hot and violent temper, as he argues with a couple of policemen on the train. Before he even reaches Vermissa, he already has a reputation. Scanlan recommends that McMurdo go to old Jacob Shafter's boarding house, and to see Bodymaster McGinty as soon as possible once he reaches the town.

McMurdo meets and soon falls in love with Ettie Shafter, Jacob's daughter, who is promised to another Freeman, Ted Baldwin. Ettie returns McMurdo's feelings, but she and her father are too afraid of the consequences if she spurns Baldwin.

McMurdo later visited Bodymaster McGinty, and claimed that he made counterfeit money
Counterfeit money
Counterfeit money is currency that is produced without the legal sanction of the state or government to resemble some official form of currency closely enough that it may be confused for genuine currency. Producing or using counterfeit money is a form of fraud or forgery. Counterfeiting is probably...

 before killing his partner and came to the coal mine region. McGinty thought that McMurdo's skill would be for use and kept him. McGinty decided that Ettie could choose who she liked as both Baldwin and McMurdo were of the same group. McMurdo joined the Order in a ceremony later, and got involved in several criminal activities. During the period, Ettie was worried, and McMurdo asked her to give him six months.

One day, a fellow of the Order got the information that Pinkerton National Detective Agency
Pinkerton National Detective Agency
The Pinkerton National Detective Agency, usually shortened to the Pinkertons, is a private U.S. security guard and detective agency established by Allan Pinkerton in 1850. Pinkerton became famous when he claimed to have foiled a plot to assassinate president-elect Abraham Lincoln, who later hired...

 was sending a detective Birdy Edwards to investigate their criminal organization. McMurdo said that he knew this Birdy Edwards, and suggested to have McGinty, Baldwin, and five other important members of the group to wait in McMurdo's house, while he would lure Birdy Edwards there as a trap. On that day, while those seven people waiting in the bedroom for the signal to rush out to catch Birdy Edwards, McMurdo walked in, and announced that he was Birdy Edwards, while telling those criminals that they were surrounded by policemen.

Later, after trials, McGinty was sentenced to death, but Baldwin and a few others were jailed for terms. Birdy Edwards left Vermissa Valley with Ettie and got married in Chicago. He had been the target of several failed assassinations. He changed his name to John Douglas, went to California, where he made a fortune, his wife died due to illness, and made a friend with Cecil Barker. As Baldwin and the others were still trying to kill him for revenge, he left for England, where he married his second wife.

Holmes warned them that the coming danger was bigger than the past, as Moriarty was involved. He suggested to Douglas to leave England.

Epilogue

In the epilogue
Epilogue
An epilogue, epilog or afterword is a piece of writing at the end of a work of literature or drama, usually used to bring closure to the work...

, Barker arrives at 221B with the news that Douglas has been killed. He and his wife had departed on a trip to South Africa three weeks prior, and now Barker has received a telegram from Mrs. Douglas. She says that Douglas has been lost overboard in a gale off St. Helena, but nobody knows how it happened. Holmes believes that Moriarty had Douglas killed, because Moriarty did not want it to look as if he had failed.

Barker asks if Moriarty will ever pay for his crime. Holmes says that he will, but justice will be long delayed.

Professor Moriarty

The Valley of Fear, notable for Professor Moriarty
Professor Moriarty
Professor James Moriarty is a fictional character and the archenemy of the detective Sherlock Holmes in the fiction of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Moriarty is a criminal mastermind, described by Holmes as the "Napoleon of Crime". Doyle lifted the phrase from a real Scotland Yard inspector who was...

's involvement, is set before "The Final Problem", the short story in which Moriarty was introduced. This introduces a logical difficulty, as in The Final Problem Dr. Watson has never heard of Moriarty, whereas by the end of The Valley Of Fear he is, or should be, familiar with his name and character. The "Moriarty" element in the story is tied into the fate of the informer in the story. It ties the Molly Maguire background to another sensation of that period. This was the death of James Carey
James Carey
James Carey was a Fenian and informer most notable for his involvement in the Phoenix Park murders.Carey was son of Francis Carey, a bricklayer, who came from Celbridge, in Kildare, to Dublin, where his son was born in James Street in 1845. He also was a bricklayer, and for 18 years continued in...

, the informer on the Irish National Invincibles
Irish National Invincibles
The Irish National Invincibles, usually known as "The Invincibles" were a radical splinter group of the Irish Republican Brotherhood and leading representatives of the Land League movement, both of Ireland and Britain...

 who committed the Phoenix Park Murders
Phoenix Park Murders
The Phoenix Park Murders were the fatal stabbings on 6 May 1882 in the Phoenix Park in Dublin of Lord Frederick Cavendish and Thomas Henry Burke. Cavendish was the newly appointed Chief Secretary for Ireland, and Burke was the Permanent Undersecretary, the most senior Irish civil servant...

 of Lord Frederick Cavendish
Lord Frederick Cavendish
Lord Frederick Charles Cavendish was an English Liberal politician and protégé of the Prime Minister, William Ewart Gladstone...

 and Thomas Burke
Thomas Burke
-Public officials:*Thomas Burke , Irish-born physician, lawyer and politician*Sir Thomas Burke, 3rd Baronet , Irish legislator...

. Carey was shot on board a ship off the coast of Natal in 1883 by Patrick O'Donnell
Patrick O'Donnell
Patrick O'Donnell was an Irish Fine Gael politician and Teachta Dála for over twenty years.He was first elected to Dáil Éireann on 16 November 1949 for the Donegal West constituency, in a by-election caused by the death of Fianna Fáil TD Brian Brady. He was re-elected at the 1951 general...

, a committed Irish revolutionary. O'Donnell had relatives in the Mollies, and briefly visited the Pennsylvania coal mining district, supposedly looking for the suspected informer among them. He left the U.S. long before the Mollies were broken up. It is just possible that William Pinkerton, the son and successor to Allan Pinkerton
Allan Pinkerton
Allan Pinkerton was a Scottish American detective and spy, best known for creating the Pinkerton National Detective Agency.-Early life, career and immigration:...

 in running the famous detective agency
Pinkerton National Detective Agency
The Pinkerton National Detective Agency, usually shortened to the Pinkertons, is a private U.S. security guard and detective agency established by Allan Pinkerton in 1850. Pinkerton became famous when he claimed to have foiled a plot to assassinate president-elect Abraham Lincoln, who later hired...

, mentioned this and much of the story to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and the latter took the fate of Carey for the similar fate of Jack Douglas on board a ship off St. Helena (on the opposite side of Africa).

Adaptations

Among the few film adaptations are the 1935 British film The Triumph of Sherlock Holmes
The Triumph of Sherlock Holmes
The Triumph of Sherlock Holmes is a 1935 British mystery film directed by Leslie S. Hiscott and based on The Valley of Fear by Arthur Conan Doyle.- Plot summary :...

, starring Arthur Wontner
Arthur Wontner
Arthur Wontner was a British actor best known for playing Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's master detective Sherlock Holmes in five films from 1931 to 1937...

 as Holmes and Ian Fleming
Ian Fleming (actor)
Ian Fleming was an Australian born character actor with credits in over 100 British movies.He is perhaps best known for playing Dr. Watson in a series of Sherlock Holmes movies of the 1930s opposite Arthur Wontner's Holmes...

 as Watson, and the 1984 animated film Sherlock Holmes and the Valley of Fear, starring Peter O'Toole
Peter O'Toole
Peter Seamus Lorcan O'Toole is an Irish actor of stage and screen. O'Toole achieved stardom in 1962 playing T. E. Lawrence in Lawrence of Arabia, and then went on to become a highly-honoured film and stage actor. He has been nominated for eight Academy Awards, and holds the record for most...

 as the voice of Holmes. The story was also adapted for an episode of the 1954 television series Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes (1954 TV Series)
The first and only American television series of Sherlock Holmes adventures aired in syndication in the fall of 1954. The 39 half-hour mostly original stories were produced by Sheldon Reynolds and filmed in France by Guild Films, starring Ronald Howard as Holmes and Howard Marion Crawford as Watson...

starring Ronald Howard
Ronald Howard (British actor)
Ronald Howard was an English actor and writer best known in the U.S. for starring in a weekly Sherlock Holmes television series in 1954. He was the son of actor Leslie Howard.- Life and work :...

 as Holmes and Howard Marion Crawford as Watson. The episode is titled "The Case of the Pennsylvania Gun." The 1962 film Sherlock Holmes and the Deadly Necklace
Sherlock Holmes and the Deadly Necklace
Sherlock Holmes and the Deadly Necklace is a 1962 black-and-white film directed by Terence Fisher and Frank Winterstein. It was a German-French-Italian co-production. It stars Christopher Lee as Sherlock Holmes and Thorley Walters as Dr. Watson...

was intended to be an adaptation of The Valley of Fear, but only minor elements of the story remained in the final film.

Similarity to other Sherlock Holmes novels

The novel uses the same structural device as the first Sherlock Holmes novel, A Study in Scarlet
A Study in Scarlet
A Study in Scarlet is a detective mystery novel written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, introducing his new character of Sherlock Holmes, who later became one of the most famous literary detective characters. He wrote the story in 1886, and it was published the next year...

; both stories include a lengthy flashback to America, and both stories involve people running around the world to avoid paying for a vengeance with their lives. Also, both long-term grudges begin with a villain wanting to force an innocent young woman to marry him,

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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