Nonetheless, Moriarty remains one of the central characters of this novel, and he is revealed to be the mastermind behind Douglas’ demise. Indeed, he does not ever actually appear in The Valley of Fear: he is only referenced, and, at the end of the book, Holmes receives a short note from him. One of the most infamous characters in literature, Moriarty ironically appears in only two Sherlock Holmes stories. Professor James MoriartyĮvery great fictional hero has an equally great nemesis. Watson is often described as stout and somewhat withdrawn, as well as being very easy-going in nature. Watson’s presence is fairly insignificant in this particular novel, appearing in only a few scenes in which Holmes was not present as well. Watson, fairly intelligent in his own right, seems to remain in a constant state of stupor over Holmes’ brilliance, and often voices the reader’s own confusions concerning the detective’s rapid deductions. Such is the case in much of The Valley of Fear, though Conan Doyle departs from this perspective for much of Part II. Through almost the entire canon, we see everything through Watson’s eyes: the story is presented as if written firsthand by the good doctor himself. John Watson is the loyal sidekick of Sherlock Holmes, appearing in almost every Sherlock Holmes story ever written by Conan Doyle. Perhaps just as famous as his brilliant partner, Dr. Still, he remains intellectually superior without a doubt, even when surrounded by other successful detectives. In The Valley of Fear, we do not see as much of the “bloodhound” Holmes rather, he seems to penetrate the mystery rather quickly, and the true heart of the story instead lies in the second part. This particular novel, ironically enough, probably contains less of Holmes than any of the others, with the great sleuth being contained largely to Part I. He is incredibly brilliant, moderately vain, and often impatient with those who are unable to keep up with his rapid deductions. Sherlock Holmes is described as tall, thin, and reserved, with an aquiline nose and penetrating eyes. Arguably the most famous fictional character in history, Sherlock Holmes is synonymous with “great detective.” His place as the most brilliant detective in all of literature is challenged only possibly by Agatha Christie’s Poirot.

The valley of fear book