Preview

The Valley of Fear

By: Arthur Conan Doyle
Narrated by: Derek Jacobi

Publisher's summary

The mystery begins with a coded warning of imminent danger, drawing the illustrious Sherlock Holmes and the faithful Dr Watson to a secluded country home. A trail of bewildering clues, including raincoats, dumbbells, and a missing wedding ring, leads to sleuthing in the finest Holmesian tradition - with a gripping back story of a cult that terrorized a valley in the American West.
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What listeners say about The Valley of Fear

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Derek Jacobi - THE BEST!

This was an interesting story by Doyle but as another reviewer pointed out, not much of Sherlock or Watson here. However, Mr. Jacobi’s reading is so superlative even a bad story can be great. I enjoyed this thoroughly and highly recommend!

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    5 out of 5 stars
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As always full of surprises!

Excellent characters, twists and turns. Never disappointed when it comes to Holmes and Watson. The age it was written in doesn’t matter. I encourage young readers to try these old stories to get an idea of how things were before the age of technology.

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Excellent story & read!

Such a pleasure to listen to a well written story with beautiful English prose. Lovely narration as well!

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

A nice standalone whodunnit

"The Valley of Fear" is another mystery featuring the legendary detective Sherlock Holmes. As a standalone story, the novel retains the classic elements that fans of the Sherlock Holmes series have come to love.

One notable aspect of "The Valley of Fear" is its plot twist, which, while somewhat predictable for seasoned mystery readers, still manages to captivate. Doyle cleverly leaves enough room for speculation, keeping readers engaged until the very end. However, the decision to begin with a chapter set later in the story before jumping back to the beginning can be initially confusing.

Overall, "The Valley of Fear" remains a satisfying read for fans of Sherlock Holmes and mystery enthusiasts alike. Despite its minor narrative quirks, the timelessness of the prose and compelling characters ensure that the novel retains its place as a good example of the genre.

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    3 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Not his best work

Very little of the story is related to Holmes and Watson. Most of the story is about the person Holmes was asked to figure out how he was murdered.

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1 person found this helpful