Holmes truly shows us what a great detective he is by thinking from the perspective of the criminal when he tracks them down.
The chase on the Thames is truly one of my favourite moments in the book.
One can truly visualise and feel the tension crackling high in these moments.
I like how the case develops, the back story to the mystery, the romance involved with Mary and Watson and the observation and deduction as well. The part with Toby got a smile as well. The action moves from chapter to chapter, winding down in a chase sequence..
The ending sub-story of Small, while very important to the story itself, didn’t feel very interesting to me. It slowed down the novel.
It could have been more interesting if the ending.
Destructive Criticism:
The Sign of Four, published in 1890, opens with Holmes injecting cocaine into “[his] sinewy forearm and wrist all dotted and scarred with innumerable puncture marks” to the hearty disapproval of Dr. Watson, who entreats him to consider the consequences.