The Sign of the Four by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

It was one of those days: at a loose end, I needed something to while away the time.  I settled on The Sign of Four.  It is the second of the Sherlock Holmes novels.  It turned out to be an entertaining afternoon's read.

Sherlock Holmes is bored and is shooting up cocaine as result.  As luck would have it, a young lady, Mary Morstan, comes to enlist his help in solving an intriguing mystery.  This is what Holmes needs: an intriguing mystery to engage his mind and talents.  Why is somebody sending flawless pearls anonymously to Mary?

As Holmes and Watson investigate the case things get more intriguing and, of course, more dangerous. Holmes uses his deductive logic to solve the puzzling situations confronting them.  Step by step they come closer to unmasking and apprehending the perp.  Will they meet their maker before they can bring the guilty to justice?

I had a lot of fun trying - unsuccessfully - to stay a step ahead of Holmes.  I suppose that is why he is a fictional consulting detective and I am not.  Although The Sign of Four is more of a novella than a novel, there is plenty of action to be had.  Apart from the over-long "I did it" speech in the last chapter, the story moves along at a fair clip.  

Let's face it, what we have here is a yarn, and character development takes second place to action.  That's the deal.  Buy into it and you are assured of a good time.  If you are looking for something for a rainy weekend, this may be your book.