scotland_yard 's review for:

The Valley of Fear by Arthur Conan Doyle

3.75

adventurous dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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I'm unsure as to what to rate this book. It was an enjoyable read, but Arthur Conan Doyle has reverted to the same formula as A Study in Scarlet of having a lengthy flashback that occupies the entire second half of the book and we only get back to London for just a few pages at the end. Both sections of the book are great - the Sherlock Holmes section is amazing. The flashback section is also great and relevant as to explaining the events that unfolded in the Holmes section but, they feel very divorced from one another.