Who was Holmes?

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. Sherlock Holmes is described as tall, thin, and reserved, with an aquiline nose and penetrating eyes. He is incredibly brilliant, moderately vain, and often impatient with those who are unable to keep up with his rapid deductions. 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. 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. Still, he remains intellectually superior without a doubt, even when surrounded by other successful detectives.