The Sign of the Four has been a crucial part of the Sherlock Holmes canon since its publication in Lippincott's Monthly Magazine in 1890. It explores theft, betrayal, and murder in the larger context of the British Empire at a time of national upheaval. We follow Sherlock Holmes as he solves various mysteries in London, but the novel's flashbacks to India during the 'Mutiny' and its aftermath call into question the consequences of that imperial venture.
