A Wonderfully Mysterious Classic

books:

	• The Hound of the Baskervilles: 150th Anniversary Edition (Signet Classics) Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Signet Classics, 2001 - 256 pages average customer review:based on 199 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Hound of hell

"Hound of the Baskervilles" is a unique story in the Sherlock Holmes canon -- author Arthur Conan Doyle wrote it in the years between Holmes' death and his resurrection several years later.

But due to public pressure, Doyle brought Holmes and Watson back temporarily for a sort of "memoir" tale, a tale of supernatural curses, escaped convicts and ghastly glowing hounds. It suffers a little from a lack of Holmes, but is otherwise a tightly-written, solid little mystery.

Sir Charles Baskerville was found dead of a heart attack -- apparently killed by a family curse in the shape of a giant dog. So his pal Dr. Mortimer asks Sherlock Holmes to protect Charles' heir, Henry Baskerville, who has just arrived in England to claim his estate and inheritance.

But even without Holmes, Watson can tell that something is up -- secretive servants, peculiar neighbors, an escaped criminal, a giant quicksand marsh, and the sounds of a dog howling in the night. But Holmes knows that the curse is no supernatural hound -- and that Sir Henry is in danger from a more real kind of ancient enemy.

"Hound of the Baskervilles" stumbles in one area -- the relative lack of Holmes. He's out of the picture for most of the book, and Watson does plenty of solid detecting on his own. Everybody loves the faithful narrator, but Watson isn't the Great Detective, and the book feels vaguely incomplete without Holmes inspecting clues and giving little hints to Watson.

The mystery unfolds at a languid pace, dropping a few red herrings along the way. Doyle pays loving attention to the dangerous, almost surreal Grimpen Mire and the surrounding countryside. But when Holmes comes back onto the scene, the book tightens itself up. All the plot threads rapidly slip into place as the real "hound" is uncovered.

Holmes' steel-trap mind is untarnished here, especially when he reveals what he figured out at the end. He's especially likable in an endearing scene at the beginning, where he educates Watson on deduction. But this is Watson's turn to shine, since he spends a long time gathering clues and even solving a sub-mystery without any assistance.

"Hound of the Baskervilles" is a short, satisfying Holmesian mystery, which is only hampered by Holmes' absence for about half the book. Solid work, and a good introduction to the Holmes series.

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Great Read

I'm not a big fan of Sherlock Holmes, but I really enjoyed this one! It was a different style, easier to read and follow.

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A Wonderfully Mysterious Classic

The Hound of the Baskervilles deserves its recognition for a number of reasons. Not only was it the first Sherlock Holmes story to be released in the 20th Century but it was the first story that seemingly endeavoured into the world of the supernatural which would challenge Holmes' idea of rational existence. This story has also spawned many film adaptations but none of which match up to the spectacular story telling ability of Conan Doyle and the gripping nature of the plot told in its literary form. This has become my favourite of the Holmes novels simply for the way in which the case being explored is introduced and the twists which allow it to reach its conclusion.

The plot focuses around the death of Sir Charles Baskerville in the county of Devon. His heir, Sir Henry Baskerville is forced to travel from Canada to claim his fortune but first he is introduced to Holmes & Watson by Sir Charles' friend Dr. Mortimer. Dr. Mortimer is convinced the death of Sir Charles was caused by the legendary Baskervilles curse which has been killing the Baskerville heirs for centuries. The myth focuses around Sir Hugo Baskerville who lived during the time of Oliver Cromwell. The curse arose through revenge of Sir Hugo's misdeeds and has haunted the family ever since. The body of Sir Charles is found with no visible wounds so it is determined that Sir Charles died of pure fright and an obscure footprint of some form of hound a distance from the body only seeks to enforce the myth of the demonic beast.

Told in the third person once again from the perspective of Dr. Watson the story gives a whole new importance to Holmes' accomplice as Watson is sent off to Devon as the protector for the heir to Sir Charles' fortune and fellow investigator whilst Holmes stays in London to commit to another crime. This time spent away from the Holmes character gave me a broader appreciation for the importance of Watson and it certainly does appear, from reading previous stories, the Watsons skills of observation have improved thanks to the time spent with his companion in solving crime. Two chapters specifically are written in the context of letters to Holmes and again gave diversity to the writing of Conan Doyle which makes the situations all the more realistic.

The setting of Dartmoor and the descriptions of the Baskerville Manor are detailed and easy to imagine in their own right. The imagery of the Grimpen Mire is especially intriguing and the inspiration for the Grimpen Mire is certainly a place I would like to see. The characters aside from the main protagonists are interesting in their own quirks and presence and their importance or lack thereof still add equally to that of the overall story. The legend of the hound itself is an excellent way of challenging Holmes' overall mentality as he first dismisses the myth as nonsense but as more and more evidence piles up in support of the myth it becomes interesting to see the character come to terms that some form of demonic hound may actually exist. It is a stunning story and a worthy addition to the Holmes universe.

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Hound of hell

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Lemon Entry, My Dear Watson

Sherlock Holmes made his debut in "A Study in Scarlet", a novella first published in 1887. He and his sidekick, Doctor John H Watson, appeared in over fifty mysteries together. "The Hound of the Baskervilles" is probably the pair's most famous case, and was inspired by a legend about a ghostly hound that haunted Dartmoor. The story was first serialised in the Strand Magazine, with the final instalment appearing in 1902 - and the complete book first appearing that same year.

Although Holmes will be seen as the book's hero, it's Watson who tells the story. The pair's involvement with case begins with a visit from Dr James Mortimer - although, initially, he has stopped by only for a little advice. Mortimer has travelled up to London from his home on the edge of Dartmoor. Sir Charles Baskerville, an elderly neighbour of Mortimer's, has recently died and the doctor is in town to meet his successor. However, thanks to a family legend, the details of the death have the whole community panicking. Back in the 1700s, the man who ruled Baskerville Hall - Sir Hugo - was anything but a virtuous man. Having kidnapped the daughter of a neighbouring yeoman - she wouldn't come willingly - he wasn't at all pleased when she later escaped and fled across the moors. In true Monty Burns style, he pledges himself to all that was unholy, unleashes the hounds and sets out after her. Unfortunately, things don't quite go according to plan. While a huge ghostly hound joins the hunt and the girl dies of fear and exhaustion, Sir Hugo also dies and the hound feasts on his throat. Holmes, of course, views this as little more than a fairy tale. However, those who live close to Baskerville Hall are worried that the curse of the Baskervilles has returned. Several have seen a huge black hound on the moors, "luminous, ghastly and spectral", while Mortimer himself discovered massive paw-prints close to where Sir Charles' body was found. Unlike Hugo, Sir Charles was very highly thought of by all those who knew him. Dr Mortimer is naturally very concerned for Sir Charles' nephew and heir. Sir Henry, the last surviving Baskerville, will very shortly be arriving in London from Canada.

Naturally, the bad news keeps coming for Sir Henry. He has barely arrived in London when he receives a mysterious letter warning him to keep away from Baskerville Hall, there's a mysterious bearded man is following his every move, an escaped killer is living rough on the moors and (strangely) someone keeps stealing his boots. Not to be put off, Sir Henry decides to return to the ancestral home - though not without Watson. Holmes, initially, is unable to join them - there are a few cases in London needing his immediate attention. However, he does issue Watson with some very clear instructions on how to proceed.

A short and easy read...though not quite as scary or as dramatic as I'd imagined. I'd put this partly down to the `old fashioned' writing - while it was probably pacey stuff at the time it was written, it's a little stiff and formal by today's standards. I was also a little disappointed with Holmes : while Watson was a likeable character, I couldn't really warm to the great Sherlock. He struck me as an egotistical showman, a little too keen to hog the spotlight. (He practically threw a huff when Mortimer compared him unfavourably to Bertillion). He appeared desperate to deduce everything - whether he needed to or not - so that people could marvel at his incredible intellect. ( I also wondered if he was - at least partly - trying to keep Watson in his place). Still, there isn't too much damage done : Holmes goes missing for a stretch, and that gives Watson - who is much more likeable - the limelight.

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