A Sherlock Holmes Novel

Introduction

The Hound of the Baskervilles (1902) is the third of four Sherlock Holmes novels written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Set largely on Dartmoor in Devon, it is considered one of the greatest detective novels ever published and remains the most famous of all Holmes stories. Its atmospheric blend of mystery, gothic horror, and deductive logic ensured enduring popularity and helped revive interest in Sherlock Holmes after his apparent death at the Reichenbach Falls.

Background and Publication

Doyle wrote The Hound of the Baskervilles after killing off Holmes in “The Final Problem” (1893). Though set before Holmes’s supposed death, the novel was serialised in The Strand Magazine from 1901 to 1902. Its success convinced Doyle to formally resurrect Holmes the following year in “The Empty House.”

Plot Overview

The story begins when Dr. James Mortimer seeks Holmes’s help regarding the sudden death of Sir Charles Baskerville, whose family is plagued by a legendary curse: a spectral hound said to haunt Dartmoor. Holmes dispatches Dr. Watson to accompany the new heir, Sir Henry Baskerville, to his ancestral home, where strange events unfold on the desolate moor. Eventually, Holmes himself arrives, revealing that the “hound” is a real dog, trained and used by Stapleton, a villainous relative seeking to claim the Baskerville fortune. The novel concludes with Holmes and Watson unmasking Stapleton’s scheme and destroying the monstrous hound.

Major Themes

• Science vs. Superstition: The novel contrasts rational deduction with gothic folklore, as Holmes explains away what seems to be supernatural.
• Landscape as Character: Dartmoor’s bleak, fog-bound terrain is central to the atmosphere of the story.
• Family and Inheritance: The Baskerville curse symbolises anxieties about heredity, degeneration, and fate in late-Victorian society.

Adaptations

The Hound of the Baskervilles has been adapted more than any other Holmes story, appearing in stage plays, films, television, radio, and comics. Notable adaptations include:

• 1939 film starring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce, which launched their celebrated screen partnership.
• 1959 Hammer Films version featuring Peter Cushing as Holmes and Christopher Lee as Sir Henry.
• BBC’s Sherlock (2012 episode “The Hounds of Baskerville”), reimagined in modern Britain with Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman.
• Numerous Russian, German, and Indian productions, underscoring its international appeal.

Legacy

The novel remains a cornerstone of the Sherlock Holmes canon and detective fiction more broadly. Its atmospheric setting, memorable villain, and masterful pacing continue to influence adaptations and inspire scholars. Today, it is frequently studied in schools and universities, and its imagery of fog, moors, and a ghostly hound endures as one of the most iconic symbols in detective literature.

See also: Sherlock Holmes | Dr. John Watson | Sir Arthur Conan Doyle | Reichenbach Falls